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Tag: GroupM

  • Al Jazeera appoints Motivator & Ogilvy as AoR

    Al Jazeera appoints Motivator & Ogilvy as AoR

    MUMBAI: Al Jazeera has awarded its media duties to GroupM’s media agency, Motivator. Meanwhile, the creative duties will be handled by Ogilvy.

    Industry sources confirmed the development to Indiantelevision.com.

    Al Jazeera English is an international news channel, holding over 70 bureaus around the world which span six different continents. Launched in 2006, it broadcasts to over 250 million households across 130 countries, a number that is expected to grow as the channel expands throughout India.

    The international news provider has operated a bureau in New Delhi since its establishment five years ago.

  • Emery to succeed Proctor as CEO Mindshare Worldwide

    Emery to succeed Proctor as CEO Mindshare Worldwide

    MUMBAI: Nick Emery will be taking over as Mindshare Worldwide CEO, overseeing operations across 112 countries including India.

    Emery succeeds Domonic Proctor who has been elevated to the new position of GroupM president.

    Emery currently leads Worldwide strategy, client service and product development for Mindshare and is also the chief strategy officer for GroupM worldwide.

    Mindshare has over 5,000 employees and billings in excess of $27.8 billion.

    Emery and Proctor have been partners since working together to establish Mindshare as a global network in 1997.Emery will now focus solely on Mindshare and its clients.

    The focus of the company will remain on innovation, data and technology, preserving Mindshare‘s global network.

    The announcement was made by GroupM Global CEO Irwin Gotlieb who has been promoted to the position of GroupM chairman. Proctor will continue to report to Gotlieb.

    On his new role Emery said, “I‘m delighted to be taking on this role at this exciting time in the agency‘s evolution. Mindshare‘s agenda continues to focus on innovation, technology and added value to our clients and we want to build on the successes of recent years. The success of Mindshare has always been built upon our network, teamwork and willingness to embrace change. We will continue to increase investment in a diverse and talented team across a global network that is second to none. We have created an organisation with strong management and our work has been recognized with a string of prestigious awards during the last 12 months. We‘re confident that our clients and staff will prosper as a consequence of these changes – our rate of growth and the complexity of our business require that we constantly evolve.”

    Proctor added, “I am delighted that Nick has agreed to take over. Nobody has done more than him to help build Mindshare and I know that the agency will go from strength to strength under his leadership.”

  • GroupM elevates top HR executives

    GroupM elevates top HR executives

    MUMBAI: GroupM has appointed Sonali Vaidya as HR head for India, while Gaurav Hirey, who held the post earlier, is being moved to Singapore to be a part of the GroupM Regional Talent Team.


    Hirey has also been named HR business partner for Maxus (Asia Pacific).


    Vaidya will be based in Mumbai and will report to GroupM CEO South Asia Vikram Sakhuja.


    Vaidya said, “Talent Management is new to this industry and is in its formative stages. There are huge opportunities for our businesses to realise the benefits of managing talent and hence I am looking forward
    to being a part of this journey and delivering delight to our employees and customers.”


    Hirey said, “Our success in Talent Management is clearly reflected in the level of satisfaction we are delivering to our clients and our employees who have made us the employer brand of choice. My new assignment gives me an opportunity to learn and share best practices from across the region and it is my belief that the talent function in this industry can make a significant impact on our business and hence our clients!”


    Sakhuja added, “Sonali brings a wealth of commercial people management experience to the role. Gaurav has done a fabulous job in the past three years to bring scale, structure and credibility to the GroupM talent agenda that has gone from setting HR systems, to stepping up employee engagement and communication, to scaling up recruitment and performance management. His efforts to make GroupM one of the best places to work in has been validated by the Employer Branding Awards.”


    Vaidya has over 14 years of experience in the human resources field across companies such as ABN AMRO Bank, GE consumer finance and ESPN Star Sports. Prior to this, she was with Alchemy Group, a financial services group, where she was group HR head. Her focus is on building an extremely intensive talent management programme to engage and grow GroupM’s talent internally.


    In his new role, Hirey will lead the HR activities for the APAC region including recruitment, talent management and development, corporate social responsibility and employee relations. He will also support GroupM talent projects in addition to this. He will report to GroupM Global talent head Angela Ryan and Maxus APAC CEO Neil Stewart.

