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  • Discovery to premiere ‘India’s Frontier Railways’ on 11 February

    Discovery to premiere ‘India’s Frontier Railways’ on 11 February

    MUMBAI: Discovery Channel is all geared up to premiere a tale of international trains connecting Indian, Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh. The series titled as India’s Frontier Railways will premiere on 11 February 2016 and will air every Thursday at 9 pm.

    The three-part series explores the journey of passengers on the international trains through their heart-warming stories of reunion, cultures, history and travel across borders.

    Discovery Networks Asia-Pacific EVP and GM-South Asia Rahul Johri said, “Discovery Channel is delighted to present the incredible history of India’s cross border trains and their significant role in connecting the people and the nations. The audience will have a heart-warming viewing experience as they will get the opportunity to watch the three trains traverse through India’s borders in Nepal, Pakistan and Bangladesh.”

    The one-hour long episode will offer viewers a first-account narration of people whose work, travel and lives are entwined with these international trains

    The first episode is on Maitree Express, which connects India and Bangladesh, taking 12 hours to make the 392 km journey from Kolkata to Dhaka. On both sides, people speak the same language, share a history and they all love fish. The episode will take the viewers through a journey that unites Bengal.

    The Last Train in Nepal will showcase the train that crosses the border between India and Nepal along a line that runs for 20 miles from Janakpur to the Indian junction of Jaynagar. It will also reveal how the line is now under threat of closure following a starvation of funds from the Indian government, which has left the train and the track in a state of disrepair. This episode will showcase the community alongside the border and railway workers who are struggling every day to keep their train and their hopes alive.

    The third episode of the series is on The Samjhauta Express, a unique and heart-warming film that reconnects families, cultures and history. Viewers will get to see Bilal and his father who are seeking medical treatment in India, along with hockey champion Rahat Khan who is travelling to play an international match. This episode will also highlight on Guru Nanak’s birthday wherein the railway runs special train across the border to the Guru’s birthplace in Pakistan.

  • Discovery to premiere ‘India’s Frontier Railways’ on 11 February

    Discovery to premiere ‘India’s Frontier Railways’ on 11 February

    MUMBAI: Discovery Channel is all geared up to premiere a tale of international trains connecting Indian, Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh. The series titled as India’s Frontier Railways will premiere on 11 February 2016 and will air every Thursday at 9 pm.

    The three-part series explores the journey of passengers on the international trains through their heart-warming stories of reunion, cultures, history and travel across borders.

    Discovery Networks Asia-Pacific EVP and GM-South Asia Rahul Johri said, “Discovery Channel is delighted to present the incredible history of India’s cross border trains and their significant role in connecting the people and the nations. The audience will have a heart-warming viewing experience as they will get the opportunity to watch the three trains traverse through India’s borders in Nepal, Pakistan and Bangladesh.”

    The one-hour long episode will offer viewers a first-account narration of people whose work, travel and lives are entwined with these international trains

    The first episode is on Maitree Express, which connects India and Bangladesh, taking 12 hours to make the 392 km journey from Kolkata to Dhaka. On both sides, people speak the same language, share a history and they all love fish. The episode will take the viewers through a journey that unites Bengal.

    The Last Train in Nepal will showcase the train that crosses the border between India and Nepal along a line that runs for 20 miles from Janakpur to the Indian junction of Jaynagar. It will also reveal how the line is now under threat of closure following a starvation of funds from the Indian government, which has left the train and the track in a state of disrepair. This episode will showcase the community alongside the border and railway workers who are struggling every day to keep their train and their hopes alive.

    The third episode of the series is on The Samjhauta Express, a unique and heart-warming film that reconnects families, cultures and history. Viewers will get to see Bilal and his father who are seeking medical treatment in India, along with hockey champion Rahat Khan who is travelling to play an international match. This episode will also highlight on Guru Nanak’s birthday wherein the railway runs special train across the border to the Guru’s birthplace in Pakistan.

  • Reliance Communications in talks with Aircel to merge wireless biz

    Reliance Communications in talks with Aircel to merge wireless biz

    MUMBAI: Anil Ambani’s Reliance Communications (RCOM) has entered into a 90-day exclusivity period with Maxis Communications Berhad (MCB) and Sindya Securities and Investments, the shareholders of Aircel Limited, to consider the potential combination of their Indian wireless business.

