Digital agencies upbeat about 2009: Mindset change is the need of the hour – Part 2

In the first part of this report, exchange4media had looked at the potential that digital marketing offers. While there is growing interest from advertisers in this medium, traditional agencies are yet to make any significant switchovers. In the concluding part, we take a look at the roadblocks as well as the growing buzz in digital marketing.

e4m by exchange4media Staff
Published: Jan 7, 2009 6:44 AM  | 5 min read
Digital agencies upbeat about 2009: Mindset change is the need of the hour – Part 2

In the first part of this report, exchange4media had looked at the potential that digital marketing offers. While there is growing interest from advertisers in this medium, traditional agencies are yet to make any significant switchovers. However, there are a number of traditional agencies who have come up with their digital arms and are in the process of exploring the medium.

‘Visiting card’ online agencies

Citing a few reasons as to why things might have been a little tough for the traditional agencies, Atul Hegde, CEO, Ignitee, explained, “Unlike offline, for the online medium the entry barrier is high. More than talent, it is a mindset issue. Also, most agencies have taken the easy route out by starting ‘visiting card’ online agencies. Agencies have to realise that there is lot more to the digital business than adapting offline creative into banners and doing plain media buys on portals. Mindset change is the need of the hour.”

Some of the traditional agencies have come out successful with either their digital arms or through integration with big digital agencies. Leroy Alvares, Country Head, Tribal DDB, felt that lack of talent was the biggest reason for traditional agencies not coming out big in the digital space. “Even if we have got integrated with Mudra for quite sometime now, there has been a certain level of independent thinking that we have applied in our work, which is important for any digital agency. In the digital space, understanding of the techniques changes by the day, and that poses the biggest challenge,” he added.

According to Webchutney’s Rahul Nanda, “The Internet is a medium which needs to be treated in its own individuality and not compared with print or TV. Hence, the thought process, the approach, and the understanding, all need to change accordingly. Making the cut will eventually happen, but will they be at the cutting edge of digital creativity? Only time will tell.”

Krishna Kumar, Founder & CEO, Media2win, noted, “Most of the independent digital agencies have been start-ups and they have employed entrepreneurs. The entrepreneurial approach to business is the key factor. Specialisation comes with focus and the ability to be flexible, and that is the biggest reason for the success of most of the digital agencies.”

Social media to evolve beyond the buzz

Just as the digital medium emerges as a more evolved and mature medium, the advertisers are looking out for newer methods and techniques to reach out to their TGs. This has got most of the digital agencies devising latest strategies and creatives, of which social media has created quite some buzz. But what seems to be a bigger challenge is to take social media beyond the buzz and make it work.

Commenting on the growing buzz around social media, Manish Vij, Co-founder, Quasar Media, said, “The commercialisation of social media will not be that big. It will still be a platform where marketers will experiment this year in various ways and formats. We think social media is a platform that helps in connecting. Marketers should concentrate more on the way they will make their brand interesting enough to get connected with the customer and not forceful social media campaigns.”

According to Ignitee’s Hegde, “Social media will definitely be the buzz factor for the digital media in 2009. But how well brands and digital marketing companies can leverage it, is anybody’s guess. More than it being commercialised, I hope as an industry we are able to leverage it and make it an effective communication tool to build brands rather than just a device to create buzz. Social media desperately needs to evolve from looking good in PowerPoint presentations and actually making an impact in the life of a brand.”

In-game advertising is slowly evolving as an important tool for interactive marketing. Recently, Games2win has created a unique application on Orkut to promote Marico’s Hair and Care Almond Gold brand. This was strategically done to serve the dual purpose to expose new users to the brand and also leverage the existing community on Orkut.

Commenting on the newer interactive methods, Alok Kejriwal, Founder & CEO, Games2win, said, “It is going to be a slow and tricky process. Banners on social media sites in India and elsewhere in the world are not working. Either brands are very nervous to place ads in social pages that they do not have control or sanity checks on, or banners are getting un-noticed since friends are busy interacting with each other. ‘Fusion’ marketing is the business model to get brands to spend on social media. In terms of consumer influence, and I do believe that social media is now impacting purchase decisions in this country.”

Whether social media emerges the pop hero of digital marketing or not, whether traditional agencies join the digital marketing fray in a big way or not, the fact that digital medium has piqued the interest of the media and marketing industry in India proves that this medium has chalked out its success story for the year.

Also read:

Digital agencies upbeat about 2009: A welcome note to traditional advertisers – Part 1

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E4M Our strategy is to target younger audiences through Sports: Rajiv Dubey, Dabur

The Head of Media at Dabur India spoke exclusively to exchange4media on the World Cup, associating with Indian Idol, the company’s digital spending and much more

e4m by e4m Staff
Published: Oct 27, 2023 6:15 PM  | 1 min read
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With quirky campaigns, memes and moment marketing, timed with the ongoing World Cup and particularly the India-Pakistan matches, Dabur India has got considerable consumer attention for its popular brands – Red Paste, Cool King Hair Oil, Chyawanprash, Dabur Vita and the recently launched Bae Fresh Gel toothpaste.

The 140-year-old company is going big on key sporting events, World Television Premiere (WTP) movies and reality shows. It is now gearing up to become the title sponsor of popular talent show ‘Indian Idol’ on Sony TV for the first time, shared Rajiv Dubey, who leads the media strategy at Dabur.

