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  • The Age of Heroes has arrived

    The Age of Heroes has arrived

    Mumbai: Humanity plunges into despair; panic spreads like plague. The death of Superman spells a terrible reign of darkness. Will a band of unlikely allies vanquish supervillain Steppenwolf, as he returns to claim his rightful place as the ruler of this world? Can Batman and his troop of gifted meta-humans defeat this invincible abomination? To find out, tune in to the premiere of the much-awaited, Justice League, only on Sunday, 28th October, 2018 at 12pm and 8pm, only on HBO and HBO HD!

    Justice League brings together an unprecedented situation that calls for an equally exceptional team of warriors. The entry of one of the New Gods, Steppenwolf and his Parademons wreak havoc to collect all ‘Mother Boxes’, as Batman recruits superheroes with the help of Wonder Woman. The movie, much to the delight of die-hard DC fans, introduces champions from different worlds – from Men, to Atlanteans, to Amazonians. That’s the cue for a cocky and self-sufficient Aquaman; The Flash as an impressionable University student with superhuman speed; and a techno-organic Cyborg!

    The impending catastrophe and superhero battles mark a new milestone in the DC Extended Universe. Directed by Zack Snyder, the movie is aplenty with stylistic action, slow-motion shots and visual effects that elevate every combat sequence. The plotline cleverly balances action and drama, peppered with moments of humour.

    HBO and HBO HD is set to elevate movie magic with exciting social and digital fan engagement. Fans too can #JoinTheLeague and become a Superhero! Viewers need to simply visit http://hbosouthasia.com/jointheleague/ to take part in the contest and enter their Desired Superhero Name and Power. The lucky winner will get to watch his or her Superhero avatar featured in a cool animated short movie that will be aired on HBO! The contest will be promoted on air and run on all social media platforms. And the superhero bug never spared anyone! So popular stand-up comedian and superhero fan Sahil Shah will also be sharing his excitement for this contest on his social media pages!

    Check out HBO India on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to know more! Justice League set cash registers ringing worldwide and won millions of hearts. Now it’s your turn to experience the magic only on HBO and HBO HD, on Sunday, 28th October, 2018 at 12pm and 8pm!

  • Brands, agencies to rewire approaches using data: CVL Srinivas, WPP

    Brands, agencies to rewire approaches using data: CVL Srinivas, WPP

    MUMBAI: Data. A four letter word that has even the senior most executives sweating and scratching their heads. While it is a small little word, understanding how to use it, is actually very complicated. That’s why  all we’ve been hearing about in the last year is how can brands and agencies leverage the most of data and more importantly, understanding the basics of data. 

    Data is not restricted to using it only in advertising (for data-driven advertising), it can essentially be a very function of every brand. With all the buzz around data and using it to reach the consumer effectively and efficiently, marketers and agencies must know how to make the most of data for better ROI and consumer engagement.

    Google Maps, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, Google, YouTube, Netflix have all changed our world, and for good! Technology has changed the way we connect with brands and things around us. You like something, you hit a ‘heart’, something makes you furious, you reply via an angry emoji on Facebook. All this consumer behaviour is Data for marketers. And with a consumer’s likes, dislikes, hearts, tweets and browsing history available readily, a brand maps the consumer behaviour and reaches to them with targeted advertising and content. That’s why you only get a message or pop up to shop or buy your favourite pair of clothes, lipstick, car or mobile that you’ve been eyeing for long.

    However, with brands being able to map your behaviour by scrutinising you and using your data, it also violates a consumer right to privacy. To address this, the Government of India is currently considering sweeping a data privacy law –  Personal Data Protection Bill of 2018 , which states that privacy is a "fundamental right" under the Indian Constitution. 

    The bill is closely modelled after the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). It broadly applies to all personal data defined as any data of a person which allows direct or indirect identifiability; and envisions a regime where individual consent is the cornerstone of data-sharing. If the bill is passed, it may change the way on when, where and how much data can brands actually use. 

    Maybe eventually brands will have to pay their users in some form to be able to use their data in the new framework of guidelines. It could be in the form of money, virtual money, coupons or discounts.

