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Tag: MCGM

  • Bright Outdoor offers discounted rates to revive OOH economy during festive season

    Bright Outdoor offers discounted rates to revive OOH economy during festive season

    NEW DELHI: As the out of home (OOH) industry struggles to get back on its feet, Bright Outdoor Media has already come up with plans for the festive season. Bright Outdoor Media CMD Dr Yogesh Lakhani is optimistic that the OOH industry will pick up soon as people make the maximum use of festive season.

    With Unlock 3.0 and relaxations given by the government, there has been a slight improvement. Lakhani opines, “The coming phase is a festive phase. Brands have started to invest in OOH advertising but it is still minuscule of what it would have been without Covid2019.”

    The pandemic caused several hurdles for the OOH industry. He adds, “For three months there was zero revenue. All the hoardings in MMR were taken by MCGM for COVID2019 awareness. Traffic was almost zero. While the revenue remained a big zero, the expenses continued. The government hasn’t given us relaxations in taxes. On the contrary, it is charging us even for the lockdown period. It has become a matter of survival for some of the hoarding providers in the industry. We, at Bright, stand in solidarity with other OOH providers in this unprecedented circumstance. However, slowly and steadily the traffic is returning on the roads but, as per reports, 50 per cent of the people will still avoid travelling unless urgent. With only 10 per cent workforce permitted, fewer vehicles are on the streets.”

    With no movement, he says that the industry saw a 20 per cent drop as only essential service people were allowed to travel during the lockdown. Lakhani shares that the coming two quarters are extremely important for the industry and festivals are the only hope.

    “Brands have started to come back but the rate of purchase has drastically reduced. We are eyeing for a very big Diwali as the marketing spends of all other festivals will also be used during that time. Movies will hit theatres in the coming few months. The big-ticket films are due. Bright shall make a change rather than asking for change from others. We are providing a 30 per cent discount and are ready to sit across the table with the clients and get them the best value and offer value additions to their spends and power them to revive as early as possible to bring the economy back to normal,” he shares.

    With shopping malls gym and other spaces opening up, Lakhani is optimistic that categories including entertainment industry, pharmaceuticals, online services, educational institutions and real estate will revive and avail OOH services.

  • MCGM to Bombay high court: Can’t waive licence fee for Mumbai’s OOH owners

    MCGM to Bombay high court: Can’t waive licence fee for Mumbai’s OOH owners

    MUMBAI: On 19 June, in an unexpected turn of events, the municipal corporation of greater Mumbai (MCGM) refused to waive off the licence fees even if the hoardings in Mumbai are advertising civic messages.

    The bench dealt with a number of petitions filed by advertising agencies, holding licences for hoarding sites in Mumbai. The hoarding owners were seeking waiving of the licence fees. The licence holders claimed that they are not using their hoarding sites since March due to the outbreak of Covid2019 and they have been only advertising civic messages.

    "There is no provision in any statute, rule, policy or license condition that contemplates that if the licence holders are unable to display the advertisement for any reason whatsoever, they will be entitled to waiver of licence fees. They have failed to make out any constitutional or legal right for such waiver of the license fees," the MCGM said in an affidavit.

    "Our guidelines specifically contemplate that it is mandatory on part of the agency to display a civic message as and when directed by us for a period of 15 days in a year for which no fees will be payable," the affidavit read.

    The civic body mentioned that it had sent notices to a number of agencies to put messages to spread awareness about the disease in March.

    Clarifying in the affidavit, MCGM said, “Hoardings were required to be displayed for a period of 10 days only and there was no need to give any fresh notice or letter for removal of the same. The agencies are intentionally misreading our notice. The notice does not contemplate that any further instructions would be issued for removing the hoardings.”

    The civic body also revealed that it had waived licence fees for the month of April of Rs 7.49 crore and that the civic body itself went through a loss of nearly Rs 70 lakh.

    "The commercial arrangements between the private advertisers and the licencees are not within our scope and ambit. We are in no way responsible for any such breakdown in the commercial relationship of the licencees and the same cannot be a ground for a grant of a waiver of licence fees without any legal or the statutory basis for the same," the MCGM said while urging the bench to dismiss the plea.

    The eight Mumbai OOH owners who filed the petition in the Bombay HC for waiver of licence fees are — Creation Publicity Pvt Ltd, Bright Advertising Pvt Ltd, Orion Advertisers, Anurag Sites, Em Vee Advertising Company, Pingle Outdoor, Yoag Advertisers and Pioneer Publicity Corporation Ltd.

    The firms have been asked to submit replies in writing, by 26 June.

  • MCGM partners with Animal Planet in its endeavour to sensitize citizens of Mumbai, especially children, about wildlife

    MCGM partners with Animal Planet in its endeavour to sensitize citizens of Mumbai, especially children, about wildlife

    MUMBAI: Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) has tied up with India’s no 1 wildlife channel Animal Planet to sensitize citizens of Mumbai, especially children, about the importance of wildlife. In a first-of-its-kind initiative, MCGM will launch its 3D Theater located inside V.J.B. Udyan & Zoo, powered with world class content from Animal Planet, starting February 01, 2019.  The entry to the theatre will be free for students from MCGM schools; there will be a nominal fee of Rs. 50 for non-MCGM school students/ individuals.

    V.J.B. Udyan & Zoo is the first zoo in the country to launch a theatre inside its premises. The soon to be launched cinema with a seating capacity of more than 200 will showcase 4 shows a day. The first show will start at 11:00 hours while the last show will be screened at 16:00 hrs every day. V.J.B. Udyan & Zoo attracts more than 15,000 individuals on a week day while regular weekend entries crosses 30,000. The launch of a new theatre, powered by marquee content from Animal Planet, will give a tremendous boost to the popularity of the Zoo along with sensitizing visitors about wildlife.

