March 16-31, 2016 Volume 4, Issue 19 `100 18

PROFILE Nitin Karkare FCB Ulka’s CEO on his 30 years at the agency. 14

DABUR GULABARI Look Beyond Dabur tries to break gender stereotypes. 20

REPORT Buzzy Brands The 11th survey of ’s “The appetite for buzziest brands from afaqs! TITAN RAGA No Product 8 INTERVIEW risk is in our DNA” Anuradha Aggarwal 12 Three successive weeks at the top is a good way to begin INTERVIEW a year. What does Colors - led by its formidable Partho Chakrabarti 19 CEO Raj Nayak - have up its sleeve now? AD TECH 2016 16 Leveraging Content 29 editorial

This fortnight... Volume 4, Issue 19 EDITOR leven months back, around the time BARC’s TV ratings began pouring in, our Sreekant Khandekar E television correspondent warmed up to the otherwise dull task of filing her weekly PUBLISHER Prasanna March 16-31, 2016 Volume 4, Issue 19 `100 report on the performance of entertainment channels and shows, a section 18 we call ‘GEC Watch’. It’s the kind of section that, by her own admission, ranks low- EXECUTIVE EDITOR Ashwini Gangal to-medium on the excitement scale. But all of a sudden GEC-gazing was fun; it was

PROFILE PRODUCTION EXECUTIVE Nitin Karkare FCB Ulka’s CEO on his 30 interesting to see the performance of these channels as per the then new ratings system. years at the agency. Andrias Kisku 14 Colors was doing markedly well. ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES Shubham Garg 81301 66777 (M); 0120-4077819 (O) DABUR GULABARI Look Beyond Post October, after rural ratings were introduced, Colors faltered a bit, then quickly got Dabur tries to break gender stereotypes. Apoorv Kulshrestha 20 its mojo back. Its most noticeable streak was between the third week of December and the 9873824700 (M); 0120-4077833 (O) last week of January; it was No.1 for five consecutive weeks. Noida

REPORT Pradeep Hegde Buzzy Brands The 11th survey of India’s “The appetite for buzziest brands from afaqs! (022) 40429702-5 TITAN RAGA And the fun continues. Our correspondent still holds her breath each time the weekly No Product 8 INTERVIEW risk is in our DNA” Anuradha Aggarwal 12 Three successive weeks at the top is a good way to begin INTERVIEW ratings come in. Will Star Plus top? Will Colors top? The success of Colors’ weekend a year. What does Colors - led by its formidable Partho Chakrabarti 19 [email protected] CEO Raj Nayak - have up its sleeve now? 16 AD TECH 2016 Leveraging Content 29 fiction show Naagin has a lot to do with this. Our interview with the show’s protagonist MARKETING OFFICE Mouni Roy, first published in January, continues to gather digital moss everyday, as her B-3, First Floor, Sector-4, Noida-201301. fans tweet and re-tweet the piece. For this Cover Story, we were this close to getting Raj Tel: (0120) 4077800. Nayak, CEO, Colors, to pose with a snake around his neck, a la Lord Shiva. MUMBAI 501-502, Makani Center, 5th Floor, Off Linking Road, Bandra (W), Raj, Mr. Congeniality of the television industry, whose Twitter handle, @rajcheerfull, Mumbai - 400050 has become something of a brand in itself, spoke to us about Colors’ non-fiction grammar, Tel: +91-22-40429 709 - 712 tough programming decisions ( has gone off air), his appetite SUBSCRIPTION ENQUIRIES Akhilesh Singh for risk, his focus on profitability and his competition (Star is way ahead of Colors in (0120) 4077837 terms of programming hours). [email protected]

Owned by Banyan Netfaqs Pvt Ltd and By the way, Raj has been named Media Person of the Year at The International Printed and published by Prasanna Singh, Advertising Association’s recently held Leadership Awards. What’s more, Colors has at 7-A/13, Ch. Ratan Singh Complex, topped the Media and Entertainment category at our very own Buzzy Brand Awards. Jawala Heri Market, Paschim Vihar, New -110 063.

Printed at Cirrus Graphics Private Limited B-61, Sector 67, Noida (U.P.), 201301

Ashwini Gangal [email protected] CONTENTS 26 13

CRAZY GRANNIES Young at Heart They are cool. They are crazy. Meet ad-land’s most recent arsenal - the grandmother.

ADVERTISING Sweet Overdose? 10 8 Meet the 5 Star duo - Ramesh and Suresh.

POINTS OF VIEW 12 Eleven Minutes CRAFTSVILLA.COM SA RE GA MA 6 OLX What lessons does a A Thousand Hues Singing a New Tune No more Waiting 11-minute no-smoking ad The online store’s new video The reality show is back with Some more encouragement with Sunny Leone teach? is awash with colour. an innovation in the format. for those not willing to sell.

afaqs! Reporter, March 16-31, 2 0 1 6 5 media SA RE GA MA PA Singing a New Tune The reality talent show which first aired in 1995 on Zee TV is back with a tweak in the format. By News Bureau

fter a gap of four years, Zee TV’s ‘Sa Re Ga Ma Pa’, the reality show which is based on Aidentifying India’s singing talents will be back on the channel on March 26. It will air on Saturdays and Sundays at 9.30 pm. Amul is the title sponsor for the show while Flipkart is the powered-by sponsor. Hyundai, too, has joined the show as a sponsor. Singers will be picked to compete in the new season of Sa Re Ga Ma Pa, after screening 50,000 entries over eight (L to R) : Akash Chawla, Aditya Narayan, Sajid, Pritam Chakraborty, Wajid and weeks of auditions across 14 cities. Sa Re Ga Ma Pa first aired on Zee TV in 1995 Kunal Ganjawala, will have in its forthcoming strength with each successive season.” and the last season was telecast in 2012. The season, singer Mika Singh, and music directors Through its brand extensions such as Li’l show’s version for children titled ‘Sa Re Ga Ma Pritam Chakraborty and Sajid-Wajid as mentors. Champs, the platform has also nurtured the vocal Pa Lil Champs’ was aired in 2014. The show has Aditya Narayan will be the host. talents of gifted, young children. “With its presence evolved its format over the years, from episodic Commenting on the launch of the new season, of over 21 years, Sa Re Ga Ma Pa’s upcoming winners to a pyramid structure. Zee TV business head Pradeep Hejmadi says, season promises to be younger, refreshing and The new season will see a format innovation “Having pioneered the space of talent-based reality more entertaining,” says Hejmadi. with the selection process split into three levels. television since 1995 and served as a beacon of Essel Vision Productions business head Aspiring singers will go through a jury round, the hope for countless singers across the country, Sa Akash Chawla says, “This season marks a strong mentor level, and finally, public voting. The jury Re Ga Ma Pa continues to grow from strength-to- differentiator for Sa Re Ga Ma Pa as we introduce at the first level will be a panel of 30 experts across a new format. We have enlisted the support of the music industry, including playback singers, 30 music connoisseurs who will aid the selection musicians, and technicians, who will assess the process right from the outset. This will be the first contestants right from the audition stage, and help The selection process of time that a singing reality show will have a jury of the mentors in the selection process. the new season will be split experts beyond its mentors to arrive at the finest The show, which has produced over the last talent.” n two decades, singers such as Shreya Ghoshal and into three levels. [email protected]

THE ADVERTISING CLUB Well-deserved Swamy is the sixth recipient of the award in the last twenty-two years. By News Bureau

he Advertising Club, Murali congratulated Swamy Madras, has in its diamond for his outstanding achievement. Tjubilee year, conferred Drawing a parallel between his father the Distinguished Service Award R K Swamy and him, Murali said, (DSA) to Srinivasan K Swamy, “Both worked for the industry in (L-R) K R Kandaraaj, R V Rajan, Srinivasan K Swamy receiving the citation chairman and managing director, R different economic environments. and memento from N Murali and P Siva Prasad. K SWAMY BBDO. The award was Swamy worked at a time when conferred on March 3, to Swamy for advertising was seen as a necessary (Srinivasan) Swamy. R K Swamy He may have been unwelcome to his leadership qualities and service evil, but a wasteful expenditure. BBDO today is probably the only Mumbai in the late ‘90s, but he is to the Indian advertising industry. By sheer dint of his abilities and agency of its size that is full-service today most popular there.” Swamy is the sixth recipient of this fighting spirit, he (R K Swamy) under its own umbrella, and the Commenting on being given the award in the last 22 years, with R K breached that bastion when he took credit for that should go to Swamy award, Swamy said that to him, the Swamy being the first recipient of on the leadership role at AAAI. He and his team.” Distinguished Service Award (DSA) the award in 1994. The award was was the first person from this part of Ramesh Narayan, former from the Advertising Club Madras presented by chief guest N Murali, the country to do that. The second president, AAAI said, “Goafest was was the most coveted. n co-chairman, . person to have done that is Sundar the brainchild of Srinivasan Swamy. [email protected]

6 afaqs! Reporter, March 16-31, 2 0 1 6 Source: BARC, TG- NCCS All 15+, Wk 05 – Wk 08’16, Full Day, Mkt-

India’s leading News Network advertising OLX.IN What are you Waiting For Now? OLX’s new ad, which is a sneak peek into the hoarder’s brain, takes on the ‘dekhte hain’ mentality while encouraging people to sell on its platform. By Ashee Sharma

es, Indians like to hoard. But, online the examples of an old TV set, a two-wheeler for February 24, and has since then gone viral with classifieds OLX does not want to say so a family of four, an almost ‘archaic’ camera phone over two million views so far. Ybluntly. After all, old habits die hard and and car, and a sofa that seats the entire family, With this ad, OLX taps into the colloquial brands can’t afford to offend their customers. OLX has depicted the Indian obsession with all insight of ‘Dekhte hain’, much like online To overcome this psychological barrier and to that is ‘puraana’ and ‘tikaau’ (old and reliable). The marketplace Amazon, which has time and again, encourage people to ‘sell off’ on its platform, OLX amusing and relatable lyrics end with a rhyming used snippets from local parlance such as ‘Aur has taken the musical route this time with a video call to action, “Ab no more dekhte hain; OLX pe dikhaao’, and more recently, ‘Kya pehnu’ in its ads. titled ‘No More Dekhte Hain’. bechte hain”. The classic ‘OLX Pe Bech De’ is also an example The video is a sneak peek into a hoarder’s brain, Composed by Indian film musician, singer of the same. which prevents people from selling off stuff they and lyricist Amit Trivedi, the two-and-a-half- OLX.in is a free local classifieds site. n no longer use, however old or outdated. Using minute-long video was published on YouTube on [email protected]

TITAN RAGA Mistaken Identity The ad talks of the issues women face at the work place. By Suraj Ramnath

itan Raga’s new ad is out. voila! In walks Kiran! Interesting. And, somewhat Hey, he’s a young man, Tunusual. Why? For starters, not a woman! be recognised for who they and with the same responsibilities the watch doesn’t figure anywhere. Surprised? Wasn’t really are and applaud their do not.” The ad focusses upon the issues it assumed that Kiran terrific contributions.” According to Ghosh, when it women face at the work place. It’s a is a woman who gets Tithi Ghosh, senior comes to working women and men, topical subject, yes. But, this one’s recommended for vice-president and head of women have to be more cautious been treated somewhat differently. promotion by her male advertising, Ogilvy India about the way they act and appear In this particular ad, there’s Kiran, a boss for reasons not (South), tells afaqs, “We than men because their actions can fresher in the company, whose name entirely professional? were exploring the theme invite prejudice. is up for promotion, recommended Sharing his views of gender inequality. We Speaking about his reaction by the male boss. The boss is so on the film, Sirish knew that the viewing after looking at the ad, Prabhakar impressed with her ‘professional’ Chandrashekhar, head of Chandrashekhar audience would mostly be Mundkur, chief mentor, Percept competence that he’s with Kiran all marketing, Titan Watches, and Ghosh: fight- women or people in the H, says, “I loved the Titan ad. It day, their professional association says, “A woman’s success ing the bias work space. While exploring had suspense. It had the audience stretching much beyond the regular at the workplace is still the space of feminism and thinking the obvious and then the working hours. viewed with prejudice, gender inequality, issues that revelation. It was executed stylishly Going by the description of a based on her personality and women generally face were being and in good taste. It does make senior colleague, the members on appearance. With this film, we discussed and this was something the point about how our minds the board of directors are somewhat encourage men and women alike, that came up. Working women face are prejudiced about women. There curious about Kiran and want to to break the mould of perception sets of questions about work life was a ring of reality about the ad.” n know more and see the person. And and pave the way for women to balance that men in similar roles [email protected]

