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The much awaited IPL 2023 season is about to begin. Everyone is pumped and excited to see their favourite players back in their favourite teams performing at their peak. The success of the Women’s Premier League only increased anticipation for the Indian Premier League. The IPL has always been a high adrenaline tournament, not only for the players of each team but for the audience as well. Consequently, the tournament has been a magnanimous success since its inception in 2008. 

Back in 2008, the IPL was expected to be a success and thus, was valued at $1.1 billion, turning the franchise into a unicorn. DLF had purchased title sponsorship for the tournament for a then measly Rs.36 crore and the broadcasting deal for that year was purchased by Sony Pictures Network for Rs.486 crore as part of a ten year broadcasting deal acquired for Rs.8200 crore.

Since then, the numbers have grown exponentially. As of 2023, the IPL is now a decacorn, valued at a whopping $10.9 billion. Tata has acquired title sponsorship for Rs.577 crore and the broadcasting rights for digital have been awarded to Viacom18 for Rs. 8736 crore for the year as a part of a five year deal for Rs. 23758 crore. The television rights have been retained by Disney Star for Rs. 23575 crore. 

Brand interest in the tournament is in abundance. The numbers prove it. Every brand wants to associate themselves with the biggest sports franchise in the country. The time surrounding the IPL is now a much awaited period for brands to showcase some of their best ad campaigns in build up to the tournament. We’ve seen some of the best and unique ads by brands during the IPL season. Let’s take a look at some of these ads. 

<strong>Vodafone ZooZoo</strong>

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All of us remember those cute little white figures that took our televisions by storm back in the day. Vodafone’s ZooZoo’s were the talk of the town. The fast-paced shrill voice, the funny movements and the overall comic flair won our hearts as it was one of the most unique ads of its time. ZooZoos were probably the best thing to be introduced by the brand after the tiny pug. Are we the only ones who want Vodafone-Idea to bring back ZooZoos?

<strong>Manoranjan ka Baap</strong>

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The old school ad is fantastic. It captures the wonderful dramatic flair that Indian serials are known for and packages it into a one minute TVC. A mother gives birth to two children, ‘Mano’ and ‘Ranjan.’ The father however, is nowhere to be found. The kids and mother are constantly taunted and criticised for not having a father. To this, they always have a single response saying that their father would one day arrive. The plot twist at the end is fun. The ad is satirical and a clever play on words, capturing the emotional sentiment of India aptly. Worth a watch. 

<strong>Kingfisher - Oo La La La Le O</strong>

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Well, this one might be a bit controversial. The signature jingle of the brand was synonymous with the IPL back in the day. This ad never failed to get you to groove along and sing along. The tune was catchy and worked wonders for the brand. This spot by Kingfisher is evergreen and timeless and would go viral even if it were released today. Watching the ad today, brings back a lot of memories. It is nostalgic not only because of the tune but also because of the legendary players that feature in the ad, most of whom are retired today. 

<strong>Swiggy Uncle - No order too small</strong>

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Food has always been an inseparable part of the IPL viewing experience. Not every fan can go to the stadium to view a match live. Thus, the home viewing experience is made as comfortable and enjoyable as possible. Swiggy launched a campaign where an older man is seen ordering just one gulab jamun. In another ad, he is seen ordering only one laddoo, promoting the fact that no matter how small the order, Swiggy will deliver. There are no dialogues in the ad. Just a cute exchange of expressions between a husband and wife supported with IPL commentary in the background. This ad too became a fan favourite. 

<strong>Zepto</strong> 

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The list wouldn’t be complete without the mention of this unique series of ads by quick-delivery platform Zepto. The series of three ads features legendary singers, Usha Uthap, Shankar Mahadevan and Kailash Kher. They are seen working as attendants at various departments. Whenever, someone asks a question, the singers inevitable break into song, stretching a single note for far too long. This series is so fun to watch and listen to. The idea behind the ad was to inform people of the quick delivery that the brand offers as opposed to the time wasting techniques of many others. Probably the most melodious and harmonious ads of 2022. 




Swiggy Uncle to Vodafone ZooZoos - Best IPL ads of all time

Advertisements have always been a great way for brands to market their products and services. However, it has always been a hit or miss situation. Not all brands come up with great advertisements. Some have positive lasting impacts and some we would just love to forget. Storyboard18’s weekly ad reviews filter through the past weeks ads, letting you know which ones were the best and which ones weren’t quite up to mark. We provide you with completely unbiased and unfiltered opinions that are fun to read and paint a clear picture. Read on to find out which ads were in our professional opinions, MAST and which were MEH in this week’s Mast & Meh.

<strong>MAST</strong>  

<strong>Brand</strong> - Microsoft 

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An 8 minute film in a world of 10 second reels! What were they even thinking? Microsoft, released a wonderful film embodying heartfelt emotions while presenting a rather unique concept. A small business owner, Pihu is working on planning the perfect second wedding for an old couple. The film, involves all the necessary elements right from drama to quirkiness to nostalgia to love. It all comes together harmoniously. Multiple product integrations are seen in the ad and not just of one product offering of the company. They too are seamless and intelligently incorporated. Though the film is long by today’s standards, there isn’t a moment where you feel distracted. This is all thanks to the well written script, smooth flow of the storyline and of course, the actors. This film is well packaged all-round. We’re thankful for not making this a regular 30 seconder. Everyone MAST watch this.

<strong>MAST</strong>

<strong>Brand</strong> - Dream11

<strong>Agency</strong> - Tilt Brand Solutions

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Just before the IPL madness begins, Dream11 has launched a star-studded ad featuring both cricketers and actors but with a twist. The spot shows '3 Idiots' film cast - Aamir Khan, R Madhavan and Sharman Joshi dressed as cricketers in a press conference set-up giving an open challenge to cricketers for a match. In the ad the actors are bothered about the fact that cricketers are appearing in more ads than ever before so they will now take over their profession of playing cricket.

Cricketers such as Rohit Sharma, Yuzvendra Chahal, Krunal Pandya, Hardik Pandya, R Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah and Rahul Chahar also appear in the ad accepting the challenge. The spot stands out for its unique execution amidst the IPL advertising clutter garnering 11 million YouTube views in less than a day. It also subtly promotes that anyone can play cricket, well at least virtually on the Dream11 gaming app. Quite slick, we say!

