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Tag: Havas Media Group

  • Havas Media Group launches study to understand IPL’s impact on brand health

    Havas Media Group launches study to understand IPL’s impact on brand health

    Havas Sports and Entertainment, which functions under Havas Media Group, in association with YouGov has launched Hi-CRICKET, a proprietary study to understand the impact of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 in influencing brand health metrics across categories.

    The study, led by the Havas Insight team, has respondents from key cities in India to get a deeper understanding of how a larger-than-life platform such as IPL helps influence mind measures. HI-CRICKET will also answer the role of premium media buys in impacting brand health, one of the most critical questions raised by advertisers today.

    The respondents will be interviewed over five phases from 1 April 2021 to 1 June 2021 during IPL 2021. Each phase will track the impact of the game on brand health and capture shifts along with attributes that drive Meaningfulness as the league progresses. 

    Keeping in line with Havas Group’s Meaningful Brands philosophy, HI-CRICKET 2021 will help brands to further bolster their meaningful connect with consumers and will also identify the most meaningful campaigns during IPL this year. Havas’ Meaningful Brands framework constitutes of benefits brands offer across Functional (What does the product or service deliver?), Personal (How brands improve people's lives?) and Collective parameters (What’s their role in society?). Previous studies had suggested that all these benefits collectively drove brand performance. 

    Havas Media Group India CEO Mohit Joshi said that HI-CRICKET will help advertisers understand the overall impact of their association with IPL. 

    "This study will help advertisers understand the overall impact of their association with IPL. HI-CRICKET is the first initiative by Havas Insights and Havas Sports and Entertainment; we also intend to take the partnership into other sporting domains such as the Olympics, Hockey, Football, and Kabaddi," said Joshi. 

    YouGov India general manager Deepa Bhatia said, "Sports assets have impacted the recall of brands globally. YouGov panel constitutes data of 2 lakh active panel respondents who have participated in various surveys. During the IPL season, YouGov will consistently reach out to people who watch IPL to set up the study. Using Havas’ Meaningful attributes, the customized HI-CRICKET study will help us understand what drives meaningfulness for brands and to what extent are campaigns able to drive perceptions for brands based on functional, personal, and collective benefits."

  • Why Bigg Boss remains the most bankable property for Colors

    Why Bigg Boss remains the most bankable property for Colors

    MUMBAI: Ever since its launch more than a decade ago, reality show Bigg Boss – fashioned after the Dutch series Celebrity Big Brother – has never failed to entertain and titillate audiences. The first edition of the show, with Arshad Warsi as the host, aired on Sony Entertainment Television with a TRP of 2.72. Then it passed into the hands of Colors, where it scored an impressive TRP  of 6.99. According to BARC data, Bigg Boss 13 garnered 13.8 million impressions in the finale week last year, breaking the record set by its previous seasons.

    Season 14 kicked off ahead of the festive season and has already racked up 3.9 billion viewing minutes in its launch week, the highest in the last three seasons.

    With the exciting matches in the IPL hogging up daily viewing time,  Bigg Boss has not made it into the top five programmes of Hindi general entertainment channels in week 40, but Colors  has consistently been in the top five channels in the HSM (U+R) market and urban market for the past five weeks. In fact, with the launch of the reality show, Colors secured the second position on  BARC's  pay platform and urban market charts for the first time in five weeks. Weekly impressions recorded on the pay platform chart were 676930 billion and 497722 billion in the urban market. chart

    So, what makes Bigg Boss so popular?

    There could be multiple reasons. Just like the IPL is to Star Sports, Bigg Boss is a tentpole show for Colors. It is a franchise that allows brands and channels to grow with it, a show that grows year-on-year. When it comes to this dramatic reality show, there is no middle ground, one either loves it or hates it. For people who watch it, it's a cult following.

    The show currently has a total of 15 sponsors. Apart from the presenting sponsors – Mobile Premier League (MPL), Dabur Dant Rakshak Ayurvedic Paste and TRESemmé and Lotus Herbals – the channel now has 14 associate sponsors that include Captain food’s Chings, Vicco, Greenlam Laminates, Garnier Men, Mamaearth, Somany Tiles and Lifebuoy. The associate sponsors only for Colors HD comprise Philips, MDH Masale, Fogg, Honda, Urban Company, Duroflex and LG Electronics.

    Havas Media Group India MD Mohit Joshi predicted the latest edition of the reality show will be more popular and profitable than its predecessors. With all signs pointing to a subdued festive season, viewers are bound to tune in and get their thrills from elsewhere. “Bigg Boss 13 was the most-watched reality show with 10+ million impressions, as per data released by BARC India. Owing to the fact that the audiences have been starved for fresh content on TV, there is going to be huge traction which is why it will be preferred by brands and advertisers,” said Joshi. 

