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Tag: Havas Media

  • OTT and the future of sports broadcasting

    OTT and the future of sports broadcasting

    Mumbai: According to a recent study ‘Can OTT sports platforms shake up the broadcast landscape’ by data and analytics firm Ampere, the growing number of pure-play and generalist OTT services in the sports rights market is putting the traditional rights model under stress.

    In Europe, the likes of DAZN and Amazon Prime Video are beginning to eat into the market share of traditional rights holders, accounting for nearly 10 per cent of sports spends annually. Globally, though, the figure stands at slightly below six per. In cases where OTT services increased the number of bidders for rights, the value of rights has increased. For instance, DAZN’s entrance to German UCL market grew the total value by 62 per cent for 2018-21 cycle. For 2021-24, OTT services have secured all rights to the UCL in Germany, with the new deals increasing the total value by 58 per cent. However this trend did not hold in cases where the overall number of bidders came down, where the impact was negative.

    What this suggests is that pure OTT players have the potential to impact an upward growth in sports rights value together with traditional buyers, especially in cases where the value of rights has stagnated over the years. In the short term, until OTT platforms reach a comparable or higher level of subscription than pay-TV, they will keep adding value to the game.

    The study outlined four broad ways in which OTT services are impacting the sports media landscape – targeting digital-first audiences, making premium sports more affordable, super-serving specific categories of sports fans, and creating a range of D2C opportunities like out-of-market selection, co-exclusivity, and exclusive D2C for rights holders. 
    Case in point: IPL stagnation in rights value is a far-cry for a cricket crazy nation as India. Take for instance, the next (2023-27) cycle of IPL rights that has an aggressive set of bidders in the fray, including the content behemoth Amazon Prime Video. 

    Reliance’s bid, which is likely aimed at more data revenue through Jio, than subscription and ad revenue through the media business under Viacom18, will make the ‘Amazon vs RIL vs Disney vs Sony pitch’ more interesting. The winner will be announced around end-March or early April. 

    While Star’s September 2017’s bid of Rs 16,347.50 crore or ~$2.3 billion (amounting to a 158 per cent increase over the previous deal worth $1.03 billion) for just half the number of years was jaw-dropping, equally noteworthy was Facebook’s individual bid of R. 3,900 crore for the digital rights alone. From less than five per cent in the overall pie of 2008 deal, digital had grown by 25 per cent (4.5 times) in 2017, being seen as a standalone package. 

    According to market buzz, IPL’s digital rights value will see similar growth of around 25-30 per cent for this cycle and understandably so. From 2017 to now, IPL has seen considerable value addition in terms of both OTT viewership as well as digital technology. The overall value is expected to soar up to of $ five billion. A senior BCCI official recently told news agency PTI, “With two new teams about to fetch anything between Rs 7000 to Rs 10,000 crore, IPL broadcast rights could more than double to reach $ five billion (~Rs 36,000 crore).”

    The OTT value ad
    Hotstar got on to a flying start with the first match of IPL 2015 registering 7.2 million views on the app; six times the viewership of the first match of IPL 2014 on starsports.com. In the seven years since it began streaming the IPL live, the league’s viewership has grown from around 40 million in 2015 to 300 million in 2019, increasing every year. While the viewership for the 2020 edition on Hotstar could not cross the previous year’s benchmark, it ranged between 5.7 million and 6.7 million throughout the next (2021) season.

    What’s more significant about these numbers is that they were reached despite the matches being played behind a paywall. Going back to the Ampere study, sports OTT audiences currently make up 25 per cent of total sports audience, and there nearly 800 mn to convert. This is a significantly younger audience with 75 per cent aged between 18 and 44 years. Not only are they willing to pay more, but are also spending more time and are more engaged with both live and non-live programming on the OTT services. In addition to accessibility of content and flexibility of billing options, OTT services are more affordable and unbundled, offering higher control to viewers. They target fans of sports which struggle to find sufficient space on traditional broadcasting platforms. 
    Echoing a similar viewpoint, Grapes national business head – Rajeesh Rajagopalan says, “by virtue of being both precise and personal, OTT services have consolidated the scattered viewership for niche sports, or sports other than cricket in India. The badminton and kabbadi leagues that have come into existence today, is because OTT players started buying these rights.” Pointing out another positive contribution of sports streaming, he states, “OTT being way more innovative with advertising than TV, offers scope even for the smaller brands with medium or modest budgets, provided they have a clearly-defined objective.”