<strong>MAST</strong>

<strong>Brand</strong> - LenDenClub

<strong>Agency</strong> - Kandid Kanvass

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Peer-to-Peer lending platform, LenDenClub, has launched a new campaign 'Invest like Hardik' with their brand ambassador Hardik Pandya. The campaign aims to create awareness among new-age investors to invest in P2P lending. The spot shows Pandya engaging in entertaining banter with the audience through a rap like score while showcasing the benefits of investing in P2P lending. Overall a good script and an interesting watch.

<strong>MEH</strong>

<strong>Brand</strong> - Kotak Life 

<strong>Agency</strong> - Grey Group

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The ‘Soch Ke Liya Hai’ campaign by Kotak Life has put together a spot that is tailored for the urban youth, who are conscious of their responsibilities and are always looking for smart choices. The commercial features Vinay Pathak in the role of a father, ‘Subbu’, who is pleasantly surprised to learn that his children have made a smart choice by selecting Kotak Protect India for their insurance needs. While the actors do their part well, the messaging lacks novelty. Most BFSI brands that focus on a young audience generally have the same storyline of how youngsters are smart planners and that surprises their parents. With a talented actor like Pathak on board, a better screenplay would have worked wonders for the brand. As it stands, this one is a Meh. 

<strong>MAST</strong>

<strong>Brand</strong> - Luminous India

<strong>Agency</strong> - Grey Group India

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Here's a perfect spot that blends purpose well into a script. In order to promote gender equality in the energy sector, Luminous India addresses a fundamental mindset issue. We will say only two things about this ad. One, It features a young girl who gets confused every time her family corrects her Hindi grammar, while she talks about gender-specific things. Two, the film ends featuring Baburi Sirisha, India's first linewoman. We don't want to reveal too much. All we say is, Go. Watch. Now.

<strong>MAST</strong>

<strong>Brand</strong> - Limca  

<strong>Agency</strong> - Ogilvy India

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We’ve spotted a fun soft drink ad after a while. The spot features Jitendra Kumar, an actor who is known for playing realistic roles.The storyline is simple and goes well with the product integration. The twist is perfectly ad-like and we don't mind that at all. At least, there aren’t any unrealistic stunts or flat punch lines. This one is a Mast one in this category so far, this year. 

<strong>MAST</strong>

<strong>Brand</strong> - Lumikai

<strong>Agency</strong> - In-house

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The Lumikai Pathbreakers initiative's fourth edition is a good effort to showcase the bold and fierce women who have made significant contributions to the Indian gaming and interactive media industry. The resulting campaign is a heartwarming tribute to these achievers, with real stories serving as the star of the show. Unlike other campaigns that rely on glamour and peppy soundtracks, this campaign focuses on the content, which is the untold stories of these trailblazing women. Overall, full marks to the initiative for its outstanding efforts. This one deserves a watch. 

<strong>MEH</strong>

<strong>Brand</strong> - Motilal Oswal

<strong>Agency</strong> - In-house

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Motilal Oswal's Women's Day campaign, #PuchKeTohDekho, is a commendable initiative that sheds light on the fact that many women do not make investment decisions independently and instead rely on male family members such as their father or brother. However, the implementation of the campaign could have been better. In the ad, the message only appears in text format at the end, which means that viewers who don't watch the entire two-minute-plus ad may miss this important aspect of the campaign. Almost two minutes into the spot, the vox pop content focuses solely on the negative stereotype without highlighting the positive changes that are taking place. To truly break the stereotype, it's important to showcase both the challenges and the progress made towards empowering women to take control of their finances. This one needed better ideation. 

<strong>MAST</strong>

<strong>Brand</strong> - Lay's

<strong>Agency</strong> - Leo Burnett

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You can’t help yourself from being hooked to this commercial which simply stands out for its hilarity and storyline. Rajkummar Rao’s comic timing and Dolly Singh’s expressions go hand in hand with the popular song ‘Eena Meena Deeka’, which serves as the background score. Grab open a packet of Lay’s and groove along to this Mast commercial.

<strong>MEH</strong>

<strong>Brand</strong> - Joy Personal Care

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Just another example of shoddy writing that relies entirely on Disha Patani’s celebrity power to capture the attention of viewers. As usual, a strong enough storyline which goes deep into revealing more about the brand could have saved the commercial from a thumbs down. Such ads somehow, always seem to casually glide into our Meh list every week. 

<strong>MEH</strong>

<strong>Brand</strong> - Llyod 

<strong>Agency</strong> - McCann Worldwide India

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Llyod's new campaign for its air conditioner range feeds into the trend of celebrity couple led ads. Most of these campaigns tend to leverage popular Bollywood couples promoting some home appliance or the other. Consumers are likely to confuse brands since the messaging and style of campaign execution is mostly the same where celebrities are simply mouthing about the product benefits sitting in their home. The latest one from Llyod is no different either. Same old, same old. 


Mast & Meh: Microsoft, Dream11, Limca, Lay's, Lumikai, Kotak Life

Young leaders in Indian advertising are demanding more relevance and accountability from various industry associations. They argue that while the industry has undergone a sea change in the last decade or so, industry associations have not kept pace with it losing their relevance each year.

There are multiple industry associations in the country notably the Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) and The Advertising Club that work towards bringing together several stakeholders of the industries such as marketers, creative shops, media agencies, publishers, and now even a few digital shops.

With 1600 members, The Advertising Club represents the Indian advertising industry and conducts key activities like hosting the country’s top ad awards like the Abbys, Emvies and Effies. To be a pan-India industry board, in 2012 the club dropped Bombay from its name. The Agencies Association of India (AAAI) is best known for organising the annual advertising awards festival called Goafest. Apart from awards, these associations also claim to host seminars, workshops and conclaves to discuss best industry practices.




<blockquote>An average advertising person today is concerned about topics like pay disparity, burnout, toxic work cultures, portfolio building, career progression opportunities, upskilling to keep up with tech advancements.</blockquote>




However, professionals Storyboad18 spoke to believe that the industry associations need to shift their focus on what matters to young professionals and work on addressing various challenges that modern agency businesses are facing.


