July 16-31, 2010 Rs 50 34
Why change something that works? That is the mantra Indian advertisers use when they opt for the safe path in their communication.
38 44 46 PLUS 8 MAHINDRA RENAULT Emotional Quotient 14 CAFE COFFEE DAY Going Digital 24 AIRTEL-FACEBOOK Fun Connection 26 NDTV IMAGINE PROFILE SAB TV YRF-SONY Big, Happy Family 46 Sandeep Khosla Clowning Around Did it? Didn’t it? LG Infomedia 18’s CEO starts a Coming up, a mix of Sony believes that the YRF Ruling the Kitchens 54 new innings. comedy and songs. experiment has helped. To unlock the power of this group, call: Sudip Nag, GM (Advertisement) - 96861 88840. Bangalore: Vijaya R - 98440 92091, Tony Doulton - 98450 67371, Anantha Krishnan - 81477 52856 Delhi: Deepak Menon - 98106 65814 Kolkata: Kaushik Laha - 98303 23151 Chennai: A V Vinod Babu - 99520 16709 Hyderabad: www.deccanherald.com Ramachandra Rao - 98490 41737 Mumbai: Rajeev Pathria - 98201 51642. Or email: [email protected] www.deccanheraldepaper.com
Water CDC EDITORIAL
This fortnight... Volume 1, Issue 14 EDITOR was chatting with Devina Joshi, the writer of this issue’s cover story, after she had filed Sreekant Khandekar it. She said that some of the interviewees really enjoyed discussing the issue because they I PUBLISHER lived with clichés all the time and had stopped even thinking about them. Talking about Prasanna Singh
the subject forced them to think about it. CREATIVE CONSULTANTS PealiDezine Everybody loves a cliché – it’s like the old pair of jeans you have grown used to. Marketers, agencies, researchers and film makers are generally happy with them and LAYOUT Vinay Dominic consumers are comfortable with them as well. In many product categories there LOGISTICS are clear codes of communication – it is a language peculiar to that product Rajesh Kanwal July 16-31, 2010 Rs 50 category and brands are afraid to wander beyond the spectrum of acceptability. 34 ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES Hansika Koli, (0120) 4077834 4077837 Noida When a story has to be told quickly using visual shorthand – a woman in Varun Mohan, (022) 40429702-5 Mumbai a saree is a housewife, women in trousers are employed – that everybody Neeraj Ranjan, 09886846842 Bangalore understands is tempting. That is why this isn’t an article that attacks clichés. [email protected] Instead, it sympathetically tries to understand why they exert such a powerful Marketing Office influence on the creative imagination. B-3, First Floor, Sector-4, Noida-201301. Why change something that works? That is the mantra Indian advertisers use Tel: (0120) 4077800. when they opt for the safe path in their communication. Advertising clichés exist everywhere but in India we have to deal with the Mumbai extraordinary power of TV: it is the medium in which agencies think of the 501-502, Makani Center, 5th Floor, creative idea. And because TV is an expensive medium, there is pressure to tell Off Linking Road, Bandra (W), 38 44 46 PLUS Mumbai - 400050 8 MAHINDRA RENAULT Emotional Quotient 14 the story quickly. But that’s not it. Since well over 90 per cent of Indian TV- Tel: +91-22-40429 709 - 712 CAFE COFFEE DAY Going Digital 24 AIRTEL-FACEBOOK Fun Connection 26 owning households possess a single TV set, the advertising story has to be told NDTV IMAGINE Bangalore PROFILE SAB TV YRF-SONY Big, Happy Family 46 Sandeep Khosla Clowning Around Did it? Didn’t it? LG S-1, New Bridge Corporate Centre, Infomedia 18’s CEO starts a Coming up, a mix of Sony believes that the YRF to the whole family irrespective of the product. That is another reason why the Ruling the Kitchens 54 new innings. comedy and songs. experiment has helped. 777 D, 100 ft Road, Indira Nagar, well-trodden path looks even more attractive. Bangalore - 560038, India The single-TV household is the reason why programming on television continues to cater Subscription Enquiries to the lowest common denominator – unlike the case of Hindi films where the multiplex has Garima Agnihotri, (0120) 4077837 [email protected] liberated film-makers from the one-screen-fits-all compulsion. Feature film makers no longer have to create films that can fill a 1,000-seater hall. We don’t often realise that the single-TV Printed, published, and owned by Prasanna Singh, Publisher, household influences not just the programming but also the advertising that appears on our at 7-A/13, TV sets. Ch. Ratan Singh Complex, Jawala Heri Market, Paschim Vihar, New Delhi-110 063.
Printed at Paras Offset Pvt. Ltd., C-176, Naraina Industrial Area, Phase I, Sreekant Khandekar New Delhi 110 028. [email protected] Cover Illustration Vinay Dominic CONTENTS
52 56 PLUS AD CLUB BANGALORE New Creations 14 AFAQS! EVENTS PAN VILAS Auto Pilot Spicing it Up 20 A conference on automobile MSN.COM marketing. Spot the Difference 24 GARNIER INTERVIEW 20 22 Odour-free Zones 30 Sylvia Vitale Rotta Team Creatif’s CEO on the BRITANNIA importance of design. Embedding Cookies 30
POINTS OF VIEW 42 SVBC-TTD The 360-degree Way SURF EXCEL HINDUSTAN TIMES Devotional Channel 40 Advertisers keep harping on it. Giving them a Hand Knuckle Rapper GECS But is the 360-degree solution A machine-specialist Nothing preachy, but the a myth? detergent is launched. message is there. The Frontrunner 44
afaqs! Reporter, July 16-31, 2010 5 OVUM RESEARCH NEWSBULLETIN Safe and Sound Sponsored by new report by an Ovum funds and transactions up to Rs Research analyst says that 50,000 per customer. End-to-end Abanks should work with encryption is not required for BSNL> State-owned BSNL has become the first telecom mobile operators and handset com- amounts less than Rs 1,000. firm to launch mobile services at the Holy Amarnath cave, as panies to improve security in mobile According to PayMate, mobile well as on the two routes of the yatra. So far, the yatra route payment services. It also warns that banking in India has seen 94 per cent is not served by any other telecom operator. The service there is always a possibility of virus growth since 2002, and there are would be very useful to over 4 lakh pilgrims who visit the attacks in such transactions. about five million m-commerce shrine every year. Connectivity here will also benefit local Graham Titterington, principal users currently in the country. It is inhabitants, the administration and security forces, enabling analyst at Ovum, says, “Mobile expected that the number of users them to stay in touch with each other and facilitate people banking is inherently vulnerable. will reach 25 million by 2012, and a living in and visiting the area. Mobile devices may be lost, stolen or hundred million in the next five hacked and are used in situations years. The telecom giant that are inherently less secure than Ovum believes that security must Mobile phone Bharti Airtel> will invest $600 million in Nigeria’s sitting in an office or at a home com- not interfere with normal transac- customers in Nigeria use only mobile market following its take over puter.” tion flows, but at the same time of Zain Telecom’s African business. Mobile phone customers However, India’s mobile banking must provide users with the knowl- 50 minutes of in Nigeria use only 50 minutes of airtime a month whereas guidelines very likely make way for edge that their banking activities are airtime a 450 minutes is the norm in India. secure financial transac- protected. It also says month. The company will also bring its ecosystem of global part- tions via mobiles. that mobile security ners to Nigeria as this will increase employment opportunity MARKETING Firstly, the RBI does must not be a copy of in a country with a teeming number of unemployed school not allow operators to internet security - the dropouts. independently offer approach must be tai- banking and financial lored to the medium. services. Secondly, it Titterington suggests Thomas Cook> The integrated travel and travel related financial services company has started nine foreign exchange ensures encryption of that network vulnera- and travel counters in the newly opened Terminal-3 at the messaging between bilities can be avoided Mobile Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi. These coun- subscriber and telecom banking in by adopting end-to-end ters will offer foreign exchange services to the passengers operator, apart from encryption of transac- along with all the products and services such as insurance, enabling mPin (mobile India tions, independent of air and rail tickets, domestic and international travel pack- personal identification encryption provided by ages and hotel bookings. number) authentica- has seen the operator. tion, rather than using 94 per cent “Mobile networks internet banking pass- growth may be intercepted The combined Reliance-Adag and Fame> word for either by breaking the holding of the Anil Ambani Group company authentication. since 2002. wireless encryption R-Adag compa- Reliance MediaWorks along with Anupam Varghese, mechanism or by hack- two other group firms – Reliace Capital and Reliance Capital nies in Fame Partners have picked up a 0.05 per cent stake in Fame India vice-president, technology, Eko ing into the wired backbone of the India stands at through open market transactions. After the purchase, the Financial Services, says, “Security is network where encryption is not 15.77 per cent. combined holding of the R-Adag companies in Fame India not a big challenge for mobile bank- mandatory under telecommunica- stands at 15.77 per cent. ing in India. There are lot of other tions standards. IT malware that factors such as lack of a user-friend- compromises back-end servers, but ly interface, unavailability of cheap is harmless in the wireless environ- Tommy Hilfiger> Murjani Group, the Indian franchisee smartphones and lack of proper ment, may be passed through the for Tommy Hilfiger and Calvin Klein, will set up 500 Hilfiger mediation that is hindering the mobile banking interface,” says accessories stores in the next five years. Murjani, which growth of mobile banking in the Titterington. opened the first Hilfiger store in 2004, will also double the country. We offer a solution that The risk and security threats in number of places it sells the brand’s apparel to 2,000 in the comes with a one time user pass- the mobile payment gateway are not next five years. According to consultant McKinsey, Indians word, thus making the transactions new. This has been a major issue in spend the most on buying clothes (after food), with apparel completely secure.” the adoption of these services, apart accounting for about 10 per cent of total retail sales in India. In India, 32 banks have been per- from common ones such as low mitted by RBI to offer mobile bandwidth, linguistic hurdles, and The company is Oscar> Consumer electronics brand banking. RBI has now allowed unavailability of cheap feature-rich looking at a Oscar announced its foray into the banks to enable the transfer of phones. turnover of Rs 70,000 crore cellular phone market. Rs 250 crore, in Initially, Oscar mobiles will be launched QUOTE OF THE FORTNIGHT in North and East India where the brand has a strong pres- the first year. ence. The company plans to sell one lakh mobiles per month ‘‘Right now e-commerce is a in North and East India with a turnover of Rs 250 crore and small part of our total sales. thereafter grow at 15-20 per cent annually. In the next 5-6 years, e-commerce would account for Black Panther> The sportswear brand is expanding to establish its presence in a market dominated by brands like 10-12 per cent of our Puma, Nike and Adidas. Currently, the brand from the revenues.’’ Mumbai-based Juneja Global has five exclusive brand outlets in India – three in Mumbai and two in Indore, all ranging YASHOVARDHAN VERMA, COO, LG ELECTRONICS, ON THE POTENTIAL OF E-COMMERCE AS A REVENUE between 250 to 300 sq. ft. area. Plans are afoot to launch at STREAM,IN BUSINESS TODAY. least five more outlets by the end of the first quarter of 2011.
6 afaqs! Reporter, July 16-31, 2010
DAINIK BHASKAR NEWSBULLETIN One Stop Assist Sponsored by he Dainik Bhaskar (DB) keter or media planner today. It is Group has introduced a new easy to use and its practical utility is Tinitiative called DB Assist, the biggest advantage. DB Assist which is a compilation of useful data presents cases with empirical evi- Network18> The board of Network18 group has from various sources such as IRS dence of an emerging India beyond approved a re-organisation plan to create a simplified two- (Indian Readership Survey) and metros. DB Assist also brings alive listed entity structure for the group. This new move is aimed to optimise the growth of the business. The New Indicus Analytics. The group hopes media metrics for young profession- TV18 entity consolidates all TV businesses of the group that this will serve as a handy guide als, who are known to possess and owns CNBC-TV18, CNN-IBN, IBN7, CNBC-Awaaz and for the marketing and media frater- neither the time nor the inclination the group’s 50 per cent stake in Colors, MTV, Nick, Vh1 nity. to dig deeper for information. and IBN Lokmat. The New Network18 will hold a control- The media company has been DB has sought the requisite for-
MEDIA ling interest and will be the operating company for the working on the idea of a one stop mal permissions from the owners of group’s digital, publishing, sports and event management data reference source for the last six all the data sources that it has used. businesses. months, the reason being the chang- Sanjeev Kotnala, vice-president, ing media landscape, Dainik Bhaskar which now involves Group, says, “This ini- The venture, Reliance-CBS JV> The 50:50 joint venture between complex media plan- tiative is completely called Big CBS, is Reliance Broadcast Network and US-based media con- ning and buying non-commercial and expected to com- glomerate CBS Studios International to launch a series of transactions. The company neutral to the industry. television channels in India, has invited agencies to han- There is a constant In fact, DB Assist mence operations dle its advertising business. The venture, called Big CBS, need to equip the sales hopes that by serves as a good pro- from January is expected to commence operations from January 2011. teams to understand virtue of its pres- motional platform for 2011. The JV is proposing to launch shows featuring syndicated the peculiarities of ence across a the sources.” content from CBS, which has several hit shows such as markets in terms of The company ‘The Young and the Restless’, ‘CSI’ and ‘America’s Next their affluence levels, third of the coun- hopes that by virtue of Top Model’, as well as sitcoms such as ‘Two and a Half Men’. consumption habits try’s landscape, its presence across a and media exposure, it can offer third of the country’s which would help landscape, it can offer OMD>OMD India has won the media duties for them deal better with return of return of investment the entire portfolio of the Ferrero group, which the media and market- investment opportunities in con- includes Ferrero Rocher, Tic-Tac, Nutella and ing fraternity. The sumer collations Kinder Joy. Starcom Worldwide was the incumbent agency company hopes that opportunities in beyond metros. on the account. Media spend on the business is estimated at DB Assist will also be consumer colla- “The data is rich, Rs 40 crore. This win is the latest in a series of wins for able to unveil the spread across 63 mar- OMD India in the recent past. The other accounts that it nuances of markets, tions beyond ket indices and more added to its kitty recently include Hindustan Pencils, Cotton besides being a metros. than 40 economic World, Parryware Roca, Multi Screen Media and Diesel. provider of data for indices across India, presentations and pitches. which are possible to be seen in dif- Before coming up with the final ferent cuts on state or city levels. Madison Media>Foraying into Sri Lanka a little over a version of the data, DB gauged the There is state-specific information, year ago, Madison Media has begun to make its presence response from the industry. “Almost including infrastructure, state GDP, felt. Commercial Bank of Ceylon, a leading private sector every senior planner with whom we tourism and festivals, in addition to bank in that country, has appointed Madison Media as its media partner. The bank has been ranked as Sri Lanka’s best shared the beta version was relevant media interface data. Now for 12 successive years by Global Finance Awards. It has impressed with the potential of a sin- it’s for the industry to see how well numerous other awards in its kitty too. Madison Media Sri gle window source for such varied they leverage this data base,” Kotnala Lanka is a joint venture between Madison India and Sri information,” says Peter Suresh, sen- adds. Lanka’s Media Factory. Major clients that Madison India cur- ior general manager, Dainik Bhaskar The Dainik Bhaskar Group plans rently handles are Airtel, Allianz Insurance and Britannia Group. to make, DB Assist a quarterly affair. among others. He says that DB Assist could be Going forward, the group also plans the answer to the three disparate to add some more elements to enrich challenges that exist for any mar- the database. The new launch Select Media Holdings> Select Publishing Company, a will be a trade division of Select Media Holdings is planning to launch its second magazine dealing with the music industry. The new magazine deal- magazine will cater to those in the music industry and QUOTE OF THE FORTNIGHT ing with the those who use music in their business, such as telecoms music industry. and retail music shops. The magazine will bear a cover ‘‘FIFA is the most anticipated price of Rs 150. However, its name and print run is not yet sporting event the world over. known. The company’s first offering is Box Office India, a Brands have kept their eyes film trade magazine, launched in September 2009. on it and as a result, FIC> Fox International Channels (FIC) has advertisers reduced their launched seven international channels in India. marketing spends on cricket Brands such as FX, NGC HD, NG Wild, Fox Crime, NG Adventure, NG Music and Baby TV will now be available by as much as 30 per cent.’’ through FIC, which is a subsidiary of the Fox Entertainment INDRANIL DAS BLAH, VICE-PRESIDENT, KWAN ENTERTAINMENT &MARKETING SOLUTIONS, COMMENTING Group, a part of Rupert Murdoch’s global media establish- ON ADVERTISERS’ CHOOSING BETWEEN THE FIFA AND ASIA CUPS, IN AFAQS! ment, News Corporation. The seven channels offer viewers diversified content covering crime, comedy and music.
