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Tag: Kolkata

  • Will Kolkata go the Mumbai way?

    Will Kolkata go the Mumbai way?

    KOLKATA: Digital marketing may have caught on in a big way in metros like Mumbai and Delhi but in Kolkata, it is struggling to play catch-up, largely due to skepticism around its success as a promotional strategy.

    This, despite the recent example of Bengali film Aborto garnering over 30,000 Facebook likes, not to mention huge pre-release awareness simply by paying Facebook Rs 832 per day for a period of 25 days before the movie hit theatres.

    Let’s Assist Digital Services CEO Prasit Bhattacharya opined that digital marketing is being adopted by both small and medium sized businesses

    City-based digital advertising agencies are positive that all businesses stand to benefit by deploying new methods of advertising, moreso those related to travel, real estate and e-commerce.

    In fact, with the number of internet users having multiplied, most businesses that have been following traditional advertising methods (TV, radio and newspaper ads) are expected to divert some portion of their ad budget to digital platforms.

    And yet, there’s agreement on the fact that it would take some more convincing before the City of Joy gets into serious digital space.

    In a bid to understand the situation at ground zero, this correspondent spoke to a cross-section of industry.

    Inter Action owner Prantar Chaudhuri said: “Apart from Facebook and Twitter, the next most used digital platforms are Instagram and LinkedIn. But FB and Twitter are priority.” However, he did say they had done a short-term Facebook plan for a client called Call Buddy, which is into customised gifts and novelties.

    While Let’s Assist Digital Services CEO Prasit Bhattacharya opined that digital marketing is being adopted by both small and medium sized businesses. “The growth rate of digital advertising is almost 50 per cent and it will keep growing as the number of internet users increases. While social media marketing (SMM) finds a niche market here, we are seeing more activity in this space than before,” he said.

    Bhattacharya said that with people searching for more and more information online, sites such as Tumblr and SlideShare were now featuring in people’s priority lists and companies were targeting applications advertising to reach out to more clients on their phones and tablets. “We are also developing a website with iOS and Android Apps, where people can create landing pages and websites by themselves, do A/B spilt testing and get detailed analytics reports on their digital marketing efforts in real time,” he added.

    However, The Webspidy MD Avishek Tarafdar said that around 80 per cent of the people in Kolkata use facebook and the remaining 20 per cent use Google ppc. Going by 2013-14 social media trends, mobile/video ads on YouTube/Vimeo were the main platforms. The size of the advertising industry is $7.3 billion in India, of which, digital ad spend is only around six per cent, Tarafdar pointed out.

    The Webspidy MD Avishek Tarafdar said that around 80 per cent of the people in Kolkata use facebook and the remaining 20 per cent use Google ppc

    Even Bhattacharya was quick to point out the challenges associated with digital advertising. “Making clients understand the lifespan and reach of each campaign and ad can be challenging. While newspaper ads have a lifespan of one day, online ads can be strictly ROI focused if measured properly,” he said.

    A media planner said: “Clients only want to spend on print media now. They like TT (The Telegraph) for space in Sunday magazine and pay for three months. But they are not sure what they want to put in that space.”

    Another player said on condition of anonymity: “In Kolkata, mid-segment clients do not differentiate between advertising, brand building and propaganda. What most clients do is propaganda and not brand building.”

    A third player rued: “To the Kolkata client, it will start only when some Mumbai agency comes and tells them.” A Delhi-based agency felt most Kolkata brands go digital because everyone else is going that way. Yet another source opined that Kolkata clients do not want to take a risk with new methodology until and unless they’re sure about its acceptability even among competitors.

    The source added: “Moreover, ad budgets in east Indian cities like Kolkata are less than in Mumbai or Delhi. Besides, Kolkata-based clients are not very clear about SMM marketing. They think they can simply open a FB page and voila… they are doing SMM.”

    Worth mentioning here is the initiative by Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) chairman Partha Rakshit, who is working to liaison with Google and Twitter for a tighter monitoring of digital ads. Ads that are in serious breach of the ASCI’s code, and that includes digital ads, will be withdrawn immediately.

    So, given this scenario, will digital advertising take flight in Kolkata? It’s something only time will tell…

  • Veena Malik Supermodel city tour

    Veena Malik Supermodel city tour

    Movie Promotion is the most important part of every movie and in this competitive world no actors want to take any chance which fails their movie. Bollywood Supermodel Veena Malik was seen showering her glamour all over the Indian through her city tour for promoting her upcoming movie Supermodel which is stated to release on 27th of September. She reached the city of joy Kolkata to promote her movie where she posed for photographers and after that she travels to Delhi, Jaipur and Ahmadabad where she was seen interacting with the media about her movie. Veena was overwhelmed with the gestures of her fans.

