Tag: Discovery Channel

  • Discovery Channel presents one hour programme on Ramzan

    Discovery Channel presents one hour programme on Ramzan

    MUMBAI: India has more festivals than any other part of the world with its people bonded together by different faiths, customs, religions and its history living in celebrations of colours, lights, music and dance. Eid-ul-fitr is one such festival, celebrated by nearly 180 million Muslims in India and many others around the world at the end of the holy month of Ramadan (or Ramzan).

    Celebrating the auspicious month of Ramzan, Discovery Channel will take its viewers on a spiritual journey to discover the essence of this festival. Watch the one-hour special SPIRIT OF INDIA: RAMZAN ON Wednesday, July 6th at 8 pm on Discovery Channel.

    Fasting is arguably the most important practice in the month of Ramadan but the story unravels many other dimensions of the festival besides the regular prayers. There are are a number of other socio-religious practices that have to be strictly adhered to during this month, like being patient, doing charity, giving up materialist desires in order to free oneself from the worldly desires and strengthening the bond between man and God.

    The programme presenter Danny Sura will take Discovery Channel viewers through the streets of Mumbai abuzz with festivities, will attend an Iftar Party near Jama Masjid at Santa Cruz, and later culminate his spiritual journey at the holy shrine of Moinuddin Chishti in Ajmer, Rajasthan.

    The programme will also feature the tradition of people hugging and greeting each other and saying EId Mubarak that speaks volumes about the brotherhood that Islam is instilling in its followers and the significance of the Eid Namaaz or the Khutbathde Namaz as an important prayer. The programme also follows the sermons by clerics, delivering messages of peace and goodwill and blessings for the people.

    Tune in to Discovery Channel on Wednesday July 6th at 8 PM to witness the congregation of Muslim devotees offering their prayers to almighty, preparation of ancient cuisines and much more on this Eid-ul-Fitr.

  • Discovery to air ‘Dual Survival’  from 27 June

    Discovery to air ‘Dual Survival’ from 27 June

    MUMBAI: What’s the key to surviving one of the hottest climates on Earth or navigating through a river full of crocodiles?  Survival is not about finding your way out; it is devising extraordinary ways of using what you find in your surroundings to stay alive. 

    Choices made in the first 72 hours of any survival situation are the most critical. Discovery Channel presents Dual Survival, premiering on June 27 with the next generation of survivalists, who are ready to tackle the toughest terrains and demonstrate how to make it out alive.

    Dual Survival will air weekdays (Monday to Friday) from June 27 at 7 PM on Discovery Channel.

    Dual Survival’s new survival experts Grady Powell and Bill McConnell will be dropped into survival situations that anyone, anywhere in the world, could one day encounter. These experts exhibit how the right skills, knowledge and mental attitude can keep people alive under even the most extreme circumstances. Each episode takes place in a different remote wilderness location, where Grady and Bill must put aside their philosophical differences and work together to secure the four key elements of wilderness survival: water, food, fire and shelter.
    Grady and Bill will navigate unique survival situations – stepping into extreme scenarios with the bare minimum of resources that someone in that position may have – and live out the experience until they achieve the ultimate goal: making it out alive.
    Grady is a former U.S. Army Green Beret with a “no quit” mindset, who passed selection at only 21 years old, and is among some of the youngest soldiers to have made it into the elite brotherhood of Special Forces Operators. A small arms, mobility and survival expert, Grady has run protection for high-level U.S. dignitaries overseas and currently teaches tactical skills to law enforcement and civilians.
    Meanwhile, his new partner Bill McConnell, a primitive wilderness survivalist, takes a much different approach. Bill considers himself to be on a lifelong journey to connect with nature and often ‘talks’ to plants and animals in the wild. He is continually seeking out both indigenous and ancient skills, including fire making, tool & weapons manufacturing, and hunting.

