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Tag: Shailesh Gupta

  • Madison Media’s Vikram Sakhuja takes over as chairman of MRUC

    Madison Media’s Vikram Sakhuja takes over as chairman of MRUC

    MUMBAI: Madison World, partner group ceo, Madison Media & OOH, Vikram Sakhuja has been elected chairman of the MRUC (Media Research Users Council of India). The MRUCI board approved his appointment at its annual general meeting, with Sakhuja succeeding Shailesh Gupta of Jagran Media. He had been vice-chairman of the body since 2024.

    Joining him on the new leadership slate, Dhruba Mukherjee, director at ABP Network, has been elected vice-chairman, while Shashi Sinha, executive chairman of IPG Mediabrands, will head the IRS technical committee, a role Sakhuja previously held.

    An alumnus of IIT Delhi and IIM Calcutta, Sakhuja brings nearly four decades of experience across marketing, media and advertising. He has held leadership roles at P&G (Procter & Gamble), Coca-cola, Star TV, Mindshare, Groupm and Maxus Worldwide, before taking over at Madison in 2015. 

  • Godrej L’Affaire launches #CelebratingAcceptance campaign

    Godrej L’Affaire launches #CelebratingAcceptance campaign

    Mumbai: Godrej L’affaire, the lifestyle platform by Godrej Industries Group, continues its #CelebratingAcceptance campaign this Diwali with a brand film promoting love and equality in relationships. The story follows young Shlok, who learns from his neighbour, Aunt, about embracing diverse family dynamics. As he participates in Diwali celebrations, Shlok observes different customs and learns that traditions are best enriched through acceptance.

    Featuring Ankit Andulekar and Shailesh Gupta as a same-sex couple, the film conveys the message: ‘Riwaazo se Rishte nahi Bante’ (Relationships aren’t built on traditions) but rather, ‘Hum rishton se Riwaaz banate hai’ (We create traditions through relationships). Through Aunt’s metaphor, ‘Brown ho ya colourful, hai toh dono mitti ke diye na’ (Brown or colourful, every diya is made from the same clay), Shlok learns to appreciate all forms of love without bias. He becomes a young ambassador of change, embracing inclusion and reinforcing that Diwali and the relationships it celebrates are for everyone.

    celebratingacceptance

    Godrej Industries Group chief communications officer, corporate brand and communications Sujit Patil said, “Festivities in India are deeply entrenched in tradition. With this film Godrej L’Affaire aims to generate conversations around widening traditional norms. We hope to spark meaningful conversations around love that transcends norms. Diwali is a time of celebration and connection, and we believe that the light of acceptance should shine equally bright for everyone—regardless of who they love. At its heart, this film reflects the beauty of relationships built on authenticity, reminding us that true joy comes from embracing one another just as we are. We hope it inspires people to celebrate relationships in all their forms and create traditions that are rooted in love.”

    Godrej DEI Lab head Parmesh Shahani said, “Godrej Industries Group has a dedicated diversity and inclusion vertical, the Godrej DEI Lab, committed to workplace inclusion and we were delighted to collaborate on this important project. Through this campaign, we hope to encourage viewers to expand the idea of tradition and love their family members in all their beautiful diversity, just as the mother in this video has done. Our efforts in this direction coincide with the recent steps of the government’s department of social justice and empowerment (DoSJE), which had invited inputs of stakeholders and the public at large, so as to ensure that policies and initiatives regarding LGBTQI+ community are inclusive and effective. The Department of Financial Services (DFS) has issued an advisory that there are no restrictions for persons of the queer community to open a joint bank account and to nominate a person in queer relationship as a nominee, while the ministry of health and family welfare has issued letters to all stakeholders including all States/UTs to take measures to ensure the rights of LGBTQI+ community. We believe that through videos like this, we can share with viewers how invaluable support from family members empowers the LGBTQIA+ community to truly make every milestone in their lives a celebration of inclusion.”