    To understand the current scenario and future of data driven marketing, in a quick chat with Indiantelevision.com, WPP country manager CVL Srinivas gave us insights about creating the balance between using data and human insights, future of advertising with data, WPP’s plan for 2019 and more. Excerpts: 

    The importance of data in advertising today is more than ever. How do you see the future of advertising along with data?

    Data is a critical part of every business today. We have a lot more data available to us than we ever had before. Today, every business is looking at transforming itself – by smartly leveraging data, businesses can fast track their growth in numerous ways. Advertising is becoming a lot more data-led. Not just in targeting the right audience or deciding the best 

    medium, data is inspiring creative thinking on brands. We saw numerous examples of data-inspired creativity at our summit today. Going forward, we will see brands and agencies adapting to this new data world by rewiring their approaches. This is not to say that all the

    traditional methods will go out of the window. We need as much of the marketing gut as we need data.

    Having too much data can often become complex. What’s the way out?

    A data strategy needs to start with a purpose. The end uses of data need to be defined. Else there is a tendency to try and boil the ocean. Like we heard from a lot of our panellists that day, that the best approach is to start small, test a few hypotheses and then scale up. 

    Somewhere along the way one learns what kind of data is most valuable for a particular business/brand.

    While brands and agencies have a lot of rich data available today, we don’t know what to do with it. Do we still need time to get there where we understand the data and can leverage it to the best?

    Most businesses are on the journey to get better at harnessing the power of data. There is no one defined method. Some of them have made more progress while others are starting off from scratch. While there is an abundance of data, what we really need is a more 

    balanced approach to putting it to good use. By ‘balanced’, I mean combining data points across different sources to paint a broader picture. That’s where we need to see more progress generally speaking. 

    Focus point for agencies and brands in 2019?

    Data-centricity will be a key priority going forward, but it must go hand in hand with creativity. 

    Do you think brands and agencies need to take a step back, pause and say, “I think we are pushing it too much!” How can we as an industry skip being ad-blocked?

    I think we will soon get to a point where most, if not all advertisers will realise the need to move from a completely push-based advertising approach to a more balanced way of engaging with their consumers. Data and technology are making it easier to identify consumer tastes and preferences more sharply. This will reduce the bombardment. On top of that, if one knows what kind of content engages the consumer, it can result in more relevant messaging being served.

  • Instagram co-founders resign from Facebook

    Instagram co-founders resign from Facebook

    MUMBAI: There’s trouble brewing at the Facebook group. Mike Krieger and Kevin Systrom, the co-founders of the photo-sharing app Instagram which was acquired by the social media site in 2012, have decided to leave the company. The duo have put down their papers and will leave the company in a few weeks, adding to the challenges facing Instagram’s parent company, Facebook.
    In a statement issued by Krieger, he informed Instagram’s team about their decision to leave the company. While he did not give a reason for stepping down, he said: “We’re planning on taking some time off to explore our curiosity and creativity again. Building new things requires that we step back, understand what inspires us and match that with what the world needs; that’s what we plan to do.”
    Their departure adds to questions about Instagram’s future as concerns about Facebook’s approach to user data and foreign interference begin to take a toll on business.
    The resignation of Instagram founders is an echo of the exit of Whatsapp founder Jan Koum who resigned from the company in April after his rising concern about Facebook’s approach to user data.
    Facebook acquired Instagram in April 2012 for $1 billion and WhatsApp in 2014 for a steep $19 billion.

  • Sony India unveils #KoiKasarNahi campaign for Asian Games

    Sony India unveils #KoiKasarNahi campaign for Asian Games

    MUMBAI: The 18th edition of Asian games is all set to go on floors from 18 August to 2 September 2018 in the Indonesian cities of Jakarta and Palembang.  Meanwhile Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN) today announced its marketing and digital initiatives for the pan-Asian multi-sport event. With India being one of the first five founding members of the Asian Games, expectations from our contingent are always high.

    Be it the Olympics, Commonwealth Games or Asian Games, Indian athletes have never left any stone unturned in their quest to win medals and proudly represent the country. With this backdrop, SPN launched its campaign ‘Koi Kasar Nahi’.