    The survivors face some of the most gruelling conditions in the following episodes:

    Fire and Ice (Chile)   

    New partners, Grady and Bill are dropped onto a glacial volcanic peak in the Chilean Andes, where they face 70 mph winds, heavy snowfall, and sub-freezing temperatures. Hunkering down in cave shelters, they risk noxious gases and struggle to get fire.           

    Take Me to the River 

    Deep in the heart of the Amazon, Grady and Bill climb ancient trees and commune with animals to navigate through the jungle in search of a river that could lead them to salvation. But the jungle heat and humidity pushes them to their breaking point.      

    Eat or be Eaten          

    Stranded in the Zambezi River Basin, Grady and Bill are surrounded by Africa’s fiercest, during the dry season, when every creature is competing to find sufficient water and sustenance. Only a successful fire and shot of luck can get them out alive.  

    Scorched Earth          

    Stranded in the Namib Desert of southern Africa, Grady and Bill rely on the resources of a broken down car for fire, shelter, and to signal for rescue. Without water, they’re forced to recycle fluids to rehydrate and illness threatens to finish Grady.

    On Thin Ice    

    Exposed on jagged granite peaks, in heavy snow and above tree line, Grady and Bill fight the bitter cold of Idaho’s Sawtooth Mountains. Here, Mother Nature throws a series of roadblocks at the pair, and a rookie mistake could end their journey.      

    High and Dry  

    Bill and Grady take on Oregon’s rocky and arid canyon lands. The duo is tested by the desert environment, lack of resources, and exposure in a place where only big horn sheep, mountain lions, and bears call home.         

    Cuban Crisis   

    Closed to Americans for over 55 years, Cuba is the site of Grady and Bill’s journey through uncharted territory. Here, they face-off against crocodiles, navigate tangled mangroves, fight dehydration, and struggle to get out of the water and find rescue.   

    Saturation Point         

    Bill and Grady head to remote, rocky coastal Maine where they go through a bog, face a nor’easter storm, and journey towards the coast. But the cold, damp environment threatens to end this partnership in a flash.       

    Long Way Home (Chile)        

    Stranded in Chile, Grady and Bill struggle to get fire in the damp rainforest, setting ego and survival protocol on a collision course that tests this new team. Only a successful primitive fire and hunt can reset the clock on their survival.

  • Discovery to air ‘Dual Survival’  from 27 June

    Discovery to air ‘Dual Survival’ from 27 June

    MUMBAI: What’s the key to surviving one of the hottest climates on Earth or navigating through a river full of crocodiles?  Survival is not about finding your way out; it is devising extraordinary ways of using what you find in your surroundings to stay alive. 

    Choices made in the first 72 hours of any survival situation are the most critical. Discovery Channel presents Dual Survival, premiering on June 27 with the next generation of survivalists, who are ready to tackle the toughest terrains and demonstrate how to make it out alive.

    Dual Survival will air weekdays (Monday to Friday) from June 27 at 7 PM on Discovery Channel.

    Dual Survival’s new survival experts Grady Powell and Bill McConnell will be dropped into survival situations that anyone, anywhere in the world, could one day encounter. These experts exhibit how the right skills, knowledge and mental attitude can keep people alive under even the most extreme circumstances. Each episode takes place in a different remote wilderness location, where Grady and Bill must put aside their philosophical differences and work together to secure the four key elements of wilderness survival: water, food, fire and shelter.
    Grady and Bill will navigate unique survival situations – stepping into extreme scenarios with the bare minimum of resources that someone in that position may have – and live out the experience until they achieve the ultimate goal: making it out alive.
    Grady is a former U.S. Army Green Beret with a “no quit” mindset, who passed selection at only 21 years old, and is among some of the youngest soldiers to have made it into the elite brotherhood of Special Forces Operators. A small arms, mobility and survival expert, Grady has run protection for high-level U.S. dignitaries overseas and currently teaches tactical skills to law enforcement and civilians.
    Meanwhile, his new partner Bill McConnell, a primitive wilderness survivalist, takes a much different approach. Bill considers himself to be on a lifelong journey to connect with nature and often ‘talks’ to plants and animals in the wild. He is continually seeking out both indigenous and ancient skills, including fire making, tool & weapons manufacturing, and hunting.

