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Tag: Rohit Gupta

  • ASCI UPHELD COMPLAINTS AGAINST 137 ADVERTISEMENTS OUT OF 344

    ASCI UPHELD COMPLAINTS AGAINST 137 ADVERTISEMENTS OUT OF 344

    Mumbai: During the month of October 2019, ASCI investigated complaints against 344 advertisements, of which 80 advertisements were promptly withdrawn by the advertisers on receipt of communication from ASCI. The independent Consumer Complaints Council (CCC) of ASCI evaluated 264 advertisements, of which complaints against 137 advertisements were upheld. Of these 137 advertisements, 89 belonged to the education sector, 29 belonged to the healthcare sector,  four to personal care,  two to the food & beverages sector, and 13 were from the ‘others’ category.

    In the CCC deliberations, the most common reason for upholding complaints was that the advertisements were misleading and exploited consumers’ lack of knowledge. This was followed by violations of ASCI Guidelines for Advertising of Educational Institutions and Programs. The other reasons for complaints to be upheld were superlative claims and unsubstantiated claims of having won awards.

    Among various advertisements that were examined, the CCC observed that a top cricketer celebrity was endorsing “Instant payment” claim being made by a well-known online platform for sale of second hand cars. An international automotive company, in their radio ad implied that consumers should not care for traffic rules hence showing a complete disregard for road safety. In the personal care category, a renowned personal care company founded by a beauty expert, mentioned SPF values that they could not substantiate by providing in vivo support data. A widely used sanitary napkin brand advertised its product to have long lasting cooling effect, which was unsubstantiated. Advertisements by hospitals offering IVF treatments were pulled up for making misleading claims regarding their success rates. An internet restaurant company’s claim of being the “World's largest internet restaurant company” was considered to be misleading in absence of relevant verifiable support data.

    The CCC also came across a significant number of advertisement pertaining to the education sector with the advertisers making unsubstantiated and superlative claims of being the most trusted, No. 1 or winning awards.

    Mr. Rohit Gupta, Chairman, ASCI said “Building on the momentum of the fine work done by the ASCI Secretariat in the past few years, for the year 2020 our resolve is to further strengthen the advertising ecosystem. This would be by means of new initiatives, enhanced processes and new guidelines that we plan to roll out in the coming months. These initiatives would not only benefit consumers but would also result in enhanced participation of industry members in effectively practising self-regulation in advertising.”

    DIRECT COMPLAINTS

    The advertisements given below were complained against by the general public or by industry members. Of the 149 advertisements complained against, 11 advertisements were promptly withdrawn by the advertiser on receiving communication from ASCI. For the remaining 138 advertisements, complaints against 12 advertisements were upheld by the CCC. Five advertisements belonged to the Healthcare sector and seven from the ‘Others’ category. 26 advertisements were not considered to be objectionable or in contravention of the ASCI code.

    Healthcare

    Following advertisements in the healthcare sector were found to be misleading that exploit consumers’ lack of knowledge and could lead to widespread disappointment in the minds of consumers.

    1.       Aanjan Path Labs & Allergy Testing Center: The print advertisement’s claim “Psoriasis, Stomach Ache, Diarrhoea, Sore Throat, Cough – The only option for allergy treatment is diagnosis” was misleading. The advertiser incorrectly mentioned all the above ailments to be of allergen nature whereas Psoriasis is an immune system disorder, allergy as a cause of abdominal pain and diarrhoea is very limited as only a minority of patients are affected by this (6 – 8% in children below 3 years & 3% of adults) and such pain and diarrhoea are mostly due to infections.  Further, sore throat and cough are also due to other reasons such as infections in majority of the cases. The claim “The only option for allergy treatment is diagnosis” was not considered to be valid.

    2.       Sangam Ayurveda (1 Shot Dandruff Killer): The advertisement’s claim on the product packaging “1 Shot Dandruff Killer” which was also the name of the product and had the corresponding symbol encircled “TM”, was not substantiated. The advertiser did not provide any product specific information such as copy of Product approval license and Product composition details, nor any scientific or technical rationale for the product claim, or copy of the application applied with trade mark registry. In absence of evidence of registered trademark, the product name is a claim which needs to be substantiated with robust anti dandruff efficacy data.

    Others

    The CCC found that the claims made in the following advertisements were misleading, exploit consumers’ lack of knowledge and can lead to widespread disappointment in the minds of consumers.

    1.       CARS24 Services Pvt. Ltd. (cars24.com): The advertisement’s claim “Get Instant Payment”, featuring cricketer MS Dhoni was considered misleading. It was observed that the advertiser offers both, an “instant payment” facility and a “deferred payment” facility for sale of cars. However, as per the FAQs provided by the advertiser if a customer avails the “instant payment” facility a fee of Rs. 1000 is levied. The advertisement creates an impression that every sale of car would be eligible for “Instant payment” which is not the case. Additionally there was no adequate evidence provided of the celebrities due diligence, hence violating ASCI’s Guidelines for Celebrities in Advertising as well.