    As a part of the campaign, SPN will be hosting a ‘Fan Flame’ on its microsite   https://sonypicturessportsnetwork.com/koikasarnahi/. Inspired by the Asian Games torch that burns in the cauldron for the duration of the Games, the virtual Fan Flame will burn brighter with every message of support that goes out to the athletes.

    In order to show support and add to the fan flame, all fans have to do is use the hashtag #KoiKasarNahi on social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and post their inspirational and supportive messages to the athletes. Each post will appear on the digital fan flame and will be sent to our athletes.

    Sony Pictures Networks India sports and distribution business president Rajesh Kaul said, “At Sony Pictures Networks India we have always promoted a multi-sport culture and it doesn’t get bigger than the 18th Asian Games. As our athletes compete across 36 sports and against sportspeople from 45 countries, we will bring fans and viewers the ultimate experience to enjoy the Asian Games. As patriotic fans, it’s our utmost duty to give our unrelenting support to our athletes just as they will give on this stage.”

    Bollywood superstars Salman Khan, Varun Dhawan and Asian Games participants from India like Anjum Modgil, Satish Kumar, Rakesh Patra and Dipa Karmakar have joined in appealing to fans to support our athletes in the #KoiKasarNahi campaign. In a series of videos, they urge fans to come together and support the Indian contingent to leave no stone unturned in their quest for glory.

    2018 Asian Games will be telecast with Hindi commentary on Sony Ten 3 channels and with English commentary on Sony Ten 2 and Sony ESPN channels from 18 August 2018. In addition to the 300+ hours of live telecast, SPN will also air more than 30 hours of highlights and repeats for viewers to catch up with all the sports action in Jakarta.

    Viewers can also see in-depth coverage of the games with a live studio show, both in Hindi and English. It will feature expert panellists like wrestler Jagdish Kaliraman, hockey champions Sandeep Singh, Viren Rasquinha, and Jagbir Singh, tennis players Somdev Devvarman and Gaurav Natekar, badminton player Aparna Popat, and expert columnists Ayaz Memon and Boria Majumdar.

  • Facebook aims to be first choice for movie marketing, fan engagement

    Facebook aims to be first choice for movie marketing, fan engagement

    MUMBAI:  Thursday morning Twitter was flooded with Karan Johar’s teaser tweet on his upcoming film Takht. Film marketing has changed so much over the time that fans are going gaga over a film which will be released after two long years. Not only Twitter but also other social media giants like Facebook and Instagram are becoming highly relevant for Hindi film marketing. Long gone are those days when the audience used to get information about an upcoming movie before a fortnight. Indian film industry, especially Bollywood, is optimising social media assets as much as possible.

    Research company Ormax Media and Facebook India have launched a report titled ‘Media Effectiveness in Hindi Film Marketing’ that studies and correlates the actual box office collections to a movie’s marketing mix. The research done independently by Ormax Media tracked the performance of nine media from both digital and traditional genre –  Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, television, print, in-theatre, radio & OOH. Six film campaigns including Judwaa 2, Secret Superstar, Golmaal Again, Ittefaq, Tiger Zinda Hai and Pad Man were tracked using the research.

    The research went beyond analysing a film’s marketing success, basis the elementary media metrics like impressions and readership, and also focused on evaluating awareness or buzz among the audience and their intent to watch or appeal of the movie.

    The study found Facebook is one of the top three mediums among nine sample mediums in driving buzz and appeal for a film campaign. While buzz power stands for incremental awareness or discovery driven by the platform, appeal power stands for incremental interest in the audience via campaigns or content. Moreover, Facebook and Instagram combined proved to have delivered the highest impact with 21 per cent contribution to a Hindi film’s first-day box office sales.

    “The analysis was done for all nine media by extracting the buzz and appeal scores among those not aware of the film through that media. If the film’s actual first-day was X and the first-day without a particular media was projected as Y, the contribution of that media to the opening is X-Y. This contribution was calculated for all nine media,” the report reads.