    The survivors face some of the most gruelling conditions in the following episodes:

    Fire and Ice (Chile)   

    New partners, Grady and Bill are dropped onto a glacial volcanic peak in the Chilean Andes, where they face 70 mph winds, heavy snowfall, and sub-freezing temperatures. Hunkering down in cave shelters, they risk noxious gases and struggle to get fire.           

    Take Me to the River 

    Deep in the heart of the Amazon, Grady and Bill climb ancient trees and commune with animals to navigate through the jungle in search of a river that could lead them to salvation. But the jungle heat and humidity pushes them to their breaking point.      

    Eat or be Eaten          

    Stranded in the Zambezi River Basin, Grady and Bill are surrounded by Africa’s fiercest, during the dry season, when every creature is competing to find sufficient water and sustenance. Only a successful fire and shot of luck can get them out alive.  

    Scorched Earth          

    Stranded in the Namib Desert of southern Africa, Grady and Bill rely on the resources of a broken down car for fire, shelter, and to signal for rescue. Without water, they’re forced to recycle fluids to rehydrate and illness threatens to finish Grady.

    On Thin Ice    

    Exposed on jagged granite peaks, in heavy snow and above tree line, Grady and Bill fight the bitter cold of Idaho’s Sawtooth Mountains. Here, Mother Nature throws a series of roadblocks at the pair, and a rookie mistake could end their journey.      

    High and Dry  

    Bill and Grady take on Oregon’s rocky and arid canyon lands. The duo is tested by the desert environment, lack of resources, and exposure in a place where only big horn sheep, mountain lions, and bears call home.         

    Cuban Crisis   

    Closed to Americans for over 55 years, Cuba is the site of Grady and Bill’s journey through uncharted territory. Here, they face-off against crocodiles, navigate tangled mangroves, fight dehydration, and struggle to get out of the water and find rescue.   

    Saturation Point         

    Bill and Grady head to remote, rocky coastal Maine where they go through a bog, face a nor’easter storm, and journey towards the coast. But the cold, damp environment threatens to end this partnership in a flash.       

    Long Way Home (Chile)        

    Stranded in Chile, Grady and Bill struggle to get fire in the damp rainforest, setting ego and survival protocol on a collision course that tests this new team. Only a successful primitive fire and hunt can reset the clock on their survival.

  • Wild Frank – Adventure In India

    Wild Frank – Adventure In India

    MUMBAI: “It took twenty intense days to find a Bengal tiger. That was one of the real fights of the century,” said Frank Cuesta. The popular Spanish TV presenter, tennis coach, adventurer and wildlife expert Frank Cuesta traveled to the banks of the Ganges River in India and Nepal to embark “in the wildest and amazing journey of my life.”

    Myths and legends surround the Bengal tiger. Often the majestic big cat is reputed as a cannibal and a man-eater. But is there any truth in such horror stories? The fact – – the species is endangered and is threatened due to human intervention. It is estimated that less than 2,500 tigers live in the wild in Asia. To learn more about the Asian big cat, adventurer Frank Cuesta embarks himself on the trail of majestic tiger. His journey takes him from the Himalayan foothills in Nepal, through the dry forests of India to the mangroves of the Sundarbans at the Bay of Bengal.

    Discovery Channel follows WILD FRANK on his quest for tigers and meets people who have already encountered the tiger up close. Frank also makes traveling acquaintance with numerous other exotic representatives of the animal kingdom like elephants, yaks and snakes. Starting June 10, viewers take a journey with WILD FRANK IN INDIA every Friday at 9 pm, only on Discovery Channel.

    Frank begins his adventure in a monastery of Buddhist monks in the mountains of Nepal and runs through the stunning and remote landscape of this country in search of the tiger. His voyage continues across Nepal to reach India. The naturalist walks the streets of Kolkata and moves to the Sundarbans, world’s largest mangrove. The natives have assured him find the Bengal tiger. Frank wants to get to the “last Bengal tiger” to show it in its natural wild state.

