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August 16-31, 2018 Volume 7, Issue 5 ` 100 Advt Everybody loves a good chase sequence. The Bihar Readership Report 2018 by Hansa Research Group ranked Dainik Bhaskar second in Bihar. And with a fast shrinking margin against the top, it’s only a matter of time before we raise another toast. Dainik Bhaskar Group Source: The Bihar Readership Report July 2018, Hansa Research Group, 1Lac+ Towns.
DAINIK BHASKAR took just 6 months to become No. 2 in Bihar. Guess where we’re headed next? Hansa Research Readership Report Hindustan 9.98 Lac readers Dainik Bhaskar 9.11 Lac readers The Bihar Readership Report 2018 by Hansa Research Group ranked us second in Bihar. And with a fast shrinking margin against the top, it’s only a matter of time before we raise another toast. Dainik Bhaskar Group Source: The Bihar Readership Report July 2018, Hansa Research Group, 1Lac+ Towns.
August 16-31, 2018 Volume 7, Issue 5 ` 100 24 20 NOMARKS New Look, New Plan Nomarks reinvents itself as a modern Ayurvedic brand. 22 INTERVIEW Rajesh Ramakrishnan Perfetti India’s new MD is a ‘right-brain’ man. RAHUL JAUHARI NAVONIL 12 JOINT PRESIDENT CHATTERJEE REDIFFUSION JOINT PRESIDENT REDIFFUSION ON ITS VISTARA Premium Offerings When social media influencers pitch in to help. OWN STEAM An interview with Rahul Jauhari and Navonil Chatterjee, PIZZA HUT Taking a Hit MOST VIEWED ADS On the Campaign Trail 18 28 MOVEMENTS the recently elevated joint presidents of the suddenly, Who’s Where? 30 and finally, independent Rediffusion
EDITORIAL This fortnight... Volume 7, Issue 5 T EDITOR his interview with Rediffusion’s newly appointed joint presidents Rahul Sreekant Khandekar Jauhari and Navonil Chatterjee is special for many reasons. The chain of PUBLISHER August 16-31, 2018 Volume 7, Issue 5 ` 100 events that culminated in their elevation is noteworthy. For starters, the original Sreekant Khandekar 20 24 promoters of Rediffusion Diwan Arun Nanda and Ajit Balakrishnan bought back EXECUTIVE EDITOR the 40 per cent shares held in their company by Y&R and Dentsu, making it an Ashwini Gangal NOMARKS New Look, New Plan independent outfit once again. That it happened just days ahead of Independence ASSOCIATE EDITOR Nomarks reinvents itself as Sunit Roy Day is a coincidence, of course. Earlier this year, Sir Martin Sorrell, who tried hard a modern Ayurvedic brand. 22 PRODUCTION EXECUTIVE IN TER VIE W to increase his stake in the agency over the years, stepped down as CEO of WPP. Andrias Kisku ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES INTERVIEW Rajesh Ramakrishnan Then, the president of the agency Dhunji Wadia moved out, making room for Perfetti India’s new MD is Shubham Garg a ‘right-brain’ man. RAHUL JAUHARI NAVONIL 12 81301 66777 (M) Rahul and Navonil to step up and take on the additional mandate of running the JOINT PRESIDENT CHATTERJEE REDIFFUSION JOINT PRESIDENT REDIFFUSION business. All eyes are on this creative-planning duo; in fact, sceptics are already Apoorv Kulshrestha 9873824700 (M) ON ITS VISTARA taking about the absence of a business head. When I asked Rahul to react to this, Premium Offerings When social media influencers pitch in to help. Noida OWN STEAM PIZZA HUT he recalled a conversation with Balki from many years back, which, when distilled Taking a Hit 11 MOST VIEWED ADS On the Campaign Trail 12 Nikhil Jhunjhunwala An interview with Rahul Jauhari and Navonil Chatterjee, MOVEMENTS 9833371393 (M) the recently elevated joint presidents of the suddenly, and finally, independent Rediffusion Who’s Where? 29 down to its core lesson is something to the tune of – the one whose ass is on the line Mumbai is the leader, regardless of the discipline he or she belongs to. Touché. mktg@afaqs.com MARKETING OFFICE Rahul and Navonil patiently addressed similar questions, gleaned mostly from B 3, Ground Floor, Sector 4, Noida -201301 Uttar Pradesh feedback I gathered from their peers in the industry before meeting them. MUMBAI 302, Makani Center, 3rd Floor, I spent an hour with the men in the eye of the storm… and walked away feeling Off Linking Road, Bandra (W), calm. They’re affable, relatable and easy to talk to. They share a hard-to-miss Mumbai - 400050 professional camaraderie – the kind that lets one complete, and rudely interrupt, SUBSCRIPTION ENQUIRIES the other’s sentences with a smile. My favourite part? They seem to have a sense of subscriptions@afaqs.com humour about everything that’s going on around them, the kind that’ll serve them Owned by Banyan Netfaqs Pvt Ltd and well in the days ahead, as they do their best to make good on Arun Nanda’s brief Printed and published by to them: Sreekant Khandekar, at 7-A/13, Ch. Ratan Singh Complex, Jawala Heri Market, Paschim Vihar, “Unfurl the flag again!” New Delhi-110 063. Printed at Artz and Printz 208 DSIDC Sheds, Okhla Industrial Area, Phase 1, New Delhi - 110020 Ashwini Gangal ashwini.gangal@afaqs.com CONTENTS 8 26 BUDDH INTERNATIONAL CIRCUIT A New Dimension How an F1 track became an ad film studio for car brands. INTERVIEW 6 10 ERRATA Sapangeet Rajwant’s (head, Tarun Katial marketing & digital, Colors, Viacom18) name was mis- ZEE5’s CEO believes spelt in the contents page of that it is important to give afaqsReporter’s CMO Special Indians a platform that has (July 16-31, 2018). inherent advantages like DAILYHUNT INTERVIEW the convenience of viewing Busting a Bias Arun Prakash The error is regretted. Editor a variety of content in a The portal busts beliefs that VuClip’s president on the language of their choice. English is more credible. brand’s ambitious plans. afaqs! Reporter, August 16-31, 2 0 1 8 5
DIGITAL DAILYHUNT Busting a Bias In its latest ad film, like this exists. Getting back to the campaign, it did remind us of the days Dailyhunt, a platform when we used to value an imported for news in regional US or UK-made product more than Indian counterparts. languages, busts the In the film, real achievers are belief that English is coupled with impersonators. Both, the real and the fake speak on more credible than stage, conveying the real person’s vernacular language. achievements. While the real speaks in a native, vernacular tongue, the fake By Abid Hussain Barlaskar speaks in English. Later, when asked, a S ixteen hundred dialects, 30 significant part of the audience sitting widely spoken tongues and off-stage, declared that they found 22 official languages, that’s the impersonators (English speakers) where the digital market seems to more convincing and credible. be heading. A new ad campaign rooted in multiple realisations of biases Moreover, with ads, Dailyhunt and ‘#HarBhashaEqual’, by mobile- within society around or against local Inshorts, apart from turning out to be based news aggregator Dailyhunt, languages; the bias versus English. major platforms for content and news tries to put more muscle behind the “We’ve all had personal examples. consumption, might actually turn out increasing shift towards vernacular Many within our team, who are more to be a new segment of advertisers