8 afaqs! Reporter, March 16-31, 2 0 1 6

advertising

CRAFTSVILLA.COM WARC 100 Mullen Lowe A Thousand Hues Lintas is Tops The online shopping store’s new video brings alive the various shades of the Indian woman’s personality. By News Bureau ‘Kan Khajura Tesan’, which was ranked No.1 last year was at No.9 this year. By News Bureau

he WARC 100, an annual ranking of the world’s 100 best campaigns and com- Tpanies, based on their performance in effectiveness and strategy competitions, has named MullenLowe Lintas Group, India as the top creative agency in the world. The agency is the first to claim the No.1 position as the Top Creative Agency in the World for two consecu- tive years. Following at No.2 is Droga5, NYC, with Ogilvy, being ranked number three. In the top creative agencies category, MullenLowe Lintas leads the table with 194.5 points followed by Ogilvy & Mather, Mumbai, India, at the 16th spot with 79.8 points. DDB Mudra is at the 23rd place with 58.4 points, and McCann Mumbai, is at the 27th he online shopping store for ethnic position with 57 products Craftsvilla.com, has released a points. BBDO Tnew campaign titled Mere Hazaron Rang Mumbai at at the which celebrates the spirit of the Indian woman 47th position with who is fearless, different, and is special. 41.1 points. The campaign, conceptualised and executed In the top media by Shortfilmwala, is an ode to the versatility of agencies category, Indian women and salutes their free spirit. The MediaCom video features Miss India finalist Dimple Paul, Mumbai is at the who travels through different parts of the country, 8th position with doing things that one would not ideally expect 48.1 points, along George: On a roll from a single Indian woman traveller. with PHD Mumbai The video plays alongside a poem penned at the 25th position with 26.6 points. by Tripurari Kumar Sharma, and portrays the In the top digital agency category, OgilvyOne various shades of a woman’s personality, and Mumbai is only agency from India which finds how she manages each with equal its place at the 8th position with 37.3 points. ease. Aruna Jade of the musical collection playing on the tracks BBDO Worldwide, Ogilvy & Mather, DDB collective Aflatunes has lent her of ‘Aaj Jane Ki Zidd Na Karo’, Worldwide, MullenLowe Group and Leo voice as well as composed the the well-known ghazal written Burnett group occupy the top five spots in the music for the video. by the poet Fayyaz Hashmi, best agency network category. Commenting on the campaign, and sung by Pakistani classical Coca Cola emerged as the world’s best brand. Monica Gupta, co-founder, singer Farida Khanum. Tata Group (automotive, retail, soft drinks), is Craftsvilla.com, says, “Women Founded in 2011 by Manoj the only company from India which has been a have long been stereotyped as Gupta and Monica Gupta, part of the best advertisers category, placed at the followers. We wanted to take Mumbai-based Craftsvilla is ninth spot with 177.5 points. this opportunity to celebrate the an online shopping store for Commenting on the achievement, Joseph power she commands. Our video sarees, salwar suits, lehengas, George, Group CEO, MullenLowe Lintas celebrates the resilient Indian jewellery, home decor and Group, says, “The year 2015 was a milestone year woman who has the courage to other ethnic products. The for the agency with over 60 awards for creative step out of the shadows and lead.” main aim of the company is effectiveness alone. And now, the WARC Craftsvilla.com, with the help to draw the Indian society 100 recognition, two years in a row, further of this campaign, aims to reach out “The video back to its roots with regard to demonstrates the primacy of delivering RoI for to each and every woman in the clothing and help it discover its our clients as our singular pursuit.” country in order to introduce its celebrates the ethnic legacy. The company is Among the three campaigns that have been offering of ethnic apparels. funded by venture capital funds selected from India in the Top 20, two are from The online shopping store resilient Indian including Sequoia Capital, the MullenLowe Lintas Group. ‘Kan Khajura is known for its women-centric woman.” Nexus Venture Partners, Tesan’, which was ranked No.1 last year, was at ads. It’s previous campaign ‘Yaad Lightspeed Venture Partners, No.9 this time, while Idea Cellular’s campaign Reh Jayge’, similarly showcased MONICA GUPTA Global Founders Capital and ‘No Ullu Banaoing’ was ranked No.17. Havells the beauty of Indian women in Apoletto. n Appliances’ ‘Respect Women’ stood at No.25. n Craftsvilla’s range of ethnic [email protected] [email protected]

10 afaqs! Reporter, March 16-31, 2 0 1 6 Powered by

MY FM INTERVIEW RADIO A GAME CHANGER

PRITI NAIR DIRECTOR, CURRY-NATION

I feel Radio is a challenging opportunity for every creative person to think differently.

Tell us about your favorite where you used radio as a in making a radio campaign that allows you call in live. It is a medium campaign? Which mediums medium. successful? that can create long standing content and were used to execute it? There have been several other brands It is paramount. The idea is important. hook the audience. One of my favorite campaigns that where we have used. But usually, when And that you write for the audio medium we did on the radio was for Nirlep. TV is the main medium, the radio, fully juicing it out, is important. Most How does your approach An idea cracked by our copywriter at unfortunately takes a back seat and only writers forget that. They write a TVC change when creating Curry-Nation, Sushant Dharwadkar, and becomes a reminder medium, which is for radio. They forget there is nothing a advertisements for radio in a executed brilliantly by none other than sad. A particular one I truly remember person listening can see. particular campaign? Manohar(lingo), of course. The client is where we used radio differently was It has to completely change. The had come up with a unique non-stick. It Surf Excel. For the first time, we used one How can a marketer leverage challenge is how you can keep the was a two-way non-stick pan. The idea medium to talk about the other. This was radio as a medium to reach out brand communication alive and crack was so simple that it was awesome. during the boy-girl puddle commercial to his target market? the medium. Creation of word pictures The names of dishes were just turned for Dirt is Good. The TVC became so Marketers need to be more open to being using different facets of audio. It is an around and said ulta. And as you repeat popular that the radio spots we created creative on radio. Most of the times they entirely different way to look at the them constantly it becomes seedha. So, were people discussing the TVC. It was want to say everything. The cost, the reach communication. saido saido saido saido sai or peethtahli absolutely a breakthrough at that time and therefore, giving out all information peethtahli peethtahli or letteom letteom as no one had done something like that becomes a mandate. The point is with no How do you see the growth of became dosai, thalipeeth and omelette. before. But for that, you need a TVC support of visuals a radio spot with just radio industry in India? The connect was ab koi cheez palti karne popular enough. information becomes a drab. I feel radio has to start differentiating main aasani. The whole production done on content for it to grow. Currently, by lingo on these spots took them to How do you analyse the success Its effectiveness and ability to most people have apps that live stream another level. Manohar was so passionate of a radio campaign? reach out to the masses in their favorite music for them without that he added several different relevant It is difficult if it is in a media mix of other tier II and III cities has always any ad breaks. In a scenario like textures to each of the spots. He called communication. Most of the times if a attracted marketers towards this, I feel radio channels needs to musicians to record live. These are things post research throws up about hearing it. Any other benefits that seriously look at how to be different we had not thought about when we about the brand on radio or, then, of marketers targeting these from each other. Also, how do you conceived the idea. And you realise how course, awards tell you if you have done a areas can look at leveraging take along an advertiser within your much value all this detailing can do to creative enough job. through radio advertising? content is what I feel radio is going make a brilliant idea shine. I feel interactivity and content are to need to eventually do. There has According to you, how something marketers are still not to be a new way of thinking on music Please tell us about a campaign important is a good script experimenting fully with. It is a medium entertainment.l interview ANURADHA AGGARWAL> CMO, MARICO “Business and marketing cross over in FMCG”

An interview with Anuradha Aggarwal, chief marketing officer, Marico. brands need help, in terms of... ‘Which are the ones which aren’t doing so well?” or ‘Which are By Ashwini Gangal the ones that are not meeting potential?’ or ‘Which are the ones that can truly do something dramatic in the market?’ Another aspect I spend a lot of time on is new product development. This cuts across countries, categories and channels.

Which are these brands that need help? Brands where we’re not meeting our full potential would include, for instance... a brand like Set Wet. We’ve found it difficult to cut through. I don’t think we’ve played the game well enough. We believe the deo category has a lot of juice; so we’ve done whatever it takes to take this one big pass at it. We’ve got Ranveer Singh to endorse Set Wet deo - this was one of the things I put into place when I came in. We have a lot riding on this.

When you say you’re going to ‘work on’ a given brand, does it necessarily mean pumping in more media money into it? It’s not just about investing money. You can always throw money at a problem, but that doesn’t solve fundamental challenges about differentiation, ANURADHA AGGARWAL relevance and giving value to consumers. The marketer’s role is not just to make good nuradha Aggarwal joined Marico as chief A big proponent of consumer research - she advertising and put it on air; it is about making the marketing officer around six months prefers calling it “consumer intimacy” - Aggarwal right propositions come to life for the consumer. back, replacing Sameer Satpathy at the spoke to us about Marico, the brands therein, and time. the FMCG segment. Edited Excerpts. You said in a recent interview that the biggest AWith around 18 years of experience in marketing, challenge in the FMCG segment is saturation Aggarwal has had an interesting ride so far. After How have the past six months been? in terms of consumption and penetration. acquiring a strong foundation in marketing at For Marico, the coming of a new person, Does this problem affect some categories Unilever (where she spent 12 years), she moved in this role, after a very long time, is new. And over others? And how does a marketer deal to Vodafone (during which time her team created for me, working for an Indian, entrepreneurial, with it? around 70 ads), and then to Mondelez (where she professional company, is a new experience. Different categories are in different stages of managed the biscuits portfolio). I’ve largely been in multi-national companies. evolution. For instance, in India, while biscuits Looking back at her Unilever days, she fondly So, this has given me a different sort of energy. have high penetration, it’s nowhere near what it is recalls managing Ayush (ayurvedic range), because Now, it is beginning to feel like the buck stops in the US, UK and Europe. “that got me interested in running a business as here. Here, we’re around eleven people running Hair oils in India have almost 100 per opposed to just having a marketer’s view.” the business, as opposed to the ‘millions’ in a really cent penetration. In ‘high penetration-high Despite having worked across product large organisation. Here, it’s just us (that is, the consumption’ categories like soap and hair oil, the segments, Anuradha’s “heart lies in FMCG.” executive/management committee) and the board. task is to see if we can give value-added benefits to Why so? “The crossover of business and And the board doesn’t run the business. That’s consumers. It could be in the form of branding, marketing happens in FMCG,” she insists, liberating, empowering... and scary. proposition or product benefits... this will make “unlike in the case telecom and other service them pay more for the product. It’s about providing industries, where marketing tends to sit outside With all of Marico’s brands on your plate, ‘value growth’ over ‘volume growth’. An example the operational world.” how do you prioritise? of this is our Parachute Ayurvedic hair fall control This year, Marico’s media spend is 19 per I have two primary mandates. One, that of product, which gives control over hair fall in 30 cent more than it was last year. Interestingly, the the chief marketing officer of Marico India, days. It is about one and a half times the price of company’s local marketing efforts, particularly which includes handling the business, marketing, our base Parachute oil. vernacular print advertising, have increased. communication, development, media and insight Modern trade and e-commerce, together, work for all the brands. What about the FMCG segment, as it stands account for over nine per cent of the company’s Two, that of leading the marketing for our today, worries you? total business (as of December 2015). Online, global team, including strategic decision making The Indian consumer is going through an Livon Hair Gain is one of Marico’s fastest selling for some of our portfolios across the world. amazingly flirtatious phase. There is absolutely no brands; over the past four months, 21 per cent of Some parts of it need more help than others. loyalty. That’s a trend that can keep a marketer up the women’s business and 16 per cent of men’s Prioritisation is need-based and strategy-based. at night. n business has come from this medium. The need-based part of it is understanding which [email protected]