    “It is one of the most endangered species on the planet. Just a few survive in freedom and is almost as difficult to see them in their habitat as close to them and observe them in their natural wild state. The destruction of their home has become the king of the Asian jungle in a nomadic species that hides lurking all living to attack at any time,” said Frank Cuesta, who travelled thousands of kilometers and faced many dangers, like the attack of a Russel viper, whose venom can cause death. His grin moment was sharing a bath in the river next to a herd of elephants.

    Accompany Frank on his wild adventures in WILD FRANK IN INDIA every Friday at 9 pm on Discovery Channel. Discover native animals of the Himalayan region, experience the spectacular beauty of the tallest mountains and delve into the tradition and ancient culture of the people of India and Nepal, the last refuges of the legendary Bengal Tiger.

  • Wild Frank – Adventure In India

    Wild Frank – Adventure In India

    MUMBAI: “It took twenty intense days to find a Bengal tiger. That was one of the real fights of the century,” said Frank Cuesta. The popular Spanish TV presenter, tennis coach, adventurer and wildlife expert Frank Cuesta traveled to the banks of the Ganges River in India and Nepal to embark “in the wildest and amazing journey of my life.”

    Myths and legends surround the Bengal tiger. Often the majestic big cat is reputed as a cannibal and a man-eater. But is there any truth in such horror stories? The fact – – the species is endangered and is threatened due to human intervention. It is estimated that less than 2,500 tigers live in the wild in Asia. To learn more about the Asian big cat, adventurer Frank Cuesta embarks himself on the trail of majestic tiger. His journey takes him from the Himalayan foothills in Nepal, through the dry forests of India to the mangroves of the Sundarbans at the Bay of Bengal.

    Discovery Channel follows WILD FRANK on his quest for tigers and meets people who have already encountered the tiger up close. Frank also makes traveling acquaintance with numerous other exotic representatives of the animal kingdom like elephants, yaks and snakes. Starting June 10, viewers take a journey with WILD FRANK IN INDIA every Friday at 9 pm, only on Discovery Channel.

    Frank begins his adventure in a monastery of Buddhist monks in the mountains of Nepal and runs through the stunning and remote landscape of this country in search of the tiger. His voyage continues across Nepal to reach India. The naturalist walks the streets of Kolkata and moves to the Sundarbans, world’s largest mangrove. The natives have assured him find the Bengal tiger. Frank wants to get to the “last Bengal tiger” to show it in its natural wild state.

    “It is one of the most endangered species on the planet. Just a few survive in freedom and is almost as difficult to see them in their habitat as close to them and observe them in their natural wild state. The destruction of their home has become the king of the Asian jungle in a nomadic species that hides lurking all living to attack at any time,” said Frank Cuesta, who travelled thousands of kilometers and faced many dangers, like the attack of a Russel viper, whose venom can cause death. His grin moment was sharing a bath in the river next to a herd of elephants.

    Accompany Frank on his wild adventures in WILD FRANK IN INDIA every Friday at 9 pm on Discovery Channel. Discover native animals of the Himalayan region, experience the spectacular beauty of the tallest mountains and delve into the tradition and ancient culture of the people of India and Nepal, the last refuges of the legendary Bengal Tiger.

  • Discovery Communications acquires majority share in FoodFood

    Discovery Communications acquires majority share in FoodFood

    MUMBAI: Discovery Communications has announced an agreement to partner with India’s top culinary celebrity Sanjeev Kapoor, by acquiring a majority share in Turmeric Vision Private Limited, which owns and operates pay-TV network, FoodFood and its digital products.

    Discovery’s investment in FoodFood underscores its strategy to deepen and expand its presence in India to grow audience share across all screens, and to complement and strengthen its existing portfolio of female and lifestyle brands including TLC and ID.  Tapping into the growing appetite for food programming amongst women across India, Discovery plans to support FoodFood’s 100% focus on local programming and products, and to drive further value from the ongoing digitalisation of India. Discovery has also agreed to sell FoodFood’s advertising, effective immediately.

