December 16-31, 2015 Volume 4, Issue 14 `100 WASSAP, 2016? A new year in the age of the mobile... r1&01-&*/5)&/&84r"%$".1"*(/4*/5)&/&84r#3"/%4*/5)&/&84 r574)084*/5)&/&84r)05$"5&(03*&4*/5)&/&84r70*$&4*/5)&/&84 E D I T O R I A L or our 2015 Annual Issue, when we jotted down the first draft of names Volume 4, Issue 14 Fthat we felt ought to make it to our favourite section, People in the News, a EDITOR colleague pointed out, “Hey, you’re being partial to the online folks... they’re December 16-31, 2015 Volume 4, Issue 14 `100 Sreekant Khandekar outnumbering the rest by a big margin..” I thought about her comment for a PUBLISHER few minutes only to realise something pretty incredible – that’s 2015 for you! Prasanna Singh EXECUTIVE EDITOR It was the year of the online news publisher, the dot com marketer, the online Ashwini Gangal content creator, and the digital expert. SENIOR LAYOUT ARTIST Vinay Dominic E-commerce ventures have grabbed the stage. Less noticed has been the PRODUCTION EXECUTIVE online news publishing segment. Many of these new-age, digital news brands Andrias Kisku position themselves as mobile-first. One of them is mobile-only. Importantly, ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES Shubham Garg these ‘journalism start-ups’, if you will, have managed to raise sizeable funds 81301 66777 (M); 0120-4077819 (O) – as high as `120 crore in one case – from venture capitalists. Is it a bubble? Apoorv Kulshrestha Can they really redefine ‘news’ in this market? 2016 will tell. 9873824700 (M); 0120-4077833 (O) WASSAP,, 2016? Noida A new year in the age of the mobile... The second reality that jumped out at us while putting this issue together is Pradeep Hegde r1&01-&*/5)&/&84r"%$".1"*(/4*/5)&/&84r#3"/%4*/5)&/&84 that it is becoming increasingly difficult to catgorise an ad campaign basis the (022) 40429702-5 r574)084*/5)&/&84r)05$"5&(03*&4*/5)&/&84r70*$&4*/5)&/&84 Mumbai medium it is released on. Here’s why: Nowadays, every other ad film is as much a TVC as it is a YouTube video. Every other activation-led, below-the-line effort [email protected] MARKETING OFFICE has an equally strong digital aspect. Moreover, several ad films are aired on B-3, First Floor, Sector-4, Noida-201301. television because the end goal is a digital call-to-action – to get the viewer to check out a microsite, Tel: (0120) 4077800. participate in a social media-led contest or share self-generated content with the brand team through MUMBAI 501-502, Makani Center, 5th Floor, a digital medium like Facebook, Twitter or Whatsapp. Off Linking Road, Bandra (W), Mumbai - 400050 Sure, the digital-only film is becoming popular too (Vogue’s My Choice, anyone?) but there’s Tel: +91-22-40429 709 - 712 no denying the fact that 2015 has made it harder than ever to confidently name a particular media SUBSCRIPTION ENQUIRIES Akhilesh Singh platform, over the rest, as the ‘lead medium’ for an ad campaign. (0120) 4077837 [email protected] 2015 also saw a first-of-its-kind deal between a popular YouTube content creator (All India Owned by Banyan Netfaqs Pvt Ltd and Bakchod) and a leading broadcast network (Star). Buzz is, there will be more such in 2016. Printed and published by Prasanna Singh, And oh, the most popular adjective our interviewees used to describe 2015 is “Exhilarating”. at 7-A/13, Ch. Ratan Singh Complex, Jawala Heri Market, Paschim Vihar, New Delhi-110 063. Printed at Cirrus Graphics Private Limited B-61, Sector 67, Noida (U.P.), 201301 Ashwini Gangal Cover Photograph [email protected] Images Bazaar 3$67 ,668(6 December 16-31, 2015 Volume 4, Issue 14 `100 WASSAP,, 2016? A new year in the age of the mobile... r1&01-&*/5)&/&84r"%$".1"*(/4*/5)&/&84r#3"/%4*/5)&/&84 r574)084*/5)&/&84r)05$"5&(03*&4*/5)&/&84r70*$&4*/5)&/&84 4 afaqs! Reporter Annual Issue C O N T E N T S PEOPLE 6 LQWKHQHZV They made news. They grabbed headlines. They spoke to us about their ups, downs and hopes. AD CAMPAIGNS LQWKHQHZV 30 A quick look at the big noise ad campaigns of the year gone by. BRANDS 45 LQWKHQHZV A look at the brands that grabbed headlines in 2015. TV SHOWS LQWKHQHZV 53 A look at the TV shows that were buzzy during 2015. HOT CATEGORIES 59 LQWKHQHZV A look at some of the hottest categories and segments of 2015. VOICES LQWKHQHZV 68 We bring you some of the most quotable quotes our interviewees threw at us in 2015. Annual Issue afaqs! Reporter 5 P E O P L E IN THE NEWS They made news. They grabbed IN THE NEWS headlines. They spoke to us about their ups, downs and hopes. By