content. comfortable with the local language, themselves.” Even the print medium seems to felt biased against as people have not be riding the vernacular wave. While taken them up with the same sense of CHALLENGES FOR AN global trends suggest a decline in the credibility, authority or achievement AGGREGATOR PLATFORM circulation of newspapers in countries because of their language,” Bedi states. “The challenge is not unique to such as USA, UK and Australia, India “The campaign aims at highlighting Dailyhunt and is two-fold — first, the has seen a steady rise. According to the our inbuilt bias for English and number of devices that are coming Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC- against vernacular languages; it seeks into the market. There are about 350- India), circulation increased from 3.91 crore copies to 6.28 crore between the support of India to seek linguistic equality within the country. I think “We are making 400 million smartphones, which is growing by 30 per cent every year 2006 and 2016. Major growth was that is really the essence behind the a massive pivot and the internet in India is largely clocked by vernacular mediums like ‘Har Bhasha’ campaign.” a mobile base. In a country of 1.2 Hindi, Telugu and Kannada among towards video billion, there are only 400 million others. BREAK DOWN OF content, redesigning smartphones. The smartphone Internet giants like Amazon and DAILYHUNT’S READER BASE growth has to happen even faster. Google are doing their fair share too. “In terms of Dailyhunt’s reader the entire application The macro ecosystem challenge of Amazon is busy teaching its virtual base, we have over 100 million active and heading towards adding more smartphones has to be assistant, Alexa, Hindi and regional readers. Of that, 60 million use the dealt with. languages such as Tamil, Telugu, app while the rest use our website. a Dailyhunt 2.0.” Secondly, while the ecosystem Kannada, Malayalam, and Punjabi. Similarly, Google is also training English readers constitute less than 10 per cent of our base. UMANG BEDI grows, we have to have more locally relevant content. People are interested its Google Assistant to understand Our reader base is in line with the in their local content, in their local commands in vernacular languages. linguistic distribution of the Indian ROLE OF ADVERTISING languages.” A Google-KPMG report from population (1.2 billion people); 32 per “We don’t do too much advertising. 2017 heavily stresses on a forecast cent read Hindi which is spoken by 40 to 50 per cent of users come WHAT’S NEXT? that the Indian-language internet- 530 million people. It’s followed by organically, which means they come “We are making a massive pivot users are set to grow to a whopping a cluster of South Indian languages through instances like referrals from towards video content, redesigning 534 million by 2021 at a growth rate spoken by 250 million Indians. Next friends and family or they come the entire application and heading through links on articles which people towards a Dailyhunt 2.0. It fulfils our The campaign seeks the support of India to might have shared. mission to be the largest Indic platform seek linguistic equality within the country. It is easy to acquire users; it is very hard to keep them on the platform. which is empowering the next billion Indians to socialise, discover and of 18 per cent CAGR (compound are Marathi and Gujarati, spoken by Our last ad, a TVC — Indians ka consume content that is not only annual growth rate). The report 150 million, followed by Bengali and news ka daily dose (2017), was more informational but also entertaining. It further suggests that as a future trend, Oriya, spoken by 100 million and of an experiment. We haven’t really has to span across multiple genres like internet platforms will move towards the rest includes languages such as done any TV, outdoor, radio or astrology, Bollywood, cricket, divinity, content aggregation. Nepali, Bhojpuri and Urdu. print campaigns since. We are a tech and lifestyle. Half of the content afaqs! Reporter spoke to Umang Our language portfolio already platform; our focus is on AI and consumption on Dailyhunt is news Bedi, president, Dailyhunt (former covers 1.1 billion of the total population. machine learning which plays its role and the rest is entertainment, lifestyle MD, Facebook India and South We don’t see any new inclusion as of in user retention. and sports. We are taking all of it and Asia) to find out more about the now. The average time spent, per daily ‘#HarBhashaEqual’ is not about adding video in the same flavours. company and its latest campaign - active user, is 25-30 minutes, more driving traffic to Dailyhunt, it’s about Video is pervasive and helps in crossing ‘#HarBhashaEqual’. than double the time spent on any driving the right sense of awareness barriers like language and literacy.” n In Bedi’s words, the campaign was other platforms in our genre.” within the ecosystem that an issue abid.barlaskar@afaqs.com 6 afaqs! Reporter, August 16-31, 2 0 1 8
DIGITAL TARUN KATIAL Candid Talk afaqs! Reporter spoke to the chief executive officer of ZEE5 about the content, strategy and challenges of his VOD platform. By Suraj Ramnath W hile Zee Entertainment of opportunities and possibilities.” Enterprises announced, In the past one year, OTT through a press release in platforms like Amazon Prime came May, that Tarun Katial (43) had been up with shows such as Inside Edge, roped in as chief executive officer for Netflix with Sacred Games and now it’s over the top (OTT) platform — ZEE5 with Karenjit Kaur and people Zee5, Katial has been involved in the seem to like these Indian pieces of planning and making of originals for original content. afaqs! Reporter the platform right from the end of asked him if that’s the way ahead 2016, while the merger of Big FM for a future where people will judge was on-going. a platform’s performance based on Katial was founder, chief operating which one consistently gives them officer and chief executive officer of good, original content. He says, “I Big FM from February 2006 up to think the depth of the network, May 2018. Prior to that, he worked whether it is original with a great tech with BTVI as a board member product with good data analytics and for three years. Katial also worked good recommendations, those would with Sony Pictures Entertainment be the key for any OTT platform.” as business head and executive vice Talking about the focus on regional president, Sony Entertainment content, Katial says, “Language Television. His impressive resume content is one of our pillars. All also includes work with Star TV, data shows us that the new ‘Internet Ogilvy & Mather and Enterprise Indian’ is coming into languages and Pune... everywhere.” family. What else? “We are planning Nexus Lowe Indians are colloquially, very proud Speaking about the challenges to come up with a series of digital- Recently, ZEE5 launched a of their culture and languages. So, for OTT and ZEE5, Katial says, “I first movies. We will be rolling out Marathi web-series