<strong>Address relevant industry issues</strong>


Gautam Reghunath, co-founder of Talented, which is one of the newest agencies in the country, says it’s the right time for ad clubs to shift focus to help set standards for how our industry runs internally. According to him, an average advertising person today is concerned about topics like pay disparity, burnout, toxic work cultures, portfolio building, career progression opportunities, upskilling to keep up with technology advancements, etc.

“If you ask the average advertising leader, they’d be focused on business growth, the pitch process, the talent gap in our industry, themes like pitch fees, in-housing, and modern issues like navigating ASCI guidelines around influencer disclosures. Currently, none of these seems to be top-of-mind topics of interest for most of our industry bodies,” he notes.

There has been a certain degree of disappointment over young professionals not participating and giving time to industry associations as well. In a previous interview with Storyboard18, Shashi Sinha, chief executive officer, Mediabrands India, who is also the current secretary of The Advertising Club, agrees the club needs more young players. However, he candidly adds, “the young agency CXOs are focused on their work and life. They don’t want to take extra work.”




<blockquote>“The young agency CXOs are focused on their work and life. They don’t want to take extra work.”</blockquote>




Young executives highlight that the biggest challenge is relevance because many young professionals don’t even know about various ad bodies. Talented’s Reghunath admits that as an industry we don’t use our skill sets to our own interest.

“We’ve got to make these forums more attractive and interesting to be a part of. Start with more local events, more avenues for talent to be seen and recognised like One Club’s Portfolio Night, better access to the best minds at curated get-togethers. And from an action point of view, use these forums to discuss actual topics that need addressing on real agency floors,” he adds.

Industry executives also said there is a greater need for mentorship and guiding young talent through regular workshops and knowledge sessions which associations can actively look at organising.


<strong>Make awards credible</strong>


There has been a fair amount of controversies related to association-led award shows as well. Over the years, various agencies pulled out of industry awards such as the Emvies organised by Ad Club or AAAI-organised Goafest where the Abby awards are conferred.

At one point in time, as a way of expressing their disappointment over industry awards, big ad agencies also launched their in-house awards such as Lowe and Partners launched ‘The True Show’, Ogilvy & Mather just held its first internal award, the Envies. While these awards events are led by veterans and often younger CXOs get involved only during award seasons, say agency executives. However, awards are losing credibility as well.

Somewhere along the way, the Abby’s itself lost a bit of sheen possibly because of the sheer number of new award shows that have sprung up every other week, adland executives observe. 

“The Effies are amazing and it’s the only show worth its salt in the effectiveness space. But I wish they did a better job of communicating the Effie brand value. The value of these shows can’t just hinge on the 24-hour celebratory high post an award win. They’ve got to be able to give agencies and participants long-term value, and that comes with the strength of the award show’s own brand,” notes Talented's co-founder Reghunath.



<blockquote>There has been a fair amount of controversies related to association-led award shows. Various agencies pulled out of industry awards and launched their own in-house awards.</blockquote>

 

Industry executives also believe that industry associations have been stuck in time when it comes to creating categories for awards. Even the juries are chosen on the basis of the availability of resources and not on skill sets.

Most of the advertising bodies are also quite old in their approach and refuse to believe that digital is taking over.

 “… it's laughable that some awards still have Best Email and Best SMS as a category within digital. The world has moved much beyond the 2012 way of doing digital. There are tonnes of new things happening in this world and ideally the ad bodies must take the right initiatives to learn and adapt to be relevant in a few years,” says another digital agency executive on the condition of anonymity.

Santosh Padhi, chief creative officer, Wieden+Kennedy, says he has often pulled out of award shows knowing that the chosen jury did not do justice to the category they entered. Padhi co-founded the creative agency Taproot, which was later acquired by Dentsu.

 “… if you're a great writer, then you should be judging the radio or print category and not art direction. It seems that juries are being selected on the basis of the availability of people and not their core skill sets. Most awards are shoddily arranged and that’s why they are losing credibility amongst young industry folks,” he rues.


<strong>Pivoting to digital is the key</strong>


 All hope is not lost given there has been a decent case study around ad industry regulator Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) revamping itself to become relevant. The 38- year-old ad industry watchdog has undergone a complete digital overhaul to drastically reduce the time required to address complaints, especially those related to influencer marketing and digital advertising.

In May 2021, ASCI officially launched the influencer marketing guidelines for 'consumers to distinguish between something that is promoted with an intention to influence consumers' opinion or behaviour for an immediate or commercial gain'.


“<blockquote>… it's laughable that some awards still have Best Email and Best SMS as a category within digital. The world has moved much beyond the 2012 way of doing digital."</blockquote>

 
 In July, it also started monitoring digital and social media platforms for violations of its influencer advertising guidelines about labelling paid promotions by influencers. The body has logged over 2,700 influencer-related violations since 2021.

Padhi believes that when a body like ASCI, which involves a certain degree of legality, can revamp itself then what’s stopping the advertising associations to pivot and become more effective and relevant.

“ASCI was dead 10 years back but in the past few years, they became active. Now, they are addressing consumer complaints as quickly as in 2-3 days. If a body which deals with a lot of legalities can be action-oriented then I see no issues as to why industry associations cannot revamp themselves by doing much more interesting and exciting stuff to hold the industry together,” he concludes.

Dinosaur in the room: New-gen ad leaders say ad clubs caught in a time warp, demand credibility, agility and relevance

Ad filmmaker and film director Pradeep Sarkar breathed his last on Friday in Mumbai at the age of 68. Sarkar directed several advertising campaigns before transitioning to the world of cinema, where he directed acclaimed films such as 'Parineeta', 'Laga Chunari Mein Daag','Mardaani', and 'Helicopter Eela'. According to reports, he was on dialysis and passed away in a hospital.

Sarkar was a mentor to young talent in both the advertising and film fraternities, and his well-wishers from both industries mourned his loss on social media platforms.


