August 16-31, 2013 Volume 2, Issue 7 `100

SOCIAL MEDIA 68**(67,216 :(/&20( Today’s consumer has much to say about services and brands on online platforms. Are brands paying attention?

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38 22 34 PLUS PEPSODENT VS COLGATE Pepping the Market 12

PARAS Visual Treat 17

STAR SPORTS INTERVIEW VESPA INTERVIEW Borrowed Glory? 18 K Ramakrishnan Style over Mileage Rahul Johri KINGFISHER Coffee conversations with Vespa rejects the usual Discovery’s Asia-Pacific head CCD’s marketing head. and goes upmarket. talks about local issues. Tweeting God 32

EDITORIAL

This fortnight... Volume 2, Issue 7

arketers make all the right noises about valuing consumer feedback. Of course EDITOR Mthey’d like to get it but preferably in a controlled environment. Social media Sreekant Khandekar

August 16-31, 2013 Volume 2, Issue 7 `100 makes them uneasy because they can’t control the interaction, the numbers or the PUBLISHER Prasanna Singh SOCIAL MEDIA vehemence. Worse, consumer frustration is publicly expressed. 68**(67,216 SENIOR LAYOUT ARTIST :(/&20( Our cover story finds that telecom, financial services and E-commerce account for two Vinay Dominic Today’s consumer has much to say about services and brands on online platforms. Are brands thirds of all feedback received. Across categories, about half of all feedback is complaint of PRODUCTION EXECUTIVE paying attention? some kind, with service brands bearing the brunt of it. That is understandable because Andrias Kisku an E-commerce service delivery is more likely to fail than a product such as a car. ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES Rahul Puri, (0120) 4077833, 4077866 Noida Half of the remaining feedback is an inquiry of some sort. The rest – that is a fourth Arunima Bhattacharya, (022) 40429702-5 24 of the total – consists of suggestions. Mumbai

38 22 34 PLUS [email protected] PEPSODENT VS COLGATE The problem is that marketers are overwhelmed by what they see as negative Pepping the Market 12

PARAS Visual Treat 17 feedback in social media which many have categorised as a complaints channel. So, they MARKETING OFFICE STAR SPORTS B-3, First Floor, Sector-4, Noida-201301. INTERVIEW VESPA INTERVIEW Borrowed Glory? 18 K Ramakrishnan Style over Mileage Rahul Johri KINGFISHER don’t pay much attention to what else the consumer has to say. They may be missing Coffee conversations with Vespa rejects the usual Discovery’s Asia-Pacific head Tweeting God 32 Tel: (0120) 4077800. CCD’s marketing head. and goes upmarket. talks about local issues. something. MUMBAI 501-502, Makani Center, 5th Floor, As our story shows, amidst the cacophony that is social media, a whole bunch of Off Linking Road, Bandra (W), companies is listening closely to what the consumer is suggesting. There is the case of PVR Cinemas which Mumbai - 400050 Tel: +91-22-40429 709 - 712 decided on heavily discounted tickets in the morning only after a consumer suggestion. Or take the instance BENGALURU of Mahindra which changed its TVC because of buzz on social media. There are many such cases besides. S-1, New Bridge Corporate Centre, 777 D, 100 ft Road, Indira Nagar, It is true that consumers can be harsh. Sometimes their tone is ugly because they believe that this is the Bengaluru - 560038, India only way to get the attention of the corporation which is too large to care. To be fair to marketers, they are SUBSCRIPTION ENQUIRIES going through their own process of growing up here. Akhilesh Singh, (0120) 4077837 [email protected]

People are generally quicker to complain than to praise and that’s true for consumers too, whether offline Owned by Banyan Netfaqs Pvt Ltd and or online. I hope I am not imagining it but it does seem that there is more praise online for products or Printed and published by Prasanna Singh, services than before. If that’s right, it shows that consumers are seeing social media as a means of more than at 7-A/13, Ch. Ratan Singh Complex, just bashing up brands. Jawala Heri Market, Paschim Vihar, New Delhi-110 063.

Printed at Cirrus Graphics Private Limited B-61, Sector 67, Noida (U.P.), 201301 Sreekant Khandekar Cover Illustration [email protected] Tiffin Box CONTENTS 8 26 PLUS

TATA NANO Fashion on Wheels 6 COLORS Heaven Meets Hell BMW Bigg Boss 7’s promos Right on Track 21 hit television screens with a twist. BRITISH AIRWAYS The Homecoming 30 INDIAN BADMINTON LEAGUE 19 30 Netting Viewers HONG KONG TOURISM Using cricket to get Novel Promotion 36 Badminton moving. ERRATA POV 14 The photograph captioned 2012 Kolkata Winners in the story Online Viewing NAVBHARAT TIMES CADBURY SILK ‘Jamming Over Coffee’ (August Will online viewing hurt TV Wading In Caught on Camera 1-15) was that of the music band, Cactus, which did not compete. viewership? Industry experts The Hindi daily moves into Watching the watchers of The error is regretted. put forward their opinions. Lucknow. Cadbury Silk eaters. Editor

afaqs! Reporter, August 16-31, 2013 5 1(:6$'9(57,6,1* TATA NANO Fashion on Wheels Rediffusion-Y&R’s new ad for Tata Nano positions it as a sprightly and fun car. The film has started gaining traction on TV and online. By Ashwini Gangal

t’s a bird. It’s a plane. No wait! It’s an ad for the Nano. And look, the brand is back from Ia trip to the beauty parlour. One look at this ad and the Nano as we knew it is pretty much gone. Poof! Just like magician Ugesh Sarcar’s tricks in the film, an audio-visual melting pot of vibrant colours, a peppy soundtrack and lots of glamorously dressed PYTs (pretty young things). The most decipherable word in the foot-tap- ping song is ‘awesome’. Towards the end of the film, bold supers on the screen read: ‘Celebrate Youness. Celebrate Kickassness. Celebrate Epicness. Celebrate Magicness. Celebrate Awesomeness.’ Suddenly, the humble Nano - that urged scooter owners from Tier 2 and Tier not to mince his words. “To begin with, it leaves 3 towns to upgrade to a car, a few years back - has “Nano is me confused to decide who is more ‘awesome’, upgraded itself. Remember the ad for State Bank Cinthol or Nano? What are they trying to sell? A of India that showed a bus driver driving a Nano increasingly being fuel efficient people’s car for the Indian middle to the bus depot? Well, the refresh button’s been seen as a smart, class for `1.5 lakh? Surely not,” he says. hit, and how! About the shift in TG, Dabas adds, “They now From an auto category perspective, the Nano peppy, and fun seem to be targeting the youth and portraying has, since its inception, owned several labels (not car to hang out the car more as a fashion accessory than a four- all by its own admission). The most memorable with.” wheeler. But a car in India is still a very high-value ones are - ‘the small car’, ‘the one lakh car’, ‘the purchase and as a buyer it does not make rational DELNA AVARI inexpensive car’ and ‘the rural car’. Suddenly, it’s sense to buy a Nano at 1.5 lakh. I don’t think even ‘a fashionable car for the privileged urban brat.’ the youth they are targeting will want to buy a Nano from their pocket-money.” DOWN MAKEOVER LANE “The youth On the other hand, Rajesh Lalwani, founder he Nano has tried different tacks in the past. would rather and principal, Blogworks, a brand consultancy, TRecall the brand’s Khushiyon ki Chabi launch opines, “I don’t think it’s a ‘confused positioning’; campaign in January, 2011; it evidently addressed subscribe to an it’s about changing the strategy and addressing a consumers from semi-urban India, specifically attitude the brand new market. When the Nano was launched, it was families for whom owning a car is a dream and the ‘under one lakh’ car brand, addressing the large those looking to replace their two-wheelers with represents, than mass of people in small town areas. The promise a car. Then there was the youth-centric campaign to its attributes changed because that was a strategy that clearly did with a new look and feel. It showed a bunch of not work for Tata.” young adults taking long drives in the Nano. The and features.” car’s product features were promoted heavily in SAM AHMED AFFORDABLE TO ASPIRATIONAL this leg of advertising. And now, we’re looking at nterestingly, Blogworks recently released the a fresh new burst of communication; one that uses revamped interiors and new features, such as an Ifirst edition of ‘India Auto Social Index’, a bright imagery and portrays the Nano as a chic, Integrated AmphiStream Bluetooth music system. monthly social index for auto brands in India. ultra-urban car for the very first time. “We made the Nano’s big personality bigger. It Recent findings reveal that Tata Motors was one In fact, the film even shows a lady (fashion is increasingly being seen as a smart, peppy, and of the three ‘most mentioned auto brands online’ designer Masaba Gupta) ripping off the ‘skin’ of a fun car to hang out with. Our new campaign cel- in June, 2013; the other two were Ford and Audi. Nano to unveil a brand new one underneath. And ebrates this awesome spirit of the Nano - of living Further, the firm’s study of the ‘sentiment’ around maybe we’re reading too much into it, but the life on your own terms,” says Avari, according to the Nano, in the month of June, shows that among Nano that she tears away is orange in colour, just whom the brand’s attitude comprises doing things the most positively talked about aspects of this car like the one shown in the brand’s previous spate of “bigger, better, and differently.” were its looks, design, features, fuel economy and ads. This could easily be interpreted as a conscious In the words of Sam Ahmed, chief creative mileage. “And that’s what they seem to be driving attempt to show people that the brand is turning officer and vice chairman, Rediffusion-Y&R, “The in this campaign,” says Lalwani. over a new leaf. youth today is way smarter than the previous The current campaign attempts to shift the And sure enough, on generation. They’d rather subscribe to an attitude Nano on the proposition curve. “It used to be the product front too, as the brand represents, than to the attributes and positioned as ‘the first buy for someone who could conveyed by Delna Avari, features of the brand or its product offering.” not afford a bigger car’. Now, the Nano is being head, marketing com- positioned as an ‘aspirational buy’. This campaign munications, passenger TEST DRIVE seems to be suggesting: ‘Even if my father can buy vehicle business unit, ome experts feel it’s risky to change a brand’s me a bigger car, I’d rather buy a Nano, because it’s Tata Motors, the Nano Sstance and TG (target group), this frequently. cool’,” he analyses. Moreover, Lalwani points out has evolved. The new Some caution that this could be viewed as a strug- that the influx of young girls in the film presents edition of the Nano has gle to find the right TG. Others say it makes the an opportunity for girls to “upgrade from their new colours, enhanced Nano come across as a ‘confused brand’. Jitender colourful Scooties to the Nano.” „ driving comfort, Dabas, EVP, planning, McCann Erickson, prefers [email protected]