    Viacom18 Hindi mass entertainment chief content officer Manisha Sharma shared that with Bigg Boss, the network tries to break its own benchmarks and introduces something new and innovative every season. “It is an important cog in the wheel of our business at a network level and also creates viable opportunities for brand associations. The mechanics of the show is such that it has something for everyone; be it celebrities, viewers, brands, advertisers.”

    Since Bigg Boss grabs eyeballs, it makes sense for advertisers as well. According to a person closely associated with the show in the past, it is attractive to broadcasters not just because it’s a monetisable property, but it keeps paying dividends even in the long run.
     
    “Hypothetically speaking, if you spend Rs 140 crore on the property in three months, you will make a profit on it. It is compelling content for advertisers and brands," he said.

    Format

    Bigg Boss is a show that thrives on drama and controversy. It deliberately brings together highly opinionated and egotistical  individuals and leaves them to stew in a pressure cooker environment for three solid months. The show appears on your television screens every day, and, before you know it, becomes a habit.

    There are drama queens, a few foreign names (for example: Pamela Anderson, Jade Goody and Sunny Leone), struggling actors and a political or religious figure. Contestants are eliminated and replacements are introduced to keep things interesting. Love affairs and big fights abound; there is no telling friend from foe – it is like watching a Bollywood melodrama unfold in real time.

    The format of Bigg Boss indulges its viewers’ voyeurism, and makes for great gossip with friends, colleagues and family. It frequently ranks as one of the top trends on social media.

    “It generates an ecosystem of viewers, fans, and admirers that further builds the show up and creates conversations about it and the contestants,” Sharma further added.

    Brand Integration Opportunities

    Brands want to get associated with a programme  which gives them higher recall value. Think IPL and you associate it with the IPL,  Maruti Suzuki well the quickest connect is with India’s Got Talent. Bigg Boss as a reality show provides greater brand integration opportunities than daily soaps. It has evolved not only in terms of costs but concepts, scripts, marketing and production every year.

    Apart from regular brand visibility, the channel provides businesses with tailor-made tasks and branding opportunities for them for a span of 100 plus  days, said Sharma. They get higher visibility than any other reality show in the space. “The interesting content and higher viewership is also one of the factors that make Bigg Boss an apt engagement foreground for the brands and hence some of them also renew their partnerships with us year on year,” she elaborated.

    Bigg Boss is also a show which sometimes is at the receiving end of a heavy viewer backlash, but Havas' Joshi shrugged off this concern, saying, “We live in a ‘socially connected’ world where anyone can express his/ her point of view. Hence public opinion is what we as individuals and brands have to live with.”

    Joshi also asserted that the show's nature and format are such that it is bound to attract a lot of positive as well as negative chatter. The reason why brands continue to associate with the property is for its reach. When their promotional vehicle faces flak, brands have to manage their online reputation smartly and sensitively, pointed out Joshi.

    Every brand that comes on board is very well aware of the nature of the show, and the publicity that it garners, added Sharma. “We also manage our clients very well who put in immense trust in us which is the reason they keep coming back to us.”

    Salman Khan As The Host

    One of the biggest draws of Bigg Boss is undoubtedly the celebrity of its host – Salman Khan. The actor has an army of diehard fans, many of whom tune in on weekends just to watch Khan delivering justice to contestants who caused chaos in the house that particular week. This time around though, viewers are missing the hand slapping, physical contact,  between Khan and his coterie of famous friends, courtesy the Covid2019 pandemic. However, clever creative and production is more than making up for this minor absence. 

    Big Boss 13 got high traction in both urban as well rural markets and Joshi said this was due to the fact that it is like a doorway allowing the audience to virtually enter into the lives of celebrities. And the presence of Salman Khan adds an extra dose of excitement.

    Monetisation

    Given the sheer scale and viewer base, Bigg Boss is one of the biggest reality shows on Indian television right now. It has all the ingredients that make it a winning property. It is the most talked about, most trended show, and has created a community that thrives on it for entertainment. “Bigg Boss takes things to another level for us in terms of content and viewership. It possesses the power to catapult the channel to the number one spot and contribute in a big way to the revenue,” said Sharma.

    Even with the kind of expense that is resting on the property, Bigg Boss is a great opportunity for brands and advertisers to get on board, she explained, since the viewers connect and engage with the show because they can see contestants going through a whirlwind of emotions in the midst of great angst and drama. “It is a perfect blend anyone can ask for and the kind of integration opportunities we end up doing on the show is humongous. It benefits the brands massively.”

    Winners Get Popularity

    Bigg Boss has proved to be a stepping stone to bigger and better things for many of its contestants. Just by participating in the show, they’re able to amass a loyal fan base, leading to brand endorsements, TV shows, and much more.