    Hon’ble Mayor, Shri Vishwanath Mahadeshwar, said, “Following the success of MCGM’s initiative with respect to the Humboldt Penguin Gallery at the Veermata Jijabai Bhosale Udyan & Zoo which has garnered wide ranging interest from the citizens of Mumbai, we are pleased to announce this one of a kind initiative in which MCGM is tying up with Discovery Communications India to bring exciting documentaries from their wildlife channel Animal Planet which will be screened exclusively for the visitors of the zoo. Our aim, through this entertainment led initiative, is to make every Mumbaikar sensitive about the importance of wild life.”

    Speaking on the occasion, Ajoy Mehta, Municipal Commissioner, MCGM, said, “The state of art theater at V.J.B. Udyan & Zoo was conceptualized because we wanted to give a new-age dimension of learning led entertainment; with a larger cause of educating the young generation of India about the importance of wild life.  We are delighted that Animal Planet has joined hands with us in this unique initiative. Initially, we are starting off with a line-up of 5 shows which will be changed at regular intervals to keep the audiences engaged.”

    “We expect natural traction for the soon to be launched theatre. In addition, we will also launch an aggressive school reach out campaign inviting students from MCGM schools to experience the world class theatre,” added Municipal Commissioner Ajoy Mehta. 

    Zulfia Waris, Vice President, Premium & Digital networks, Discovery Communications India said, “It is an honor for us to work along with MCGM in sensitizing citizens of Mumbai, especially children, about wild life.  The initial line-up of documentaries offered to the V.J.B. Udyan & Zoo theatre are entertaining and at the same time thought provoking – emerging from the fascinating intersection of the animal, human and natural worlds. We are confident that this unique initiative will go a long way in engaging and awakening viewers to the need for animal welfare and conservation.”

    Animal Planet’s marquee documentaries like ‘Jawai: India’s Leopard Hills’, ‘African Wild’, ‘Mysterious Wilds Of India’, ‘Extinct Or Alive’ and ‘Speed Of Life’ are being be showcased at Mumbai Zoo Theater.

  • Viacom18 working with MCGM to instal art-inspired mobile toilets

    MUMBAI: In a bid to support the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) make Mumbai open defecation-free, Viacom18 has flagged off the second phase of its Chakachak Mumbai campaign in Bandra. As a part of this initiative, aesthetically designed mobile community toilets are being used as canvases and installed across 13 locations in the city, in an innovative bid to synergize infrastructural enhancement with behavioral change.

    The toilets were instated in the presence of Poonam Mahajan, Member of Parliament, Mumbai North Central; Ashish Shelar, Member of Legislative Assembly, Vandre West; Ajoy Mehta, Municipal Commissioner, MCGM; and Sudhanshu Vats, Group CEO – Viacom18.

    Speaking about the project, Poonam Mahajan, Member of Parliament, Mumbai North Central said: “Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision for Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan, India is gearing up towards becoming open defecation free. In such a scenario, it is highly encouraging to see corporates like Viacom18 take up the cause and use their capabilities as storytellers to not only artistically design toilets that induce hygienic behavior but also educate people through their behavioral change campaign. This is our Hon’ble Prime Minister’s dream, this is Viacom18’s dream and this is every Indian’s dream.”

    Shelar said: “Keeping our communities clean is the basis of prosperity. We have taken initiatives to make Mumbai open defecation free and we hope that projects such as Viacom18’s Chakachak Mumbai will help us achieve this target. Viacom18 has innovatively used pre-fabricated mobile toilets that can help solve Mumbai’s open defecation problem as they are easier to build and faster to install.”

    The first phase of Chakachak Mumbai focused on renovating and reconstructing over 200 toilets across 4 slums in Andheri East. Furthermore, underlining the importance of instigating a change in people’s mindset at the ground level, the network had roped in Ramon Magsaysay award winner Jockin Arputham and underprivileged women’s self-help collective Mahila Milan, to undertake an intensive behaviour change communication programme.

    Vats said, “A very simple philosophy drives Chakachak Mumbai – that we as businesses have a responsibility to give back to the society that helps us grow. As the country’s fastest growing media and entertainment network and as the country’s foremost storytellers we have both the expertise and the reach to act as a catalyst of dialing up socially inclusive change messaging. In this second phase of Chakachak Mumbai, we are working with the MCGM to rapidly scale up the infrastructural community enhancements to help make Mumbai ODF. And while doing it, we incorporated the Viacom18 ethos of marrying art to drive behavior change by using the toilet walls into art work canvases. I’m thankful to the state government and the city administration for working with us to facilitate this story of a Swachh and Chakachak Mumbai.”

    The mobile toilet blocks are state-of-the art and are reflective of Mumbai’s spirit. The toilets are designed on themes such as Mumbai’s lifeline local trains, Bollywood, Koli community, etc. that aim to invoke a sense of pride in the communities and encourage more people to use them.

    “Being an urban area, we understand the impact that behaviour change communication can make in adoption of toilet usage. Simply constructing toilets is not enough, generating awareness and educating people as well as maintaining these toilets with electricity and water are essential. We are therefore, happy to partner with Viacom18 and their flagship Chakachak Mumbai program to help further the Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan as they have successfully used positive reinforcement amongst the community to help make the city open defecation free,” said Mehta.