MUMBAI: Digital agency The Glitch, an independent brand under GroupM, has launched Flux@The Glitch, a specialised new-age content division.
Flux is a content development and production hub that works in a unique structure built for the modern creation needs of brands around the world. Saransh Agarwal is being elevated to lead content strategy and business for Flux and will report to Varun Duggirala, content chief at The Glitch.
Flux@The Glitch will have two distinct verticals to service the content requirements of clients.
Creator Lab will be a unique incubator for content creators, brands and platform partners or in short, Tinder for branded content. Content Studio and Hub will focus on the long-term requirements for brands who have an ‘always on’ approach towards content. This can range from micro content, especially for ecommerce models, to long form content that is driven by data and insights.
Duggirala says, “Over the last 8+ years, we have always relied on a core brand insight driven strategy to build brands across platforms and consumers. It is this very thought process that has helped us create effective branded content as a core part of a brand’s value chain, and we have used that learning to come up with an effective yet fluid system that works for brands, for consumers, for creators and for platforms. The beauty of a fluid model is that it will always be in Flux because the world of content changes every day.”
GroupM chief strategy officer Tushar Vyas adds, “Flux will be empowering brands by providing powerful meeting point between the consumer and the brand across diverse touchpoints- this brings in a unique layer augmenting GroupM’s capability in consumer insight, planning and activation. Flux will work closely with GroupM Agencies to deliver effective and engaging content solution for our clients across GroupM in India and beyond.”
The Glitch has been one of the first movers in the Digital Branded Content space and has created successful branded content campaigns across a vast array of clients encompassing FMCG, Entertainment & OTT, Auto amongst other categories.
MUMBAI: Glitch, the Digital first creative agency (an independent brand under GroupM), has launched Flux@The Glitch, a specialized new age content division. Flux is a content development and production hub that works in a unique structure built for the modern creation needs of brands around the world. Saransh Agarwal is being elevated to lead content strategy & business for Flux and will report to Varun Duggirala, Content Chief @The Glitch.
Flux@The Glitch will have two distinct verticals to service the content requirements of clients.
Creator Lab will be an unique incubator for content creators, brands and platform partners or in short, Tinder for branded content. Content Studio & Hub will focus on the long term requirements for brands who have an ‘always on’ approach towards content. This can range from micro content, especially for ecommerce models, to long form content that is driven by data and insights.
Speaking on the launch Content chief @The Glitch, Varun Duggirala said,
“Over the last 8+ years, we have always relied on a core brand insight driven strategy to build brands across platforms and consumers. It is this very thought process that has helped us create effective branded content as a core part of a brand’s value chain, and we have used that learning to come up with an effective yet fluid system that works for brands, for consumers, for creators and for platforms. The beauty of a fluid model is that it will always be in Flux because the world of content changes every day.”
“Flux will be empowering brands by providing powerful meeting point between the consumer and the brand across diverse touchpoints- this brings in a unique layer augmenting GroupM’s capability in consumer insight, planning and activation. Flux will work closely with GroupM Agencies to deliver effective and engaging content solution for our clients across GroupM in India and beyond.”
Over the last 8+ years The Glitch has been one of the first movers in the Digital Branded Content space and has created successful branded content campaigns across a vast array of clients encompassing FMCG, Entertainment & OTT, Auto amongst other categories.
MUMBAI: When you walk into a government office or a bank, chances are you will find over half the employees above the age of 35 years. The office environment is dull, boring and serious. On the contrary, if you were to visit an advertising agency, you would be surprised to see young executives driving the growth for the company and donning the executive hat. Today, agencies don’t blink an eye before appointing exes who are as young as 25 years and oh boy, they run the company!