    But fame is a fickle friend. Season six winner Urvashi mentioned that her life did not particularly change post-Bigg Boss in any manner. However, winning the title did mean a lot to her because people got to see her as a person, she added. “It has given me a title, helped me in reaching the audience and the masses… A show like Bigg Boss plays in different ways for each contestant's careers. For me, the show added a trophy to my kitty while for others it may lead them to other things. To each their own, I say.”

    Though Colors has time and again proved its mettle, it would be interesting to see how long it can sustain the Bigg Boss phenomenon raging through India.

  • Durga Puja: Advertisers optimistic as demand returns

    Durga Puja: Advertisers optimistic as demand returns

    MUMBAI: By now it’s evident that the Covid2019 pandemic is not going away anytime soon. After spiralling caseloads – ravaged the economy, and played spoilsport with travel plans – scary ol' Corona seems to be on the wane in time for the festive season, though it’s too early to celebrate outright. But with the markets rallying and consumer sentiments surging, brands and advertisers are sniffing the air hopefully, even as they tread with caution. 

    Every year, several categories like FMCGs, apparel, auto, e-commerce and consumer durables become the biggest spenders during the Durga Puja-Diwali stretch. The query their marketing teams puts up is not ‘how much?’ but ‘why not?’ This time around, the question is: how brands plan to advertise in the year of Corona.

    However, the Tata group owned fashion and lifestyle chain Westside has braced to make the most out of the circumstances. The brand’s ‘What’s Your Festive’ campaign focuses on all the products, right from clothing, cosmetics, footwear to  home décor. For the campaign, Westside has created four festive installations, each of which spans 15 seconds in which viewers can catch a glimpse of everything that it offers.

    Westside customer head Umashan Naidoo explained, “The films are directed by the very talented Devang Desai and the cast consists of Westside employees, customers and designers from the ethnic wear brand. After all, who better to advocate style and share the joy of their products but the creators themselves? We believe that these are real people with the aspirations of the brand at heart.”

    Read more news on Durga Puja 

    The films are meant to uplift spirits and have nothing to do with hard selling, said Naidoo, adding in an aside that the sparkling diyas featured in the video are part of a CSR project started in 2003 by Simone Naval Tata herself.

    As the options for big outdoor displays and activities are limited, brands are shifting to the digital space to keep their connect with customers alive. For instance, Fortune the Adani Wilmar group's Fortune brand has been running a digital campaign called Pet Pujo for the last three years to engage consumers. The brand’s media & strategy head Sanjay Adesara said: “This year, we have given it a twist keeping the current Covid situation in mind. From the last 3-4 years, we were doing a separate digital activity outside. This year also we are keeping it digital.”

    Adesara also shared that the trends in the West Bengal market during the pre-Puja period are similar to last year’s: there’s been no dip in additional grocery buying and shopping for clothes and personal care products.

    Kolkata is a major market for RSH Global-owned Joy Personal Care. CMO Poulomi Roy is of the view that from November onwards, things are going to pick-up in the northern part of the country, especially before Diwali. The skincare maker has launched a new campaign ahead of Durga Puja in West Bengal. As part of the campaign, the brand released the peppy, upbeat music video Dugga Elo featuring ten popular Bengali celebrities which captures vivid moments that highlight the vibe of pujo. Intended to create a festive mood and keep the spirit alive, the campaign song will be played out on television, radio, OTT platform and social media platforms of SVF Brands.

    Observing that while the personal care segment such as hand wash, soap, sunscreen segments had gone down during the initial phase of the lockdown, Roy said one category that witnessed a boost was luxury products.

    “People have stayed back at home and instead of spending outside, they have actively been indulging and taking care of themselves by using  personal care  products,” she added. The disruption that happened at the outset of the pandemic affected the company's supply chain but as things are getting back to normal, the demand is steadily returning.

    Experts echoed the sentiment, saying consumer demand has definitely picked up in the past 15 days. Experimental and cross-shopping is on the rise, especially for categories such as cosmetics, lingerie and home décor. They project that brands which have the best style, value, availability, and experience will surely witness growth.

    Tata CLiQ CMO Kishore Mardikar noted that since people are still on guard against contracting the virus, there’s been a lull in out-of-doors puja activity, especially shopping. Instead, they’ve switched to online to purchase their discretionary needs along with daily essentials. Broadly, there’s been an accelerated digital adoption this year,  with increased exploration and buying in all the categories including fashion and electronics.

    Looking to capitalise on this shift, the primary focus of Tata CLiQ is on audiences that have higher intent/consideration to purchase and thereby engage with them to catapult traffic to the platform. The company's marketing plan during the season is positioned around the theme of gifting.

    “This year our focus is to drive transactional efficiencies and hence our marketing choices are dictated mainly by digital media complimented with engagements via our social platforms,” Mardikar added.

    Even after Covid and government-mandated guidelines to check it, brands have improvised, adapted and are desperately trying to overcome all the challenges. Will they get to have the last laugh? Or will the Calcutta High Court's direction to make all pujo pandals in the state 'no-entry zones' prove to be their undoing?