  • The marketing significance of the Indian Formula 1 Grand Prix

    The marketing significance of the Indian Formula 1 Grand Prix

    MUMBAI: With India hosting a F1 race for the first time over the weekend in Delhi advertisers and sports marketing experts expect the event to give F1 and motorsports a big fillip.

    GroupM ESP managing partner Hiren Pandit expects television viewership on Star Sports to more than double. “The race will have a direct impact on the sport’s popularity. Already you are seeing hotel rates going berserk.”

    He adds that people who only knew of F1 from the fringes will now take a more active interest. They will start watching the event more. He points to the increase in chatter happening on social networks.

    “Opinions will form on the various teams. Depending on the drama that happens in Delhi there will be a positive spillover effect on the other races that take place after that. The good news is the sheer amount of coverage that publications like The Times of India are giving. That is creating a tremendous amplification effect.”

    The only drawback according to Pandit is that in terms of watching the event live if one does not have right tickets it can be difficult to make out what is happening. At the same time F1 does have a unique in-stadia atmosphere with elements of glamour.

    In terms of brands being associated with the event he said that this is a chance for a company like Airtel to stand up and announce its arrival on the global stage. He notes that F1 teams will increasingly do promotional initiatives in the country.

    Already Red Bull did a race in Delhi while Vodafone McLaren brought Lewis Hamilton to Bangalore.

    Offering a media buyer’s perspective Madison Media Group CEO Punitha Arumugam noted that for brands like Airtel, F1 offers the chance to do segmental targeting. “FI is about narrowcasting compared to cricket which is about broadcasting to the masses.”

    From a psychographics perspective, Arumugam notes that it is viewers who initiate changes in consumption patterns and who influence the market who will be targeted by advertisers.

    “Interest levels for the sport will grow. F1 is at the cutting edge of adventure sport. At the same time though I don’t think that the sport will become mass,” she adds.

    Total Sports Asia MD India Suvrangsu Mukherjea notes that this event will do for the classes what the IPL did for the masses. “It will give the SEC A+ segment a different experience. This viewer has gone off cricket. He/she wants to see something new. The race will change the way Indians appreciate the sport. The event will give the upper middle class a new platform to look forward to.”

    Asked about the TG for this event he says that it will initially start with the Metros. However a few years down the line the classes and masses will converge in terms of viewing the event.

    “The aspirational class will start to watch this event. These are people who aspire to a better lifestyle. Sport at the end of the day is about a lifestyle.”

    Different tie-ups are happening. Sahara bought a stake in Vijay Mallya’s Force India team for $100 million. The team is now called Sahara Force India. It roped in former cricketer Saurav Ganguly for a ‘Raise The Flag’ campaign. On the merchandise front, it launched limited edition Sahara Force India commemorative Kingfisher Premium and Kingfisher Strong cans to celebrate the sport.

    Vodafone has been associated with the McLaren Mercedes team since 2007. The mobile phone operator has been drawing up initiatives to bring the race and the team closer to its subscribers.

    The company recently announced the winners of the two initiatives that it ran in the run-up to the Indian GP. These were ‘Vodafone Race to Fame’ and ‘Vodafone Drive into the Big League’. The ‘Race to fame‘ scheme offered participants a chance to spend this weekend with the Vodafone Mclaren Mercedes team, with access to the Paddock club, Pit lane and Team garage.

    The other initiative ‘Drive into the big league‘ offered a chance for an enterprise to have its logo on the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes cars during the race weekend at the Indian Grand Prix. ABC Consultants won this.

    Amul is sponsoring the Sauber F1 team from Switzerland and is using the platform to forge a youth connect.

    Machdar Motorsports is organising a league around motorsports later this year. The company’s CEO Darshan M says that the inaugural F1 GP in India is going to have a very positive impact on the sport in the long run. “The interest has been immense and for the first time there seems to be more buzz around the race than even cricket in India. We have seen a lot of support from the big corporate houses and their association with the sport is great to see.

    “This will aid motorsports in India to grow as a category and will indirectly also provide a platform for F1 Super Series in building its credibility as it promises to usher in a new era of Indian Motorsport. Even in terms of economic impact it is huge on the city. The amount of tourists who will come for the race will add to the hospitality industry, the F&B consumption and the local handicraft market will also receive a boost,” adds Darshan.