    “The decline in TV viewership of niche sports due to NTO will add to the popularity of sports streaming, which has been on the rise since the onset of the pandemic. The growth is expected to come from tier 2 and 3 cities. It will be spearheaded by DTH platforms providing OTT as a part of their services,” adds Zenith VP Linu John.

    Commenting on the OTT opportunity for brands in India Havas Media Group India head–digital services Rohan Chincholi remarks that from the consumers’ standpoint, India is a market with the lowest cost per GB (~Rs seven per GB) & from the advertisers’ standpoint, there is a massive 350 million+ OTT viewership in India. Of these, paid subscribers are to the tune of ~80 million+ and they subscribe to over two OTT platforms each. 

    “Hotstar is projecting to reach close to 100 per cent of OTT users in India this IPL which speaks volumes about viewers’ interest in streaming sports. However, these audiences are not loyal to one OTT service. Cricket has the potential to garner mass reach in a short span, which is where the platforms win via subscriptions and repeat usage,” observes Chincholi.  
    On the kind of advertising being explored this season he adds, “from an advertising perspective, bundled sponsorships, associations and standalone buys will be a function of clients’ budget. Ad rates will command a premium on all marquee streaming events.  Cost per reach will be higher than any other video sharing/social platform but it’s also a function of audience targeting and data layering – transacting audience cut, connected TV audience.”

    Building on the point WATConsult AVP media planning and strategy Shanu Jain shares that about 70 per cent deals are bundled under different sponsorships including presence on different IPL collaterals, Live prediction, pre & post shows brand integrations, special packages, while around 30 per cent of them are standalone on mid-roll video ads. They command 35-40 per cent premium than normal rates on GEC and other video streaming platforms like YouTube. “Majority of IPL viewership comes from the age bracket of 15-30 years, and Hotstar leads the way in innovative ad formats and inventories. A lot of new ad formats have been introduced to facilitate better recall and user engagement, beginning with pre-rolls every time you start the match to drive higher relevance, and integrating the brand communication at different intervals, to additional options like group chats, contests and regular CTW ads have helped brands look at efficiencies in-terms of audiences who’re watching and clicking on the ads,” notes Jain. 

    OTT services globally have only just started to move the dial in the sports rights market which continues to be dominated by legacy players. They have an increasingly significant part to play alongside TV buyers by helping sports appeal to young hard-to-reach demographic. The Ampere study indicates that while the OTT audiences’ higher willingness to pay may make them look more attractive, their size compared to traditional TV broadcasters must be taken into account to ascertain whether this actually equates to higher revenues or not. 

  • Zee Cinema ropes in Pankaj Tripathi for brand integration with ACC Cement

    Zee Cinema ropes in Pankaj Tripathi for brand integration with ACC Cement

    MUMBAI: Zee Cinema has tied up with ACC Cement to highlight the benefits of the latter’s product line – ACC Gold Water Shield Cement. For this, the channel has roped in actor Pankaj Tripathi to educate its viewers about ACC’s unique water-resistant cement formula. His immense talent and down to earth nature epitomise the integration’s messaging of being strong in quality and yet relatable to everyone. This is a continuation to Zee Cinema’s tradition of using the power of entertainment to merge top brands with impactful messaging and help them reach the perfect set of audiences.

    Through engaging content, Tripathi effortlessly lays out the core messaging for the brand – being resilient and reliable. Backed by the onscreen charisma of the Ludo star, there will be a series of creatively crafted communication to highlight the initiative. To personify this message, ACC Cement and Zee Cinema would also co-present movies which resonate with the brand’s offering.

    ZeeL chief growth officer Ashish Sehgal said, “It’s a point of pride to join hands with another company like ACC Cement which has, also, created its own legacy of trust, dependency and superior results. It’s a well-crafted engagement which perfectly reflects the values of the channel, the brand and the key influencer.”

    ACC Cement and Ambuja Cement CMO Ashish Prasad said, “Our campaign aims at inspiring individual home builders to protect their homes by building them with India's first water repellent cement – ACC Gold Water Shield. With products like Gold Water Shield Cement, ACC has always aimed at creating innovative need-based products and communication that connects with its consumers, just like the stories weaved by Pankaj Tripathi and Zee Cinema that connects with the audiences to get relevant message across.”

    Zee Hindi Movies cluster head Ruchir Tiwari added, “We bolstered this integration by connecting the brand messaging directly with our powerful movie line-up and leveraging the perfect influencer to personify the communication.”