    India’s iconic food personality, pioneer of food programming on television, celebrated entrepreneur and author of best-selling cookbooks, Sanjeev Kapoor, will continue to star in and produce programming for FoodFood as its brand ambassador, and will remain a minority shareholder in the business.

    Discovery Networks Asia-Pacific president and MD Arthur Bastings said, “Discovery’s investment in FoodFood further boosts our presence in this important market and broadens our portfolio by adding a category of content that people love. We are excited to partner with the exceptionally talented team, including culinary guru Sanjeev Kapoor, who singlehandedly revolutionised the food television genre in India. Sanjeev’s creative flair and personality combined with Discovery’s content and operational expertise is the perfect recipe for FoodFood’s evolution.”

    “Food is no longer just fuel for the body; it has become a social currency that is appreciated universally.We look forward to deepening FoodFood’s engagement, particularly in digital, and widening its community outside of India,” Bastings added.

    Turmeric Vision Private Limited promoter Sanjeev Kapoor said, “FoodFood is widely admired for its highly relevant, topical, varied, entertaining and delectable programming. I am delighted to become a part of the Discovery family and I am confident that this partnership will strengthen FoodFood’s reach and affinity with consumers, advertisers and distributors.”

    Turmeric Vision Private Limited will be managed as part of Discovery’s Asia-Pacific region led by Bastings. Completion of the transaction is expected to occur in the coming weeks, subject to regulatory approvals.

    Launched in 2011, FoodFood is India’s most recognised cuisine network and is available on leading DTH and cable platforms across India. It has a strategic and growing presence amongst the Indian diaspora across the world which includes UAE, Canada and USA.One of the most engaging brands on digital, the channel’s content is also viewed on its FoodFood App, YouTube Channel and website www.foodfood.com. The brand has a wide following on social platforms including Facebook, Google Plus, Twitter and Instagram.

    FoodFood’s marquee shows span a diverse range from regional Indian food to international cuisines, from health recipes to herb-infused cooking and from kids’ meals to tea time snacks. Sanjeev Kapoor’s Kitchen features his top 100 recipes including his signature dishes. The Fit Foodie presents low-calorie, delicious and contemporary recipes. Style Chef features simple, exotic and unusual recipes using appliances and resources readily available in every Indian kitchen. Hi Tea focuses on effortless, fool-proof recipes guaranteed to enrich family evenings.

    Discovery has been entertaining Indian audiences with its high-quality and differentiated content for the last 20 years. The company currently operates 11 channels in India: Discovery Channel, Animal Planet, TLC, Discovery Kids, ID-Investigation Discovery, Discovery Science, Discovery Turbo, Discovery Tamil, Discovery HD World, TLC HD World and Animal Planet HD World.

  • Discovery Communications acquires majority share in FoodFood

    Discovery Communications acquires majority share in FoodFood

    MUMBAI: Discovery Communications has announced an agreement to partner with India’s top culinary celebrity Sanjeev Kapoor, by acquiring a majority share in Turmeric Vision Private Limited, which owns and operates pay-TV network, FoodFood and its digital products.

    Discovery’s investment in FoodFood underscores its strategy to deepen and expand its presence in India to grow audience share across all screens, and to complement and strengthen its existing portfolio of female and lifestyle brands including TLC and ID.  Tapping into the growing appetite for food programming amongst women across India, Discovery plans to support FoodFood’s 100% focus on local programming and products, and to drive further value from the ongoing digitalisation of India. Discovery has also agreed to sell FoodFood’s advertising, effective immediately.

    India’s iconic food personality, pioneer of food programming on television, celebrated entrepreneur and author of best-selling cookbooks, Sanjeev Kapoor, will continue to star in and produce programming for FoodFood as its brand ambassador, and will remain a minority shareholder in the business.