     

    The merger of RCOM and Aircel’s wireless business will mutually derive the expected substantial benefits of in country consolidation, including opex and capex synergies and revenue enhancement.

     

    The potential combination will exclude RCOM’s towers and optical fibre infrastructure, for which RCOM is proceeding with an asset sale, as announced on 4 December, 2015.

     

    RCOM said that the discussions are non-binding in nature and any transaction will be subject to due diligence, definitive documentation and regulatory, shareholders’ and other third party approvals. Hence, there is no certainty that any transaction will result.

     

    It may be recalled that RCOM recently entered into a merger deal with MTS.

  • Q2-2016: UFO Moviez revenue up 18%, EBIDTA up 12.3%

    Q2-2016: UFO Moviez revenue up 18%, EBIDTA up 12.3%

    BENGALURU: Indian digital cinema distribution network and in-cinema advertising platform, UFO Moviez Limited (UFO) reported a 18 per cent YoY growth in consolidated income from operations (TIO) for the quarter ended 30 September, 2015 (Q2-2016, current quarter) at Rs 148.25 crore as compared to Rs 125.59 crore and 13.8 per cent more than the Rs 130.32 crore in the immediate trailing quarter. The company reported 12.3 per cent higher operating profit or EBIDTA for the current quarter at Rs 44.66 crore (30.1 per cent margin) as compared to the Rs 39.78 crore (31 per cent margin) and grew 10.7 per cent QoQ from Rs 40.34 crore (31 per cent margin).

     

    Note: 100,00,000 = 100 lakh = 10 million = 1 crore.

     

    The company’s PAT in Q2-2016 increased 26.5 per cent to Rs 16.46 crore (11.1 per cent margin) as compared to Rs 13.01 crore (10.4 per cent margin) and increased 24.2 per cent QoQ from Rs 13.25 crore (10.4 per cent margin).

     

    UFO founder and managing director Sanjay Gaikwad said, “I am very pleased with UFO’s operating and financial performance during the first half of fiscal year 2016. We delivered strong growth in revenues driven by E Cinema VPF, sale of products and increase in advertisement volumes. Advertisement revenue growth was aided by increased stability due to repeat business from some of the top corporate clients. The benefits of operating leverage are also evident, combined with higher margins in advertising and strong balance sheet position, which has enhanced the overall profitability of the company.”

     

    “We are confident in our ability to deliver the targets we have set for the full year,” added UFO joint managing director Kapil Agarwal. “A healthy pipeline of movies in the second half offers strong visibility for growth. The prospect of growth in the advertising business looks promising. The expansion of Caravan Talkies is also progressing as per plan and we expect this business to begin contributing meaningfully at an operating level soon. In summary, we have a very well-established platform to leverage on and a strong set of plans to deliver growth.”

     

    Let us look at the other expense reported by the company:

     

    Total Expenses in Q2-2016 at Rs 123.22 crore (83.1 per cent of TIO) increased 17.3 per cent YoY from Rs 105.09 crore (83.7 per cent of TIO) and was 13.8 per cent more QoQ than the Rs 109.16 crore (83.8 per cent of TIO).

     

    The company’s expense towards purchase of digital cinema equipment and lamps in the current year increased 49.1 per cent to Rs 24.55 crore (16.6 per cent of TIO) as compared to the Rs 16.46 crore (13.1 per cent of TIO) in Q2-2015 and was 53.8 per cent higher QoQ as compared to Rs 15.96 crore (12.2 per cent of TIO).

     

    The company paid 7.9 higher amount towards advertisement revenue share in Q2-2016 at Rs 11.29 crore (7.6 per cent of TIO) as compared to the Rs 10.46 crore (8.3 per cent of TIO) in Q2-2015 and 7.6 per cent more QoQ from Rs 11.47 crore (8.8 per cent of TIO).

     

    Further, the company paid 32.1 per cent YoY more towards VPF share at Rs 19.99 crore (13.5 per cent of TIO) from Rs 15.06 crore (12 per cent of TIO) and 13.5 per cent more QoQ from Rs 16.23 crore (12.5 per cent of TIO).

