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  • Box office records its best performance post-Covid in Jan-Apr: Report

    Box office records its best performance post-Covid in Jan-Apr: Report

    Mumbai: Box office numbers reach Rs 4,200 crore during January-April recording the cinema exhibition industry’s best performance post-Covid, as per a report by cinema advertising company Interactive Television, GroupM India and media consulting firm Ormax Media.

    The report titled ‘India is back…at the theatres’ found that average monthly box office collections stood at Rs 1,000 crore. “These milestones have been achieved despite the impact of the third wave and 18 percent of cinemas still being closed since 2019,” said the statement.

    “K.G.F: Chapter 2” is the best performing film of the quarter with Rs 1,008 crore in collections so far, followed by “RRR” and “The Kashmir Files” with gross collections of Rs 875 crore and Rs 293 crore, respectively. The report also indicates that in-cinema footballs have recovered compared to 2019 levels.

    While there were no Hollywood blockbusters released during January-April, the report indicates that with the strong line-up of Hollywood movies slated for the rest of the year, 2022 collections may surpass 2019 gross box office collections of Rs 1,595 crore for Hollywood movies. “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” which was released in May has done very well and upcoming films such as “Avatar: The Way of Water”, “Thor: Love and Thunder”, and “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” are expected to beat previous records.

    The future of regional cinema namely Marathi and Punjabi cinema looks positive with four Marathi films crossing rupees one crore in their opening weekend collection. Hindi cinema contributed 38 per cent to the box office and almost 60 per cent of this share comes from Hindi dubbed versions of South India films, primarily “K.G.F: Chapter 2” and “RRR”.

    GroupM South Asia CEO Prasanth Kumar, said “It is good to see the cinemas back on track. Five months into this year and we are seeing very promising numbers in terms of box office collection and consumer footfalls in the theatres. Movies have always been India’s favourite source of entertainment and this year looks very optimistic to us in terms of recovery, following two years of slowdown due to covid. This report will help advertisers plan their campaigns appropriately and it will help revive the in-cinema advertising domain which in turn will help recover the previously slowed down economy.”

    Interactive Television (iTV) founder and managing director & Kinetic India managing director Ajay Mehta said, “With the return of audience into the cinemas, we are also seeing major advertiser interest picking up on where it was left in 2019. We have already seen more than 350 brands active in cinema and with the festive season, we expect it to go much beyond that. The operating capacity of the cinema halls is set to cross the 90 per cent mark by mid-year. With several big-ticket releases planned across languages for the rest of 2022, we are very optimistic about this year’s cinema AdEx (advertising expenditure) as India comes back to its favourite entertainment hub.”

    The report states that 2022 is expected to be the strongest year ever at the Indian box office. With the resurgence of cinema, the medium is also attracting advertisers from various spectrums of the industry. As per GroupM, around 280 brands advertised their products/services in the opening week of “K.G.F: Chapter 2”.

    “Over the last two years, when cinemas were shut due to the pandemic, many analysts were quick to write an obituary of the theatrical medium,” said Ormax Media founder and CEO Shailesh Kapoor.

    “The first four months of 2022 have proven how far removed from reality that analysis was. The theatrical medium has not only bounced back but emerged as stronger than it has been in decades. 2022 will be the biggest box office year till date, and by a good margin too,” he added.

  • By 2022, hyperlocal commerce shoppers to grow by 52% to reach 214 mn: WATInsights

    By 2022, hyperlocal commerce shoppers to grow by 52% to reach 214 mn: WATInsights

    Mumbai: WATConsult, an Isobar Company and the globally awarded hybrid digital agency from dentsu India, has released the fifth report of WATInsights – digital commerce series. Titled ‘Digital Commerce in India – Hyperlocal Commerce’, the report is by WATConsult’s research division, Recogn. The report shares insights on the demand for hyperlocal delivery, the effects of the pandemic on the hyperlocal usage and captures the benefits & challenges of the model.

    The hyperlocal space has seen a rise in the number of niche brands across categories like home décor, home services, groceries, essentials and pharmaceutical sectors. Since the country has witnessed growth, traditional brands have shifted their focus towards hyperlocal and direct-to-consumer business models. This transition has been accelerated further due to increased internet usage and evolved consumer behaviour.