8 afaqs! Reporter, July 16-31, 2010
MILLWARD BROWN NEWSBULLETIN Tracking Consumers Sponsored by esearch agency Millward quick and fleeting that viewers may Brown is bringing several new not even remember them, let alone tools to its Indian clients, which objectively report them. R Doordarshan> The state-owned television broadcaster will help measure the effectiveness of In India, Millward Brown has has called for an outdoor pitch for a period of two years. ads and people’s responses to them. tested brainwave measurement for These outdoor sites will be used to exhibit the various The research agency discussed ad seven ads on a sample size of 300 programmes on Doordarshan. The broadcaster is looking at transference across regions, as well as people. The technology was tested in a total of over 100 sites in metros, state capitals and tools such as eye-tracking and two very different markets - important business cities. This is the first time ever that the brainwave measurement. Madurai, the temple town in Tamil 50 year old channel is planning to use outdoor media on The team explained that eye- Nadu, and Delhi. such a large scale. tracking helps to note where a The market research firm also person’s visual attention is centred. discussed ad transference in India Tracking eye movements indicates and the challenges in creating Tru Milk> Punjab-based Dairy Pride is scouting for a the focus of visual attention with advertising that can cross borders or creative partner for its newly launched premium packaged more detail and accuracy than self- regions effectively, even in a cow milk - Tru Milk. The company plans to spend around reported answers. It measures what culturally diverse country like India. Rs 5-10 crore on its communication, and is looking to people are looking at; but cannot There are three factors that could strengthen its presence in North India. Everest Brand answer why their visual attention is help ads do well across regions. The Solutions currently handles the company’s creative duties. drawn to a specific object, which will first of these is creating a unique The company is looking at a campaign comprising ATL and need a more qualitative brand space that delivers BTL activities. study. Eye-tracking consistent brand cues. Eye-tracking provides provides Thus, brands such as Toshiba > The company has appointed master blaster, ADVERTISING realistic evidence of what Dettol, Maggi and Sachin Tendulkar as the brand ambassador for its entire people are likely to look realistic Complan do well across product range - laptops, LCD television sets and home at making it a powerful evidence of regions. appliances, as well as for corporate branding in India. aid in evaluating Second is the idea of a Toshiba will soon launch an extensive, cross-product media advertising creative. what people “common shared campaign with the key message, ‘Quality, technology, Key eye-tracking are likely to culture”. Ads based on design’. Tendulkar will be featured in campaigns spread applications include in- Bollywood or cricket across television, print, outdoor and radio. store applications, logo look at, which have the power to travel and pack designs, makes it a well, because they hold >>ACCOUNT MOVEMENT concept testing and powerful aid in similar meaning across advertising development the country. > Kerala Tourism has empanelled Stark research. The research advertising. Third is the insight of Communications, Crayons Advertising, Mudra and a GroupM firm shared that in India, fundamental “human agency, along with three local agencies - Hues, Modern and eye-tracking had already been used in truths”. These include finding a AD India - to handle its creative and media duties. The more than 30 projects for TV, Web, partner, spending time with family or agencies have won these duties after clearing three rounds posters, print and packaging. helping the next generation to of presentations in a multi-agency pitch, in which 25 agencies Millward Brown is working with develop and thrive. participated. Kerala Tourism will soon launch a 360-degree campaign across print, US-based EmSense Technology for Discussing the transference of ads TV, radio, OOH and BTL. The ad spends for the fiscal are to the tune of Rs 22 crore. another tool - brainwave between the north, south, east and measurement. The technology west India, the firm shared a research requires a headset to be strapped onto finding which showed that as far as > Philips-Electrolux, which has recently been clubbed a person’s forehead, thus allowing it ads are concerned, the North and the together as a business unit, has appointed Mudra West for its creative duties. The account has been assigned after a to measure brainwaves, heart rate and South don’t see eye to eye and the ads multi-agency pitch which, according to industry sources, body temperature from the frontal that did well in the North didn’t do included McCann Erickson, Grey Worldwide, Saatchi & lobes. This helps to measure and well in the West. Thus, the West is Saatchi and Law & Kenneth. Mudra will be responsible for all record emotional and cognitive also a poor receiver of ads from the forms of communication across print, electronic, radio and digital media. The ad responses. North. spends for this fiscal year on the brands is estimated to be over Rs 50 crore. Brainwave data can provide a The East, however, occupies a record of participants’ reactions to an unique status and is more critical and ad on a moment-to-moment basis. cynical in nature. Thus, chances are > Following a two agency pitch, Percept D’Mark (PDM) has This can be very useful, because that if an ad does well in the East, it is been appointed as one of the brand activation agencies for many of these responses are so likely to do well in other regions. Dabur and Colgate. The agency will handle activations in 32 cities across India for three of Dabur’s brands - Gulabari, Vatika and Oxybleach and will organise product launches and conferences for QUOTE OF THE FORTNIGHT Colgate. Over the years, FMCG companies have increased spends on below-the-line activities, to reach their target audience based out of tier 2 and 3 cities. ‘‘If we continue to do scam ads and expect to win, we really > Percept/H has been awarded the creative duties for would not be able to compete the Shingar Group, a 50-year-old company that owns legendary cosmetic brands, Shingar and Tips & Toes. The on an international platform.’’ agency will work on both brands, and the account is jointly PRATAP BOSE, CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER, MUDRA GROUP TALKING ABOUT pegged at Rs 10 crore. INDIA’S POOR SHOW AT CANNES INTERNATIONAL ADVERTISING FESTIVAL While there was no formal pitch for the business, it has been learnt that Shingar IN AFAQS! Group did talk to a couple of other agencies before choosing Percept/H. Incidentally, FOTOCORP the agency has been associated with the group in the past as well.
10 afaqs! Reporter, July 16-31, 2010
NEWSADVERTISING MAHINDRA RENAULT Emotional Quotient Logan’s new campaign uses Indianness to attract consumers. By Ashwini Gangal
n an effort to strike a chord its diesel variant). with Indian consumers, The TVCs aim to stir the IMahindra Renault sedan buyer looking for space launched the second campaign and fuel economy in a modern for its mid-sized sedan, Logan, car, while pulling the very last month. The campaign, chord that makes them Indian. titled ‘Logan loves India’, plays “Both scenarios depicted in on the ‘Indian-ness’ of the the films are quintessentially brand. The first ad campaign Indian, something that buyers for the brand, which was will instinctively identify launched in India in April with,” says Ramanuj Shastry, 2007, was carried out a year chief creative officer, Saatchi & ago. Saatchi India. Logan operates in the entry C segment category Nayer adds, “Logan loves India will be a very and currently has a market share of 2.5 per cent in visible 360 degree multimedia marketing initiative, the category. While the ‘Logan loves India’ including television, digital, print as well as on- campaign retains the target group of the Logan, ground activities. It will have a 25-30 per cent which is the value-seeking, mature buyer aged 30 reach and an OTS (opportunity-to-see) of about 8 years and above, it has markedly repositioned the plus.” product. It has been positioned as the car that The Mahindra Logan is priced in the range of caters to Indian quirks. Thus, it has used people Rs 4.61 lakh - 4.86 lakh (petrol) and Rs 5.35 lakh - from its existing customer base as brand advocates. 6.21 lakh (diesel). “Based on consumer insights, we have now FOTOCORP found a new way to communicate the brand to the Nayer and Shastry: Striking a chord EXPERTS LOVE LOGAN? rational Indian consumer,” shares Vivek Nayer, hile industry experts are unanimous on the senior vice-president, marketing, M&M. He adds in India, dropping off someone at the airport is Wopinion that the ‘desi’ card is a hit as Indians that earlier, the price value equation of the car was made into a huge family excursion. The ad uses can easily identify with the behaviour portrayed in slightly unfavourable - which is why the pricing of this observation to drive home the fact that the the TVCs, they express varied views beyond this the car has been redefined. This campaign is an Logan has ample boot space. point. initiative towards improving brand visibility. The second film shows an indecisive woman Sujay Nanavati, chief strategy officer, Percept The creative duties for the account are with on a ‘saree shopping’ mission, going from shop to H, says, “It’s a huge improvement over the Saatchi & Saatchi. The two TVCs that are being shop looking for the right saree, while her husband previous Logan commercials. I love the simplicity aired currently interweave the core features of the aids her mission by driving her around in a Logan, car and those of Indians. The first film shows how, thus emphasising its mileage feature (21.03 km/l in continued on page 26 >>
ADVERTISING CLUB BANGALORE as recommend ways to create an of the new logo and the website and active online community of ad thus get a younger theme or look for professionals in Bengaluru. both.” The winning logo design will be “We don’t want a corporate-type Create and Recreate used as it is, while the ad club may look for the Advertising Club alter the website design and features Bangalore website. Instead, we are suggested by winners. The winning looking forward to website ideas, The club has decided to involve ad professionals across team or entry will et a prize of Rs which have the potential to become India in the revamp process. By Kapil Ohri 30,000 and a special mention on the an online community and an advertising club Bengaluru website. interactive platform, where he Advertising Club of across India in the revamp process. Explaining the reason behind communications professionals from Bangalore has finally decided For this, the club has initiated a crowdsourcing, Malavika Harita, Bengaluru can arrive and participate Tto redesign its logo and contest, as a part of which advertising president, Advertising Club, virtually,” she adds. website. Surprisingly, the logo is professionals can form a team of Bangalore tells afaqs! Reporter, Harita indicates that the idea of more than two decades old and the three and submit their “The ideology of the developing an online community is website has been in existence for the logo designs. Apart advertising club is based rooted in the fact that offline events last five years. Neither has been from this, participants on the concept of do not take place across the year revamped even once since inception, will also be required to participation itself. So, it while the website could act as a even though the website send ideas or features makes sense to let the bridge to connect advertising (adclubbangalore.net) looks very that could be added to ad professionals get professionals in Bengaluru basic and has limited information. the new website, as well involved in the creation throughout the year. Instead of assigning the job of The ad club is promoting the recreating the website and logo to a The club has initiated a contest, as a part of crowdsourcing-based contest via e- creative agency or web studio, the mail marketing and word-of-mouth advertising club has decided to utilise which advertising professionals can form teams advertising through Ad Clubs in the power of crowdsourcing, and other cities. involve advertising professionals of three and submit their logo designs. [email protected]
14 afaqs! Reporter, July 16-31, 2010
NEWSADVERTISING SURF EXCEL MATIC Giving Them A Hand The brand’s new TVC aims to establish it as a machine specialist detergent. By Antara Ghosal
arrying the brand thought of ‘stains are good if they’re for a worthwhile cause’ Mto the product proposition of Surf Excel Matic, the brand’s new TVC aims to establish it as a machine specialist detergent, which will remove tough stains in the washing machine itself. The TVC shows a boy engrossed in creating hands out of sponge for the washing machine at home. He is trying to help his mother, whom he has seen struggling to remove tough stains manu- ally. In the process of creating the hands, the boy stains his clothes and gets very messy. The kid’s effort brings rier and educate consumer about spe- uses hands to wash clothes, since the machine a smile on his mother’s face, who, cial washing powders for washing doesn’t have hands, hence, the solution.” however, explains that the machine machines, designed to deliver best wouldn’t need hands anymore, as she results.” AD ACHCHHA HAI? would switch to using Surf Excel The target group for the brand he ad has generated mixed responses from the Matic. The commercial ends with the comprises households in SEC A and Tfraternity. Some find it entertaining because of tagline - Surf Excel, daag achchhe hain - B categories who own washing its simplicity and innocence, while for others, it and the logo. machines, in the top 35 towns with a appears a little contrived. The campaign targets Indian con- population of more than 1 million. “It is an endearing commercial. I love it because sumers’ belief that washing machines Iyer: ideating The campaign has been created by it reminds me of the innocent mischief my daugh- are unable to remove tough stains, Lowe Lintas Mumbai. The team that ter keeps doing,” says Sanjib Dey, president, which require separate pre-treatment or spot treat- worked on the campaign includes Virat Tandon, Saatchi & Saatchi, India. For Sagar ment. Thus, it aims to establish Surf Excel Matic executive vice-president, Satish Ramanathan, AVP, Mahabaleshwarkar, NCD at Bates 141, the ad does as a detergent that would guarantee removal of Deepali Sharma, senior BSM at client servicing, hold attention, especially at the beginning. But at such stains during the regular wash cycle, without Devika Sharma and Abhishek Hariharan in plan- the end, the idea doesn’t appear very convincing. needing any manual scrubbing. ning and Sushant Joshi in creative. “Giving hands to a washing machine can be a nice Sudhanshu Vats, vice-president - skin cleansing Explaining the creative concept, Arun Iyer, emotion for a child, but the way the story has been & homecare, Hindustan Unilever explains, “In national creative director, Lowe Lintas says, “The crafted looks a little unbelievable. I feel this is a India, the concept of special washing powder for thinking was to communicate the functional ben- great brand with great insights. It has done far bet- machines is not popular. People tend to believe efit of the washing machine variant, in a way that ter films before this, but somehow, I’m not too that regular washing powder works well for it matches the brand idea of daag achchhe hain. It’s a convinced with this one,” he adds. machines as well. The idea was to address this bar- simple, child’s logic - the kid feels that my mother [email protected]
PAN VILAS Spicing it Up The pan masala offering from Godfrey Phillips India, makes its communication debut. By Antara Ghosal
an Vilas, a premium ‘pan second TVC and two teasers of 10 masala’ offering from seconds each. The 10-second films PGodfrey Phillips India, makes have also been crafted as mini narra- The TVC fit with the product and the catego- its entry in the category with a new tives, with the idea that every ry, hence, the positioning. campaign. The brand’s positioning successive edit would add a bit to has been executed The campaign has been concep- is that of shauq. the nawab and the brand’s aura. This tualised by Ogilvy India. The team To deliver the thought, two char- would enhance the extendibility of like a feature that worked on the campaign acters, an eccentric nawab and his the thought and the series. rather than a includes Ajay Gahlaut, group cre- mulazim have been created, played Talking about the communica- ative director, Mayur Hola, creative by Manoj Bajpai and Jameel Khan, tion strategy, Nita Kapoor, president regular ad film. director and copywriter, Gaurav respectively. Executed like a feature - marketing & corporate affairs, Nautiyal, creative director, Jigisha rather than a regular ad film, the Godfrey Phillips India says, “We is essential in the highly fragmented Chawla, client services director and story describes the regal tastes of the knew that we had a winning prod- Indian pan masala category. The Shefali Arora, account director. The nawab, one of which is Pan Vilas. uct in hand. The next challenge was communication rightly overcomes ad has been produced by The ad has been shot at Pataudi to discover a consumer insight that this challenge.” Footcandles and directed by Vinil Palace on the outskirts of Delhi. allows the product the right context Shauq is an attitude that was wait- The campaign comprises one 60- of premiumness and quality, which ing to be owned and has a seamless continued on page 22 >>
20 afaqs! Reporter, July 16-31, 2010
NEWSADVERTISING HINDUSTAN TIMES << continued from page 20 Spicing it Up Mathew. The music has been composed by Knuckle Rapper Amar Mangrulkar. Gahlaut says, “Even though the films seem to be effortless, they were hard to crack. The In its new campaign, the newspaper has taken up issues which are contextual results, however, more than make up for all without being preachy. By Antara Ghosal the weekends spent on it. We particularly enjoyed slaving over the narrative and the nuances that come together to make these cin- ematic tales what they were always meant to be. We think they will make a huge impact in the market and cut through not just the adver- tising, but the clutter on TV in general.” The client is also happy at the way the ads have been executed. “For me personally, it was going back to my advertising days, where we would work with creative teams insisting they focus on the creative idea that delivers the ‘high’ and meets brand objectives. Ajay, Mayur, Vinil and their teams at Footcandles, walked their talk on Pan Vilas,” adds Kapoor.
