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Notes: Indian Regional Journalism

2010-06-04T06:04:00.000-07:00

Index
Introduction
Vernacular Press 1800-1901
Vernacular Press 1901-2007
The Bengali Press
The Hindi Press
The Marathi Press
The Malyalam Press
The Telegu Press
The Urdu Press
The turning point
Conclusion

Introduction

It is impossible to ascertain many things about the regional language newspapers in India. For example, is the newspaper Industry young or old? There is no way to say... the history of Indian Newspapers reaches far back into the past, to the time of Moghuls before the Company came to Indian shores, who introduced news carriers to India. However, even today, new ideas and editorial policies continue to show up, ensuring that the industry is very much blooming even after many newspapers have been around for over a hundred and fifty years. Is the industry thriving or on the way out? People are undoubtedly reading smaller and smaller fractions of newspapers, and yet, newspapers are printing and distributing increasing amounts of matter. It is vital to get a sense of why the Indian press is different from those in other countries.

Unique features of the Indian press

# Newspapers compete only with newspapers of the same language, there are many newspapers in many Indian languages, that all started in the pre-independance era. An industry with such a diversity in its beggenings will have a rapid growth. Newspapers in India are overproduced.

# The most important feature of the Indian newspaper industry is, simply put - unity in diversity. Indian regional language newspapers work together, focus on the same issues, and still maintain a sense of unity sixty years after they helped us gain our freedom.

# The Indian press has grown rapidly, but has not grown enough. Many areas remain backward, and in terms of say technology, or professionalism, the Indian Press still has a lot of scope for growth.

# Despite having the most circulated newspapers in the world, according to UNESCO figures, the circulation per head of population in India is among the lowest for any country in the world. Which means there is scope for tremendous growth.

# From the historical point of view, a lot of newspapers have seen the country to changes in the poilitical and economic systems, survived from the beginning to the end of the Independance struggle... this indicates the stability of the press, it is not possible for the Indian press not to grow.

# Most importantly, it is still relatively easy to start a newspaper. New newspapers continue to hit the stands at a steady rate. Most Indian newspapers are owned and run by Individuals. The next largest number by societies and associations.

1800-1901

"In the early portion of its career, the Indian press had been left to follow its own courses and no other check than that which the law of libel imposed. The character of the papers of early days sufficiently shows that the indulgence was abused, and that, while they were useless as vehicles of information of any value, they were filled with indecorous attacks upon private life and ignorant censures of public measures"
-James Mill

# Imagine, in the early nineteenth century, the Indian Press was not even two decades old, the newspapers were shoddy and just plain bad, and yet, the exchange of news between Calcutta and Bombay was something that scared the company. The Governor General himself had to step in during the second Maratha war asking newspapers like the India Gazette and the Bengal Harakuru asking them not to publish naval info or ongoings in the government. Soon, however, the government would have to depend upon the newspapers because they brought together the news better than any government agency.

# Adam's Press ordinance, held the press responsible for much the same things as the letter from the Governor General. It basically allowed for "intelligence solely of a commercial nature." The commercialization of news is considered to be a big problem now days, but back then, it was very important to unify the country economically. The poverty, the illiteracy and the standard of living was outright inhuman. Trade was promoted through advertising in these early newspapers, and this, as a whole, lead to economic unification of India, something vital for the Independence struggle.

# This was India before freedom, before even home rule was an idea. Raja Ram Mohun Roy's Mirat-ul-Akhbar tried to "communicate to the rulers a knowledge of the real situation of their subjects ad make the subjects acquainted with the established laws and customs of their rulers; that the rulers may more readily find an opportunity of granting relief to the people, and the people may be put in posession of the means of obtaining protection and redress of their rulers". This clearly shows that back then, the British rule paled as a problem in front of all the other social atrocities.

# The freedom of the Press itself, had to be achieved before freedom for the country could be achieved. Whether or not the press should be given freedom was discussed at length in the British Parliament. They were afraid that anti-Raj sentiments would spread across the country if newspapers were allowed to run amock. However, the newspapers of those times were concenterating on other, more pressing issues. Issues like widow re-marriage, girl child education, the practice of sati, nad the supression of thuggee, a practice of ritual murder by dacoits.