    2.       Kia Motors India (Kia Seltos): The radio advertisement’s claims “He doesn’t play by the rules. He plays with them.” and “Inspired by the badass in you.” imply that one shouldn’t care about the (traffic) rules. It manifests a disregard for safety and encourages negligence.

    SUO MOTU Surveillance by ASCI FOR MISLEADING ADVERTISEMENTS

    The advertisements listed below were picked up through ASCI’s Suo Motu surveillance of Print and TV media through the National Advertisement Monitoring Services (NAMS) project. Out of 195 advertisements that were picked, 69 cases were resolved immediately wherein the advertisers confirmed that the advertisements were being withdrawn post receiving the complaints. Of the 126 advertisements examined by the CCC, complaints against 125 advertisements were upheld. Of these 125 advertisements, 89 belonged to the Education sector, 24 advertisements belonged to the Healthcare sector, four belonged to the Personal Care category, two belonged to the F&B category and six fell in the “Others” category.

    Education

    The CCC found that the claims made in following seven advertisements were misleading by exaggeration, exploited consumers’ lack of knowledge and could lead to widespread disappointment in the minds of consumers. A large number superlative claims were unsubstantiated. These advertisements also violated ASCI’s Guidelines for Advertising of Educational Institutions and Programs.

    1.       One Day World: The print advertisement’s claim “Most Trusted One Day Institute of North India” was not substantiated with any market survey data, or with verifiable comparative data of the advertiser’s institute and other similar institutes in North India, to prove that their institute is more trusted compared to all the others for providing training for the career courses claimed, or through a third party validation.

    2.       Nagaji Group of Institutions-Nagaji Institute of Technology & Management: The print advertisement’s claim “7 National & 3 International Award-Winning Institute” was not substantiated the advertiser did not provide copy of the ten award certificates, reference of the awards received such as the year, source, category, the basis of the awards and the details about the awarding bodies.

    Healthcare

    The CCC found that the claims made in the following eight advertisements were misleading that exploit consumers’ lack of knowledge and could lead to widespread disappointment in the minds of consumers. Several of these claims were misleading by exaggeration.

    1.       Urkid fertility Private Limited (Maa IVF): The print advertisement’s claim “Higher success rate” was not substantiated with any market survey data or with any verifiable comparative data of the advertiser’s centre and other IVF centres, to prove that they are have a higher success rate in IVF treatment, or through a third party validation.  The CCC was of the opinion that it is not possible for the advertiser to conduct a comparative study to generate claim support data for this superiority claim given the nature of the healthcare services sector and number of such IVF Centres.

    2.       Sri Krishna Clinic: The print advertisement’s claim “Successful treatment for piles, fistula, and fissure without operation with one injection” was not substantiated with supporting clinical evidence. The advertiser did not provide details of the medicines used in the injection and any details regarding their approval status by the regulatory authorities.

    Personal Care

    1.       Unicharm India Pvt Ltd (Sofy Cool Napkins): The television voice over claims, “Coolpad technology that gives long lasting cool feeling and keeps irritation free” and “India’s First Cool Napkins” were inadequately substantiated. The CCC did not agree with the Advertiser’s rationale that “Irritation Free” refers to “mental comfort.” The claim of the Product providing a “cool” feeling was not conclusively proven among majority of the users.  There is no support for the claim “long lasting cool feeling”.

    2.       Shahnaz Husain Group (Shahnaz Husain Total Care Day Long Sun Block-SPF 25): The print advertisement’s claim “SPF 25” was inadequately substantiated. It was observed that the advertiser produced a certificate of analysis of an in-house test report and excerpts of an external test report. The external test report indicated SPF value for the test product to be 25.2. The CCC were of the opinion that the SPF values are required to be conclusively proven for in-vivo situation.

    Food and Beverage

    1.       Sresta Natural Bio-Products (24 Mantra Organic) – The print advertisement’s claim “India’s #1 Organic Brand” was inadequately substantiated as the advertiser failed to provide latest data to substantiate the claim of no.1 organic brand. The advertiser provided a report of 2016, where they held a 37% of market share in the packed organic food in the market and 7.8% share in the packed organic beverages market. The CCC was of the opinion that due to the availability of more market players in the organic food sector, the advertiser ought to have provided latest data for this claim to be tenable.

    2.       Nirmal Traders Tea: The print advertisement’s claim “The Best Tea” was not substantiated with market survey data or any verifiable comparative data of the advertiser’s product and other similar tea products to prove that they are better than all the rest, or through an independent third party validation. Additionally, the second claim “Fresher and Gives More Pep” were comparative claims and were not substantiated with any verifiable comparison of the advertiser’s product and other competitor tea products to prove that their product performs better in terms of freshness and providing pep or through an independent third-party validation.

    Others

    The CCC found that the claims in the following six advertisements were misleading and exploited consumers’ lack of knowledge which could lead to widespread disappointment in the minds of consumers.