    It is pertinent to note here that the hyperlocal approach enables the brands to reach out to their target customers directly, removing the middlemen and retail stores as part of the traditional business model. This provides customers with a better shopping experience as it offers convenience and quick delivery, especially in the areas of logistics, food, pharmaceutical and groceries. Some examples of hyperlocal commerce include Dunzo, 1mg, UrbanCompany, BigBasket, to name a few.

    According to the report, this format of e-commerce has seen a huge surge of customers in both metros and beyond. Currently, there are around 141 million hyperlocal commerce shoppers in India, which is 48 percent of all e-commerce users. This number of hyperlocal commerce shoppers will increase by 52 percent to reach 214 million by the end of 2022.

    The report further reveals that while Zomato tops the list of the most used hyperlocal apps, SwiggyGo, Amazon Fresh & BigBasket are some of the popular choices among consumers. This is followed by 1mg, Grofers and UberConnect.

    The report additionally sheds light on the consumer demographic of the hyperlocal commerce users. While most females have used services from Zomato, BigBasket and Grofers, some males have used services like Zomato, SwiggyGo, BigBasket and 1mg, highlighted the study. On the other hand, the majority of young customers belonging to the age groups of under 18 years, 18 years to 24 years and 25 years to 34 years, have been seen using Zomato, SwiggyGo, and Amazon Fresh.

    Commenting on the latest issue of WATInsights – Digital commerce in India – Hyperlocal commerce, Isobar India group CEO Heeru Dingra said, “Hyperlocal businesses have been rapidly growing with the potential of expanding exponentially. There has been an increase in the number of brands emerging in this space and it will consolidate even further, over the next few years. Hyperlocal’s collaboration with local stores and the connection they build with their customers digitally is benefitting all the stakeholders as now they are all connected to the supply chain model.”

    The hyperlocal space has seen a rise in the number of niche brands across categories like home décor, home services, groceries, essentials, and pharmaceutical sectors. Since the country has witnessed growth, traditional brands have shifted their focus towards hyperlocal and direct-to-consumer business models. This transition has been accelerated further due to increased internet usage and evolved consumer behaviour.

    WATConsult managing partner Sahil Shah added, “Businesses, more than ever, are leveraging digital channels to reach out to consumers with a faster go-to-market, controlled brand perception, and increased direct-to-consumer (D2C) interactions. The pandemic has impacted many sectors and as a result, India’s retail market has gone through many changes; the biggest change being the adoption of technology in enabling more digital touchpoints. Amidst this shift, hyperlocal has been one of the top priorities for all D2C brands as well as marketplace-heavy businesses. This new model of hyperlocal has enabled local retailers to increase their market share. Especially the FMCG brands have been able to push their inventories and effectively scale the business.”

    It is pertinent to note here that the hyperlocal approach enables the brands to reach out to their target customers directly, removing the middlemen and retail stores as part of the traditional business model. This provides customers with a better shopping experience as it offers convenience and quick delivery, especially in the areas of logistics, food, pharmaceutical, and groceries. Some examples of hyperlocal commerce include Dunzo, 1mg, UrbanCompany, BigBasket, to name a few.

  • Sports media rights investments in India to grow by 10.1% over 2021-26: MPA report

    Sports media rights investments in India to grow by 10.1% over 2021-26: MPA report

    Mumbai: Sports media rights investments in India will grow at 10.1 per cent CAGR (compound annual growth rate) over 2021-26, bolstered by demand for cricket properties, led by the Indian Premier League (IPL), according to a report by Media Partners Asia (MPA) released on Friday.

    The report, which tracks the growth of sports rights and TV and online video sports revenues and subscribers across 14 markets in Asia Pacific (APAC), found that the market for sports rights and sports media revenues across APAC have recovered in 2021 after the damaging impact of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 and is expected to grow at a sustainable rate over 2021-2026.

    Overview

    As per MPA, sports rights for APAC contracted by $1.2 billion in 2020 while sports media revenues fell by ~$0.9 billion in the same year. The rights values crashed in China in 2020 while revenue contraction was marked in Australia and Japan. The year 2021 saw significant recovery in rights values and revenue, which MPA expects will continue in 2022, ensuring that rights values return to pre-pandemic levels, surpassing the absolute value of rights registered in 2018.