12 afaqs! Reporter, March 16-31, 2 0 1 6 advertising CRAZY GRANNIES Young-at-Heart They’re cool. They’re crazy. Meet ad-land’s most recent arsenal - ‘The Granny’. By News Bureau

Abbott India Lay’s Gaana.com

Tata Coffee Grand Tanishq Rebtel.com f you want to grab consumer eyeballs through your advert, just toss in a cute baby or a little Ifurry animal...” said a skeptical branding expert at a conference, few years back in the context of America’s Superbowl ads. However, it holds true in the Indian advertising industry as well. But, things have changed since. Move along babies and furry animals. Grannies are taking over ad-land - over the past few months, we’ve seen a fair share of Amazon.in Tata Sky crazy, spunky, cool, fun, broad-minded grannies in our ad films. Tata Cofffe Grand: The rapper granny ad Gaana.com Grandmother A look at some of the memorable ones. With her hip sunglasses and over-the-top bling, What does it take to convince a girl to consider Tata Coffee Grand’s rapper granny takes on a arranged marriage? Just ask her granny to moon- Tanishq wedding jewellery bunch of youngsters in true showstopper style. All walk to ‘Mehndi laga ...’ via music app Ganna.com Disgruntled with her granddaughter this to get consumers to sample the product. for marrying a boy who belongs to the same Amazon’s gadget freak granny community, Tanishq’s Punjabi granny reprimands Dadi turns Ninja for Lay’s “Yeh sab toh Amazon par bhi milta hai’, asserts her for not selecting a South Indian groom instead, The otherwise benign and gentle granny turns this tech-savvy granny, to silence a pompous as that would have given her a chance to wear two ‘ninja’ when Ranbir Kapoor refuses to share a youngster bragging about his American gadgets. different types of wedding jewellery. packet of Lay’s with her. Rebtel.com - the no holds barred dadi Abbott India’s young-at-heart dadi Tata Sky transferkar dadi This broadminded granny, settled overseas, In the ad for Abbott, a pharmaceutical company, This ‘Transferkar Granny’, finds an innovative almost sounds disappointed when she finds out a young-at-heart, fearless granny pedals away on a way to scare her Hindi soap-addicted son away and that her grandson is not ‘a gay’. n bicycle, as her worried grandson looks on. take control of the television remote. [email protected]

afaqs! Reporter, March 16-31, 2 0 1 6 13 advertising DABUR GULABARI Look Beyond The brand’s latest campaign tries to break gender stereotypes around women’s beauty through a social experiment. By Aditi Srivastava

hy should tough girls look tough?’ asks Jaahnavi WSriperumbuduru, a young mountaineer in Dabur Gulabari’s (the skin care brand from Dabur) latest campaign #AmPrettyTough Conventionally, skin care products while advertising, highlight benefits such as improved skin tone and better dermatological health. But, the advert from Dabur Gulabari, created and conceptualised by Contract Advertising, has deviated from the regular trend to try to convey to its target group of teenagers, a different definition of beauty. In the ad, a group of people are asked to participate in an innovative social experiment (conducted by the brand) where they are shown an image of a girl, whose hobby has to be guessed from a list of various hobbies displayed on placards. Interestingly, each participant assumes the girl to be sensitive and delicate; so, their responses tor and executive vice-president, vary from knitting and painting, to Contract Advertising, says, “The dancing and a host of such activities. brief from the client was to find Later, the girl in the film a brand space for Dabur Gulabari - thirteen-year-old Jaahnavi that resonates with young girls Sriperumbuduru -- enters the today.” room and asks everyone, ‘Why Continuing further, he adds, should tough girls look tough?’ “The activity was conducted in corporate houses? And yet, Cheil India, says, “It is an interest- She urges them to look beyond in Mumbai in the last week of she could just walk past you on ing take on the communication mere looks as beauty can also imply October 2015 where we picked the street looking like a regular aspect, though it is not a completely being tough. It is also revealed up a mixed bag of people ranging teenage girl. She is regular, but also fresh idea.” Banik cites the example that Sriperumbuduru holds the from students, young executives, extraordinary. Isn’t that how we of Nike’s international campaign ‘I distinction of being the world’s businessmen, and homemakers. should look at every girl around, Feel Pretty’ featuring Russian ten- youngest person to scale Mt The idea was to study if there without being judgemental of her nis player Maria Sharapova, that looks and without defining her as a made waves some 10 years ago, sum total of her looks?” in which everyone, from the bell The campaign conveys a different Hola attributes the brand’s boy to the chauffeur, as well as the conversation to be the differentiator people present on the court seem to definition of beauty to teenagers. when compared with others in be in awe of her prettiness. Later, the same segment. Corroborating her performance at the court makes Elbrus, Europe’s highest peak, and were divergent views, depending the same, he says, “Which beauty people believe that Sharapova is the first Asian to scale Africa’s Mt on education and exposure. If you brand has the philosophy, or has something more than just good- Kilimanjaro. notice, in the experiment, we made been anywhere closer to ‘let’s looking. That, according to Banik, The initiative has tried to break respondents write their names on look beyond looks’? Some FMCG was a social experiment with an the stereotype that teenage girls the placard they chose.” brands are trying to re-define man- impactful and original message. are often pushed towards laying Explaining how Sriperumbuduru woman territory at home and these Drawing a parallel with an Indian more emphasis on looks. The social was chosen for the activity, Hola are good conversations to have. brand that conducted a similar social experiment conveys the message states, “She’s an example of what If we must be, we can be clubbed experiment recently, Banik finds that anyone can achieve their goals all our girls can be. Such massive together in the bracket of fresh Amazon’s #WhenAWomanShops in life, irrespective of their age and achievements at such a young talk.” to be a relevant instance of a social looks as is the case. age! When you talk to her you experiment where husbands were will be hugely impressed by her WHERE’S THE BRAND? asked to take a guess at what their THE IDEA confidence, spirit and personality. Commenting on the thought and wives shopped for with the Rs When asked about the brief, Mayur Which 13-year-old holds execution behind the campaign, 5,000 voucher given to them.n Hola, executive creative direc- confidence-boosting workshops Ayan Banik, head, brand strategy, [email protected]

14 afaqs! Reporter, March 16-31, 2 0 1 6 pointsofview ‘11 Minutes’ nears 5 Million views; Lessons for Brands The no-smoking ad’s got Sunny Leone. But that’s not all it got right. What can brand storytellers learn from this film and the digital traction it got? By Suraj Ramnath MANISH KALRA, RAJIV DINGRA, SANTOSH PADHI, SHRIRAM IYER Chief Business Officer, Founder and CEO, Co-founder and CCO, National Creative Director, Craftsvilla WATConsult Taproot India Mullen Lintas

I THINK IT’S A GOOD THE FILM DOES A IT IS AN ENTERTAINING ALL KINDS OF ANTI- COMMERCIAL AND HAS GREAT JOB OF BEING WAY TO SEND ACROSS SMOKING ADS HAVE A SURPRISE AND A HIGH ENTERTAINING, IS A PUBLIC SERVICE BEEN DONE, BUT IMPACT AT THE END CURIOSITY-DRIVEN, MESSAGE IN A TONGUE- I DOUBT IF THEY OF IT. FOR ME AS AN YET IT DRIVES HOME AND-CHEEK, VIRAL SORT REALLY DO WORK FOR INDIVIDUAL, I WOULD THE POINT OF 11 OF WAY. AND, TO GET SMOKERS. THOUGH SAY COMMUNICATION IS MINUTES LOST DUE SUNNY LEONE AND THIS AD ENTERTAINS, all about bringing in a connect to every cigarette. The lesson is Alok Nath in the ad is a I don’t know if everyone who in the most relatable way. that public service ads need not cheeky and topical thing watched it actually understood You should keep evolving be gory or ugly, but can actually to get into your piece of what it meant. The messaging is your communication as the be humorous and yet effective at communication. I think these slightly convoluted. My takeaway target audience is evolving and the same time. two things are really good. from the ad was that the last 11 convey a message it would like It is a nice way of passing minutes of the protagonist’s life to hear and one with which it on the message. I just wish were lost when he could have can connect. that the message came across done exactly what he wanted a little louder that Deepak to. This kind of communication Dobriyal suffers from cancer is indirect. It is not going to do due to smoking. I think that the job of converting smokers bit is not being brought out into non-smokers. Messaging to until towards the end. If smokers needs all other kinds of that had been done, then it advertising. I don’t think this is would have been fabulous. being advertised at a mass media It is a new way of saying the level. same thing. For the last 60-80 Telling smokers that you will years, we have been doing get cancer doesn’t help. How anti-smoking ads, and this can your daily life get affected is definitely a catchy way to because of smoking? May be convey the message. But, as there is something there. If I I said, if the smoking bit had am a smoker, then I can’t worry been brought in somewhere, about a mythical cancer that is it could have tightened the likely to happen. But, I will worry entire commercial. about my knee hurting.

afaqs! Reporter, March 16-31, 2 0 1 6 15 RAJ NAYAK CEO, COLORS “The appetite for risk is in our DNA” ack in 2008 when this always a threat. You keep trying to JV between US media reposition yourself, and sometimes conglomerate Viacom reposition the competition. Some and India’s Network 18 things you do differently and Media and Investments sometimes you do different things. Bwas launched, it rose rapidly to the We’ve been consistent in our top and entrenched itself. Now in thinking process, and try to be its ninth year, Viacom 18’s Hindi cutting edge with differentiated GEC Colors began 2016 with a bang content. Nobody offers the spectrum - spending three consecutive weeks of variety that we do. People may at the top in January, although there remember only things that have were the ups (Naagin’s stunning succeeded but there have been flops success) and downs (Comedy Nights too. But we aren’t scared to take with Kapil going off air). CEO Raj risks. Recently we launched Box Nayak, who completes five years Cricket (it did not work that well in next month tells Shweta Mulki the previous channel). about what’s in store. Excerpts: Adopting existing properties, In 2011, when you joined, your and turning them around. What brief was to sustain the channel is your code here? and increase profitability. What Our code is that we look at things would be the brief today? with a different prism. When we take The pressure to stay up there on something there is a certain style, increases. It is more challenging now, a certain television grammar and a as in the last five years, the market distinct non-fiction grammar that we has evolved and become even more bring to the table. We recreate, scale competitive. So while we are focused up and differentiate the property. on profitability and sustaining the Content is something you can’t brand, we are also looking at the put on a PowerPoint slide. I can’t white spaces that need to be filled. put it down to a formula, but yes we have aggregated some of the best What kind of white spaces do you creative people in the country. Take see at present? Bigg Boss. Every year, the challenge is I can’t talk about that much, make sure there’s no fatigue, and that but one of the white spaces is the keeps us on our feet. movie channel, which we recently announced. In our existing business, Looking at Naagin’s success, will if we see space for growth there’s you stretch daily weekday shows no reason why we shouldn’t launch to weekends? another new channel. It could be a Others are doing it now but I GEC or a music channel. don’t believe that running shows our strength and we don’t want to fiction shows are like non-fiction seven days a week is good strategy. break that. In fact, we have a problem because of costs and the limited Colors, the 11th Hindi GEC in its In the short run there may be gain, of plenty, where we’ve built cult edition factor. We’ve extended launch year, went on to became but in the long term this is not properties over a period of time be it Naagin, as we don’t want the new the fastest growing channel in sustainable. There will be fatigue and India’s Got Talent or Jhalak Dikhla Jaa. fiction show to start during IPL. the genre. Where do you see the it will be tough on the actors. threats coming from? What viewers expect from us is How do you work out your fiction The Comedy Nights saga… Are In this business there is no first- variety on weekends and they get Box and non-fiction break-up? you happy with the replacement? mover advantage, and you have to Cricket League, Mission Sapne, Comedy Fiction is on weekdays and non- We are happy with it. Can it keep reinventing everyday. There is Nights Bachao and Naagin. Variety is fiction is weekends. For us, weekend do better? Yes. But we launched a