<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Sad to hear of Pradeep Sarkar &#39;Dada&#39; &#39;s demise. His main contribution to Indian cinema was the sensitive and nuanced portrayals of the modern Indian woman balancing the past and present. <br>He did some fantastic TV ads too, with another (departed) legend, Shovan Chowdhury. <a href="https://t.co/ovS2FZa2am">pic.twitter.com/ovS2FZa2am</a></p>&mdash; shubho sengupta (@shubhos) <a href="https://twitter.com/shubhos/status/1639082215203119105?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 24, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>


<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Pradeep Sarkar gave me some of my early significant breaks as a photographer when he worked as an art director at Contract Advtg, New Delhi<br><br>For taking big chances on a newcomer I will be eternally grateful.<br><br>Lovely man, immense talent<br><br>RIP boss<br>The movies will miss u ?? <a href="https://t.co/2EHiJeuctn">pic.twitter.com/2EHiJeuctn</a></p>&mdash; atul kasbekar (@atulkasbekar) <a href="https://twitter.com/atulkasbekar/status/1639131306960334848?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 24, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>


After starting his career as a creative supervisor at Tulika Advertising Agency, Sarkar spent nearly two decades in mainstream advertising before shifting to ad filmmaking. He graduated with a Gold Medal in 1979 from Delhi College of Art and went on to win several awards, including the Abby Award, Rapa Award, and the National Film Award.

Sarkar directed several commercials, including Cadbury’s Pappu Paas Ho Gaya, Eveready’s Give Me Red, Tata Yellow Pages, ICICI Prudential and Onida KY Thunder among others. He also directed music videos for popular songs such as Shubha Mudgal’s 'Ab Ke Saawan', Euphoria’s 'Dhoom Pichak Dhoom' and 'Maaeri', Sultan Khan’s 'Piya Basanti', and Bhupen Hazarika’s ‘Ganga’. These videos set a benchmark for aesthetically shot storytelling.


Ad filmmaker and director Pradeep Sarkar passes away

<em><strong>Note to readers: Media Mavens is a Storyboard18 series featuring media investment firms and power players - the X-Women and X-Men who make the big calls on how and where to spend advertisers' money. This is a peek into their minds - how they work in a dynamic landscape, the next big trends they’re watching for, insights into what advertisers need today, the disruptors driving change and the factors driving their decisions. Watch this space for sharp and fast insights.</strong></em>

For decades now, media agencies were the last piece in the massive advertising and marketing puzzle. Coming into the picture once the television or newspaper ads to do one job - buying space on television channels, newspapers or magazines. Over the years, that role has evolved greatly with media agencies coming closer to centre stage with every passing year. 

The continuing growth of content, social media and the explosion of OTT and CTV has seen media agencies looking to increase the services it can provide to marketers. Media agencies have begun flaunting about their ability to offer clients greater integration with increasing enthusiasm.


On a personal note, I was recently appointed chief creative officer at Wavemaker, India, a role almost exclusive to creative agencies and almost never seen in a media agency. It was a move that raised quite a few questions. Are media agencies now going head on with creative agencies? After close to a decade in one of the best creative agencies in the business, I can see the difference almost instantly.  

It is very clear that we are not here to do what the existing creative agencies do. We are here to look at content and creative assets through the lens of media optimisation and therein lies the difference. I see my role as one that strengthens Wavemaker’s integrated offering by combining the power of media, creative and technology and driving client growth in a richer, more dynamic approach. 


<strong>So is this the future?</strong> 


Almost certainly yes. With the rapid growth of content, marketers have begun to look at their advertising mix in a whole different way. Brands now want to be seen more as content creators rather than be seen as mere advertisers. The need for brands to stay connected with their consumers 24 x 7 is growing and not just as brands and consumers but as friends, advisors and even mentors. Brands are now ready to talk one on one rather than talk one to many. 

The new age media planner has access to data and technology like never before. He or she can now look at a media plan innovatively to create media properties that are customised and designed for maximum impact in ways that were not possible earlier. There have been numerous examples of this in recent times. Properties like Coke Studio have driven brand awareness and brand engagement at a scale that has seldom been achieved. 

Red Bull, HUL, Coca Cola and Mondelez have created content that become case studies for marketers. The “Not Just a Cadbury Ad” with Shah Rukh Khan by Mondelez a couple of Diwalis ago pushed the envelope even more by combining a brilliant creative idea with innovative use of technology and media to create a piece of advertising history. It won the hearts of buyers, sellers, marketers and advertising juries around the world.  


Welcome to the new age of content.


The campaigns mentioned above are only the beginning. They have merely scratched the surface. They have whetted the appetite of every brand manager on the planet. The metaverse has come and the metaverse has gone. Generative technology is here and now. If every brand manager was looking for a metaverse idea, today they are looking for an idea on Chat GPT. While movie stars and cricketers still dominate the mainstream media, Youtubers, Instagrammers, stand-up comedians, gamers, musicians offer a wide spectrum and voices that connect with both young and old. While Big Boss, KBC, IPL, Indian Idol rule on OTT, Roblox, Minecraft, Fortnite all offer brands a newer and fresher way to win their consumer.


<strong>So are media agencies the new creative agencies?</strong> 


One point is that the complexity of landing a creative thought is growing by the day given the audience segments, platform nuances and formats etc .. to land these creative ideas, partnerships, platform understanding and the skillsets of audiences becomes very critical.. which is where a media agency becomes critical. Addressability and addressable content is an example


While a media agency can never really compete with a creative agency, in pure craft and brand ideas they are more than equipped to take an idea from the creative agency and lift the ideas to stratospheric levels. But the sheer complexity of landing a creative idea is growing by the day given the ever evolving audience segments, platforms, formats and technology. To fulfill the potential of these brilliant creative ideas partnerships, platform understanding and the skillsets become very critical and here’s where the role of a media agency becomes critical. I am excited about the resources that are at my disposal at Wavemaker. The data, advocacy, tech and  addressable teams are the creative teams of the future.


And that’s the transformation of the traditional media agency.



<em><strong>George Kovoor is Chief Creative Officer, Wavemaker India. Views expressed are personal.</strong></em>


Are media agencies the new creative agencies?

In FY 2022, the retail sector significantly increased its advertising efforts on TV news programs. As per TAM, advertising volumes for retail sector commercials surged by 15 percent in comparison to the previous year. News Bulletin was the most preferred genre by retail advertisers on TV.

With the pandemic accelerating the shift towards e-commerce, retailers had to adapt rapidly to stay competitive in the market. To stand out from the competition, retailers resorted to aggressive advertising campaigns on TV news channels, which proved to be an effective strategy. As per experts, by leveraging the increased viewership of news channels during the pandemic, retailers were able to reach a broad audience and increase their market share.