called Liftman that’s the point. We try and embody think the major challenges will be to a list of about 10 movies in the next and prior to that the platform these cultures in the stories and in work with great creators and build one week; titles done by big Indian launched a biopic — Karenjit Kaur: their languages on our platform. great stories. It will be important directors which will be available only The Untold Story of Sunny Leone. Whether it is Tamil, Telegu, Bengali, to continue innovating product and on Zee5,” he says. Very recently, the platform has Marathi or Kannada, we are going to tech. It will be important to use data In the recent past, there has also launched a Bengali original — be focusing on all the big markets to understand audiences. Those are been a lot of conversation regarding AranyaDeb, a story of Kolkata as which have large cultures and sub- our key tasks.” people raising issues about regulating a city, in reality, and imagination cultures.” When asked what kind of content digital content post the launch of through the lives of two friends. While Netflix had already launched subscribers of ZEE5 prefer to watch, Sacred Games. Is it important for the According to a source, the OTT ‘Mostly Sunny’ in the year 2016, we he responds, “Films are a big hit along government to do so? Katial responds, platform is going to launch close to asked Katial if he was apprehensive with original series. We premiered “I think self-regulation is the best Padman, Veere di Wedding, Shaadi way of regulating content. OTT is The OTT platform is going to launch close to Me Zaroor Aana, and Parmanu and a very personal medium and I don’t they all worked wonderfully for us. think, at this point in time, there is 90 originals in the next one year. Parmanu was a shared title between any need to regulate the content. 90 originals in the next one year. while making Karenjit Kaur and what us and Netflix. Most of them are The government has been very good While Katial refuses to confirm kind of response it received. exclusive, but this one was shared.” about regulating content on TV and or deny those numbers, he did speak He says, “No, we were not at all Currently, OTT is not a platform it is self-regulation that works there to us about the platform focusing apprehensive. This was about a series for the masses. But will the masses as well. So, I don’t see a reason why it on launching originals not only in in its true form. I think Karenjit Kaur pay for DTH and OTT? Katial says, would be any other way.” Hindi but in regional languages too was a landmark show in India. I think “Masses will make their own choices. Now that Katial’s LinkedIn profile and about the various challenges that it was a first big biopic in a series Indians have also grown in their per shows that his involvement with Big lay ahead. format. It was also a show that had capita income substantially and Urban FM ended in May, we asked him Talking about his goal for ZEE5, its own share of curiosity attached India has the capacity to pay for it. about the challenges he saw in radio Katial says, “It’s very important that to it because everyone knows Sunny Channels have film premiers on TV; and how different they are from we give Indians a great platform Leone the outcome, but no one knows nevertheless, people go to theatres OTT. “I think the challenges always that has inherent advantages like the Karenjit Kaur the person. Hence, the and watch them. The proposition has remain the same - how do you create convenience of viewing a variety of show was named Karenjit Kaur and to be strong. If the content is strong, excitement with consumers; how do content in a language of their choice. not Sunny Leone. We got an immense people will pay for it.” you create new use cases and new All of these are the attributes that we response. We have seen all the ratings, ZEE5 is soon coming up with needs for consumers; how do you bring to the table. Original content in critics’ reviews and platform up-take, a music-based reality web-series - grow the pie; and how do you make various languages, network content all that has been unprecedented. Lockdown - which is produced by sure the content is marketed well. at their own time and their own Across markets, people have viewed rapper Badshah. Apart from that, the These are just some classic challenges convenience shoulder content that is the show right from Tamil Nadu to platform is going to launch Akoori, in a business,” he signs off. n unseen on TV. So, it is a platform full Chandigarh and from Guwahati to a web-series based on a quirky Parsi suraj.ramnath@afaqs.com 8 afaqs! Reporter, August 16-31, 2 0 1 8
INTERVIEW ARUN PRAKASH Installed in Minds V iu, a video-on-demand (VoD) service provider Vuclip believes that substance should come first by PCCW Media and Vuclip has a presence in the sequence with amplification later on. in more than 22 countries. The platform recently launched its originals in the Tamil Nadu (TN) How are you promoting the Tamil content market with content that includes Tamil originals and right now? short films, Korean dramas, and curated content for the We made our launch announcements through enjoyment of millennials in Tamil Nadu. In India, the above the line (ATL). Our general philosophy is platform has already launched 20 originals and will be that we drive a lot of organic growth. So a lot launching 20 more by the end of the year. Viu plans to of word of mouth. To me, that is a good way to launch around 95 originals in the next twelve months. let your content do the talking, but that alone Suraj Ramnath interviewed Arun Prakash, won’t be enough. We do focus more on BTL president and chief operating officer, Vuclip, to and digital and only after we establish a steady understand the way forward for the platform in India, stream of an on-going habit, then we would do the focus on regional content and the challenges. an immense amount of ATL. Excerpts: We won’t rule out promoting our new content through the Tamil Nadu Premier Viu plans to launch 100 originals in Tamil League (TNPL). There is a lot of potential in in the next three years. How do you plan to the TN market on what we can do in terms of target the Hindi-speaking audience? associations and creating content and there are a This year, we will have been done with lot of interesting dialogues happening right now. programming 95 originals across all our markets. We just have to be focused because it is very easy It is a path we started on 18 months ago, a path deal and who else have you partnered with? to want to take part in everything... but we have we’re scaling because of all the learnings/data We tie up with anybody who has a great story to be focused. we have gathered after making originals in these to tell. When we decide to make content, we let markets. Originals will be an important element the content decide the format. We don’t get into What are you doing in terms original content in all target markets. the content deciding it will be a mini-series or for Hindi-speaking markets (HSM)? Our