    Veena Malik said, “I am very happy my movie Supermodel is going to release which is based on real story. I am glad to visit different cities of India and happy to meet my lovely fans all over cities. I hope people would love it and appreciate it.”

    Veena Malik is playing a glamorous role in the Movie which is based on the story of Fashion World which reveals truth of Models life. Veena plays the role of a middle class girl who reaches superstardom.

  • PVR opens its third multiplex in Kolkata

    PVR opens its third multiplex in Kolkata

    PVR Cinemas launched its third multiplex in Kolkata, spread across an area of 42,000 square feet (sqft) with a total capacity of 1,146 seats on Friday. The five-screen multiplex at Diamond Mall, Jassore Road, is likely to give an overwhelming response to the company.

     

    With this property, the cinema exhibition company has reached a screen count of 13 screens at three different locales of the Kolkata city, with its existing ones at Avani Mall, Diamond Mall and Mani Square.

     

    The opening of the latest multiplex has increased the total screen count of PVR to 398 screens in 92 cinemas in 37 cities across India.

     

    “PVR has spread its presence at three different locations in the city for easy accessibility by the movie goers.” said PVR chief operating officer Gautam Dutta.

     

    It is learnt that the multiplex also boasts of 2K ‘Christie’ digital projection, 7.1 surround sound, 3D enabled screens and three-way JBL speakers in order to offer an unmatched movie experience to the movie lovers of the city.

  • Ghai to inaugurate multiplex in Kolkata in six months

    Ghai to inaugurate multiplex in Kolkata in six months

    In between helming his film institute Whistling Woods International and wielding the megaphone for his directorial comeback Kaanchi, Subhash Ghai will soon inaugurate a three-screen multiplex spread over 35,000 square feet under his brand Mukta A2 Cinemas in the City of Joy.

    Coming up in the next six months at Junction Mall, Barasat, in Kolkata, this will be Mukta A2 Cinemas’ debut in West Bengal after having similar such multiplexes in Vadodara, Ahmedabad and Gulbarga. The first plex was opened in Gujarat back in July 2011.

    When contacted, Nice Property director Prabhakar Kumar confirmed the news and said: “Mukta Arts has been in the distribution and exhibition business for a while now and with this chain of multiplexes, they only plan to strengthen their foothold in the industry.”

    Junction Mall, Barasat, in a total mall area of 150,000 square feet, is marketed by Nice Property and is a joint venture project with North 24Parganas Zilla Parishad.

    Sources said plans are afoot to invite actors the likes of Abishek Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Sonali Bendre to Kolkata for the first fifteen days to promote the plex.

    Also, tickets will be economically priced, keeping in mind consumer spending behaviour in Kolkata, sources informed. “Mukta Cinemas is looking at 1,200 seats. The pricing is slightly lower than other multiplexes,” a source revealed.

    It is further learnt that the company has signed an 18 year lease contract and as per the agreement, the rent will be Rs 60 per sqft.

    “Even if Mukta Arts achieves 50 per cent occupancy rate, this venture would give good returns to the company,” observed a media analyst, adding that there are not many high-quality plexes in the vicinity, upping the possibility of the plex doing well in future.

    Ghai’s Mukta Arts is primarily engaged in motion picture production apart from production, distribution, and exhibition of television serials and entertainment software, equipment hiring, and generation and distribution of content for the entertainment industry.

  • Indian Film Project is back!

    Indian Film Project is back!

    The India Film Project, a platform for amateurs and professional filmmakers which will see them making a film within the duration of only 48 hours, will be held from 20-28 September.

     

    The 2013 edition of the India Film Project will see the India Film Project going online. Participants can shoot a film in their own city within 48 hours over the weekend and upload it online.  The project also announced that it is going international starting this year; which means a larger pool of participants from different countries will be making films simultaneously in two days based on a common theme. It will also mean better production quality from a large number of cities covering different locations with diverse languages and varied lifestyles.  The last date for registrations is 14 September 2013.

     

    A common theme and genre will be given to participating teams when the 48 hours period commences at 8:00 pm on Friday 20 September. These teams will have to script, shoot, edit and submit the film by 8:00 pm on Sunday 22 September 22. Apart from the filmmaking competition, the project will also feature a five day film festival online, conducting workshops by eminent filmmakers and technicians and also include film marketing related panel-discussions, cinema exhibitions, etc.

