ITV

Tag: Kaushik Chakraborty

  • Ad spend to remain bullish this festive season

    Ad spend to remain bullish this festive season

    Mumbai: After two Covid-impacted years, the mood among consumers and advertisers for the festive season is a lot better. Media agencies expect a decent uptick in ad spends.

    The overall sentiment is positive. iProspect India executive vice president Kaushik Chakraborty explains, “Unlike the last two years, this festive season will be far more exciting. We can expect brands to encash on the positive sentiment. While media spends will be primarily driven by TV and digital, print and OOH spends will also grow,” he tells Indiantelevision.com.

    He explains further that there has been a robust growth in ad spends during festive seasons in the last three years. “In 2021, the growth was more than 20 per cent as compared to the previous year. Although the inflationary pressure will impact overall consumer sentiments, we can expect a 10 per cent plus growth in media spend this festive season.”

    The key categories that will witness a strong push in demand are e-commerce, automobiles, e-wallets, BFSI, and retail.

    “Normally, festivities contribute around 40 per cent of AdEx. A similar trend will continue this year. The bulk of the spending will happen till Diwali, and post that, advertisers will rationalise spending,” he says.

    When asked about the impact of startups being under pressure to conserve cash, he points out that startups contribute less than 13 per cent of overall AdEx. “Traditional advertising players will contribute during the festive seasons, while seasonal advertisers will continue their spending.”

    IPG Mediabrands chief investment officer Hema Malik says that ad spend growth will be 10-15 per cent. Print, radio, cinema and out-to-home (OOH) are bouncing back. She expects the print media’s festive season ad spend growth to be over 50 per cent. “This will be the first festive season in three years without restrictions. The festive season will be celebrated in full-swing on-ground. Earlier, there were issues with masks, fewer places to visit and timings. The market should see a good pick-up currently.”

    However, Malik highlights that television ad spends during the festive season will be flat due to the Indian Premier League (IPL) that happened last year. The annual advertising budget was diverted to IPL promotions. Also, the upcoming Twenty20 World Cup in Australia will take place after Diwali, which is an appropriate time and cooling-off period for advertisers. Hopefully, things will pick up in the advertising market and advertisers will likely increase their spending.

    “Companies discontinue campaigns after Diwali and take a break. There will also be a struggle due to the disappointing IPL viewership recently and also the mediocre performance of India in the Asia Cup. It will be difficult to watch the Twenty20 World Cup on television. The challenge for television is that viewership has been steadily declining. The numbers are unexplainable. It is becoming a deterrent to price revisions. This has been a perennial issue for a couple of months now,” Malik tells Indiantelevision.com.

    Elucidating further on the startup situation, she says, “Startups are facing a slowdown that is another challenge for television and digital media. Big sports properties will come under pressure. Other categories will fill up the gap, and selling inventory will not be an issue. The issue is whether those companies would be willing to spend as much as startups who have a target reach.”

    Filling up inventory is never an issue for television, Malik explains further. It is yield maximisation that will be the challenge. The startup issue will also have an impact digitally. “The dampener is the startups and new-age companies that are under a slowdown this year. That is impacting the advertising mood and AdEx growth, she adds.

    She adds that a few categories are firing, but not all. She expects categories like confectionery, paint, and jewellery to do well. “They will come back in full force. Retail is expanding into more areas. E-commerce will also be there,” she concludes.

  • How ISL is putting Indian football on the world map

    How ISL is putting Indian football on the world map

    Indians have long nursed a smouldering passion for football and sporting clubs have been around for decades in the country. A few of these hallowed clubs are over a century old, with an illustrious history and devoted fanbase of their own. In the past though, their woeful refrain was how India had yet to make a mark on the international footballing scene. That has changed over the past few years.

    When the Hero Indian Super League (ISL) gave the clarion call of ‘Let’s Football’, a new generation of football fanatics took up the cry and thus, a sports phenomenon was born. Global recognition soon followed.

     Recently, the fast developing football league has been catching the attention of international investors as well. For starters, the City Football  group plonked down top dollar  to acquire a 65 per cent stake in the Mumbai FC in November 2019. What’s noteworthy is that the group is 78 per cent owned by the Abu Dhabi United group (ADUG), 12 per cent by the American private equity firm Silver Lake with the remainder owned by Chinese firms China Media Capital and CITIC Capital  and it has stakes in in clubs in most of the football  leagues globally. The most prominent is English Premier League major Manchester City FC. The City Football group’s investment in an ISL club showed that the league has arrived on the football map.