     

    Half year results

     

    In H1-2016 (half- year ended 30 September, 2015), total consolidated revenues rose 20.2 per cent to Rs 280.20 crore from Rs 233.1 crore in H1-2015. EBITDA grew 12.4 per cent to Rs 86.8 in the current half year from Rs 77.3 crore. PBT increased 33.5 per cent to Rs 42.1 crore in H1-2016 from Rs 31.6 crore in the corresponding period of last year.

     

    PAT in H1-2016 grew 41.4 per cent to 29.7 crore from Rs 21 crore in H1-2015. The average number of advertisement minutes sold per show per screen increased to 3.83 in H1-2016 (half- year ended 30 September, 2015) as compared to the 2.92 minutes in HY-2015 and Advertisement revenue grew 37.8 per cent to Rs 70.7 crore in the current half-year as compared to Rs 51.3 crore in H1-2015.

  • UltraTech Cement associates with Mumbai City FC as its strength partner

    UltraTech Cement associates with Mumbai City FC as its strength partner

    MUMBAI: UltraTech Cement announces its association with Mumbai City FC, Mumbai’s franchise in the Indian Super League, as its Strength Partner. It aims to extend its support towards building the beautiful game in India with this tie-up.

     

    Football is fast gaining popularity in the country, and the success of the first edition of the Indian Super League is a testimony to it. Indian Super League achieved the rare milestone of having registered the highest average stadium attendance for any football league in Asia, and the fourth highest in the world in its first edition.

     

    Indian National team captain, Sunil Chhetri and Goalkeeper, Subrata Paul among others are the core players of Mumbai City FC. Nicolas Anelka, the marquee player-manager for Mumbai City FC, is a globally renowned footballer having plied his trade with top clubs in Europe including Real Madrid, Manchester City, Chelsea and Arsenal, among others. Bollywood actor and football enthusiast Ranbir Kapoor is the co-owner of the team.

     

    The team’s logo is a reflection of a resilient fortress that depicts the strong and determined spirit of the city. It also depicts a train that is the lifeline of the city. The seven stars symbolize the seven islands that form Mumbai.

     

    “UltraTech has always been strongly connected with sports in India; be it cricket and now football. UltraTech, as a brand, signifies strength and beauty, which is what football as a sport stands for. Mumbai City FC has a strong mix of top national and international players and has a promising season ahead. Our association with Mumbai City FC is a step towards connecting with the youth of India through football, while also leveraging the rising popularity of the game as a brand,” said UltraTech Cement managing director O P Puranmalka.

     

    Commenting on this association with UltraTech Cement , Mumbai City FC team owner Ranbir Kapoor, said, “UltraTech Cement have been associated with sports teams in India for awhile now and it gives us a major confidence boost that they have ventured into football in India with Mumbai City FC. I am very glad to welcome them on board as our strength partner for this season.”

  • Modi effect: Qualcomm to invest $150 million in Indian mobile startups

    Modi effect: Qualcomm to invest $150 million in Indian mobile startups

    MUMBAI: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is making waves in the United States. And the effects of his power packed visit have already started trickling in.

     

    US based Qualcomm Incorporated, which operates in 3G, 4G and next-generation wireless technologies, plans to invest up to $150 million in Indian startup companies across all stages. This is a part of its commitment to India during a meeting with Modi at the Digital Economy event in San Jose.

     

    Qualcomm Ventures will advise and direct Qualcomm’s activities with respect to these strategic investments.

     

    Qualcomm has been investing in promising Indian startups since 2007 and there are more than 20 Indian companies as part of its global portfolio. Sectors of investment vary across the mobile ecosystem and include hardware, software platforms, e-commerce, healthcare, location based services and retail technology. Initiatives such as the QPrize competition, a global seed investment competition, as well as an early stage fund, are part of the team’s efforts in encouraging early stage entrepreneurs.

     

    Qualcomm directly invests in Indian mobile and internet start-up companies to keenly foster the local ecosystem. Portfolio companies include Yourstory, a media tech platform for entrepreneurs; Portea Medical, an in-home healthcare provider; and MapMyIndia, a provider of digital map, navigation, and tracking products and services. Indian companies receiving funding can benefit from Qualcomm’s insights on mobile technologies and utilize Qualcomm’s relationships throughout the industry.

