Flashback 2014: How many billions do you have?
The most significant happening in 2014 has been the emergence of the billionaire entrepreneur with VCs beating a path to his front doors, says Ramanujam Sridhar, Founder and CEO, brand-comm

A few years ago Fastrack the iconic youth brand did a fantastic campaign with a sign off “how many you have?”The cheeky tone of voice represented the jauntiness of the youth brigade which had this phenomenal urge to move on. This phrase might well be the catch phrase of today’s entrepreneurs whose twist might well be “how many billions do you have?” Yes, if one attempts to do a review of 2014, one must remember that while several things happened in the year which had a tremendous impact, not the least of it the elections, the most significant happening has been the emergence of the billionaire entrepreneur with VCs beating a path to his front doors.
A brand called Modi
Though Modi’s election strategy and on line blitz has been arguably done to death it would be almost impossible to ignore it when one is doing a review. One saw again the power of the “personal brand” in winning an election and leading the nation. The operative word was “strategy” and we had a mix of young kids on sabbatical to famous business leaders pitching in. Not to forget the importance of the online medium as a tremendous media to influence, engage and finally motivate voters to vote out “the hand” and vote in “the lotus”. The power of “WhatsApp” in UP might well have an alternative headline!
She shops for grocery too
Whilst change seems such an inadequate word to describe what is happening to the Indian consumer, that’s the operative word as people not only buy books, music, movie tickets and mobiles, they buy grocery too! What a sea change it has been with the advent of the smart phone! And while Flipkart’s “big billion day sale” might have made the founders get some egg on their faces, there is no denying the fact that the online shopping habit seems to have spread in no uncertain terms to the smaller towns as well. In fact the “un metro’ as some people might call it could well emerge as the next big opportunity as a consumer base as the cities get increasingly crowded and more difficult to woo.
The year of the full page ad
When I was wet behind the ears in advertising and that was ages ago, a full page ad in the Times of India was an event. A phenomenon if you will. A talking point even. Not anymore. Today the full page ad is more common than the quarter page ad of my times. Not that the ad is any more creative! Newspapers are anxious to give away everything including their mastheads and the only thing that has lost out is the creative. Still on the subject of creative what was the breakthrough ad of 2014 on TV? Something that made you stand up and cheer? I am searching for campaigns like Airtel, Vodafone or Fastrack of earlier years. Another interesting trend was the emergence of YouTube as a serious medium.
Brands get discounted
A distressing sign has been the discounting of big brands in the online medium and that is a shame. Here are the big brands like Nike, Adidas and Levi’s who have spent years in building their respective brands and yet what is happening online? Some big e-commerce major is discounting these very brands to build their business and valuation and the consumer is laughing all the way to the bank. For who would not like to get these brands that I would give an arm and leg for at discount? And right through the year to boot! I wish though that somebody would think about the implications of this. Like the BCCI, we shouldn’t end up killing the golden goose.
The consumer is finally king
How often have we heard this statement about the importance of the consumer to the business or MK Gandhi’s famous lines on the subject which have almost become part of the furniture in most organizations. Today that is changing, thanks to the power of the social medium. Today consumers go to Facebook or Twitter to vent their ire and the results are there for all to see. Companies must respond and soon to customer complaints. Though one does wish that consumers would use their new found power judicially and not get completely carried away as they have on occasion.
So let’s cut to the chase. How was the year? It was exciting. It provided tremendous opportunities and learning. It was the year of the entrepreneur and let’s hope 2015 will continue to build on the start that the year gone by provided them with.
And before I forget, here’s wishing each and every one of you a phenomenal year ahead!
Ramanujam Sridhar is the Founder and CEO of brand-comm and a Communication Consultant.
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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
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'
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 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
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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KlugKlug onboards Hemang Mehta as Country Manager for Indias
Mehta was most recently Head of Agency Relationships at Network 18 Media & Investments
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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