Ashwini Gangal, Shweta Mulki, Saumya Tewari, ADVERTISING Ashee Sharma and Aditi Srivastava FOTOCORP ADVERTISING were the floods in Chennai, the terrorist activities around the In the news because: world and the complete deadlock Published his book in the Indian parliament. Pandeymonium I see a lot of crappy ads on TV. When Indians travel abroad, they ‘Ups’ of 2015 tell me, our ads are the best. The biggest ‘Up’ was that I was But when I see ads on TV today, I Describe the finally able to write my book. feel we have a lot to do to live up year gone by in The joy of sharing it with people to that credit given to us by our one word was a personal ‘Up’. That Ogilvy audience. I don’t want our citizens continues to do good work, is to become cynical about our ‘PHEW!!’ another ‘Up’.Up . It has been a good advertisinadvertising the way they are about year for the industry aadsds arouaroundn the world. We should ttoo;oo; one of the bbee cautious;cautio we are testing their ‘‘Ups’Ups’ was – ppatience.atience. BBBDOBDO winninwinningg PRATAP a Grand Prix at AgendaAgen for 2016 respective football teams and my CCannes.annes. TheThe agendaagen is to have a good time. BOSE art collection became richer. AAlsolso – wwhath can I, as a citizen, do ‘Downs’‘Downs’ fforor the ccountry,o that will make a MD AND CHAIRMAN, ‘Downs’ of 2015 ooff 22015015 ddifference?ifference Whether it is about The Social Street The sacrifices I had to make TheThe biggest ccleanliness..leanline Swachh Bharat, or because of the work pressures ‘Downs’‘Downs’ wwhatever...hatever I have made some In the news because: like spending less time with the FOTOCORP ssmallmall bebeginningsg but I want to Launched The Social family, taking limited holidays and sscalecale thethem up in 2016. Street, with a bang not being able to read or attend ad-media functions. Coming to terms with the passing away of my Describe the year gone ‘Ups’ of 2015 mother is also something that’s by in one word This year has been a whirlwind – been quite hard for me this year. it’s the year I turned entrepreneur. ‘TRANSITION’ Within four months we opened Agenda for 2016 three offices in Mumbai, Bangalore 2016 will be a year of and Delhi, and hired 120 people, consolidation. There will be a clearly breaking rules of ‘business couple of acquisitions/JVs which ahead of investments’. It was should hopefully fructify. We are satisfying to see over 100 people keen on exploring possibilities leave secure jobs (some took a 50 in Asia Pacific and are targeting PIYUSH PANDEY per cent wage cut) in the pursuit of winning at Cannes. the same dream. EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN AND CREATIVE DIRECTOR, Ogilvy & Mather, India and I would like to collect art and South Asia Work aside, my son and daughter go back to Masai Mara on an became college captains of their extended photographic vacation. 6 afaqs!afaafaqsqs!qs! ReporterRReeporpopoorrtterteerer AnnualAAnnAnnnuaualal IssueIsIssusuuee P E O P L E IN THE NEWS ADVERTISING first year as empty-nesters, as I am entering this new world with our younger child left home, no ‘plan’. The worst thing a new SUSHIL KUMAR ROHIT OHRI for college. It was our first time leader can do is to come into an ‘alone’ after twenty four years! I organisation with a pre- CEO, FCB Ulka will look back on 2015 as a year written plan. My plan for of change, introspection and FCB Ulka will be written personal growth. post a deep understanding of the new culture and In the news because: ‘Downs’ of 2015 environment, and in Quit Dentsu to fill the Perhaps the only ‘Down’ of 2015 partnership with my new long-vacant CEO’s was the fact that I left behind leadership team. position at FCB Ulka at Dentsu a great bunch of colleagues... colleagues who believed in my dream and shared ‘Ups’ of 2015 my passion for and vision of ‘Ups’ include – relocating to the new world agency we were Singapore as CEO Dentsu Asia building. Describe the year gone by in Pacific, meeting Carter Murray, one word Global CEO FCB, the five-month Agenda for 2016 sabbatical during which my wife January 1, 2016 is when I will ‘UNFORGETTABLE’ and I visited seven countries (doing don my brand new mantle. The all the things that job constraints New Year will bring a lot to had not previously allowed), and look forward to - a new culture, stress-free indulgence in golf, colleagues, challenges and art and theatre. 2015 was our opportunities. ADVERTISING digital campaigns aand video places to cut spends and creating contentcontent.