16 afaqs! Reporter, March 16-31, 2 0 1 6 coverstory programme in a matter of just 15 have sports too, so the advantages are days. We got it okay and will keep big in terms of promotion. Having PRAISE FROM WITHIN… tinkering and tweaking it. 2-3 movie channels, GECs, and sports channels gives others the ability to , Has your risk appetite gone cross-promote, and probably manage SUDHANSHU VATS Group CEO, Viacom18 down? In the last six months, costs better because, in areas like what are the programming risks movie acquisitions, they can amortise Colors is a multi-faceted leader among GECs. For you’ve taken? costs across channels. We can’t run a brand that operates in a constant state of flux, We still have the appetite. That’s Colors Hindi promos on regional or leadership acquires several dimensions. Colors leads in our DNA. We have made a lot vice versa. on all counts be it innovation in content, marketing of tough programming decisions - par excellence or ratings. This quarter too, it has led shifting Bigg Boss to the 10.30 pm What were your expectations in marquee properties across fiction and non-fiction, slot, launching Ashoka as a one-hour from BARC’s ratings for the week after week. Naagin, for instance, has raced to show at 9 pm, making Comedy Nights rural market? the No. 1 spot within a few weeks of launch, a feat a weekly, creating Comedy Nights Our focus has never been rural. We quite unprecedented in recent memory. Bachao and launching a weekend want to be India’s leading premium Colors is the jewel in our crown and is a strong, differentiated and sought-after fiction show Naagin as well as entertainment channel. Our focus is franchise, and has time and again, demonstrated its equity amongst advertisers. Anupam Kher’s chat show, Kuch Bhi urban and LC1, the market with the Each year we see new advertisers and innovative campaigns break on the Ho Sakta Hai. maximum disposable income. That channel. I see this strengthening further as the rest of 2016 passes us by. is what my advertisers want and we Would 24, which is all set for its are leading there. If rural laps up new season, also count as a risk? what we offer, that’s the icing on the ... AND WITHOUT 24 was one show that made the cake. Rishtey’s focus is rural. south Bombay, south Delhi English- VIKRAM SAKHUJA, speaking audiences tune into a Hindi Once digitisation is done, do Group CEO, Madison Media GEC - something that they would you see lines blurring between It’s a tribute to Raj’s leadership that Colors is doing have otherwise looked down upon. viewership markets? brilliantly. This also comes with the new reporting In SEC-A it had good viewership. Eighty per cent of India is digitised. system, though they were strong even during TAM. The It took time for the masses to Almost everybody in the hardcore two reporting systems are a bit different and looking understand the concept. GEC space is equally distributed. So I believe the upcoming season 2 then it’s a question of stickiness. at BARC (all urban - not urban plus rural) versus TAM will do well. I could have abandoned (the 1 lakh plus market ) and between the two, what’s 24 and tried another show. The trick Will you increase programming emerging is that Star and Zee have taken a slight is to take a franchise and build it. Yes, hours to up viewership? beating, with Colors and, to an extent, Sony becoming Season 2 is more expensive because Increasing programming hours better. of escalation and other factors. But and throwing money away is the That, along with the fact that Colors has been pretty resurgent in the past two three years creates a strong franchise, easy thing to do. We look at audience years, has led to their strong position today. Also, the channel has been seeing and then I can go to the board and availability at a point of time. Once steady consolidation slot to slot. This has helped strengthen their position, say let’s do another one. We needed existing time bands are consolidated especially during the ratings system change. to take the industry to the next level. you can look at expansion. We have Programming-wise, earlier it was the reality shows, Comedy Nights, Bigg Boss The competition followed with such done that with weekends and, to or their award shows that were the drivers, but now, they’ve further broad-based shows. We also do that sometimes. a certain extent, with weekdays, their programming, and that’s worked well. The herd mentality is a reality here. where we’ve extended by half an hour. Star is still ahead in terms of ASHISH BHASIN, How do you zero in on content programming hours. Chairman and CEO, South Asia, selection? Dentsu Aegis Network We look at all the shows on every How will audience dynamics pan Colors is one of the few channels which had a other channel and feel that they look out once your online platform spectacular launch, and then quickly kept building the same. So we say, ‘Let’s make ours Voot is launched? Will you see on that, both in terms of distribution and content, look different.’ We look for concepts some kind of audience shift? consistently being in the top one or two for long now. that haven’t been done before - like Digital has to be seen as another You really can’t read television like the stock exchange, Udaan and its bonded labour theme - avenue for distributing content, with shows going up one week and down another. You and test it out. We don’t use research nothing else. Will it have some have to see the long range in which the channel is operating. Content makes all as a deciding factor but it is a strong original programing of its own? Yes. the difference. Viewers don’t watch a channel, they watch shows. Colors has been tool aiding decision-making. But we don’t see that disrupting or Udaan was one show where eating into our TV viewership. When consistent so far, and if they are able to maintain that, they can continue to grow and research said it may not work. We you go home you’ll switch on the sustain their position at the top end of the pecking order. It’s easier said than done went ahead, and it worked. We TV, not your mobile or tablet. Even because consumer tastes keep changing, and working on insights is a constant effort. maintain a balance between research if the content is free to the subscriber The channel has invested in some high profile and exclusive properties, and and gut-feel. When you are a leader there is a cost for bandwidth. that’s worked well for them. Going for a brand extension is also a good sign for you have the luxury of experimenting, Any new medium that comes in Colors and will give them a strong franchise to capitalise upon. and when you are not the leader you will grow - that will be incremental. have no choice but to experiment. As a broadcaster, we need to give the audience on-the-go a window to It’s growing but not at the pace 1 - what are your bottlenecks? You’ve announced a new movie watch our content. Essentially, we we’d like it to. The global economy We focus on profitability. That can channel, Rishtey Cineplex. are content curators. We distribute is not in the best shape right now. be achieved if we have the eyeballs, Earlier, you have spoken about through cable and DTH, so digital is We’ve got a good team, and we’ve and a strong brand equity. Our the synergy that Colors misses now another delivery system. got IndiaCast (the distribution arm). content team works hard to achieve out on, due to the absence of a We’ll be launching the new movie these objectives. In a competitive large network... You launched Colors in New channel outside India as well. market there are many variables. To In the Hindi space, competing Zealand. How are overseas that extent, it’s a daily fight. n GECs have a larger bouquet, and they revenues coming in? From a strong No. 2 to a firm No. [email protected]

afaqs! Reporter, March 16-31, 2 0 1 6 17 profile NITIN KARKARE I CEO I FCB ULKA

puts a different perspective,” he challenges thrown at him every day. says. New categories gave him a lot of cross category learning. According INDIVIDUAL STRENGTH to him, the other high is that he gets FCB Ulka was a board run company to work with the top management for a very long time and now it is an at the client side which, for him, agency run by individuals. “As a is a great learning experience. It is board run company, we were more the diverse way of doing business, geography driven in that sense. We diverse philosophies and cultures are now more talent centric than that makes everyday interesting. geography centric so what it does “I would work on lubricants, salt, is that it integrates all the resources milk and entertainment - may under one person.” be all in one day. Now that’s as According to Karkare, Ulka diverse as it can get. That is what traditionally has been a low profile kept me engaged and interested in agency. “But,” he declares, “We advertising.” will be a feared competitor in the Thankfully, the lows have been pitches going forward. It is not very few. “A low is always the loss like we have not won pitches, we of a client and the loss of people who you worked with very closely.” “Over the years, I have learnt that I need to be alert and pick up signals from the eyes or the body language Every industry when someone is about to quit. I still make mistakes. But I will get is facing a talent better and hopefully retain people crunch and clients.” TALENT HUNTER As CEO, what is it that keeps would not be where we are if we Karkare up in the night? He says, had not consistently added new “My obsession today is talent. How business.” Is the agency not ‘feared’ do we get the best talent and retain at present? them?” In the decade beginning 2000, According to Karkare, every Ulka got on board clients like industry is facing a talent crunch Zee Network as well as LIC, in different degrees and that People Power ICICI Bank, Tata Chemicals advertising may not be as exciting and IndianOil. Adds Karkare, and attractive profession today as it rom management trainee to always treated them as equal – and “We have not made a big song was 30 years ago when he joined. CEO, Nitin Karkare retraces have always treated our client’s and dance about most of our wins. “Different industries keep coming Fthe three decades he has spent business as our business.” We should probably have and then at different points of time so the in FCB Ulka. So what has changed in the last would have been seen as a lot more entertainment business is the big Nitin Karkare has no doubts 30 years? “The difference is more feared. Rohit and I are going to be opportunity for a lot of people today about one thing. “The values and environmental than within the aggressive in our pitching and we and they may not see advertising the culture in FCB have remained agency. The clients’ expectations need to up our game in the profile as a big opportunity.” Having said constant. There is a certain from agencies have changed as time area as well. We cannot afford to be that, he is sure about working on philosophy of partnership that we has gone by. For the last few years low profile.” getting more good people into the have had with our people, clients, businesses have been under pressure For Karkare, the high of being business. n with all our business associates. We because they are not firing and that in advertising is about the fresh [email protected]

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18 afaqs! Reporter, March 16-31, 2 0 1 6 interview PARTHO CHAKRABARTI, VP SNACKS, PEPSICO Salty Snacking is in the Indian DNA Partho Chakrabarti, vice-president, snacks category, PepsiCo India, on the challenges in the Indian snacking segment. By Saumya Tewari

ecently, Lay’s rolled out two new TV-led ad campaigns, Ras part of a 10-week-long consumer engagement drive, complete with promo packs and the lure of international vacations. The media mix included digital, retail, radio, print and TV media. A quick interview with Partho Chakrabarti, vice-president, snacks category, PepsiCo India, who has spent around 13 years with the company, about the challenges in I do not see the industry declining. the Indian snacking segment and We are expanding in rural areas why taste transcends consumer and reaching out to a larger number demographics. of consumers. In the whole ready-to-eat snacking How has the role of mass media industry, our focus is on how can we evolved for Lay’s over the recent keep a potato chip brand such as past? Lay’s growing. Historically, it has largely been about television, but it is changing. Q. You’ve worked across markets Digital has become big, including such as Philippines and Vietnam. mobile. Compared to our market, have We are leveraging the mobile you noticed any glaring differ- medium through visual platforms ence in consumption patterns like Instagram, where a food brand when it comes to snacking? can play with imagery. YouTube is Different countries have different also a big platform for us. trends. The Vietnamese market is We also have an extensive similar to India as there is a huge consumer engagement programme local snacking repertoire there. In which starts at the store itself. We Vietnam, even before Lay’s (entered) have contests running wherein there was a huge ‘namkeen’ industry consumers have to text promo codes there. India is much more evolved to win prizes. Historically, it has largely been about because salty snacking is in the Recently, we put up an interesting Indian DNA. potato chips-making machine at the television, but it is changing. Digital has In Philippines, snacking is always Make in India event; that, to my become big, including mobile. ‘Western salty’. In India, Western mind, is a form of communication. salty snacking is picking up; it’s an Lay’s ‘Love to Love It’ campaign. easier job here because I do not product that can straddle different of any product to any demographic, need to grow the category. The main For products like Lay’s, or even generations and demographics. but when we put an ad out, we challenge here is to get consumers chocolates and colas for that Our baked Lay’s is a healthier keep the demographic in mind while into Western salty snacking. matter, is it even possible to add offering and finds attraction amongst selecting the media. a newer demographic to the slightly older consumers who tend to Lay’s has always been associated existing pool of consumers? Sure, be calorie conscious. As a company, What are the current marketing with stars. Any plans you can keep expanding the pool we have a wide product range which challenges in the snacking indus- to look beyond them and feature in terms of numbers, but what caters to different demographics and try in India? new-age artistes like comedians would it take to add a new demo- occasions during the day. So, from The snacking industry in India and YouTube stars? graphic? a Tropicana juice in the morning is large and continues to grow. The Ranbir Kapoor brings optimism, Each company has a demographic to Lay’s in the evening, we have basic product we are offering is energy and naughtiness to the basis which they target media. something for everyone. priced at `5, which most of the 1.3 brand. We cannot confuse that For example, I may want to target I’m 50 and I drink a lot of Pepsi. billion people can afford. I would communication. consumers in their 20s. To us, the But clearly, I’m not part of the target have worried if it were a declining However, we are always on the biggest focus is on the product, its group for the brand. industry. But, as long as we operate lookout for new ideas. n taste and the flavours. We have a We do not restrict the consumption between the price point of `5 and `10, [email protected]

afaqs! Reporter, March 16-31, 2 0 1 6 19 Into its 11th edition now, the afaqs! Buzziest Brands survey throws up some interesting results.