APPEALING TO THE INDUSTRY? industan Times is back in the news with a director, Shiv Sagar, brand services director and he campaign has been appreciated by new rendition of the ‘It is time’ campaign. Abhinav Deodhar, brand services manager. Tmany in the ad fraternity. According to HThis time, too, the brand has taken up While talking about the creative concept, Jaleel Robby Mathew, national creative director, issues which are contextual and real life, which cap- says, “The thought behind the campaign is that in Interface Communications, it is a well-writ- ture the way most people respond - be it in a traffic most of the cities, people are caught up in their own jam or in day-to-day life. A rolled up newspaper is issues and don’t realise that the city is suffering used to deliver a ‘whack’ as a creative device to sig- because of it. We wanted to reflect this through our nify the required change in thought. campaign. It’s not yours, not mine - but the city’s However, this time, the brand has picked up first.” more civic and infrastructure issues, in line with its Hindustan Times is conceptualised as an instru- Mumbai First and Delhi First initiatives. While one ment of change intended to make people ‘pause, TVC shows two men fighting in the middle of a think and change’. The realisation that it is impera- road, the other one emphasises on saving electricity tive to change now is the underlying thought and water. Several other films are in the pipeline, behind the ‘It is time’ re-launch campaign. which include more generic themes. The brief given to the agency was that the new HOW WAS IT THIS TIME? campaign was to be a continuation of the core com- The ad has generated mixed responses from the munication platform of Hindustan Times as an creative fraternity. If some find the ad entertaining Gahlaut and Kapoor: hoping for the best agent of change. The new campaign, therefore, con- with a great production quality, others find it pre- tinues HT’s core thought of pause-think-change by dictable and point out an absence of a connect with picking up topics which are relevant the product. ten, well-made ad with nice casting. “This in the life of an ordinary citizen, in a “The traffic situation is a big cliché commercial is miles ahead of the inane pan non-preachy tone. for me. Brands have done it and then masala ads that you see on TV or bus panels. ‘It is time’ is being run in multiple overdone it. The woman sorting it This should do well for the brand,” he says. cities with a focus on Mumbai. “HT out in the end wasn’t a big enough Similar views have been expressed by has been taking up these issues in surprise or ‘wow’ moment for me to Sambit Mohanty, executive creative director, Delhi and other cities for more than ignore the use of the cliché. It was creative services & design, Bates 141. 80 years, so we don’t need to spell it expected and failed to surprise,” says “Very funny, refreshing, nicely produced. out there. In Mumbai, where we are Charles Victor, national creative The ad is a clear winner in a category plagued still relatively new, we’ve specifically director, Law& Kenneth by clichés. Loved the casting and the dialogues called it out as ‘It is time to put “The Wastage TVC didn’t do any- - Ab gai se chai tak ka faasla... is a killer,” he Mumbai First’ as a part of the thing - it didn’t make me sit up and quips. Mumbai First initiative,” says notice, laugh, cry or do anything else! Ryan Menezes, executive creative director, Shantanu Bhanja, head, marketing, Shantanu Bhanja So I’d categorise both the commer- McCann Erickson joins in. “I like it because India, HT. cials as avoidable,” he adds. it’s not as loud and brash as everything else in The campaign will run through Karan Rawat, executive creative the category. It’s impeccably directed, and the July but the overall platform is one director, Grey India echoes similar performances are near flawless. I think the that HT plans to run for some time. thoughts. Although Rawat finds the concept of a premium pan masala is what will The campaign has been conceptu- ad entertaining, he thinks the product work for the brand.” alised by Lowe Lintas. The creative connect is missing. He cites the However, he points out that the narration team which worked on the campaign examples of The Economist and The is little over explanatory. “A bit more integra- includes R Balakrishnan, chairperson Independent to put across his point. tion of the product with the idea would have and chief creative officer, Amer Jaleel, “Also, if you don’t give a good enough made this a winner. The product seems to be national creative director, A Suspi, reason to switch, people will probably retro fitted to a nicely written script. You could creative head, Delhi, Tanul Bhartiya, not switch to Hindustan Times,” put any premium product at the end, and it vice-president, Shayondeep Pal, cre- adds Rawat. would still work.” ative director, Harpal Singh, creative Amer Jaleel [email protected] [email protected]
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NEWSDIGITAL MSN.COM Spot the Difference Following the revamp in other markets, Microsoft has unveiled the redesigned version of MSN in India. By Kapil Ohri
oftware giant Microsoft, which revamped the US version of its horizontal portal SMSN.com in November 2009, soft launched the redesigned version of its India site (MSN.co.in) on June 30. The homepage and the internal pages have new user interfaces and navigation. The new homepage looks cleaner and has larger visuals compared to its previous version. The most interesting aspect of the revamp is the integration of MSN with social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter. The company has created a dedicated section for social media sites on the homepage itself. With this, users will be able to The new website log in, check and update their Facebook and Twitter status (on real time basis) from the MSN has the same ad homepage. Speaking to afaqs!Reporter, Sanjay Trehan, slots on its head, MSN (India), says, “Social media and visual homepage. Left: the old and the new homepage richness will become the key pillars of the MSN content strategy.” education related content or verticals.” MSN India sells homepage and inside pages ad He adds, “The step to offer Facebook and The revamped site has the same advertising inventory on fixed price and cost per thousand ad Twitter access inside MSN India homepage slots on its homepage. A masthead banner and an impressions (CPM) basis respectively. indicates our intention to become a single stop expandable rectangular banner ad are being Unlike Yahoo! and Rediff.com, which online destination.” continued on the homepage. revamped their Indian versions in 2009 and Other than facilitating users to access Facebook Though Trehan declines to comment on the carried out multi-media campaigns to tell users and Twitter updates from the MSN India advertising prices, it has been learnt from various about their redesigned sites, MSN India has no homepage, the company also plans to integrate sources that MSN may increase its ad rates. It is plans to use traditional media to publicise its new more of its content with the social media expected that MSN will increase the pricing of the avatar. Trehan indicates that mainly online platforms. masthead and rectangular banner ads on the advertising, including banner and search Discussing some areas of focus, Trehan says, “As homepage by 30 per cent, while the price of ad marketing will be employed to inform users about part of the new content strategy, we will focus inventory available in the inside pages will be the new features. more on entertainment, lifestyle, money and increased by up to 20 per cent. [email protected]
CAFÉ COFFEE DAY The virtual initiative, called CCD’s shift towards social media Friends of Coffee, will make use of is prompted by its recently revamped social networking platforms such as branding. The logo it currently Twitter and Facebook, where like- sports has been designed by Landor Going Digital minded coffee drinkers will be Associates. The erstwhile square provided with a space to interact, logo, with red and white characters share notes on coffee related trivia and a green leaf, is now a more In a bid to popularise coffee culture amidst the youth, the and topics such as sports or music, as geometrical dialogue box brand plans to focus on digital. By Ashwini Gangal well as participate in online contests (conversation box). and games. Earlier, the green leaf symbolised nown to use unconventional cent was spent on in-store Community dialogue is extremely the natural, organic nature of CCD’s marketing techniques and marketing, with virtual marketing important to popularise the café coffee. Now, the dialogue box stands Ksteering clear of mass media, accounting for the remaining 10 per culture - and more so, coffee culture for how coffee inspires dialogue and Café Coffee Day (CCD) is all set to cent. “We plan to shift this to 70:30 - Gupta adds. This time, the intent is powerful conversations. The shift, up its digital ad spends this year, with soon, as we are eyeing the digital to create a membership driven, clearly, is from a product story to a a new marketing strategy formulated space rather seriously,” comments interactive online community of consumer story. in the wake of its revamped branding Alok Gupta, director, Café Coffee coffee-mongers. “The colour red, which stands for and logo change. A vigorous Day India. Further, CCD wants people to vibrancy and fun, has been retained utilisation of the virtual space and connect with the brand through in the new logo,” adds Gupta. Ask social media is on the cards to reach music and intends to facilitate this him about the uncanny resemblance out to its core TG (target group) - with the help of sophisticated it bears with the Vodafone speech the youth in the age group of 16-24 technology such as Wi-Fi and an mark logo (including the use of the years. integrated broadband pipe. This will colours red and white) and he claims Currently, CCD invests two per enable customers to choose music it’s a mere “coincidence”, given that cent of its top line on marketing, from the internet through their both the brands stress the role of with a marketing budget of Rs 8-10 mobile phones, while they are in the crore. Of this, so far, nearly 90 per Left: the old and the new logo café. continued on page 26 >>
24 afaqs! Reporter, July 16-31, 2010
NEWSDIGITAL AIRTEL AND FACEBOOK Fun Connection Airtel is using a Facebook application to engage and connect users offline. By Kapil Ohri
nlike various branded restaurant to watch the match. Facebook applications, which Airtel will also entice users of the Uengage users online, a new application with special mobile application called Play Hard, Party coupons for restaurants or nightclubs, Harder aims to engage and connect to make offline meetings possible. users with each other in the real world. Everyday, the mobile phone company The Facebook application, will send SMSes related to match conceptualised by Rediffusion Y&R, schedules and venue details of has been launched by mobile phone restaurants or nightclubs, along with service provider, Airtel. The idea is to mobile discount coupons of up to 15 enable sports fans to watch events and per cent. party together at restaurants or “The service provider has tied up nightclubs in their locality. with more than 80 food and beverage To begin with, the application was outlets across six cities - Delhi, used to bring together FIFA World Mumbai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Chennai Cup followers or fans. For this, and Pune - where mobile coupons will Facebook members were required to be accepted,” says Shubho Sengupta, access or sign-in to the application, creative head, digital, Rediffusion available at Apps.facebook.com/ Y&R. playhardpartyharder/ and then provide He adds, “The idea is to use digital some basic details. For instance, users media to tell people to come together had to select three football teams they and meet offline as well. The love or hate, enter their location and provide their application will act as a platform, which will help mobile phone numbers. The application will enable Facebook users to extend their network of After the registration process, the application sports fans to watch events and friends.” automatically displays information about other Sengupta indicates that the application is a members of the application, who love or hate the party together at venues close long-term digital property and will be used for same football teams. Thus, users can connect to their locality. other sports events as well, such as the English online and add each other as friends. Premier League (EPL), which is scheduled for To hook up with each other in the real world, restaurants or nightclubs in their locality, where August this year. Restaurants in smaller cities, such members will be required to first log-in to the the match will be telecast on big screens. They also as Nagpur and Darjeeling, will also be integrated application and then select the match they want to get the facility to check out a list of other members with the application in the next phase. watch. After that, they can access a list of of the application, who will be at a particular [email protected]
<< continued from page 24 << continued from page 14 a cheap car. A desirability quotient needs to be added to the brand. Going Digital Emotional Quotient Rational messaging like fuel efficiency and space will fall on deaf conversation and communication and the no nonsense approach that ears if the car is not desirable as, between people. the TVCs display.” despite all rationality, cars, especially An effort to expand the reach of He adds that though several for men, are a ‘heart decision’ first - the brand is also underway, to brands have tried to adopt the ‘made and then comes the spreadsheets.” coincide with the revamped for India’ angle, this campaign has Mythili Chandrasekar, senior branding. Key target areas include managed to incorporate relevant vice-president and executive Tier II towns and non-metro areas Gupta: eyeing the youth consumer insights into the features planning director, JWT, says, “Indian such as Rourkela, Kota and Dharamshala. A complementary aim CCD has touched 970 cafés (and The campaign has managed to enmesh Indian is to explore shores beyond India more than 1,000 Xpress outlets) and go global with the culture of with plans to have 1,150 cafés by the insights with the features of the car. conversation over coffee. The brand end of this financial year and 2,000 has just finished an acquisition in the cafés by 2015. in a memorable manner. idiosyncrasies have been played on Czech Republic to begin with. The It also plans a significant Concurs Saji Abraham, vice- by many categories, yet it must be logo, in its universality, ought to be investment in other formats such as president, planning, Lowe, “The said by different brands in different understood across geographical Café Coffee Day ‘Lounges’ campaign has successfully enmeshed ways. ‘We love India’ has been said, borders, according to CCD (targeting the top 30 cities) and Indian insights with the features of yet if this car and this company executives. CCD ‘Squares’ or luxury ‘huddle’ the car. The TVCs are well needed to turn Indian-ness into an “Conversation is universal and rooms (to be opened at airports and produced, slick and watchable.” advantage, then I suppose this through our new marketing venture, prime locations in metros). Fine However, he adds, “The works. Making a car’s feat as relevant we want to build a more culture- dining outlets are also in the campaign shies away from tackling through life situations is always neutral eco system for the brand,” pipeline. the biggest problems facing the car - useful.” affirms Gupta. [email protected] lack of badge value and being seen as [email protected]
26 afaqs! Reporter, July 16-31, 2010
PRESENTS CAMPAIGNTRAIL New and notable campaigns across television, print, out-of-home and digital media TELEVISION