According to TAM numbers, the top ten advertisers in news in 2022 were, Lalithaa Jewellery Mart, Reliance Retail, Kalyan Jewellers, Malabar Group of Companies, Gopu Nandilath Group, Joyalukkas Group, Praadis Jewellers, Vasanth & Co, Sathya Agencies and Bhima Group (Jewellery).

Overall, as a genre, news has been performing well in the last few quarters, as per TAM analysis.

For FMCG sector advertisers on TV, too, news bulletin was amongst the top three preferred genres.

In a separate chat with Storyboard18, Amol Dighe, chief executive officer of Investments and Business Development at Madison Media, said that while General Entertainment Channels (GECs) are effective for building reach, news channels are ideal for frequency and account for a substantial portion of the overall reach. This is a key factor in the evolution of news channels as a robust advertising platform.

TAM analysis also says that news genre saw 8 percent rise in 2022 compared to 2018, wherein Hindi news topped with more than 30 percent share of news genre's ad volumes during both 2022 and 2021.

Retail sector boosts ad volumes on TV News by 15 percent in FY 2022: TAM

From whispers in agency corridors and pitch-room chatter to what's buzzing on clients' side, we've got the overheard and untold stories of the advertising industry and its people.

<strong>An unexpected crash</strong>

Turmoil continues at a home-grown social platform. There have been senior exits for a few months. Now, we hear that the multi-deals they made with brands are also being withdrawn. There are also rumours that a few senior executives from the company allegedly indulged in kickbacks. Does this story sound familiar to the deterioration of a major ad network? Oops! Did we spill too many beans?

<strong>Problem of plenty</strong>

Senior marketers and researchers are joining advertising agencies. We hear that many senior marketers from slow-growing categories are aggressively looking at joining agencies in advisory roles and CXO levels. There are also new agency CXOs who have come from different sides of the business. Most of these appointments are happening based on old friendships, is what we hear. However, we wonder what agencies will do with so many CXOs. As they say, too many cooks...

<strong>An unusual trade</strong>

Rumours are that a fintech player asked an ad network, that they are closely associated with, for an interesting deal. The deal, we hear, is to invest on the platform and bring in a certain percentage of advertising revenue for the fintech. The ad network didn’t commit to any such request. Taking advantage of the situation, a rival ad network has sealed the deal, said an insider. Business shuffles happen often in the advertising business. However, it looks like these days certain marketers have too many requests beyond the usual performance indicators.

<strong>Kaun banega celebrity?</strong>

Corporate head honchos and startup founders have all sorts of ambitions these days. They are reality TV stars, creators, celebrity authors and influencers on social media, devoting more and more time to cultivate their personal brands. Or, to be precise, now paying agencies to build their personal brands and create inspirational content. We hear one CXO even fancies himself a Steve Jobs of his industry (in this case, auto). Another has proclaimed he is not a celebrity founder and has no such ambitions, in a recent interview, but his close associates tend to disagree. They tell us there are divas in every industry. The latter used his skills of persuasion and clout to bring a particular creative to work on his campaign and, despite the reluctance of the team, they did.

<strong>Memes over portfolio</strong>

The times they are a-changin'. There was a time when portfolio was the most sacred thing in an agency professional's arsenal, embodying an amalgamation of all the work and ideas that are still to see the light of day. But now things are a bit different, for some at least. A senior creative chief of a global network agency no longer asks for portfolios from candidates he meets during recruitment meetings. Instead, he has intense conversations about trends, LinkedIn posts, memes and we're told, cryptocurrencies. They tell us the adman does this to gauge the realness of candidates as agency folks are looking to hire young people who have points of view about everything and anything. But we can't help but wonder if the said adman also wants to be in with the crowd and crypto kings.

<strong>Is newness bad news?</strong>

There are rumours that a legacy ad agency has plans of shutting one of its regional offices. It was one of the most active markets for the agency until a few years ago, and the hub had a solid team that stuck together through thick and thin. Since the coming of a fairly new CEO, the agency is moving towards a completely different direction and some long-term employees are not able to connect with all the newness. If true, this is the end of an era.

<em><strong>Note to readers: Chances are you love a juicy story as much as we hacks do and you might have one to share. So write to us at Storyboard18@nw18.com.</strong></em>

Storyboard18 Insider:  Memes over portfolio, an over-the-top founder celebrity and an unusual trade

The Indian Premier League (IPL), which kickstarted in 2008, has now become a Decacorn with a $10.9 billion valuation, states D and P Advisory in a report released on Thursday.

Since inception in 2008, the league's value has seen a 90 percent growth and currently stands at $10.9 billion (Rs 87 crore), according to a report titled 'Beyond 22 Yards', The IPL Valuation Report 2022 by D and P India Advisory.

To analyse IPL’s estimated value in 2008, D&P used IPL’s recent ecosystem values including those reported by third-party valuation firms and benchmarked the key metrics spread across multiple years to predict the ecosystem's value every year from inception.


<strong>Sponsorship money steered IPL growth</strong>


The report reveals that the media rights have emerged as the most significant source of revenue for the IPL. The league’s ability to attract large viewership and engage fans has helped it to command premium prices for its media rights. As the number of matches has increased over the years, the total value of media rights has also gone up significantly.

For the first time, media rights were spread among different broadcasters, breaking the monopoly of one company. The league has sold media rights at $6.2 billion, registering a three-fold jump compared to the previous five-year cycle in 2017. This pushed the growth of the league manifolds.

Other forms of sponsorships further fuelled this growth. D&P noted that the IPL’s broadcast rights fetched Rs 486 crore in 2008 while the title and associate sponsorship rights brought in another Rs 36 crore and Rs 48 crore, respectively. Things have evolved significantly over the years.

For instance, the 2023 edition of IPL the title and associate sponsorship rights has fetched Rs 577 crore and Rs 414 crore, respectively. This is a significant jump reinstating sponsor confidence in the league.

With two new teams (Gujarat Titans and Lucknow SuperGiants) getting bought last year at a combined staggering value of $1.6 billion, the average price tag of a team has also seen a 16-fold jump from its inception. These two factors were instrumental in boosting the valuation of IPL to become a Decacorn. The digital rights being sold separately from TV rights would also result in greater engagement on the digital platforms. Further, the impending introduction of 5G services, greater penetration of the internet and increased smartphone usage will add to the rise in viewership.