     

    The winning films made at IFP are also sent to various film festivals across the globe and some of them have also won at several international film festivals.

     

    “It’s lovely to see participation flowing from all across the country. We have received plenty of registrations from teams from Metros like Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Bengaluru to smaller cities like Siliguri, Bhilai, Davangere, Rajkot, Dehradun, Indore, Ranchi, Raipur, etc. and many more tier-II cities. It’s a rare opportunity to make a film and showcase it to such a renowned jury”, said founder and project director Ritam Bhatnagar.

     

    This year’s jury includes 2013’s national award winning film Paan Singh Tomar’s director Tigmanshu Dhulia. Tigmanshu has also directed Saheb Biwi aur Gangster (1 & 2), Shagird and Haasil. Tigmanshu has also acted in Gangs of Wasseypur (1 & 2).

     

    Another jury member, Nikhil Advani, is the man who has directed Kal Ho Naa Ho, Patiala House, Salaam-e-Ishq and D-Day are some of his commercial works. Commenting on the IFP he says, “Our industry is growing exponentially and the need for professionals in-front and behind the camera is also keeping in pace. Initiatives like the India Film Project need to be supported and advocated strongly as they provide a credible platform for new talent to be showcased.”

     

    The third jury member is Bejoy Nambiar. This Indian director, producer and screenwriter is mostly known for his critically acclaimed short films, Rahu and Reflections. He marked his debut with the Hindi film Shaitan (2011) for which he won Most Promising Debut Director at the 18th Annual Colors Screen Awards in 2012.

     

    “Making a film is a real test of time and here I also learnt the importance of team management which is crucial in film making” said Adhish Panchal, second runner up of the IFP 2012 edition and one of the winners of the 2011 edition as well.

    The IFP is a platform which encourages and offers amateurs to learn and feel the experience of filmmaking, showcase their work to a large audience, own the film, and learn the methodological approach to filmmaking. It also provides professional and independent filmmakers a platform to compete with best of teams from across the country, being judged by a versatile jury.

  • HomeShop18 clocked sales of Rs. 15 Crores in a single day on 15th August

    HomeShop18 clocked sales of Rs. 15 Crores in a single day on 15th August

    NEW DELHI: HomeShop18, India’s leading virtual shopping brand touches another milestone. On this Independence Day, HomeShop18 recorded bumper sale of INR 15 crore through its three retail platforms of TV, Web and Mobile. The TV channel contributed most to this number followed by the web and mobile platforms.

     

    The categories that saw maximum sales were Apparel, Electronics, Mobile Phones and Books. Home & Kitchen and Health & Beauty were also strong contributors indicating increasing participation of women in virtual shopping. HomeShop18 observed highest buys from Delhi & NCR, Mumbai, Bangalore, Guwahati, Jammu, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Patna and Pune.

     

    Sundeep Malhotra, Founder & CEO, HomeShop18 commented, “Shoppers today are getting more confident about product quality, greater value & service delivery which is encouraging them to shop comfortably across TV, Web and Mobile platforms. We at HomeShop18 are witnessing an expansion in our customers’ product basket as newer product categories are getting traction too. This is a positive trend and we are strongly positioned to serve this high-growth market.”

     

    HomeShop18 is setting a benchmark in virtual shopping and making it a smarter, easier, and hassle free experience. With great products and brands in its product portfolio, HomeShop18 offers multiple payment options and free home delivery on all products. HomeShop18’s dedicated team delivers products to every corner of the country covering over 3000 locations. HomeShop18 stands for superlative quality, exceptional value and unmatched convenience.

  • Kolkata based MSOs, LCOs receive summons from service tax department

    Kolkata based MSOs, LCOs receive summons from service tax department

    KOLKATA: The Kolkata based Multi System Operators (MSOs) and local cable TV operators (LCOs) had uninvited guests last week. They were taken by surprise when the service tax officials conducted two raids to probe into their alleged financial irregularities. And, this in a digital addressable system (DAS) cable TV ecosystem which reveals the business and operations of these players at length.

    Apart from service tax, the income tax department also searched the premises of one of the big MSOs. And if sources are to be believed, the MSO made an upfront payment of around Rs 50 lakh – Rs 75 lakh to the income tax authorities.