    MediaCom chief growth officer Soumak Banik paints a not-so-rosy picture of the situation. “When you talk about Durga Puja or event festivities, the maximum of the money goes on ground. This time that is itself cut down, taking a huge hit. Even if the entire outdoor budget is lesser, it will impact advertising fundamentals at the end of the day,” he said.

    The festive season is an auspicious time in terms of sales for businesses across the board and marketers leverage this opportunity with promotions galore. This year, the festivities may be subdued and the volume of ads may be low, but brands are not down and out for the count. They're trying to reach out to customers in new ways and formats.

    “There is cautious optimism in the air. Brands are planning activities and are expecting offtakes to happen,” summed up Havas Media Group MD India Mohit Joshi.

  • “We see TV channels as partners rather than vendors”: Havas Media Group’s Mohit Joshi

    “We see TV channels as partners rather than vendors”: Havas Media Group’s Mohit Joshi

    A seasoned professional, Havas Media Group MD India, Mohit Joshi, is known within the industry for his sharp acumen and quick knack to adapt to changing trends. With his role expanding in the agency as Anita Nayyar moved on in May, this year, Joshi led the agency during probably the toughest time in its history and again showed great strength and adaptability in taking care of the business, helping certain clients maintain good visibility and value even during the lockdown and economic slowdown. 

    The gentleman sat down virtually with Indiantelevision.com founder, CEO and editor in chief Anil Wanvari on Thursday evening to discuss the changing trends in the TV buying world, his expectations with the IPL, his newfound love for OTT content and much more in a lucid discussion. Edited excerpts follow:

    You follow the principles of purushartha, daivya and kaal in your life. That sounds interesting. Please tell us more about it.  

    Yes, I very strongly believe in the power of these three; purushartha meaning hard work, daivya meaning luck and kaal meaning time. I feel success comes when all these three work together. For example, for people working hard during this time (Covid2019) might not have the kaal that is time favouring them. 

    It seems like you read a lot of classical text. 

    Not a lot, but yes, once in a while. There are many of them that I like and keep going back to, such as Thomas Hardy. 

    Nice. So, how’s the work going on right now? Have you people started going to the office? How’s the vibe like?

    Yes, the offices are open but we are not forcing anyone to join. Additionally, we have done extensive joining assessments for the people on grounds like who all are living alone v/s who all are living with old parents or young children, who have morbidities associated, etc. So, only those people are being called to the office for whom it is absolutely safe. We are not allowing anyone who travels via public transport to come to the office. There are extensive hygiene and social distancing protocols that we are following across our offices in Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore. 

    The vibe is great. I feel that we all have gone through a huge amount of change in the past few months and now people want to get back to the office. It is not just about work but there is also a lot of residual psychological tension that gets eased when people meet and engage in conversations.

    I personally love the days when I have to go to the office and look forward to them. 

    And how is it for your clients? Have they started opening their workplaces?

    A lot of them like Hyundai have started opening up but there are also the likes of Swiggy and Tata Motors who are still working remotely. But all of the client meetings are still happening virtually via platforms like Zoom. 

    Most of our clients are happy and positive right now. A lot of them like Hyundai were much in demand during the lockdown too and now the others too have great expectations from the festive season and also IPL. 

    So how do you see the TV viewership from here?

    I think the lockdown period was quite unique and can’t be compared to any other time. We saw a huge spike in viewership for programs like Ramayana and Mahabharata and also on news channels. 

    We have already started witnessing dips in TV viewership despite new content coming in and it is bound to happen. But I think it will stabilise now at a slightly higher level than pre-Covid2019 times. 

    Also, there is quite a hullabaloo going on TV channels, especially on news channels with Sushant Singh Rajput’s case and the sort of coverage that is happening. How are your clients seeing it; do they want to stay away from it or be present? 

    Honestly speaking, I feel that most clients should be away from this type of investigation largely; once in a while, some presence from an impact perspective is fine. But again, it is difficult to do so [stay away from such content] because most content on news is that way, they have a certain tonality. You can’t be away from this environment because then you might not find any relevant domain to be present. But in the case of very controversial domains, I personally feel that my client should be out. 

    Coming back to the client attributes, how do they view television? With situations like lowdown, when you have already committed something and have planned something for a market and that gets shut down, so does the media channel have to be flexible or the client or the agency?

    I think all three of us have been very flexible and understanding at this point in time because that’s what is required. Right now, each party understands that if one gets impacted, all three will be affected. 

    The solution to this is that we seek media platforms as partners and not just vendors. These are extraordinary times and thus require extraordinary solutions. So, I would like to get into a partnership with any channel and tell them that don’t just tell us FCTs or rates, give us options for product integrations. 

    What are the other challenges that you are facing while doing TV buying and planning?