6 afaqs! Reporter, August 16-31, 2013

1(:6$'9(57,6,1* THE INDIAN BADMINTON LEAGUE Netting Viewers McCann Erickson’s multi-media campaign for The Indian Badminton League, that kicked off on August 14, aimed to increase the relevance of the game among Indian audiences. By Devesh Gupta

them to together to watch fond memories of family bonding, be it at picnics the IBL. or social clubs,” adds Dabas, who believes the He reasons, “There “codes” of badminton in India are different from are many divides in our those of other “competitive sports”, like cricket or country - cutting across football. ideologies and attitudes. Besides TV (sports, GEC, news and regional At a family level, physical channels), the media mix for the campaign includ- detachments are leading to ed on-ground, print, OOH (including Meru cab emotional disconnections. branding) and digital. We contrasted this with As part of the on-ground efforts, a tournament the truth about badminton. called ‘Shuttle Express’ was launched in schools in The game is part of our Delhi, Mumbai, Lucknow, Pune, Bengaluru and social fabric. There’s some- Hyderabad. Selected participants were trained by thing ‘happy’ about the well-known badminton players such as Nehwal, sport. It’s associated with Ashwini Ponnappa, Parupalli Kashyap, Jwala and PV Sindhu. Another on ground activity called ‘Mohalla Badminton’ is underway; IBL authorities will interact with people to promote the event. IBL he promotional film for the Indian has also associated with Radio Mirchi and several Badminton League (IBL), released online newspapers for promotions. Yonex is the equip- Tand extended to the OOH medium, uses ment partner and Vodafone is the title sponsor. cricket to make a point. A pair of popular female badminton players put on heavy cricketing gear and move, albeit with a badminton racket, towards the court to create sheer shock effect. ‘Is this what “Badminton is it takes to get your attention to badminton?’, they part of our social ask. Dearth of role models, inadequate infra- structure, suboptimal promotion of the sport and fabric. There’s Indian kids’ endearing obsession with gully cricket something ‘happy’ - there are several reasons why badminton is not as about the sport.” popular as it should be in this country. Of course, of late, the bit about role models can be contested JITENDER DABAS with names like Saina Nehwal, Pullela Gopichand SUSHIL KUMAR and Jwala Gutta, becoming popular. Touted as a tournament to which the fortunes MATCH POINT? of the game are tied, the IBL commenced on e asked ad folk what they thought about the August 14. And, unfair or not, comparisons to the WTVC and whether it will help increase the Indian Premier League (IPL) are rife. Come to popularity of the sport in India. think of it, given the popularity of cricket in India, According to Raghu Bhat, co-founder, this may not necessarily be a bad thing! Scarecrow Communications, the ad lacked the The 18-day event includes six teams compet- “energy” and “push” needed to bring viewers ing with one another for the prize money of USD to their television sets. “Those who have never 1 million. The team players were picked up in played badminton will not associate with the ritu- ‘auctions’, similar to the IPL format. Each team als of ‘net lagao’. It completely misses out on the plays five matches and the finals will be played energy quotient. Players should have been shown on August 31. The matches will be broadcast on to create excitement,” he critiques. “If they are ESPN and Star Sports 2. using Saina on the OOH platform, why not in the McCann Erickson has also created a television TVC?,” he wonders. commercial, titled ‘Net Lagao Pyaar Badhao’. The On the other hand, Brijesh Jacob, co-founder, film shows people arguing/fighting in several situ- White Canvas/22 feet, feels the TVC is “unusual, ations - a married couple, lawyers at work, street refreshing, interesting and a good watch”. In his protests and warring armies. A bit of drama and view, not using players was a good idea. “How humour set in, when a net is drawn between the many badminton players does the janta know, opponents and each party is given a racket. apart from Saina Nehwal?” he questions, going on Speaking about the insight, Jitender Dabas, to add that he particularly liked the “bizzareness” executive vice-president and head of planning, of putting up the net in the middle of day to day McCann Worldgroup India, says, that badminton situations. Interestingly, neither Jacob nor Bhat acts as a great social binder, is loved universally were able to understand the relevance of the line and is a sport that everyone has played at some ‘Net Lagao Pyaar Badhao’. “How is it related to the point in their lives. The objective of the film is to league ad?,” they both questioned. „ rejuvenate people’s fondness for the game and get [email protected]

8 afaqs! Reporter, August 16-31, 2013

1(:6$'9(57,6,1* ‘YOU’RE HIRED!’ A View on Interviews Sandeep Goyal’s new book helps finetune the art of giving an interview. By Rashmi Menon

nterviews usually cause a flutter in one’s from his stint in advertising and television (he stomach. To combat this feeling, advertising was group CEO, Zee Telefilms before handling Iveteran Sandeep Goyal, the man behind Dentsu India). However, the one interview that he bringing Japanese advertising giant Dentsu to enjoyed working on the most was the chapter titled India, has co-authored a self help book on job ‘Bite Magazine’. The chapter revolves around food interviews, that will help people prepare for the writer Hina J Singh, who is interviewed via Skype, face-to-face interaction. for a food magazine. Interestingly, the other author of the book is his The chapter was inspired by Goyal’s experience teenage daughter Carol, because of whom the idea of handling ITC Maurya Sheraton, during his of penning down such a book germinated. initial years in advertising. Carol, however, likes Titled ‘You’re Hired!’, the 254 page book the last interview, ‘ADC to Royalty’, which is is divided into two parts - the first part, ‘The about an arts and aesthetics graduate applying for Interviews’, contains 12 real-life-inspired fictional the aide-de-camp position for the Maharani. interviews between candidates and employers. The second, ‘The Interviews Analysed’, points out the mistakes or suggestions in each case. According to Goyal, the self-help book emerged “The whole after Carol’s preparation for law college. Given that Carol had never undergone an interview, she was idea was to not clueless about how to prepare for it. Naturally, she be preachy, but was nervous about the prospect, prompting Goyal One of the best interviews that Goyal took to discuss with her and create a 10-day action participatory. ” from the interviewer’s seat was that of a young girl, plan. The guidance and preparation resulted in SANDEEP GOYAL who was recommended by his aunt. He thought Carol terming the interview ‘a breeze’. The entire of wrapping up the interview quickly. “I saw her experience made the duo contemplate creating a portfolio. She had no ads. But she showed me her guide book on interviews for professionals. FOTOCORP poems. There was a script outline for a movie, too. After six months of labour, the book was Speaking about the most memorable interviews I was floored. We got chatting. She said she was a finished. “My daughter Carol had to find time that he gave in his career, Goyal points out to the trained classical singer. I asked her to sing me a during her vacations and weekends,” says one he gave for a job at Rediffusion in 1994. “The bhajan. She was mesmerizing. I hired her in no Goyal. The 12 interviews are no-frills-attached, interview was scheduled with Diwan Arun Nanda time. Today, she is one of the ad industry’s senior straightforward scenarios under different settings and Ajit Balakrishnan. I steered the conversation most creative directors,” he recalls. and attempt at dispelling fear from the interviewee. to a recent pitch for a lubricant brand that I won Goyal is not new to the publishing world, “Each of them has a thought behind it. What is for my then current agency, against Rediffusion. having come out with his first book, ‘The Dum different about this book is the intervention that is Ajit wanted to know what I had done better. I Dum Bullet’, in 2005. Having always been provided in the second half. The whole idea was looked at him in the eye and told him that Rediff academically inclined, Goyal is currently working to not be preachy, but participatory. While the first was off the mark on strategy itself. Rediff had used on his Phd, with his thesis topic being ‘celebrities interview, ‘Airphone Ltd’, is more janta in nature, cars and bikes to create very swish and stylish ads, as human brands’. the others are elitist job profiles,” he adds. And, of while I created a campaign in Hindi with trucks. Simultaneously, he is also working on a course, the book also contains one interview from A truck consumes more lubricant in one trip from book titled ‘Konjo’, which will be based on his the advertising industry, where the interviewee, a Mumbai to Jammu, than a bike consumes in a full association with Dentsu. The book is expected to fresher, applies for a job in the creative function. year. My pitch was more business driven. I was hit the stands early next year. „ Goyal says all the interviews were inspired hired!” he says. [email protected]

1(:6$'9(57,6,1* PEPSODENT VS COLGATE New Pep in Toothpaste Market

A special page on Pepsodent’s website gives information about the scientific study along with an animated graph to make its point.

ACTION IN TOOTHPASTE his is the second case of comparative Tadvertising in the FMCG space in 2013. In February, Reckitt Benckiser, while launching Dettol Kitchen, its utensil cleaning liquid, had directly attacked the HUL brand, Vim Dishwash liquid. The `3,200 crore Colgate is something of an oddity. Unlike most other FMCG companies, it is dependent almost entirely on a single brand, Colgate. It carries the name on about a dozen toothpaste variants, as well as on toothbrush and tooth powder. It has a history of defending its turf ferociously and has the enviable record of having increased its market share in the face of heightened competition. The other big players in the toothpaste market are HUL and Dabur. This market is mainly about fighting germs and tooth decay. That has been out of the limelight until this latest TVC. Over the past two years, the focus has been on the sensitivity segment, ever since GlaxoSmithkline Consumer Healthcare launched Sensodyne. From `150 crore, four years ago, the sensitivity market is already nudging `600 In the second case of comparative advertising recently, Pepsodent crore. This is dramatically quicker than the main tears into category leader Colgate. By Rashmi Menon toothpaste market, which is growing in the higher

xpect the unexpected in marketing. When Procter & Gamble launched Oral-B in EIndia last month, it was naturally assumed that the next big battle would be between the newcomer and market leader Colgate from Colgate Palmolive. The first public skirmish, however, has not been to script. On August 9, Hindustan Unilever’s Pepsodent Germi Check launched a no-holds barred offensive on Colgate Strong Teeth, the basic product that, together with its many variants helps Colgate keep a tight grip on the `6,000 crore toothpaste market with a 55 per cent market share. More than half of that share comes from Colgate’s basic product, Strong Teeth (also known as Dental Cream). The idea may be to grab attention and ensure single digits. that Pepsodent does not become a peripheral player More than half of Colgate’s There is excitement about the Indian market in the coming battle because, unlike stablemate market share comes from because a large percentage of Indians still have Close Up, it has a small market share. HUL to be converted to toothpaste. Even among those released the TVC on a Friday, so that it had free its basic product, Strong who do use it, only a small percentage brush twice play over the weekend. The earliest Colgate could a day. Moreover, as the market matures, nascent seek legal recourse was the following Monday. Teeth (Dental Cream). but high-margin oral products such as mouthwash The latest TVC is a comparative ad which and floss will take off. However, it is a brutal shows two boys brushing their teeth with the two cent. If Colgate is taken as the index at 100, any market for challengers because users of toothpaste products for a “prevent cavity test”. Four hours primary school teacher would point out that are notoriously averse to changing their brands. later, when the boys undergo the test, the split Pepsodent is 30 per cent stronger than its rival, One theory is that consumers are most resistant screen clearly shows that Pepsodent has more not 130 per cent. At the bottom of the TVC is fine to any change in habit early in the morning. Of ‘warriors’ to fight germs. The voiceover says that text which contains the new weapon Pepsodent course they can be persuaded to try something compared to Colgate, Pepsodent has 130 per cent contains: Triclosan, an anti-bacterial and anti- new: it just takes a lot of time and money. ‘germ attack power’. fungal agent which has, until now, been found As for the Pepsodent-Colgate tiff, we can look It is innovative use of arithmetic. Colgate is only in more expensive toothpastes or variants. forward to several such exchanges before the shown to have an index of 100 per cent in the ‘New Pepsodent Germi Check enhances delivery matter settles down. „ TVC, whereas Pepsodent has a score of 130 per of Triclosan in the mouth’, goes the text. [email protected]