Generation-Y is the first generation that grew up with the internet, and these youngsters, also termed as millennials, are used to having everything at their fingertips. They are pragmatic, connected, bold, and eclectic. Millennials also have a heightened social consciousness compared to previous generations. They believe they can change the world and are not afraid to take risks and challenge the status quo. They are forthright and fearless, insist that their voices are heard, keen to share their ideas, opinions and views on a subject, not afraid of hierarchies to ask questions. This obviously leads to a positive business impact and makes them a great asset for companies.
Big brands hop onto campus placements to source the next wave of fresh talent for their businesses or offer internships that turn into fully fledged employment. The world’s largest advertising media company, GroupM, hires close to 30 leadership trainees from the top B-schools and they undergo a six-month training before they are assigned to their roles. GroupM also hires lateral talent from premier B-schools due to which they are able to assign bigger roles to them fairly early in their careers.
iProspect India CEO Rubeena Singh notes that we are currently in the digital age of disruption and millennials are better equipped to navigate it. They are usually more abreast with the latest in technology and are comfortable in using it for seeking solutions. In many ways, they are making agencies more tech-savvy, helping them meet complex client needs in a fast-changing digital economy.
Mentioning that this generation has led to breaking silos and more collaboration, which is good for clients and agencies, Singh believes this is because millennials tend to work across departments, tapping into broader expertise rather than struggling on their own in the hope of claiming the glory. She adds that they are quick learners and are willing to go the extra mile, not limited to a hierarchy or an insular structure and the focus is on getting the job done.
Having internal employee mobility programmes is the core of ensuring talent retention and elevating the younger lot to explore various roles early in their career. GroupM chief HR and talent officer of South Asia Rohit Suri mentions that the group runs an extensive employee mobility program which provides its employees the opportunity to apply for various roles within the organisation in India and across the region and GroupM India is the largest exporter of talent to the APAC region.
Agencies are also increasingly investing in employee training programmes which help them in updating their skills and talent. Media agency Vizeum appoints its star performers to a program called Route 500 every year wherein such candidates are accorded disproportionate training and development opportunities and a fast track growth path within the network.
India’s largest integrated communications agency Ogilvy undertakes leadership sessions to enhance the younger generation’s skills through workshops and training sessions. Ogilvy India national head of talent and HR Monty Bharali believes that learning interventions potentially accelerate a professional’s capability and possibly, growth and these days that’s very welcome.
The people and teams are usually the backbone of a company. Without them, it’s impossible to run a business, especially one involving servicing. Investing in talent is extremely crucial for companies as it’s now almost a prerequisite for organisations to have development programmes for their employees. iProspect has a number of programmes to nurture talent and give its employees scope to move forward. A program such as NEXTGEN is designed for individuals to identify their calibre and accelerate their career to a higher / leadership level, employee exchange programs providing them with the opportunity for knowledge sharing and collaboration across global markets, iProspect University which is a central learning platform, Certified iProspect Learning Series that is crafted for employees to be informed on every aspect of digital marketing, national and international conferences, employee of the month title and fun Fridays.
The millennial employee group is extraordinarily creative, believes in excellence and is impatient to be shown in all of its capabilities. In an organisation built around creativity and excellence, its human capital will always be the greatest strength. Bharali opines that it’s essential to retain great young talent today as agility and adaptability are the need of the hour.
Young talent is probably the most expensive asset for agencies and Vizeum media associate general manager Saumya Agarwal points that talent retention continues to gain more importance as the availability of right talent remains a big challenge and it takes far more time, energy and money to replace than to groom an existing talent.
On a different note, The Glitch co-founder and content chief Varun Duggirala thinks that the idea should not be talent retention but talent farming. “Companies need to build great talent, nurture them and if and when they move on, be happy that you’ve sent the right kind of talent into the world,” he says.
One can criticise millennials for being fickle job-hoppers who show little interest in their work, but they actually care more about professional development than the previous generations which will only lead to more young executives in the industry going forward.
MUMBAI: Ironically, when it comes to advertisements, condom players don’t know how to play it safe. Condom ads have been at the centre of numerous controversies owing to the erotic nature of the storytelling. Several governments have taken a strong stand against sleazy ads.