Santosh N, managing partner of D & P Advisory highlights that this unicorn (IPL) is the most profitable of all the startups in the country.

“The IPL has been a game-changer for the Indian sports industry, and our analysis highlights its incredible success from the very beginning. The findings of our report demonstrate the tremendous potential of the Indian market, and we believe that it will encourage further investment in the Indian sports industry,” he notes.


<strong>Valuation of WPL and IPL</strong>


To add to the momentum, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) launched the women's Indian Premier League with a base price for a franchise at Rs 400 crores ($ 50 million). This price is higher than most other cricket leagues globally, and will add immense value to the overall IPL Ecosystem.

However, the report states it is unfair to compare the two leagues.

Santosh N believes that comparing the WPL current valuation with the value of the IPL in 2007-08 would make more sense. But it should be noted that the WPL is currently played with only five teams, whereas the IPL had eight teams initially.

“Also, the media rights and title rights for WPL are lower than the equivalent numbers for IPL at inception. However, the WPL is expected to show steady growth in terms of viewership and fan engagement, and with the right strategies and investments, it could become a significantly more valuable property in the future,” he adds.


<strong>Future prospects</strong>


Though a big property in India, on a broader scale, D and P Advisory also notes that the IPL is still significantly behind in terms of ad rates, when compared with some of the other global sporting leagues. For example, a 10-second slot for an ad during IPL 2022 cost nearly $20,000; whereas, the ad rates for the same time slots at National Football League, English Premier League and Major League Baseball were over $1,00,000. Drawing this comparison, the report mentions how IPL has a lot more space to grow in future provided broadcasters are able to monetise the content well.


IPL becomes a Decacorn with $10.9 billion valuation; Media rights most significant revenue source

Wunderman Thompson – or what was J Walter Thompson (JWT) – has completed over nine decades of operations in India, having started in 1929. The global agency first set up its India office in a room at the Taj Mahal Hotel in Mumbai, primarily to handle the General Motors account.

It donned a new avatar after merging with global digital agency Wunderman in 2018 to form Wunderman Thompson (WT) in India. A couple of years and a pandemic later, the agency that created iconic campaigns for Air India, Maggi, Taj Mahal tea, Pepsi, Nike, and KitKat seems to be undergoing a change in both perception and composition.

There have been high-profile exits and some internal elevations as well. Raji Ramaswamy and Joy Chauhan were recently promoted to chief growth officer and chief client officer, Wunderman Thompson South Asia. Ramaswamy continues to be CEO of Contract Advertising, a Wunderman Thompson group agency while Chauhan also holds current responsibility as managing partner, WT Delhi. In November, old hand and senior creative resource Tista Sen moved out.

<strong>Finding the balance</strong>

Storyboard18 spoke to industry executives, many of whom said the agency "lost the plot" after its merger with Wunderman, having failed to achieve a balance between its digital and traditional advertising strategies. The broad idea behind the merger was to propel JWT India into a more digitally savvy future. However, the decision seems to have created internal fissures, leading to not only the loss of key talent but also some clients. 

Over the years, its heritage as a creative heavyweight has been eroded as some senior talent stepped away. Their departure led to the loss of deep knowledge and understanding on big accounts that had created a sense of trust among clients. Therefore, many clients decided to leave.






<blockquote>The iconic agency is undergoing a change both in perception and composition.</blockquote>






Last year, after the global realignment of the WPP universe, Wunderman Thompson lost Pepsi, one of its biggest clients in India, which moved to the Publicis Groupe and its creative agency Leo Burnett. WPP is the global communications giant that owns JWT and Ogilvy in India.

Pepsi’s departure was a jolt because JWT had been instrumental in building the brand with memorable and iconic campaigns such as "Yeh Dil Maange More," "Oye Bubbly" and "Yehi hai right choice baby—aha!"

Over the years, as the agency experimented with creative structures, invariably bringing in external talent through its infamous revolving doors, it also lost accounts such as Nike, Airtel, Kellogg’s, GlaxoSmithKline’s malt drink brand Horlicks and Hindustan Unilever’s shampoo brand Sunsilk.

“To get good work done you need a pipeline of good talent and look after them. If you lose your clients and people, what’s left? The challenge that big agencies are facing is regaining their relevance. It also boils down to having strong leadership and creating big brand work that clients get attracted to,” said ad veteran and former JWT South Asia CEO Colvyn Harris.

Rediffusion managed to edge out Wunderman Thompson in bidding for contracts a couple of times recently, said managing director Sandeep Goyal.

“We beat them on the BMW and Tata Power pitch in close succession in a couple of months. We obviously felt extremely good because beating Thompson was never easy. Being able to get the better of them on large accounts gave me the feeling that either we are extremely good or they are not as good as they used to be,” he said.

<strong>Best minds</strong>

Goyal started his career with Hindustan Thompson Associates (which became JWT in 2002) in 1986. Back then, he handled Horlicks, one of the most prestigious accounts for the agency.

In a chat with Storyboard18, he recalled HTA being the “University of Indian Advertising” where some of the best minds in servicing, account management and creative worked. He said that somewhere, over the years, the charisma of the people leading Thompson gradually waned.






<blockquote>Wunderman Thompson is essentially straddling two spaces. One is the brand and legacy that JWT stood for, and the other is the digital prowess and tech that Wunderman is globally known for.</blockquote>







“The leadership at the agency also makes a lot of difference… It is a leadership vacuum or a leadership dilution which is hurting Wunderman's brand,” he elaborated.

Tista Sen, JWT's former regional creative director who quit in November, has been synonymous with the agency’s creative team, having spent 22 years working on accounts such as GSK, ITC, Hindustan Unilever, and Godrej.

There have been other critical exits. In 2019, Jaibeer Ahmad, senior vice president and executive business director, left. He worked on the Pepsi and Tropicana, Kurkure, JK Tourism and Delhi Daredevils accounts.

The same year, Sambit Mohanty, national creative director, moved on. However, chief creative officer Senthil Kumar, who created some of the agency's most iconic campaigns including Nike's Cricket ad, continues to be with the agency.