    1.       Rebel Foods: The print advertisements claim “World's Largest Internet Restaurant Company” was not substantiated. The CCC opined that news clippings provided by advertiser are not conclusive and reliable evidence for market leadership claim. The advertiser should have provided verifiable comparative data or market survey data of their company in terms of worldwide turn over or market share by value / volume and other similar internet restaurant companies to prove that they are the largest.

    2.       Shankus Water Park & Resort: The print advertisement’s claim “India’s First Water Park” was not substantiated with any verifiable comparative data of the advertiser’s park and other similar water parks in India, to prove that they are the first to introduce a water park in India, or through a third party validation. The second claim “Best Water Park of Gujarat by Gujarat Tourism” was also not substantiated with the copy of the award certificate, details of the awarding body, details of the criteria for granting the award, references of the award received such as the year, source, category, survey methodology, parameters considered, questionnaires used, names of other similar water parks that were part of the survey and outcome of the survey.

  • ASCI to improve social media presence, strengthen monitoring of digital advertising: Rohit Gupta

    ASCI to improve social media presence, strengthen monitoring of digital advertising: Rohit Gupta

    MUMBAI: The newly appointed Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) chairman of the board of governors Rohit Gupta will be putting a strong emphasis on the process of improving the digital advertisements. He made his thoughts known to Indiantelevision.com moments after his appointment was formally announced at the board meeting following the 33rd AGM of the council on Thursday in Mumbai.

    “We will be bringing in a very strong process for monitoring digital advertisement as we did for traditional media, as digital today is the fastest growing medium in India,” he said.

    Rohit Gupta is the president of Sony Pictures Network India (SPNI) and is also a director at several industry bodies in India like the Indian Broadcasting Foundation (IFB), Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC), and Media Research Users Council (MRUC).

    Gupta also shared that the council is going to continue working towards increasing consumer awareness about the advertising norms. He hailed the government for introducing the Consumer Protection Bill and showed positivity that the brands and endorsers today are being more responsible towards the advertising process.

    “I want to continue increasing consumer awareness towards ASCI. Last year, I am proud to say, that the council did a great job in doing that. We saw a 30 per cent rise in the overall complaints filed at ASCI, crossing the 6000 mark. We want to keep building on that,” he mentioned.

    Gupta added that for this, he will be putting a strong emphasis on strengthening the social media presence of the council on channels like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

    ASCI did a commendable job last year in raising consumer awareness. As highlighted at the board meeting, the council saw a 37 per cent rise in complaints received on its GAMA portal, and a 30 per cent rise in the total complaints received. The council is receiving more than 50 complaints every day on WhatsApp after the rollout of ASCI complaint scroll on TV channels, a handbook issued by it reveals.

    After getting the compliance of TV partners, Gupta is now willing to get INS on-board to curb the menace of misleading and fake advertisement. He also wants the brands to monitor their own ads and be responsible for their conduct. 

  • Rohit Gupta elected as the new chairman of ASCI

    Rohit Gupta elected as the new chairman of ASCI

    MUMBAI: At the board meeting, following the 33rd Annual General Meeting of The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) held today, Mr. Rohit Gupta, President, Sony Pictures Networks was unanimously elected the Chairman of the Board of Governors of ASCI. Mr Rohit Gupta is an accomplished industry veteran having spent over 30 years in holding key leadership positions across consumer, media and entertainment industries.

    Mr. Subhash Kamath, Managing Partner, BBH Communications India Pvt Ltd was elected the Vice-Chairman and Mr. Shashi Sinha, CEO, Media Brands Pvt Ltd, was re-appointed the Honorary Treasurer.

    Members of the Board of Governors include; Mr. Girish Agarwal (Director, Dainik Bhaskar Group), Mr. Vikas Agnihotri (Director Sales, Google India Pvt. Ltd.), Mr. Prasun Basu (President – South Asia, Nielsen (India) Pvt. Ltd.), Mr. Harish Bhat (Director, Tata Global Beverages Ltd.), Mr. Madhusudan Gopalan (CEO, Procter & Gamble Hygiene and Health Care Ltd.), Mr. Sandeep Kohli (Executive Director & Vice President, Personal Care Hindustan Unilever Ltd), Prof S.K. Palekar (Adjunct Professor & Advisor, Executive Education Institute of Management Technology), Mr. N.S.  Rajan (Managing Director, Ketchum Sampark Pvt Ltd), Ms. Abanti Sankaranarayanan (Former Vice Chairperson, CIABC), Mr. D Shivakumar (Group Executive President, Aditya Birla Management Corporation Pvt. Ltd.), Mr. Umesh Shrikhande (CEO, Taproot India Comm. P. Ltd.), Mr. K.V. Sridhar (Founder & Chief Creative Officer (Director), Hyper Collective Creative Technologies Pvt Ltd), Mr. Sivakumar Sundaram (President Revenue, Bennett Coleman & Co. Ltd).