strategy is based on local content, a movie. A lot of people make the mistake of We are and have been doing content for leadership teams, experience and pricing. We the format dictating content. For Telugu, we HSM and we will continue. I think we make will not spend all our time making and marketing have tied up with Annapurna Studios. In Tamil very unique content for these markets, not do just one piece of content... then the consumer Nadu, we are talking to new content creators the same that you see on TV. will watch it and uninstall the app. Our ambition who have done content for youth. is to create a habit. Challenges for Viu and the OTT segment Compared to the competitors, Viu is not in India? What makes you think that the TN market visible in terms of advertising. Is that a To not get caught in the hype-cycle. There is has matured enough to consume all 100 planned move and if so, why? a massive amount of hype, much more than or originals that Viu is making? This is exactly as planned. We would not like several times more than any other country we We look at quite a few parameters. One of the to change this. There are a couple of things - are seeing. So, our first challenge is to make sure parameters is internet adoption. The second is one, for India as a market, consumer adoption we do not get caught in this noise and stay true the maturity of the consumer audience and their of OTT is still in its very early stages. The hype- and focused on what we are here to create. The taste and preference of what they are looking for. cycles are way too much and the investment second is that the industry has too many players. If the consumer is already satisfied with what’s levels are also too high, which reminds me of It creates a difficulty for them when it comes happening on television, why do you have to do dotcoms. This is a bubble which is waiting to to making content. They are making super- something different and new? But our data from implode. A lot of people are creating a lot of expensive content and I think that’s a challenge. TN tells us the opposite. The youngsters may be hype when the consumer is just getting started My belief is that in the next 3-5 years, this doing a lot more of passive viewing of TV. So, on the journey. We are here to develop that industry is in for a massive consolidation. The there is a tremendous opportunity to provide consumer journey and we will develop along reason I say this is because OTT is not a one-, content for the youth and that content doesn’t with them. two- or even a five-year game. It is a 10 year exist. It doesn’t exist in the form of any digital The second point is - in developing the plus game and it is not a near-term profitable platform or any mainstream TV platform; so consumer journey, we focus first on substance. game. You cannot become profitable overnight there is a vacuum and a hunger. You first have to show your value to customers. in this business and overnight here is not even For example, if most households are being Why should they even download an app on an 3-5 years. Third, it is not an inexpensive game. dominated by Sun TV, the youth don’t get the on-going basis? Why shouldn’t they un-install You need a massive amount of investment each kind of content they deserve. So, the entire it? The journey has to be fully developed where year to succeed. equation is created on the basis of that which you earn a place as a habit in the consumer’s There will be only a handful of players and doesn’t satisfy a lot of young audiences who are mind and heart. Once there... you amplify. we know who that handful will be and those left behind in terms of serving their common I am a firm believer of not getting caught who are going to be left behind. Those left will needs. This then creates a massive opportunity in market hype. Many companies make empty be the ones with deep commitment and pockets for platforms like ours. noise which means they put style first before and have the expertise to play the game. Viu is they even create the substance. Some companies one of those in the handful and that comes from Viu had tied up with the likes of BBC and do both together - I will create substance and in buying strength from PCCW and Vuclip.n Balaji Motion Pictures. Is it still an on-going parallel, make a lot of noise. But a company like suraj.ramnath@afaqs.com 10 afaqs! Reporter, August 16-31, 2 0 1 8
ADVERTISING VISTARA Premium Offerings The airline brand markets its ‘premium economy’ offering in a set of digital films that feature two social media influencers. By Deepashree Banerjee T he last time we saw epicures Rocky Singh and Mayur Sharma in a brand film was a few months back when they took us on a tour inside Nestle’s factory. Now, Vistara, a private airline and joint venture between Tata Sons and Singapore Airlines (SIA), has released a bunch of digital films (we spotted them on Twitter... and then we on these films. Interestingly, CEO of films and tell what they think. spotted the Twitter birds inside each The Glitch, Pooja Jauhari, told us in Dubbing Rocky and Mayur as film) in which the duo markets the a 2016 chat about her clientele, “We “fairly known faces”, Carlton D’Silva, airline’s premium economy seats and want to focus on getting an airline chief creative officer, Hungama experience. The films are short, easy brand on board.” Digital Media, doesn’t, however, pin to watch and light. About this Twitter-led campaign, the performance of the campaign onto The objective of this digital particularly the choice of Rocky and their presence in it. He explains, “Had campaign is to lure flyers to pick Mayur as digital brand ambassadors, any other personality been featured, Vistara’s premium economy seats Saransh Agarwal, director, content the campaign would still work,” unless when booking flight tickets. Better strategy and business, The Glitch, of course the brand team chose to elbow room, tastier coffee/food, tells afaqs! Reporter, “They are a highlight the ‘chef aspect’ of the duo shorter check-in queues, and extra good fit for the brand and for the a bit more. About the media plan, he baggage allowance, are some of the creatives as well. I think, rather than feels it makes sense to go digital when perks the campaign talks about. But just the ‘food critic’ angle, we needed it comes to this category, because “the what exactly is premium economy? someone relatable, yet aspirational... “With Vistara ROI is far greater this way — the In the simplest terms, it’s a premium someone funny enough to bring out Premium Economy, brand’s core TG is online and can be targeted sharply, without any wastage The objective of the digital campaign is to lure we were very of media monies... The films appear flyers to pick Vistara’s premium economy seats. cognizant of the to target young, first-time travellers, skewed towards business travel.” offering that, on the price spectrum, the concept, yet one who has some fact that people Nishi Kant, EVP and branch head, sits cosily between economy and business. Specifically, it costs about authority to