    While organic methods like link shares and conversations helped to achieve the success, initiatives like Facebook Live also played an important role. Dharma Productions, the producer of recent hit Dhadak created an event on the platform using the feature Scheduled Live for the trailer launch of the movie. The trailer got 8.9 million video views. Other than that, several movies including Padman, Tiger Zinda Hai used Facebook Stories to engage fans.

    Akshay Kumar, a loyal Facebook user recently launched the trailer for his upcoming movie Gold on IGTV along with using Facebook Live.

    “Facebook is a great place for fans to directly connect with their favourite stars and movies and drive reach and more engagement. We aim to become the go-to destination for celebrities and movie marketers to promote and connect with their followers in an authentic way and experience the power of organic content and first-hand interactions,” Facebook APAC entertainment partnerships head Saurabh Doshi said.

    In case of any movie marketing campaign, Facebook typically divides it into three phases. While the first phase is about making users aware of the movie’s existence, second is about making relevant people engaged and the final phase is converting those users as actual moviegoers.

    Production houses leverage various Facebook features to create more engagement. Yash Raj Films uses Facebook for premium music through its weekly jukebox property where it streams full-length albums and music videos over a Facebook live. Red Chillies Entertainments experimented with the messenger bot for its movie Jab Harry Met Sejal where it used Shah Rukh Khan as the voice and face of the bot. Fox Star India also markets its films with gamification of the bot with videos, music, dialogues, and quizzes. Even the company created an AR Filter for movie Sanju where fans could get into the look of Sanjay Dutt using the filter.

    Facebook also partnered with PVR Cinemas to create a medium where celebrities could engage with the audience sitting in theatres. Under the partnership, the Facebook live of celebrities were broadcast on cinema screens. To make the engagement lively, Facebook also leveraged technology using physical cameras in cinema screen itself where the screen was tilted half and half so the celebrity also could see the audience sitting in the theatre. It launched the product with Dharma Productions for the film Raazi.

    Facebook’s relevance for marketing is not limited to big shot production houses, celebrities like Priyanka Chopra, Akshay Kumar and film fraternity.  Anupama Chopra’s movie review company Film Companion, MissMalini, Pink Villa, also leverage the Facebook community to engage in active conversations. The musician community of record labels, bands, independent artists also use the platform. Top examples include Maatibani, Sona Mahapatra, T Series who have created buzz and increased discoverability of their content through various initiatives on Facebook.

    It is no wonder given the rapid growth of internet and smartphone users that social media platforms will emerge as key players in digital marketing. Facebook standing with 217 million users every month is definitely going to acquire stronger foothold in near future.

  • Meity says no proposal presently to tap WhatsApp messages

    Meity says no proposal presently to tap WhatsApp messages

    NEW DELHI: Though the Indian government continues to explore avenues to track digital footprints of the citizens and regulations for online media, it said on Wednesday it did not plan at present to tap people’s WhatsApp messages.

    “No sir,” was the reply given by junior Minister SS Ahluwalia at the Ministry of Electronics and Information and Technology (Meity) when asked specifically whether the government planned to snoop into WhatsApp messages of individuals.

    However, Ahluwalia clarified that though the government respects an individual’s human rights, as enshrined in declarations of the United Nations, it has the powers to intercept or monitor digital information under various circumstances, including security reasons.

    “Section 69 of the Information Technology Act, 2000 empowers government to  issue direction for interception or monitoring or decryption of information generated, transmitted, received, stored or hosted in any computer resource in the interest of (i) sovereignty and integrity of India (ii) defence of India (iii) security of the State (iv) friendly relations with foreign States (v) public order (vi) for preventing incitement to the commission of any cognizable offence relating to above, or (vii) for investigation of any offence,” the Minister stated in Parliament to a query on whether any proposed move to tap WhatsApp messages would violate global conventions set by organisations such as the UN.

    To another query from a fellow parliamentarian, Ahluwalia said the Ministry doesn’t have any proposal at present to create a platform

    where a citizen can identify fake news or hoaxes, which are rampant these days in the country.

    The Minister, though, listed various government initiatives to make citizens aware of fake news on digital and social media. He said government agencies have been highlighting the importance of “following ethics” while using the internet and issuing general advisories against sharing rumours and fake news.