Condom advertising in the US has been a much-debated topic for the longest time. At first, advertisements for condoms were mostly limited to men’s magazines such as Penthouse. The first television ad, on the California station KNTV, aired in 1975 but was quickly pulled off after it provoked the ire of people. Years later, the first condom commercial on US television aired in 1991.
Condoms have been available in India since the 1940s but the first mass-distributed condom was introduced in 1963 under the name of Kamaraj (pseudonym of Indian cupid Kamadeva) but K Kamaraj was then the president of the ruling party, Indian National Congress. Hence, a new name for the condom was chosen: Nirodh that means protection in Hindi.
In 1952, the Government of India established the first national family-planning programme in the world. At this time, condoms were privately manufactured and sold at high prices. Only the rich could afford the price of 25 paise even though population growth rate was the highest amongst the lower-income groups. In the late 1980s, several TV commercials were developed to create awareness about Nirodh. But the message from these advertisements was not clear about what a condom was, who used it, where would one get it or that it was distributed free of cost.
It was in 1991 that KamaSutra condoms seduced viewers with erotic images of Bollywood actors, linking condoms to pleasure for the first time. Today, you have plenty of condom brands but all of them rely on the same creative–sensual and explicit scenes. Durex, Manforce, Playgard, Skore and others have resorted to the same storytelling through the years.
They have not wavered from using the ‘sex sells’ motto to grab eyeballs. The Glitch co-founder and content chief Varun Duggirala thinks that the audience has matured but is still being considered as naive.
It was in December 2017 when the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) decided to ban condom advertisements on television between 6 am to 10 pm. The move was directed after the Advertising Standards Council of India (Asci) approached the MIB for withdrawing condom ads that were telecast during prime time or ‘family-viewing time’. The council was reacting to complaints regarding the kind of content condom brands showed in ads, which was not necessarily suitable for kids and teenagers. Asci, in its letter to the ministry, specifically stated that ads that were explicit and vulgar in nature should be aired only between 10 pm and 6 am.
Havas India CEO Nirmalya Sen thinks that in India, the category has, to an extent, called the recent ban upon itself with mindless use of sex to sell condoms. He adds that this ban, in fact, could well be the catalyst the brands in the category need to act responsibly and be creative.
Ajay Rawal, general manager of marketing for JK Ansell, maker of KamaSutra sexual wellness products, believes brands need to change their communication now and move away from using erotic ads. “Things have changed drastically in the last decade and the option to view eroticism is now easily available online. Millennials today are not interested in seeing this kind of content and want to see a creative that is relatable, realistic and memorable for them,” he adds.
Interestingly, condom ads on digital are more creative than the TV ones – skewed to showing their use and benefits.
Condom makers don’t use these ads on TV because of the cost involved in buying ad slots where they don’t want to risk their necks.
Rawal notes that the advertising spends in the condom category are pithy compared to the giant FMCG category. “If a condom brand wants to create a new communication that does not have eroticism and sexual overdose to it, it has to be memorable and a lot of effort needs to be put in creating resonating, real and relatable stories,” he adds.
While stating that India is still a conservative country when it comes down to sex, Dentsu One president Harjot Singh Narang mentions that companies tend to resort to the easiest part of storytelling—to have lots of sex without any fear—which is why most condom ads show romanticising situations on air. “Internationally, brands have moved over sexuality in ads and are talking about where it actually fits in the consumer’s life. In India, Durex is taking that route but we still have a long way to go,” he says.
Historically, most condom purchases were made by men and that’s why the focus has predominantly been on the male audience. But since using contraception is essentially a woman’s call, maybe there is a need for change in communication and have more female protagonists in ads.
While raising a point that why condom advertising in India stops at soft porn, Narang concludes that it is time for brands to build deeper relationships with consumers by creating engaging content as it is the need of the hour.