    AGENCY09 senior content creator Aadie Sawant, the ideator & screenplay writer for this campaign added, “Familiarising children to different concepts, different perspectives is important. Most queer individuals spend their childhood being indoctrinated to a “straight” way of living. Letting them know that it’s okay to pursue what seems right to you is crucial, so as to not affect their adult life. I’m happy that I got to share this narrative of acceptance and love.”

    This Diwali, join Godrej L’affaire in embracing a significant step towards fostering a society where love knows no bounds and where all relationships are cherished.

  • Radio City Q3 results: 13 per cent revenue growth and 25 per cent growth in EBITDA

    Radio City Q3 results: 13 per cent revenue growth and 25 per cent growth in EBITDA

    Mumbai: Music Broadcast Limited (MBL), India’s private FM radio broadcaster has reported its un-audited financial results for the quarter ended 31 December 2023.

    Key highlights – Q3FY24:

    ·  Q3FY24 top line of Rs 60.4 Crores; 11 per cent growth YoY
    ·  EBITDA at Rs 15.3 Crores; 5 per cent Growth YoY
    ·  EBITDA margin at 25.3 per cent

    Key Highlights – 9MFY24:

    ·  9MFY24 Top line of Rs 165.9 Crores; 13 per cent growth YoY
    ·  EBITDA at Rs 40.1 Crores; 25 per cent growth YoY
    ·  EBITDA margin at 24.2 per cent
    ·  Maintained a strong Position with 19 per cent volume market share

    Includes other income

    Commenting on the results, Radio City director, Shailesh Gupta said, “I am pleased to share that our revenues experienced an 11 per cent growth in the Q3FY24 with EBITDA margins at 25.3 per cent. Our focus continues towards the digital business which has a significant growth moving forward.

    At Radio City, we’ve executed a range of strategies to expand our positioning in the radio industry. According to Aircheck 15 Markets, in the third quarter, we successfully retained our market share at 19 per cent. Additionally, our comprehensive Omni-channel framework allows us to maximize the extensive reach of our networks, ensuring the delivery of optimal value to our clients.

    About the growth in the advertising sector, the real estate industry experienced a notable 17 per cent year-on-year increase in spending. The pharmaceutical industry expanded by 15 per cent, while the auto industry demonstrated an impressive growth of 26 per cent compared to the previous year. On the finance side, the industry experienced a 9 per cent growth. Meanwhile, on the Jewellery front we witnessed a massive growth of 44 per cent and government advertising also saw a good growth of 22 per cent YoY.

    In Q3FY24, our digital business witnessed a growth of 27 per cent Y-o-Y. We are aligning ourselves with the ever-changing media landscape, one that is indifferent to specific platforms, with a central focus on digital for content creation, distribution, consumption, and engagement. To ensure a smooth experience across diverse platforms, we are strengthening our capabilities to stand at the forefront of the digital technology revolution. This involves delivering top-tier entertainment that resonates with the evolving preferences and needs of our audience.

    Radio City remains a preferred choice for both longstanding and recently acquired clients in the field of radio advertising. For Q3FY24, out of the overall client base utilizing the radio platform, 39 per cent have selected Radio City for their advertising campaigns. Additionally, among the newly acquired clients in the radio domain, 31 per cent have specifically chosen to feature their advertisements on Radio City.

    We take pride in deriving 31 per cent of our income from a variety of offerings that includes, proactive proposals, digital initiatives, sponsorships, and special events.  

  • Ormax Media launches tool to track performance of 16 OTT platforms

    Ormax Media launches tool to track performance of 16 OTT platforms

    Mumbai: Media consulting firm Ormax Media has announced the launch of an ott brand health tracking tool called Ormax Brand Monitor (OBM). The tool is based on syndicated research conducted every month among SVOD and AVOD audiences across India, to track the performance of OTT platforms on key brand measures.