aunched in India in June 2013 and not yet three years old in the market, Amazon has creditably emerged as the consumer brand Lwith the greatest excitement around it. This is the result of the annual poll to determine India’s Buzziest Brands. This annual survey, now in its 11th year, is conducted by afaqs! Airtel, which has been adjudged India’s Buzziest Brand in the past, but was No. 9 last year, takes the Silver. Flipkart, which won the Gold in 2015, loses it to its arch rival, Amazon, and has to settle for Bronze. The awards were given away at a glittering function at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Gurgaon on March 9. The event was attended by the marketing heads of some of India’s most exciting brands. The 11th edition of India’s Buzziest Brands was supported by a number of brands. Online partner: ManoramaOnline; Gift Partner: Paytm; Agency Partner: ResultFirst; Outdoor Partner: Wall Street; Talent Partner: Jobswitch; and Luxury Bike Rental Partner: Eagle Rider. Apart from the awards given to the top 10 Buzziest Brands, Gold, Silver and Bronze awards were, additionally, awarded in 21 product groups. Voting for this was conducted separately. These awards were not derived from the main Buzzy Brand awards, in any way. In fact, voting for the main Buzzy Brands was based on unaided recall, but in the case of the product group awards, the jury was asked to select names from a list of brands. Oddity of the Buzzies this year: Nokia has been voted in among India’s Buzziest Brands at No. 44 although it no longer exists as a consumer brand. Talk of the power of a name, even in death! Here’s the full list of the Top 10 Buzzy Brands.

20 afaqs! Reporter, March 16-31, 2016 Coverage brought to you by 22 55 24 1 277 31 BUZZY GOLD 42 THE HONOURS BOARD RANK RANK BRAND CATEGORY RELATIVE AMAZON 2016 2015 SCORE asn’t it only yesterday that WAmazon entered India? And 1 25 Amazon Online media…1 100.0 its founder Jeff Bezos committed 2 9 Airtel Telecom 86.1 himself to backing the Indian 3 1 Flipkart Online Media...1 73.9 venture all the way to the bottom of his deep pockets? 4 2 Samsung Mobile Handsets 67.6 With Amazon having lost the e-commerce war in China, and being 5 22 Gionee Mobile Handsets...1 61.9 reduced to a bit player, India is the last major frontier left for the 6 31 Maruti Suzuki Automotive 59.1 US-headquartered e-commerce player. And it’s one in which it can’t 7 15 Apple Computers, IT Sector.1 57.6 afford to lose. With that as a starting point, it is easier to appreciate 8 30 Snapdeal Online Media...1 50.2 Amazon’s rapid rise in the Buzzy stakes. It entered the Buzzies for the 9 NA Paperboat Beverages 42.0 first time only last year at No. 25 and has already scaled the very top, an 10 3 Micromax Mobile Handsets 33.1 extraordinary feat. 11 48 Cadbury Confectionery, ...4 30.7 Even as it raced from 0 to 100 in terms of its range of offerings, it has 12 50 Amul Foods 27.4 had outstanding, relevant and entertaining advertising to accompany it. 13 42 Honda Two Wheelers 26.1 Every bit of communication has been laser focused, allowing Amazon 14 NA Pepsi Beverages 23.9 to get into the Indian consumer’s life - a recent video about how it 15 28 Sony Mobile Handsets 23.6 helped a Tamil family get past the language barrier in Assam is a prime 16 NA Chevrolet Automotive 23.1 example. Our favourite has been its insightful ‘Aur dikhao, aur dikhao’ 17 NA Bajaj Two Wheelers 23.0 campaign last year, which underlined the Indian consumer’s obsession 18 50 Titan Apparel, Fashion...3 22.8 to check out an infinite range of options. Amazon stood at No. 4 on the 19 43 HTC Mobile Handsets 22.0 popular vote in the Buzzies but was nudged all the way up because three 20 58 Philips Consumer Durable 20.9 of the five judges - who have a 30 per cent weightage as against 70 per 21 NA Motorola Mobile Handsets 19.2 cent for voters - backed it. 22 NA MakeInIndia Government Initiatives 18.9 22 NA StartUpInIndia Government Initiatives 18.9 22 NA Saffola Foods 18.9 25 7 Content 18.4 26 NA Lenovo Computers, IT Sector 15.7 BUZZY SILVER 27 NA Maggi Foods 14.8 28 4 Vivel Toiletries, Cosmetics...2 14.5 AIRTEL 29 40 Microsoft Computers, IT Sector 14.3 limbing up all the way from No. 9 30 35 Facebook Content 14.2 Clast year, it is safe to say that Airtel 31 12 Coca-Cola Beverages 13.1 has made the Buzzies its own. It has 32 NA TATA Corporate 12.6 been on the list in each of the last 11 33 29 Lava Mobile Handsets 12.0 years. What’s more, it has been in the top 10 in every year except one - 34 NA Patanjali Corporate 10.7 and it has won the Buzzy Gold on five occasions. The worst Airtel has 34 5 Vodafone Telecom 10.7 done was in 2010 when it dropped to No. 16. 36 21 Engage Toiletries, Cosmetics...2 10.4 Only Idea and Vodafone have come close to Airtel’s performance 37 NA Vivo Mobile Handsets 9.8 among the telcos, but this year both have performed indifferently, the 38 50 Mahindra Automotive 9.4 former at No. 52 and the latter at No. 35. What got Airtel buzzing in a 38 NA Savlon Toiletries, Cosmetics...2 9.4 year in which its rivals looked a little flat? The answer is the ubiquitous 40 23 Fiama Di Wills Toiletries, Cosmetics...2 9.1 ‘Airtel girl’. Created to propagate Airtel 4G late last year, the brand 41 46 Audi Automotive 8.2 communication has been consistent. 41 NA OPPO Mobile Handsets 8.2 Airtel comes in relatively low on the popular vote at No. 9 but it’s 43 46 NIKE Apparel, Fashion, ...3 7.7 the only other brand other than Amazon that finds favour with three 44 27 Nokia Mobile Handsets 7.6 judges, helping it climb up to Silver. 44 35 Olx Online Media...1 7.6 44 NA Reliance Corporate 7.6 47 46 Colgate Toiletries, Cosmetics...2 7.2 48 54 BMW Automotive 6.9 BUZZY BRONZE 49 NA Intex Mobile Handsets 6.8 49 50 Schmitten Confectionery, ...4 6.8 FLIPKART 51 NA Addidas Apparel, Fashion...3 6.1 his ecommerce brand 52 11 Idea Telecom 5.5 Tentered the Buzzies for 53 NA Paytm Online Media...1 5.4 the first time in 2012 and 54 NA Nestle Corporate 5.2 has been among the Top 10 55 NA PUMA Apparel, Fashion...3 4.9 every single time. It won the Buzzy Gold last year. It is a wonder that a 56 NA Nick India Media & Entertainment 4.7 relatively young brand has managed to capture the imagination of our 57 10 Dove Toiletries, Cosmetics...2 4.6 1 voters and judges so consistently. For all the news around e-commerce 57 NA Myntra Online Media... 4.6 last year, the harsh reality is that when it comes to buzz, only four of 59 NA Xiaomi Mobile Handsets 4.4 them make it to the list this year: apart from Amazon and Flipkart, there 60 NA Royal Enfield Two Wheelers 4.3 is Snapdeal and, squeezing in at No. 57 is Myntra. Amazon took some of Moved Up Moved Down New Entrant the shine off Flipkart, which was inevitable. Flipkart’s own advertising lost its way last year, which only helped make its new rival look good. Still, Flipkart has built a great name for itself and we expect to see it in 1. Online media | Services | Ecommerce 2. Cosmetics | Toiletries | Personal care the upper echelons for several years to come. 3 . Apparel | Fashion | Accessories Flipkart is No. 5 in the popular vote and climbs to Bronze with the 4. Confectionery, Chocolates tail wind of two jury votes behind it.

Coverage brought to you by afaqs! Reporter, March 16-31, 2016 21 4 | SAMSUNG ver the past five THE JURY Oyears, Samsung has been a better performer on buzz than any other brand in India. It hit No 1 in 2013 and 2014 and was the runner up last year. Even this time round it was the clear winner on the popular vote. Unfortunately for it, none of the judges gave Samsung their vote. Just a single vote could have placed it among the top three. Why do our voters continue to love Samsung? Well, with its relentless rollout of mobile handset models, it is hard to ignore the brand through much of the year. The brand has become so massive that unnoticed by most, it has come to rival Maruti Suzuki as India’s largest consumer brand. Anuradha Aggarwal, Ashish Bhasin, chief marketing officer, chairman and CEO, South Asia, 5 | GIONEE Marico Dentsu Aegis Network his mobile handset from China has been a Tsurprise performer in this year’s Buzzies. This is only its second year in the Buzzies, having made it to the list last year at No. 22. Established in 2002, Gionee has expanded into the markets of Nigeria, Vietnam, Taiwan, Myanmar, Thailand and Philippines, apart from Pradeep Dwivedi, India, which it entered in February 2013. It is chief corporate sales and marketing officer, Dainik remarkable that it has climbed so high, so fast. But retaining buzz is Bhaskar Group even harder than creating it, especially in a category where new rivals are springing up all the time, and we would be curious to see how Gionee manages to do that. Still, it has had a great start. Gionee has also won the manoramaonline Buzziest Brand On Digital Award. Satbir Singh, Sudhanshu Vats, founder and chief creative Group CEO, Viacom 18 6 | MARUTI SUZUKI officer, Thinkstr aruti Suzuki is one of those rare brands that has managed to find Mits way into the Buzzies in each of the 11 years since the listing was established. Typically, it features somewhere around the middle of the rankings, in the 20s or 30s. Last year it was No. 31. Its best showing until now was in 2007 when it to No. 41 the following year, hit No. 9. before disappearing altogether This year it has outdone itself. Among voters Maruti Suzuki comes in in 2013. It was back on the at a strong No. 10 and then two of the jurors opt for the brand as well. charts at No. 30 before rising to Why has it done so well this year? Well, it has launched a number of No. 8 this year. exciting models which have kept it in the news. The recent auto show Our voters peg Snapdeal at and the buzz it created may have rubbed off on the brand too. The No. 20 but the encouragement of two jurors takes it a dozen rungs up re-launched Baleno has been a big success, having hit one lakh bookings the ladder. recently. What created real excitement was the introduction of the Rs. 10 lakh 9 | PAPERBOAT plus S-Cross, described by the manufacturer as a crossover vehicle rather his is definitely the David than an SUV. It is struggling to get volumes - but it’s certainly created Tin a lineup of giants. A a lot of conversation for the brand renowned for relatively lower cost small five-year-old brand that offerings. seeks to package and market traditional Indian drinks on the back of childhood memories, 7 | APPLE Paper Boat has done the pple, riding on the success of its iPhone, unthinkable by landing in the Aseems to have become a permanent fixture on top 10: nearly all the brands the Buzzies list. Ever since it made it to the list in have sales in thousands of 2011, it has marked its presence every single time. crores of rupees - while some This year’s position is a marked upswing like Samsung and Maruti Suzuki count that in tens of thousands of compared to 2015 when it was No. 15. In fact, crores. We are not sure if Paper Boat does even Rs. 100 crore since its our voters took the brand to No. 3 but the jurors figures are unavailable. didn’t back it this year. It has received great coverage in the press which loves the idea of this sweet brand that wants to do sweet things in a world of ugly carbonated beverages. Since the Buzzies run on unaided recall, however, Paper Boat 8 | SNAPDEAL gets drowned out in the voting, coming in at No. 53. The confidence of ew brands have gyrated as wildly in the last five years at the Buzzies as two jurors in its buzz sends it shooting upward. Fhas Snapdeal. It came in strongly at No. 7 in 2012 before plummeting