12 afaqs! Reporter, August 16-31, 2013

32,1762)9,(: Will Online Viewing Hurt Television? While there is no study that demonstrates what the causal impact of online viewing is on TV viewership, afaqs! Reporter talks to industry experts to learn more about the same. By Prachi Srivastava

1,.+,/0$'+2. 6+(.+$56+$50$ 9,9(.65,9$67$9$ 1$05$7$%$/:$1, Star Plus India GroupM Interaction India Colors Media2win

IT IS DIFFICULT TO WITH THE RISE OF TELEVISION REACHED ONLINE VIEWING ASCERTAIN WHETHER MULTI-TASKING, 750 MILLION VIEWERS OF SHOWS IS A THESE VIEWERS ARE IMPACT OF ONLINE ACROSS INDIA, WHILE GROWING TREND, AS WATCHING THE SHOWS VIEWING SHALL SEE INTERNET IS STILL ONLY THERE IS A TENDENCY ONLY ONLINE OR A GREATER POSITIVE REACHING OUT TO 135 AMONGST MOST WATCHING IT AGAIN IMPACT, AS IT TENDS MILLION CONSUMERS, ‘URBAN CONNECTED’ AFTER THE ORIGINAL TO PUT THE VIEWER THAT TOO WITH USERS TO DELAY airing on TV. or user in direct control. bandwidth constraints. So, their appointment TV A large number of online So, while the publisher at this stage, there is no consumption. The consumer viewers are intense loyalists of or a channel broadcasts a significant impact on TV who has internet broadband the show, who like to watch programme, the viewer uses the viewership, especially in the connectivity or a DTH recorder at the episodes multiple times. online medium to also ‘advo- GEC segment. home, decides to watch a show If we look closely at the com- cast’ the show through blogs, Internet is largely used as a as per his convenience. This will ments, discussion forums Facebook or Twitter, by sharing catch-up medium. However, become a constant behaviour and fan bases of these shows, the content. This leads people as these numbers grow over amongst many in the near future, it’s clear that they watch the on the viewers’ network to view the next three-to-five years, with the growth of smartphones show on TV and then get the programme online and also we will have to decide how and easy access to WiFi and 3G. online to comment and dis- results in greater traction of much of our content will Also, there has been a growth cuss with other fans. TV viewing. Such programmes be in the free viewing zone. in video advertising and that will So, digital viewing is really see steep growth in popularity We are already seeing a few only become a larger portion of helping in building engage- and viewership. As internet signs of movement towards the advertising pie in the future. ment and loyalty, rather than penetration rises in India, the subscription, by the way of TV channels can see online substituting viewership. Also, digital video audience shall grow ‘Movies on Demand’. We content as a revenue generator. since the profile of the audi- faster. expect TV content to soon Once all channels start putting up ence online is younger, the In the Hindi GEC space, for follow suit. their content legitimately online, shows that get discussed most the past year or so, the online Talking about monetisa- even air online at the same time are the ones most popular content has centred around tion of content, the digital as TV, it will draw a significant with the youth. entertainment and reality shows, revenues currently are small, portion of this audience and open as online viewing is dominated especially when compared to up a new revenue stream. The by the young audience in the age TV advertising. However, it’s channels have to start looking at bracket of 15-44 years. showing robust growth per- rates for TV and online as a pack- centages. age as well as independently.

14 afaqs! Reporter, August 16-31, 2013

1(:6',*,7$/ HORLICKS NUTRIBIC Guessing Games To unveil its new TVC, the biscuit brand launched a contest on Facebook asking users to guess the storyline, with the help of clues. By Satrajit Sen

orlicks Nutribic, the ‘fibre a chance to grab multiple prizes. rich digestive biscuit’ from Commenting on the campaign, Jayant HGlaxoSmithKline Consumer Singh, executive vice-president, marketing, Healthcare, has taken an interesting route to GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare India, engage with consumers online. The brand says, “Horlicks Nutribic is a range of digestive announced a contest on Facebook, which went biscuits targeted at working people who spend live on August 5, with snippets of storyboards on long hours and often lack the right snack options its Facebook page and posted several clues about at work. This particular consumer group spends the new TVC, asking users to guess the storyline. a lot of their time surfing for information and The contest ended on August 8. entertainment, online. This campaign, along with The purpose of the contest was to unveil the the contest, will surely engage our consumers and new TVC. The contestant who answered the involved way. It also gave the brand an opportunity drive participation in unveiling our new television questions, with the help of snapshots from the to showcase the new TVC on Facebook, as the campaign.” TVC, to reveal the situation correctly first was first medium to air the commercial. Revealing the statistics generated through the picked as the winner and received a gift voucher. Digital agency Media2win implemented and activity, the company claims that on an average, The participants who answered all questions executed the launch of the new TVC across digital the questions garnered around 150 responses correctly were awarded the grand prize of a media. and increased the fan base on the page by an Samsung phone. The first phase of the contest was promoted on estimated 7-8 per cent (15,000 fans), at least for According to the company, this gave an Facebook with stamp ads. After the launch of the the week. The page has a fan count of 187,000 opportunity for the brand to engage with its fans, TVC, the second phase will invite consumers to people. „ and make them experience the communication in an interact with the TVC in an exciting manner, with [email protected] 1(:60$5.(7,1* PARAS DAIRY Visual Treat The dairy brand’s colourful milk packages target different consumer age groups. By Rashmi Menon

hile it is common for most FMCG The packaging has been designed by variants with nutritional information. brands to experiment with packaging in Rediffusion-Y&R, which has been handling The brand introduced milk in the new package Wthe quest to become distinct, pasteurised the dairy brand since 2011. The printing of the last month. Early figures indicate 15-20 per cent milk has never really moved very far beyond the packaging is done at a specialised printing press increase in sales after the change. The brand white polyester packets with a cursory colour at Daman, which usually does colour prints for has also been distributing trial packs. The new coding. However, all that is set to change, with edible oil packages. packaging will help in revamping the imagery Delhi-based Paras Dairy coming out with a seven- How does the company justify the 10-15 per of the brand, which will go a long way, Sinha colour packaging for its milk variants - Creamy, cent increase in print cost for a category that has believes. Lite, Active and Diet. low margin profits? Sanjay Sinha, brand manager, While Paras Dairy has been in the market Besides being visually rich, each variant is Paras Dairy, explains that the cost is justified as for over 50 years, it had been losing ground to targeted at a different age group and this is brought the new package is not only clutter breaking, but competition. The Delhi market is highly cluttered out on the packet. Each milk package contains also provides convenience to homemakers and with about 13 players in the market. It enjoys 4 a ‘Milk-o-meter’ that highlights the nutritional consumers in terms of easily identifiable milk per cent market share in Delhi, while its presence content of the milk in it. For instance, the Creamy in Mumbai is less than 1 per cent. “We felt there milk variant features a young girl and is aimed was a need to rejuvenate and restructure the brand. at children, as it provides adequate nutrition for Also, milk is being replaced by colas and coffee and growing bodies. Similarly, the Lite variant features is losing prominence as a healthy drink. When you the image of a young couple, while Active/double- do restructuring, you need drama or enigma, but toned milk is for active individuals. The Diet/ it should also be meaningful to the consumers. So, skimmed milk is targeted at elderly consumers, as we came up with the packaging idea, which was it has the least amount of fat content but is high anchored in current industry practices,” he says. „ on calcium. [email protected] 1(:60(',$ STAR SPORTS Borrowed Glory? Through the star cricketer’s route, STAR Sports expects to get non-football viewers on to Barclays Premier League. The campaign urges Dhoni fans to ‘Join the Game’. By Raushni Bhagia

ahendra Singh Dhoni has many cricket pads and asking, ‘Is this whatt we have to will do to theth game is that it will identities - World Cup winner, winner do to get your attention?’ createcreate awaawarenessr about football.” Mof the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award One striking difference betweenn these However,However will Dhoni be able and the Padma Shri and owner of the Supersport cases, however, is that while IBL has usedused to increaseincreas the ratings of the World Championship motorcycle racing team. its own stars such as Saina Nehwal,al, tournament?tournam Commercially speaking, the man who leads cricket gear notwithstanding, footballll InsidersInsid feel that the the Men in Blue has more than 22 endorsements. in India doesn’t boast a householdd initialinitial stages will be about Proving his entrepreneurial instinct, Dhoni has name. Baichung Bhutia, althoughh viewershipviewe but later, the acquired equity stakes or key roles in the companies fairly known, was not perceived as closeose associationassoci could leave he endorses. In June 2013, Dhoni ranked 16th in to the masses. Thus, the choice of celebrityebrity a laslastingt effect on the the list of highest paid athletes in the world (and to grab eyeballs had to be from cricket.et. ppopularityopulari of the league. the only cricketer in the top 50). TIME magazine DDarshanarshan MM, managing director added Dhoni to its ‘Time 100’ list of 100 most SHORTCUT TO VIEWERSHIP?HIP? aandnd CEO, MachdarM Motorsports, influential people of 2011. TAR Sports took aboard M S DhoniDhoni ssays,ays, “T“Thish partnership will Adding another feather to his hat, the master Sto familiarise the less-familiar sport, eensurensure the tuning in to the cricketer has just signed a deal to endorse Barclays football. “BPL or English Premier Leagueeague ttournamentourn by a segment Premier League (BPL) in India. Recently, (EPL) is not a very popular brandnd in ooff viewers that is badminton too borrowed support from cricket India, whereas virtually every Indianndian ccommono to the two sets, to gather eyeballs for the first Indian Badminton knows Dhoni,” says Samit Sinha, founderfounder ‘n‘non-footballo fans’ and League. The marketing campaign released for IBL and managing partner, Alchemist Brand showcases well known badminton players wearing Consulting. He adds, “What the associationsociation FRQWLQXHGRQSDJHFRQ >> 1(:60(',$ LUCKNOW Wading In The new edition from Navbharat Times will serve Lucknow and Greater Lucknow. This will be its fourth edition after Delhi, Delhi & NCR and Mumbai. By Devesh Gupta