HYUNDAI VERNA CADBURY 5 STAR VICKS ACTION 500 The commercial presents Verna’s DNA - stylish, sporty and In line with its Jo khaye, kho jaaye campaign, the The ad with a South Indian theme shows an autorickshaw powerful. The TVC weaves a story around the car where a commercial takes ahead the brand proposition of ‘losing driver taking on body ache, sore throat, nose blockage, back man returns to find his son upset as a hotel is being built on oneself in every bite’. With humour as the trademark of all pain and headache (metaphorically represented by other his playground. He immediately takes his son for a drive to its communication, the film uses friendship as a platform to auto rickshaws) with the age old tablet for cold. cheer him up. reinforce the brand’s appeal amongst teenagers. Agency: Publicis Ambience Agency: Innocean Worldwide Communication Agency: Ogilvy India Creative head: Ambar Chakravarty Executive Creative Director: Saurabh Das Gupta Creative Directors: Abhijit Avasthi & Rajiv Rao Film Director: Anurag Kashyap Film Director: Oni Sen Film Director: Prasoon Pandey Production House: Coconut Films Production House: Show & Tell Productions Production House: Corcoise Films PRINT ECONOMIC TIMES The creative is a part of a series of print ads for The Economic Times’ ‘The Power of Ideas’ initiative. The copy talks of how an idea stays with an individual throughout and while some ignore MALAYALA MANORAMA it, others learn to love MARUTI SUZUKI The advertisement is a very picturesque vista view of a and develop it, to The creative looks like a hand-drawn sketch of the Ritz, long, clean road, a big sized car with an overflowing boot eventually be a amongst other images, on lined paper. The scene depicts and lots of palm trees. The brand uses the occasion of successful camping under a moonlit sky and all things innocent, Onam to attract its consumers. entrepreneur. childlike and peaceful. The copy embedded in the illustration are the words ‘Live the moment’ Client: Malayala Manorama Client: Economic Times Agency: Stark Communications Agency: Mudra Communications Client: Maruti Suzuki India Creative Director: Shelton Pinheiro Chief Creative Officer: Bobby Pawar Creative Agency: Dentsu Creative Impact, India Concept & Copy: Seetha Jayakumar Creative Head: K.B. Vinod Creative Head: Kunal Gill OOH DIGITAL
GARNIER FRUCTIS A wide creative on a bus shelter conveys the ‘long and BLOOMBERG|UTV strong’ brand proposition. The copy reads: It’s got to be As part of its new outdoor campaign, the business news strong, if you want it long. MICROSOFT INDIA channel says that its programmes on finance, markets and Creative Agency: Publicis Microsoft (MS) India uses Google’s new banner ad format commodities will not sound and look ‘Greek’. Outdoor Agency: Primesite to promote its Twitter.com/MSITPro account. The ad Exposure: Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Bengaluru displays latest messages posted by MS on Twitter. A click Creative Agency: TapRoot India on it redirects users to the Twitter account. Creative Heads: Santosh Padhi and Agnello Dias OOH Agency: Alakh Advertising & Publicity Media Agency: Quasar Exposure: Metros and mini metros Exposure: Google content network
Got some great campaign that has been published recently? Upload it on afaqs! for the world to see. Airtel’s ‘Gajab Rupali Ki Ajab Prem Kahani’ viral film showcased in Visit: www.afaqs.com/advertising/creative_showcase the last issue was created by Webchutney.
2 8 afaqs! Reporter, July 16-31, 2010
NEWSOOH GARNIER Odour-Free Zones The brand has launched an outdoor campaign to create noise about its new range of deodorants. By Rohit Nautiyal
kin and hair care brand Garnier recently launched Garnier MEN Deodorant, an Santiperspirant designed specifically to give 48 hours of protection from sweat and odour - and what better way to create noise about the new offering than coming up with a campaign involv- ing innovative use of outdoor. For Primesite, the outdoor agency of Garnier, the task in hand was to execute an impactful cre- ative concept that simultaneously brought alive the launch of Garnier Deodorants, conveying ‘Now life - no sweat’ as the main idea through the out of home (OOH) campaign. The agency decided to highlight the new product with the use of innova- tions. price range prevalent in the category - between Rs Initiated in the first week of July, the outdoor 100 and 200 - and hotter weather conditions most campaign uses formats such as hoardings, malls, of the time in a year, deos and antiperspirants have bus shelters, pillars and conveyor belts at airports, become a necessity than a luxury.” Kolkata Metro and Delhi Metro and cantilevers The entire Garnier Mineral Deodorant range with cut outs in more than 100 locations spread for men is an extension of Garnier MEN and is across Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai and endorsed by Bollywood actor John Abraham. For Kolkata. men, the range has two options - Absolute Dry and Interestingly, putting together suitable cre- Extreme Cool. atives, pillars at the malls were made to look like Commenting on the campaign, Raza Syed, deodorant bottles. group account director, Primesite, says, “This is Mandeep Malhotra, senior vice-president, the third time we have worked on a campaign for Mudra Max observes that the deodorant and Garnier. Like always, the client gave us a free antiperspirant category has become active with the Pillars at the malls were hand in terms of experimenting with the medi- use of outdoor as more brands are being launched. um. Also, one of the main objectives of the On a light hearted note, he says, “You do not per- made to look like deo campaign is to tap the brand’s main TG - youth spire in the air conditioned confines of your home who are on-the- go.” but you do when you step out. Considering the bottles. [email protected]
For sampling, Britannia tied up stations. In addition to giving out BRITANNIA with the dabbawallas in Mumbai to samples, promoters also gave infor- give out a pack of cookies in each mation on the new product and its lunch box. This was done in areas benefits. In about 20 days, Britannia Embedding Cookies such as Lower Parel, Andheri and was able to reach out to 50,000 peo- Grant Road. The activity reached out ple through sampling. The brand has taken the sampling route to promote its to about 30,000 people. Britannia Cookies is also being new offering. By Surina Sayal Sampling has also been done in advertised in transit clusters includ- inter-state buses and bus depots, ing railways, buses and bus shelters. iscuit and confectionery are targeting urban markets, we are expressways, tea stalls and railway “To advertise to such an audience, major, Britannia rolled out its also looking to go much deeper into TV becomes very limiting,” explains Bnew product, Britannia the markets beyond just urban.” Degan, which is why a number of Cookies, in April. Priced at Rs 5 for a The company rolled out a outdoor and BTL routes were cho- 10 piece pack, Britannia Cookies is sequential launch for the product, sen. packed with wheat, butter and milk starting with the North, then the Interestingly, during the launch in and comes in elaichi flavour. The South, followed by West and later, Gujarat, a housewife created deli- tagline for the brand is ‘Jo tann ko the Central and Eastern markets of cious treats and original recipes using lagey aur mann ko chhuye’ (nourishing the country. This was strategically Britannia Cookies. “Something like and delightful). done as the low value cookie needed this could be an opportunity we Shalini Degan, category director, the appropriate time for distribution might explore,” says Degan. delight and lifestyle, Britannia after the initial launch. She informs that the cookie mar- Industries, says that the target audi- Besides a TV campaign (created ket in India is valued at ence for the product is the primary by McCann Erickson) launched in approximately Rs 2,500 crore and care giver in the family and this is not April to promote the new product, claims that of this, Britannia has a limited to women. “We are targeting the company has taken the on- market share of 41 per cent, with its people who want to upgrade to a bet- ground route, where it has carried brands Good Day and Cookies. ter taste experience. You could call it out sampling, below-the-line activi- Good Day commands close to 40 per a value cookie as it is aimed at the ties and local outdoor advertising as cent of the cookie market in India. value seeking consumer. While we well. Top: bus branding and sampling [email protected]
30 afaqs! Reporter, July 16-31, 2010
A good cliché may be worth its weight in gold, but why do Indian advertisers depend so heavily on the tried and trusted creative route? By Devina Joshi
ver the years, advertisers of product the level of execution. A close-up shot using and service categories in India have computer graphics to show dirt flying away from developed their own language and clothes or a celebrity who asks the viewers at the modus operandi of communicating to end of the TVC, ‘When are you going to switch to Oconsumers. So deeply entrenched is this language my brand?’ The first case is a problem of parity - both in the minds of advertisers and consumers - products, but the latter is a case of parity that at some point it becomes an unspoken rule. advertising, which is what is dealt with here. Consider these examples: the intelligent child wears spectacles; a housewife has to be in a saree CLICHÉ NO 2: THE MORE THINGS with neat, long hair; a working woman with short CHANGE... hair in a salwaar kameez or, if she is liberated, in tereotyped characters are fixtures in advertising trousers; the sexy girl hopelessly attracted to a man Sand popular opinion is that women are the because of his deodorant; words such as nikhaar, most stereotyped. This could be because most saundarya, pesh hai and keetanu can be heard in products are aimed at them. Clichés such as the toothpaste, detergent and beauty cream ads alike. Superwife have yet to see the exit door. The wife Advertisers obviously lean towards stereotypes still seeks appreciation for her efforts at home, but and clichés because they work. The question is: perhaps the portrayal of a Supermom has changed why? afaqs! Reporter investigates. to that of a multi-tasker. Children are slotted into box-like categories. dated concept that wouldn’t gel well with today’s CLICHÉ NO 1: IF IT AIN’T BROKE… There’s the perfect kid, the pesky kid, the bully or youth, not even as a spoof,” says Bobby Pawar, t is said that a society gets the advertising it the super-smart-yet-angelic kid with solutions. In chief creative officer, Mudra Group. Ideserves. Perhaps, it also gets the clichés it kids’ advertising, the parents are marginalised. Then there are times when the brand is trapped deserves, because clichés actually emerge from the Speaking of marginalisation, fathers seem to be in the heritage of a category. Carnal appeal and its lives of people. At times, when brands move away becoming mere props in commercials - resting on portrayal dominate deodorants. The animated from the clichés consumers are used to, there is that pillow or reading that newspaper (it must be keetanu plagues toilet cleaner ads, underwear ads dissonance. And marketers hate this. ‘dad’, is the general feeling). “Women are props in are about machismo usually projected by a Every brand has layered sets of consumers and suiting ads while men are props in detergent ads,” yesteryear’s action star. The list goes on. “Many of a bulk of them live at the bottom of the pyramid of observes planner Naresh Gupta, director, strategy these clichés are elements I’d directly attribute to societal evolution. A small segment lies in between and planning, Dentsu Marcom. research and incorrect interpretation of findings. and an even smaller segment lives at the top of the The flavour of ‘youth’ is all pervading today. Clichés are used to help the marketing team avoid pyramid. This segment is self-actualising and is From soft drinks to pizza chains to telecom, taking a stand and smoothen gut feel,” deduces not so cliché-oriented. But the segment at the everyone is jumping onto the youth bandwagon. TapRoot India’s co-founder and chief creative bottom literally lives the cliché, which is why So, we have typical situations like the boy-girl officer, Agnello Dias. stereotypes tend to work in the case of mass brands break-up drama or screechy youngsters falling in or FMCGs. Also, FMCGs are one of the oldest love at the drop of a hat in what is simplistic, CLICHÉ NO 3: IF YOU CAN’T BEAT ’EM categories, which explains why they have bubblegum advertising. hen an entire category swings towards a par- developed a large bank of established conventions. If a marketer doesn’t understand youth and Wticular language or tone of voice, it is called Clichés exist at two levels. One, at the level of goes by what he thinks they are like, he tends to ‘category code’ communication. Often, one the proposition itself. For example, beautiful skin borrow from stereotypes or worse, his own youth, brand, not necessarily the market leader, is capable for soaps, bikes that give you everything - looks, when things were vastly different. “In my opinion, of setting this code for an entire category. Back in mileage, power and safety. Secondly, clichés exist at Cadbury’s ‘Pehli tareek’ ad is a classic example of a the ’90s, Rin set off the whiteness formula with its
34 afaqs! Reporter, July 16-31, 2010 COVERSTORY
‘flash of lightning’ ads. Followers, who stick to example. “All ads in this space are humorous but NO COMEBACKS? established category codes, try to differentiate with that is because one cannot have a serious reason to (A look at some popular clichés that are fading out) a tweak in either the execution or by using celebri- buy such a product. And yet, the advertising across ties. ICICI Bank pioneered the concept of putting brands is fairly different from each other,” says ad Fewer bathroom shots in soap ads: now it is the customer at the centre of things. It was fol- filmmaker Prasoon Pandey of Corcoise Films. more about outdoor shots or situations of lowed by others like Bank of India (with its rishton When a particular category is growing, many romance within the home. ki jamapoonji). brands flourish, even when undifferentiated. “As It is the challenger brand - which is struggling time passes, the category matures, but most people The grandfather-like elderly figure who called with creating such minute differences and losing find it difficult to give up the ‘rules’ that once may the shots has faded away with the emergence its identity in the process - that tries to break away have worked for them,” says Samit Sinha, of nuclear families in ads. from category codes. Tata Tea did it quite well with managing partner, Alchemist Brand Consulting. Song and dance sequences: There could be a its Jaago Re campaign. The social touch, while challenging rival Brooke Bond, worked for it. CLICHÉ NO 4: LIGHT AT THE END... background track, but little jumping around. Sheer size isn’t enough to allow a large player to ver wondered why that glorious hair shot in Bikes as babe magnets: Although the obligatory establish category codes. It has to have the ability EBrand X’s commercial looks exactly like the girl still dots some ads, machismo is taking to hone its tone. Great brands know this. “Nike one in Brand Y’s? It could be more than a case of routes such as stunts. has been using the same tone for years, and it sort category codes being followed here. The chances Party setting in deodorant ads: it has given way of formed the category code,” says Pawar. He adds, are that the same person shot both. “It is only now that Reebok has, with its latest For the last few years, most Indian creative to bedroom/home settings or outdoor shots. campaign, stood for something drastically directors and filmmakers have been sourcing post- The stern mother-in-law whom the daughter-in different - making your body look sexier. That’s production expertise from Thailand. “You get the law has to toil to please. the whole point: identifying what you’re about.” best hair there,” quips an ad filmmaker. What’s A humorous tone is next in the popularity more clinical, these shots each have names. stakes. But even within humour there could be There’s the Peacock shot which implies hair the hair parting, the hair tests (pillow, comb or unexplored territories that a brand could stake as fanning out like the feathers of a peacock. Other paper bag test) and the product ingredient story. its own. This is akin to comedians developing popular shots in the haircare space include the Even skin shots (lightening tones, their own style. The confectionery category is an glorious hair shot, the flying twirl, the hair pull, disappearance of blemishes) or food shots are created by Thai post production experts. So, while a filmmaker who is faced with a mundane script DEJA VU! may bring his own touch to the execution and look of the film, he can do little about the product shots that are created by experts. It’s a little like a movie director creating a feature film while the dance director takes care of the steps. Brands also try to distinguish themselves, with a different look to the same set of shots. Garnier, for instance, makes it a point to have an element of nature (shooting in the lush green outdoors, using Automobiles - bikes Automobiles - cars Consumer Durables mnemonics like an ice cube with fruits in it, and a Dangerous bike stunts, expressions of Foreign locales, complicated maneuvres, Sparkling clean, aspirational kitchen, greenish hue) in all its films, while some others in machismo rugged terrain shots of a stocked refrigerator its category are pristine white in their look. Pandey relates how a small executional detail made a big difference to the overall feel of an ad film. Years ago, he worked on a commercial for Pears where the situation (typically for the brand) was that of the mother bathing her little girl. Going by what was popular, the ad was set to cast a ‘mom’ clad in a saree with her hair neatly tied up. But Pandey took a different tack. Finance FMCG - beauty products/cosmetics FMCG - deodorants “I wanted to shoot the lady in a nightgown with Imagery of a savings-savvy South Indian, Use of a fair model, white skin means The armpit graphic, opposite sex her hair messy and splattered because, typically, an the piggy bank. success in romance or job overwhelmed with lust for the deo user Indian mother would bathe her baby first. All that splashing follows and then she takes a bath herself,” shrugs Pandey. He was then told the Pears mom is never like that. “I simply asked, ‘who said it and why did they say so?’ We were blessed with a client that saw the logic,” Pandey says. Pears went with this for some time but switched back to the old formula a few years ago. It is also the onus of the filmmaker to question FMCG - detergents FMCG - soap FMCG - soft drinks and sharpen characters in an ad film. A working Thumb running over squeaky clean steel The foam application on forearm till the Zing and pep all around, the lip smack, plate, husband-wife near clothesline elbow, underwater product dunk the glug sound woman, for instance, need not be cast as a marketing executive or a TV reporter. When options are considered and rejected, it is healthy, but if they aren’t considered, alarm bells ought to go off. Some clichés are, in fact, to be welcomed. Having a name such as Vijay or Priya in an ad actually help the story stand out instead of unnecessary attention being drawn to a unique FMCG - toothpastes Suitings/Shirtings Telecom name. Also, it will take several seconds to establish Sparkling white teeth,use of the word Weddings, good looking cars and good The good news shot, the tear jerker on that a lady dressed in jeans is actually a housewife, 'Keetanu', smiling mouths looking men and women one end of the phone continued on page 38 >>
afaqs! Reporter, July 16-31, 2010 3 5
PROFILE |NEWS << continued from page 35 CEO PUBLISHING, INFOMEDIA 18 PROFILE I SANDEEP KHOSLA I I Why Clichés Attract
so the saree route is quick and painless. Long-distance Man As industry experts put it, it is the story that is important. People don’t By Sapna Nair care if the highlight in Amitabh Bachchan’s hair was not there, they wo decades ago, Sandeep Khosla’s care about his reaching in time to business card would have white ink give the medicine to his mom. Tmasking the word junior in his des- ignation. “I’d try to hide it,” he smiles CLICHÉ NO 5: BETTER SAFE remembering his first, rather reluctant, foray THAN SORRY into sales. o advertiser would want a After graduating in Arts from the Nblind spot (no pun intended) University of Kanpur, Khosla returned to on TV. Therefore, advertisers follow Mumbai when he got to know about an codes because they are proven, easi- opening at India Book Distributors. After ly accepted and are not risky. The six months, Khosla heard that the Indian thinking is that if it’s familiar, it may Express Group was looking for people. be boring but cannot definitely be ‘Smart and having good command over wrong. If it has taken years to estab- English’ was all that was required. Khosla, lish women as homemakers, why was hired in the sales team as junior busi- would anyone want to risk upsetting ness executive. The ‘salesman by accident’ that image? This is especially true was to stay there for 22 years. for convenience products. He was hired to work on the Overseas “Advertisers tend to settle for Appointment page and spent three months convenience over risk, unless they surveying the market. In six months, the are market leaders or significantly page was ready to launch. In the next two big,” admits Anisha Motwani, chief years, he was heading sales for the domes- marketing officer, Max New York tic as well as overseas appointments page. Life Insurance. Srikanth In 2000, he was given the responsibility Srinivasamadhavan, general of national sales for all the Group’s publi- manager, media services, Hindustan cations - Indian Express, Financial Express, Unilever, flips it around saying that Loksatta and Screen. When Khosla quit six consumers expect to see good- months ago, his role was that of a virtual looking models or cars, a touch of CEO of the Group’s Business Publication humour, fact, advice, romance and Division (BPD). Did he ever think of relationships. “If cliché means what moving in all those years? is traditionally expected to be seen,
“I was doing well, there were timely FOTOCORP then clichés are part of normal promotions, the remuneration was good on editorial integrity. “We would advertising,” he shrugs. and I had the freedom to do things my “Getting ads close deals with big advertisers such Not every brand can take risks, way,” he says, by way of answer, though as MTNL only to be threatened that and the ones who do should not do there was a time when Zee was about to in the ’80s they are withdrawing because of an so for the wrong reasons and jump launch and he saw an opportunity. His article,” he grins. But the publication off the other extreme. bosses stopped him saying that they want- depended on stuck to its guns each time. “Advertisers and marketers in ed him to focus on a new project. Khosla expresses amazement at most categories are worried about In 2002, he was promoted as head of the how well how ‘space selling’ has changed, shaking up the status quo. They are BPD. “It was exciting to put a division, that “Getting advertising in the late ’80s willing to do so only if there is a had been neglected for a long time, back on you knew depended on how well you knew the guarantee of good returns. When no track,” he says. BPD had publications such agency guy and how well you could such guarantee is possible, it is as Express Hotelier and Caterer, Express the agency brag about the publication to him (it intelligent to stick to the safe path,” Travel and Tourism and Express Pharma could be done over a few drinks). In muses brand strategist Harish Pulse. The problem was that each of them guy.” the ’90s, with media planners and Bijoor, CEO, Harish Bijoor had totally different mastheads and did not buyers coming into the picture, one Consults. No brand wants to get on look like a part of the Express Group. had to equip oneself with presentations and numbers.” to the road less travelled without a Khosla and his team hired an agency to re-design the Some months ago, when nothing ‘new’ was happen- really good reason. That reason is publications so that they had a common design template ing, Khosla became fidgety. When the Infomedia 18 still some way away. where the Express brand name was clearly visible. opportunity came by, he took it. Khosla’s mandate is to [email protected] Express Hotelier and Caterer became Express oversee every aspect of the publications business - prod- Hospitality while Express Pharma Pulse became uct design, sales, distribution and circulation of the Based on interviews with Agnello Express Pharma. Every aspect - from circulation, brand Group. And how is he planning to do that? Dias, TapRoot India; Anisha management, space selling to production - was revisit- “All the brands, be it Overdrive or Entrepreneur, are Motwani, Max New York Life; ed. They also started organising events, exhibitions and poised to grow. My task is to see how to exploit syner- Bobby Pawar, Mudra; Harish awards around each of the publications. gies between these and the Network18 brands,” he says. Bijoor, Harish Bijoor Consults; “Handling the entire portfolio opened up a new pic- About Infomedia 18’s profitability problems Khosla Naresh Gupta, Dentsu Marcom; ture, because you are responsible for controlling costs as shares, “The publishing division cumulatively has Prasoon Pandey, Corcoise Films; well as increasing revenue.” Turnover rose from Rs 7 shown profitability in the last quarter. However, some Rohit Srivastava, Contract; crore to Rs 22 crore, at the time he left. of the titles are not as profitable as others. The intent is Samit Sinha, Alchemist Brand How did he - as a salesperson - view the editorial- to enhance the profitability margins going forward.” Consulting and Srikanth sales divide, especially with the Express Group’s stand [email protected] Srinivasamadhavan, HUL.
38 afaqs! Reporter, July 16-31, 2010
NEWSMEDIA SVBC-TTD Devoted Channel SVBC-TTD, celebrating two years of propagating Hindu dharma. By Sangeeta Tanwar
ri Venkateswara Bhakti Seva (ritual), even from the confines Channel (SVBC-TTD) of of their homes. SAndhra Pradesh is celebrating The channel also runs three news its second anniversary this month. bulletins a day. On Sunday after- The 24-hour religious channel is part noons, it telecasts devotional movies. of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams Besides, a number of devotional (TTD); and claims to be the only music and dance shows are show- channel in the state, which is fully cased on SVBC-TTD everyday. owned and operated by the temple The channel caters to as many as authority. The free to air channel is one lakh devotees, who come to funded by TTD. Tirumala daily. For pilgrims’ benefit, Talking to afaqs!Reporter, the temple authorities have Dr.S Vijaykumar, vice-presi- placed a giant screen right dent, marketing and outside the temple premis- distribution, SVBC-TTD, es. says, “The channel, for the Sharing details about last two years, has been the brands that advertise propagating Hindu dhar- with the channel, R ma. Through its live Srikanth, head, marketing, programming and other SVBC-TTD, says, “The
The channel entertains viewers with religious music and dance based shows. shows, the channel has been deliver- channel gets a lot of advertising from ing spiritual teachings of great Indian banks, jewellery brands and other sages to devotees.” retail advertisers.” Some of the The channel is also engaged in brands advertising with the channel promoting scientific research on the include Syndicate Bank, Andhra Vedas, Yagnas, Puranas and other Bank, VIJAYA Bank, and jewellery ancient Hindu scriptures. brands such as GRT, Lalitha and SVBC-TTD airs three-and-a-half Nathella. Tamil Nadu Tourism hours of live programming daily, Board. including daily prayers and other The 10 second ad-rate on SVBC- important rituals held five times in a TTD is Rs 5000 for prime time, day. The live programming includes 3,000 for non-prime time and 1,000 Kalyanotsavam (12:00 noon-1:00 for other day-parts. PM), Dolotsavam (1:00-2:30 PM), In the last two years, SVBC-TTD Arjita Brahmotsavam (2:30-3:00 won as many as 11 Nandi awards in PM), Vasantostavam (3:00 -3:30 PM) the TV category. These awards are and Sahasra Deepalankarana Seva conferred upon the best and most (5:00-6:00 PM). popular devotional channel by the The daily prayers are broadcast to Andhra Pradesh Government. enable devotees to be part of every [email protected]
4 0 afaqs! Reporter, July 16-31, 2010
POINTSOFVIEW Is the 360-degree Solution a Myth? Brands are always looking for a 360-degree solution, but how honest are they to the concept? With TV still the lead medium, how has the role of other media changed over the years? By Antara Ghosal
NANDINI DIAS SEJAL SHAH CAJETAN VAZ VINEET MITTAL COO, Lodestar Universal Vice president (West and South), IMX Branding Consultant Business Head, Big Live - Rural FOTOCORP MOST COMMUNICATION CONSUMERS ARE THE ANSWER IN THREE THOUGH NOT WIDELY IDEAS WITH LARGE CHALLENGING WORDS IS: ‘‘YES, YES, PRACTICED BY BUDGETS CARRY MASS BRANDS ON ‘MIND- YES.’’ BUT HOW MANY CLIENTS, THE 360- MEDIA IDEAS ON TO SHARE SCORES’. BUT ADVERTISING FOLK CAN DEGREE APPROACH IS RING TONES, ACTIVA- THE CHALLENGE IS SAY, ‘MY 360-DEGREE GAINING TRACTION TION AND EVENTS, NOT IN OBTAINING A SOLUTION WAS EXECUT- AND ACCEPTANCE CONTENT INTEGRATION SHARE OF ED IN TOTALITY’? AMONGST and the client’s internal litera- consumers’ minds - that can be Communication solutions marketers. done with huge concentrated Marketers have realised the ture. From a client’s point of campaigns and expensive clutter- are 360 degrees at the time of importance of a core idea being view, 360-degree solution is busting innovations. a creative or strategy presenta- extended across media to lever- not a myth at all. The real challenge is retaining tion. But more often than not age and synergise marketing But often, if the client has a that share of mind and here is they are murdered in the interventions. where 360-degree solutions work The very fact that agencies coordinator, the latter reaches hardest. I believe that the lack of third degree and lie still in across the spectrum are embrac- out to specialists and creates a understanding of ‘360’ lies in its PowerPoint presentations. ing this and setting up integrated 360-degree solution. If the very definition. There is a need to Here are three excuses for teams as opposed to silo-based client does not have one, he look at this definition in a slightly not doing 360-degree: departments is a testimonial to broader spectrum. this growing and encouraging expects his ad agency to act as A 360-degree solution need • “Brilliant, but can’t afford trend. the aggregator knowing quite not mean all vehicles firing at the to do all.” We strongly believe in this well that some of the solu- same time on the same pro- • “We won the account, now and have structurally aligned our tions may be outsourced by gramme. This is an ideal scenario let’s do TV and print.” organisation on those lines. We but requires a basic programme, have been providing integrated the ad agency too. which is long-term and strong on • “That was the Account 360-degree solutions to our But while ad agencies can consumer, connect. Planner’s idea. Kill. Kill.” clients that not only integrate cover 90 per cent of touch ‘360’ is an approach and can There have been many suc- radio but also OOH, digital and points through divisions like be deployed across a time period cessful 360-degree solutions - BTL solutions to extend the core in phases as well. The moot point thought of the brand. OOH, brand experience and is to be able to reach the con- ones that have been applaud- Our campaign - Music se activation, digital, PR or sumer across various touch ed year after year at Cannes, Mileage Tak - for Mahindra direct marketing, it is possible points in a reasonable time peri- New York, London and Goa. Tractors not only integrated on- that they won’t have in-house od to ensure continuity. I’ve seen some brilliant ones ground activation with radio, but also took the core thought to capabilities for innovative, as a jury member. “Wow!” I dealer meets and PR across the unusual solutions. say, “How I wish they were region. real.”