    Then in mid-August 2020, ISL franchise Hyderabad FC announced that it had struck a two-year partnership with German Bundesliga giant Borussia Dortmund (BVB), the twelfth richest football team in the world. The intent: use BVB’s experience in nurturing and developing young players, and transplant that into Hyderabad’s academy structure and coaching education. The German club will impart its expertise in technology to drive innovation apart from help expand its fan base.

     Moreover, the Hero ISL has also became the first league from South Asia to be inducted into the prestigious World Leagues Forum, which includes professional football leagues like La Liga, Bundesliga and Premier League, to name a few.

    That India was chosen by these prestigious groups speaks volumes to ISL's contribution in exhibiting the country's potential to be the next big thing in international football. Tie-ups like these are actually advantageous for both parties – while the global players get to expand their audience and fan  base in India, for the home teams it’s a chance to gain exposure and pick up new skills and techniques. It helps build synergies that make the Indian football ecosystem more diverse and competitive, while also being inclusive.

    “It’s similar to how the IPL has helped India in becoming one of the strongest cricketing teams. There are expectations for the ISL to do the same for Indian football. As a sports-loving nation, we need something besides cricket and football can be a game for the masses,” said Kaushik Chakraborty, senior vice president at Vizeum India.

    In some ways, the ISL is still a virgin league next to the EPL and other established brands. But it has emerged as a highly interesting property with global appeal, shared a media veteran. The upcoming season will host 74 overseas players contracted with different clubs. Such 'crossovers' will consequently raise the quality of football being played, especially since a handful of these athletes have played top-flight football in some of the biggest leagues in the world. As the ISL grows bigger in reach and repute, and more investment pours in, it will set the stage for A-list players to consider becoming a part of the league too.

    Investment from foreign teams not only boosts popularity but also helps Indian sides market themselves better, noted Chakraborty.

    But what about the impact of Covid2019 on ad spends?

    The good news is that select advertising categories have been showing they have the appetite to spend, Covid2019 or not, during the unique confluence of the festive period and the IPL this year.

    The question arises: will they continue to spend on the ISL now?

    The answer is a resounding yes.

    An annual event on the sports calendar, it has worked effectively for brands wanting to associate with a tent pole event that gathers a reasonably large cohort at affordable prices. ISL 2020 has already attracted sponsors – some rock solid ones. Among them: Hero, the title partner, which has been associated with the league since inception. Apollo Tyres and Nivia have signed as official partners. And more are jumping on the bandwagon.

    Brands have taken a fancy to associating with the clubs as well. Puma for instance has signed on with the Mumbai FC as its kit partner; sports news site SBOTOP.net has partnered with ATK Mohun Bagan as the team’s principal sponsor.

    Not to mention that the Premier League, the wealthiest and most-watched football league in the world, has come onboard as strategic partner. This, perhaps, is the biggest vote of confidence the homegrown ISL could ask for with regards to its prospects as a global player of the future.

    The ISL has always believed in playing offense. With the support of its sponsors and loyal viewers, it is only a matter of time before it drives India past the goal line and puts us well and truly on the world map of football. 

  • Bhojpuri channels & Covid2019 viewership challenges

    Bhojpuri channels & Covid2019 viewership challenges

    NEW DELHI: With shooting and other production activities kept on hold during the three-month-long lockdown, Bhojpuri channels resorted to innovative content strategies until shootings finally resumed. Now, the sector is finally seeing a revival.

    “Overall, as an industry, and specifically talking about Zee Biskope and Big Ganga, everyone in the team pulled themselves up and reacted to it and implemented new ways of coping with this situation both in terms of content and marketing strategy,” Zee Biskope and Big Ganga’s business head Amarpreet Singh Saini says. “Within the Bhojpuri cluster, we saw a huge increase in viewership, about 30-40 per cent increase during the lockdown. Zee Biskope gained leadership position and we benefited a lot during this period.” 