    Sports media revenues

    Asia Pacific sports revenues in TV and online video will grow at a combined six per cent CAGR between 2021 to 2026. Sports revenues will grow from $6.7 billion in 2021 to $8.9 billion by 2026.

    Sports media revenues contracted by 15 per cent i.e., $0.9 billion in 2020, during the pandemic, and recovered by more than 30 per cent in 2021. They are projected to grow by 11 per cent in 2022.

    In 2021, sports media revenue growth was especially significant in Australia, China, India, Japan, Korea and Southeast Asia, led by Indonesia and Thailand.

    Australia, China, India and Japan will contribute more than 82 per cent to sports media revenues in 2022 that will increase to 83 per cent by 2026, stated the report.

    The contribution of online video in overall sports media revenues will increase from 28 per cent in 2021 to 33 per cent in 2022 further growing to 42 per cent by 2026. The major market drivers of sports media revenues via online video are Australia and New Zealand, China, India, Indonesia, Singapore and Taiwan.

    TV will remain critical in India, Japan, Korea and Malaysia but its overall share of APAC sports revenues will fall from 72 per cent in 2021 to 58 per cent in 2026.

    Sports rights

    By 2022, sports rights across APAC markets will grow by 5.6 per cent to reach $6.5 billion. It will further grow at a CAGR of four per cent to reach $7.4 billion by 2026.

    Australia, China, India and Japan dominate when it comes to sports rights investment with 77 per cent share of total sports investments in 2022 that will grow to 79 per cent share of investments by 2026.

    Football leads the sports rights market in APAC with the Premier League topping the list of individual properties. Rights for the 2022-2025 Premier League have fallen by ~25 per cent to $1.4 billion because of substantial deterioration of the sports media rights in China. Excluding China, Premier League rights values for APAC grew by 10 per cent to $1.2 billion driven by healthy increases in Australia and New Zealand, Indonesia, Japan, Korea and Thailand.

    The main driver for recovery in sports media revenues and sports rights across APAC will be consumer and advertiser demand for live sports across integrated streaming entertainment and sports platforms along with TV networks in key geographies, stated the report.

    “Sports remains vital in Asia Pacific as a tactical weapon to build brand and market share and in certain instances, pricing power,” said MPA executive director Vivek Couto. “However premium tier-1 rights generally remain loss leaders or break even bets, especially in the case of marquee football and cricket properties. TV platforms remain important for the value of sports rights and monetisation but the growth of online video as well as tighter consumer and advertising wallets have squeezed growth in key Asia Pacific markets with many players impacted by cord cutting as customers continue to churn to: (1) Integrated entertainment and sports streaming platforms; (2) Pure play sports streaming platforms; and (3) Piracy. TV reach and revenues will however grow at a robust rate in large scale markets such as India, which emerged as the second-largest TV sports market through the pandemic, after Japan.”

    Adding further, he said, “Meanwhile, the rapid growth of online video distribution has boosted sports rights and revenues through SVOD and ‘freemium’ windows, especially in markets such as Australia, India, Indonesia and Korea. The economics of pure play sports streaming remains challenging; integrated entertainment and sports platforms remain on a stronger path while TV and streaming bundles will continue to play an important part in unlocking the value of sports.”

  • There is a growing awareness of Metaverse and it is the future, reveals Wunderman Thompson Intelligence’s survey

    There is a growing awareness of Metaverse and it is the future, reveals Wunderman Thompson Intelligence’s survey

    Mumbai: There has been an increasing awareness of the metaverse recently. It was revealed in Wunderman Thompson Intelligence’s latest survey ‘New Realities: Into the Metaverse and Beyond’, that 76 per cent of people feel the metaverse will allow authentic self-expression and however, the market is becoming aware of the advantage of it.

    The survey shows brands and agencies a clear direction in a tech field where 74 per cent of people feel metaverse will be the future. The analysis presents a roadmap for adland which expands upon the groundbreaking into the metaverse study.

    Its 2022 metaverse survey ‘New Realities: Into the Metaverse and Beyond’ for which research was fielded in March – from over 3,000 people aged 16-65 in the US, UK and China – shows that awareness of the metaverse has more than doubled in less than a year. While less than a third (32 per cent ) had heard of the term in July 2021, by March 2022 almost three quarters (74 per cent) had heard of the term.