     

    Qualcomm Ventures’ India team also provides unique support through its comprehensive knowledge and understanding of the region.

     

    “We share Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision to transform India into a digitally empowered society and knowledge economy. India is at the cusp of a technology revolution and mobile technologies will lay the foundation for Digital India. We are committed to providing local innovative start-ups with the support needed to help India’s IOE ecosystem grow, increasing consumer choice and availability,” said Qualcomm Incorporated executive chairman Dr. Paul E. Jacobs.

     

    “Since Qualcomm’s first India investment in 2007 and with full-fledged presence starting in early 2008, we continue to invest broadly to strengthen India’s overall economy. We are committed to providing these companies with the support needed to help propel them forward in the competitive Indian region. We’re excited about the new prospects in India and look forward to growing our portfolio,” said Qualcomm Incorporated senior vice president Nagraj Kashyap.

     

    Qualcomm also plays a key role driving India’s wireless revolution by making mobile communications increasingly accessible and affordable. For over two decades, Qualcomm has been helping the country’s mobile ecosystem achieve ongoing success and growth through its work with operators, OEM/ODMs, software developers, sales/distribution partners, governmental entities, academic institutions and standards organizations, among others. Qualcomm believes that its initiatives in India will help support the Indian government’s Digital India vision.

  • Indian thriller web-series collects Rs 9 lakh via crowd-funding

    Indian thriller web-series collects Rs 9 lakh via crowd-funding

    NEW DELHI: Indian crowd-funding thriller web series Hankaar, has successfully received Rs 9 lakh, which is more than a lakh of its initial target, with the help of 157 backers.

     

    Hankaar had set a target of Rs 8 lakh in 50 days. The series is slated for release in January next year.

     

    Set in Mumbai in the backdrop of drugs, real-estate dirty deals and prostitution, Hankaar is ‘realistic fiction’ content in the thriller and drama genre. It explores the stories of five ordinary people who go through extraordinary life changing experiences. 

     

    The cast includes Sanjay Bhatia, Rajesh Balwani, Ankur Vikal, Ram Menon, Sharda Nand Singh, Priyadarshi P and Yogini Chowk.

     

    The makers say they chose the Internet and not TV channels as these do not look beyond saas-bahu sagas. The content and theme of the series is realistic but not accepted as content to be viewed on mainstream television.

     

    Hankaar went live on Wishberry.in a month ago and surpassed their funding goal with the help of 157 backers who will now be named as co-producers and will also have the chance to give their inputs in the making of the series.

     

    Hankaar director and producer Ravi Iyer said, “We are overwhelmed by the support we got and hope to entertain the audience. We plan to make not one but three seasons of Hankaar.”

     

    With the average Indian spending more than eight hours on the internet and the majority of TV content being aimed at women over 35 years, Iyer felt the time was right to launch the first ever tech thriller web series.

     

    Writer Yogi Chopra said, “As producers we realise that Indian television is not ready for this kind of content. But we are keen to create not just one, but at least three seasons of this series. It is certain that the audience for this type of content is there, but because it is deemed non-commercial, it is difficult to find required funding.”

  • Indian advertising market leads BRIC with 11% growth rate in 2015: Carat

    Indian advertising market leads BRIC with 11% growth rate in 2015: Carat

    MUMBAI: The Indian advertising market is all set to witness a double digit growth rate of 11 per cent in 2015, which is the highest growth rate amongst the BRIC markets. The growth boost came from the ICC Cricket World Cup, which was held earlier in the year. Moreover, in 2016, India is poised to see a growth rate of 12 per cent, according to the Carat Ad Spend Report of September 2015.

    The year 2015 looks buoyant for the Indian advertising market as optimism continues to flood the market with growth prospects remaining high in the country, propelled by the election of a pro-business government in 2014 and the revival in investment.

    Of the other BRIC countries, while the advertising market in both Brazil and China is expected to see a growth rate of six per cent each in 2015, Russia will be an aberration as the economy has been affected by the sharp drop in oil prices and Western sanctions following the annexation of Crimea last year. The Russian advertising market has been severely affected with advertising revenues decreased by 16 per cent in 1H 2015. Carat predicts the total is market forecast to decrease by 14 per cent in 2015, a revision down from the decrease of 7.1 per cent previously forecast in the March 2015 report.