ennett, Coleman and Company-owned the reader at the heart of everything,” he says. soon overtake Dainik Hindi daily Navbharat Times (NBT) has The edition will have two special sections - Jagran’s circulation.” Blaunched its fourth edition from Lucknow. Pehle Aap and Future Now. Pehle Aap will feature “The readers in The edition will cover Lucknow city and Greater content from readers, including contributions by Lucknow are longing Lucknow. The newspaper plans to begin with an citizen journalists and interactions of different for an evolved, initial print run of one lakh copies and will be communities, while Future Now will focus on modern-minded priced at `4 (on weekdays) and `5 (on Sundays). content related to education and employment. Hindi newspaper. It was launched on August 4. Aman Nayar, brand head, NBT, says, “A sizeable Lucknow is the single biggest advertising market The new edition will have 16-20 regular pages investment has gone in for this venture and we will in Uttar Pradesh and The Times of India enjoys and 4-6 pages of Lucknow Times. The newspaper an unparalleled dominance in the city,” says a will face tough competition from established confident Nayar. players like Dainik Jagran, Hindustan and Amar The pre-launch campaign for the newspaper Ujala, who are already in a stronger position here. was carried out in three phases, spread across Speaking about the launch, Kaustuv Chatterjee, print, radio and outdoor associations. While a VP, languages, BCCL, says that NBT Lucknow print campaign established the parent group’s is being targeted at people with a progressive credentials first, the second part, Future Now, mindset across all age groups. “Our editorial showcased a world of opportunities in career and content is engaging, interactive, reader-centric education for the youth. The third phase asked the and focussing on opportunities. It has unbiased people of Lucknow to share their views about their political coverage, a unique NBT view on matters dream city. „ of importance to the city, state and nation, putting [email protected] 1(:60(',$ ZEE And the Show Continues... Zee’s pay Hindi movie channel, &pictures, is slated for a launch on August 18. By Raushni Bhagia

o differentiate the positioning of its new mode for about two to three years. Currently, the telecast in rotation,” he states. pay Hindi movie channel, the network has channel has bought about eight-nine big ticket Though there are many movie channels in the Tdeliberately not used the company name, films for the current year, along with the older genre, Ranga says there is still scope for more. ‘ZEE’. Named ‘&pictures’, the channel, with the library of about 300 movies being exclusively Out of the 9-10 channels present today, about tagline, ‘Sapnon Ki Udaan’, will be launched on diverted to &pictures. Some of the new movies six are doing well, while barely two-three have August 18. The new brand ‘&’ will cater to the that have been acquired include Chennai Express, a definite positioning and brand-connect, he newer mindsets emerging in the Indian society. Zanjeer, Besharam, Ghanchakkar and Aakashvani. observes. The ampersand sign in ‘&pictures’ signifies It may be noted that the content in this genre The Hindi movie genre has an ad revenue ‘Udaan’ (flight) & ‘Neev’ (roots), and celebrates has a very high repeat value. “All the Hindi movie pie of `1000-1200 crore. Ranga is positive that the duality of contemporary Indians. The network channels put together, there will be a library of the subscription revenues will shoot up after plans to launch a series of channels with the same about 11,000 movies, but only 600-700 of these are December, 2014. brand name. The channel has launched an interactive &pictures will talk to the audiences who campaign on its microsite asking people to send in love movies that capture the younger mindsets, a movie script, along with dialogues. These crowd- though there will be a minor mix of audience. sourced scripts will then be aggregated and made “These mindsets are not restricted to geographical into a movie by the channel, in flat 48 hours. boundaries. A single household can have people This is the network’s sixth Hindi movie with different mindsets and one of these can be the channel. Out of the total investment behind one that we want to cater to,” says Bharat Kumar the channel, about 50 per cent is being spent on Ranga, chief content and creative officer, Zee. content acquisition, 20 per cent on distribution With plans to buy out large libraries in the next and 30 per cent on marketing. „ few years, the channel will be in high investment L-R: Akash Chawla, Ranga and Ruchir Tiwari [email protected] 1(:60(',$ BMW Right on Track The automaker has initiated a multiplayer racing game on a virtual track, in premium malls, to create buzz around its forthcoming BMW 1 Series. By Devesh Gupta

o create buzz around the forthcoming people online. Thishis BMW 1 Series, the Indian arm of the initiative was aimed at TGerman car maker came up with an creating conversations onn social integrated campaign that involved on ground, media and utilising its power to mobile, web and social media. create a viral effect. Titled BMW 1 Series Drive Dynamic Challenge, The TG for the campaign was the modern, the multiplayer racing game was carried out on progressive, young and dynamic Indian in the age virtual racing tracks set up at several malls across group of 18-35 years, predominantly from Tier five cities (Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Pune and 1 and Tier 2 cities. In addition, the automaker Bengaluru). The participants could drive virtual wanted to reach out to the existing `10-15 lakh BMW 1 Series, using iPads on these tracks and segment car owners, who aspire to own a BMW. could speed up, stop or reverse their cars using the The car will be launched in September 2013 and iPads. Apart from winning and clearing levels, the showcase the capabilities of the all-new BMW is expected to be priced between `20 and 25 lakh. challenge was to ensure that the car does not stray 1 Series and let everyone know that THE This on ground activity was an extension of out of the racing track. DYNAMIC 1 is coming soon to change the way the Dynamic 1 campaign that began in June with The scores of participants, from different they drive,” says Philipp von Sahr, president, ‘The DYNAMIC 1 Experience contest’, which locations were then put up on the Facebook BMW Group India. gave 10 lucky winners an opportunity to drive the application. All the participants of the game, Over 2,000 people played the game on ground all-new BMW 1 Series with Sachin Tendulkar and designed by Karmatech, were awarded goodies and shared their scores/pictures/experiences Armaan Ebrahim at the BMW Driving Academy from BMW. online, which further helped the company reach in Maisach, Germany. „ “Through the racing game, we wanted to out to a considerable number of over 200,000 [email protected] 1(:6$'9(57,6,1* VESPA Style of its Own In a market where one doesn’t typically associate the word ‘premium’ with scooters, we look at Piaggio’s Vespa, the premium scooter. By Ashwini Gangal

riginally launched in 1946, segments and premium bikes. People are Piaggio’s Vespa had ventured willing to pay more than five lakh for a Oonto Indian roads with local motorcycle. A brand like Harley Davidson partners in the past, most memorably has a market in this country,” he argues. with Bajaj Auto in the 1960s, and later He wouldn’t go as far as to call Vespa with LML (Lohia Machines) in the 1980s. a ‘cult’ brand like Harley. “Cult is a bit It’s been over a year since Vespa was extreme,” he explains, “The moment you re-launched in India, after a 13-year gap, say ‘cult’ you’re talking about consumers this time on its own. who’re willing to tattoo a brand logo on Priced at a 40-45 per cent premium, their arms; are attached enough to the vis-à-vis the average scooter brand in brand to say it’s in their blood! That’s India, this Italian brand has sold around more in the motorcycle territory.” 50,000 units, in its first year of operations. Like all global brands, Vespa too has And interestingly, close to 30 per cent tweaked its offering to better suit local of Vespa’s sales come from its shocking requirements. For example, technological yellow scooter! tweaks to suit Indian roads and physical While the re-launch campaign drew changes like the height level of the heavily on the heritage value of the scooter/seat to suit the physical profile of brand, its latest print campaign is more the Indian consumer. However, when it of a personality statement. “During the comes to the positioning, the approach re-launch, we brought in the retro angle was slightly different. Krishna believes to leverage the lineage of Vespa,” MV that merely drawing on consumer insights Krishna, marketing head, 2W, Piaggio doesn’t really work. “When you go too Vehicles India, says. “But, you can’t harp much into consumer insights, you tend on heritage beyond a point. Now we’re to do what everyone else is doing. There focussing on defining what Vespa stands are certain things consumers know and for,” he adds. And, sure enough, the ‘Life they keep repeating that. For example, if by Vespa’ campaign (created by Soho you ask them ‘What sort of scooter do you Square Mumbai) for the Vespa VX tells want?’, they’ll say ‘Style hona chahiye, consumers what the brand is and is not: mileage hona chahiye, we need space to It is - an up-market scooter brand for the carry goods, we need retail style-conscious. It’s not - a ‘commuter value’,” he says. scooter’. cards. In fact, Vespa is already present Operating in a self-created in places like Vijayawada, Hubli, Nashik segment can’t be easy. Going STYLE FIRST and Kolhapur. forward, what is the biggest espa is not addressing the large, utility-driven challenge for brand Vespa? Vconsumer base. Even so, isn’t talking about READY FOR NICHE? “When you’re talking about style over mileage a risky stance in a volume- s there a market for niche products premium positioning, it takes obsessed scooter market? Krishna, who has worked Iin the Indian auto space? According a while to get consumers to with companies like Castrol and TVS before to Yaresh Kothari, research analyst, move into this space in larger joining Vespa, explains, “Over 95 per cent of the automobile, Angel Broking, there numbers. It’s not easy to two-wheeler business in India is for commuting. certainly is. However, he cautions, just come into a market like We’ve opened up a new ‘lifestyle segment’ in “The main purpose of two-wheelers in India and start at 45 per cent the scooter space. A person buys a Vespa not India is the convenience of day to day premium. Here people don’t for ‘additional mileage’ or ‘utility value’. We’re commuting. Consumers prefer products just flash money at labels offering a new perspective to the idea of buying a that offer value,” ‘value’ being low cost/ without logical questioning scooter. We’re talking to an ‘evolved’ consumer.” km or high fuel efficiency. “Having said Krishna: style matters and evaluation,” says Krishna. By that he means someone who has gone that,” he adds, “consumers are ready to Did we hear larger beyond the idea of ‘I can carry more luggage on pay a premium, if the product is appealing. Piaggio numbers? One way of doing that is slashing the my scooter’, or ‘I can get more mileage out of has done well so far.” From an engine capacity price. Of course, many argue that this is akin my scooter’ or ‘I can find more service centres perspective, Kothari cites Access and Swish from to a head-on collision with the ‘price paradox’. to repair my scooter’. Vespa markets to the Suzuki and Duro, Rodeo and Flyte from Mahindra According to Kothari, while a high price helps ‘aspirational Indian’ - a fashion-conscious scooter as viable competition for Vespa in India. maintain a brand’s premium image, it could be buyer, from SEC A, between 18 and 30 years of Abdul Majeed, leader, automotive, PwC India, a deterrent for potential buyers. “If the company age - although, currently, around 40-45 per cent of concurs, “As people migrate from the higher decides to reduce the price of the scooter, it will Vespa’s sales come from the 30+ age group. The middle to the rich class, the demand for premium certainly boost sales,” he says. Majeed, feels that a Vespa consumer is well-educated, well-off and auto products will rise. Though it’s small, the price drop doesn’t necessarily mean the ‘premium- possibly already owns a scooter and a car, and is premium scooter segment has gradually started ness’ will vanish. He cites BMW as an example, looking to buy a two-wheeler to make a statement. gaining traction.” which is bringing in its affordable 1-series soon, Geographically, the brand is focussed on all the According to Vespa’s Krishna, the market is and says, “You just need to carry forward the large metros and mini-metros. Going forward, maturing and the Indian consumer is seeking premium features and look of the product." „ plans to expand into smaller cities are on the ‘higher order’ values. “Today, there are sub- [email protected]