    More than 350 cable operators have been issued summons for evading service tax payments for the past five years, sources said. “As per market reports two MSOs were raided last week, who then had to cough up huge amounts to the service tax authorities. The officials questioned the accountant of the MSOs on the financial details,” said a cable TV industry insider.

    It is also learnt that another MSO who had evaded service tax amounting to Rs 15 crore – Rs 20 crore spanning over four years, had to cover up the case by paying a huge amount to the authorities. “It is learnt that the company deposited a huge amount, though I am unsure of the exact amount,” the source added.

    Though the second MSO, whose office was raided on Thursday paid Rs 2.5 crore (approximately) to the service tax department officials. “Another Rs 50 lakh – Rs 75 lakh was given to the income tax department,” he informed.

    “The raid was part of a probe into financial transactions for suspected alleged tax evasion by the cable TV operators in Kolkata,” he said.

    A cable operator under Gujarat Telelink, an MSO, informed that as per the summons, the operator has to furnish details of the number of set top boxes installed and also the account details for the past five years. “If we don’t furnish it, we might be in trouble,” he said.

    Cable industry sources inform that cable TV operators are liable to pay 12.36 per cent as service tax to the authorities from the subscription amount collected every month from the customers.

    Kolkata based operators are treading in troubled waters. First it was the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) which planned to take strict action against the MSOs and LCOs for not collecting and feeding the CAF details into the system for DAS implementation and now they face the wrath of tax inspectors.

    Seems like it is time for operators to buck up and clear all past payments to avert any embarrassing situation in the DAS environment.

  • Kolkata’s cable TV customers feel CAF heat as blackouts spread

    Kolkata’s cable TV customers feel CAF heat as blackouts spread

    KOLKATA: Kolkata is seeing some frenetic activity on the cable TV front. The city’s multisystem operators (MSO) have started switching off signals in several pockets in Kolkata where cable operators have failed to comply with the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) norms and not provided them with the KYC or CAF forms of their subscribers. But MSOs have also been prompt in bringing the disconnected customers back online once the CAFs are submitted and fed into their systems.

    Apparently, the consensus amongst the cable TV fratenity is that cable TV subscribers are understanding the gravity of the situation with their cable TV connections being cut. And they have been a hurry to submit their CAFs now. “About 30,000 boxes had been deactivated and then reactivated after we received filled out forms from them,” said Manthan director Sudeep Ghosh.

     “We are in touch with the MSOs and we have been told that nearly two lakh set top boxes have been deactivated across the city and about 1.3 lakh boxes have been downgraded to DD channels only,” says a TRAI official.”And this is working as all the MSOs are saying that they are being flooded with CAFs as compared to earlier when there was lethargy.”

    The phase-wise deactivation of set top boxes had proved to be effective in sending out the intended message to consumers, he said.

    Consumers are confused and are complaining that there had been no intimation to them about the forms.

    A DTH service provider said that its call centres are receiving extra call loads with cable TV subscribers enquiring about the options available to them. “Our callers have expressed that it is better to settle with the seamless connection instead of haggling with the cable operator, who is ill-informed and not up to date with what is expected to be done,” says the DTH executive.

    We will have to simply keep our eyes glued to see if those callers will migrate to DTH. Going by past track records in other cities in phase I and phase II, it probably does not seem likely. Though many have expressed that a paradigm shift is needed.

  • Gurgaon to soon witness the biggest and extravgant Wedding Exhibition by Big Fat Wedding India

    Gurgaon to soon witness the biggest and extravgant Wedding Exhibition by Big Fat Wedding India

    Gurgaon: Big Fat Wedding India, a leading Fashion Show organizer is coming up with an extravagant wedding exhibition on 29th& 30th August 2013.

    Well renowned Designers like Ritu Kumar, Abdul Halder, Aditya Khandelwal, Akhilesh Pawha, Aakriti Singh will showcase their exclsuive Wedding Collection. The Wedding Exhibition will witness presence of more than 30 exhibitors from Delhi, Ludhiana, Bangalore, Chandigarh, Mumbai and Kolkata who will unveil their latest collection for the Brides. The exhibition will cater to all the Wedding Needs right from Designer Apparels to Fancy Footwear and latest jewellery and bridal trousseau.

    Special attractions like free Mehndi art for all visitors by Nadya, phone number and signature analysis by Tarot Queen Mrs. Seema Midha, Fashion show by Akhilesh Pawha, is the two day forecast at the Big Fat Wedding.