    Although awareness has increased, understanding remains low. The research also finds that there is a lack of clarity around what the term means, with only 15 per cent stating that they know what it is and can explain it to someone else.

    Despite being unable to explain the metaverse, consumers believe that it promises to impact our lives significantly and among those who know what the metaverse is, two-thirds believe it will be life-changing.

    Wunderman Thompson Intelligence’s global director and author of the report Emma Chiu said, “As ever-greater portions of our lives move into the virtual realm, it’s becoming increasingly clear that the metaverse will be instrumental in our collective future, with our follow-up survey uncovering widespread expectation that the metaverse heralds enormous changes to almost all industries.”

    Areas in which consumers are expecting to see innovation include entertainment where 90 per cent of respondents held this belief, followed by advertising and retail. Meanwhile, 85 per cent believe the metaverse will impact the fashion industry and also the world of work.

    With many still assessing the impact of new screen-based habits, alongside the continued blurring of the virtual and physical worlds, the latest, companion report includes fresh data and several other critical insights:

    • Retail brand analysis shows the development of digital and physical shopping alongside one another, sharing case studies including Nike in Roblox, Forever 21’s Shop City and Fred Segal’s Artcade.

    • The finance section of the report outlines the top banks, credit companies and crypto literacy projects along with research into the growth of virtual currencies. The outcome is that these currencies are becoming a significant economic force both for business and for countries as several get involved in experiments with nationally regulated crypto.

    • Health and Wellness shares insights into deepening connections between digital and physical care for bodily and mental health. Explore case studies from Sims to CVS.

    • Food brands have jumped into the metaverse with restaurants and beverage brands leveraging the link between food and social connection. From Coca-Cola’s Indian wedding to the Flyfish member’s only restaurant where NFTs are exchanged as verification, this sector shows real creative flair.

    Wunderman Thompson Global Chief Marketing and Growth Officer Naomi Troni said, “Brands must establish a roadmap for entry into the metaverse. However, there are concerns too around privacy, security, and safety.”

    “So, while our latest findings indicate almost limitless opportunities for brands — enabling them to re-imagine what their products, services and consumer engagement could and should look like – they must also enter this new world carefully,” she added.

  • Over 136 million Indians consume sports content on TV or OTT platform: Report

    Over 136 million Indians consume sports content on TV or OTT platform: Report

    Mumbai: India has a sports fan base of 136.3 million, according to the latest report by Ormax Media.

    A sports fan is defined as someone who has watched a sport on TV or OTT in the last month for at least 30 minutes.

    In terms of viewing behaviour, the report found that 44 per cent of Indian sports fans watch live sports only on TV while a sizeable 36 per cent are using both traditional and digital media to watch live sports. The remaining 20 per cent are watching exclusively on digital.

    Cricket has a fan base of 124.2 million followed closely by Kabaddi, Wrestling (including WWE) and football with 23-28 million fans each. The study also found that Chennai Super Kings is the biggest sports franchise in India with 40.9 million fans. It has a loyal fan base of 22.5 million that is defined as someone who feels emotionally connected with the team and its results.

    The report also looked at the various football clubs and their fan following. It found that Barcelona FC tops the list with 3.9 million fans. Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi feature in the list of the top ten most popular sportspersons in India. The list also includes seven cricketers and Badminton star PV Sindhu.

    “Viewership numbers, especially from television, are not an accurate representation of the fanbase of any sport, as India is predominantly a single-TV nation where a lot of sports viewing is passive in nature,” said Ormax Media founder and CEO Shailesh Kapoor.

    “Through this report, we aim to fill in the need gap for reliable data on the size and the profile of the ‘real’ sports fans, who are actively watching and engaged with the sport. The report can provide useful material to sports leagues, teams and broadcasters for their brand and communication strategy initiatives,” he added.

    Ormax Media’s report is the outcome of consumer research conducted over the six-month period from July to December 2021 with a sample size of 12,000 people across urban and rural India. The report profiles these ‘fans’ by age, gender, NCCS, pop strata and states. It also covers the preferred commentary languages in India, reported by various geographies and demographics.

  • Sports industry spending exceeds Rs 9,500 cr in 2021: GroupM report

    Sports industry spending exceeds Rs 9,500 cr in 2021: GroupM report

    Mumbai: The year 2021 saw a resounding comeback for sports sponsorships and media deals, as compared to 2020 when the pandemic took over. The size of the Indian sports industry spending is estimated to have surpassed Rs 9,500 crore last year, according to the latest sports sponsorship report released by GroupM India’s entertainment, e-sports and sports division GroupM ESP. 