    “Government has also asked WhatsApp to convey various steps taken by them to deal with fake news and also to share learning material to

    educate the same,” the Minister stated.

    Still, his senior at Meity who also happens to be the Law Minister, Ravi Shankar Prasad is on record favouring evolving a policy to control the spread of fake news in India.

    Last month, Department of Telecoms, on a request from Meity, had written to all telecom and internet service providers , along with other industry organisations, requesting suggestions on ways that can help the government block under special circumstances social media content on platforms like the Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram. The proposal has been criticised by many, including a chamber of commerce, Assocham.

  • Tupperware agency Pulp Strategy milks AIB post

    Tupperware agency Pulp Strategy milks AIB post

    MUMBAI: In today’s age of cutthroat competition, it is beyond a shadow of doubt that opportunities have become very scarce. However, if you keep your eyes on your target and ear on the ground, you can make wonders happen, and that’s precisely what Pulp Strategy a multi-award winning full-service marketing agency did.

    Recently content creator All India Bakchod (AIB) had a post on Instagram which created a buzz. AIB asks its followers a random question under #AIBJagraata. This time, the question was “What’s that one thing in your house that your mother loves more than you?”

    The replies naturally included Tupperware given the strong market positioning of the kitchen accessory brand. But, Tupperware India (with its end-to-end marketing managed by Pulp Strategy) left no stone unturned to tap into this now-prevailing opportunity. The agency’s social media listening team proactively participated in the ongoing discussion and further amplified the overall engagement by taking it off to its own Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram handles.

    Pulp Strategy founder and managing director Ambika Sharma said, “At Pulp Strategy, we do not merely create opportunities, but also ensure that we tap into every single one that surfaces anytime, anywhere. This all-embracive approach is what has helped us in staying ahead of the curve always. I’m proud that the team at Pulp Strategy has yet again upheld that culture.”

    Within 24 hours, Tupperware India reached out to more than 25,000 people on Facebook and 1,686 people on Instagram, and all of that, without spending a single penny. The whole activity also caught the attention of Tanmay Bhat, the co-founder of AIB, who retweeted the Tupperware India post.

    This year, the marketing agency had also conceptualised and executed the #PressForConfidence campaign for Tupperware around International Women’s Day. The innovative campaign effectively used Facebook’s newly-released ‘press and hold’ feature to create an interactive content series and received massive participation on the social media platform.

  • DoT seeks views on blocking mobile apps like FB, WhatsApp

    DoT seeks views on blocking mobile apps like FB, WhatsApp

    NEW DELHI: India’s telecom department has sought views of the stakeholders on technical measures that can be adopted for blocking mobile apps like Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp and Telegram. The proposal has been questioned and criticised by a large section of the industry and civil society, including chamber of commerce Assocham.

    The Department of Telecom (DoT) on 18 July, 2018 had written to all telecom operators, the Internet Service Providers Association of India (ISPAI), industry body Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) and others and asked for their inputs to block applications under Section 69A of the Information technology Act. Stated aim: to uphold national security and public order.

    “DoT in the letter had said that the Ministry of Electronics and IT and law enforcement agencies have raised issue around blocking of certain mobile apps like Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp, Telecom, etc. to meet requirement under Section 69A of IT Act,” PTI quoted an unnamed government source aware of the development.

    However, a source at DoT, on condition of anonymity, told the wire news service there was no such move to block any app and the telecom department had only started a consultation process based on a reference from the Ministry of Electronics and Information technology (Meity).

    Though PTI filed a news report on the development yesterday in the second half, the story was actually broken by online news portal medianama.com, which said it had reviewed the letter.

    The Section 69A of IT Act talks about power to issue directions for blocking for public access to any information through any computer resource. The law authorises the federal government or any officer authorised by it to issue direction to block the information on Internet in the interest of sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, security of the state, friendly relations with foreign states or public order or for preventing incitement to the commission of any cognisable offence relating to them.