    Saini also reveals that Big Ganga viewership suffered due to repeated content. “There was a setback. However, like every other platform, we also quickly got into getting original content. We did a lot of shoot-at-home content, like the Sa Re Ga Ma Pa- 25-year celebration. The idea was to tell viewers that we are here to entertain you with original content despite the limitation. Our strategy to bounce back will be to offer a bouquet of fresh shows on topicality and innovation.”

    Bhojpuri channels are pulling all the strings to keep viewers glued to their television sets. Zee Biskope is treating its viewers with a host of monsoon memories by showcasing film festivals: Sawandaar Somwar Cinema & Aaaya Sawan Choom Ke. Big Ganga, on the other hand, is entertaining viewers by presenting a bouquet of five new offerings for its viewers. 

    Comparing the share of GECs in H1-2019 with H1-2020, the share came down from 49 per cent to 46 per cent, according to the recently released BARC data. The comeback of fresh episodes will mean stronger growth in viewership especially during primetime and improvement in both ad volumes and revenue.

    Some of the advertisers including health brands and universities started advertising heavily during this period. Saini adds, “Apart from regular sponsorships and activity-based revenue, we are also looking forward to showing integrations and getting the brand closer to the consumer through showcasing the value proposition of the brands.” 

    Saini also highlights that indoor shootings and lesser number people on the set were challenging. “In the initial few days, the output has been lower. But now as people are becoming accustomed to it. As you start doing it day in and day out, it becomes normal.” 

    B4U Bhojpuri associate vice president Sandeep Singh states that the only problem with Bhojpuri channels is that the audience that consumes Bhojpuri content also consumes Hindi content. And the recent challenge that the Bhojpuri channels are facing is the return of three big broadcasters (Sony Pal, Star Utsav and Zee Anmol) on DD Free Dish.

    “One of our biggest challenges will be to keep the numbers steady even after the pandemic. To bounce back, we have to keep innovating and working on the content. Due to the three broadcasters, we have seen a sudden drop in the GRPs, because they are also somehow taking our share but the good news is that we still have scope by offering good content. In the last few years, Bhojpuri market has evolved exponentially becoming one of the biggest markets. We wish to understand our audience better,” says Singh.

    The channel is currently conducting World Television Premium to keep the viewers hooked. Every week B4U Bhojpuri is offering new movies from Chotki Thakurain, Mili Ta Mili Na Ta Jai Siyaram, Raja to name a few. A genre like family comedy, emotional drama and action drama works best for Bhojpuri audiences, Singh shares.

    To reach out to more people, B4U Bhojpuri is also trying to gauge the audience through WhatsApp. “We have a Bhojpuri community on Whatsapp. It’s a medium to reach out to more people and update them about what’s new on the channel. We are focusing heavily on digital,” shares B4U senior marketing executive Siddhanth Shetty. 

    Vizeum India senior vice president (west) Kaushik Chakraborty mentions that a significant drop in ad volumes during the initial days of lockdown was noticeable. However, in June, there has been an improvement. As per the latest estimate, overall ad volume in Bhojpuri market is still 30 per cent lower than the pre-COVID2019 level. 

    However, Chakraborty says that the return of Sony Pal, Star Utsav and Zee Anmol on DD Free Dish is a piece of encouraging news for this market. “These channels with differential content will attract a newer audience to this genre driving significant viewership growth. Simultaneously, this will bring in a new challenge to existing players like Dangal and Big Ganga to counter the nature of the content,” he states. 

    As the lockdown eases, has there been an improvement in advertiser sentiment? Chakraborty said, “We feel there is optimism. However, it all depends on how the situation emerges in the coming days. But, since this pandemic is beyond anyone’s control, there will be volatility and we need to be watchful. With the start of shoots, original content will be available to GEC players, in turn, helping increase viewership for the genre.”

    Out of home (OOH) mobility has started but people are cautious, only venturing out for work-related requirements or grocery/medicine shopping. “With low clutter level, innovative OOH approach will help in enhancing brand visibility. OOH near residential clusters, grocery centres, workplaces and key arterial routes will stay relevant in the interim. Digital OOH inventory in and around these will see an uplift,” he adds. 

    With festivities around the corner including ‘Saavan’ and ‘Chhath’, Chakraborty feels that one can expect a revival from September onwards. 