    Recalling his year at ASCI, the outgoing Chairman Mr. D Shivakumar, said “ASCI is a voluntary job and a board led organisation. When I set out last year as the Chairman I had three objectives laid out. The first was to increase our membership base, the second to go digital and third to create awareness among consumers. Now thanks to the MIB directive our awareness has increased immensely, our WhatsApp number has seen a 3X increase in daily messages. We have increased our member base by 10%, our new members representing e-commerce, food & beverage, automotive sectors joining ASCI. ASCI’s digital marketing campaigns would further boost awareness as well as compliance. I wish Rohit and the board the best for the year ahead.”

    The incoming Chairman, Mr. Rohit Gupta, said, “I am honoured to accept this role and look forward to the year ahead. With the inclusion of the internet into our everyday life and the constant evolution in the digital space, I feel that synchronizing ASCI’s efforts in the Digital space will be our key focus for the year. The Council has covered a lot of ground in addressing the need for self-regulation in the digital medium and work is progressing rapidly to address that need. Additionally, we will continue our efforts to strengthen relationships with stakeholders in the year ahead.”

    The independent Consumer Complaints Council met 44 times during the year and deliberated on complaints pertaining to 2898 advertisements. Of these, 732 advertisements were promptly withdrawn as soon as the advertiser received communication from ASCI. Complaints were upheld against 1486 advertisements whilst complaints against 475 advertisements were not upheld. 205 advertisements were found to be, prima facie, in violation of The Drugs & Magic Remedies (DMR) Act or The Drugs & Cosmetics Rules (Schedule J) and were promptly escalated to the concerned regulator for immediate attention. In all, 937 advertisements were dealt with immediately through the Informal Resolution (IR) process and escalation to regulators, hence providing speedy redressal of complaints and making ASCI’s process more efficient.

  • ZEEL CFO on TRAI tariff order impact on subscription revenue, advertising growth outlook & content cost inflation

    ZEEL CFO on TRAI tariff order impact on subscription revenue, advertising growth outlook & content cost inflation

    MUMBAI: Zee Entertainment Enterprises (ZEEL) maintained its growth trajectory for the year end 31 March with an 18.7 per cent increase in y-o-y revenues. Advertising revenue for the financial was up 19.8 per cent on the back of consolidating the market share of its domestic broadcast business and monetisation of ZEE5’s consumer base. ZEEL's programming cost for FY19 increased by 21.7 per cent YoY largely due to the content cost for its streaming service. The media and entertainment conglomerate's numbers not only beat analysts' expectations but were impressive given the changes in broadcast and cable services regulation. It was an eventful year for the iconic brand given the news of its impending stake sale. However, moving forward, the Subhash Chandra-led company will continue to invest and scale up new businesses to widen its content offering. In a Q&A published in the company's annual report, ZEEL CFO Rohit Gupta commented on a wide array of subjects including its financial performance in FY19, outlook of advertising growth, new tariff order’s impact on subscription revenue among others

    Here are the edited excerpts.

    How was ZEEL’s financial performance in FY19?

    We are happy to deliver yet another year of industry leading performance. During the previous fiscal, our revenues grew by 18.7 per cent YoY, led by strong operating performance across all businesses. Advertising revenues for the year grew by 19.8 per cent driven by the viewership share gains in domestic broadcast business and monetisation of ZEE5’s fast-growing user base. Subscription revenues grew by 13.9 per cent during the year. While international subscription remained largely stable, domestic pay revenues witnessed a growth of 17.4 per cent, led by improved monetisation of phase-III markets. Our movie production and distribution vertical drove a strong 30 per cent growth in other revenues. During the year, our cost base was elevated due to higher content investments and increase in marketing spends for our digital and broadcast businesses. Despite these investments, our EBITDA margins expanded to 32.3 per cent, highlighting the underlying profitability of our business. Our FY19 results are consistent with the performance over the past five years. We have registered 16 per cent CAGR in both revenues and EBITDA during this period on the back of strong operating performance.

    Could you elaborate on the factors driving strong growth in domestic advertising revenues in FY19? What is your outlook for advertising growth?

    During FY19, domestic advertising revenues witnessed a growth of 20.9 per cent led by traction in both television and digital businesses. Our domestic broadcast business gained another 170bps viewership share led by the regional and movie channels. We became the leader in Bangla and Kannada markets and further strengthened our share in Tamil Nadu. This helped us to improve our monetisation and grow ahead of the industry. Additionally, advertising revenues from ZEE5 contributed to growth. During the first three quarters, growth was relatively stronger at 22 per cent, helped by a low base and increase in ad-spends by consumer companies. However, in the fourth quarter, the growth moderated as the advertisers reduced spends due to uncertainty related to implementation of the tariff order. We believe that once the disruption is behind us, the ad growth will return to its normal growth trajectory. As ZEE5 continues to scale up, it would witness a concomitant increase in ad revenues as well. The movement of two of our FTA channels out of DD Freedish will have some impact on ad growth in the near-term but we are working with our strategy to compensate for that revenue loss through other channels. Our endeavor is to continue growing ahead of the industry.

    What led to the acceleration in domestic subscription revenue growth in FY19? What are the implications of the TRAI tariff order on subscription revenue growth?