# For a short span of time, the British government and the Indian press worked together to heavily reform the Indian society. The foundations for the reforms were laid by the publications of Raja Ram Mohun Roy, where social issues were discussed at length. Lord Bentinck, saw the scope for social reform through the agency of newspapers, and relaxed regulations on the press. Lord Bentinck took the step of abolishing Sati, and openly acknowledged Raja Ram Mohun Roy's contribution.

# Lord Bentinck's liberal regime spawned many new newspapers. In 1820, sixteen Indian language newspapers were published.

Dailies: Prabhakar, Chandroday, Mahajan Darpan
Tri-weekly: Bhaskar
Bi-Weekly: Chandrika, Rasaraj
Weekly: Gyanddarpan, Bangdut, Sadhurajan, Gyan Sancharini, Rasasaguev, Rangpur Bartabahu, Rashmudgar
Monthly: Tatwa Bodhini

# In 1832, Bombay darpan, an Anglo-Marathi weekly asked the government for subscriptions and support. This showed a certain amount of trust in the government, and Sir Charles Metcalfe, who had an illustrious career, introduced heavy social reforms. He was against the unnecessary censure of the press, despite the growing dissatisfaction with the regime. He can be said to have freed the press of India, however he made English the official language. He said "I take it as universally granted that the press ought to be free, subject, of course to the laws, provided it be not dangerous to the stability of out Indian Empire"

# Some papers, like the Chandrika, were damaging to India in the liberal phase of the early press, by supporting acts such as Sati. Between 1800 and 1850, the press experienced a state of steady growth, helped by the liberal administration, that saw more good than harm coming out of the press.

# This progress was halted by the rebellion of 1857. Although the contribution of the press to bringing about the rebellion itself was very little, the press was blamed heavily for it. Things changed after that, the Persian and Urdu press were outspoken in their support for the rebellion, the English newspapers spoke strongly against it, there were many Indians in high places all in for the Raj, and the newspapers in the north west provinces maintained a moderate tone.

# The British government reacted strongly. They thought the press had "sown sedition" in "the natives" and therefore promulgated what is known as the "gagging act" of Lord Canning. Many cases were filed against the press for incitement of the rebellion. In retrospect, it is impossible to imagine the feelings of those behind the newspapers who actually believed that they were cause for the revolution without knowing it!

# "A free press and the domination of strangers are things which are quite incompatible and which cannot long exist together" -Sir Thomas Monroe

# The Gagging Act was imposed mostly in Bengal. Many Urdu Newspapers died out. Bombay newspapers defended India from the attacks of the English press. All this, must be seen as normal everyday competition we see in the papers today... in terms of news angles and approaches. It is sudden and immediate only in retrospect, in the time period, the going was really slow.

# The Amrita Bazaar Patrika, at this time, focused on uplifting the masses from slave-like existance. "They are more dead than alive, and need to be roused from their slumber. Our language has, therefore, to be loud and penetrating."

# By 1870, the press was growing rapidly.
Indian language newspapers in Bombay: 62
North West privinces, Oudh and Central Provinces: 60
Benga: 28
Madras: 19

# The sudden growth of the Indian Press scared the British because there was so much in it that they could not understand. Condensing their feelings in a few words is difficult, but imagine ruling a country where your subjects speak in twenty different native languages and circulate newspapers in these languages, and exchange ideas and opinions in these languages, and all you know is English, and many of the said natives do not know your language. It is understandable that the Indian press had a reputation for passing about motifs and symbols right under the noses of the Raj. It is surprising that the Raj survived for such a long time under such circumstances, they wouldn't have, if it were not for the extensive restrictions they placed on the press.

# 1879 Sir Ashley Eden, passed the Vernacular Press act, at a conference attended by one Indian Maharaja, Jotindra Mohan Tagore, who supported it. The act treated English Newspapers differently from regional language papers, and allowed for excessive censorship and control over the papers. It was recieved with heavy criticism by the Press. Somehow, this act seems to be very important, because it changed forever the tone of the regional press, and was the turning point in the history of India.

# One year later, by 1880, Buckland, who was the Press Comissioner under the Vernacular Press act wrote "although some improvement had taken place in the style and language of Vernacular papers since the introduction of the Vernacular press act, their general tone was one of opposition to Government and government measures.