    Havas Media Group is the media buying partner for the campaign.

    As a part of this integration, ACC Cements and Zee Cinema will also co-present the movies – world television premiere of The Power on 27 March at 8 pm and Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl on 3 April.

  • Havas Group India announces senior management elevations

    Havas Group India announces senior management elevations

    Mumbai: Havas Group India has announced key elevations in its senior management team for Havas Media and Havas Creative. The elevations come as part of the group's overall growth strategy of identifying and acknowledging talent and leaders who have played a crucial role in the growth of the company.

    Erstwhile Havas Media managing partner — north and west Uday Mohan has been promoted to president — north and west. 

    Mohan has been with Havas Media for the last 13 years. He has been instrumental in building the Gurgaon operations of Havas Media Group into one of the largest operations in NCR. In spite a very difficult 2020, he was able to grow both the Gurgaon and Mumbai operations with key client acquisitions like ACC Cement, and most recently the esteemed Domino’s Pizza win.

    Havas Media national head buying R Venkatasabubramanian will now be president and national head investments. 

    Venkat has been associated with Havas Media Group for the last two years. He has been able to put Havas Media Group among the top media buyers in the country and built a very strong investment team across markets.

    Havas Creative managing partner – north Manas Lahiri has been elevated to president – north. 

    Lahiri has been with Havas for over two years and has astutely managed the turnaround of the Gurgaon Creative Operations in one of the most demanding and challenging markets. From stabilising the biggest relationship with Reckitt Benckiser which includes brands like Durex, Vanish, Harpic, Mortein, Veet to acquiring new clients like William Grant & Sons, Suzuki, Fortis, Norton, Hike, and finally Dabur Honey and many others, he has delivered exceptional results.

    Mohan and R Venkat will continue to report to Havas Media Group India CEO Mohit Joshi, and Lahiri will continue to report to  Havas Group India group CEO Rana Barua.  

    Rana Barua said “ I am excited to announce well deserved key elevations from our Havas Group Senior Leadership team, that will further accelerate growth and enhance the value proposition of our organisation and take the agency to greater heights. 2020 has been a challenging yet very satisfactory year for the agency in terms of clients, revenue, awards, and fame. I look forward to Uday, Manas and Venkat to soar higher and take us to even greater achievements and targets.” 

  • Mohit Joshi elevated to CEO, Havas Media Group

    Mohit Joshi elevated to CEO, Havas Media Group

    Mumbai: Havas Group India has announced the elevation of Mohit Joshi to CEO of Havas Media Group with immediate effect. This appointment comes as part of the acceleration of the group's overall growth strategy.

    Prior to this Mohit was MD Havas Media Group. He will continue to report to Rana Barua, Group CEO, Havas Group India.

    Mohit’s 13+years at Havas Media Group has seen the agency grow exponentially. A seasoned media professional with 20+ years of experience in the industry, he has worked on a wide range of categories and brands. He has successfully straddled strategic planning, AOR management, buying functions and led multi-disciplinary teams across offices for the last many years. Some of the brands include Hyundai, Kia, Swiggy, Tata Motors, Voltas, Voltas Beko, TVS Tyres, Taj Hotels, amongst others.

    Mohit is a close observer of industry trends, he is a speaker and moderator at various leadership events including HT Leadership series, Media 360, ad:tech India, IAMAI, e-Tailing India, e4m Conclave, BW BusinessWorld; a judge at awards including Young Cannes, Spikes Asia; contributes to varied publications and is an advisory member of the MMA Forum India. Mohit is also in the mancom of AAAI and IAMAI and is actively involved in many other leading bodies.

    Havas Group Chairman and CEO – India and southeast Asia Vishnu Mohan said, “I have had the privilege of welcoming Mohit to Havas almost 14 years ago. A true dynamic leader with an in-depth understanding of consumers, brands, and the changing media landscape. 

    Mohit’s experience and long association with Havas makes him an ideal choice for the leadership role, as we look to significantly scale our presence in the media space.” 

    Barua said, “Over the last few years, Mohit has not just driven existing clients and business but has also played a lead role in driving the growth for the agency. He is a passionate and a visionary business leader, who brings invaluable expertise. His long-term vision coupled with his acumen will help us make a more meaningful difference to brands and consumers. I am happy that its Mohit who will leadHavas Media Group into the next phase of growth.”