be taken seriously by our audience. Also, the concept of the would be happy to Dentsu Webchutney, likes the creative execution and overall treatment of the twice as much as the economy fare campaign needed a duo with the right spend that extra bit as films. The campaign, according to and half of the business fare. The target audience comprises kind of banter and chemistry between them...” long as we’re able him, hits the bullseye on three fronts - choice of influencers, medium and passengers who are dissatisfied with The brand, he says, has a very to highlight the creative tact, that is, humour. And economy but find business class too expensive, especially for short flights. “engaged bunch of followers” on Twitter, something that helped plethora of benefits all through, the product stays at the centre of things. “Digital,” he reasons, This passenger is the kind who is matters when it came to the media they get in return.” “is the first medium today’s customers willing to pay a small premium for a few frills, additional comfort and planning stage. What makes the discount-driven, SARANSH AGARWAL pick to express themselves, when it comes to brands and services... so this personalised service. cashback-crazed, digital Indian is an intelligent platform to address During the launch of this — broadly deemed to be a stingy the fact that people would be happy the world on.” premium economy programme, consumer/shopper — pay an extra to spend that extra bit as long as Rocky and Mayur are a personal Rajeev Bansal (Taj SATS group chief something for a little more comfort we’re able to highlight the plethora of favourite of Sidharth Gowda, strategy culinary development chef) was on on a flight? About ‘the psychology benefits they get in return.” head, content and brand solutions, board a couple of flights (Mumbai to of premium economy’ as it were, Zirca Digital Solutions, who says Delhi and back), to interact with both Agarwal adds, “To be fair, Indians are SOARING HIGH? about the campaign, “I like how Vistara business and premium economy class not always stingy. We tend to go out Does the campaign stand out amid used them in more than just culinary passengers and gauge their reaction to of our way to make sure the money the din of brand messages on Twitter? videos. Using them as characters, as the then newly-introduced menu. we’re spending brings proportionate Or does it add to the noise? afaqs! opposed to as food critics, gives the The Glitch (digital agency recently value to us. With Vistara Premium Reporter asked three professionals in ads a fresh dimension.” n acquired by GroupM) has worked Economy, we were very cognizant of the digital media space to watch the deepashree.banerjee@afaqs.com 12 afaqs! Reporter, August 16-31, 2 0 1 8
INTERVIEW VINIL MATHEW Directing is Learning D irection is the only art form where you are effective and impactful work. dependent on everyone else to attain your vision,” says ad filmmaker Vinil Mathew. But don’t they all aspire to do that? Having helmed close to 300 ad films to date, he Post digital, many want ‘cheap and fast work’. would know. Mathew (41) has a showreel panning Campaigns don’t run that long anymore and segments and brands such as Nestle, Mondelez, HUL, people are not investing in brand tonality - it’s Titan, Airtel, Vodafone, ToI and Vivo. Like the all strategic, knee-jerk and reactive. Research new Cadbury TVC, his films are known to have an guides decisions but it can’t be the only way. endearing quality with pitch-perfect emotions and subtle Ads have become a cost centre and not seen as humour underlined by storytelling that is unassuming. an investment. Sub-par, low creative is rampant. “It’s about a way that resonates with peoples’ lives,” You want to break through the noise but you end he says of his process. “I try to borrow from reality up adding to it. as much as I can. Bringing that in depends on your control of the craft,” he adds. The Cadbury film, in How do you stay true to your work and fact, was inspired by his sons. Mathew also feels that vision? as a Malayali boy raised in Delhi, his ‘pan-Indian I like working with entrepreneurs, especially sensibilities’ help him understand nuances across Indian because of their emotional attachment to the sub-cultures. While Mathew loves scouting for fresh brand. Sunil Mittal may have bounced some of talent, star endorsers are also known to bring their afaqs!Reporter once did a story on how my films, but those instincts, gut-feel and passion A-game when working with him. His tryst with there were new-age ad guys cropping up spill over to our work. Flipkart’s Phone Pe was filmmaker Karan Johar on a Nescafe campaign led to with specialisations - humour, performance, exciting - we gave a good amount of time to the latter (and Anurag Kashyap) producing his first visual. Does slotting still exist? it, but the client had such passion. Having said film in 2014 - the charming Hasee Toh Phasee; a Well, the human mind likes to slot. In fact, that, brands like Nestle, HUL (Surf Excel), and critically and commercially acclaimed film. people never gave me performance films earlier, Mondelez also have that same intent. When speaking of the digital explosion-led clutter, but now, my ‘humour’ and ‘human emotions’ he says, “Breaking through all that noise can be work stand out, I suppose. So when I do non- The audience - then and now - how have quite a challenge. The scariest trend is that there’s a human story films, they aren’t always associated responses changed? commodification of work.” with me - like the Fosters campaign, Titan’s Core extractive value hasn’t changed - portrayal We chat about that and more. Edited Excerpts Aamir Khan light-stealing, Vivo cheerleader or has. Emotions from 20 years ago would perhaps Bournville cocoa bean. be seen as loud and OTT and aesthetics have The backstory - You were planning to changed, but people still like drama, humour become an economist? Were the first films that brought you and sentimental stuff. The ‘rasas’ are the same - I came to intern with Bharat Bala attention ‘performance’ ones? treatment changes every 2-3 months now! productions in Mumbai - in an attempt to meet At Footcandles, we made these IBM-type films cinematographer Santosh Sivan. Post that, since for Reliance that got noticed by the fraternity, The 30-seconder and the 2.5-hour movie - I’d studied economics, I appeared for the Delhi including Nestlé’s Chandru (Chandrasekar how has advertising prepared you for the School of Economics entrance test and also for Radhakrishnan) who was with Airtel then. That latter? FTII - I got into the latter. I wanted to be a DOP, led to the Vidya-Maddy campaign. I also did Fundamentally, a director’s job is man- but that mandated physics/chemistry as subjects. Hutch and Vodafone around the same time - I management, 90 per cent of the time. Till the end I thought of editing too but that needs patience was like this telecom specialist. of the film, it’s a constant battle while holding on (I was the youngest there). I didn’t want to direct to your core idea. Ground-work teaches you the because 20 years ago, directors were perceived as While agencies could have brand conflicts to nuances - how much information to give, what strugglers who drunk themselves into oblivion; deal with, directors can seamlessly flit across to withhold, how much to brief actors, budgets, but ‘technicians could always get work.’ Only competitors... understanding people’s abilities, tantrums - it’s after getting into the direction course did I realise One does need to understand positioning, about keeping the boat steady. how much there was to learn. but we are more kicked by the actual creative idea. As professionals, we know a certain kind of Casting is an integral part of the process... Your professional journey began in 2000 in secrecy needs to be maintained and clients have Yes. In TOI’s Aman Ki Asha, we flew in 15 Mumbai... repeatedly worked with us. It’s about being true villagers (from 6 to 78 years) from a Srinagar There was an opening at Mahesh Mathai’s to each brand’s unique language and tonality. For hamlet. They were flying for the first time, that Highlight Films - where I ended up assisting instance, Vodafone has a certain elegance and too from the cold of Kashmir to the heat of Prasoon Pandey for two-and-a-half years. minimalism, Airtel has more romance - is more Rajasthan and didn’t even want to be paid as they Eventually, I joined Nomad Films and the Indian, and Idea was a little earthy. Within a brand were awed by the experience. Bombay struggle began. Jobs were not so frequent too, there are different pitches - in Cadbury, and paid less. The first film I made on my own there’s the mother brand, there’s Celebrations, How is it being a creative entrepreneur? was for a mosquito coil brand called Knight Silk, in-home consumption and so on. I hate signing documents, looking at accounts, Queen. There was a long stint with Mudra’s clearing godowns - all of that. One obviously Sukumar Menon - we did some 25 films for What’s your general wishlist for good agency/ wants mind-space exclusively for creative. I Reliance. There was also the SBI pickpocket ad client partnerships? resisted for very long but figured that I could do and many ‘visual ads’ (that’s what young guys did Be it a CEO, a marketing head or a brand my best work if I’m on my own. n then). After that was the Footcandles stint. manager, we need them to have that intent to do shweta.mulki@afaqs.com 14 afaqs! Reporter, August 16-31, 2 0 1 8
ADVERTISING PIZZA HUT Taking a Dig at Rivals Pizza Hut releases a new campaign to combat the age-old rivalry with Domino’s. By Deepashree Banerjee D o you think puppets were out of fashion? Take a moment! The good old hand-crafted puppets are back... and how? The new TVC, released by Pizza Hut — a division of US-based Yum! Brands Inc. — takes a humorous route and shows puppets switching to the ‘all-new’ Pizza Hut. Conceptualised by Ogilvy, the campaign has been produced by Corcoise Films and directed by Vishwesh Krishnamoorthy. The TVC also features Abhay “Abhay is known for Deol, thus marking the comeback of a celebrity-endorsed TV campaign by his unconventional the brand after a hiatus of eight years. So, what was the marketing style and a cool and problem that the makers of the confident personality, ad wanted to solve with this new campaign? something that This time around, the attempt personifies the brand appears to be deliberate and rather evident. It seems quite clear that and gels well with it.” the blue puppet in the film is set to PRASHANT GAUR resemble rival Domino’s which has a brand image in a similar colour. It looks like a conscious decision on am wondering whom the advertising the brand’s part, to keep the script is targeting?” simple and less serious in tone, with “Clearly, it is taking weak pot shots the puppet concluding that the take at the dominant brand but it is too on the rival was meant to be funny TVCs; one on the recently launched Several ingredients may be behind clever by half. Puppets are as old as the and not quite one that could trigger a pan pizza range and the other on - the utter dominance of Domino’s hills, even if the QSR category may controversial reaction. WOW! Everyday value,” he sums up. Pizza over its rivals recently. The not have used the tactic. Consumers To combat the age-old rivalry Thoughts behind roping a non- pizza chain continues to aggressively tend to compare advertising across with Domino’s, the company had to mainstream actor like Abhay Deol? remodel its restaurants using its categories, unlike us,” he quips. buckle-up by upgrading equipment, “We wanted our TVCs for the new “pizza theatre” concept, as Domino’s There is nothing Sridhar feels that improving restaurant technology and campaign to have a protagonist that our calls it, in order to lure patrons. will move or shake the category or boosting advertising. The brand has audiences can resonate with. Abhay is On the brand’s brief, Ajay Gahlaut, make the competition worry in this had several TVCs spanning the 22 known for his unconventional style deputy CCO - Ogilvy India/CCO - “me too” commercial with a celebrity years that they have been in India. and a cool and confident personality, Ogilvy, North, tells afaqs! Reporter, who is not a blockbuster. Prashant Gaur, chief brand officer, something that personifies the brand “We were asked to communicate the Bikram Bindra, vice-president and Pizza Hut India, informs, “We have and gels well with it,” Gaur explains. core message — It’s time to switch — strategic planning head, Grey Group in the most entertaining way possible. Delhi, believes this campaign carries The TVC marks the comeback of a celebrity-led Being a pizza brand, we wanted the a clear marketing agenda: get lapses TVCs to be fun and that’s when the back into the fold. campaign by Pizza Hut after a gap of 8 years. idea of puppets came into play.” Pizza Hut, historically known for only dialled up our brand presence When discussing how the brand Gahlaut thinks this campaign serving up the ‘better’ pizza, has on television in the last 5 to 8 years.” appears to be taking a jibe at a rival, caters to all pizza lovers, irrespective potentially been losing favour with Gaur thinks they’ve been quite Gaur shrugs off any such probability of demographics or psychographics. a fickle audience that has been lured agile in the manner in which they and elaborates on the choice of using Also, let’s not forget the offshore away with consistent discounting have engaged with their evolving puppets as a creative device, “The Pizza Hut advertisement starring and an almost ‘forced’ loyalty by the audience and that the brand’s TVCs use subtle humour where the Donald and Ivana Trump that kicked other big player in this category. campaigns have kept pace with what puppets are seen switching to the all- off the success of the chain’s stuffed- “The intent of the film is to subtly appeals to today’s netizens. new Pizza Hut. Abhay Deol, known crust pizza back in 1995. make us question that preference “With increasing digitalisation for his unique comic style, brings out and using an unusual creative device and more and more consumers the best of the situation in the ads, DEAL MAKER OR BREAKER? (like the puppet or even a non- going online for their daily dose of giving the campaign its very essence.” Ramanujam Sridhar, CEO and mainstream actor like Abhay Deol) information, we have made digital When quizzed on the brand’s founder of Brand-Comm raises ensures a mental availability long platforms an integral part of our decision to ‘beep out’ some parts of a potent question, “Whilst kids, after the film is viewed and a break media strategy. Talking about our the puppet’s dialogue in the video, teenagers and young adults are the from the cookie-cutter approach of latest campaign - It’s time to switch Gaur gets candid, “Yes, we are leaving prime movers who bring Pizza into the category,” he shares. n - we break it with a set of two a lot to the imagination!” the home for anyone to consume, I deepashree.banerjee@afaqs.com 18 afaqs! Reporter, August 16-31, 2 0 1 8