    With Rs 6,018 crore, sports advertisement expenditure (adex) surpassed 2019 levels in both TV and digital. Cricket yet again, remains the most popular sport, accounting for 94 per cent of the sports adex. The media spending on cricket in 2021 was higher (Rs 5,657 crore) than the overall media spends of 2019 (Rs 5,232 crore).

    The ninth edition of Sporting Nation in The Making – GroupM ESP’s sports report takes into consideration the sponsorship spends, player endorsements and media spends on sports properties. The spending on sports celebrity endorsement grew by 11 per cent year-on-year in 2021, says the report. A total of 444 brand endorsement deals have happened in 2021, with cricketers accounting for 318 endorsement deals and 87 per cent of total brand endorsement value. The Olympic Year of 2021 increased emerging sports athletes’ endorsements by 79 per cent, accounting for 13 per cent of the overall brand endorsement value, as per the report. 

    2021 got our sporting nation back to a billion-dollar scale with a 62 per cent growth over 2020, the report said. India’s performance at the Tokyo Olympics has been a morale booster for budding sports talent in the country and 2022 will bring new opportunities in multi-sport events.  

    The household penetration of TV sets in different markets over the country saw a major role in the growth of sports properties. With this, TV continues to be the largest medium since 2021 saw overall ad spends of Rs 5,051 crore, which was a growth of 59 per cent over 2020 and we saw digital spends touching Rs 965 crore.

    “2021 was a year of a major comeback for the sports industry. Not only in sports but we saw growth in sponsorships, endorsements, and media expenses in 2021,” remarked GroupM South Asia CEO Prasanth Kumar. “This year will also be a good re-start point for brands to invest in sports properties since sports will see a rise and will in-turn deliver ROI to brands.”

    “We even saw e-sports gaining significant traction and there was a major rise in the number of gamers in the country. Properties like PKL, ISL, etc. are also seeing a major rise in followers which goes to show that India is heavily invested in overall sports from an interest and inquisitiveness standpoint. As for cricket, we are seeing a growing interest by foreign private equity giants investing in Indian cricket which is proving that cricket will continue seeing a huge surge in India and with 2021 getting cricket back on track, we are seeing 2022 racing ahead, aiming to cross Rs 10,000 crore mark,” Kumar further said.

    Acceptance of visual media for live sports broadcast by fans led to a great demand of platforms like SonyLiv and Disney+ Hotstar who are now streaming a variety of sports for their audiences, says GroupM. The study finds the OTT space becoming more competitive in the years to come since India is adopting OTT for live streaming sporting action.

    “India as a sporting nation has finally arrived, overcoming all barriers brought in by the pandemic,” stated GroupM South Asia  head – sports, entertainment and e-sports Vinit Karnik. “Cricket being the hero of India, contributed 88 per cent of the sports spends. IPL and T20 WC boosted the sports adex growth. We also saw emerging sports contributing 12 per cent on the overall sports  spends. The media spends in 2021 were the biggest contributors, who accounted for almost two-thirds of all sports industry spending.”

    “While sports celebrity endorsement was on the rise in 2021, Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni, Rohit Sharma, Neeraj Chopra and PV Sindhu are the top athletes in the sports celebrity brand endorsement space. 2022 will be an exciting year with the Asian Games, Fifa World Cup, Premier Badminton League, and many more properties coming up, and the fans are in for a treat. The sports arena is an exciting drive ahead from the fanbase lens and the business lens too and we have a host of opportunities in the Indian sports industry,” he added.

    With an action-packed 2021, media spends in sports saw some heavy scoring in India as brands and consumers were brought closer by broadcasters and technology also played a very crucial role in evolving the way people appreciate sports, according to GroupM. 

  • MX Player records 4.35 billion minutes of gaming in 2021

    MX Player records 4.35 billion minutes of gaming in 2021

    Mumbai: Users spent a total of 4.35 billion minutes gaming on MX Player in 2021, the media company reported, with an average watch time of 56 minutes per day.