MUMBAI: Digital is the buzzword everywhere today and the advertising industry is not any different. Companies looking to acquire are also scanning for digital-ready candidates over traditional agencies.
WPP’s GroupM, the world’s leading global media investment group, recently gobbled up digital creative agency The Glitch in India, showing its appetite for growth in a technology-driven communication market. GroupM South Asia country manager for WPP India and CEO CVL Srinivas believes that the communications ecosystem in India has evolved dramatically in the last few years. “With The Glitch, we found a partner that brings exciting creative and content skills that can leverage our unique assets to create effective solutions for our clients,” he says.
It was in 2009 that two friends Varun Duggirala and Rohit Raj from Symbiosis decided to quit their jobs at Channel V after it stopped airing music and was pivoting into a general entertainment channel. Recalls Raj, “We went to Channel V because we loved music and wanted to work in the space but decided to quit after our team leaders told us that the channel will be shifting focus to GEC as the youth that was watching music content has now moved into digital ecosystem.”
Soon after leaving the duo turned entrepreneurs and launched their own digital video production company called The Glitch. Like every other startup, Duggirala and Raj slogged the first two years as they were trying to sell a concept which most clients didn’t have. Duggirala says that due to work of mouth work worked in their favour.
The company started operations from their apartment’s front room with four employees and an investment capital of Rs 3 lakh. Although they loved creating digital videos for clients, it was only in 2011, that Glitch started its digital agency route with major initial international clients Diesel and Quicksilver in its kitty. Today, the company has over 200 employees and offices set up in Mumbai and Delhi and is looking at setting up a new office at Bengaluru by the end of this year.
While digital still continues to be an urban phenomenon, low cost data and availability of cheap mobile handsets has helped digital penetration in rural areas. The Glitch CEO Pooja Jauhari emphasises that rural is going to be a huge focus for the team this year. Duggirala adds that with this acquisition, the company is looking at GroupM helping it out on a large scale to tap rural India as GroupM has a large set of data of rural audience which will help them to craft communication better.
Though the company was in conversation with various agencies over the years, it was approached by GroupM in 2014. Raj mentions, “We started to analyse the pros and cons of each acquisition. We had a two year learning curve to understand and only then we decided to go ahead with the deal.”
The Glitch Delhi managing partner Kabir Kochhar adds, “In GroupM we saw the market leader that would help inform our intuitions better with data backed insights as well as give us a jumpstart with consumption trends. Post the acquisition, the company wants to concentrate on having quality clients and add new services and business solutions for them.”
The year started on an extremely positive note for The Glitch and the team has a positive outlook for the year. ”2018 has begun on a very positive note with some key account wins and we look to cement our existing relationships with clients and bring them the benefits we gain from the GroupM alignment,” concludes Kochhar.
MUMBAI: It’s time to pour a nice cup of filter coffee because it’s no small feat to beat a giant like Buzzfeed. According to a report by Vidooly, FilterCopy page ranked top on Facebook with more than 71 million (71,128,760) views in new age entertainment category with 27.4 million (2,743,641) lifetime followers.
It has taken over the place of BuzzFeed which reserved the second position with 68.7 million (68,765,209) video viewership. The Glitch co-founder and content chief of the creative Varun Duggirala feels that what may have given FilterCopy an edge was its all-encompassing narrative that cuts across urban and semi-urban people while BuzzFeed is purely urban.
FilterCopy’s relatable entertainment and humour content is what makes it touch emotions, says iProspect India strategist – content marketing Shipra Tandon. She adds: “FilterCopy is creating connecting and customised content that is tuned to the current generation. Brands are connecting with the audiences in the same language and tonality in which they talk which makes people relate the content to their situations and the way they are.”
Duggirala adds, “When we scroll down our feeds only two things make us stop and watch- something our mindset relates to and something that sparks our curiosity. In both cases, the right dash of universal humour or tight-knit narrative is what makes all the difference to grab Indian eyeballs, because we innately relate to anything that sparks an emotional response from us.”