INTERVIEW NAVONIL RAHUL CHATTERJEE JAUHARI JOINT PRESIDENT JOINT PRESIDENT REDIFFUSION REDIFFUSION ON ITS OWN STEA M An interview with Rahul Jauhari and 14 years, continues to keep his title of chief creative officer. WPP) and Dentsu, making the group independent again, after enduring years Navonil Chatterjee, the recently elevated The group’s other recently promoted of friction with former WPP CEO Sir joint president Navonil Chatterjee, who Martin Sorrell who stepped down from his joint presidents of the suddenly, and finally, came on board three years back, also role this April. independent Rediffusion. By Ashwini Gangal continues to lead as chief strategy officer. The creative-planning duo was given this When news of Rediffusion’s autonomous status was out, Rahul wrote ‘Freediffusion’ I additional mandate - joint presidency - and Navonil wrote ‘Freedom at mid-day’ know you’ve come to throw tough creative officer of the agency, who famously when Dhunji Wadia vacated this position on their social media pages. A re-branding questions at us but listen, whatever and flamboyantly swore to turn the agency a few days back. exercise in underway. you write in this interview, just around by giving a Hollywood reference Earlier this month Rediffusion’s Brands on the agency’s client list include don’t bring up George Clooney!” (“By the end of the year Rediffusion will be founders Diwan Arun Nanda and Ajit Audi, Cipla, Colgate, Eveready, Godfrey says Rediffusion’s recently elevated the George Clooney of Indian advertising”), Balakrishnan (who launched the agency Philips, GSK, Hindware, SBI, TVS joint president Rahul Jauhari, harking a headline that tickled our readers for back in 1973 along with Mohammed Srichakra, Kotak Mahindra, Liebherr, back to a 2013 interview I did with months on end. Khan) bought back the 40 per cent shares Star Jalsha, Parle Products, Tata Motors, Sam Ahmed, then vice-chairman and chief Rahul, who has been with the group for held in their company by Y&R (part of and Tata Sons, among others. 20 afaqs! Reporter, August 16-31, 2 0 1 8
COVERSTORY The trend is to put We’ve won pitches the guys who do the that any agency work at the helm. would’ve given their Who does the client right arm for. want to interact with The people at today? With the Rediffusion have swag person who’s really and ‘proper pride’ as doing the job. Jane Austen put it. RAHUL JAUHARI NAVONIL CHATTERJEE Never mind Clooney; this interview, donkey’s years. We recently picked up I assure them, is about addressing all the two prestigious and current mandates elephants in the room. So I start with the from them. They didn’t give the job to fattest one. us because they like Arun Nanda’s face or because we are X number of years Edited excerpts: old. It was a hard fought pitch battle. When a legacy brand wants to stay Rediffusion is believed to be past relevant it goes to relevant people to its best days – an agency that solve the problem; it doesn’t go to needs to ‘bring back lost glory’. It another legacy brand. must be hard leading a firm that’s Are we under pressure? No. You always referred to as a ‘has been’. have a problem with our legacy – Or is it not? handle it. Legacy is not a burden for Rahul: Media keeps referring us. It’s like going to a good school back to the loss of Airtel. That was a with a great alumni. generation back. Life has moved on since. The ghosts are buried in articles Rediffusion is now led by a written many years back. creative head and a planner. In India, if you see a man in a kurta There’s chatter about the absence once, you’ll call him ‘kurtay wala of a suit to run the business, the aadmi’, even after 20 years, even if he P&L side of things… has moved from his kurta to a pajama Rahul: The trend is to put the to a suit. Similarly, the sinking ship guys who do the work at the helm. thing is a hangover. Is the question Who does the client want to interact surprising? No, it is not. But do I find with today? With the person who’s any truth in it? No. really doing the job. Why else would Yes, there’s a tonne to do – become Leo Burnett do it? (Creative head finally stronger, get a wider spectrum Rajdeepak Das and planning head of clients. Rediffusion is a good car. Dheeraj Sinha were made managing We’ll drive it faster, give it a new coat directors in April). He’s doing the of paint, some shine. perceived make the promotion Rediffusion in 2015) who worked at an thinking (points to Navonil) and I’m If there’s one thing we’re guilty bittersweet? agency with brands like Nike, Levi’s, doing the work. of it’s not flaunting our work. For Rahul: We’ve been given a Google, my view of Rediffusion was Yes there was a time long back example, we’ve done some great mandate that neither of us was lusting always ‘the fun place to be’. And when creative hid in a corner, work for Hero Moto Corp, but when for. look at the alumni Rediffusion has. planning didn’t exist, and servicing someone sees a great ad for Hero, Navonil: Over the past three I’ll throw a challenge to any other did the planning and managed the they don’t think of Rediffusion. years we’ve won pitches that every agency including JWT, Ogilvy, to relationships. Today, servicing Similarly, lot of clients have given agency in town would’ve given their come halfway near Rediffusion on is a relationship holder more than us projects, CSR work… that’s not right arm for. I’ll be honest, some of that front. anything. necessarily an account shift. But the brands we won have gone away, As Balki once told me, whoever brands are increasingly working like but most are there. The people at But isn’t that like resting on past stands up and says ‘It’s my ass that that. This is all well appreciated, Rediffusion have swag and ‘proper laurels? Do clients really care needs to be taken’ is the leader. Don’t applauded work, but poor guys pride’ as Jane Austen puts it. about an illustrious alumni list? In ask him his caste, creed, sex, or where out there don’t know who they’re Can we do better? Can we do fact, today legacy and heritage are he’s from. So right now, it’s our asses clapping for. more? Yes, definitely. Yes, we know sometimes likened to baggage, that we’re offering. Also, fundamentally, we (himself some of the perceptions about us not a plus point... Navonil: Creative people are and Navonil) are shy; we don’t talk in the outside world. But if you’re Rahul: Good question. A client some of the savviest when it comes to about what we do. Maybe that’s an confident about yourself, then doesn’t come to me because of a great finance and money. ante that needs to be upped. perception be damned. person who worked here 20 years As an outsider (I spent 15 years back. He comes for what I deliver. WPP’s Rediffusion versus an But does the way the agency is at JWT Bangalore before joining We’ve handled the Tata brand for independent Rediffusion – how continued on page 23 >> afaqs! Reporter, August 16-31, 2 0 1 8 21