    Our domestic subscription revenue growth stood at 17.4 per cent in FY19, a significant acceleration from the previous year. The growth during the year can be divided into two parts – strong 22.5 per cent growth during the first nine-months and a muted fourth quarter. During the first nine-months, we benefitted from monetisation of the newly digitised phase III markets. However, during the fourth quarter, implementation of the long-awaited TRAI tariff order negatively impacted the growth. Given that this regulation allows the consumers to choose and select individual channels or bouquets, the distributors’ infrastructure was put under immense pressure as the back-end had to cope with implementing millions of combinations. This led to execution challenges and disruptions on the ground. That said, ZEEL has seen satisfactory uptake of its channels and bouquets. We are positive that once the impact of the regulation settles, subscription growth will revert to its normal course. Our medium-term guidance on domestic subscription revenues remain unchanged.

    Content costs have seen an increase in FY19. Is the company seeing content cost inflation, especially in the digital business?

    In FY19, our content cost increased by 21.7 per cent YoY, slightly ahead of revenue growth, resulting in our content cost-to-revenue ratio going up by 100bps to 38.8 per cent. Three factors contributed to this increase – ramp up of ZEE5 Originals, higher movie amortisation costs, and increase in content cost of Zee Studios. To understand the cost inflation, we can divide ZEEL’s content in three categories. First, fiction and non-fiction shows for our television audience, which accounts for a substantial portion of our total content cost. Cost per hour for this category is growing in line with inflation. Second, original content for our digital platform, ZEE5. Cost of ZEE5 Originals is increasing significantly as we are ramping up production across 6 languages. In the digital business, higher talent cost and amortisation of fixed costs over fewer episodes push up the cost per hour. Though ZEE5 produced 50+ original series/films till Mar-2019, it is still a small proportion of our total content bouquet. Lastly, the acquisition of movie rights for both broadcast and digital businesses contributed to cost inflation.

    What is the growth and investment outlook for new businesses and initiatives?

    At ZEEL, we continue to invest and scale up new businesses to widen our content offering. Our new businesses – digital, movies and music, and live entertainment have gained traction during FY19 and are heading in the planned direction. ZEE5 completed its first year of operations and the platform has witnessed very encouraging response. ZEE5 released 50+ original series/ movies to become the largest digital content producer in India. Investments in digital will further increase as we ramp-up production of ZEE5 Originals and movie offering across languages. These content investments will be complemented by marketing spends. Our domestic broadcast business is preparing to launch movie channels in regional markets for which we have been building a library for some time. Incremental investments in the domestic broadcast would be limited. These content and marketing investments are expensed above EBITDA. Despite these investments, the company expects to maintain healthy margins.

    Working capital saw a sharp increase in the past three years which has negatively impacted free cash flow. When do you expect cash generation to improve?

    The increase in working capital is primarily attributable to our strategy of building a strong movie library and scaling up of original content production for ZEE5. On the digital original content front, we have built a strong slate with plans to release over 70 series/ films across six languages in FY20. Investments in movies and original content for ZEE5 will continue, however, as revenues from these businesses grow, we will start seeing an improvement in cash generation.

  • Zeel appoints Rohit Gupta as CFO

    Zeel appoints Rohit Gupta as CFO

    MUMBAI: Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd (ZEEL) has announced the appointment of Rohit Gupta as the CFO and will report to Zeel MD and CEO Punit Goenka.

    In his new role, Gupta will be spearheading the fiscal and financial management aspect of the company. He will also be responsible for the development of operational and financial strategy and monitoring of control systems designed to preserve the company assets.

    Gupta comes with a rich experience of 25 years in domestic and international markets in various aspects of business including managing operations, shareholder and investor expectations, risk management, business planning, process implementation, fiduciary governance, accounting, finance, taxation, revenue management, treasury, forex, fraud management and cost minimization, and financial management. Having a strong record of turning around businesses, he has successfully led the business restructuring and realignment exercises to enhance profitability and market capitalisation.

    Prior to joining ZEEL, Gupta was associated with the Chaudhary Group where he was responsible for the roll-out of 5G ready telecom network in Nepal. Previously, he has also worked with leading corporations like the DCM Shriram group, Hero Group, Hutchinson Max, British Telecom, Bharti Airtel, Virgin Mobile, NIIT and Brightstar India.

  • Industry applauds Sam Balsara as he turns 67

    Industry applauds Sam Balsara as he turns 67

    MUMBAI: He is a man of small stature and has a voice that at times breaks into a squeak. But veteran ad man Sam Balsara–who is celebrating his sixty-seventh birthday today–is one of the giants of Indian advertising whose words have boomed across the industry and made even the most powerful sit up, take note – and follow.

    Born in the small city of Bulsar–now called Valsad–in Gujarat, Blasara clearly was meant for bigger things right from the beginning. He went on to complete his management post graduation from the Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies. He began his career working as a marketing executive at Sarabhais and Cadbury. Later he switched to advertising, working with Hindustan Thompson Associates’ second agency Contract Advertising. He then moved on to a fledgling outfit  called Mudra then headed by (the now late) AG Krishnamurthy and  went to lead its Mumbai office for four years.