4 2 afaqs! Reporter, July 16-31, 2010
NEWSMEDIA SAB Clowning Around The family entertainment channel by Adhikari Brothers will offer comedy and music based content. By Sapna Nair
ri Adhikari Brothers’ new channel, Mastiii Raju Srivastava’s adalat on Mastiii offers music, generously interspersed with Shumour elements. It promises to be a music It is evident that Mastiii’s proposition is similar destination catering to audiences between six to to that of 9XM. In fact, media planners believe that sixty years of age, with comedy as a thread. SAB is trying to replicate an already successful About 75 per cent of Mastiii’s programming 9XM model. Meenakshi Madhvani, co-founder will comprise music, while the rest will comprise and chairperson, Spatial Access Solutions, says, comedy. The comedy programming includes gags, “9XM managed to offer a good mix of music and spoofs, pranks and comic acts, performed by pop- comedy. Mastiii is an attempt to recreate that ular comedians such as Raju Srivastava, Sunil Pal magic,” adding that SAB has a good sense of what and Suresh Menon. The channel will works with the junta. follow an interstitial format - there will Ajit Varghese, managing director, Maxus India, be no half- or one-hour shows, only says that music as content does not cost much. one- or two-minute gags. Hence, channels of this nature are able to break- Markand Adhikari, vice-chairman songs,” says Anita Varma, associate even fast. “It’s a low-investment model, but the and managing director, SAB Group, vice-president, programming, revenue is also lower which is why increasingly, calls Mastiii an electronic radio. “Mastiii Mastiii. music channels are looking at broadening content will offer 24 hours of non-stop music Adhikari says that the best part offerings,” he says. For a network, it may not be a and comedy, targeting everyone with a about the channel is that it doesn’t sustainable model, as there is no scope to increase sense of humour. It will soon become require appointment viewing. the scale, he adds. the choice of many, because we have “Viewers can snack in and out of the SAB has launched a full-fledged mass media packed something in it for everyone,” Adhikari channel, unlike other channels which campaign to promote the new channel. Besides he states. demand at least half-an- hour from a television, radio and outdoor, below-the-line Mastiii will play complete songs and will have viewer.” On the reason why a combination of activities will also be used. The comedians will be specific time-bands for all genres, be it chart- music and humour was created, he says, “The taken to various cities, giving viewers a chance to busters or old classics. “The format will be similar entertainment genre is saturated at the moment. interact with them. to radio. We will have gags or skits in between two Hence, we wanted to launch a fun channel.” [email protected]
STAR Plus enjoys a favourable GEC approach from the advertisers. Mona Jain, COO, VivaKi Exchange, says, “The lead in this time slot signifies The Frontrunner additional revenues for the channel as there is space for inventory play - STAR Plus rules the roost in non-prime time by going for and not all skew of inventory is on prime time.” repeat programming. By Sangeeta Tanwar SUSHIL KUMAR Jain and Das: inventory play This time slot is a favourite t’s always a war of nerves amongst (2-7 PM) contributes to about 46 per amongst many FMCG players, espe- the top three general entertain- cent of STAR Plus’ viewership, while more television in the afternoon and cially from sectors such as fabric care, Iment channels (GECs) - STAR for Colors, the figure is 40 per cent. early evening - not to say that the oral care. Reaching out to the female Plus, Colors and Zee TV - during In case of Sony, which is the No. 3 trend is not there in the metros - and TG (target group) in non-prime time prime time, where all the three chan- channel in this time band, the contri- traditionally, STAR Plus has enjoyed proves to be about 40-60 per cent nels fight a close race for supremacy. bution is as high as 57 per cent. a loyal viewership amongst the SEC lower in comparison to prime time. However, the same rule doesn’t This time band is crucial for B, C and D audience, which has As Himanka Das, vice-president, apply during non-prime time (2 PM- GECs not only for the viewership helped the channel claim a clear lead- Karishma Initiative, says, “For many 7 PM), where STAR Plus is clearly but also for the revenue. About 50 ership in this time slot.” brands in these categories targeting ahead of the pack. per cent of a channel’s total revenue Interestingly, STAR Plus contin- the home makers, non-prime time is As per TAM Media Research, comes from prime time. ues to maintain this lead through actually the prime time.” C&S, 4+, the difference in average Interestingly, the non-prime time repeat programming during the For instance, if the prime time GRPs of 12 weeks (Week 15-26) band (2-7 PM) contributes 30-40 per afternoon time band - a strategy ini- rate for the lead channel goes up to between the No. 1 channel, STAR cent of the total ad revenue of a tiated by Colors - whereas the latter Rs 2 lakh for 10 seconds, during non- Plus and No. 2 channel, Colors dur- GEC. The remaining 10 per cent experimented with original program- prime time, the price reaches a ing prime time (7-12 PM), is only of comes from the morning slot and ming in the afternoon time band, maximum of Rs 35,000 per 10 sec- 17 GRPs. In the non-prime time (2- other day-parts. which, though, did not work out too onds - and only STAR Plus 7 PM) band, the gap between the two According to a senior media plan- well for the channel. commands such a high price in this is larger, with a difference of 44 ner, “Women in smaller towns watch So what does this mean? time slot. Colors gets anything in the GRPs. range of Rs 18,000-25,000 for a 10 This is significant because chan- STAR Plus has maintained its lead second ad-spot, while ad rates for nels get almost 30-50 per cent of Zee TV are in the range of Rs their daily viewership from this time through repeat programming during the 14,000-20,000. band. For instance, non-prime time afternoon time band. [email protected]
44 afaqs! Reporter, July 16-31, 2010
NEWSMEDIA YRF-SONY Did it? Didn’t it? Sony Entertainment Television believes that its experiment with YRF shows has yielded results. By Sapna Nair
ony promised to paint the television screens red, with its tie-up with Yash Raj Films’ tele- Svision division, YRF TV. As part of an exclusive agreement, YRF produces content for the channel. January 2010 saw the launch of five YRF shows on Sony - one non-fiction and four fiction shows on the weekends. The channel spent close to Rs 15 crore to pro- mote the new show. The first lot of YRF’s shows are now drawing to a close, without having creat- ed much furore. Most of the shows could not even Clockwise from left: Seven, Powder and Rishta.com garner an average TVR of 1 (Source: TAM Media Research, Jan-June 2010, C&S, 4+, HSM). The that viewers do not watch programmes based on most popular show among the five was Lift Kara the banner. De, which opened at a TVR of 1.6, but was unable According to Thakur, the shows managed to to attract sustained viewership. attract the youth to the channel. “We found that on Sony’s older weekend properties - CID, Aahat Facebook and YouTube the shows have got out- and Comedy Circus - maintained their momentum. standing following. We are certain that the rest of While CID raked in an average TVR of 2.8, the audiences will also come,” he adds. Comedy Circus got an average TVR of 2.1. CID and TAM data suggests that around 25 per cent Comedy Circus now air twice a week, and Aahat airs viewership for these programmes came from the from Monday to Thursday. 15-24-year-olds. Apparently, they have been well- Ajit Thakur, business head, Sony says that the objective was not to set the ratings on received in international markets too. Entertainment Television, believes that it was an fire. “We were not chasing numbers with these Thakur is content with the graph Sony has experiment that has yielded results. “We knew that shows. We knew it wouldn’t attract high TVRs in charted. “I don’t think anybody has managed to these shows were different from what viewers had the first year. We wanted to get the Indian audi- double their GRPs in less than 12 months. We seen on television before. YRF was our first ences used to content like this,” he explains. were about 80 GRPs last June, and now we are attempt at creating content comparable to the But media planners such as Divya about 150-160. We have actually had a great run,” West. Shot on high definition, there were some of Radhakrishnan, president, TME think otherwise. he says. Sony commands a relative share of 11 per the best film guys writing scripts. The pace and “Sony is not patient enough with its shows, hence, cent in the Hindi GEC pie, as per the latest TAM narrative were fast,” he says. there is constant dropping and replacement of data. When asked about the poor viewership, Thakur shows,” she says. About the YRF shows, she adds [email protected]
head, marketing and communica- simplicity of the format is the attrac- IMAGINE tion, Imagine. tion of the show. Questions range A full-fledged campaign has been from taglines of brands to relation- launched across television, print, ship of two characters in daily soaps Big Happy Family radio and outdoor. The campaign is (across GECs) or about cartoon focussed on the kind of questions characters. “The nature of the show The channel hopes to strengthen its weekend slot with a that will be asked on the show, is such that every member of the new non-fiction show. News Bureau familiarising the viewers about its family will be able to contribute,” concept. The channel is also imple- Madhok adds. magine’s new non-fiction offer- the prize of Rs 1 crore. “The format menting quizzes on a smaller scale The channel has slotted non-fic- ing is a game show that quizzes is simple and involves every mem- in malls and multiplexes in certain tion for weekends and fiction for Ipeople on television - about tel- ber of the family. There are no cities. The catchline across the cam- weekdays. “The idea is to give vari- evision. Big Money is a game show numbers or current affairs involved. paign is - TV ka gyaan, banayega ety to viewers on weekends,” he hosted by actor R Madhavan that Anybody who watches television dhanwaan. states. involves participation of the entire can play,” says Nikhil Madhok, The channel believes that the Desi Girl, a non-fiction property family. on Imagine garnered an average Imagine hopes to strengthen its TVR of 1.3, as per TAM Media weekend slot with Big Money. The Research (C&S, 4+, HSM). Big show is the Indian version of an Money will replace Desi Girl. Also, international format called Family Imagine will launch the third season Links, which is a general knowledge of its Swayamvar series. based show. Imagine has changed The first season of the series, the structure into a television based Rakhi Ka Swayamvar, garnered a quiz show. It is being produced by TVR of 8.4 on the final day and the Big Synergy. average TVR recorded by the show The questions are based on tele- was 2.8. The second season, Rahul vision soaps, advertisements, Dulhaniya Le Jayega, recorded an cartoons and cricket, and the show average TVR of 1.8. will have a family of four playing for [email protected]
46 afaqs! Reporter, July 16-31, 2010
BYINVITATION Some of India’s well-known professionals write on issues that they feel passionately about
SAUMYA CHATTOPADHYAY Adjust Your Sights
s marketers and advertising ing, as well as becoming a partner professionals, we profess to to her husband. know our consumers, and not • Careful to avoid going head-on treat them as morons. But against tradition; rather, expanding Atime and time again, we come across tradition, and at the same time, at communication which seems to remain ease while flirting with modernity. time warped. A case in point is the stereotypical portrayals of housewives WHAT BRANDS CAN DO stuck in the black-and-white era. Even hat does this mean for brands though they don a Priyanka Chopra Wthat are looking to connect with hairdo, they still behave and sound like her? Only brands that can identify Nirupa Roy. with her sense of being adventurous, The question that comes to mind without forsaking tradition, are the is - Why are the marketer and their brands she will warm up to. advertising agency behaving in such a As a brand, if you want her to “Rip Van Winkle” manner? All they rebel against her mother-in-law, do need to do is look around and the make sure that you do it covertly. For change will hit them right in the face. instance, she enlists the help of her husband in winning the battle against THE HOUSEWIFE THEN her mom-in-law. he housewife in the black-and- Challenge her at your own peril. Twhite era could well be classified A brand that makes her feel inade- (using the Hofstede Onion) as some- quate or ill at ease will only inflict one suffering from “acceptance injury on itself. Brands can, at most, anxiety”. She was strongly rooted in All marketers need to do is look closely claim to be her partner and play a traditional values, conservative and small role in her life. But the larger comfortable with the old way of life. around. The change will hit them. credit can only go to her.
This reflected in her language, her COURTESY: EGCONCEPTS.COM Make her feel empowered and mannerisms and her choice of clothes. become her accomplice in her day- She believed that a woman’s place was For her, motherhood is a partner- “take charge” wife. dreaming escapades. For instance, in at home, taking care of her children ship; she is the “jugaad” mother and At the same time, tradition is the case of a GEC brand, the content and family. She was completely the managerial housewife with multi- Important and relevant to her. She needs to make her feel empowered. dependent on her husband for her and tasking skills. Even though life still feels that she needs tradition in her She should identify with the charac- the family’s existence. She never revolves around her husband, her life, because it stands for something ters in serials so much that she often wanted to venture beyond her safe children and household chores, she larger than just rules - it means cul- places herself in the shoes of the key zone and serve to keep her family seeks ways and means to escape the ture, respect, belief in God, values protagonist and emerges as a super- happy and well-fed. A minimalist, no- mundane and the routine. While she and principles. hero. Given her desire to seek escape frills existence was something she was defined by “maa ke haath ka But at the same time, tradition from the mundane, even showing thought was her fate, and she had rec- paratha”; today, she insists on being need not mean everything serious, to genres (in the daytime when no one onciled to it. called the “no-chulha on Sunday be treated with distant reverence. If else is watching TV with her) gener- She was best epitomised by the nights” mom. you look at how Karva Chauth is ally aimed at male audiences, such as characters of the sacrificing mother Her husband emerges as her being celebrated, it has moved from a graphic crime or “maar dhaad” serial, (Nirupa Roy) and the canny house- anchor, with whom she shares an being a “festival of fasting” to a “festi- may not be a distant possibility at all. wife (Lalitaji). Her identity was almost equal partnership. She doesn’t val of feasting”, where even the I will end by saying that the new- always through her husband. like to be tied down to just house- husband plays an equal role in the age, middle-class housewife already Downplayed sexuality and primacy of keeping and likes to have a life celebration. No wonder it’s difficult exists. She is on the lookout for motherhood was her mantra. beyond home. She loves to flaunt, to get a table in any restaurant on brands that can share her newfound and does her bit in exhibiting the new Karva Chauth nights. optimism and reflect her sense of THE HOUSEWIFE NOW luxuries within the grasp of the new Summing up her traits, the new- empowerment, without throwing he new-age, middle-class house- middle class - be it the double-door age, middle-class housewife is: caution to the winds and breaking Twife, in sharp contrast, could well refrigerator, the air-conditioner in the • More comfortable with herself. tradition. And she promises to shoot be classified as someone suffering bedroom or her knowledge in operat- • Confidently embracing the exter- off the heads of brands that still show from “performance anxiety”. So, ing the children’s computer. nal world. her as a tart in the kitchen, waiting while the housewife of the bygone era She feels that everything about her • Sees herself playing a more signif- for the Voice of God to save her from would perform to others’ expecta- should be a talking point. She likes to icant role in the family. her misery. tions, the new-age housewife seek attention and be the envy of oth- • Seeking attention and having an performs to better her own expecta- ers. Her homemaking skills are not effect on others. (The author is head - strategic planning, tions. enough; she needs to be seen as the • Learning the new rules of parent- Rediffusion Y&R, Kolkata.)