INTERVIEW RAJESH RAMAKRISHNAN “Confectionery is so in-your- face that it’s a benefit” A few weeks back, Italy-headquartered The frequency of consumption is another Perfetti Van Melle India appointed Rajesh difference. I’ve worked on categories such as Ramakrishnan as its new MD. He has been shoe polish and fabric care. You polish your shoes with the company for four-and-a-half years, initially as maybe once a week — if you really decide to! the MD for Bangladesh, then as chief transformation Similarly, you may use shampoo or toilet cleaner officer (CTO), a role that brought him to India. once in a week or maybe once every three days. An engineer from BITS Pilani, with an MBA But confectionery is different. If I eat a candy in from XLRI (Jamshedpur), Ramakrishnan started his the morning, I can still eat a candy two hours later. career as a management trainee with Reckitt Benckiser Due to the sheer frequency of consumption, the (then Reckitt and Colman). His early rounds as a sales number of transactions is huge. manager took him to North and South Karnataka Also, confectionery is easily available to people, followed by stints in Orissa, Bihar and Tamil Nadu. it’s so in-your-face that it’s a benefit. You don’t Ramakrishnan worked on brands such as Cherry have to tell too many people about it; everybody Blossom and Robin Blue; it was eight years of sales knows about it, which is a good starting point. and marketing with Reckitt. This was followed by two years with Marico, where he worked on non-Parachute What are your key points of sale? brands such as Shanti Amla and Hair & Care. Most of our products, as Nielsen defines Then for another six years at Frito Lay (PepsiCo) it, are sold in paan outlets which make for he looked after Kurkure for a while and did a brief “In FMCG, marketing a significant chunk of sales. Then there are stint in Bangkok in a regional role - with Quaker drives the company... In grocers and general stores/kiranas. We are on insights and innovation. He then stepped out of available in modern trade too. E-commerce for FMCG for a bit with a year at Apollo Tyres looking non-FMCG companies, confectionery helps to customise offerings to after global markets for the Apollo Brands and then it was on to Hindustan Times for two years. marketing probably plays customers; that’s one of the directions we see it moving towards in the future. We have a huge Ramakrishnan, who has been in the industry more of a support role footprint of distribution. There’s headroom to for over 24 years, is a photography and trekking enthusiast (he recently completed Everest Base Camp and is not necessarily the grow, especially when it comes to some of the higher price points like the `5 and `10 packs. and Kilimanjaro) - and things that ‘stimulate his right prime driver of growth.” brain’, as he puts it. Edited Excerpts For an impulse-driven category such as RAJESH RAMAKRISHNAN confectionery, can you explain the role of From MD of Perfetti Bangladesh to India advertising? head of ‘transformation’, and now MD of growth. In non-FMCG companies, marketing Advertising is mostly rooted in a product India ops... Tell us about these roles. probably plays more of a support role and is insight; it starts there. It then has to link back to The confectionery markets in Bangladesh not necessarily the prime driver of growth. For what the brand promises and have some cultural and India are similar on the product front, but instance, at Apollo, manufacturing would play angle as well. It’s a triangulation of these three Bangladesh is a much smaller market... and in a far bigger role than marketing. In a media things. terms of stage of evolution, is a few years behind company (Hindustan Times), media marketing India. The intensity of competition here (India) or sales is a bigger role in driving the agenda, Let’s talk about the way DS Group’s Pulse is much higher. whereas marketing is just about making sure that candy took the confectionery segment by CTO was a newly-created role; the idea was the right support is provided. But in FMCG, it’s storm a few years ago. What do you do to optimise our business model which includes marketing that drives the entire thinking for the when you see this kind of phenomenon different facets such as the product portfolio, company. That is the biggest difference. created by a rival brand? the go-to market strategy, the operations and, of Whoever picks it (rival brand doing well) up course, the people and capabilities. The job was And within FMCG, how is confectionery first — maybe the sales team or the operations to lead these multiple projects in a structured marketing different from marketing across team — brings it to everyone’s notice. We then manner. While being CTO was more about other kinds of sub-segments? look at it and say — ‘is that an area of interest managing all these projects, being MD is more The fixed price-points - like 50 paise, one and opportunity for us?’ about managing the whole business. It’s a bigger rupee, two rupees... it’s slightly similar to Once we decide to respond, it is important role. It’s like a mix of operations and strategy. marketing snacks. In the confectionery category, to understand what they offered to the market, price elasticity becomes a challenge. When we what element of the mix worked for them... if You’ve spent the bulk of your career in are at a price point of `1, we cannot shift to we see a bigger opportunity, we look at how we FMCG but have also worked outside it. `1.20... we have to jump directly to `2. There are can address it. We then leverage some of our From a marketing point of view, what’s the consumers who drop out because of the price. strengths and take advantage of the opportunity. biggest difference? In the confectionery category, products also get I don’t think anything happens as a knee-jerk In FMCG, marketing drives the company. exchanged as currency (replacement for loose reaction. It’s well planned out and executed. n Marketing drives strategy and strategy drives change; an insight Paytm has milked in its ads). abid.barlaskar@afaqs.com 22 afaqs! Reporter, August 16-31, 2 0 1 8
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