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Swapan Seth's new book 'COOL' is out

The book is a reflection of the author's 'eclectic taste across categories'

e4m by e4m Staff
Published: Oct 27, 2023 6:07 PM  | 1 min read
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Advertising professional and art collector Swapan Seth has announced the launch of his new book COOL. The book is described as "a ready reckoner to the hip and the happening, of the known and the very unknown."

The book is a reflection of the author's "eclectic taste across categories: from boltholes to exotic hideaways."

COOL has been published by Simon & Schuster India and is available on Amazon.

Seth is an ad veteran with a long and illustrious career in the industry. He became the youngest-ever Creative Director at Clarion at age 24. He was VP at 26 at Trikaya Grey. Two years later, he started his agency Equus.

He writes for publications such as The Economic Times, Hindustan Times and India Today. This is his second book and he has previously published THIS IS ALL I HAVE TO SAY.

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Disney Star signs 9 sponsors for Asia Cup PAK

Charged by Thums Up, Nerolac Paint+, Amazon Pay, Jindal Panther, My11Circle, MRF, Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5, Wild Stone and Thums Up come on board

e4m by exchange4media Staff
Published: Aug 26, 2023 11:48 AM  | 1 min read
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e4m Staff Disney Star has signed nine broadcast and digital streaming sponsors for the upcoming Asia Cup.

Charged by Thums Up, Nerolac Paint+, Amazon Pay, Jindal Panther, My11Circle, MRF, Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5, Wild Stone and Thums Up have come on board for the upcoming tournament.
As reported earlier by exchange4media, Disney Star has sought Rs 26 crore for the co-presenting sponsorship on TV and Rs 30 crore for Disney+ Hotstar.

According to industry sources, the associate sponsorship on Star Sports has been priced at Rs 19.66 crore, whereas for the ‘powered by’ sponsorship on Disney+ Hotstar, the broadcaster is seeking Rs 18 crore.

As per the information available with exchange4media, Disney+ Hotstar has three sponsorship tiers-- co-presenting (Rs 30 crore), powered by (Rs 18 crore) and associate sponsorship (Rs 12 crore). The broadcaster is offering an estimated reach of 120-140 million for co-presenting sponsors, 90-100 million for powered by and 60-70 million for associate sponsorship.

A spot buy for 10 seconds has been priced at Rs 25 lakh for the India vs Pakistan matches, while for the non-India matches, the ad rate for 10 second is Rs 2.3 lakh. The India matches plus the final for ODIs has been priced at Rs 17 lakh per 10 seconds.

Asia Cup is scheduled to be held from 30 August, 2023, to September 17, 2023.

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Sorted 360 wins creative & social media mandate of Reliance Mall

The agency will manage offline and online campaigns for Reliance Mall

e4m by exchange4media Staff
Published: Aug 26, 2023 10:54 AM  | 1 min read
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Sorted 360, an integrated creative and social media agency, has won the mandate to providing brand solutions for Reliance Malls across India.

“Sorted 360 is set to enhance Reliance Malls' market presence with their unparalleled creative prowess and strategic thinking,” read a press release.

“Sorted 360's commitment to pushing the boundaries of creative communication aligns perfectly with Reliance Malls' ethos. With a pan-India presence spanning across 19 cities and growing, Reliance Malls has consistently captivated customers by offering an array of Reliance brands and third-party fashion & lifestyle brands. The mall has established an unparalleled connection with its patrons through superior quality, a remarkable value proposition, and an unmatched shopping experience,” it read further.

"We are thrilled to welcome Sorted 360 as our trusted partner in advancing our brand presence across the nation," said the Head of Marketing at Relaice Malls. "Their proven expertise in retail, shopping center management, and innovative creative strategies make them the perfect fit for our vision."

"Partnering with Reliance Malls is a testament to our commitment to shaping extraordinary brand experiences," remarked Prerana Anatharam, Co-founder of Sorted 360. "We are excited to leverage our strategic and creative acumen to further elevate Reliance Malls as the epitome of convenience, choice, and excellence."

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e4m by exchange4media Staff
Published: Aug 25, 2023 4:39 PM  | 1 min read

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e4m by exchange4media Staff
Published: Aug 25, 2023 4:38 PM  | 1 min read

KlugKlug onboards Hemang Mehta as Country Manager for Indias

Mehta was most recently Head of Agency Relationships at Network 18 Media & Investments

e4m by exchange4media Staff
Published: Aug 24, 2023 3:35 PM  | 1 min read
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KlugKlug has appointed Hemang Mehta as its Country Manager for India.

Mehta will play a pivotal role in driving KlugKlug's growth and expansion within the Indian market and be responsible for Sales & GTM Strategy

Prior to that, he has also represented organisations like Exponential (now VDX.tv), India Today Digital and Rediff.com. His expertise spans various domains including digital media sales, mobile marketing, media planning, and buying, social media marketing, and more.

Hemang Mehta expressed his enthusiasm about joining KlugKlug, saying, "I am thrilled to be a part of KlugKlug, a forward-thinking platform that is reshaping the influencer marketing landscape. As much as I look forward to collaborating with the exuberant team at KlugKlug, I am super excited to interact with the brands to deliver powerful data-backed Influencer solutions that will guarantee business outcomes."

Commenting on the appointment, Kalyan Kumar, Co-Founder and CEO of KlugKlug, stated, "We are excited to welcome Hemang Mehta to our team as the Country Manager for India. His extensive experience in digital media sales and marketing will be instrumental in driving our efforts to provide influencer marketing solutions to our clients. We believe Hemang's leadership will be key in scaling our operations and expanding our reach within the Indian market."

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