    Meanwhile Jaypee Sports, which is organising the F1 Grand Prix, is pulling out all the stops to ensure that the glamour quotient which F1 is famous for will be ever present. Among other things it has roped in American pop icon Lady Gaga to perform at the after party. This will be her first visit to India. Furthermore, on all the days 28-30 October 2011, the races will be followed by routines by DJ Roger Sanchez, German DJ producer Tom Navy as well as producer and musician Edward Maya.

    These parties are being organised by JPSI in association with LAP, the restrobar founded by Arjun Rampal and restaurateur AD Singh, set in the Jaypee Green Golf and Spa Resort.

    Off the circuit though, like the IPL, this event is also generating some amount of controversy. The Jaypee Group has been directed to deposit 25 per cent of ticket sale receipts in a separate account by the Supreme Court.

    A bench of justices DK Jain and AR Dave in an interim order directed that the amount would be subject to the final outcome of a plea challenging tax exemptions accorded to the organisers of the F1 race by the UP Government.

  • Span wins Rs 2 bn global media mandate for Incredible India, Ministry of Tourism

    Span wins Rs 2 bn global media mandate for Incredible India, Ministry of Tourism

    MUMBAI: Span Communications has won the global media mandate of Incredible India, Ministry of Tourism.

    The size of the business is estimated to be around Rs 2 billion.

    A multi-agency pitch was called in May this year. Thirteen leading media agencies including GroupM, OMD, Ogilvy India, MPG, Mindshare, Maxus Global, ZenithOptimedia, Omnicom Group, Crayons Advertising, Prabhatam Advertising, Integrid Media, Allied Media (Percept), Purnima Advertising, Carat Media, Sterling Advertising, ITDC, TDI International India Ltd and Span Communications had taken part.

    The mandate involves handling global television and print campaign for Ministry of Tourism in America, South East Asia, Europe, Africa, Australia, Japan, China and a host of other countries. Span Communications has been handling the Incredible India account for more than 5 to 6 years now.

    Talking about the mandate, Span Communications CEO Naresh Kheterpal said, “Incredible India is one of the most respected Indian brands globally and it is indeed a matter of pride and prestige for us to win this campaign again. At the same time, it is a testimony to our excellent media skills and the confidence that the client has placed on us. The campaign is slated to begin soon and would encompass all mediums focusing on the American, European and Asian markets.”

    Span has a large number of leading corporate, government and PSU clients like G‘Five Mobiles, Ansal Group, SRS, Goa Coastal Resorts, State Bank of India, IndianOil, Oriental Bank of Commerce, Central Bank of India, Delhi Government, ESIC, India Post, Andaman Tourism, Election Commission, Bureau of Energy Efficiency, Ministry of Civil Aviation and National Commission for Women among others.

  • Huawei appoints new creative and media agencies

    Huawei appoints new creative and media agencies

    MUMBAI: Huawei Technology has appointed new partners to handle its creative, media, on-ground and online duties.

    Contract Advertising won the creative mandate following a multi-agency pitch that also involved Draftfcb Ulka and Mudra, the incumbent agency.

    Besides Contract, Motivator of GroupM will be the media partner, Encompass will be the on-ground partner and iContract would back Contract on the digital front.

    Contract will work on three verticals of Huawei — terminal,
    enterprise and network and aim to establish the company’s devices in open market launches of its Android devices, tablets, data card etc.

    The agency’s prime focus will be terminal business that will involve promotion and launch of mobile handsets and other devices. Contract will also take care of the growing B2B business.

    Contract Advertising GM Prashant Mathur said, “While we listened very attentively and keenly to the client’s needs and requirements, in our presentation, we remained true to what we believed the corporate brand and the product brands required.”

    Huawei- devices marketing and solutions director Anand Narag added, “Huawei has traditionally been a strong B2B brand. We have now set ourselves a target to be amongst the top five handset brands globally by 2013.”

    Narag also stated that the company is now looking forward to Contract as a single window marketing partner to spearhead all communication solutions across mediums – traditional as well as non-traditional.

    Huawei-Network marketing and solutions director Sethu Raman asserted that the creative idea from Contract was adaptable to their multiple categories.