    DIGITAL AND MOBILE FORECAST

    From a regional perspective, Carat confirms on-going positive momentum in 2015 for most regions although volatility occurs in some individual markets, with Western Europe at 2.6 per cent, 4.2 per cent in North America, 4.1 per cent in Asia Pacific and 12.7 per cent in Latin America.

    Despite a slight decline in growth forecasts due to China’s economic downturn, Asia Pacific remains strong in 2015 with an above global spend rate of 4.1 per cent, driven by high-performing India at 11 per cent and growing Australia at 2.4 per cent. 

    The report predicted continued optimism through positive global and regional outlook and solid growth in Digital and Mobile. Based on data received from 59 markets across the Americas, Asia Pacific and EMEA, global advertising spend will grow by four per cent in 2015 to $529 billion, a slight decline from the 4.6 per cent predicted in March 2015. Moreover, in 2016 it is predicted to grow by 4.7 per cent, accounting for an additional $25 billion in spend as per Carat’s latest global advertising expenditure report. 

    Fuelled by the rise of Mobile and Online Video spending trends, the report reconfirms the continued solid growth for Digital media, evident through the upsurge in the predicted share of advertising spend in 2015 of 24.3 per cent and 26.5 per cent in 2016. For 10 of the markets analysed, including the UK, Ireland, Canada and Australia, Digital is now the principle media used based on spend, with the US market predicted to join this list in 2018 when digital advertising spend is forecast to overtake TV advertising by more than $4 billion.

    DIGITAL

    By media, Digital with 15.7 per cent growth in 2015, continues to be the only channel warranting double digital growth and is predicted slightly lower at 14.3 per cent in 2016. This is driven by the high demand for Mobile and Online Video advertising especially across social media, with 51.2 per cent and 22 per cent year-on-year growth expected this year.

    TELEVISION

    Programmatic buying is also experiencing rapid growth at a rate of 20 per cent each year. TV remains both dominant and resilient with a steady 42 per cent market share of global advertising spends in 2015 and is predicted to grow by more than three per cent in 2016, as the upcoming Olympic Games and US elections are expected to drive considerable viewership.

    Thirty eight out of the 59 markets analysed, report TV still as their leading medium, with 17 out of these 37 markets showing that more than 50 per cent of their advertising spend is still placed on TV, including Italy, China and Brazil. 

     

    ONLINE VIDEO

    Online Video is forecast to grow at a rate of 22 per cent this year and a forecast of 19 per cent in 2016, as previously predicted in the March 2015 report. With cross-device measurement tools becoming more robust, and access to premium content increasingly available, greater investments from TV budgets are being allocated into Digital, moving from a ‘channel-first’ mind set to an ‘audience-first’ focused approach. Brands are starting to understand the reach and potential of moving their investment to Online Video as the lines between linear broadcasts and digital increasingly blur. Growth in Online Video will also be fuelled by the rise of programmatic video and more efficient/scalable video production via media partners.

    MOBILE

    Mobile is experiencing the greatest spend growth across all media. The opportunities
    to re-target consumers closer to purchase activity is a big driver. Carat forecasts growth in Mobile spend at 51.2 per cent in 2015, up from the previous prediction of 49.7 per cent in the March 2015 report and a predicted 44.5 per cent in 2016 up from the previous prediction in March 2015 of 41.9 per cent. In the US, Mobile ads targeted to both smartphones and tablets are predicted to capture up to 40 per cent of online display spend by 2019, currently accounting for 24 per cent of digital budgets.

    SOCIAL MEDIA

    Mobile and Online Video are also the key factors for Social Media advertising spend growth. Social Media advertising spend is rising, and moving to mobile and in-app placements. Both Twitter and Facebook report that over 70 per cent of their advertising revenue now comes from mobile, and the vast majority of this is now likely to be in-app rather than through the mobile web.

    NEWSPAPERS

    The age old Newspaper continue to capture the third highest share of total advertising spend, being the second most popular media type in India, and the third most popular for nine of the 13 top spending markets, including the US, Japan and UK. However, the market as a whole continues to fight against a difficult structural trend of spend shifting to digital platforms. As a result, traditional Print spend has been declining every year since 2008. Newspaper share of total advertising spend has been falling by over a percentage point each year, from 23 per cent in 2008 to a predicted 13 per cent in 2015 and 12 per cent in 2016.