    But working for someone else didn’t pacify his hunger to make a mark in the world. That’s when he decided to become an entrepreneur and partnered a fledgling agency called Madison which he took over totally later in 1988.

    What started as a small company with only two clients back then, namely Godrej and Nelco, today has 24 business units across 11 specialised functions of advertising, media, business analytics, outdoor, activation, events, PR, retail, entertainment, mobile and sports. The gross billing of Madison World today stands at around Rs 3,700 crore. 

    The chairman & managing director at Madison World, Sam Balsara has seen the industry evolve and go through to various upheavals and transformation and the man still gives novel agencies a run for their money.

    He got his daughter Lara Balsara Vajifdar on board as a management trainee in Madison in 2004 and today she has risen to become the executive director, Madison World, having played a significant role building the  brand over the past decade.

    public://sam2.jpg

    Working with your family has its own perks. But things can get tricky and awkward at times and one has to know how to manage the on-off switch. Sam Balsara does it well. Something that’s vouched for by Lara who emphasizes that her father is a very different person at home.

    “At work he is a lot more formal, objective, focused, but at home, although he does work a fair bit at home too, he is more relaxed. It is a treat to watch him interact and get bullied by his grand children,” says the mother of two.

    Madison World is set to compete 30 years of its business in March this year and people have been talking again about Balsara retiring from his position or selling off the agency. The on and off conversations have been going on for quite a few years on whether Madison World would begin active dialogue with any holding company for a sale or merger this year. And the chatter is pretty much justified as Madison is amongst the rare few Indian owned advertising agencies that is consistently outperforming its opponents that come with global ancestry and backing. But Balsara has always rubbished these rumours as he has no intentions of selling the company any time soon. 

    Lara points out that her father is a great man-manager as he always believes in leading by example. “He commands respect rather than demanding it and gives senior people the freedom to shape and drive their businesses,” she adds. 

    Sam Balara has been rated the most influential person in media and is a recipient of the AAAI (Advertising Agencies Association of India ) Lifetime Achievement Award. He has served as of AAAI president from 2002 to 2004, Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) chairman from 2000 to 2001, and has been The Advertising Club president for three terms from 1989 to 1992. 

    Although he isn’t likely to be in the city during the day to celebrate his birthday, the family is set to attend a function later in the evening. 

    Team IndianTelevision.com wishes the ad guru a very happy birthday and health! We list down  some of the key industry leaders’ wishes for Sam  Balsara. 

    Canco Advertising founder & IAA India president  Ramesh Narayan: “Sam and I go back a long way. He has always been a terrific industry man. We have worked together in the AAAI and continue to work together in the IAA. To me, Sam is a person who never says no and is always there to help you. He is a positive influence. May you always remain as young, smiling and helpful as you have always been my friend.”

    Publicis India managing director &  chief creative officer Bobby Pawar: “Hey Sam, you are not just a big part of the industry but you are an industry all by yourself. But can you do the rest of us a favour and just pretend to slow down because you are making the rest of us feel old.”

    Dentsu Aegis Network chairman and CEO South Asia Ashish Bhasin: “Dear Sam, You epitomise energy and drive in our industry. Keep providing us with your valuable guidance and keep growing younger and younger as you always do. Best wishes.”

    Madison Media & OOH Madison World group CEO Vikram Sakhuja:

    “I’ve known him for over 25 years and it has been a wonderful run with him. I’ve known him as a client for 10 years, as a competitor for 14 years and now as a partner for around 2 years. He  still has the same energy at 67 as he did when he was 40. He is one of those guys who is extremely passionate about advertising and media. He is always willing to help and humble to the core. He has a sense of fair play, integrity and is always willing to help the larger cause. He is a great mentor and provides advice that is profound in its simplicity.”

    Sony Pictures Network president of network sales & international business Rohit Gupta:

    “He is an institution in himself for the media industry. He is the most honest and respectable man in the media business and there is nobody who can come close to him. Despite the invasion of big agencies, he stood alone and hats off to him for that.”

    Applause Entertainment CEO Sameer Nair:

    “I have known Sam from the time I got into the industry and he has ever since been a leading light of the media buying and planning business. He has been like a hero to all of us in the industry and has held himself up against all big foreign giant multinational companies. Sam personally is a wonderful person and in my personal experience he has always been extremely kind, considerate and looks out for people. My professional relationship with him has always been smooth even when I was the seller and he was the media buyer. I have always found him as a very reasonable man to deal with.”

    BARC CEO Partho Dasgupta:

    “Sam is a respected voice not only in the advertising world, but the larger media industry as well – and not without reason. He has had a long innings, and I am sure he will continue to be at the crease for many years to come. He is the man who literally created the afternoon soap slot with Shanti on DD. There’s a lot to be gained from his rich experience and accumulated insights – and we all know that he speaks his mind freely without pulling any punches. I wish him many more years of success.”