  • WPP launches digital media buying unit

    WPP launches digital media buying unit

    MUMBAI: WPP, the world’s largest marketing group by sales, has created a unit for buying digital media to combine its data and technology resources with the trading leverage of its GroupM agencies.

    Xaxis will directly compete with products by Google and Microsoft and aims to aggregate consumer data from on- and offline sources to deliver audience profiles to clients for more targeted advertising. It comprises GroupM and WPP Digital companies B3, targ.ad, GoldNetwork, GroupM DSP, GroupM Marketplace and MEC.

    Xaxis will be led by CEO Brian Lesser, who previously served as global general manager of the Media Innovation Group (MIG), WPP’s digital marketing technology company.

    Advertising giants are endeavouring to capture a larger share in the ever growing market of Internet advertising and simplifying it. Simultaneously, some of the world’s biggest advertisers are also looking to consolidate their marketing mandate with fewer, bigger agencies.

    WPP’s rivals, Publicis and Omnicom, already have their own digital media initiatives.

    While Publicis created Vivaki in 2008, Omnicom has partnered with companies such as Google, AOL, Microsoft and Yahoo, to offer digital media tools.

    Lesser said Xaxis is different because it operates a proprietary technology platform without bias to any media company, and hence can better provide objective and comprehensive insight.

    GroupM Interaction CEO Rob Norman added, “As a proprietary platform, Xaxis is able to better protect client data, more effectively integrate real-time bidding with search and more seamlessly execute campaigns across multiple media owners and digital platforms.”

    WPP’s introduction of Xaxis indicates the rapidly growing importance of audience buying and the demand for solutions that allow advertisers to target specific audiences directly, independent of website, app or media platform.

  • ZenithOptimedia bags Rs 800 mn Honda Siel cars India account

    ZenithOptimedia bags Rs 800 mn Honda Siel cars India account

    MUMBAI: ZenithOptimedia, the global media services agency from the Publicis group, has won the media duties of Honda Siel Cars India, a joint venture between Honda Motor Co Ltd, Japan and Siel Ltd, India.

    The account size is pegged at Rs 800 million, according to sources familiar with the deal.

    ZenithOptimedia, which handles Toyota, Honda and Lexus globally, had lost the Hyundai account in 2009 to MPG in India.

    Strong in the automobile segment, the recent win will help drive ZenithOptimedia‘s growth in India. “We will first focus on Honda. We will then see how it goes for us in the rapidly growing automobile segment in India,” said ZenithOptimedia India CEO Satyajit Sen, while refusing to comment on the financial details of the deal.

    Honda is a substantial player in India with brands like Honda City, Accord, Jazz, Civic and CR-V. It faces competition from several players including Maruti Suzuki, Toyota, Hyundai and Volkswagen.

    Gearing up for new competition, Honda has decided to consolidate its media account under one outfit. Earlier, Dentsu and Motivator were handling the account.

    Says Honda Siel Cars India Marketing Communications AVP Anita Sharma, “We selected Zenith Optimedia because of their in-depth knowledge of the automobile industry and the current competitive environment. Their scientific and process-led planning with the help of tools such as Touchpoint and Portfolio analysis were the main factors for Honda choosing them as their media partners.”

    ZenithOptimedia beat agencies such as Starcom MediaVest Group (SMG), GroupM, LodeStar Universal and Dentsu Communications to be on the winning side.

    Says Sen, “We are delighted to have this opportunity to work with Honda and be a partner in their success. We are committed to providing the best ROI to Honda creating solutions that stand out on media-effectiveness, media efficiency and media leadership.”

     

  • GroupM hires Karthik Nagarajan as national director – social media

    GroupM hires Karthik Nagarajan as national director – social media

    MUMBAI: The media planning and buying agency of the WPP group, GroupM, has appointed Karthik Nagarajan as its national director — social media.

    Nagarajan will be part of Interaction Leadership Team and will report GroupM MD South Asia Tushar Vyas. 
     
    In his career spanning over 10 years in the industry, Nagarajan has worked for over two-and-a-half years as the director of Nielsen‘s online division in India, which he helped set up.

    In his role, he led Nielsen‘s audience measurement, social media and advertiser solution initiatives in the digital space. Nagarajan also managed the launch of the Nielsen Mckinsey JV – NM Incite in India.
     
    Nagarajan joined Nielsen from Shipcom Wireless, a technology company based out of Houston, Texas, where he served as Director of Marketing.