    MAGAZINE, CINEMA, RADIO, OOH

    Despite the ongoing decline in Print spend, Carat’s forecasts confirm year-on-year growth for all other media with updated predictions for 2015 highlighting year-on-year growth in Cinema at 4.7 per cent, Radio at 1.3 per cent and Outdoor at 3.4 per cent, with the latter two slightly revised down from March 2015 figures.

    Magazines are forecast to decline by two per cent in 2015 and by 1.9 per cent in 2016. Magazine share of spend is forecast at 6.9 per cent in 2015 and 6.5 per cent in 2016.

    Dentsu Aegis Network CEO Jerry Buhlmann said, “Carat’s latest advertising spend forecast shows optimism balanced with realism during a year of increased volatility in major markets such as Russia and China. Noticeably, the landscape is becoming increasingly complex as previously grouped markets, such as the BRIC economies are now operating differently and economic situations can quickly change markets at pace. Our teams are well positioned to navigate our clients through this multi-faceted marketplace and successfully assimilate new market opportunities at speed.”

    “Digital media continues to achieve outstanding growth as the effectiveness of this medium and results achieved, especially with the millennials, warrants the upsurge in spend levels. As digital rapidly evolves into a more established asset and programmatic and search bring stronger performance and efficiency, we continue to add value to our clients by delivering innovative solutions that are different and better,” he added.

    Carat Global chief strategy officer Sanjay Nazerali said, “The media landscape is more complex and multi-faceted than ever before. The diversity of media, market volatility and the rising impact of geographical events are all influencing advertising spend. For global clients, this means a greater need to be aware of such evolving scenarios, to be agile and able to move spend where it can deliver the greatest return.”

  • Indian brands eye 25% increase in mobile marketing spends

    Indian brands eye 25% increase in mobile marketing spends

    MUMBAI: In this ever changing and developing world, which is led by technological advancements, brands need to constantly re-examine their strategies and explore the full extent of the tools at their disposal. In a scenario like this, the key to the mobile marketing industry’s success is for brands to take a focused and consumer-centric approach.

     

    What’s more, according to a research called “State of the industry – mobile marketing in India” conducted by WARC in conjunction with Mobile Marketing Association (MMA), around 75 per cent of Indian marketers are looking to raise their mobile marketing spends to 25 per cent from this year from 10 per cent or less from the previous years. What’s more, the number might even hit 50 per cent in the next five years.

     

    According to WARC Asia Pacific MD Edward Pank, the study indicated that Hindustan Unilever was the most innovative mobile brand in the country followed closely by Flipkart, Samsung, Amazon and Paytm while Telecom and Retail ead the way in terms of innovation and location based marketing.

     

    The annual MMA Forum India 2015, which was held in Gurgaon recently, was themed ‘Acquiring, Reaching and Engaging the Right Consumers through Mobile.’ The forum saw speakers from brands, agencies and technology companies, dissecting successful and innovative brand campaigns over the previous year to highlight the importance and effectiveness of mobile within the marketing mix.

     

    “Capability-building and innovation are key to the success of the mobile marketing industry. In light of the rapid evolution of technology, it’s important for brands to take a focused and consumer-centric approach to mobile,” said MMA Asia Pacific managing director Rohit Dadwal.

     

    The MMA Forum India 2015 kicked off with a keynote session by Unilever regional vice president – media Rahul Weld, who discussed Unilever’s innovative approach to marketing and its success in reaching out to the targeted customer through effective strategies.

     

    Talking about the importance of “seizing the moment” when reaching out to the consumer, Google India industry director – e-commerce, retail, online classifieds and technology Nitin Bawankule said, “The most effective way to reach out to the consumer is to target them in time of their need. Every consumer looks for solutions on their mobile devices and strategic advertising are key to catching the consumer at this moment.”

     

    Media specialist and writer Vanita Kohli-Khandekar and Vserv co-founder & CEO Dippak Khurana brought to light the various aspects of mobile commerce, advertising and data that can help shrink the intent-purchase gap. 