    OBM is currently tracking the following 16 national platforms in India (in alphabetical order): ALT Balaji, Amazon Prime Video, Discovery+, Disney+ Hotstar, Eros Now, Hungama Play, Jio (TV/ Cinema), Lionsgate Play, MX Player, Netflix, ShemarooMe, Sony Liv, Ullu, Voot, YouTube, and Zee5. New platforms will be added when they are launched. Regional platforms can avail of a customised version of OBM for their respective markets.

    “The Indian OTT market has seen rapid growth over the last two years. An estimated 353 million Indians are watching digital videos every month, of which 110 million have access to paid content,” said Ormax Media founder and chief executive officer Shailesh Kapoor. “In a rapidly-evolving environment, keeping a check on the brand’s health carries immense value. Platforms that can build strong brands over the next 12-24 months will reap the benefits for many years to come. OBM is an industry-wide syndicated tool that allows brands to assess their brand’s equity, both positive and negative, every month, and take corrective action via marketing and content production and acquisition.”

    Every month, OBM will report the performance of each brand on key brand variables such as top-of-mind awareness, unaided awareness, total awareness, brand preference, and Ormax Brand Rating (a measure of brand satisfaction). Additionally, the track will cover two new parameters every month, such as quality of UX/UI, genre performance of brands, and social media visibility, among others. Subscribers will get access to the brand performance by key demographic segments, such as gender, age, markets, and audience type (SVOD vs. AVOD), said the statement.

    The first Ormax Brand Monitor report, based on audience research conducted in October, is now available for subscription.

  • MRUCI elects Shashi Sinha as chairman, Shailesh Gupta as VC

    MRUCI elects Shashi Sinha as chairman, Shailesh Gupta as VC

    Mumbai: Mediabrands India CEO Shashi Sinha and Jagran Prakashan director Shailesh Gupta have been unanimously elected as chairman and vice-chairman of Media Research Users Council India (MRUCI), respectively, for the year 2021-22. The announcement was made at MRUCI’s board meeting which was held shortly after its AGM.

    Sinha takes up the baton from Sakal Media Group chairman Pratap Pawar, who served as MRUCI’s chairman for two consecutive terms – from 2019-20 and 2020-21.

    While passing the baton, Pawar thanked all the board members and stakeholders and congratulated Sinha and the new board members. “We faced some challenging times due to the global pandemic, but I am glad we are soon returning to normalcy. With the change in name from Media Research Users Council (MRUC) to Media Research Users Council India (MRUCI), and the modification of IRS questionnaire, we will not only further boost our national stature and representation, but also successfully meet the fast-evolving needs and expectations of our stakeholders,” he said.

    New members have also been appointed to the board of governors:

    1. Sakal Media Group, chairman, Pratap Pawar.
    2. ABP Pvt Ltd, CEO, Dhruba Mukherjee.
    3. MM Publications, executive editor & director, Jayant Mammen Mathew.

    Sinha is actively involved in various industry bodies such as the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI), the Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI), Audit Bureau of Circulation (ABC), The Ad Club, Broadcast Audience Research Council India (BARC). He is an alumnus of IIT Kanpur and IIM Bangalore. An industry veteran with over 30 years of experience, where he has built a highly awarded team of professionals and organisations that today form the country’s leading media network.

    Sinha in his vote of thanks said, “I thank Pawar for his selfless leadership and valuable guidance, especially in these unprecedented times. MRUCI has long played a very crucial role in providing the industry with reliable, robust and realistic data, and now more than ever, the industry looks toward us to meet their expectations in maintaining and propagating the highest possible standards of integrity, fairness, and reliability in media research. As our Country slowly resumes to normalcy, our priority will be to begin the IRS fieldwork at the soonest, in consideration with the ground realities.”

    Over the last 25 years, Jagran’s Gupta has provided a new dimension to Jagran’s marketing strategy and has been at the heart of driving transformational change at the Jagran group. 