    Nagarajan has also managed a global research and consulting practice for Frost & Sullivan in the United States, in the areas of biometrics, smart cards and RFID for over four years.
     
    Vyas says, “Karthik will be responsible for strengthening the social media practices across all agencies of GroupM. His presence will help us beef up our efforts of understanding the behaviour of digital consumers and meaningful use of such learning in social environment.”

    Digital arms of GroupM include Mindshare Interaction, Motivator, Maxus Interaction, MEC Interaction, Quasar BMS (Brand and Media Solutions) and Blazar.a
     

  • ‘Break-even year for first eight IPL teams” : GroupM ESP managing partner Hiren Pandit

    ‘Break-even year for first eight IPL teams” : GroupM ESP managing partner Hiren Pandit

    The Indian Premier League (IPL) has seen an erosion in brand value due to governance issues. Two franchises got termination notice from India‘s cricket board but are still alive in IPL 4.0 as the court has come to their rescue.

    In an interview with Indiantelevision.com‘s Ashwin Pinto, GroupM ESP managing partner Hiren Pandit talks about how the IPL can still be a revenue earner for the franchises as new advertisers take to the sport.

    Excerpts:

    Will there be revenue pressure for the IPL franchisees to break even now that two teams have been added?
    The first eight teams that came in have done well for themselves – and will continue to do so. They will operationally break-even this year.

    The two new franchises, however, will have to have a serious ace up their sleeves to achieve their numbers. It is a tight situation and will take at least eight to nine years for them to break-even.

    Is it a good time for a franchise to sell a stake?
    At any point in time, people will be in the market trying to find the value that they can get. The question is whether they need the money or if they can hang on. Now a lot of feelers have been in the market. Kings XI Punjab was nearly sold at one of time, but then issues came out.

    Deccan Chargers were in the market after the first year, but now they have Saina Nehwal with them. They seem to have a sports strategy in place. They are trying to have a play in sports by building sporting properties and icons.

    What about Sahara?
    Sahara picked up Pune and it could be related to Amby Valley. They might try to make each property feed of each other. Otherwise, they should have chosen Lucknow. Obviously, the play goes beyond owning a cricket team. It makes sense for them to leverage the IPL across other properties.

    Can Kochi run a smooth ship given that there are so many owners?
    My first take has been that the strength of a team is as good or bad as the strength of a franchise. If the people who are there cannot run and act like a team, then the players will not fare well. This could be an internal problem and if they have resolved it then good for them. Team owners buy a team and give to a professional body or a professional set of people to run.

    They are responsible to deliver for the team. In Kochi‘s case it is the team owners who are trying to run it. The scary part here is that the glamour element that is so huge and you can‘t hobnob with the team. If this is not managed properly, then it can become a problem. I have a feeling that Kochi still has to get its act together.

    They came into the market with serious sponsorship numbers which they are not getting. This is going to have an impact on their cash flows.

    How has off-the-field controversies impacted the IPL?
    The off-the-field activities affected the IPL itself. It impacted when the auction was held. All this is behind us. However, certain issues will have to be addressed after IPL 4 is over. It is not that the off-the-field issues have disappeared; it is just that they are on the backburner.

    With India lifting the World Cup, what viewership gains do you expect?
    IPL should get a boost from the World Cup. Viewers will want to see more of the Indian players. But I don‘t see a dramatic change in viewership. Keep in mind the fact that team compositions have changed drastically – except for Mumbai and Chennai.

    How is GroupM ESP involved with the IPL this time around?
    Maxus is the agency of IPL. In the first year, we did the deal with Citibank, which continues this year. GroupM ESP has got in Volkswagen as car partner for the IPL.

    We also went outside GroupM and did deals with outside clients who wanted to be associated with the IPL franchises. It could be awareness tracks, helping a client taking on competition or helping them form an association. We have also done licensing and merchandising deals that help the brand.
    ‘The Champions Twenty20 League is a great initiative that happened may be a little too early. It will become serious five years from now. But I am not so sure if it will be as big as the IPL‘

    What growth in revenue will franchises see this time around?
    Two new teams coming in means that the central kitty will be distributed among eight to 10 teams. The franchises will see growth from stadium income.

    Some franchises went to the market with high sponsorship price points. They then had to reduce their prices. Good marketing and good performances have helped.