    Viacom18 COO Raj Nayak: 

    Sam Balsara is a legend in his own right. Small in height and big in stature. I have known Sam for more than two decades and his biggest strength is his ability to combine humility with hardcore business. He is a charmer and can disarm you with his smile. He has a human side to his hard-nosed business approach and goes out of his way to help everyone. He is someone you can reach out to both personally and professionally. Sam is a hands on boss and comes prepared for industry meetings with facts and figures at his fingertips. He has been on almost all industry bodies and his contribution to the advertising and media business is unparalleled. He is someone I immensely admire and respect. Today on his 67th birthday I wish him. Lots more success, good health, happiness and a very long life. Cheers Sam, I am waiting for the birthday cake! 

    And from us at indiantelevision.com we’d like to end with the words of Ingrid Bergman in the 1942 film Casablanca: “Play it Sam. Play it for old time’s sake.”

    Also Read :

    ‘I encourage all my people to think like entrepreneurs.’ – Sam Balsara

    “I hope to convince BJP to connect with electorate throughout the year”: Sam Balsara

    ‘Name and shame delinquent channels’

  • Sony nets 11 KBC sponsors, ad inventory almost sold out

    Sony nets 11 KBC sponsors, ad inventory almost sold out

    MUMBAI: Five days from now, when Kaun Banegi Crorepati (KBC)  fans tune into the iconic Amitabh Bachchan-hosted long-running millionaire game show)  on Sony Entertainment Television (SET) from 9 pm to 10:30 pm, they will come across quite a few innovations.

    For one, they will notice that KBC in its ninth season has been shortened to just 35 episodes with each one having a duration of between 50-60 minutes of content.  

    Then they will observe that lifelines that are provided to contestants  – when they are stumped by the quiz question put to them by Mr Bachchan – are refreshingly different.

    Instead of phone a friend,  they will be able to video a friend. A new lifeline Jodidaar (companion) has been introduced – wherein the participant can bring along a partner to join him/her on the coveted hot seat. The iconic large-sized cheques are also being replaced with digital currency which will be  transferred directly into the winner’s account via Axis Bank, keeping in mind prime minister Narendra Modi digital financial  transaction directive.

    Of  course, the show will air Monday to Friday of each week. And it’s coming on air three years after it was aired the last time in 2014.

    Produced  by the ever so loveable team of Siddharth ‘Babu’ Basu and Anita Kaul Basu for Sony Pictures Networks India (SPNI),  an interesting twist has been introduced in the KBC narrative, which is likely to add a lot of excitement and drama for both participants and viewers.

    A jackpot question, which will make the contestant richer by a mouth-watering Rs 70 million – should he or she answer it correctly after he has gone past the 15 quizzing rounds successfully and won Rs 10 million – has been brought in. This will be an all or nothing deal, wherein the quizzer’s remaining lifelines will terminate. Should the contestant fail to answer the jackpot question, his or her earnings will evaporate from Rs 10 million to Rs 3,40,000.

    Says SET  EVP and business head Danish Khan: “We wanted to make KBC  pacier, with innovations being thrown in so that viewers stay engaged. People don’t have too much patience. They want a lot of action packed into one hour.”

    The  team has also paintstakingly worked on contestant selection. Says Khan: “The aim is to live up to the promise of celebrating the common Indian and his/her exemplary contribution to the society.”

    Bachchan will also invite real-life-heroes in special episodes which are to be aired every Friday. These individuals will not only be given an opportunity to play the game, but also be provided a platform to reach out to the country in support of their cause. Among the contestants who are slated to take part include  Indian women’s cricket heroes Mithali Raj and  Harmanpreet Kaur.

    Sony Pictures Networks India CEO NP Singh points out:   “KBC truly does go beyond the ordinary to touch the lives of people from all walks of life. This show has always exemplified attainment via the power of knowledge.”

    Kaun Banega Crorepati will bring the game closer to  viewers by taking the engagement a notch higher. Jio – which is title sponsoring KBC this year – subscribers can participate daily in the Ghar Baithe Jackpot Jeeto contest and stand a chance to win a Datsun redi-GO car every day. For the first time ever Jio subscribers will have the opportunity to ‘Play Along’ with the on-air game and match their knowledge with the contestants on the hot seat.

    KBC, like earlier years, has managed to appeal to a wide array of sponsors even before the show has gone on air. Which speaks volumes for its pedigree.

    11 of them, including Vivo, Jio, Ching’s, Datsun, Raymond, Axis Bank, Akash Tutorial, Big Bazar and Quick Heal have signed on the dotted line.

    “The complete inventory has been sold out. This is one of the best seasons we have had so far because we have been completely sold out before the start of the show,” says SPNI network sales president Rohit Gupta.

    Gupta revealed that only five per cent of the air time has been kept aside for advertisers wanting to get on board as the season progresses and the show gathers momentum and grows its viewership.

    “We might sell this during the Diwali  festive season to get a higher premium,” he says.

    Gupta refused to go into detail about the amount of revenues and the ad rates that have been pegged this year.

    Says he:  “Comparing  this season and the last one would be unfair as this time the number of episodes is different. But you can say that the ad rates have gone up by 15-20 per cent this year.”