    Television today is not just a medium of reach and impact but also a medium to drive ROI. Every client today is asking what KPIs will I get. I think it is more of an opportunity than a challenge, in fact. 

    We are using whatever data is available and we are able to do a fair bit of predictive modelling to address that. 

    Also, today, we have evolved in TV planning. We now make audio-visuals plans, which include TV, OTT and online videos. 

    A lot has changed in consumer behaviour today. I, myself, am a big example of it. I was not very much into OTT pre-Covid2019 and now I am hooked. It started with Paatal Lok and now I have watched all series like Narcos and Inside Edge. So, if a brand has to catch me, it has to be present across media and go beyond just television. 

    What part of this audio-visual planning is acquired by traditional television?

    Anywhere between 50-60 per cent to 90 per cent, depending on category and brand. We insist that all brands make even a small investment online to get an incremental reach on TV. 

    Is everything business-driven and KPI-driven then? 

    No. Let me take this opportunity to tell you the native Havas philosophy that we don’t associate with a brand that is not meaningful. It’s not just about business KPIs but also brand love. The money that a client is putting in, that’s actually for us to build meaningful brands. At the same time, I can’t go and tell a brand that I’ll make your brand meaningful, you give me money. The learnings are drawn from the bottom of the funnel and that’s how plans are made. There has to be a balance between quality and quantity. 

    You mentioned that brands are positive about IPL and the festive season. Do we see ad rates hiking?

    Rates will not go up during the festive season but the IPL will bring some stability. Some clients will invest surely, but for some business realities are more important. 

    But as I mentioned, there is a positive sentiment amongst the brands for IPL. It is coming in at the right time when brands are eager to spend. A brand like Patanjali, which otherwise wouldn’t have been a part of IPL sponsorship, is now thinking about that. We ourselves are in touch with 15 of our clients offering different deal sizes and at least 10 will surely get through. 

    Around 50-52 per cent of the overall spend by brands, this year will be during the festive season and IPL will take good 25-30 per cent of it. Categories like ed-tech, white goods, automobile, durables etc., will be active. 

    Are we seeing a slight tilt towards spending on Hotstar this season?

    I think the spend will be regular, much like last year, but new categories will come to advertise. For example, certain categories that used TV as the primary medium and digital on the side will make Hotstar their prime platform. 

    Any parting thoughts?

    As you know, we as an industry are going to see negative growth of 20 per cent this year as predicted. I think we can’t do anything about the impact on overall marketing spend and when we can’t do anything, I personally feel that we should use this time to see how we can create more innovative ways of going back to our clients and creating more value for them. So, I would rather see it as an opportunity to bring further change, transform ourselves and become more digitally savvy. 

    Watch the full discussion here:
     

  • Havas Media Group appoints Sanchita Roy as head of west India

    Havas Media Group appoints Sanchita Roy as head of west India

    MUMBAI: Havas Media Group has appointed Sanchita Roy as head of west India. Roy will be responsible for the overall management and growth of the Havas Media Group Mumbai as well as the Western operations.

    She will be reporting to Uday Mohan – managing partner, north and west India who has recently taken over the additional responsibility of west besides leading the largest operation of north India.

    Havas Media Group has been growing at a phenomenal pace over the years and this year also has been winning new clients inspite of the overall slowdown. 

    Havas Media Group MD India Mohit Joshi said, “In these challenging times, while the focus has been of persistence and optimism, Havas Media Group has been steadily forging ahead with adding new clients and thus is looking at further strengthening its operations and bolstering the team. I am very happy to welcome Sanchita to Havas – she carries with her a vast experience in integrated media strategy and planning which will add immense value to both the network and our many clients.  I am confident that she will lead the team well under Uday’s guidance who has handled both North & West operations in his expanded role and has been a long-standing pillar of the Havas Media Group operations.”

    Roy said, “Havas Media Group has been a challenger-brand in the Indian media ecosystem but over the last few years has made huge strides in the overall media environment. Their global expertise, digital prowess and the unique ‘Together’ strategy makes it the most agile and future-ready agency network. I look forward to this opportunity and an exciting journey with Havas.”

    Prior to this Roy was with Omnicom Media Group India including PHD and has also had stints with Wavemaker and Mindshare previously. With over 19 years of experience she has worked with brands like J&J, Beiersdorf, Unilever, Volkswagen, Ferrero, Reckitt Benckiser and has been a recipient of coveted industry awards like Media Abbys, CMO Asia, Emvies and Campaign Asia Account Person of the Year.

  • Havas Media Group extends long-term partnership with Telefónica

    Havas Media Group extends long-term partnership with Telefónica

    NEW DELHI: Telefonica has once again awarded its global media account to Havas Media Group and extends the successful long-running partnership between the two companies. The international telecoms company, which owns key brands Movistar and O2, renewed the relationship after a thorough process.