    The Event will also see presence of some famous designers who are mostly Fashion week regulars.The event hall will have a perfect ambience and it will be decorated in a grand wedding style with a complete Mandap, flowers, lotus, peacock etc.

    Ms. Tania Singh, Marketing Head, Big Fat Wedding India says, “The onset of the Wedding season sets a perfect mood for shopping and enjoyment. For Brides to Be and Brides-maid, the exhibition sets a perfect platform to experience outstanding wedding collection which is unique and splendid in every aspect. We look forward to immense participation and presence of you all”.

  • Manthan Broadband to invest big bucks to expand reach

    Manthan Broadband to invest big bucks to expand reach

    KOLKATA: The kingpin of the Multi System Operator (MSO) ecosystem in the East, Manthan Broadband Services has drawn an aggressive plan to secure its current position. Aware of the competitive market, this Kolkata-headquartered MSO plans to invest Rs 450 crore by 2014 end to upgrade its cable TV operations and also expand its reach in the eastern region.

    The cable operator which planned to install around 36 lakh Set Top Boxes (STBs) in the entire eastern region including Kolkata, rest of Bengal, Orissa, Jharkhand, Meghalaya and Assam by September 2014, has already installed around seven lakh STBs in Kolkata.

    While for the subscribers’ management system (SMS), Manthan is likely to sign a contract with an international brand soon. “We will soon be signing Rs 120 crore contract for the management work for 10 years. We will also invest to build best infrastructure which includes network, encryption, SMS and call centre,” informed Manthan Broadband Services director Sudip Ghosh.

    Created way back in 2002 through a merger of the operations of nine cable TV operators, Manthan has indeed come a long way.  The MSO caters to 30 lakh households, serving a greater part of Kolkata and West Bengal and other eastern regions with four digital headends and 40 analogue headends. It has more than 2,500 cable operator partners in the region.

    Manthan had earlier earmarked an investment of Rs 600 crore, out of which around Rs 150 core was spent in the markets of Kolkata and Jharkhand. “We will now spend Rs 450 crore in other states of the east. The promoters would invest a part of it and Manthan is looking at raising debt from banks,” added Ghosh.

    The company has a market share of 34 -35 per cent in the installed STBs offering 350 channels in Kolkata Metropolitan Area (KMA). Manthan has penetration in areas like Kolkata, Howrah, Hooghly, Baraipur and Chandannagar among others.

    On the company’s plans to hit the capital market with its initial public offering (IPO) to fund its expansion plans in the next two to three years, Manthan Broadband Services director Gurmeet Singh said, “We have started the backend work. There are many regulatory issues which we have to look at.”

    Also on the back of Indian rupee depreciating against the US dollar and Manthan as a company is likely to import more than 30 lakh STBs in the next one year. Ghosh said the import of the boxes have become costlier now as compared to when the rupee to dollar rate was Rs 46 – Rs 47 a dollar.

    “Even if the import cost for us is Rs 2,000, we give a subsidy to consumers and sell at Rs 999,” he hinted, saying that apart from other cable operators, it has a tough war to fight with direct-to-home (DTH) players. “We feel a hit at the revenue but it does not strike the bottom line up since we are in other added services too,” he said.

    Singh said that the company imports STBs mainly from China and added that if any local manufacturer sets up an assembling unit upon getting benefits and incentives from the government, it would help the industry people immensely.

    Manthan currently employs more than 300 people. This number will go up by another 30 per cent by 2014 end. The MSO currently serves more than 25 lakh households in the states of eastern region. “Of this we have around 18 lakh analogue cable connections,” he informed.

    According to sources, by September 2014, the rest of Bengal will witness 50 lakh STB installations. Also Orissa will see seven lakh installations, Jharkhand eight lakh-10 lakh, Meghalaya and Assam will register five lakh STB installations each.

    Commenting on the reach of Manthan, Hathway Cable and Datacom MD and CEO Jagdish Kumar G Pillai said, “The fragmented cable TV is likely to see some consolidation and the same applies to eastern region too. Manthan’s investment plans in the eastern region shows its commitment.”

    While aother MSO on the condition of anonymity stated: “Manthan had been performing well in the past but with digitisation kicking in, it has lost its hold on the market and dropped in its position. In terms of box supply and system integration, the company could not stand at par with its competitors. In fact recently due to funding issues, it has become difficult for it to operate in locations like Mednipur, Kharagpur and Bankura among other locations.”

    Industry sources feel that the company in order to move ahead and achieve such ambitious plans will have to work jointly with other companies, going forward.