22 afaqs! Reporter, August 16-31, 2013

68**(67,216 Today’s consumer has much to say about services and brands on online platforms. :(/&20( Are brands paying enough attention? By Satrajit Sen TIFFIN BOX

olitical leaders - whether it is Narendra up screaming, because brands didn’t listen to them Modi, Shashi Tharoor or Jay Panda - when they were speaking softly and politely. But across political parties are all ears when if you make them feel heard and attended to, they their followers tweet, post or comment usually calm down,” states Kunal Jeswani, chief Pon social media platforms. In fact, the way they digital officer, India, Ogilvy & Mather. are clued in must lead to unconcealed admiration Brands are doing that. When a visitor to the among their counterparts in the business arena Bajaj Allianz website posted - on its Facebook who, although not exactly setting social media on account - that the policy-code generator on the fire, have not been idle either. website was not working, the head of market According to an online survey by ACNielsen management and product development, Rituraj Brands must maintain a and AbsolutData in 2012 (on a sample population Bhattacharya, himself addressed the issue. of 2,000 people from all walks of life, spread across PVR, when it launched its online ticketing relationship with consumers five metros and Tier 1 cities), nearly 40 million system, claims to have seen more complaints on social media - the top Indians use online reviews to tell others about about payment fulfillment. “We used to get back management has to be involved. their purchase decisions. Moreover, 67 per cent to all the complaints within three hours of them read online reviews before big purchases. being made online. This helped us retain those PRAMOD ARORA The survey also reveals that 23 per cent of consumers who were initially not satisfied with PVR Cinemas India’s Facebook users (78 million monthly active the service. Currently, we have seen that the users) are fans of a brand or company’s Facebook complaint level has gone down - as much as 75 Besides catering to consumer demand, some page. Besides Facebook and Twitter, there are per cent of the interactions are feedback, rather brands are also using social media feedback to test various online forums that enjoy a high intensity than complaints,” points out Pramod Arora, group their communication strategies and amend them, of experience sharing and consumer conversation. president, PVR Cinemas. depending on what the people are saying on social According to the survey, 10 million Indians media. contribute to online forums. Are brands listening? Analysing feedback Recently, Mahindra allowed a change in its TVC after digital feedback. The company had TALKING SHOP involves understanding the come up with a new two-minute commercial very consumer complaint needs to be addressed, for its XUV500. The original version of the film Eespecially on social media. “Consumers end profiles of the users. showed the XUV500 with an Indian (Maharashtra)

24 afaqs! Reporter, August 16-31, 2013 &29(56725< number plate in a South African setting. During Hippo had the brainwave of using Twitter as the making, those involved thought it would an alternative inventory-tracking tool. It urged be ‘cool’ to show the XUV500 with an Indian followers to tweet whenever they found empty number plate, going on a road trip in South Africa. shelves in their neighbourhoods. People tweeted After the ad appeared online, there was much away from supermarkets, hypermarkets and local conversation about the apparent anomaly. The grocery stores in 50 cities. Hippo collected this company decided to act on the feedback and information, analysed it and sent it to the local changed the number plate to a South African one. distributor, who eventually restocked the shelves. Smaller brands too have used the medium CREATIVE COMMON effectively. Chi Kitchen & Bar, a Delhi-based ocial media feedback can sometimes help a restaurant with a Pan-Asian menu, identified a Issues such as buying plans Scorporate generate new business ideas. PVR’s gap in the service, through a tweet. A lady once without knowing the charges tweeted to the restaurant’s twitter handle that the or premium-terms cannot be eatery, which is supposed to remain open till 11:30 pm, was found closed at 10:45 pm. It was later resolved easily. discovered that the staff used to start packing up by RITURAJ BHATTACHARYA 11 pm, which resulted in a loss of at least a couple of lakhs each month. This was later amended and Bajaj Allianz the eatery now remains open till 11:30 pm. on the same forum from where the feedback came. ON THE TRAIL The frequency of responses depend on the ost companies have in-house teams or volume of conversation on the brand. They may Mhire social and digital agencies to monitor be daily, or several times a day, or weekly. Analysis online feedback. Feedback is mainly divided into of the feedback depends on how serious the brand I am afraid, there aren’t many complaints, enquiries and suggestions. On an custodians are about the brands. “We still find firms around who are paying average (across categories), one would find about some brand custodians complaining that ‘people the kind of attention this 50 per cent complaints, 25 per cent enquiries, and on social media only complain’ and that such 25 per cent miscellaneous, including suggestions. messages are not worth taking too seriously,” states segment deserves. Feedback is first tagged in different ways to make Sanjay Mehta, joint CEO of Social Wavelength, a SANDEEP KOMARAVELLY sense for the brand. The next step is to respond. social media agency that resells Radian6 in India. This process is usually completed between 24 and Finding a satisfactory solution may take time, Snapdeal.com 48 hours and the reply to customer is posted back but an assurance that the company is working on the problem helps. “We make sure that we get back to the consumer at least within a couple of hours CAPTURING SOCIAL CHATTER of the query being posted. The assurance that we are looking into it, keeps his trust,” explains Percentage share of Sandeep Komaravelly, vice president, marketing, feedback gathered Telecom 35 Snapdeal.com. across social media Analysing feedback involves understanding the platforms in July, profiles of the users giving feedback, so as to match BFSI 20 2013 by various their persona to the nature of the feedback. “Let’s categories. say that there is an automobile brand, where a Retail (Offline) 1 customer has given feedback about her test drive Food Retail (QSRs) 3 experience. We try and understand from the social Travel and Hospitality 5 media profile of the person whether she also test- drove other vehicles, and if so, which competitive Media 10 brands she is talking about and what she liked or Consumer Appliances 10 disliked in them,” Mehta explains. By understanding her social media profile, one E-commerce 15 would try to ascertain how much of an expert the FMCG 0.5 person is, how serious she is about the purchase, and whether a response is required. This is true for Industry estimates Auto 0.5 certain other categories too. “We work on online reputation management for a consumer appliances player. We log the deal tickets, given at subsidised rates for morning city and model number of each type of appliance shows, was an idea that the company got from (refrigerator or air conditioner). We now have social media. These tickets are those issued for data over last three years and can show which morning shows of a movie. For example, a 9 am model number and city logs the most number of show of the recent flick Chennai Express in PVR complaints and therefore, are able to give precise Saket would cost `120, whereas the same movie in feedback to the customer service and product the same theatre at 5:30 pm could cost `200. teams,” informs Rajiv Dingra, founder and CEO, “We never knew that there could be a market for WatConsult. this. Our consumers suggested this idea through our social media presence and thus, we created a WHO CARES new business model out of it,” states Arora. We still find some brand enerally, large-scale consumer service brands Parle Agro’s Hippo got help of a different kind custodians complaining that Gget the most feedback. These categories from its consumers, three years ago. Launched in feedback on social media is not include telecom (most of it sarcastic), BFSI, 2010, Hippo’s baked munchies became a runaway worth taking too seriously. e-commerce and retail. Certain categories are more success, but its nascent sales and distribution prone to complaints and these include telecom, network couldn’t keep pace with tracking stock, SANJAY MEHTA banking financial, insurance and healthcare and identifying and re-stocking empty shelves across Social Wavelength 400,000 stores nationwide. FRQWLQXHGRQSDJH>>

afaqs! Reporter, August 16-31, 2013 25 1(:60(',$ BIGG BOSS 7 << FRQWLQXHGIURPSDJH Suggestions Welcome travel and hospitality. Heaven Meets Hell Meanwhile, there are some new sectors that have taken to the medium well and also get to The first promo film for the upcoming season of the reality show hear from consumers more often. These include television shows, films, music brands, sports, and revolves around the concept of ‘Heaven or Hell’. News Bureau also restaurants and other food and drink places or brands. There are others who believe that this space will be critical in the future and are investing time and effort to learn now. And then, there are others who remain in denial, and take the space for granted. These are the ones who will be hurt the most. Komaravelly of Snapdeal belongs to the first group. “We do it on a daily basis and I am sure many of our competitors do as well. But I am afraid, there aren’t many firms around who are paying the kind of attention this segment deserves,” he says. An online outburst doesn’t necessarily guarantee a solution. In sectors like insurance, common igg Boss, the premium property this season.” complaints include mis-selling and rejection of on Colors, is coming back in Hemant Kumar Sivan, claims, which are unlikely to be resolved. “Issues Bits seventh season, with a new executive creative director, (to which policyholders may not even have legal appeal and distinguished promotional Orchard Advertising, says, “An recourse) such as buying plans without knowing positioning. iconic reality show like Bigg the charges or premium-paying terms, cannot be While the teasers of the show hit Boss faces a challenge every resolved easily if the free-look period is over,” the screens in the last week of July, year to deliver something states Bhattacharya of Bajaj Allianz. the first promo film was released on new and unique. This year is August 4. The teaser promos of Bigg interesting too. We had the task Boss 7 showed the two gates of Hell of presenting Bigg Boss in a way and Heaven, together. that raises curiosity and interest Woven around the basic concept levels amongst people. The next of ‘Heaven or Hell’, the seven-part challenge was to present Salman promotional television campaign Khan in a fresh manner. ‘Heaven imbibes the key message, ‘the pleasure and Hell’, we thought, would be of heaven and the pain of hell’. The an apt way to do justice to both first creative of the campaign features the challenges.” the show’s host, Salman Khan, coming The campaign indicates that out of the gates of Hell and Heaven in the inmates of the house will be two different avatars - that of the Devil given a glimpse of heaven and let With the help of our database, and the Angel, respectively. through its golden gates, but their we are able to give precise While working on the concept, momentary joy will be shattered feedback to the customer creative agency Orchard Advertising, to bits, when the treacherous dark service and product teams. took inspiration from mythology side of hell takes over. and gave it a contemporary spin by The television campaign will RAJIV DINGRA articulating the pleasures of heaven be rolled out in a phased manner WatConsult with ‘Wow’ and the pain of hell with across Viacom18 channels. ‘Aao’. So, the first promo talks about “The show will be promoted on ‘Jannat Ka Wow aur Jahannum Ka Aao, Iyer (top) and Sivan: more than 5000 slots across the There is a lot of social media chatter that goes Bigg Boss Saath 7’. best of both worlds network,” Iyer informs. As the unnoticed. This needs to be tapped, and brands Orchard Advertising worked on the show nears its launch date, the have to be serious about suggestions, because the campaign in association with Prashant Issar of channel will also carry out cross-channel promos latter, if left unattended, turn into complaints. Tubelight Films and it was shot over a span of two across 40 channels, outside the network’s own Many feel that the absence of a top-management days. It consists of a series of different creatives bouquet. The campaign will extend to print, radio, official handling the social media feedback, hurts with fun stories enacted by Khan, on the theme of mobile and BTL (below the line) platforms in the brand. “Brands need to generate a relationship the show this season. the later phases. However, the channel plans to with its consumers on social media and for this, Talking about the concept, Rajesh Iyer, start extensive promotions on the digital medium the top level management has to be involved in marketing head, soon and is also tying up with movies for cinema analysing social media feedback,” explains Arora. Colors, says, “This promotions. He points out to a new breed of managers that is season, Bigg Boss Bigg Boss is a combination of reality and coming up - the chief customer officer. will make sure that unscripted drama. The format requires the In developed markets, a CCO is the executive you get to see heaven participants to be locked inside a house for more responsible for the relationship with an and hell both saath- than 90 days. Every week, one participant is organization’s customers, influencing corporate saath. The message is eliminated by a round of voting. Meanwhile, Bigg activities of customer relationship. “This new simple - pleasure or Boss, the ultimate authority in the house, assigns role will emerge in more organizations. All digital pain, you experience various tasks to the contestants, resulting in drama, consumer response management would fall in the both in this life and fun, back-biting and fights that are captured by 70 CCO’s domain,” asserts Jeswani. there is nothing to cameras fitted inside the house. „ Are Indian brands listening? „ be taken for granted [email protected] [email protected]