    It builds on a 6-year partnership that has delivered year on year ROI growth, as well as award-winning campaigns in the UK and Germany, and data-driven innovations around the world.

    Earlier this year, Telefonica shared with Havas its ambition to build a new media operating model using data to drive a more effective, intelligent and relevant communications strategy for its key brands in leading markets in the UK, Spain, Germany and Hispam.

    Havas Media Group and Telefónica have been engaged in a process to define that new media operating model – run remotely during Covid-19 – focused on how Havas Media Group will help deliver Telefonica’s commitment to industry-leading tech disruption, digital transformation and a data-led omnichannel approach.

    Havas’ unique integrated agency model enabled Telefonica’s teams around the world to have even greater access to group-wide expertise in key areas such as data analytics, consultancy and performance optimisation, supplemented by the entertainment properties available through the Vivendi Group.

    Havas Media Group Global CEO Peter Mears said, “We are absolutely thrilled to be able to continue our hugely successful partnership with Telefonica. Using our unique blend of data analytics and Mx (Meaningful Media Experiences), we were able to help Telefonica design the media model of the future. We are so excited to make that vision a reality.”

    Telefónica Global Strategy and Corporate Affairs Director Eduardo Navarro said; “The Havas offering will deliver even greater flexibility in the increasingly competitive telco industry. We are just beginning to build our future vision for Telefonica worldwide, but know that, in Havas Media Group, we have a partner that will come with us on the journey.”

  • Havas Media Group launches new social equity private marketplace

    Havas Media Group launches new social equity private marketplace

    NEW DELHI: Havas Media Group today announced the launch of a social equity private marketplace, made up of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) and LGTBQ+-owned media businesses so clients can positively invest funds in underrepresented businesses.

    This first-of-its-kind platform is the agency’s latest commitment to exploring Meaningful Media and recognising the need for equitable treatment of businesses that are traditionally underrepresented in the marketing industry.

    “In a time where consumer and client sentiment is focused on social action in many forms, we felt it was important to launch a product that allows clients to take positive actions with their media spend as desired, just like a bank can create or manage socially responsible funds. Our role is to advise clients of the opportunity to support these businesses in a system that previously did not make it easy for brands to support minority-owned companies,” said Havas Media Group global CEO Peter Mears. “Today, it’s just as important where a brand shows up as what they have to say.”

    Mears said the new global offering stems from Havas Media Group’s core strategy to “make a meaningful difference to brands, businesses, and people,” and its mission to understand the most “Meaningful Media”—the media channels, moments, and brands that really move consumers to action. Media that is trusted, engaging, and influential has the best chance of helping brands reach an engaged audience.

    “As an agency that is built on delivering the best possible Media Experience and has invested in and investigated what we call ‘Meaningful Media,’ we do not believe that all impressions are created equal,” Mears said. “We also see that it is our duty to provide clients with alternative routes to reaching and engaging consumers if media spend is divested from one platform or partner into another. This is just one step we are taking within our own business. We have more work to do as an agency and industry when it comes to diversity and equity.”

    “As an industry partner, we would encourage media businesses to be ‘meaningful’ in every sense—from the brand safety they provide as media partners, through to their corporate behaviours as organizations,” said Havas Media North America, EVP and head of Biddable Media Andrew Goode. “We could not be more excited to launch this program first in the US before expanding to our global clients.”

    The rollout will begin in the US and Michelin and Moen will be among the first brands to benefit from the marketplace. A rollout to international markets is planned for later this year.

    “We’re very pleased to have the opportunity to support Black, Indigenous, POC, and

    LGBTQ+ businesses and media partners through this marketplace and commend Havas Media for establishing this platform. This initiative will be important across our North American business,” said Michelin North America, VP Communication and Brands – Edna Johnson.

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  • News networks’ COVID-19 campaigns seek engagement, brand image

    News networks’ COVID-19 campaigns seek engagement, brand image

    MUMBAI: It’s been almost a month since lockdown and news channels have launched dozens of campaigns on both television and digital platforms to talk about COVID-19. Though the preliminary objective of these campaigns is to create awareness and educate the audience, they also help channels create engagement and that eventually may result in getting more advertisers.

    Havas Media Group India and South East Asia chief executive officer Anita Nayyar says, “Marketing campaigns, irrespective of the genre, are meant to improve the brand image or to address any other marketing objective of the channel and that also applies to news channels. Hence, it is a given that campaigns being run by news channels will help to promote them.”

    Network18 was the first to launch a campaign called #IndiaGives, wherein each employee of the network donated one day's salary to daily-wage workers and all those severely impacted due to this unprecedented crisis.

    The network is also running a full-fledged television and digital awareness and self-help campaign – #MakeYourOwnMask, which aims to create awareness about the most basic infection prevention and control measure – wearing masks outdoors. In addition, each news channel of the network has its own special programming.