<strong>Digital vs legacy debate</strong>

Wunderman Thompson is essentially straddling two spaces – brand and legacy that JWT stood for and the digital prowess and tech that Wunderman is globally known for. Executives said that while Ogilvy and Leo Burnett have struck this balance of creativity and technology, Wunderman Thompson still doesn't know which side it should hang its hat on. If it were to become fully digital, the transition is yet to happen, they said.

“JWT, a much bigger agency brand in India, was taken over by a relatively lesser-known agency brand, Wunderman. This perplexed all the stakeholders,” said a senior executive, seeking anonymity. “I'm not sure whether in the quest for being tech-oriented, one must change the 90-year-old legacy of a brand as many JWT clients have stayed on because of the agency's legacy and heritage.”

The executive added that big brands that made the agency what it is are not with it anymore. Digital projects do not add up to the agency's legacy. Clients also don't have trust when they see new faces at the agency, the executive said.

“They are hiring, but it seems like they are putting together a new agency with a new culture and temperament. The legacy part has just eroded. JWT has been an institute of learning where all the greats have gone. It is heart-breaking to see its current status,” the executive said.

Stalwarts who shaped JWT India include Morris Mathias, Subhas Ghoshal, Mike Khanna, Colvyn Harris, Gerson da Cunha, Subroto Sengupta, Syeda Imam, Ivan Arthur, Ram Ray and Sumantra Ghosal. Creative minds that came out of the agency include Swati Bhattacharya (currently at FCB), Bobby Pawar (now group creative chief at Havas), Agnello Dias (former founder and chief creative officer of Taproot Dentsu) and Anuja Chauhan (author).

According to a senior leader who was associated with the agency in the past, dumping the creative legacy of JWT wasn't a sensible decision because India is still a “big idea”-driven ad market where traditional media platforms such as television still occupy a significant share of the media pie.

“I'm not saying digital is not big, but if you look at properties such as IPL (Indian Premier League), it does really well on television… Similarly, big movies, especially in the South market, still attract viewers in the theatres,” the senior leader said. “At one time, JWT did own this space of creating big ideas and impactful TV ads with clients such as Pepsi or Horlicks. Even if they wanted to pivot towards digital, they could have done it without letting go of their legacy just the way their competitor agencies like Leo Burnett or Ogilvy are doing. They are still big idea agencies with digital capabilities.”

<strong>Client speak</strong>

A large FMCG company that worked with Wunderman Thompson for TV campaigns until last year is now looking for more digital-first agency partners. The company’ s objective is clear: find communication partners with ideas and formats that engage younger audiences who have a shorter attention span.

"Our focus is to find partners that are agile in their communication and help us find right solutions for more digital-first consumers. These ideas could come from both traditional or new-age digital agencies and that's why we always brainstorm with all our agency partners before starting a new campaign," an executive of the FMCG company said on condition of anonymity. 

Ajay Kakar, a brand and marketing strategist, spent 14 years at Ogilvy before moving to the client side. He is proud of his partnership with JWT India from the day he became a client almost 18 years ago. He worked with the agency during his stint at Reliance Capital and at Aditya Birla Capital.





<blockquote>Considered a flagship office once, JWT Chennai was merged with JWT Bangalore owing to a lack of business. Now the agency operates in Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Kolkata.</blockquote>






“The first and obvious pull towards a particular agency is the brand name and creative reputation. That’s where the top few agency networks have an edge… The next filter is whether an agency is constrained due to their existing client roster with direct competition and, therefore, a conflict of interest,” Kakar said.

Kakar said that over the years, he has come to realise that there is no ‘agency standard’ of delivery.

“Whoever the agency, or as reputed be their brand name, what you get out of that agency is totally dependent on or as good as the people who actually work on your account,” he explained.

Kakar added that it is time for a client to move on when the name of the agency becomes more of a reassurance than the team members. In recent times, the name of the agency has changed a few times, and possibly the DNA, too.

“I would like to hear more about the buzz at the agency and the people, who, in the final analysis, are entrusted with the client brands,” he added.

An email sent to CVL Srinivas, country manager of WPP India, on Wunderman Thompson India's growth and business remained unanswered.

<strong>From the horse’s mouth</strong>

Change, however, is inevitable. And it seems Wunderman Thompson's transformation continues and even accelerates. The big question is what is it transforming into?

In October 2021, Wunderman Thompson brought in Shamsuddin Jasani, Dentsu's head of creative and group MD for South Asia at Isobar, as chief executive officer to replace Tarun Rai, who moved to become executive director, strategic initiatives–APAC.

Jasani told Storyboard18 that 2022 was the year of “integration” for the group as more clients demanded a single-agency partner. In India, the group operates creative agency Wunderman Thompson, digital marketing agency Mirum, and Wunderman Commerce. It employs about 1,200 people, excluding the workforce at its Gurgaon-based commerce arm.

Jasani said he is fully aware that he helms an agency that comes with a rich heritage and legacy. However, he is not looking for Sen’s replacement because that was how the new structure was going to be.

“I have just come in as a part of Wunderman Thompson, but the legacy and the strength of the agency continues. People believe in it and the trust that the clients have will continue. There have been changes but nothing that an agency as deep-rooted as ours cannot deal with,” he noted.

His immediate focus is on upskilling the workforce on emerging tools like Web3, handling offline-to-online customer journeys, and learning how storytelling can be tailored for individual digital platforms. He is also looking to acquire capabilities that can strengthen Wunderman Thompson's offerings.

“We will be looking at acquisitions to augment our capabilities. An experience design agency (UI/UX) is something we are actively exploring,” he said.

The agency claims to have won 22 accounts last year including Skoda, Mahindra One, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Vedanta, and Barbeque Nation. Wunderman Thompson Health has won Abbott (Troponin), Dr Reddy’s Laboratories (Alfoo and Dutas T), GSK (Physiogel, Zovirax, Zimig and Zoderm), Sun Pharmaceutical Industries (Revital, Volini, Pepfizz and Abzorb) and Hindustan Unilever (Novology).