    He held several positions at leading industry bodies – elected as the youngest member of the managing committee of the Audit Bureau of Circulation for the year 2004-05, he was ABC chairman in 2012-13 and chairman of INS during 2019-20.

  • ‘Ad pie shifting towards Indian language newspapers’ : Dainik Jagran Shailesh Gupta

    ‘Ad pie shifting towards Indian language newspapers’ : Dainik Jagran Shailesh Gupta

    Shailesh Gupta, director of Dainik Jagran, has been in the print media industry for more than 18 years. He was recently elected chairman of the Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC), which provides audited newspaper sales figures every six months, replacing Madison World CEO Sam Balsara. Gupta is also a member of The Indian Newspaper Society (INS).

     

    Gupta has been a director at Jagran since 1994 driving the newspaper group‘s advertisement and marketing functions.

     

    In conversation with Indiantelevision.com, Gupta says Tier 2 and 3 towns are now the new volume drivers for newspapers and we now see the advertising pie shift in proportionate terms in favour of Indian language newspapers.

    Excerpts:

     

    As there is a shift from newspapers to online, the reading habits are changing. What does this mean for the newspapers?
    As a group, we already have a presence in Mumbai with MidDay, MidDay Gujarati,Inquilab and City Plus. There‘s a sizeable presence that we have in the city, and all these brands are growing and doing well. The decision on Dainik Jagran entering Mumbai in the future would depend upon the market forces and many other considerations.

     

    Any plan of expanding in southern market through an acquisition?
    We currently have a presence in South through City Plus in Bangalore and Hyderabad. Once again the question of acquisition would depend upon the opportunity in question and the prevalent market environment. It would not be fair to conjecture on that as of now.

     

    The difficult economic conditions have continued in 2012-2013. How do you see the next six months?
    Yes, it‘s been a difficult year in terms of advertising revenue growth. The market sentiment is muted, but there is growth. With the policy level changes taking place, and the festive season coming up, the outlook is more positive for the rest of the year.

     

    Last year competition drove cover prices down. Do you see the pressure continuing?
    In our markets, we‘ve steadied and increased cover prices instead of reducing. Circulation growth too has happened.

     

    ‘Our digital portfolio consists of over 12 sites across genres and with over 8.5 million unique visitors, it‘s one of the leaders in the space. And this is just the beginning‘

     

    The advertisers in Hindi and other Indian language newspapers have still not fully recognised the improved demography of their readership and are not prepared to give advertisement rates that English newspapers command. Why?
    The fact that the market is rapidly shifting to the Tier 2 and Tier 3 towns is a reality. Marketers have increasingly started looking at these markets very seriously for both volumes and growth. From a marketer‘s point of view, it‘s a market that‘s most important, and if the market is sizeable enough, investment flow is commensurate. Historically, the metros provided small geographies with a high concentration of target audiences and the resultant sales volumes. English dailies dominated these metro geographies and at times earned a premium versus the other languages. However, with Tier 2 and 3 towns now being the new volume drivers, the situation has changed completely and we now see the advertising pie shift in proportionate terms.
     

    Is it possible that Hindi language newspaper publishers will agree not to lower their cover price till ad rates are on par with English newspapers?
    The business environment for English in metros and Hindi papers differ significantly as far as the cost structures are concerned. An English paper sells for example at a price of Rs 4 in the metro markets with an average pagination of 40 pages, and the cost structures of the metro notwithstanding. Contrast that with a Hindi newspaper, with an average pagination of 22-24 pages and priced at Rs 3, with a very different cost structure. The differences are all too apparent. The factors behind cover price determination are very different from the factors behind ad rate pricing. Having said that, the model of the Indian newspaper industry is based fundamentally on lower cover prices, high circulation and a higher dependence on ad revenues – and this is true across the board for all languages including English. At the same time, Indian language newspapers have a sizeable part of the revenue coming in from the local markets, which normally are not greatly impacted by macro-economic changes – either positive or negative. Ad rates are a function of position in the market, importance of the market, the prevailing competitive environment and the individual cost structures apart from a lot of other factors.