    Mumbai and Chennai have done well and will see substantial revenue growth. Then you have Kolkata and Delhi in the middle. I have a feeling that Pune will pull through while Kerala will struggle.

    In terms of ticket revenues, the Wankhede Stadium will make a big difference to Mumbai. It is in the heart of the city. It is also possible that Mumbai will make more money on licensing and merchandising than any other team.

    The key to success is to reduce the heavy dependence on the central pool. Do you this happening this year?
    While some franchises may manage to up their local revenues, the Central pool may stay stagnant. But Chennai and Mumbai, and perhaps Kolkata, may manage to change the percentage ratio between central and local revenue in favour of the latter.

    The World Cup meant that franchises could not carry out activation with sponsors in the lead up to the IPL. What has been the impact?
    Every sponsor was aware of this problem. But if sponsors are smart enough, they will look at it from the longevity point of view so that they can build an association. Some companies like Luminous are doing activities. It is a tight situation, though, with players not being available. Sponsors will do such things during the IPL.

    Also, with the team structure changing, the task of building a fan base becomes that much more harder. Chennai and Mumbai are, of course, better positioned to strengthen their existing fan base.

    Rajasthan brought in Floriana which is a company that has never advertised in cricket. Are we going to see more of new advertisers taking to the sport?
    You will see a lot of newcomers as there is a churn happening. Some sponsors got in due to the glamour of the IPL without understanding what their objectives were; their relationship with the franchise owner may not have been good.

    In years four and five, you will see this settling down. Sponsors now have a clearer idea of what they want; franchises also realise that you cannot have a revolving door policy where you take money and not do anything.

    Which brands have done a good job?
    Nokia and Aircel are some of the companies that have stayed on with the franchise. Vodafone has benefited with the Zoozoos as its idea. Those sponsors who only looked at it as a piece of real estate for a logo are the ones who got screwed.
     

    Will we see more advertisers this year?
    The number of advertising opportunities on clothing will stay the same. This year, though, we will see advertisers coming in as partners and doing on-ground activation. An entrepreneur in a city like Hyderabad could decide to open two restaurants and bars named after the Deccan Chargers. The logo part is static, but the number of partners can increase.

    You will see more people moving in to the licensing and merchandising space. The franchises also have to look at this more seriously. At the same time, it is a slow burner.

    Wearing the team colour is the starting point; you will see clothes, watches, etc. But a pub or a shop like what Manchester United has is still a long way off. However, licensing and merchandising will still be a small part of a team‘s revenue.

    Two more teams mean more ad clutter. Is this going to be a major challenge for brands?
    Clutter was there with eight teams. Anybody who wants to break this, must do something different.

    Of all the brands that were associated with the ICC World Cup, the one that stands out is Pepsi. The whole creative concept that they did like the ‘helicopter shot‘ gave it a different flavour. The viewers saw something different, which stood out.
     

    Some feel that having two groups was the BCCI‘s way of trying to solve a problem of 10 teams. Do you agree?
    This is a format issue. You would have had 94 games. This is a lot of games. I remember traveling the first year with the Deccan Chargers. I wasn‘t even playing, but I was still tired. If you expect people to play so many games, it is unfair.

    The BCCI has tried to fit things in the best possible manner. They will review the current situation. But the window available is 45 days; this is not going to increase.
     

    What we have seen so far over three years is loyalty to the IPL and not so much for teams. Will this situation change this year?
    This has changed. In the Mumbai versus Chennai match, the yellow and blue colours were very dominant. People were talking about teams. This time it might get affected due to a new team structure. But over a period of time, the relationship will build. Team loyalty should grow for certain franchises.
     

    Some franchises were thinking of forming alliances with clubs globally. Will this concept work?
    It is great to have a relationship. The question is what is that relationship built on? Rajasthan went abroad to play matches in the first year. It cannot just be a piece of paper, though; both parties must benefit. How many franchises have built a school to develop cricket and build a base that will feed into their team? These things need to happen. Just tying up with a foreign club is not the solution. Not enough has been done during the ‘off season‘. At the same time, money must make money.
     

    Can the Champions Twenty20 League be declared a dud?
    It is a great initiative that happened may be a little too early. It will become serious five years from now. But I am not so sure if the Champions Twenty20 League will be as big as the IPL.