26 afaqs! Reporter, August 16-31, 2013

35(6(176 &$03$,*175$,/ New campaigns across television, print, out-of-home and digital media. TELEVISION

YAMAHA MOTORS INDIA VODAFONE HONDA MOTORCYCLE & The motorcycle brand in its new campaign focuses on After a series on Zoozoos, the telecom brand, in its SCOOTER INDIA its FZ series – FZ-S. Considering that the bike is popular latest campaign, calls out to young, first time lovers. The In the campaign, Honda promotes its new Dream Neo among youngsters, the commercial plays on the man-boy commercial shows a college goer talking over the phone range, which is an extension of its product portfolio in the metamorphosis. It indicates that the FZ-S, which positions with his girlfriend, the entire day and night, reiterating that 100-110 cc mass segment. The commercial takes a filmi itself as a stylish and macho bike, doesn’t need much time its uninterrupted network is especially ‘made for first love’. approach featuring a superstar who takes on the villains to change a mature man into a boy. with the bike. Agency: ADK Fortune Creative Team: Akashneel Dasgupta and Tamanna Agency: Dentsu Marcom Virmani Agency: Ogilvy Mumbai & Team Ogilvy Creative Team: Titus Upputuru, Jitendra Kaushik PRINT BLACKBERRY HERO RECKITT The smartphone MOTOCORP BENCKISER maker’s print Two-wheeler major INDIA campaign, featuring Hero MotoCorp Toilet cleaning brand ambassador celebrated reaching brand Harpic Ranbir Kapoor, the 50 million mark Power Plus’ print promotes its with a print ad campaign labels new offering, the thanking its patrons using acid to Blackberry Q5 phone. for showing trust in clean toilets as The ad also features the brand. an old practice. the EMI options for The ad asks users the product. to graduate and upgrade to Harpic.

Creative Agency: BBDO, India Creative Agency: JWT India, India Creative Agency: Havas Worldwide, India OOH DIGITAL

ZEE BANGLA 9X JALWA The Bengali channel had put up 3D hoardings across The music channel from the bouquet of 9X Media Network Kolkata to promote its latest show Boyei Gelo. It has used put up posters of songs of some of the renowned movies GREY ORANGE 16 double-decker hoardings showing the protagonists of from the 90s, in the vicinity of media buying and planning Creative agency Grey Orange celebrated Eid with a digital the fiction show, which is based on bickering neighbours, agencies in Delhi and Mumbai. banner ad campaign that brought out the real essence of a common phenomena in India. The lightweight hoardings the festival and the religion. are designed to brave the rough monsoons of Kolkata.

Agency: Percept OOH Agency: In-house Creative Agency: In-house

Got some great campaign that has been published recently? Upload it on afaqs! for the world to see. Visit: www.afaqs.com/advertising/creative_showcase

28 afaqs! Reporter, August 16-31, 2013

1(:6',*,7$/ CADBURY SILK Caught on Camera An online video captures the facial expressions of people while they watch someone enjoying a Cadbury Silk inside a lift. By Devesh Gupta

through a creative lens, we chose a closed lift, which is an unusual place to capture people’s reactions to a person indulging in the Silk bar,” says Anil Viswanathan, VP, chocolates category, Cadbury India. The brand wanted to engage with its digital audience and create more conversations around the campaign. The video got more than 5 lakh views in just two weeks. On the back of this campaign, the brand has added more than 73,000 Facebook fans to its page. The hashtag #SilkEffect also trended on Twitter for three days. Viswanathan adds that Silkaholics is a community created online for the ince its launch in 2009, Cadbury Silk has the lift were offered the chocolate fans of Cadbury Dairy Milk (CDM) revolved its communication around the pure bar. While some refused, others Silk, who are unabashed about their Ssensory pleasure of the feel of Silk, showing accepted and/or walked away with love for the brand and openly share kids, students, professionals and the elderly, all the bar. Cadbury captured all these their immersive joy of indulgence licking their fingers unabashedly in its ads. In that reactions and turned them into a with the chocolate. It has more sense, the chocolate brand targets all age groups. video, which is being promoted than 2.7 million fans on Facebook In its latest communication, ‘The Silk Effect online. The brand has posted it “Silkaholics are always looking Revealed’, the brand catches up with Cadbury Silk on its Silkaholics community on forward to a joyful experience of lovers inside an elevator. Facebook, YouTube and Twitter. having a CDM Silk. The Silk Effect As a part of the campaign, the brand placed two The video contains no dialogues is an extension to this,” he says. actors (a man and a woman) inside an elevator and only music and ends with the Cadbury India is a part of of the Indiabulls building in Mumbai. The duo, question, ‘How would you react?’. Mondeléz International Inc. The with the familiar abandon of Cadbury Silk fans, Ogilvy & Mather (O&M) Viswanathan company operates in five categories ate the chocolate in the trademark messy manner. created the video and it was - chocolate confectionery, beverages, Cadbury also fitted cameras inside the lift to executed on the digital platform by Pinstorm. biscuits, gum and candy. Some of its key brands record the reactions of the people who came in and “The objective was to capture instantaneous are Cadbury Dairy Milk, Bournvita, 5 Star, Perk, saw them eating the chocolate. facial reactions of people. The insight was that Bournville, Celebrations, Halls, éclairs, Bubbaloo, The protagonists acted as if they were Silkaholics enjoy their chocolate at unusual places Tang and Oreo. „ mesmerised by the taste. All those who entered and unusual times. Based on this and looking [email protected]

VIRAL NOW will definitely remind you of your their dreams and in turn, lead lonely mother, whether you are in the US, lives. It portrays how the mother UK or just a few kilometres away (Alka Rani Dubey) misses her son from home. (Ratnesh) who she has not seen The Homecoming The film is made by Ogilvy & since he left for the US when he British Airways touched an emotional chord to Mather, New York. was 17 years old. The five-minute video depicts In the story narrated by Ratnesh, promote its $1099 New York-Mumbai flight deal. the feelings of (Indian) parents who he talks about how he loves Mumbai By Raushni Bhagia send their children abroad to pursue (he calls it Bombay) for the very peculiar things of the city - the local trains, the sea, the gajras (garland), ou can take Indians out of street-cricket and his home (read India... but not India out of Mum), all captured in a montage. YIndians.’ British Airways has His mother, on the other hand, rightly used this famous philosophy is told that British Airways (as a in its recent promotional video gesture) will be willing to fly her urging people to visit Mumbai. son’s favourite meal to Ratnesh in The video, called ‘A Ticket to New York. She prepares everything Visit Mum’, got about six lakh views on YouTube in eight days, and FRQWLQXHGRQSDJH>>

30 afaqs! Reporter, August 16-31, 2013

1(:6',*,7$/ KINGFISHER Tweet God to Win Beer Kingfisher launched a Twitter campaign urging people to tweet to Beer God and in turn be gratified with free beer. By Satrajit Sen

hat if a tweet to Beer God could fetch 10 ml of beer? Kingfisher, one of India’s Wpremium beer brands, flooded one Indian city with litres of beer on International Beer Day, which was observed on August 2, this year. The brand launched a Twitter campaign, where it asked people to post a tweet using the hashtag #DearKFBeerGod. For this, Kingfisher had also launched a microsite that featured a virtual beer mug, and each tweet made with the hashtag contributed 10 ml of beer to the mug. The city that won was entitled to be served the same amount of beer, which was used to fill the virtual mug. Top 30 tweeples who participated from the winning city were the ones between whom the total amount of beer was divided. The top 25 from the winning city was decided respectively. He says that on International Beer by the brand on the basis of content and number Day, the plan was to make Kingfisher as a brand, or of tweets. the hashtag initiated by it, to trend in at least two Conceptualised by digital agency 22Feet, the major cities in the country. campaign took place between the last week of July Kingfisher has been quite active on the digital and early August. The microsite hosted an app that front. Currently, the brand’s Facebook page has synced the visitors’ Twitter IDs and allowed them more than six million fans, making it one of to tweet using the hashtag and the city they were the top 10 brands on Facebook in India (as per tweeting from. As a tweet was made along with Socialbakers.com). the city name, the virtual beer mug started to fill, Incidentally, this also makes Kingfisher the depending on the number of tweets. third largest beer brand globally on Facebook. On The brand’s activity received the other hand, on Twitter, Kingfisher has a fair 3,915 tweets resulting in 39,150 ml presence with about 33,000 followers. (39.15 litres) of beer. Most tweets in India on International Beer Day. According to a recent survey conducted by came from Kolkata and the amount Similarly, this time we wanted to Qilo, a marketing communications consultancy, of beer was divided between the top celebrate the day and who else and online research-based advisory Juxt, among 25 tweeples from the city. should have done this apart from the beer brands, Kingfisher leads with 53 per Speaking to afaqs! Reporter, us. We decided to do a digital cent of beer drinkers on the internet in India Samar Singh Sheikhawat, senior campaign as we wanted to make our citing it as their favourite brand, followed by vice-president, marketing, United consumers an integral part of the Haywards 5000 and Fosters, which together Breweries, states that the brand campaign,” he adds. made up for less than half the number polled by has been celebrating International Sheikhawat informs that after Kingfisher. Beer Day every year in a unique Kolkata, in terms of number of Kingfisher is an Indian beer brewed by United way. tweets, Bengaluru and Mumbai Breweries Group, Bangalore. „ “In 2011, we launched Heineken Sheikhawat: beer power came a close second and third, [email protected]