    According to industry experts, Gupta and his  sales team have priced a 10 second TV spot at ₹3.5 lakh to start with, which is a growth of 20 per cent over what it was when KBC went  on air in the last season.

    Says Singh:“The new avatar you are seeing for KBC  has been guided by audience insights. The show truly does go beyond the ordinary to touch the lives of people from all walks of life. It  has always exemplified attainment via the power of knowledge.”

    Adds Big Synergy creative producer Siddharth Basu: “The huge number of registrations for a crack at the hot seat is one pointer to the enormous anticipation for the show. Along with much-loved features of the classic format, viewers can look forward to expect the unexpected this season, a turbo-charged version, with novel features, engaging contestants, and vibrant conduct by the host who’s the most – Amitabh Bachchan.”

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  • Sony Max SD & HD’s Sultan premiere locks big ad revenues

    Sony Max SD & HD’s Sultan premiere locks big ad revenues

    MUMBAI: How much can a single telecast of a Hindi film on a channel earn in ad revenues? Well, if estimates are to be believed, it could be Rs 50 crore for the premiere of the Salman Khan starrer Sultan which aired on Sony Pictures Network India (SPN India) Hindi movie channel Sony Max on 15 October, according to a PTI report. The film focuses on Sultan Ali Khan (played by Salman Khan), a wrestling champion from Haryana, whose successful career creates a rift in his personal life

    As expected, SPN India president (sales & international business) Rohit Gupta refused to put a fix on the exact figure while speaking to PTI. All he said was : “It is one of the biggest blockbusters and it has been the biggest movie for us in terms of revenue. It is the highest grossing movie revenue which we have got, but we cant disclose the revenue.”

    SPN India business head for Hindi movies and music cluster Neeraj Vyas also highlighted that Sultan allowed it to gross its highest ever ad sales for a movie premiere on the network. But once again he provided no figures. “We’ve had a 20 per cent increase in ad rates – over the previous large movie premiere that we had sold last year around the same time for Bahubali- which is why the numbers have gone up to what they have ”

    SPN India had slapped a pricing of Rs 10 lakh per 10 second ad spot for its standard definition channel and Rs 2 lakh per 10 seconds for its Sony Max HD services. Those are the kind of numbers it charges for some of its premium IPL matches.

    Amongst the brands which hopped on board included: Chinese handset maker Oppo and Reliance Jio as the co-presenter sponsors, while FMCG megalith Hindustan Unilever and auto major Mahindra as co-sponsors. Bajaj Auto, Colgate, Mondelez, Reckitt Benckiser and Samsung Electronics chose to be signed on as associate sponsors, while brands such as Apple, eBay India, Ford India, Google India, Huawei Tele, Intel, Intex Technologies, Lenovo, Loreal, Pernod Ricard, Raymond and Vivo Mobiles brought spots.

    SPN India claimed to PTI that the inventory had been sold out days before – a bit of a first for the network.

  • Sony Max SD & HD’s Sultan premiere locks big ad revenues

    Sony Max SD & HD’s Sultan premiere locks big ad revenues

    MUMBAI: How much can a single telecast of a Hindi film on a channel earn in ad revenues? Well, if estimates are to be believed, it could be Rs 50 crore for the premiere of the Salman Khan starrer Sultan which aired on Sony Pictures Network India (SPN India) Hindi movie channel Sony Max on 15 October, according to a PTI report. The film focuses on Sultan Ali Khan (played by Salman Khan), a wrestling champion from Haryana, whose successful career creates a rift in his personal life

    As expected, SPN India president (sales & international business) Rohit Gupta refused to put a fix on the exact figure while speaking to PTI. All he said was : “It is one of the biggest blockbusters and it has been the biggest movie for us in terms of revenue. It is the highest grossing movie revenue which we have got, but we cant disclose the revenue.”

    SPN India business head for Hindi movies and music cluster Neeraj Vyas also highlighted that Sultan allowed it to gross its highest ever ad sales for a movie premiere on the network. But once again he provided no figures. “We’ve had a 20 per cent increase in ad rates – over the previous large movie premiere that we had sold last year around the same time for Bahubali- which is why the numbers have gone up to what they have ”

    SPN India had slapped a pricing of Rs 10 lakh per 10 second ad spot for its standard definition channel and Rs 2 lakh per 10 seconds for its Sony Max HD services. Those are the kind of numbers it charges for some of its premium IPL matches.

    Amongst the brands which hopped on board included: Chinese handset maker Oppo and Reliance Jio as the co-presenter sponsors, while FMCG megalith Hindustan Unilever and auto major Mahindra as co-sponsors. Bajaj Auto, Colgate, Mondelez, Reckitt Benckiser and Samsung Electronics chose to be signed on as associate sponsors, while brands such as Apple, eBay India, Ford India, Google India, Huawei Tele, Intel, Intex Technologies, Lenovo, Loreal, Pernod Ricard, Raymond and Vivo Mobiles brought spots.

    SPN India claimed to PTI that the inventory had been sold out days before – a bit of a first for the network.