    Joshi said, “In today’s dynamic and evolving business environment, Havas overall is undergoing a massive change to stay differentiated, relevant and meaningful. I’m excited to take on this huge responsibility and new responsibilities and combating the challenges during this crucial time and I look forward to the next chapter working closely with Rana, the senior management of Havas Group India, my wonderful colleagues and clients and the entire team across the region and all our global offices.”

  • Vanish promises ‘Dry Clean Like results’

    Vanish promises ‘Dry Clean Like results’

    NEW DELHI: Are you sceptical when it comes to sales spiel guaranteeing magically whiter and brighter clothes? Now you can be the judge yourself. Stain removal brand Vanish has joined hands with Avataar.Me to create an immersive Augmented Reality (AR) experience for its consumers, enabling them to find out if the stain remover indeed delivers ‘dry clean like results at home’.

    The new campaign is based on a study conducted by an external research agency: whether consumers prefer dry cleaning or washing clothes at home. The study found that consumers used dry-cleaning solutions to keep their clothes looking newer for longer. After several rounds of rigorous testing, results indicate that Vanish liquid/powder, when used with regular detergent, provides dry clean like results at home. The stain remover makes your garments look brighter and whiter after every wash, while being gentle and safe on them.

    Commenting on the campaign launch, Reckitt Benckiser (Vanish’s parent company) hygiene- South Asia CMO and marketing director Sukhleen Aneja highlighted the fact that they are the first in the segment to introduce a real time immersive demo experience for consumers.

    “Consumer needs and demands evolve especially as they adjust to the new normal. Vanish provides ‘dry clean like results at home’ by whitening, brightening and removing stains. This is a perfect solution for consumers who can take care of their everyday clothing and make their clothes last longer while looking brighter and whiter,” she said.

    RB hygiene, south Asia director Skand Saksena said the Vanish campaign is all about the maxim ‘seeing is believing’ and showcases the product's efficacy through live demos.

    Read more news on RB

    The digital AR experience will go live in November, added Aneja.

    Vanish in both powder and liquid formats is available across the country in modern trade stores, e-commerce sites and local kirana stores. It is priced starting Rs. 59 onwards.

    Last year, the brand relaunched the stain-removal laundry product, in line with its strategy to offer premium products to tap into emerging segments. The FMCG major is known for its brands such as Harpic and Lizol household disinfectant.

    In 2019, Anglo-Dutch company Reckitt Benckiser had launched its global liquid laundry brand Woolite in India, apart from introducing a chemical-free range of soaps and hand washes under brand Dettol.

  • Havas Media wins media mandate for MyGate

    Havas Media wins media mandate for MyGate

    BANGALORE: Havas Media has won media duties for MyGate, India’s leading community management solution, whose comprehensive offering comprises security, ERP and a host of other features for gated communities. The mandate includes over-the-top (OTT) media services and all offline media duties. The account was won following a multi-agency pitch. The account size is estimated to be Rs 30+ crores and will be handled out of the agency’s Bangalore office led by Havas Media EVP south Saurabh Jain.

    MyGate head of marketing Ranjit Behera said, “By enhancing the safety and convenience of gated communities and constantly introducing newer, better, friendlier solutions to everyday problems, MyGate is bringing about a positive change in community living. Effective communication is a crucial component of this effort, and we’re glad to have the passion, experience and strategic thinking of Havas Media Group’s meaningful media to navigate its constantly evolving landscape.”

    Havas Media Group India MD Mohit Joshi said, “MyGate is a pioneer brand in the community management space which thrives on technology and innovation. MyGate app facilitates a seamless and contactless experience to its user which is a need of the hour. MyGate’s recent integrations with news and healthcare platforms is a testament to their passion towards community welfare. We are honoured to be partnering with MyGate and are glad to further bolster our e-commerce portfolio with this win.”

    Founded by ISB-IIM-IIT alumni, MyGate is headquartered in Bangalore, with offices in its major markets across the country. MyGate’s eponymous mobile app enables gated communities to vastly enhance their security and convenience through a number of innovative features, such as visitor management, e-intercom, accounts & payments, leave at gate, and daily help management. It allows residents to approve entries and exits, manage visitors/deliveries, communicate with their neighbours, log attendance and pay society maintenance bills and daily help workers, among much else. Launched in 2016, it is now used by over 2 million homes every day in over 10,000 gated communities across the country.

    Over the past year, MyGate has been named one of India’s Most Disruptive Start-ups (by YourStory) and among India’s Top 15 Tech Disruptors (by BusinessWorld).