    The online gaming industry has seen an upward trend since 2020 on the back of a mobile first phenomenon driven by the lockdown. MX Player launched games on its platform in February 2020 and hosts over 100 hyper casual games that can be played for free.

    MX Player shared that 3.7 billion gameplays were recorded on its platform in the year 2021 with the highest being 16.1 million in a single day. There are more than 8000 game sessions that are completed on the platform every minute.

    Genres

    Casual, Arcade, Survival, Strategy and Action constituted nearly 71 per cent of the total gameplays on the platform. Among these, “Bubble Blast” was India’s most favourite game with over 336 million gameplays. In “MX City Cricket Battle,” more than 80,000 sixes were hit every hour out of the total number of runs scored by the users. Similarly, more than 57,000 missiles were launched every hour during “Boom Knight” game.

    Cities

    As per the report, Bihar topped the list in terms of gameplays and engagement and non-metro user engagement was 20 per cent higher than the metro user’s engagement. Patna, Delhi, Lucknow, Kolkata, Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Chennai, Pune, and Mumbai were among the top 10 cities that contributed to 66 per cent of the gameplays on the platform.

    Audience

    Nearly 96 per cent playing users were below the age of 35, with 74.3 per cent of them being millennials. And 94 per cent gameplays were from users below the age of 35, with 69.4 per cent of them being millennials. The male to female ratio was 80:20.

  • Kantar Annual Trends 2022 report unveils 10 themes for recovery & innovation

    Kantar Annual Trends 2022 report unveils 10 themes for recovery & innovation

    Mumbai: 2021 has been a year of discovery for consumers. As we learn to adjust in a world that changes often and unpredictably, brands would need to listen more intently to consumers than ever before, be transparent in their promises and provide solutions for their evolving needs. Keeping this in mind Kantar has unveiled its ‘Annual Trends 2022’ report, that’s borne out of the insights generated, based on their conversations with consumers across the country.

    The report spells out ten themes that define how consumers are preparing themselves for 2022, even as it aims to guide businesses through a period of recovery and innovation:

    1.      Going small to live big

    The lockdown and the opportunity of working from home have allowed people to consider an alternative to the city humdrum. As companies chose remote working as ‘business as usual,’ the service sector employees chose to move ‘back home’ to smaller towns. The current trend offers a unique opportunity to reimagine our cities, our infrastructure and mobility, notes the report. Brands, on the other hand, need to reinforce supply chains to avoid losing customers due to last-mile connectivity gaps, Kantar says.

    2.      Seeking assurance in ‘ghar jaisa’ khana

    The pandemic has made consumers painfully sensitive about the importance of health and immunity. They are more mindful of what they eat and are willing to make an effort to table fresher meals, with nearly 72 per cent preferring fresh home-cooked food than the packaged with the fear of preservatives, as per the report. With increasing importance to freshly cooked meals, consumers would be open to kitchen solutions in terms of ingredients or appliances that make ‘home-made’ easier. Additionally, the affinity towards ‘home-like food’ will also guide what the food industry will offer in terms of offerings on restaurant menus.

    3.      Proactive upskilling

    Proactive self-learning through online courses has become the new norm for working professionals trying to stay employable as well as students gearing up to join the workforce. 65 per cent of learners were upskilled to strengthen career prospects and 33 per cent of learners were senior-level professionals. As both freshers and experienced employees become more conscious of the skill gap and lean in to bridge it, enrolments into online courses continue to exponentially grow, noted Kantar.

    Proactive and consistent training and development led by employers will be increasingly critical, not only to keep the workforce equipped for the changing workplace but also to ensure that employees are engaged and invested in the evolving business imperatives of the organisation.

    4.      Exercising autonomy through gig work

    The Indian freelance job market gained rapid acceleration with the pandemic-induced job instability.

    The nature of freelance work has also evolved and gig working is not limited to factory or support function jobs. With 15 million freelancers, India is already the second-largest gig market in the world, says the report. In the long term, the Indian gig economy has the potential to serve up to *90 million jobs in India’s non-farm economy. India Inc. should make the most of this opportunity to absorb a diverse workforce and let them contribute professionally while taking care of their personal comfort.