    Discovery Networks Asia-Pacific president and MD Arthur Bastings said, “Discovery’s investment in FoodFood further boosts our presence in this important market and broadens our portfolio by adding a category of content that people love. We are excited to partner with the exceptionally talented team, including culinary guru Sanjeev Kapoor, who singlehandedly revolutionised the food television genre in India. Sanjeev’s creative flair and personality combined with Discovery’s content and operational expertise is the perfect recipe for FoodFood’s evolution.”

    “Food is no longer just fuel for the body; it has become a social currency that is appreciated universally.We look forward to deepening FoodFood’s engagement, particularly in digital, and widening its community outside of India,” Bastings added.

    Turmeric Vision Private Limited promoter Sanjeev Kapoor said, “FoodFood is widely admired for its highly relevant, topical, varied, entertaining and delectable programming. I am delighted to become a part of the Discovery family and I am confident that this partnership will strengthen FoodFood’s reach and affinity with consumers, advertisers and distributors.”

    Turmeric Vision Private Limited will be managed as part of Discovery’s Asia-Pacific region led by Bastings. Completion of the transaction is expected to occur in the coming weeks, subject to regulatory approvals.

    Launched in 2011, FoodFood is India’s most recognised cuisine network and is available on leading DTH and cable platforms across India. It has a strategic and growing presence amongst the Indian diaspora across the world which includes UAE, Canada and USA.One of the most engaging brands on digital, the channel’s content is also viewed on its FoodFood App, YouTube Channel and website www.foodfood.com. The brand has a wide following on social platforms including Facebook, Google Plus, Twitter and Instagram.

    FoodFood’s marquee shows span a diverse range from regional Indian food to international cuisines, from health recipes to herb-infused cooking and from kids’ meals to tea time snacks. Sanjeev Kapoor’s Kitchen features his top 100 recipes including his signature dishes. The Fit Foodie presents low-calorie, delicious and contemporary recipes. Style Chef features simple, exotic and unusual recipes using appliances and resources readily available in every Indian kitchen. Hi Tea focuses on effortless, fool-proof recipes guaranteed to enrich family evenings.

    Discovery has been entertaining Indian audiences with its high-quality and differentiated content for the last 20 years. The company currently operates 11 channels in India: Discovery Channel, Animal Planet, TLC, Discovery Kids, ID-Investigation Discovery, Discovery Science, Discovery Turbo, Discovery Tamil, Discovery HD World, TLC HD World and Animal Planet HD World.

  • Discovery Channel comes back to number 1 position

    Discovery Channel comes back to number 1 position

    MUMBAI: According to week 14 of Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) India ratings across 6 Mega Cities: NCCS AB: 4+, Discovery Channel hopped back to its number one spot with 4844 (‘000s). History TV18 grabbed the second position with 4690 (‘000s) followed by National Geographic Channel on the number three place with 3286 (‘000s).

    Animal Planet With 3082 (‘000s) and Nat Geo Wild with 2008 (‘000s) secured the fourth and fifth spot respectively.

  • Discovery Channel comes back to number 1 position

    Discovery Channel comes back to number 1 position

    MUMBAI: According to week 14 of Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) India ratings across 6 Mega Cities: NCCS AB: 4+, Discovery Channel hopped back to its number one spot with 4844 (‘000s). History TV18 grabbed the second position with 4690 (‘000s) followed by National Geographic Channel on the number three place with 3286 (‘000s).

    Animal Planet With 3082 (‘000s) and Nat Geo Wild with 2008 (‘000s) secured the fourth and fifth spot respectively.

  • What agencies need to do for their clients

    What agencies need to do for their clients

    GOA: Often clients are in a quandary when it comes to partnering with an agency. A session at Goafest 2016 organized by AAAI and the Advertising Club attempted to shed light on some of the factors that a client needed to look at when it came to a business partnership with an advertising agency. The Industry Conclave presented by Discovery Channel discussed the key elements that needed to be focused on when it came to what clients as well as agencies needed to do.

    The topic of the day was ‘3 things the agency can do better’ with the speakers discussing client agency partnerships while highlighting some of the possible avenues where such partnerships could be strengthened by the agency.