<< FRQWLQXHGIURPSDJH never been just about flying.” The company released this as a promotional film for its new flight The Homecoming.. deal which offered a New York- Mumbai return trip at $1099, to be lovingly on camera, hoping that the booked between August 6 and 7. It food would remind Ratnesh of his specifically mentioned that the offer mother. was valid only for journeys starting In a twist to the tale, Ratnesh from New York. himself arrives home to sample the Interestingly, the global campaign food and the mother is taken aback, is wisely named ‘Visit Mum’, a pun all in tears. The voiceover says, on ‘mum’, which is a widely-used “Sometimes even when you know short form for Mumbai and an partners and select customers. what’s going to happen, you cannot addressable term for mother. The video got about (Viral Now is a section about videos even imagine how that would be.” The film was promoted on six lakh views in that are catching people’s fancy on social The film ends with a sentence YouTube, Twitter, Facebook and media). „ on the screen which reads, “It’s Google+, along with mailers sent to eight days. [email protected]

32 afaqs! Reporter, August 16-31, 2013

,17(59,(:

RAHUL JOHRI> SENIOR VP & GM, SOUTH ASIA AND HEAD OF REVENUE, PAN-REGIONAL AD SALES AND SOUTHEAST ASIA, DISCOVERY NETWORKS ASIA-PACIFIC “We shy away from branded content” Discovery Network, today, has eight channels, many India-based shows and multiple language feeds. Rahul Johri talks about the effects of going local and more. By Prachi Srivastava

iscovery Network entered the Indian going in the right direction. been using CPT method. We are now happy that market in 1995 with Discovery Channel We also launched shows like ‘Mystery Hunters’ others are using the same currency. Dand since then, has launched a series and ‘Billu and Munna’ in India. So, localisation is of channels rounding up to eight, including coming in various forms. At Discovery Networks, How is Discovery Networks leveraging the Discovery, TLC, Animal Planet, Discovery Turbo, across channels, the biggest localisation tool we digital medium? Discovery Science and Discovery Kids. The last use is language. After that, how we mix it depends We use digital across our brands and we have a offering from the network was Discovery Kids, on the decision of programmers. robust web presence. From a marketing point which was launched in 2012. of view we do whatever is required, but still The network has been looking at launching How do you thinkhink the 10+2 ad cap regulation our major activity is on television. While it’sit s shows having local appeal and also explored the will affect channelschannels likelike thethe ones in thethe fashionablefashionable to talktalk aboutabout digital,digital, even todaytoday therethere option of catering to different language audiences Discovery Network?etwork? isis a vast differencedifference betweenbetween TV andand ddigitaligital anandd TV (regional languages). We run on a globallobal standard duration. Our shows isis a pre-eminentpre-eminent medium. afaqs!Reporter caught up with Rahul Johri, are made well in advance and we do not edit We are in the television business senior VP and GM, South Asia and head of them differentlyly for different countries. So for years now and dependingdepending revenue, pan-regional ad sales and Southeast Asia, we already followlow that. Hence, it really oonn the property, we use Discovery Networks Asia-Pacific, to talk about the makes no differenceerence to us. It’s a self- tthehe relevant medium. effects of going local and about industry issues like imposed regulation.ation. All our channels HHavingaving said that, it’s the 10+2 ad cap and CPT-CPRP. Excerpts... are extremely wellwell distributed.distributed. tthehe bbreathtakingreathtaking Though some amount of ccontentontent for which How does localised content fare on Discovery tightening up will be there, but the viewers come to our Network channels? quality of contentntent will go up, and cchannels.hannels. ExposureExposure to The shows on TLC have touched upon different therefore the yieldield of quality inventorinventoryy and samplinsamplingg of the genres and the local content that we have done on will go up. At thethe end of the day,day, one contentcontent is the best the channel has done well for us. We never do the needs to deliverr what viewers want. All way of attractinattractingg same thing again and being a lifestyle channel, we of this will moveve into a ddirectionirection wwherehere viewers. „ make sure that we come up with new things and quality of contentent willwill improve andand thatthat surprise people with new concepts every time. is what is important.ortant. [email protected] The channel has progressed and makeover has emerged as one big thing on the channel. We have With the 10 + 2 ad cacapp imimplementation,plementation, had shows like ‘Be Blunt with Adhuna Akhtar’, ‘Style will there bbee branded content and Inc. with Aalim Hakim’, ‘What Not to Wear’ and now brand integrationsrations on the DiscoveryDiscovery ‘Trinny & Susannah’s - Makeover Mission India’, Network channels?nnels? which just went on air. As per the inherenterent nature of tthehe content, I Also, we brought in established formats made can very easily put a bbrandrand on cchannelshannels in India, hosted by Indians, which have been like TLC, butut our shows have running on the channel; and shows that have longevity, theyy don’t perish Indian participants as well. We are working on today and that’st’s whywhy we Indian productions virtually across genres. shy away fromm branded content. Also,o, our Discovery Network’s last channel that shows run globally,lobally, entered the Indian market was Discovery so some brandedranded Kids. How is the channel doing? content in Indiaia willwill Discovery Kids is hitting 40 million homes in not work anywherewhere terms of distribution of the channel and the else. channel is available on all DTH platforms today. The critical mass on digital has been achieved. How do you thinkthink The reach continues to grow and every day, we are the yield will rise iiff adding numbers. the industry movesmoves The good thing is that it has coincided with from CPRPP to the digitisation process, hence it continues to CPT? get more distribution. We launched the channel, We have alwaysalways waited for some time to get more traction and been using CPT then introduced Tintin, which came in January. across countries.ntries. Transformers came in April. These two shows have If you look aatt our been the pushers of viewership on the channel. 5-10-year-old-old We launched ‘Amazing Spiez’, which is the biggest presentations,, in hit over here. It’s still early days, but the channel is India too we hhaveave

34 afaqs! Reporter, August 16-31, 2013

1(:60$5.(7,1*

HONG KONG TOURISM << FRQWLQXHGIURPSDJH Borrowed Glory?

‘ardent Dhoni-fans’, though appointment viewing isn’t ensured.” R Sridhar of Ideas-RS explains, “Even if these are two different sports, the essence remains the same; both are about team work and winning. This is a classic example of promoting football by using the credibility of cricket. This is a very interesting way of doing it and has created a lot of buzz.” As for IBL, Indranil Das Blah, chief operating officer, Kwan Entertainment & Novel Promotion Marketing Solutions suggests that it’s not Hong Kong Tourism Board has bad to use cricket as it attracts eyeballs as no other game does. He adds, “Using cricket as launched a romantic novel, ‘Hold a crutch is good as long as it gets viewers.” My Hand’, to target potential BRAND EFFECT visitors. By Devesh Gupta an football gain popularity on the back Cof cricket? Will Dhoni’s association ver half-a-million Indians visit Hong Kong make that big a difference to BPL as a brand? every year, either on a business or leisure Says Sridhar, “Ideally, it is not an unknown Otrip. These visitors include families and thing to use a well-known established brand business delegates. The Hong Kong Tourism Board to promote another product category.” It (HKTB) now plans to increase this number from depends on how intelligently the campaign India and wants to invite young couples uses Dhoni. But with this cross-sport and youth. It has launched a special association, will the star brand endorser campaign, ‘Hold My Hand’, which uses but can recognize from her senses - dilute his own value? a romantic novel to promote tourism in sounds and smells. Sridhar doesn’t think so. “He is ultimately Hong Kong. Datta says, “The smells here refer to standing up for an international sport, as The novel has been written by the mesmerizing scenic beauty while important as cricket. Had he associated Durjoy Datta and talks about a love the sounds refer to the sky rocketing himself with Kho Kho, it might have been story based in Hong Kong. Datta has towers and fast life that Hong Kong a problem,” he says. Sinha seconds Sridhar written six books and sold over a million offers.” After Hong Kong Tourism and adds that this will create a long term copies. Some of his popular titles are Board finalised its decision to come effective association for brand BPL. ‘Of Course I Love You’, ‘Now that you up with a novel to promote tourism, are Rich’ and ‘She Broke up, I Didn’t’. it invited Datta to visit Hong Kong for ‘Cynthia Leung, GM, corporate 10 days. Datta saw the place and then A cricket crazy country, affairs, Hong Kong Tourism Board, took the decision of going ahead with speaking on the reason behind choosing the book. He took nearly three months India has never had a romantic novel over a travel guide, to finish the novel. He will now head similar big names in says, “People tend to emotionally paint to 20 other cities across the country pictures of the places they read about in to promote the book in the next few any other sport. a novel and are more attracted to it, as months. compared to what they see in a travel Apart from social media, HKTB has Darshan suggests that Dhoni, as a brand, guide. According to our research, a large also tied up with Barista Lavazza and has mass appeal. “He appeals to the rural number of people across India read will connect with readers in more than and semi-urban Indians in a big way.” novels while they travel to their work 180 cafes of the coffee chain across the Gaining traction with the latter could also places, so we thought it would be a country, to promote the novel. explain the channel’s decision to launch better idea to go the novel way than any Leung and Dutta: Write Another partnership with Whistling Hindi feed commentary for select 100 other.” Hold My Hand is a story about promotion Woods will run a short film contest matches of the league. that invites film students to produce snippets on Hold My Hand. The winning film will WHY A CRICKETER? The average stay of an premiere in winter, a popular season for Indian here is a two-pronged reasoning to Indian visitor to Hong honeymooners and young couples to travel abroad, Tthis, suggest brand consultants. Firstly, to reinforce HKTB’s marketing effort. The contest being a cricket crazy country, India has Kong is around three to will kick off in September and the winner will also be never had similar big names in any other awarded a trip to Hong Kong. All the films produced sport. Secondly, cricket has the largest four nights long. will be put up on YouTube to promote Hong Kong profile, and one has to select from it. tourism. Says Sinha of Alchemist, “Nowadays, in Deep, a young Indian who travels to Hong Kong for Leung says, “We now want to reach out to pre match practice cricket sessions, players studies and falls in love with Ahaana, who has been the masses and are looking at a growth in the play football instead of catching practice and in Hong Kong for the last two years. Though blind number of visitors by higher single digit (in terms stretching. This has created familiarity with since the age of five, Ahaana has been around the city of percentage). Our aim is to target people in the age a less-popular sport, even to the masses.” with her father and a guide and has marked the places group of 18-35 years.” Lastly, analysts suggest that the broadcaster through their smells and sounds. The interesting As of now, the average stay of an Indian visitor to should use brand Dhoni to market the aspect of Datta’s novel is that the female protagonist Hong Kong is around three to four nights long and league rather than the (upcoming) telecast (Ahaana) takes Deep around the city and shows him he/she spends nearly 4,000 Hong Kong dollars. „ for higher returns. „ different places, which she herself has never seen, [email protected] [email protected]