48 afaqs! Reporter, July 16-31, 2010
NEWSPEOPLE
>>MOVEMENTS/APPOINTMENTS<< A compilation of some major people movements in the last fortnight
ADVERTISING MEDIA > Contract Advertising has roped in > ZenithOptimedia Delhi has roped in Rakesh Singh as > The board of directors of Zee News Ltd Sachin Talwalkar as vice-president, associate vice-president. In this new assignment, Singh will (ZNL) has accepted the resignation of creative, to strengthen its creative team. report to Navin Khemka, vice-president. Earlier, he was busi- Laxmi Narain Goel, managing director Talwalkar will partner Uddalak Gupta, ness director, Mindshare Mumbai and has a total work of the company. Punit Goenka will suc- creative director, Contract to handle key experience of about 12 years. He started his career in sales in ceed Goel, with immediate effect. Prior to clients such as NIIT, SpiceJet, Ten Sports, 1999 at ETV and has worked with agencies such as Mediacom, this, Goenka was a JK Tyres, Shell Lubricants, The British Mindshare and Madison. At various agencies he has handled whole-time direc- High Commission and Globus Spirits. He leading accounts such as Wrigley, McDowell’s, Airtel, Unilever tor and CEO at will report to Nima Namchu, executive (Sunsilk, Vaseline, Huggies, Pond’s), Kingfisher Airlines, Castrol ZEEL (the erstwhile Zee Telefilms) since creative director. Talwalkar brings with him an experience of and Onida. 2008. Over the years, Goenka has occu- about 13 years. His last stint was as a creative consultant in pied various positions in the Zee Group. London, where he worked with agencies such as Ogilvy, Leo OOH He handled Dish TV, the direct-to-home Burnett and DDB. > Mediascope Publicitas has strengthened its OOH media television distribution arm of the Zee FOTOCORP Group, and was also the head of the > Leo Burnett has roped in Nitin team in India with four new appointments. Anirudh music division of Zee Telefilms. Pradhan as executive creative director Kanade has come on board as vice-president, projects. for the Uninor account. In his new assign- Besides, Sanjay Malkani, Gulrez Haider and Roger > Media Research Users Council (MRUC) ment, Pradhan will report to KV Sridhar, Carruthers have joined the agency as assistant vice-pres- has elected Lloyd Mathias as its new national creative director, Leo Burnett and ident, West, AV-P North and AV-P East, respectively. All chairman, following the resignation of its will be based out of Delhi. He will work have been associated with the outdoor industry for more existing chairman, Andrey Purushottam. towards taking the telecom brand further than 10 years. Publicitas has been present in India for more He has 20 years of work experience and and making Uninor more relatable at an than 10 years through Mediascope Publicitas. has been an active member of the MRUC emotional level to the target audience. board. Mathias is currently president and Pradhan has more than nine years of chief marketing officer, Tata experience and was earlier associated with Oligvy Mumbai, MARKETING Teleservices. He has also worked with where his key clients were Tata Sky, CEAT, Bru and Bank of brands such as Motorola and PepsiCo.
> General Motors India has promoted Sumit Sawhney, SUSHIL KUMAR India. director, sales as vice-president, marketing, sales and after > Chintamani Rao, who recently retired from Times Global > Tomomitsu Taue has been appointed senior vice-presi- sales, with effect from August 1. He replaces Ankush Broadcasting, will take charge as the head of RK Swamy Media dent, Percept/H Bengaluru. He will report to Prabhakar Arora, who has been transferred to General Motors Group/Media Direction. He replaces Les Mundkur, CEO, Percept/H. Earlier, Taue was director, regional Daewoo Auto and Technology (GMDAT) Korea as vice-pres- Margulis, who has put in his papers as account planning division, Hakuhodo Communications ident, sales, service and marketing, following a global move. president at the agency. After 36 years in Singapore. At Hakuhodo, Taue was heading the regional Sawhney will be based in Gurgaon and will report to Karl the mainline media industry, Rao has now account team for Southeast Asia on Canon and Toyota. He has Slym, president and managing director, GM India. Sawhney returned to a media agency. He has handled regional brand management and communications for has more than 15 years of experience, of which he has worked with Lowe Lintas and was with RK Japanese FMCG brands such as Kao and Ajinomoto. spent about 10 years at GM India. Swamy/BBDO in his early days. FOTOCORP
INTERVIEW SYLVIA VITALE ROTTA > CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, TEAM CREATIF “Design is the First Touch Point”
Rotta, who was present at Cannes this year to conduct two workshops on design, spoke to afaqs!Reporter on how design is a crucial contributor to a brand's equity. By Biprorshee Das
dvertising gives the consumer a reason to afaqs!Reporter: How do you think design could be, just to be in, a fashionable version in buy a product but very often, the design of helps advertising? bright pink. The contemporary that will go on will Athe package or product plays a crucial role in Rotta: Design is the start. Advertising does not always be the black and white model. staying on top of the consumer’s mind. exist without it. I did a workshop here at Cannes As a woman, I love fashion. I buy fashionable Sylvia Vitale Rotta, CEO, Team Creatif, an on branding and how the identity and packaging clothes and things but in design - especially brand- independent design consultancy based in Paris, can create the equity of the brand. A brand cannot ing – it will have to be contemporary if you want it spoke about how advertising has little meaning live without equity. Advertising takes the branding, to last many years. without design, how clients worldwide are seeing the colours and the logo type and brings them alive the importance of this craft and its contribution to in campaigns. afaqs!Reporter: How has product design brand equity. Consider Coca-Cola - the product, the brand- evolved over the last two decades? Team Creatif specialises in branding, packaging ing, the shape of the bottle and the colours. If Rotta: Design, branding and packaging are evolv- design and corporate identity. Its major clients advertising did not have all that, it would not have ing towards more ‘essentiality’. There are stronger, include Danone, Gillette, Cadbury Schweppes, anything to advertise about. It all starts in the brain simpler images, more real and natural and less in Apple, Kraft Foods and P&G. Jury president of the of the creative designer. Advertising comes in after the superficial ‘I am pretty and cute’ arena. That is Design Lions in 2009, Rotta was at the festival con- that and brings the fundamental DNA of the where the big brands have realised that they have ducting two workshops on design this year. brand. to be focussed, real, pass the key message, stay top Excerpts from an interview: Take Apple and Steve Jobs. Design made Jobs of the mind, be essential and not go running after do things in a much simpler and more aesthetic superficiality. Be honest to your brand. way. You could lick an iPhone. That is what is Design has become more essential, more beautiful. That is design. focussed and more respectful of the environment. You are not just doing pretty things anymore. afaqs!Reporter: Do you think brands are Influenced by the success of certain brands such as looking to redesign and evolve their products Coca-Cola, Apple and Activia, many clients from in a far shorter span of time? emerging markets have realised the importance of Rotta: Yes! Earlier, we designed something like a design. They are coming to Paris for strategic bottle, a product, a food form, a shape, an identity inputs in design, knowing that it is very expensive and it would last for many years. You could keep for them. looking after it and polishing it. Clients have realised how design is the first Now, however, things are going faster and touch-point and that people do not all watch tele- clients want to react quicker, which is of course vision, they do not go to the same websites and fantastic for us because they have realised that you they do not do the same things anymore. So, the must not be fashionable but contemporary, answer experience has to start somewhere more solid and the consumer’s needs and never become old. This that is the product or the service. The consumer is making them move forward, rejuvenating what can always hold the product in his hand, touch it they have, keeping the DNA intact but making the feel it, and eat it. brand look young and fresh. afaqs!Reporter: Sometimes, the look of a afaqs!Reporter: How do you differentiate brand and its product sticks to consumers’ between what is fashionable and what is con- mind. You have cited the examples of Coca- temporary? Cola and Apple more than once. The Rotta: Fashionable is what everybody has, wears consumer has a certain perception of the two and talks about in the fashion world. Something brands. Do you think it sometimes gets diffi- that is cool. It can last for a few weeks, months or cult for consumers to keep up with the maybe a couple of years at the best. What is really constant changes that a brand undergoes? essential, good looking and real can last forever. Rotta: Changes will always have to be done with No matter how much the styles change, it will honesty keeping in mind the DNA of the brand. always be liked for what it is. As consumers, we always have a memory struc- Coke, for example, is not fashionable. It never ture. This is something that is very strong in has been. It is just modern and follows the everybody. That is why something that you might consumers. Pepsi, at one time, became old have had as a child stays with you. That is why fashioned. It forgot to move on and got sometimes people, when they get a bit fragile, go into trouble. back to things that are reassuring. That is why you Contemporary is style - good-look- like to go back home and find your room. ing style. So, when you re-brand or re-package, you Apple - with its computers and always have to be careful to try and keep this area, the iPhone - is contemporary, very which is the memory structure. When you lose modern but not fashionable. You that, you kill the brand. Your sales can come crash- will always have the black and white iPhone model. There continued on page 54 >>
NEWSBTL LG ELECTRONICS Ruling the Kitchens The brand has kicked off the third edition of its cooking contest. By Rohit Nautiyal
onsumer durables major LG Electronics dishes, along with the recipes. The recipes select- at LG look has announced a nation-wide hunt for the ed by the panel of judges on set parameters will forward to Cthird edition of its cooking contest. Called qualify for competition on a regional level. establishing Mallika-e-Kitchen Cooking Contest 2010, the Close to 3,000 participants will be shortlisted in ourselves as contest aims to take the cooking skills of women in the first round, who will then be taken to the sec- the mas- the age group of 18 years and above to an interna- ond round at the nine regional centres including ters of tional platform. Maharashtra and Goa, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh Indian kitchens The contest was first started in 2008 and cov- and Chattisgarh, Delhi and Rajasthan, UP and and cuisines through this ered eight-nine cities only. In 2009, LG Uttarakhand, and Tamil Nadu and Kerala, unique initiative and emerge as pio- re-christened the contest as Mallika-e-Kitchen and amongst others. Finally, in September, 18 winners neers in the field of healthy cooking. We will covered 60 cities. This year, divided in three stages, from the nine zones will compete against each continue our efforts in future as well.” the contest will take place over a period of three other as part of the Grand Finale in New Delhi. Apart from the on-ground activities, LG will months (July-September) across 100 cities pan- The national winner will get a chance to partici- also launch a show, called LG Mallika-e-Kitchen, on India. pate in the global contest in South Korea, to be the general entertainment channel, Colors. The To participate, eligible candidates are required organised by LG in the same month. weekly show will run for 16 weeks, where two to fill up and submit a registration form available at For brand visibility, LG microwaves have been participants will be asked to try their hands at a select LG dealer shops and LG’s branch offices. incorporated in the second and final rounds. Also, recipe. While one participant will cook on a burn- The same form is also available on LG India’s offi- several on ground promotions will be rolled out. er, the other one will use a microwave. A celebrity cial website, lg.com. Shortlisted candidates will be Speaking about the contest, Rajiv Jain, business will be invited on the show as a judge. contacted by representatives of the company for head, home appliances, LG Electronics India, says, LG microwaves are priced in the range of Rs the confirmation of the venue and date for Round “Mallika-e-Kitchen is an endeavour to showcase 3,990-27,990. LG India claims to be No. 1 in the 1 across the cities. LG’s commitment towards the Indian consumer microwave segment, which is growing at an annu- On the day of the contest, the selected partici- by promoting the spirit of tasty and healthy cook- al rate of 15 per cent. pants are required to bring the microwave cooked ing. After getting a fabulous response last year, we [email protected]
<< continued from page 52 keting people of that country for a few “Indian designers days and we get to know the people, the “Design is the First...” company, its clients, consumers, the have to hold on sales force, the factory and other ing down. That has happened with aspects. Then, we go back, create and some brands and they had to bring back to what is unique design strong proposals on identity, the old design because the change was global branding and packaging. too sudden and abrupt. This is danger- but they have to ous. You can kill a brand like this. afaqs! Reporter: What are your five Tiger Biscuits is a big brand in India. make designs that favourite product designs? If you were to lose that funny tiger and Rotta: Obviously, first the iPod. that redness, you’d lose the brand. You answer the Everything that Apple does is beautiful could make it more chocolatey or mod- product design. I think the Nespresso ern but you have to keep that innocent modern needs of coffee machine is very, very interesting. tiger feel. That is what consumers buy. The Evian bottle is beautiful. Ellie If you were to change the red of the people.” Coffee mugs are beautifully designed. Coke, consumers will tell you that it is And, of course, the Fiat 500. wrong. The essence of the designer’s job is respect the past and create the future. If you Doing work that is ecologically sound is not afaqs!Reporter: Your thoughts on Indian do not respect the past and create the future, you easy. It means new investments. So, these brands design and its potential… are dead on branding and global packaging. need to slowly learn to gain confidence and go into Rotta: Indian designers are extremely talented this new era. This is where designers, design agen- because India has talent. In other words, Indians afaqs!Reporter: What is the diversity you see cies and global branding will help them to do that. know how to use colours, they have the sense of in the client’s needs or is there a certain uni- Design and design agencies come before adver- detail, the typography is beautiful, the drawing and formity that you observe? tising because that is the closest to the product and the illustrations are beautiful. Rotta: Each client has its own DNA, its own way the client. It’s important to get into people’s lives Today, design has become a little complicated. It of doing something but they are all quite aware, and to understand the consumers and their needs. is a little heavier and more traditional. Designers especially in this moment in time, about the Then, we answer it with design. need to keep the art skill that they have but make importance of being essential, providing value for it simpler, more immediate and striking because money, creating emotions and being natural. afaqs!Reporter: How difficult does it get to that is where the modern world is moving Many of the big clients are concerned with the handle clients all over the world? towards. ecological responsibility. We, at Team Creatif, are Rotta: Usually clients come to us via recommen- Indian designers have to hold on to what is helping these big brands to be more ecologically dations. Clients recommend us to other clients unique but they have to make designs that answer responsible and this is a big challenge because the and because of that, we go into a territory of trust. the modern needs of the Indian people and can consumers are asking for it. However, the con- So when we get a new client, the first thing we do also be exported. sumers also want everything cheaper. is visit the country. We go and live with the mar- [email protected]
54 afaqs! Reporter, July 16-31, 2010
afaqs! Round Table Series
PRESENTED BY
It was a stimulating discussion as half-a-dozen professionals sat around the table analysing the automobile marketing scenario in India.
