Punjab Assembly Election 2017: AAP's Delhi govt draws flak for ad spend

Arvind Kejriwal’s Aam Aadmi Party has been trying to project itself as an alternative in Punjab by advertising the achievements of the Delhi government in a few newspapers of the state

e4m by Saif Ahmad Khan
Published: Aug 8, 2016 8:25 AM  | 4 min read
Punjab Assembly Election 2017: AAP's Delhi govt draws flak for ad spend

Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is not new to controversy. Several have alleged the AAP to be a publicity-driven outfit. However, the accusations have only increased in the lead up to Punjab Assembly Elections 2017. AAP has been accused of indulging in wasteful government expenditure in the form of advertisements published with the intention of wooing voters in Punjab.

 

Earlier in February, AAP had published full-page advertorials in Punjabi and Hindi newspapers of the state. These advertisements categorically listed the achievements of Kejriwal’s government. Predictably, the Congress party was miffed. They questioned the need for advertising what had been done by the Delhi government in Punjab. The grand old party reasoned that such a thing was being done to influence the voters in Punjab.

Quoting a source in Congress’s Public Relations Department, The Indian Express reported, “There is no logic in the Delhi government’s achievements being highlighted in the Chandigarh edition newspapers, especially those in Punjabi and Hindi. It is clearly to target voters for the Punjab assembly polls in 2017.” At that time, the Congress had vowed to find out how much Kejriwal & Co. had spent on the advertisements.

However, that didn’t deter AAP from carrying on with the advertising onslaught. In early June, they published full-page advertisements announcing its decision of appointing one Punjabi language teacher in every school. Higher wages were also promised to the teachers. These advertisements too led to furious responses.

Both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress lashed out at the Delhi government. While BJP leader Vijay Goel stated that the Aam Aadmi Party was using the tax payer’s money to win elections in Punjab, Congress’s Ajay Maken also launched a spirited attack against Aam Aadmi Party.    

Later in a television interview, Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley also criticised AAP’s advertising blitzkrieg. He sought to know “why the odd-even scheme advertisements” were “appearing in Chennai newspapers in Hindi.” Going further, Jaitley lamented that the Delhi government was using advertising expenditure to win friends and silence critics in the media.

Legally speaking, AAP might still find itself sailing in a calm sea. “So far in my opinion, there is nothing that prevents a sitting Chief Minister from advertising his/her achievements in newspapers of other states,” said Mrinal Pande, former Chairperson, Prasar Bharati. She pointed out that other Chief Ministers including Akhilesh Yadav, J Jayalalitha and Mamata Banerjee had been actively placing advertisements in national newspapers.

She emphasized that only the Election Commission had the power to clampdown on such electioneering once the model code of conduct is applicable following the announcement of election dates.

Differing views were offered by VK Chopra. “The taxes have been given by Delhi state voters. Arvind Kejriwal is exploiting them. He is misusing the funds by publishing advertisements for political purposes in Punjab,” said Chopra, Chief Patron, Delhi Advertising Club.

When questioned whether Aam Aadmi Party had succeeded in establishing itself as a credible brand, Chopra stated that it would be unfair to compare the past with the present. He reasoned that AAP took advantage of people’s dissatisfaction with the Congress. Highlighting the incumbent government’s keenness for publicity, he mentioned that the current regime had come up with an advertising agency of its own in the form of Shabdarth.

Commenting on Delhi government’s ads, Baljit Singh Brar, Editor of Punjab Times, stated that governments should refrain from using public money for political mileage. “Parties should spend on advertising themselves. There should be no wastage of taxpayer’s money,” said Brar.

He further revealed that Delhi government’s advertisements were published in select newspapers. “I have only seen advertisements in The Tribune and Ajit Punjabi,” he added. Brar claimed that AAP shelled as much as Rs 2.5 lakh on full page advertisements though the ads did not have enough matter to occupy the whole page.

He also alleged that the state’s leading newspaper Punjab Kesari did not receive any advertisements from AAP because of their critical coverage of the party. The newspaper has since sharpened its attack on the newfound political outfit.  

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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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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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