    “Meity (Ministry of Electronics and IT) has informed DoT that blocking such apps during emergency situations are difficult as they work through multiple IP addresses and on different protocols, and, hence, there is a need for a reasonable good solution to protect national security. Being the licensing authority, DoT has initiated the discussion based on a letter received from the Group Coordinator, Cyber Law Division (Meity) during the second week of July,” a DoT official told PTI.

    In response to DoT consultation, industry body Assocham said that a proposed measure to evolve mechanisms to block applications as a whole at the telecom operator level is excessive, unnecessary, and would greatly harm India’s reputation as growing hub of innovation in technology as the country needed a “clear and predictable legal framework grounded on fairness, proportionality and the rule of law”.

    Assocham said that with the development in technology, there have emerged tools such as virtual private network, which enables users to access content that may have been blocked at telecom service provider (TSP) or internet service provider (ISP) level.

    “In this scenario, blocking of applications at the TSP/ISP level may not be an efficacious solution as users can get around the same with increasing ease. Therefore, the focus on developing mechanism to block content may be unwarranted,” Assocham said in a letter to the top-most government official at DoT, which was also sent to other senior civil servants.

    Assocham has buttressed its arguments against blocking of mobile apps by stating that online apps contribute substantially to India’s digital economy. Overall the Internet eco-system is expected to contribute up to $ 537.4 billion to overall India’s GDP of which a minimum of $ 270.9 billion could be attributed to apps, Assocham has pointed out quoting market research

    Recently, there have been widespread incidents of mob lynching in the country based on rumours spread through social media apps. The popular messaging app WhatsApp has been in the eye of storm over abuse of its platform for circulation of fake news that resulted in incitement of mob fury.

    An IT ministry official, who did not wish to be named, said WhatsApp has not committed itself on “traceability” and attribution of messages, which had been one of the key demands of the government. Hence, the ministry’s concerns have not been addressed and the potential for misuse still remains, the source was quoted by PTI.
    Last month, the government had expressed dissatisfaction over measures previously listed by WhatsApp for checking fake news that have, in several cases, triggered mob violence. WhatsApp told the government it was building a local team, including India head, as part of steps to check fake news circulation.

    Over the last one year, the Indian government has been exploring various avenues to regulate online media content, some of them botched at the initial stage, while some like the setting up of a social media hub to monitor Indians’ digital footprints was scrapped by Ministry of Information and Broadcasting after Supreme Court questioned the proposal stating whether it could lead to a surveillance state. However, a government body still exists that has the mandate to look into online media norms.

  • Vodafone U launches new digital campaign #SortedHai

    Vodafone U launches new digital campaign #SortedHai

    MUMBAI: Digital platform Vodafone U has launched a new marketing campaign to welcome college students to the new academic year with some exciting propositions. The campaign features social media sensation, Mithila Palkar, in a web series ‘Mithila’s SortCuts’. Connecting with the young folks, Mithila shares some interesting tips to make college life #SortedHai.

    #SortedHai is conceptualised on a commonly used hook phrase amongst the youth. With Vodafone’s latest proposition of 50 per cent off on Amazon Prime subscription, Mithila shares tips on having movie nights #SortedHai with Vodafone U, apart from this offer, there are also many other exciting offers available to young consumers every Wednesday, Thursday and Friday in both the phone recharges as well as deals in F&B, fashion and other youth-centric spaces.

    Taliking about first digital campaign, Vodafone India Marketing EVP Siddharth Banerjee  said, “As youngsters most of us have faced challenges of coping with a new academic year and looked for some resourceful hacks. Taking this insight,#SortedHai campaign aims to engage with youngsters to help them make the most of their campus life with some exciting propositions under the Vodafone U umbrella. Mithila Palkar represents the mobile-savvy youth and help us engage with the college students digitally.”

    Ogilvy and Mather ECD Kiran Antony added, “The youth today have limited pocket money and plenty of wishes. Vodafone U enables them through relevant offers, to experience most of it. We tapped into the social currency of today’s youth, our campaign idea #SortedHai is based on this understanding.”

    To ensure maximum connect with youngsters, the campaign is live on digital platforms like Facebook and Instagram. Vodafone U will also engage with college students at their campuses to further amplify the #SortedHai messaging.