<blockquote>Wunderman Thompson’s target is to grow 50 percent in the next three years. Jasani says that his focus is on bringing more client wins across payments, automobile, consumer packaged goods (CPG)/ fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) business, D2C brands, pharma and health categories.</blockquote>





Wunderman Thompson’s target is to grow 50 percent in the next three years. Jasani said his focus is on bringing more client wins across payments, automobile, consumer packaged goods/fast-moving consumer goods, direct-to-customer brands, pharma and health categories.

Years ago, in the pre-Wunderman era, the agency's various creative chiefs used intriguing analogies to describe what it was like to implement any change at JWT. One likened it to steering the Titanic away from the iceberg. Another went out of this world to source his comparison. The creative chief said JWT is like Saturn - a planet with beautiful rings and a rigid core. 

Lost wonder? Will Wunderman Thompson regain the glory of its JWT days?

Beginning March 31st, over-the top (OTT) video-on-demand service Disney+Hotstar will not host HBO content on its platform which comprises popular shows like Game of Thrones, Succession and The Last of Us, among others. Times Internet Ltd’s advertising-led OTT platform MX Player is in talks to sell the business to Amazon which owns a free streaming service Mini TV as well as subscription platform Prime Video. American streaming giant Netflix is expanding its film library in a big way, especially, in southern languages as it looks to penetrate down south.

 

The three developments may seem disparate, but they point to a shared transformation taking place in the streaming services industry. That companies in India’s cluttered video streaming market are changing tack to focus on the bottom line rather than just adding new subscribers at any cost. While Times Internet’s move to sell its free video service MX Player points to consolidation taking place in the sector, Disney+Hotstar not renewing the content deal with HBO speaks volumes of the churn and course correction in the industry that was estimated at $ 2.6 billion by the BCG-CII media and entertainment report released in November 2022.

 

The industry is expected to touch $ 11-13 billion by 2030 and the primary driver for growth will be paid subscriptions or what is called SVoD (subscription video-on-demand) segment slated to jump from 85-90 million to 160-165 million by 2027.

 

Ormax Media’s December report said OTT penetration in the metros is 79 percent, underscoring the need for chasing growth in small town India. The days of crazy 30 percent growth rate in subscriber additions are over with the pandemic, having settled at a more modest 15 percent with top eight - 10 cities reporting a growth rate of 10 percent.

 

Consequently, most large streaming companies are re-evaluating their strategies and re-sizing their budgets for the country. Ormax Media chief executive officer Shailesh Kapoor said Covid-19 lockdowns saw a big spurt in subscriber additions in 2020 and 2021 causing an acceleration in content acquisition at steep costs. Ormax, a specialist testing, forecasting and analytics firm for media content, now draws 50 percent of its business from web series.

 

Streaming market has slowed down globally as people return to routine life. “People are back to work, travelling, eating out and socialising. Unlike binge-watching shows during pandemic, they are barely watching one episode a day,” said a Disney Star executive, requesting anonymity.



Disney Star runs streaming service Disney+Hotstar in India which has ended its deal for HBO content owing to poor return on investment.



The deal cost the company Rs 80 crore a year and even if the 460,000 subscribers who watched HBO content paid peak subscription rate of Rs 1600 a year, Disney+Hotstar could not have made money, explained the Disney Star executive. “The fact is these subscribers were not paying peak subscription rates and it was a loss-making proposition,” he said.

 

Clearly, platforms were acquiring content at ridiculous prices during peak lockdown demand for entertainment when people were binge-watching at home. “Sanity has returned with OTT platforms now looking at their bottom line. There’s a big shift in the market where they are asking if the subscriber additions are actually worth the money they’re paying to acquire that content,” the Disney Star executive added.

 

Netflix said the firm is here to run a sustainable, healthy, revenue-driven, profit-oriented and high-quality service for the consumer. On a recent India visit, Netflix’s global co-CEO Ted Sarandos said the service had its best year in the country in 2022 marked by increase in revenue and engagement time. “India as a country saw the highest paid net additions last year and last year was not Covid,” said an India executive, declining to be named.




<blockquote>Clearly, platforms were acquiring content at ridiculous prices during peak lockdown demand for entertainment when people were binge-watching at home. “Sanity has returned with OTT platforms now looking at their bottom line. There’s a big shift in the market where they are asking if the subscriber additions are actually worth the money they’re paying to acquire that content,” the Disney Star executive added.</blockquote>



 

The company dismissed reports that it has altered its India strategy to go slow on local originals. The Indian originals slate for the year is long with six returning seasons of existing shows and a line-up of top creators coming on service including Vishal Bhardwaj, Sujoy Ghosh, Raj and DK, Hansal Mehta, Abhishek Chaubey and Zoya Akhtar, among others.

 

“Of course, buying films is a very conscious strategy to become the alpha player in the market,” the Netflix executive said. After Hindi films, it is going big on southern languages. “A year ago, we had not entered south in a proper way. Now we have,” the person said. In January this year, it announced 18 Tamil licensed titles that will launch on the service after their theatrical run. It also announced 16 films as part of its licensed Telugu content slate for 2023. However, right-sizing budgets, especially for films, is part of the plan, Netflix added. In 2021, platforms in India invested $ 665 million in content, Deloitte report said. The share of regional language consumption on OTT platforms is expected to cross 50 percent by 2025 from 30 percent in 2019, moving past Hindi at 45 percent, it added.

 
Jehil Thakkar, partner, Deloitte India said different platforms are evaluating their businesses differently but days of people chasing monthly active users are gone. “Investor sentiment has now moved to evaluating profitability. You see that in the startup world too where days of easy money are over and the focus is back on whether one can build an actual business,” he said.


In the streaming industry companies are working with AVoD (ad-led video-on-demand), SVoD (subscription-led Video-on-demand) and hybrid models. In fact, some of the changes at platforms will be driven by content consumption patterns emerging from data accumulated over the years. Deeper penetration of Smart TVs or Connected TVs will push further consumption changes.

 

Nielsen’s India Internet Report released earlier this month said there are more than 450 million smartphone users and an equal number of video watchers in the country. While active internet users in the 12 plus age group grew by 10 percent in urban India, rural outdid urban at 30 percent growth rate.

 

Such numbers augur well for streaming which is becoming a medium of choice for people as it offers flexibility in viewing and both free and paid content.



<em><strong>Shuchi Bansal has been a business journalist for over 30 years covering media, advertising, marketing and consumer economy.</strong></em>

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