    5.      Shrinking personal space with remote work

    Though remote work was expected to improve employee productivity, there is mounting evidence of increased burnout, noted the report. 1 in 3 professionals in India feels burnt out due to increased workload and unmanageable stress. While the focus has been on making work from home more convenient through virtual workplaces, organisations will also need to start rethinking their entire work models, culture, and values to ensure better mental health amongst the workforce. Employees are also learning to draw a line between personal and professional while operating from the same physical space, notes Kantar.

    6.      Yearning to get away from home

    Lockdown fatigue had resulted in strong pent-up demand which is fuelling unique trends of ‘getting away from home.’ Travellers have started to rekindle their travel plans through weekend getaways and similar convenient means to escape from the challenging life of work-from-home stifling schedules. As consumers continue to seek respite from house arrest yet again, by planning for getaways, dropping into restaurants for a meal, or even choosing to work from coffee shops, the reassurance of sanitation and hygiene-related measures such as fully vaccinated staff would ensure that they keep coming back, says Kantar.

    7.      Instagram is the new store

    As the pandemic further accelerated the growth of e-commerce, social commerce has emerged as a favoured means of online shopping. Consequently, social chatter is fast becoming an active driver of brand choice; while advertising manages to influence 38 per cent towards a brand, 41 per cent tend to be swayed by comments or reviews posted on social media.  Riding on social word-of-mouth, today social commerce shoppers account for 53 per cent of total online shoppers in India.

    Stepping ahead of dynamic customer engagement, social commerce has proved to be an effective and affordable channel for smaller businesses, the report says.  This channel has also presented a cost-effective alternative for larger businesses and brands reeling under the pressure of mounting customer acquisition costs and struggling to protect these precious customers from competitors wooing them endlessly with deep discounts.

    8.      Beauty goes beyond skin deep

    With virtual workplaces and limited social engagement, there is no mad rush to show up looking one’s best and people are moving towards a more sustainable self-care practice grounded in nature, health and wellness. Consumers have become extremely conscious about taking care of their bodies, and not just for the purpose of looking good. What started as an obsession for sanitisers and hand-washes, has now gradually moved towards conscious choices of personal care, personal hygiene and wellness products.

    Brands need to be cognizant of shift in consumer choices towards personal care and grooming and cater to this growing affinity towards sustained self-care through their product solutions as well as communication of benefits, says the report.’

    9.      True inclusion finding a voice among the youth

    Consumers are being drawn towards brands that embrace diversity and advocate causes that support social equity, according to the report. There has been a shift in advertising campaigns featuring stories of real people told with a sensitivity that has found favour with consumers. However, the report says that brands looking to engage this generation will need to extend their efforts beyond mere lip service. Just dressing brand communication with diverse imagery will not be enough. To stay relevant, brands need to embed diversity in their organisational culture as well as in their product development endeavours.

    10.   Collective consciousness towards sustainability

    The pandemic has been a wake-up call; consumers are now acutely aware of the cumulative damage caused to the environment by human carelessness and are eager to ‘make good.’ 76 per cent pay a lot of attention to the environmental and societal issues in the news, says Kantar. 77 per cent are prepared to invest time and money to support companies that do good and while shopping 64 per cent consumers factor in sustainability at least once in a while.

    Brands can fuel these actions by increasing awareness about the use of green energy in their production process, making it easier to recycle, incentivizing consumers and making it convenient for them to buy sustainable products, notes Kantar.

  • What India Takes Offence To : ASCI reveals six major triggers in adverts

    What India Takes Offence To : ASCI reveals six major triggers in adverts

    Mumbai: In recent times, several advertisements have faced controversy with various individuals or groups objecting to them. There is also a growing trend of ads and brands getting trolled on social media when people take offense to a particular message or depiction. Given the sensitivity of our times, the advertising industry has had its work sharply cut out.

    The Advertising Standards Council of India (Asci) undertook a deep dive to identify trends in such complaints and came out with some interesting findings and insights on ‘What India Takes Offence To’- a report based on 1,759 complaints against 488 advertisements over the past three years. The ads covered include those that may not necessarily be in violation of Asci codes, but nevertheless offended people/ groups. The report that seeks to deconstruct, not only the messaging that was found objectionable, but also the articulation of the complaint along with the desired action asked for, uncovered six major triggers.