     

    What helped Jagran to beat the industry trend and grow at a faster pace?
    We‘ve always believed in realistic planning and extremely focused implementation – these probably are the two central pillars of our work ethic which have yielded results. Other key factors are quick response times, empowered teams, the ability to provide customised solutions, and above all transparency in our working. Innovation is another key driving factor. We study ongoing trends in the market, anticipate a scenario and are able to innovate accordingly.

     

    What are the plans for Dainik Jagran‘s digital platform? What kind of investments are you planning to make in the digital space?
    We‘ve been very serious about our digital delivery platforms and had taken a lead in investing in this platform as early as year 2000. We have a dedicated digital team that‘s working to distribute the Jagran content across multiple digital platforms and devices. Our digital portfolio consists of over 12 sites across genres and with over 8.5 million unique visitors, it‘s one of the leaders in the space. And this is just the beginning.

     

    Last year Mid Day and Mid Day Gujarati did well. What is the trend in the current year?
    MidDay is on a growth path – both on the circulation and readership level as well as at the product level. Over the last 3 years, MidDay has seen a good growth – this has come on the back of an improved product. Same goes for MidDay Gujarati – it‘s now the No.2 Gujarati paper in Mumbai and has grown on all counts.

     

    Last year you were not able to meet the ad revenue target, how do you see things this year?
    We‘ve been realistic with our planning and our expectations. We have a plan for the ongoing year, and we‘re progressing as per the plan.

     

    Which medium are you banking upon to promote Jagran?
    The biggest platform that we use to promote Jagran is our own existing platform – there‘s no bigger platform that reaches out to almost 70 mn readers and an 8.5mn+ unique digital audience. Add to this our OOH reach pan India. Additionally, we use Radio, TV and some targeted trade and business mediums.

     

    What is your agenda as the head of Audit Bureau of Circulation?
    The priority at ABC is to bring about a more transparent system, evolve the ABC as a currency and make it a powerful decision making tool for the industry.

     

    What are the drawbacks that ABC faces?
    There are no drawbacks as such. But clearly we will need to march ahead, look at the changes in the environment, and be able to evolve the currency to reflect the changes. For this, we will need to have all publishers on the same page. It will be important to consider suggestions and opinions of all stakeholders to create a robust and transparent currency – one that truly reflects what‘s happening in the marketplace.

     

    Will you increase the frequency of audit of circulation figures from six months to quarterly?
    This again is a decision that needs to be taken by the body in consensus with all the stakeholders. As I said, the first priority above all else is to evolve the ABC as a currency and make it a powerful decision making tool for the industry.

  • ABC names Dainik Jagran’s Shailesh Gupta as chairman

    MUMBAI: Dainik Jagran’s director marketing Shailesh Gupta has taken over as Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC) chairman, replacing Madison World chairman and MD Sam Balsara.

    Gupta will occupy the new position from 2012-2013.

    Meanwhile, ITC EVP-marketing Syed Mahmood has been unanimously elected as the deputy chairman of the Bureau.

    The other members of ABC‘s Council of Management for 2012-2013 include eight publishers. They are M Venkatesh (Hindustan Media Ventures), Amit Mathew (Malayala Manorama), Aritra Sarkar (ABP), I Venkat (Ushodaya Enterprises), Hormusji N Cama (The Bombay Samachar), Devendra V Darda (Lokmat Media) and Sanjeev Vohra (Bennett, Coleman & Company (BCCL)).

    On the part of advertisers, Ravi Pisharody (Tata Motors), Debabrata Mukherjee (Coca Cola India) and Anil Dua (Hero MotoCorp) have been appointed.

    The four members appointed from the advertising agencies are Madhukar Kamath (DBB Mudra Group), Shashi Sinha (Lodestar UM), Srinivasan K Swamy (RK Swamy BBDO and Vikram Sakhuja (GroupM).