    “Our campaigns are aligned with the issues of the day,” says Network18 chief executive officer – television news Avinash Kaul. “A key differentiator of most of our campaigns is that they are editorial-led, with our journalists championing them and our programming also reflects that. This adds a great deal of credibility to the campaigns. As a company, we always take the long view.”

    Stating that it has always been involved with causes that are aligned with nation-building, Kaul says, “We believe that institutions and great brands are built by being operationally nimble, caring and having a long term vision that aligns with national and societal concerns and aspirations.”

    News channels are always aligned to causes more than anybody else, says TRA Research CEO N Chandramouli. “Cause marketing is a very old tool used by news agencies and currently, they have taken the cause of COVID-19 scenario." He also adds the this is due to a lack of advertisers despite the exponential viewership growth in the recent past.

    Times Network has launched an umbrella campaign called ‘Fighting Fear with Facts’ that focusses on delivering fact-based reportage and defuse panic and fear while offering uninterrupted news to its viewers. The network’s news brands have also come up with special programming along with campaign initiatives like Factoids, Safety Tips, Do’s and Don’ts, Myth busters, among others.

    In the same line as its peers, Times Network has also launched the campaign ‘India Cares’ across its network channels to mobilise support from the viewers to raise funds to PM CARES Fund, to support the migrants and daily labourers, whose livelihoods have been challenged by the epidemic.

    “We believe in creating one campaign as the face of the brand rather coming up with various campaigns and confusing viewers,” says a source.

    “At this time of crisis, the communication shouldn’t be pushy about your product through campaigns. Rather, it should focus on asserting some motivation and inspiration to the viewers,” says DigitalKites senior vice-president Amit Lall.

    Unlike the other two, ABP News Network has launched different campaigns on its channels covering region-specific COVID-19 stories. The network’s Hindi news channel ABP News has initiated a campaign called #CoronakoDhona to strengthen the consciousness of the virus and ensure the safety of the people.

    The network’s Marathi news channel — ABP Majha along with a campaign has curated a special show called ‘Corona Parishad’ to impart the COVID-19 knowledge to the viewers. Similarly, an initiative on ABP Ganga called ‘Corona Ke Karam Yodha’ was telecast to throw light on the unsung heroes of COVID-19, whether they are policemen, doctors, or any other individuals.

    ABP News Network chief executive officer Avinash Pandey says: “We measure the success of our organisation through the kind of influence we have on our viewers. For us, nothing comes above the support and aid to people and communities in the time of need. COVID-19 has emanated a sense of disruption and despair worldwide. Through these initiatives and campaigns, our aim was to safeguard the health of the people, spread maximum awareness, create a positive societal impact and most importantly, fulfill our long-standing commitment to deliver the best at all times.”

    “The reason channels are coming up with a lot of campaigns is because they are seeing the sentiments of viewers are low and currently there are fewer advertisers buying ad space and inventories," adds Lall.

    “The campaigns run by news channels are being seen as public service and disseminating information to help build awareness of the unforeseen situation the country is in,” says Nayyar.

    Recently, the News Broadcasters Federation showed its resistance to media agencies trying to cut down ad rates by 50 per cent despite news being the most-watched genre.

    Even the News Broadcasters Association spoke about the fact that even top channels are seeing less than 50 per cent ad bookings even as agencies are trying to defer payments to channels.

    Even though news channels are doing their bit of social service, they will also need revenue to keep the business running. Under normal circumstances, channels may have roped in sponsors for various campaigns as well. But right now, the market looks bleak.

  • What agencies find lacking in a brand’s communication brief

    What agencies find lacking in a brand’s communication brief

    DELHI: Some may say that advertising is dead while some may refute the claim. However, what definitely is not dead is the agency-client relationship, which is built of sour-and-sweet tractions and successes. Anyone would agree that there have been as many unsuccessful campaigns as there have been successful ones. And while the celebrated campaigns get the fame for the brand, the dubious ones often get the fingers pointed towards the agency. But is it always the agency’s fault?

    None in the agency world would agree to that. Yes, there have been cases of mistakes from the creative side, but doesn’t the brand hold some responsibility too? Industry insiders would say yes, and the first step to a faulty campaign can, in fact, be taken by the brand when it comes to brief the agency about what it wants.

    Havas Media Group managing director Mohit Joshi says brands often come up to the agencies with a lack of tangible communication objective. “They try to achieve too many things at the same time,” he adds.

    This can be a serious problem, especially in today’s time when each brand is trying to steer ahead with a purpose. CMOs are actively looking to find agency partners that allow them to sell their products with an added touch of integrity and social responsibility in campaigns.

    Yes, some stunning campaigns have come out with this approach, but sometimes too much of demands can end up in creating stories that are fragmented and do little for the brand.