22 afaqs! Reporter, March 16-31, 2015 Coverage brought to you by IN-CATEGORY PLACEMENT (How the brands ranked within their respective categories)

AIRLINES Guess what. APPAREL |FASHION...1 Much action. AUTOMOTIVE Mahindra makes Rank RankRankRankBrand Brand Relative This year, in this Rank Rank Brand Relative Raymond and Rank Rank Brand Relative its debut. German 2016 201520152014 Score segment, the 2016 2015 Score Zara enter the 2016 2015 Score luxury car brands 1 1 11 IndiGo 100 relative ranks 1 top five. Fastrack Audi and BMW of the top five 1 Jockey 100 and Tanishq exit, 1 1 Maruti Suzuki 100 tied at No.5. 2 2 2 Jet Airways 73.6 brands has stayed 2 4 Titan 91.9 while sister brand 2 2 Honda 61.3 Hyundai, that 3 3 3 Air India 54.2 unchanged; each 3 2 Nike 85.4 Titan gains a fair 3 - Mahindra 61.0 debuted last 4 43 Emirates 49.4 brand has stuck to 4 - Raymond 76.4 share of buzz and 4 3 Hyundai 58.9 year, lost a rank 5 5 54 SpiceJet 49.1 the position it held 5 - Zara 70.7 climbs up two 5 4 Audi 53.5 this year. Maruti last year. ranks. Nike loses Suzuki retains a rank. 5 5 BMW 53.5 its crown. SBI kicked last BFSI While Coca-Cola BEVERAGES No new brand COMPUTER|IT SECTOR year’s topper Rank Rank Brand Relative and Thums Up Rank Rank Brand Relative has managed to Rank Rank Brand Relative ICICI to the 2016 2015 Score retained their No.1 2016 2015 Score disturb these five 2016 2015 Score third position, and No.2 spots, players. What’s and has taken 1 3 State Bank of India 100 respectively, Paper 1 1 Coca-Cola 100 noteworthy is 1 1 Apple 100 its place right at 2 2 HDFC 87.3 Boat, has crept its 2 2 Thums Up 90.0 that though the 2 2 Dell 66.7 the top. Besides 3 1 ICICI 85.3 way in. Are hybrid, 3 - Paper Boat 86.9 margin between 3 3 Microsoft 65.4 this whopping 4 4 LIC 68.7 experimental 3 3 Pepsi 61.1 Apple and Dell is 4 5 Lenovo 60 change, the rest 5 5 Axis 51.1 beverage options 5 5 Frooti 54.1 significant, that 5 4 HP 54.3 stayed where here to stay? between the rest they were. is not. CONFECTIONERY... 3 Mondelēz CONSUMER DURABLES Other than CONTENT Facebook replaces Rank Rank Brand Relative features twice Rank Rank Brand Relative Havells kicking Rank Rank Brand Relative Google as the 2016 2015 Score this time – Dairy 2016 2015 Score Nikon out of the 2016 2015 Score top content 1 1 Cadbury Dairy Milk 100 Milk, retaining 1 list, not much has 1 2 Facebook 100 brand. Here’s its top spot and 1 Samsung 100 changed here, the best part – 2 2 Kit-Kat 58.3 Bournville, a new 2 2 Sony 82.7 including the gap 2 1 Google 96.5 ScoopWhoop has 3 3 Snickers 52.8 entrant. The gap 3 3 LG 66.8 between each 3 3 Youtube 82.9 entered the list at 4 - Cadbury Bournville 52.1 between the top 4 4 Philips 42.7 of these brands. 4 4 Twitter 49.4 the No.5 position. 5 5 Mentos 27.1 two brands – 5 - Havells 31.6 Last year, Philips 5 - ScoopWhoop 38.4 What gives? 5 - Schmitten 27.1 Kit-Kat finished had kicked LinkedIn! second – is wide. Havells out. Wow, that is a CORPORATE This is exciting. PERSONAL CARE...4 Symbolic of its FOOD big shift. Last Three new brands crawl away from Rank Rank Brand Relative Rank Rank Brand Relative Rank Rank Brand Relative year’s topper 2016 2015 Score have entered the 2016 2015 Score controversy, 2016 2015 Score ITC has slunk list this year – Dettol, Maggi gained a 1 2 TATA 100 1 - Dettol 100 1 2 Maggi 100 down to the No.4 Fogg and Colgate. rank to emerge 2 position, as last 2 3 Microsoft 60.9 ITC left the party; 2 2 Dove 89.2 as the buzziest 3 Amul 82.7 year’s runner 3 5 Reliance 56.3 Vivel, Fiama and 3 - Fogg 84.1 brand in the foods 3 5 Britannia 48.1 up Tata has 4 1 ITC 53.0 Engage have all 4 - Colgate 78.3 category. Patanjali 4 - Tata Salt 41.7 captured the top disappeared. Dove 5 5 Gillette 72.6 stood fifth, 5 - Patanjali Atta Noodles 35.8 spot. 5 5 Aditya Birla Group50.3 and Gillette have not albeit for its atta budged. business. HOT BEVERAGES Not much heat HOUSEHOLD PRODUCTS Surf Excel has MEDIA & ENTERTAINMENT As Naagin Rank Rank Brand Relative in this steaming Rank Rank Brand Relative retained all its Rank Rank Brand Relative slithered its way 2016 2015 Score segment. The 2016 2015 Score buzz and its top 2016 2015 Score up the ratings relative ranks of spot. There’s 1 2 Colors 100 ladder, it seems 1 1 Nescafe 100 all five brands has 1 1 Surf Excel 100 one interesting to have taken its 2 2 Tata Tea 65.2 stayed the same. 2 3 Fevicol 74.4 development: 2 3 Star 90.2 channel brand 3 3 Bournvita 60.6 But Bru scrapes 3 2 Good Knight 72.9 Ariel is out. Vim is 3 1 TOI 75.6 Colors with it. 4 4 Horlicks 41.8 its way into the 4 - Vim 53.3 in. Fevicol inches 4 5 Tata Sky 68.4 Meanwhile, Star 5 5 Red Label 38.7 squad, by landing 5 4 Harpic 52.4 ahead of Good 5 5 Discovery 58.7 gained a rank a score identical to Knight. Harpic over last year. ToI 5 - Bru 38.7 that of Red Label. slipped one rank. is at No.3. iPhone gained a MOBILE HANDSETS Amazon has ONLINE MEDIA...5 Manforce OTC rank to top the Rank Rank Brand Relative topped the main Rank Rank Brand Relative managed to buzz Rank Rank Brand Relative mobile handset 2016 2015 Score buzzy brands 2016 2015 Score its way back into 2016 2015 Score segment. Both list, dethroning the top 5. Vicks 1 2 iPhone 100 1 1 Flipkart 100 1 1 Himalaya 100 Samsung and Flipkart in the lost significant 2 Micromax have 2 1 Samsung 86.7 process. But here, 2 2 Amazon 92.1 buzz; slipping to 2 Durex 84.9 slipped a rank 3 - Motorola 49.7 Flipkart and 3 - Paytm 64.1 No.5. Himalaya 3 - Manforce 75.0 each, since last Amazon have and Durex stay 4 4 Volini 74.5 4 3 Micromax 42.9 Relative 4 3 Snapdeal 43.2 year. 5 - One Plus 37.5 Scoreboth retained 5 4 bookmyshow 38.8 put and Volini 5 2 Vicks 71.9 their No.1 and sticks to the 100No.2 spots. fourth position. QS R Just like last TELECOM Telecom brands - TWO WHEELERS Of the the top Rank Rank Brand Relative year, Domino’s Rank Rank Brand Relative have stuck to 3 Rank Rank Brand Relative five, Royal Enfield, 2016 2015 Score beat McDonald’s 2016 2015 Score their previous 2 2015OLX 2014 Score Hero and Pulsar by a thin margin. 1 1 Airtel 100 ranks. Reliance have retained their 1 1 Domino’s 100 KFC and Pizza has made an 1 1 Royal Enfield 100 No.1, No.2 and 2 2 McDonald’s 99 Hut didn’t move. 2 2 Vodafone 85.8 appearance at No 2 2 Hero 94.3 No.5 positions. 3 3 KFC 71.7 Starbucks kicked 3 3 Idea 67.1 5. Segment leader 3 4 Harley-Davidson 69.9 Meanwhile, 4 4 Pizza Hut 51.3 Cafe Coffee Day 4 4 BSNL 28.1 Airtel’s buzz this 4 3 Honda Scooters 63.0 Harley-Davidson 5 - Starbucks 50.6 out of the race to 5 - Reliance 28.1 time could be Pulsar 57.5 and Honda infiltrate the list attributed to 4G 5 5 Scooters have of the top five. and Sasha Chettri. swapped spots. 1. Apparel, Fashion, Accessories; 2. Banking & Financial Services, Insurance; 3. Confectionery, Chocolates; 4. Cosmetics, Toiletries, Personal Care; 5. Online Media, Services, Ecommerce

Coverage brought to you by afaqs! Reporter, March 16-31, 2016 23 10 | MICROMAX he year 2015 has not been a good HOW THE POLL WAS DONE Tone for this locally made brand. After once coming close to unseating Samsung in smartphone market share, the gap has widened dramatically as the Korean brand has pulled away. Worse, brands like Lenovo and Intex are • Between 2006-13, afaqs! readers had to leading a bunch of newcomers who are eating into Micromax’s share of the vote from among a pre-determined list of 60 market. Its CEO has just quit. The founders have been compelled to return brands. However, since 2014 voters can opt for to take charge of the company. How much worse can things get? And yet, here is Micromax among the 10 most Buzzy Brands of the any five brands that they think have buzz. Their year. True, it is lower than the Bronze it won last year or the Silver the choice is unprompted. year before that. Still, voters had Micromax at No. 6. It is the lack of jury support that forces it to settle for No. 10. The brand that claims to have • Additionally, since 2014, voters can opt for the one-fourth moisturising cream in its soap managed to get support from Buzziest Brands by product category. Here, they one juror, which is a fourth of the total jury. can choose from a pre-selected list of brands in up to three categories. • An eminent jury comprising marketers, media and advertising professionals traditionally MEET THE SPONSORS provides an alternative point of view to the main vote. As in the past, the popular vote THE WORLD AT YOUR FINGERTIPS received a 70 per cent weightage and the jury, the remaining 30 per cent. • The jury does not vote for the product categories. • In all, 1,629 people participated in the poll. Of them 1,420 validated their choice by clicking on a link sent to their email id. Only their Manorama Online are publishers from , which has been opinion was taken into account. declared as the first digital state in India. Nothing in the web captures life in Kerala like the portal Manorama Online. It takes visitors deeper into the heart and hinterlands of Kerala. Manorama Online promises to be the convergence hub of and all its wings in the digital age. With more than 22 channels of infotainment, minute to minute updates, it is looking to offer not just news but everything Manthan Award South Asia 2007 for E-News that the target group is on the lookout for. Manorama’s IAMAI Best Local Language Website (2011) e-editions are now getting popular among readers. These GKSF 2012 Media Coverage Award include Malayala Manorama Daily, , Weekly, Fast Track, A SNAPSHOT OF MANORAMA ONLINE Karshakasree, Sambadyam, Bhashaposhini, The Man and The 8.9 Million Unique Visitors Week. High Reader Engagement of 6.6 minutes per visit 700,000 Average Video Streams per month Regional Awards 50,000 hours of Average Video Play Time 10,00,000+ Active Mobile App IFFK Award for Best Online Reporting 2012 Users