  • Sahara One refreshes early primetime with ‘Behula’ at 7:30 pm

    Sahara One refreshes early primetime with ‘Behula’ at 7:30 pm

    MUMBAI: With Hindi general entertainment channel (GEC) Sahara One’s recent revamp, the channel is now sporting a new avatar and is all set to build on the popular mythological entertainment genre. Managed by Trilogic Digital Media, Sahara One is readying to launch the renowned Bengali show Behula.

     

    Starting 14 December, the show, which is based on the Hindu mythology of Shiva Purana and Manasamangal – a genre of Bengali medieval epics, will be aired at 7:30 pm with a repeat at 9 pm.

      

    Starring Bengali actress Payal Dey in the titular role, Behula  will showcase the riveting journey of courage, undying love and triumph. The show also stars Rimjhim Mitra, Chandrayee Ghosh, Kaushik Chakraborty and Rupanjana Mitra amongst others.

     

    Talking about the show, Trilogic Digital Media COO Shivaani Jaisingh said, “Behula is a heartfelt show, which will undoubtedly engage the audience fond of our rich mythological history and its making. Our new approach this year is to focus on mythology and crime genres. By launching Behula in this early primetime slot, it is our way of giving the viewers more variety. With insight driven programming and tactics, we are working towards giving our audiences exactly what they want. Sahara One is on a strong growth path and promises spectators to be glued to the grandeur and performance that has been glorified in Behula like no other.” 

     

    The inspiring tale marks the heartfelt journey of Behula, a fearless woman, who is determined to challenge her fate. Depicting the love story of Behula and Lakhindar, the series is also remarkable for its portrayal of a wife who epitomises the best of Indian womanhood, especially a woman’s devotion towards her husband.

     

    Combined with research, Sahara One has positioned itself as owners of the genre with four mythology shows airing from 7 pm onwards.

     

    Bharat Parv at 7 pm is followed by the new show Behula at 7:30 pm. With its current flagship shows Mata Ki Chowki and Jai, Jai, Jai Bajarang Bali at 8 pm and 8:30 pm respectively, the channel had pitched itself as a destination for mythology during primetime.

  • Milestone on hiring spree

    Milestone on hiring spree

    MUMBAI: Integrated OOH brand communications agency Milestone Brandcom has beefed up its staff, making 30 new appointments across senior and middle management positions.

    The pimary areas of appointment are Milestone OOH And Milestone Connect as the company aims to enhance the service management and capabilities of the group.

    The appointments at Milestone Connect include Ranbir Basses as business head and VP operations, Dhruv Jugran as group director brand communication, Swati Ratnakar as creative and content director planning, Yash Vardhan Verma as director brand communication and Gaurav Singh Chauhan as senior manager brand communications.

    Milestone Brandom also got new joiners in the form of Kaushik Chakraborty as AVP client servicing and 360 integration and John Barretto as management supervisor.

    Besides the new additions to the team, Ravi Ambrose who held the post of senior VP integration and new initiatives, has been given additional charge of South India operations with Prashant Mishra moving up as Milestone OOH regional head north.

    The addition of industry professional and expansion of Milestone’s portfolio reflects the company’s capital efficiency and its commitment to business growth. The agency recently expanded its service portfolio, including Milestone Connect and Milestone Last Mile, with service opportunities to meet the evolving needs of clients.

    Today Milestone Brandcom services close to 70 brands, some of which are Tata Docomo, Colors, McDonald‘s, Binani Cement, Viacom18, Axis Bank, L’Oreal, HDFC Mutual Fund, Dish TV, DSP Blackrock and Franklyn Templeton.

    Milestone Brandcom founder and managing director Nabendu Bhattacharyya said, “In just two years we have reached a stage where we are one of the leading agencies in the country. We have already touched Rs 2 billion mark in turnover. This year we will try and offer our existing clients more solutions and we will continue to expand our services. We have been growing 100 per cent since the last two years, and this year is going to be no different!”

    In the future too, Bhattacharya believes that Milestone Brandcom will continue to benefit owing to its diversification, superior industry talent and proactive approach to investment in the industry.

    “I am glad to announce such an exciting force lined up aboard. We were looking to inject excitement into brand communication for our clients with unique brand experiences through consumer connect programs. With such boundless energy and young & enthusiastic team joining us, we are confident to take brand communication and consumer experiences to scale new heights”, added Bhattacharyya.