For December, Pocket Aces, which runs the tending content site FilterCopy, will be launching 20 new pieces a day. Over the month there will be six short videos, 300 articles and 20 memes. Two videos have been released as is a new format called FilterCopy Practicals. Plans are underway to launch exciting formats and target the creation of over 500 short videos and over 3000 articles. The team creates everything from scratch. They conceptualise, script, produce, release, and market the whole content.
But the big question is that, is the revenue pouring in? Duggirala feels gaining substantial viewership will enable signing up in-show advertisers as well as building inventory for when Facebook launches a monetisation model.
Pocket Aces co-founder Aditi Shrivastava attributes the success to content that people not only love but also share by tagging others. Innovative content and the audience’s favourite FilterCopy faces like Dhruv Sehgal, Veer Rajwant Singh, Aisha Ahmed, Mithila Palkar, AkashDeep Arora, Kriti Vij, Apoorva Arora and many more, catch more eyeballs on social media.
Currently, Pocket Aces is very much active on its own website, YouTube channel and Facebook. It does not have any plans to launch an OTT platform in the near future. It reaches 40 million unique viewers a week through its channels on social media. Content is also syndicated via Ola Play, Sony Liv, Dainik Bhaskar, Youku Toudo (China) and airlines like Jet Airways, SpiceJet and Etihad.
Started in 2013, FilterCopy is mixed-media offering from Pocket Aces for shareable written and video content includes articles, relatable videos, funny memes and much more. Pocket Aces is a tech-driven digital media entertainment company of India, focused on creating and distributing highly engaging original content for millennial audiences via its channels Dice Media (premium digital web series), FilterCopy (shareable written and video content), and Gobble (all things food).
In the past two years, the company has worked with over 40 advertisers including PepsiCo, Flipkart, Landmark Group, T Series, Marico, Kingfisher, Oyo Rooms, Swiggy, etc. Pocket Aces has a wide range of investors that include Sequoia Capital, Aarin Capital, Axilor Ventures, and North Base Media.
The audience can be assured of new content in the last week but the company is giving a whole week off for its employees to usher in the new year.
MUMBAI: Mumbai-based digital marketing agency, The Glitch, is geared up for its first geographical expansion with entry into the capital city. Founded in 2009 by Varun Duggirala and Rohit Raj, the agency announced the start of operations in New Delhi, where they have already begun servicing clients such as Horlicks and Carlsberg.
The Glitch-Delhi will be spearheaded by Kabir Kochhar, who comes with significant international expertise in digital media from his stint at Carat in New York as well as vast entrepreneurial exposure having recently run and exited food startup Megamenu.in. The Delhi setup will begin with a team of 10 strategists and digital junkies, who will work in sync with the Mumbai team on national clients, while simultaneously fronting their independent work. The management is looking to expand the team gradually, aiming to ramp up to 50 by the end of the financial year as a part of their Delhi growth plan.
Duggirala said, “Plans to open a Delhi unit have been in the offing for a while, as we saw a genuine need for our services in the region and have had many brands express interest in bringing us aboard if we did decide to set up in Delhi. But the idea was to build a solid independent unit and not a branch unit, which definitely demanded the need for it to have a clear driving force in its operations, and Kabir has truly filled that spot for us.”
Kochhar said, “The Glitch is incredibly strong as a content creation and dissemination company that uses video, tech and creativity to deliver spot on strategic solutions for clients. I am very excited to join such a talented bunch. We have a novel approach to employee engagement, retention and motivation that allows us to bring in passionate and top quality digital talent in the market and we are hiring aggressively across all divisions.”
“Our clients are our partners and we consider ourselves to be able advisors. We have been quick to spot emerging trends and deliver creative clutter-breaking solutions for our partners in Mumbai and we plan on taking that to the next level in Delhi-NCR. These are indeed, ‘achhe din’ for us all.” he added.