WALL STREET ON EVERY STREET With a presence across all major cities in the country, Wall Street Outdoor Solution has made huge strides in the outdoor landscape in a short time. Backed by a talented team of professionals with industry expertise, the company has worked on some noteworthy campaigns for well-known clients across various sectors. Wall Street Outdoor Solution was started by a group of like-minded professionals, piloted by the company’s CEO R.C. Vijay Kumar. It brings over 15 years of collective experience from the outdoor advertising and retail branding solution sector. Wall Street’s objective is to increase eye ball traffic to brands, offering complete solutions for strategic market plans to target a specific market. Sales are fundamentally driven by the consumer’s awareness of the brand’s products and services. The brand adapts its outdoor marketing media to an organization’s needs, adding value to that brand’s advertising efforts. Wall Street also provides the widest range of services like Retail Branding, Activation, Radio Commercials, Events & Entertainment Creative Design Service & among others. It is engaged in managing resources to provide innovative ideas to end clients that fulfill their requirements. Competitively priced, each product is delivered within the set time frame. It has established itself among the most prominent business entities in the advertising industry.

24 afaqs! Reporter, March 16-31, 2016 Coverage brought to you by BUZZY TIMES

Registration under way The show begins The first act

Afaqs’ co-founder Sreekant Khandekar Coca-Cola bags a Buzzy Pallavi Singh of Harley Davidson collects the award

Colors’ marketing head, Sapangeet Rajwant smiles Cadbury Dairy Milk gets one Flipkart picks up the bronze

Facebook takes a prize home Gionee, the surprise buzz Himalaya’s turn now

One for the album A packed house at Crowne Plaza Time for selfies PHOTOS: SUSHIL KUMAR

Coverage brought to you by afaqs! Reporter, March 16-31, 2016 25 advertising CADBURY 5 STAR An Overdose of Sweet The duo has been endorsing 5 Star for eleven years. By Suraj Ramnath & Ashwini Gangal

id you know that Rana, 37, and Goldie, 34, have played Ramesh and Suresh, Drespectively, for eleven years? Did you know Suresh, we mean, Goldie, is an author and aspiring director? Did you know that Rana was rejected the first time he auditioned for the role of Ramesh and returned the next day wearing glasses, posing as the rejected guy’s brother? Did you know that, sometimes, during a single shoot, the duo is made to eat up to 50 bars of 5 Star each? We got to know all this and more, during a fun interview with 5 Star’s eternal faces, Ramesh Form IV (See Rule 8 ) and Suresh. In, ahem, ‘real life’, they go by Rana 1. Place of Publication : Pratap Sengar and Goldie Duggal, respectively. 2. Periodicity of Publication : Fortnightly Some relatively recent 5 Star ads featuring 3. Printer’s Name : Sreekant Khandekar Rana and Goldie include ‘Pitaji Ki Patloon’, Whether citizen of India? : Yes ‘Uncle Ji Ki Kursi’ and ‘Bank Robbery’. If foreigner, state the “After we shot our very first ad for 5 Star, our country of origin : Does not apply director Prashant Sippy (of production house Address : 565, Mandakini Enclave, Corcoise Films), said, ‘Pray that there are ten Alaknanda, more ads like this...” Rana reminisces. And guess New Delhi 110019 what - they went on to do around 25 TVCs, over Rana didn’t have it so easy. After being rejected 4. Publisher’s Name : Prasanna Singh 250 digital ads and a 30-minute-long film (titled once, he turned up the next day, posing as the Whether citizen of India : Yes ‘The Date’ where Ramesh and Suresh go out with rejected guy’s brother. “I wore glasses and applied If foreigner, state the country of origin : Does not apply Kamla and Vimla). hair oil,” he laughs. Address : 72, Aravali Apartments, Rana has a background in theatre (eight years) He recalls the brief vividly. “I was told to act as Alaknanda, and was part of the Indian People’s Theatre though there is a chocolate in my hand, take a bite New Delhi 110019 Association (IPTA) at Jabalpur. After working of the invisible chocolate and become invisible 5. Editor’s Name : Sreekant Khandekar with Habib Tanvir in Bhopal for a while, he myself, after doing so! The casting director - who Whether citizen of India? : Yes moved to Mumbai and worked with Mehmood was very rude to me - said, ‘You have to audition If foreigner, state the Farooqui (he practised Dastangoi, an Urdu twice; once, your top half will ‘disappear’, and country of origin : Does not apply storytelling form). He has also appeared in a few then your bottom half will ‘disappear’...” Address : 565, Mandakini Enclave, Alaknanda, Bollywood movies. Theatre remains his passion, This was Rana’s first ad ever; he recalls being New Delhi 110019 though. unsure about basic 6. Name and Address : Owner Goldie, on the other Sometimes, during a single things, including how of individuals who own the Banyan Netfaqs Pvt. Ltd. hand, has always been much to charge. newspaper and partners 565, Mandakini Enclave, laser-focused on film shoot, the duo has to eat up The duo has come a and shareholders holding Alaknanda, direction. He has worked to 50 bars of 5 Star each. long way since. “Now, more then one per cent New Delhi 110019 on the sets of feature films there are times when of the total capital like Oh My God, All is Well and Talaash, in the Prasoon (Pandey) doesn’t even give us a script.” Shareholders holding more than one per cent of the total direction department. He also has a few short says a now confident Rana. capital films to his credit, but as a director, not as an Adds Goldie, “Whether it’s a TVC or a digital actor. “I was never into acting. Even now, I’m not. ad, we’re told what to do only after we get ready 1. Sreekant Khandekar, 565, Mandakini Enclave, Alaknanda, New Delhi 110019. I am into writing and direction,” Goldie asserts. and stand in front of the camera.... Prasoon How then, did he land up on Indian television Sir loves to experiment while shooting; in the 2. Sandeep Vij, E 98, Greater Kailash I, New Delhi 110048. as Suresh? “It happened accidentally,” he shrugs. process, we have to keep eating countless bars of 3. Shyam Khandekar, Secr Runsinkbrink 1, 2731 AG, One fine day, he got a call from the casting 5 Star.” Benthuizen, The Netherlands. director on the job, who said, ‘Ad karoge?’ The camaraderie they share with one another is 4. Sanjay Kapoor, 8/1 Shanti Niketan, New Delhi - 110 021. “I thought, ‘Is it that easy to get an ad? endearing. Goldie says, “We’re very close. We take 5. SEEDFUND, 001, Turf Estate, Mills Lane, Off There are so many people who wait in line to a lot of decisions together, even monetary ones. Dr E Moses Road, Mahalakshmi, Mumbai 400011. audition...’” Goldie recalls being asked to wear There’s a lot of mutual trust.” 6. Prasanna Singh, 72, Aravali Apartments, Alaknanda, around three different types of wigs and say a few While 5 Star ads are the only ones you’ve seen New Delhi 110019. 7. Anurag Dixit, S16 Ground Floor Eldeco Greens Meadows lines. The auditions went on for five days and Goldie in, Rana has modelled for brands like Sector Pi Greater Noida around 600 candidates were evaluated. Thums Up (ad featuring in which That very evening, he got a call saying he was a truck is being air-lifted) and Birla Putty (ad in I, Prasanna Singh, hereby declare that the particulars given in. The first shoot was at Alibaug. The ad featured which a parrot has dandruff). above are true to the best of my knowledge and belief. three people, unlike the present day 5 Star ad that The duo will act in a movie soon. n Dated: March 16, 2015 Sd/. Prasanna Singh [email protected] features just Ramesh and Suresh in the lead. Signature of Publisher

26 afaqs! Reporter, March 16-31, 2 0 1 6 Powered by

MY FM INTERVIEW RADIO A GAME CHANGER

KV SRIDHAR CHIEF CREATIVE OFFICER, INDIA SAPIENTNITRO

Radio is a theater of the mind. With the use of sound design and modulation, you can paint any picture in listeners’ minds.

if you have a well crafted script. Many marketers must understand this. famous Bollywood writers started with radio only. Take for example Nitesh Tiwari How does your approach and Prasoon Joshi. You have to be a change when creating wordsmith to craft a script that will tickle advertisements for radio in a the imagination of the audience. particular campaign? It depends on the client. Many focus How can a marketer leverage on the reach of the ad and some on the radio as a medium to reach out impact. When it’s based on the reach to his target market? then there is very little scope in creativity. Marketers need to know their audience. You only focus on how to get to maximum They should get past the sales pitch people. But when it’s about the impact and the cliched lines. It is not easy to then you sit and think how to create an Tell us about your favourite The beauty of radio is that it can give connect but it is possible. Especially with emotional connection with the audience campaign? Which mediums content at a low price. It is cost effective radio as it brings with it an emotional and then start working. You look into the were used to execute it? and and you can reach a higher number of connection. 25 years back marketers and intricate details of the audience, get more We did one for a Bajaj 125cc bike way people with it. media planners used to sit together to resources, and create a better soulful ad. back in the mid 90’s. The objective was to Secondly, it is also a high involvement chalk out a strategy. Nowadays this does show how fast it was. At that time 100cc medium hence engagement is high. not happen and a lot of potential of the How do you see the growth of bikes were ruling the roads. We did it People listen to the entire ad. Men and radio is left unused. radio industry in India? on radio. We made a 15 second spot in women from urban and rural areas alike, I believe it can grow much faster than which the first 9 seconds we did nothing. listen to radio. Thus, by all these brand Its effectiveness and ability it is doing now because the base is We used the power of silence. Then in the affinity goes up which I believe is how we to reach out to the masses small and cost is less. There should remaining 6 seconds we used the sound analyse the success. in tier II and III cities have be proper planning in the entire radio of the engine throbbing and revving and always attracted marketers industry. Technology has changed the finally vanishing. Using silence we made According to you, how towards it. Any other benefits media industry. Smartphones can be a our point that how fast the bike was. important is a good script that marketers targeting these good platform for micro content and also Radio is a theater of the mind. With the in making a radio campaign areas can look at leveraging would give a bigger reach. Radio needs use of sound design and modulation you successful? through radio advertising? to reinvent itself. They need to adapt can paint any picture in the minds of the It is very important. Brands have their People in tier 2 cities have a different and adopt themselves according to the listeners. We did exactly that. We used own personality. And scripts define this approach to ads than the ones of tier changing trends of the people. Data is silence as a medium to tell them about the personality. Crafting a script according 3 cities. Local brands can leverage this cheaper hence people would consume power of an engine. It became popular to the brand’s personality should be the fact. They can use radio to penetrate into more content. Audio will come first and and won many awards. aim. As I said radio is the theater of the those parts of the cities or towns where video second. Thus, content too should mind. You can create the sense of being TV’s reach isn’t much. Again, radio can be be curated and changed according to the How do you analyse the success near the Niagara falls without actually used to make ad in the regional language. trend. Radio must evolve and embrace the of a radio campaign? being there. And all this is possible only There is a lot of potential in radio and change.l presents campaigntrail New campaigns across television, print, out-of-home and digital media. VIDEOS

ROOH AFZA WOOHOO SONY PICTURES NETWORK (SPN) Hamdard’s latest campaign for its beverage brand Rooh As a part of its campaign ‘Aaj Kisko Happy Karein’ online Sony Pictures Network (SPN) India has launched its TVC Afza, #LalachEkKalaHai (greed is an art) urges people to gifting portal, Woohoo came up with #theSuperGift ad on ‘Ek India Happy Wala’ for the Vivo Indian Premier League ‘Go Greedy’ for quenching their thirst with the beverage. the occasion of International Women’s Day which promoted (IPL) which depicts various instances that show India as the app as the easiest way to make one’s loved ones happy. a happy country.