    ‘Socially undesirable depictions for commercial gains’. For example, ads that promote stereotypes such as fair skin, certain body shapes, or ads that create undue pressure on parents and kids in the field of education. ‘Inappropriate for children’ which included ads, mostly viewed at prime-time, that seemingly provoked children’s interest in ‘adult life’, particularly in the idea of sexuality and physical intimacy were also considered problematic. ‘Ads where people seemingly crossed cultural boundaries’ which included ads that showed intergenerational dynamics in non-traditional ways were also frowned upon by some people. ‘Advertising mocking men’ or where men were depicted in a negative or poor light, even in humorous or introspective ways, were considered offensive by some.

    ‘Hurting religious sentiments’ or ads portraying mixed religious narratives, depictions of new interpretations of traditions or the use of religious and cultural motifs in a humorous manner became a major trigger point. Complainants questioned the intent of the ads and felt the need to guard against ‘conspiracies’. Even ‘Depicting unpleasant realities’ or ads wherein everyday realities were depicted in an in-your-face manner, triggered complaints from consumers who preferred a more sheltered and ‘civilised’ version of realities. Showcasing death, raw meat or blood tended to raise the hackles of these complainants.

    The report noted that while in some cases, the offence is genuine and justified, in others it is observed that “some people seem to be intent on assigning a devious agenda to a particular ad where none actually exists.” It also stresses that, “Not all ads that are complained against may need modifications as per the discussions and recommendation of the CCC.” In fact, in some of the cases given in the report, the advertiser did not have to make a change, because the CCC, taking all things into consideration, did not find the ads to be in violation of the Asci code.

    The objective of the report is to provide a pulse on consumer sentiment to different stakeholders. The study gets to the heart of the complaints and the complainants to reveal the underlying issues in advertising that bother Indian consumers and citizens. For brands, the report offers insights that may help in more sensitized creative development.

    The report concludes by emphasising that “mature discussions between stakeholders, seeking remedies through a neutral forum such as Asci are perhaps the best way to navigate these complex waters in what are fairly polarised times.” “Being in direct touch with the complainants gives Asci a unique vantage point to understand what people find offensive in advertising. We are sharing these insights with our stakeholders to help advertisers plan campaigns better and be more cognizant of consumer sentiment,” said Asci secretary-general Manisha Kapoor.

    Asci chairman Subhash Kamath added “At ASCI, we believe our role is not just to police the narrative but to also constantly add value to the industry by guiding our members towards more responsible advertising. These kinds of reports, along with initiatives like our ‘Advertising Advice’ service will help the industry a lot in that direction.”  

    The report makes observations that could help advertisers plan campaigns better, even as it makes note that there would also be instances of brands deciding to stand firmly behind their advertising, particularly when it represents the core of their philosophy.

    The Advertising Advice is a paid-for service that helps advertisers and brands identify whether an advertisement potentially violates any Asci guidelines. A panel of technical experts from the relevant field helps the advertiser examine their claim and the evidence for technical claim support.

  • Global pay-TV, telecom services to reach $1.5 trillion in 2021: report

    Global pay-TV, telecom services to reach $1.5 trillion in 2021: report

    Mumbai: Worldwide spending on telecommunications and pay-TV services is forecast to reach $1.5 trillion in 2021, representing an increase of one per cent over 2020, according to the latest report released by Intelligence Data Corporation (IDC).

    This growth will largely be driven by remote working, collaboration, and rising online media consumption said the market intelligence firm. The fastest expansion is still expected in the Asia-Pacific region.

    While the value of fixed voice and mobile voice services segments will gradually decline, the value of fixed data and mobile data services portions will slowly grow.

    As per the report, the major driver in the mobile segment will be a gradual recovery of roaming revenues fuelled by the recuperation of the global tourist industry. The market for traditional pay-TV services will continue to decline slowly due to the migration of customers to over-the-top (OTT) video services platforms, it added further.

    The overall market’s growth rates are expected to remain stable during the entire forecast period and even speed up slightly in 2025.

    5G will constitute 38.8 per cent of total mobile connections and 41.3 per cent of total mobile spending by the end of the forecast period in 2025.

    “The troubles related to Covid-19 are still not in the rear-view mirror as the worsening pandemic dynamics in some low-income countries and the global supply-chain disruptions threaten to harm the fragile recovery of the market,” said IDC research director, telecommunications Kresimir Alic. “But because of the resiliency the industry showed during 2020, we are convinced that the market will remain in a positive mood for at least the next couple of years.”a