36 afaqs! Reporter, August 16-31, 2013 THERE IS ONLY ONE ,17(59,(: K RAMAKRISHNAN> PRESIDENT-MARKETING, CAFÉ COFFEE DAY “Conversation is the main product at CCD”

The coffee outlet, over the years, has become the default ‘hang out’ zone for youngsters across India. To ensure it remains so, CCD is constantly reinventing and expanding its presence. By Raushni Bhagia FOTOCORP

as there life before Café Coffee Day We believe in aggressive expansion and the How different are your offerings across India? (CCD)? Many young Indians wouldn’t strategy of clusters. You may not want to cross The menus are standardised. The experience that Weven know that because CCD is a busy road so it’s better to have cafés on both a customer gets in one café, in one city, is similar ubiquitous with 1,497 outlets in 200 towns. It sides. The aim of clustering is to capture as many to that in any other café, in another city. We have created the coffee shop culture and has been customers as possible. experimented in the past with what we used to call around for 17 years. afaqs!Reporter spoke to K a glocal menu. It’s not about whether it worked for Ramakrishnan, CCD’s president - marketing, on You took to mass media only late last year. us. While consolidating our food-vending services, the chain’s journey so far and where it is heading. Why so late? What has it done for you? we centralised it, so the focus is on being more We believe that our biggest medium is our café, consistent. Even if we change, the local flavour You are changing the interiors at CCD. but when we use it as a medium, we target the won’t be more than 5 per cent. What’s the provocation? people who make repeated visits. To grow the We address the youth, so change is a continuous market, first time walk-ins have to be tapped. CCD started as an internet café ‘that also process - be it the menu or the look or the music. A report, about two years ago, said that even in served coffee’. Then, for some time, you had People look for change, even if they keep having SEC AB, in the top 10 towns, in the addressable a juke box culture to serve coffee with music. the same thing at the café. If we don’t give them age group of 17-35, only 47 per cent of the people What’s next? that, they will go elsewhere looking for it. go to cafés. The rest have various perceptions about At CCD, conversation is the main product and hanging out there. There are price perceptions; everything else surrounds it. People go to a CCD What is the logic behind so many formats? some think it’s a place for interviews, while to have a conversation. You incidentally have food Many Indians, especially the youth, have grown up others don’t go to cafés because they don’t have a and coffee. Some of our cafés are wifi-enabled. with CCD. Once they grow up, they feel, ‘What’s girlfriend. To correct these perceptions, you have Then, we have café radio which talks about the new in it for me?’ To give them that something to address the other 53 per cent. That’s why we music that people listen to. So, fundamentally, we extra, we brought the ‘Lounge’ two years ago, tried to reach them through other media. are a place to hang out and where people can have in Bengaluru. Today, we have 47 lounges. In a It’s too early to say if our aim has been achieved. their conversations, which are surrounded by food lounge, the colours are milder, the music is softer If two months was all it took, every brand would and beverage, merchandise and music. and the density of people is relatively less. The have done it. Advertising is just one part of the brewing differs and the cuisine is much wider. process; change of menu, change of look and feel From a marketing standpoint, what is the big A ‘Square’ is a celebration of coffee. Usually and word of mouth, all of it works together. challenge that brand CCD faces? coffees are blended, but here we have coffees from Finding the right location and the right people a single origin, say, Guatemala Coffee. Currently, You have almost four million likes on to work. Consistency and day-part walk-ins are a we have just two, in Bengaluru and Delhi. Coffee Facebook, but only 80,000 are ‘talking’ about challenge. When you start a café, you invest in the Day Express, however, is a kiosk-like outlet. A café it. You have just 12,000 followers on Twitter. space, but it is crowded only for certain hours in a size varies from 450-1,300 sq ft whereas a lounge We are there on Twitter, Pinterest, Facebook, day. How do you make this uniform? starts at 900 sq ft and a square begins at 1,200 sq ft. Foursquare and Instagram. In India, almost all We’re still experimenting with how to solve We don’t have a specific target for the number of the youth brands have a higher following on this. At some locations, we talk about happy hours; lounges and squares, but overall we are targeting Facebook, than on Twitter, and so do we. at some others, it’s about offering a free beverage 2,000 outlets by the end of 2015, which means 503 to build the lunch crowd. more to go in 29 months! By then, we expect to be Has the profile of your audience changed? present in another 100 towns. Expectations change continuously. If the customer How big a competitor is Starbucks? gets one extra thing (be it a smile from the person To my mind, everything is a competition for my Is the game about just location? who serves the coffee) in a few consecutive visits, brand, even IPL - because if someone is watching If that was the case, there would be one café that gets converted into expectation. Fortunately or a match, he or she is not in our outlet. But we try on Linking Road, one in Colaba and one in unfortunately, the audience profile has remained to reach any place where the need is going to arise. Lokhandwala, that’s it. The need to have a more or less the same, as far as the café is Whenever a new locality comes up, CCD is the conversation is irrespective of a location, you need concerned. The lounge has a little more working first retailer present. „ it everywhere, at arm’s length. population than teenagers. [email protected]

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A round up of some major people movements >> MOVEMENTS/APPOINTMENTS<< in the last fortnight MAINLINE MEDIA

he advertising in the same capacity. he media industry too witnessed a lot Tindustry saw a lot Based in Delhi, Siwach Tof shuffling in the senior management. of people movement will handle brands Viacom18 Media appointed Utpal Das as chief in the recent fortnight. like Coke, Dish TV, commercial officer. In his new role, Das will Draftfcb Ulka made General Motors, Dabur report to Sudhanshu Vats, group CEO of two important changes and Nestle at McCann. Viacom18. Das comes with more than two in their senior and mid- With 13 years of decades of experience across several companies level management. experience, Siwach such as Zee Entertainment Enterprises, TV The agency began his career Today and BCCL. appointed Anirban with iB&W. He has 92.7 Big FM recently appointed Rajesh

Chaudhuri to head SUSHIL KUMAR also worked with Mani, erstwhile head, marketing, TI Cycles of its strategic planning ANIRBAN CHAUDHURI RAVINDER SIWACH Everest Integrated India, as the regional business head for South division in Delhi. Communications, India. He will report to Ashwin Padmanabhan, Chaudhuri was earlier working as an independent Contract Advertising and Ignite Mudra. national head, 92.7 Big FM. Mani will lead business strategist and conversation enabler at the On the other hand, McCann Worldgroup India the business in the region and will be based Space Group. has taken aboard Pradyumna Chauhan to lead in Bengaluru. Mani started his career with In his career spanning 18 years in brand advisory the new arm, called Creative Central. This is an Coca-Cola as general manager in 1999. He and integrated marketing communications effort towards creating insightful creative work for has worked with Subhiksha Retail and VIP development roles, Chaudhuri has worked clients. Former Ogilvy Mumbai’s group creative Industries. with agencies such as DDB Mudra, Dentsu director Chauhan will lead Creative Central as In an attempt to strengthen its consumer Communications, TNS India and IMRB executive creative director. At Ogilvy, Chauhan products segment, Warner Bros Consumer International. A few days prior to Chaudhuri’s spearheaded work on Airtel, LG Electronics, Products (WBCP) has announced that Preston appointment, the General Motors and HPCL. Kevin Lewis, manag- agency announced JWT announced the appointment of Gulshan ing director, Australia that Menaka Menon, Singh as vice-president and strategy planning and New Zealand, erstwhile director, director. Singh joins the agency from Lowe Lintas, WBCP, will also over- marketing, MTV, Bengaluru, where he was vice-president, strategic see the India market, would lead strategic planning. He will be based at JWT’s Delhi office. while continuing to planning for its At Grey India, Samir Datar, former Law & drive the Australia and Bengaluru operation. Kenneth vice-president, New Zealand busi- This is Menon’s second strategy planning, has nesses. stint at the agency; in come aboard as vice- Lewis will be 2000, she had joined president and branch responsible for build- MENAKA MENON the agency as account head for Delhi. Datar PRESTON KEVIN LEWIS ing WBCP’s interests executive. had quit Law & Kenneth in India and will At McCann Erickson, Ravinder Siwach joins as three months ago to oversee all sales, marketing, promotions, clip executive creative director and creative head. He do consulting work. licensing, media and retail partnerships, related joins from DDB Mudra, where he was working At Grey India, he will to the merchandising and product licensing report to Jishnu Sen, business for the market. CEO and president. After a stint of almost eight years, N Dilip MARKETING SAMIR DATAR Datar has worked on Venkatraman, CEO of CNN-IBN and IBN7, both, the ‘agency side’ quit the company to pursue entrepreneuri- ord India has promoted Raj Sarkar as vice- as well as the ‘client side’, in his career spanning al interests. Ajay Chacko, COO, Network18 Fpresident, marketing. He will be based in 20 years. will oversee the operations of the IBN News Gurgaon and will report to Vinay Piparsania, Arun Raman, former executive vice- Network, in the interim. executive director, marketing, sales and service, president, strategic planning, Lowe India, has At Network18, Ford India. joined Amsterdam-headquartered agency, Venkatraman was Sarkar was earlier handling the marketing for StrawberryFrog India, as head of strategy. He will responsible for the F-150, which comes in more than 10 variants, lead the agency’s new business development and strategic, financial and in the US. He replaces Sriram Padmanabhan, create a planning culture aligned to the agency’s operational manage- who stepped down as VP, marketing in April, ‘culture movements’ differentiator. ment of the English after the Ford-JWT fiasco. In a career spanning 19 years, he has worked news and Hindi news Sarkar has more than 17 years of experience with DDB Mudra, channels from the and joined Ford in 1996. He has handled sev- Publicis Ambience and company’s stable. eral responsibilities in the product, consumer Grey Worldwide. In his earlier role, marketing, sales and strategy functions. Before At TBWA India, he was responsible for Ford, he was a manager at Lincoln Global Deepak Singh, former the marketing opera- N DILIP VENKATRAMAN Business Strategy, where his responsibilities executive creative tions for all existing ranged from leading strategic projects and initi- director of Dentsu and upcoming IBN channels and the overall atives, to managing governance and operations. Communications, has operations of IBN Focus, the alternative media Ford India has also promoted Rahul Gautam been appointed national solutions unit that develops context for brands (erstwhile marketing manager for B-car head of art. Singh will through customised content. He has over 19 products across Ford Asia Pacific) to gen- be based in Mumbai years of corporate experience, of which three eral manager, consumer marketing; and Vinay DEEPAK SINGH and will report to years were in the US. Before joining IBN18, Raina (erstwhile general manager, sales plan- Parixit Bhattacharya, he held key positions at India Today and Zee ning) to general manager, product marketing. „ chief creative officer, TBWA India Group. „ Network. „

42 afaqs! Reporter, August 16-31, 2013