Creative Agency: Rediffusion-Y&R Creative Agency: People Creative Agency: DDB Mudra West

ROYAL CHALLENGE SPORTS DRINK BIBA REEBOK The brand’s #PlayBold anthem featuring M S Dhoni and The ethnic apparel brand’s new digital film ‘Change The Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut has adopted a Virat Kohli is a cheer-up call for the Indian cricket team Conversation’ released as a part of its ‘Change Is Beautiful never-seen-before fearless avatar for sports wear brand to put their best foot forward during the current cricket campaign’ shows how people are adopting a new mindset Reebok’s latest campaign ‘Be More Human’ where she season. for a deep-rooted issue like dowry. tells her own life story while sweating it out for the brand.

Creative Agency: DDB Mudra Group Creative Agency: Brandmovers Creative Agency: McCann Worldgroup

PRINT BRAND FACTORY ICC WORLD TWENTY20 The company A print ad titled came up with ‘World’s best cheeky ads teams on the titled ‘amaz-off’, world’s biggest ‘snap the deal’ stage’ has and ‘flip the been rolled out kart’ to promote which features its ‘The Great players from Offline Denim the participating Festival’ (March teams even as 11-13 ) which it urges readers claimed to to be a part of offer Denims at the game via lowest prices. its website and AIR INDIA Twitter handle. On the occassion of International Women’s Day, Air India came up with a print ad ‘She is the hero!’ which claimed that the airline had flown the longest an all-women crew flight AI 673 from New Delhi to San Fracisco on March 6 to create a world record.

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, March 16-31, 2016 digital AD:TECH 2016 Leveraging Content Effectively The opening day of the sixth edition of ad:tech witnessed senior marketers discuss the rules of content monetisation. By Saumya Tewari

he sixth edition of ad:tech New Delhi, the digital Tmarketing and advertising conference, kickstarted at The Leela, Gurgaon on March 3. The opening day saw insightful panel sessions on consumer engagement, data management, media measurement content and commerce by providing in the digital era, and the use of special offers and discounts on technology for in-the-moment platforms such as Zomato. marketing. One of the sessions was purely Bedraj Tripathy, associate vice- focussed on content and how president - marketing, Godrej brands can best utilise it for constant Interio consumer engagement. The panel A large part of our research in digital comprised of senior marketers across is around content. I believe this industries such as banking, insurance, medium allows brands to unicast online music streaming and handset at a high premium. When you buy makers. Moderated by Kartik furniture you buy space, be it a Sathuragiri, director - inside sales bedroom or drawing room. We are in and emerging business, Asia Pacific the process of developing a content & Japan, Akamai Technologies, the platform where a user can develop panel discussed ‘Content meets an entire home in a 3D format. The Commerce - new rules of content user has two options on our website monetisation?’. Citing experiences - canned content (free of charge) Rastogi, Narayanan, Agarwal and Tripathy (clockwise): Digitally driven from their respective fields, the and designer content (paid). At the panelists described what content brand level, we may not be doing means to them and how they leverage something unique, but we constantly This content will educate, entertain right time) and personalisation. We it effectively in order to reach and want to engage with our consumers. and empower the users. Our struggle in India to attract content engage their consumers. Content capture, I believe, is based on on-ground experiential campaign creators to provide niche content. individual need. Hence, publishers Moto Spotlight had us take a Moto Therefore, we borrow a lot of content Nikhil Rastogi, head - marketing must focus on personalised content bus to 11 cities in 60 days. We from our global counterpart because and digital business, Citibank in order to monetise it. converted the bus into a travelling there is content marketplace outside We have identified three consumer stage where performances were held. India which we are trying to develop passion points - travel, dining, and Rachna Lather, marketing head, Our approach to content is fun, and in the country. shopping. We are either creating or Motorola India entertaining, which empowers users. crowd sourcing such content. The Brands must invest in constant Our content educates users on how Mahesh Narayanan, global chief objective is to move away from the consumer engagement. It can’t just to use technology and mobile better. operating officer, Saavn entire business of content creation be at the time of a new launch. Increasingly, the content to actually plug ourselves where Hence, as a company we invest in Anika Agarwal, head - marketing, consumption in music is moving consumers are already having engagement which will reap long- Max Bupa away from Bollywood to regional, conversations around these passion term benefits. We have a two-pronged In this era of free content which is and 92 per cent of our consumption points. For example, Citibank approach to content - one with readily available, it is crucial to ensure is on mobile. We have reworked currently, has close to 3,000 dining content publishers (partnered with that a brand’s content is credible our advertising model where our partners in India. Our research shows to cover Bihar elections and relevant to a user at that time. advertisers can buy users’ time. that customers tend to visit sites last year on Motorola smartphones), Health insurance is a serious topic We observed that when a user is such as Zomato, and hence, their and the other is in-house content and users tend to generally search consuming an audio content his/her dining journey begins with reading production. the internet for information. But, phone’s screen is dark, hence, display about food on blogs or sites. We, Our vision is to have a platform since there is an immense amount of advertising does not work. We’ve therefore, decided to remain active called Motonation where we will content available over the internet, made our ad model native to user and connect with them on these create and crowd source content its credibility needs to be ascertained. experience where a user is exposed to platforms. We work with influencers and get consumers to explore their For us, content is not just about a 15-second audio spot ad combined and food enthusiasts on Zomato to passion points. We have identified acquiring new customers, but it is with a display ad which interested create user-generated content. We passion points such as movies, music, about credibility, context, (making users may click. n are trying to bridge the gap between sports, technology, and fashion. the relevant content available at the [email protected]

afaqs! Reporter, March 16-31, 2 0 1 6 29 people

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

CB Ulka has named Suman Srivastava as Experiential, DDB A Media Digital Fthe vice-chairman and chief strategy officer Mudra Max. He will C(India) has (CSO) of the Group. Srivastava was previously be based at the agency’s appointed Vivek chief strategy officer at FCB Ulka; the agency, Gurgaon office and will Jain, former vice- until now, was a client of his brand marketing report to Madhukar president, Digital consultancy Marketing Unplugged. The firm is Kamath, Group CEO Media Products at now officially a part of the FCB Ulka Group. and managing director, Reliance Jio, as chief Srivastava will oversee strategy and all related DDB Mudra Group. executive officer. Jain functions for the Group, including Strategic Shukla will partner will be responsible for Planning, Cogito Consulting, Asterii Analytics Aneil Deepak, head providing brands, and and Marketing Unplugged. ARJUN SEN of ideas, DDB Mudra consumers innovative, The Social Street (TSS) has roped in Heena Max to lead the agency’s celebrity-powered VIVEK JAIN Mistry to head its events and experiential business. OOH & Experiential verticals. digital entertainment She will be based in Mumbai. Mistry brings with Contract Advertising has appointed Arjun Sen products and services, her over 15 years of experience and moves in from as executive vice-president and general manager including Fluence and SOI Live Marketing & Events, where she was - Mumbai operations. Sen will work closely with Wakau. In addition, director and lent her expertise to marketers and Rana Barua and the agency’s senior management. Jain, who will report to leading brands across various industries. Kapil Mishra, creative head, and Sunil Shetty, the board of directors DDB Mudra Group has appointed Sanjay planning head, will partner Sen in leading the of the company, Shukla as the new president - OOH and agency’s Mumbai team. will also expand the The integrated marketing communications company’s portfolio agency Havas Worldwide, has roped in Divya through other Uttam as vice- president and business head - digital, incubation efforts. for the agency’s Gurgaon operations. Uttam will Kushal Sanghvi KUSHAL SANGHVI lead and drive the growth of the agency’s reach has stepped down as on digital media in the city. She will also provide business head, Reliance Entertainment and assistance to Pradeep Nair, general manager - Digital and founder and CEO, World Wide digital, and head of Havas Worldwide, Bengaluru, Open, the full-service agency of Reliance in coordinating the agency’s management ADAG. He is likely to turn entrepreneur. committee on digital acceleration and innovation. Dentsu Webchutney, the full-service digital Prior to this, Uttam has worked in Razorfish. n agency from Dentsu Aegis Network, has SUMAN SRIVASTAVA HEENA MISTRY promoted Tanvi Jain to senior vice-president and branch head - Delhi. Prior to this, she MEDIA was vice-president at Dentsu Digital. As part of her new mandate, Jain will be responsible akal Media Group’s Shailesh Amonkar for acquiring new clients apart from taking the Shas resigned from the company. In a four- lead in servicing existing clients. She will also year stint with the organisation, Amonkar was be responsible for revenue growth from the chief operating officer looking at new business region and will continue to report to Sidharth initiatives as well as chief marketing officer Rao, chief executive officer and co-founder, heading sales and marketing functions for the Dentsu Webchutney. group. Amonkar is likely to turn entrepreneur. LinTeractive, the digital division of Sandeep Khosla has joined as chief executive MullenLowe Lintas Group, has appointed officer, Mid-Day. He will report to Apurva Punit Singh as vice-president, Delhi. Singh will Purohit, president, Jagran Group, and Shailesh take care of the company’s business and growth Gupta, director, Jagran Group. Khosla brings with in the North and will handle clients such as him over 28 years of media industry experience SHAILESH AMONKAR PARTHO ROY Woodland, Havells, Mahagun Builders, and across various mandates, which include stints at Dabur (including Dabur Chyawanprash, Dabur Network 18 and Group. of nearly 20 years in the OOH business. His Honey, Liveveda and Dabur Lal Tail). Singh Publicitas OOH has appointed Partho Roy previous role was that of vice-president East and joins LinTeractive from Askme Bazaar where as managing director. Roy has an experience West at Madison OOH (Platinum). n he was head of marketing, Next Day Delivery (NDD). He was responsible for the entire marketing, branding and communications MARKETING campaigns. At Askme Bazaar, he played a key role in rolling out the first national campaign he full-service airline Vistara has appointed Sanjiv Kapoor as chief across TV, print, radio and digital. Tstrategy and commercial officer. Kapoor will manage a wide portfolio Indian fashion and lifestyle e-commerce of Vistara’s commercial and planning functions. He takes over from Giam portal Jabong has announced that Ming Toh who is returning to Singapore Airlines on completion of his Muralikrishnan B will soon join its leadership deputation with Vistara. Kapoor’s last assignment was as chief operating team as the company’s chief operating officer at SpiceJet. officer. He will report directly to CEO Vineet Taneja has put in his papers as the CEO of Micromax Infomatics. Sanjeev Mohanty, and will be responsible for Taneja joined Micromax in September, 2014. Prior to that, he was with overseeing the technology, product and digital Samsung India where he was the country head for its mobile business. marketing functions. Prior to joining Jabong, Before Samsung, Taneja was with Bharti Airtel as operations director - Muralikrishnan was the COO - IndiaProperty, South India and Sri Lanka, and with Nokia as head of marketing. n SANJIV KAPOOR an online real-estate portal. n

30 afaqs! Reporter, March 16-31, 2 0 1 6

STANDING TALL STANDING ‘DIGI-TALL’

dailyO OPEN TO OPINION

PORTAL OF THE BEST MOBILE BEST MEDIA BRAND BEST START-UP YEAR APP OF THE YEAR USING SOCIAL/ (DIGITAL) DIGITAL MEDIA

Source: Awards won at Social Media Awards & Summit, The Global Youth Marketing Forum (GYMF) 2016 by CMO Asia Council.

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