he first of the Round Table Series organised today that is over 400. How are marketers dealing by afaqs! focused on marketing issues with multiple brands in their portfolio? Trelated to automobiles. The participants: G Sanjay, General Manager, Hyundai Motors; G Sanjay: As a company, Hyundai operates in all Gaurav Gupta, Director Marketing, General the five segments starting from the base model Motors; Pankaj Dubey, National Business Head, Santro all the way to Sonata, which is in the Yamaha Motors; Rajul Kulshreshtha, Managing premium space. How to manage multiple brands Director, Motivator; and Naresh Gupta, Head, and their positioning is a difficult question. The Strategic Planning, Dentsu Marcom were part of problem is that the dealer fraternity likes to sell the panel. The discussion was moderated by small cars – it is easier to sell those than a premium Rajeev Dubey, executive editor, Businessworld. car. When we launch a new car in the premium The Round Table was presented by Star News. segment it becomes all the more difficult to do the tradeoff. It is a task to convince the dealer HANDLING MULTIPLE BRANDS fraternity to give importance to all the brands. Rajeev Dubey: Automobile sales are seeing unprecedented growth. In 2009-10 it grew almost Gaurav Gupta: Brand building is not a one-time by 26 per cent and this year the figure is even investment, it’s more like breathing. When you higher – but the growth comes with challenges. launch a new product, it does require extra money Let’s start with the challenge of growth. A in the beginning as you have to outshout and make decade ago, there were 50-odd model options but your presence felt. Even after that, you cannot actually step down and lie low. In India the tendency is that after the launch to lie low for some time and then come back after 6-8 months for a refresher campaign. But the fact is that you “In Western countries, when cannot step off the accelerator, you will have to brands refresh themselves, they make continuous spends month on month, and wipe out their existing product make sure that you sustain your volumes as well. The biggest learning here is that after you launch a line and come up with a brand product you shouldn’t do a sustenance new generation of products.” programme but a reinforcement programme. GAURAV GUPTA Rajul Kulshreshtha: I have a slightly different DIRECTOR, MARKETING point of view in terms of branding multiple brands GENERAL MOTORS – for me, the focus is always on the consumer. My experiences say nobody ever bought a car because trigger to buy your next car is pressed the day you they saw an ad. Buying the car is a series of nodes buy the existing car. Communication only plays through which a consumer goes – it could be a the role of reselling the car to the consumer and friend talking to you, an advertising node, a that’s how it becomes important. So, in this showroom node and so on. As a marketer one industry it’s little more than communication that should be present at every possible node. Almost matters to the consumer. every car manufacturer spends 30-40 per cent of the value of advertising on general entertainment Gaurav Gupta: You always keep customers at the channels. So how do you differentiate one v/s core but you also want to know where you are another? It obviously depends on what segment going to get market share, what is the contribution “A decade ago, there you are talking about, what message you are margin, where you are present for a strategic putting across etc. reason, which segment is growing and so on. You were 50-odd model To cut a long story short, for me the one word look at all of these things and then decide your options in the Indian is the consumer. The dealer part is valid to a portfolio keeping the customer at the centre. market, but today that certain extent, but when a consumer goes to a showroom the decision of buying a car is already HOW JAPANESE, US AND KOREAN is over 400.” in place, that’s why he’s going to the showroom. FIRMS MARKET AUTOMOBILES RAJEEV DUBEY It’s only at the showroom level that the final Naresh Gupta: For Japanese companies, decision of buying or not buying a particular engineering plays a very big role. Similarly, there EXECUTIVE EDITOR model comes to play. are companies where the consumer is at the core. BUSINESSWORLD Naresh Gupta: Some studies suggest that your Others may focus on the gaps in the markets and
56 afaqs! Reporter, July 16-31, 2010 ROUNDTABLESERIES
like a mini-Europe, there are literacy issues, India, this is still a distant dream. language issues, cost of media and infrastructure When it comes to dealers, why are they not issues. Having said that, what makes a brand profitable? That’s because dealerships in India are profitable is when consumers start loving your still run like grocery stores, and not as professional brand. If there are two brands at the same level in businesses. Most still calculate their profit and loss terms of price and offering, and a consumer is at the end of each day. As things get tougher, willing to pay some delta dollar extra for your dealers need to be better trained. brand, that delta dollar makes your bottom line. Naresh Gupta: Automobiles might be the only CHALLENGES IN THE HINTERLAND sector in India where the distribution is the way it G Sanjay: The biggest challenge is the third P of is. There’s no other category where dealership is marketing - presence. You need to be present exclusive. The saying is that business is before you can increase volumes. We need to cooperation when it comes to creating the pie and invest accordingly to build up our network. We competition when it comes to cutting it. But the also need to expand our networks in rural areas. automobile sector decided not to cooperate even when creating the pie. Lot of businesses have Pankaj Dubey: As companies are getting into started sharing their dealerships so it’s only a rural areas, they are ensuring that they have at least matter of time before it comes to automobiles. a dealer and a service centre. May be three four years down the line we’ll have dealerships that will Pankaj Dubey: In two-wheelers, we have a lot of handle multiple brands. multi brand outlets in the big metros. But sometimes brokers can create a lot of confusion in STATE OF DEALERSHIP such multibrand markets. Brokers may jointly “It is too early for a cult to be Rajeev Dubey: Are you looking at a Carnation decide one day that they are getting more margins created in India. Maruti 800 could kind of option? There has been news that some from one brand and will stop selling the others. be called a cult brand, given the realty companies are contemplating setting up an This way all marketing strategies that you make go automobile plaza like a food plaza where you share for a toss. way it has found its place in the infrastructure like washing, denting, and painting. life of Indian households” Gaurav Gupta: I tend to disagree on this. The G Sanjay: The plan has been there for the last first thing is to make the consumer want your NARESH GUPTA seven eight years. It was supposed to be set up in brand. The distributor can only push it to an HEAD, STRATEGIC PLANNING Gurgaon but it hasn’t materialised. extent. Although it is true that the distributor can DENTSU MARCOM influence sales, the consumer end will continue to Gaurav Gupta: I feel multi-brand dealership will drive sales. Agents can influence the buyers but be fairly popular half a dozen years down the line. they can't make or break your market share. then go ahead with their products – there’s no set However, it would depend on the extent to which rule to this. It works whichever way you want to the market - that is, manufacturers and dealers - Pankaj Dubey: I don’t think you’ve disagreed make it work. It’s not about American, German or matures. In developed markets, manufacturers with me. The consumer is always at the core but Japanese companies, it all varies from market to come together to discuss consumer insights. In you can’t just put a product on the shelf and expect market and which way the company’s moving. it to sell. Whether or not it does well is the The big equalisation here is quality. There's no bad cumulative effect of several factors. While talking car, no bad engineering anymore. about brokers, I shared some of the problems that are at sometimes created by brokers. Rajul Kulshreshtha: When international companies come to India, lots depend on the Rajul Kulshreshtha: There are two aspects to a lineage. I remember many years ago when dealer’s viability. One is of course the financial Hyundai came to India nobody could pronounce aspect. The other is that a dealer is an agent of the the brand name properly. They got a Shah Rukh brand. He plays a crucial role in getting more Khan to introduce the brand. customers to buy your brand. Marketers should draw their attention to the softer aspect of the TACKLING COMPETITION dealer’s ability to convince the customer. Pankaj Dubey: For Yamaha, we tried a number of As Naresh rightly put it, that there are no bad permutations and combinations over the years to cars, it’s the ability of a dealer to explain the get into the top three but nothing worked. Then product that swings the needle in favour of one we decided to change our strategy and launch brand versus another. If he chases the consumer products at the top. We were influenced by while selling to him but refuses to get back after he changes in the car market where people were has bought the product, the consumer will shifting from the Maruti 800 to more upmarket probably never come back to the brand. alternatives. When they were talking about a Rs 1 Also, to give you a multi-brand example, I used lakh car, we launched a Rs 1 lakh bike. The dealer to handle the LG account for many years and I community thought that it was a crazy strategy but realise that they’ve actually moved away from it really worked and did wonders for our image. multi-dealer outlets to having its own outlets. I The biggest thing in the market is image. know it’s a different category but still it is an “We tried many permutations and interesting development. Gaurav Gupta: The Indian market is very combinations to get into the top complicated. Let’s look at the classical 4 Ps of RE-BRANDING AND NEW VEHICLES marketing. Here product is largely controlled by three but nothing worked. We Rajeev Dubey: Moving, let’s discuss the government policies. For example, 80 per cent of then decided to change strategy challenge of growing in this market. One of the the players in the auto industry have to be in the and launch products at the top.” initial things in this respect would be rebranding mini-car segment. So, the government gives you a or bringing new models under an existing brand ANKAJ UBEY set boundary for products. Then comes pricing: P D name For example, do you think Sumo Grande 35-40 per cent of what you pay as a consumer for NATIONAL BUSINESS HEAD would have done better if the Sumo brand name the car is taxes and levies. In terms of market, it is YAMAHA MOTORS had not been attached to it?
afaqs! Reporter, July 16-31, 2010 5 7 Rajul Kulshreshtha: I think the best example of new Santro. Likewise in Maruti, you have Maruti this is GM itself. I remember those days when my 800, Alto, Zen and so on. When you say Zen boss would come in an Opel Astra and we would Estillo, the idea is to ride on the Zen brand equity. hang out drooling around it and thinking that one However, the characteristics of Zen and Estillo are day we’d get one…from there all the way to like chalk and cheese. So when do marketers ride Chapter 11 and then back again as Chevrolet. It’s in the shadow of a legacy brand? Such decisions been an absolutely fantastic journey. come during global alignments, or for cost reasons or the belief that the name of the legacy brand will G Sanjay: A new City comes under the City do as good to the new product. It is only when the brand name every four years. On the other hand new vehicle lives up to the brand value, and fulfill there are Sumo Grande and Zen Estillo - one or enhance the promise that the earlier brand wonders whether they would have been better off stood for, that makes the brand name extension a with the history taken away from them! But to be success. fair, Sumo Grande is not doing badly in terms of volumes. LACK OF CULT BRANDS In case of Hyundai, a lot of dealers say that Rajul Kulshreshtha: Both cars and bikes lend Sonata is not a good name, let’s change it to themselves to cult brands; you have the Hayabusas something else in line with the i series which has and the Harley Davidsons of the world. Why has taken off well in the country. But Sonata is a very there been a lack of cult brands in India? strong brand in the US and in Europe. As a company we don’t want to change it. The same is Naresh Gupta: In terms of overall car true for Honda which never changes City. population, we are not a very old market. The Indian market is still in its infancy, and it is too Gaurav Gupta: In Western countries, when early for a cult to be created. For that matter, “The products in this brands refresh themselves, they wipe out their Maruti 800 could be called a cult brand, given the existing product line and come up with a brand way it has found its place in the life of Indian category require a facelift every new generation of products. It’s like Generation households. two to three years and a major One, Generation Two, Generation Three. For change at the end of example, Chevrolet Malibu will continue for 20 Pankaj Dubey: A cult is never created, it just the fifth year.” years, Corvette has been with same brand name happens. India will eventually see its cult brands. for the last 50 years but the car has changed its G SANJAY shape many times. Now if you go back to why we ONLINE MARKETING GENERAL MANAGER have a Sumo and a Sumo Grande in India- the Rajul Kulshreshtha: A study by The Nielsen country is a classic case where there is so much Company points out that worldwide, the trend is HYUNDAI MOTORS place to play in that you can accommodate the to search for information online before buying a legacy product and the new product. car. And India is no exception. Under such but that number has reached double-digits in In the case of Hyundai, you have Santro and circumstances, marketers should rethink their 2010. We have realised the power of digital. We are you’ve got the i 10. They have not called i10 the online strategies. In India most auto brands are trying to popularise the concept of digital within active in the search stage but are unable to create the company and among dealers. We are engagement on their websites. In fact in some explaining to them that the lead coming from the cases it becomes difficult to find details like a internet has better conversion rates than normal simple contact number. Digital still doesn’t find walk-ins. creative focus in the country. Many agencies first think of television scripts and print ideas LIFE CYCLE OF THE PRODUCT whenever they are asked to design a Rajeev Dubey: Product life cycle is very short in communication. this category. What impact does it have on marketers in terms of investment? Naresh Gupta: The internet has emerged as the most important medium to find information G Sanjay: The products in this category require a proactively from. The time is not far off when the facelift every two to three years and a major change decision to buy or not buy a car will be taken on at the end of the fifth year. This is like a necessary the net. evil. As marketers, we plan these major and minor changes from the very beginning, and the Gaurav Gupta: In 2007, GM used to allocate less marketing budgets are created keeping this in than 1 per cent of its marketing spend to online mind.
“In India, most automobile brands are active in the search stage but are unable to create engagement on their websites.” RAJUL KULSHRESHTHA MANAGING DIRECTOR MOTIVATOR
58 afaqs! Reporter, July 16-31, 2010
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6 0 afaqs! Reporter, July 16-31, 2010
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6 2 afaqs! Reporter, July 16-31, 2010
Growth comes naturally to us. Only this time it was the fastest! An incredible 3,26,000* more readers in a quarter.
PRAJAVANI THE MOST TRUSTED KANNADA DAILY
Prajavani, the flagship Kannada daily from The Printers Mysore Group, yet again proves that it is indeed the most trusted and respected in the category. Now with a total of 57 lakh* readers! That too at a time, when the print industry has generally shown signs of sluggishness. More and more Kannada readers choose Prajavani, because it is the
*Source: IRS 2010 Q1 *Source: voice of Karnataka. A trusted, dynamic voice you cannot ignore. The influence of truth
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