     

    Talking about the need to share data to leverage its power to reach, engage and acquire the consumer, Khurana said that publishers with significant “consumer attention” will try to move to commerce and that while consumers in India have regularly demonstrated their appetite to pay through mobile, marketers have been shy of sharing data that could help them buy through mobile platforms, significantly limiting their success.

     

    Madhouse Inc founder & CEO Joshua Maa discussed the similarities and the difference between different Asian markets with a focus on India and China during his session – “No two markets are the same yet they are not different.” He covered aspects and opportunities where India could learn from China and vice versa.

     

    Group M CEO CVL Srinivas moderated a panel discussion with Pepsico India vice president – beverages category Vipul Prakash, ZEEL chief business officer Sunil Buch and OLX India CEO Amarjit Singh Batra, where they shared insights on becoming “mobile capable” and how media owners, brands and agencies can come together to build mobile insight and capability to achieve the desired level of maturity.

     

    Yahoo Asia Pacific senior director marketing Nitin Mathur unveiled the various aspects of Flurry, the mobile-analytics company acquired by Yahoo, and discussed its potential to influence the consumer by tracking their behaviour on apps and building personalised and relevant communication thereby highlighting the need for more such tools in the space.

     

    Opera Mediaworks Asia managing director Vikas Gulati illustrated the effectiveness of mobile devices in connecting brands and consumers by discussing the success of AskMeBazaar.com’s campaign with Askme India group CMO Manav Sethi and Findit Malaysia that was executed by Opera MediaWorks. Gulati discussed at length, the power that mobile empowers brands with, to control consumer behaviour as they are most intimate and used media device.

     

    As part of the MMA forum 2015, Madhouse – South Asia COO Milind Pathak introduced the winners of Madlabs, a platform introduced by Madhouse to showcase the innovative mobile communications and solutions in the startup ecosystem and espoused the effective use of mobile to reach out the targeted consumer.

     

    The MMA Forum was followed by the MMA’s mobile excellence awards program – SMARTIES India 2015 where the winners from 15 categories and five Industry awards were announced.

     

    Over 330 delegates and 34 industry leaders representing the mobile marketing ecosystem in the country came together for the day-long event to discuss and deliberate over the future of the industry.

  • Festive season propels Indian smartphone market

    Festive season propels Indian smartphone market

    KOLKATA: The festive season has pushed the Indian smartphone market with a quarter-on-quarter growth of 27 per cent in Q3 of the current calendar year 2014 to propel it as the largest growing smartphone market in the APAC region.

     

    The overall mobile market stood at 72.5 million units in Q3 2014, registering a 15 per cent quarter-on-quarter growth and a 9 per cent year-on-year growth, according to the International Data Corporation (IDC).

     

    “With 44 million units shipped in CY 2013 and the current market scenario hinting at 80 million plus shipments in CY 2014, we have a big chunk of end-user market which is awaiting refresh. To add to this, new initiatives on the 4G front are expected to be rolled out, which should spark up demand in the smartphone market in CY 2015,” said IDC India senior market analyst Karan Thakkar.

     

    However, phablets are hitting a stagnancy which has been one of the key reasons for consumers opting for smartphones, the IDC said.

     

    “With 6 per cent of the overall smartphone market, phablets are observed to be hitting a plateau. Smartphones are seen as the sweet spot for consumer preference. However, consumers need larger screen sizes to enjoy media content and with the 4G rollout expected in CY 2015, we expect the phablets segment to pick up again,” said IDC India research manager, client devices Kiran Kumar.

     

    Interestingly, Micromax is fast crawling up to challenge Samsung, the market leader. Market share for Micromax stood at 20 per cent in Q3, up by two per cent from the previous quarter while Samsung’s market share is 24 per cent.

     

    The Q3 results reveal the second consecutive quarter of over 80 per cent year-on-year shipment growth for smartphones, reflecting robust end-user demand for the category in the devices market in India.

     

    The share of smartphones in the overall mobile phone market stood at 32 per cent in Q3 2014, which is a considerable increase over 19 per cent in the same period a year ago.

     

    According to the Asia-Pacific (excluding Japan) Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker, vendors shipped a total of 23.3 million smartphones in Q3 2014 compared to 12.8 million units in the same period of CY 2013.