    Setting the tone for the discussion was Mondelez India MD Chandramouli Venkatesan who spoke about what agencies could do to make strong partnerships. Underlining four factors that were important for a better client-agency relationship, Venkatesan said that they included providing complementary strengths in addition to shared purpose and passion, trust and friendship. Inspired by the partnership between the famous duo Jay and Veeru in the Bollywood blockbuster Sholay, Venkatesan said, “It takes effort to create a partnership like Jay and Veeru. A partnership is a two way street. You get back exactly what you put in it”.

    He further discussed the three key things that agencies could do for better partnerships. Outlining the importance of generating trust in this two way process was the main focus point which was the bedrock for honest and open communication.  “Trust enables cutting-edge work. Trust is actually what enables the brave decision making you so often want to make,” he further added.

    Citing examples of the risks that were taken by his company with three of its clients’ ads, namely, Cadbury Gorilla, Bournvita Taiyyari and Cadbury Dairy Milk Silk, Venkatesan said that his company believed that risks could be taken when there was trust in the relationship. The three main aspects required to earn trust were mainly through better decision making while keeping the client interest in mind; by being commercially responsible; and by not compromising on integrity.

    To win the talent battle, agencies had to disrupt their talent model and must attract the best talent. “Ideas are temporary, talent is permanent. Talent gives rise to new ideas. One of the most important things is to build brand stewardship. It’s about quality and longevity of talent”, he said. “Ideas can work great, but not build stewardship.”

    Another important thing that he stressed on was to build strong processes. Preparing for a strategic alignment at multiple levels, building project management capability and a strong team management was what the agencies need to invest in. “Process is a dreaded term in the agency world. Process is an enabler of creativity. Great partnerships always deliver outstanding results” concluded Venkatesan.

    While on the other hand, United Breweries Ltd SVP marketing Samar Singh Sheikhawat pointed out that the agency as well as the client needed to know the business. A major part of understanding the client, according to Sheikhawat, was understanding the consumer. “With multiple realities in India, we ourselves don’t understand the entire world as it changes every now and then. Different countries have different business problems and hence different solutions. We have to know our consumers”, asserted Sheikhawat.

    With the evolving medium of delivering messages, there was an observable explosion of content leading to multiplication of content and hence amplification of platforms to give out multiple content. Citing the example of how Kingfisher Buzz was launched he said, “With 99 per cent of males drinking beer, we noted that we have to also deliver something to the female population. The biggest challenge that we face is that our product does not deliver to a majority of the population”.

    Agreeing with the key points mentioned by Venkatesan, he further added that the agencies need to have creative solutions to the common problems faced by the clients.

    With key notes from FMCG and brewery companies, the next speaker on the row enlightened the audience about what an automobile client looked for in an agency. To maintain the status of the favourite hello and the hardest goodbye between the client and the agency, Volkswagen AG head of connections panning, media and international communications Oliver Maletz summed it up succinctly by saying that the agency should be the one entity that the client calls first and hangs up on last. He said, “Agencies need to focus more on thinking harder before becoming true business partners. They should know our business better than us”.

    With competitive analysis, industry analysis, suability benchmarks and situational assessment, an agency could identify opportunities and reach a successful goal. “There are more opportunities now than what we had in the past. I think the agencies should be open to take risks”, he added.

    He further advised that an agency should not innovate just for the sake of being innovative. It should deliver meaningful value to a meaningful number of people. With agencies approaching clients through a ‘selling’ perspective, Maletz pointed out that the agencies should stop selling their ideas, capabilities, companies, inventories, etc., to the clients. “Start helping us to sell our products and build a better brand. Be our business partner and stop selling yourself”, he added further. He concluded by saying, “Everything will follow with a good business partner”.
    The evening of the Industrial Conclave wrapped up with a short panel discussion where the audience was encouraged to pose their questions to the experts via the Goafest 2016 app which had been specially designed to facilitate the best digital experience for the attendees of the festival.