    While we are not sure if the ad was conceptualised based on a faulty brand brief or was the agency’s call, but All Out’s #MujheSabNahiPata can be a good example of brand message overshadowing brand purpose, that is to get rid of mosquitos. The campaign was created by BBDO.

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    Another mistake that brands make while briefing an agency is seeking absolute clarity in message, shares Dentsu One group creative director Auryndom Bose.

    He says, “The idea of absolute and total clarity in a message, commonly prescribed as Comprehension. If absolute comprehension was really what people were looking for, demo videos would go viral. Engagement and Comprehension are opposite to each other, and for 30 seconds worth of media money, I would multiply it any day with Engagement rather than Comprehension.”

    Bose is also averse to the idea of an agency testing an idea or a message on a group of people before going ahead with it, “Testing an idea or message to see if it works with consumers might be the right thing to do for a business but is a strange thing to do to a human being. The human being in that situation understands this strangeness and reacts accordingly. Frankly, because humans are complicated. Which is why I think reading a human being’s eyes and heartbeats and asking him/her questions about the idea in that time and place can reveal little or nothing about the idea that not already self-evident. Ideas simply need conviction and a simple understanding of human nature, testing them on human is just strange.”

    Bose continues, “Research after research has come back with no influence on customers who sat poker-faced through extended product windows and couldn’t play back how many chemicals made the formula. The assumption that consumers are waiting in a room to hear from you, listen to how well your product works or what goes into the making of the product is a common error. It could work but then why do you need an advertising agency.”

    Brands need to be extra careful while going ahead with a communication idea to an agency and to the consumers. Creative briefs can sometimes close the doors for experimentation that an agency might be willing to do for you.

    So, how can a CMO work on an ideal brief?

    Mohit Joshi says, “An ideal brief needs to give us a clear marketing and communication challenge – which becomes a KPI for us.”

    Be very clear of your message and your intentions, but do not try to make them completely comprehensible as Bose suggests.

    From an agency perspective, Bose shares, “I think context is really important these days especially since we are out the days of one single mass media message, it needs to start conversations and pick up on digital, has to have ‘legs’. Having a real-world context on which to set the brand pitch is important. Originality is key because a differentiated brand space is worth the wait. Human insight is another classical device we use in our weaponry, it helps storytelling, but these days if that insight doesn’t translate or ‘tie in’ into a larger context, it becomes ‘a one message wonder’.”

  • E-commerce industry to spend an estimated Rs 2000 cr on marketing festive season sales

    E-commerce industry to spend an estimated Rs 2000 cr on marketing festive season sales

    MUMBAI: Festive season is the best part of the year for e-commerce companies and this year they have recorded 12 times growth in sales as compared to the past year despite the economic slowdown, industry insiders revealed to Indiantelevision.com. The e-commerce sector remained largely immune from the impact of the slowdown as the lucrative offers kept the purchase intent of the consumers intact.

    Logicserve Digital co-founder and CEO Prasad Shejale explained, “Creative messaging coupled with enticing discounts has been successful in convincing the end-user to spend money on the preferred e-commerce platform.  Post the purchase customers feel a sense of satisfaction that they were successful in saving some bucks after the festive season purchase. Hence, boosting consumer sentiments has helped e-commerce players in India to set new industry benchmarks and surpass their sales targets.”

    He added, “Also, if you observe global e-commerce players have started tapping tier-2 and 3 cities of India which have contributed a significant share of growth during the latest sale season. For this, e-commerce companies have been implementing strategies to reach out to the Bottom of the Pyramid (BOP) customers. In emerging markets like India, the consumers in tier-2 and tier-3 cities may be less educated, especially at the bottom of the pyramid, and given the low purchasing experience may find difficulty in resisting offers, affordable and value-driven sale season themes, especially during the festive season.”

    The platforms have been spending extensively to market their online sales during this festive season. As per estimates shared by Havas Media Group India managing director Mohit Joshi the spends by the industry will touch Rs 2000 crore.

    Expectedly, Amazon and Flipkart are spending the most to drive their festive season sales. Shejale reveals that the two spent between Rs 700 – 850 crore, and Rs 400 – 550 crore respectively last year. The numbers are estimated to be the same this year as well.

    Madison Media Plus CEO Rajul Kulshreshtha shares, “Within a span of two months (Aug – Sep), these players had spent considerate amount, especially Amazon. The total spends by this category so far is Rs 204 crore (as per reported spends) Amazon is spending more on print while Flipkart is following a completely opposite strategy. So is in the case of Paytm and Snapdeal where Paytm is not taking the TV route while Snapdeal’s approach is TV and radio.”

    The strategic communication planning for e-commerce platforms is also very tactical during this period as all of them are targeting the same set of consumers with fairly similar offers. Brandintellé Services Pvt Ltd founder and CEO Biswajit Das says that each platform tracks real-time data offers made by its competitors, shared by third-party data providers, based on which they design specific offers and marketing communication.