IndustrySpeak: Guest Editors add editorial perspective

The concept of guest editors is no longer new to the media industry. Throughout print and television, news organisations have invited guest editors to join their editorial team for a day. exchange4media speaks to industry players to find out what the idea behind guest editors really is.

e4m by exchange4media Staff
Published: Jun 21, 2007 8:39 AM  | 3 min read
IndustrySpeak: Guest Editors add editorial perspective

The concept of guest editors is no longer new to the media industry. Throughout print and television, news organisations have invited guest editors to join their editorial team for a day.

Recently, Mid-Day invited actor Sanjay Dutt to be the guest editor after the ‘Munnabhai’ success. The Times Group has also been active in this sphere; Vilasrao Deshmukh edited the Maharashtra Times last week. CNBC Awaaz invited Future Group’s Kishore Biyani a couple of weeks ago. Clearly most industry players feel this is a sure-shot marketing strategy in gaining eyeballs. Most feel that it also enhances the editorial perspective by bringing an external point of view.

Abhijit Pradhan, Director-Sales and Advertising, Mid Day, said that it all depends on how you use a celebrity. “It is all about how you do it and what context you get. There are a lot of brands today -- celebrities tend to become blind spots. There is uniqueness in the idea when you pioneer something. It should not become a formula. At the same time, however, it is a great way to engage your audience. In terms of such content, people find it interesting since it is coming from a benchmark: a celebrity who is relevant to the times. It makes no sense to have a fashion model giving gyaan on finance -- that won’t work. It needs to be relevant and engaging,” he said.

Hindustan Times does not follow this marketing trend. HT’s Samar Harlankar, Editor for Western region, said that he would not have anything to say, since they really don’t get into it. “I would not have an opinion about it, since we do not really ever call guest editors,” he said.

Ravi Dhariwal, CEO, Bennett & Coleman, however feels that Times has come a long way since they first started the concept of guest editors. “We have had tons of celebrity editors, from Kalam to Vikram Seth and Shashi Tharoor. I believe it’s a very good idea and it refreshes the paper for the day. It gives the editorial new focus and connects very well with the reader,” he said.

Zubin Driver, Creative Director, The Cell, CNBC 18, said that it works on two levels. “Firstly, it enhances your editorial -- it helps you to look at your own work in a different way. Secondly, it broadens your scope and perspective, helping the readership when an industry person is called in to give an editorial perspective on something. People relate to it, and it helps you to get some amount of stickiness. We’ve had a whole series of guest editors at CNBC. It is mostly an editorial choice. The kinds of people that are chosen are substantial and intellectual. I personally find it very interesting; it creates multiple perspectives,” he said.

Sunil Lulla, CEO, Times Now, said that the concept has been age old with the Times Group. “I think it can work for television as well. It is different to do it for print and to do it for television, and I think it can work for TV as well. It is a different format and I do think that it can work. The idea behind it is more of a branding or marketing strategy. It also enhances the editorial, with an external point of view,” he said.

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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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