# During this period, newspapers spread to all regions, and newspapers were published in many languages, including Persian and Oriya. This information is vital, because newspapers all across the country would in the coming decades focus on the growing sense of nationalism brought out forst regionally, and then on a larger scale. Socially, politically, morally, and economically, India took a large growth spurt in the following fifty years, through the agency of the press.

# Vishnu Krishna chiplonkar started the Kesari and this was later taken over by Bal Ganghadhar Tilak. Newspapers at this time were compared to nightwatchmen, the government was in constant fear of the public opinion, and the newspapers were nurturing the public opinion.

# The focus, was not on the backwardness of the Indian society itself, but on various laws and procedures of the British administration. The ryotwari system of land tenure, the destriction of municipal and judicial institutions, the grinding taxation, the costly machinary of the government, the extripation of the local industry, and of native aristocracy, these were the issues tackled by the press.

# The newspapers, themselves, were not at all careful in how they accumalated and presented matter, and the Mahratta was involved in a defamation suit. Tilak and Agarker were imprisoned for four months, but this only brought about public sympathy.

# The Deccan Education Society was started by Tilak, Namjoshi, Apte and Agarkar. Tilak moved away from the society, and focused on political freedom instead of social reform. Inspired by the Amrita Bazaar Patrika, he started a campaign against the age of consent bill.

# Within the press, for the first time ever, there were parallel and alternate views, sometimes even contradictory, Tilak and Gokhle, for example, went off in two seperate directions. The relations between the Congress and the Social Conference was sour. Things changed in the new century, after Ranade's death.

1901-2007

# The Kesari reflected Tilak's aggressive Nationalism. The Dnyan Prakash became a daily newspaper and was known for its constructive criticism of news and views. Gokhle edited the Sudharak, an Anglo-Marathi newspaper from Poona.

# Gokhle supported the freedom of the press, and in 1903, he opposed the amendment of the Official Secrets Act of 1889. Civil matters would be placed at par with military operations by the act, and this would affect heavily the governance reporting of the news papers. In 1907, Gokhle again opposed the seditious meeting bull. all these were proposed to curb the growing agitation.

# Tilak died on August 1, 1920, after giving many electrifying speeches on Home Rule, and one day later, Gandhi launched his non-cooperation movement.

# One English paper, must be mentioned here, the Young India, published by Gandhi... Mahatma Gandhi was a journalist, few people know of this act. He edited the greatest weeklies the world has ever known. He published no advertisements, and at the same time, did not allow the newspapers to run at a loss. No paper has till then, or since, been published like this. He published the Indian Opinion in Enlgihs, Tamil and Gujrathi, sometimes, manually running the printing press himself. In Young India of July 2, 1925, he wrote "I have taken up journalism not for its sake but merely as an aid to what I have concieved as my mission in life."

# It was a state of turmoil and agitation from then on. The regional newspapers survived two world wars, and internal resistance against eh government and many phases of the freedom movemet. Malhanlal Chaturvedi must be mentioned here as a forceful journalist amongst editors of Hindi newspapers in the central provinces. The Sandesh from Nagpur and from Bombay flourished under AB Kolhatkar's editorship. The Maharashtrian was started in Nagpur by GA Ogale. The Milap popped up in Lahore and later moved to Delhi. How much the press contributed to the freedom struggle is anybodies guess, but it was vital, because its very nature had changed. It called for such radical action, and the standards of journalism were stretched so much to meet the need for the hour, that the press took a detour for a span of thrity years, and was no longer the press, but isntead an agency to spread the struggle.

# The long and persistant prosecution of the press came to an end with the achievement of Independace. What came next was really the golden age of the Indian Press. It already had a long history, strong foundations, and the Nation was young, and the future, bright.

# The press had been growing, in spite of limitations (all the machinary was imported and costly, distribution channels not well established, readership shifting and unsteady). The growth was uneven. The rate of growth of the newspapers, however, corresponded to the growth of literacy, economy and communications technology.

# Major efforts were taken post Independance to help the press grow, the Press Commission (1952-54) published a report which recomended the developement of the Indian Press on the basis of diffused ownership, as this would in a sense serve the needs of the Indian democracy.

# The government did nothing to interfere with the freedom of the press, and it is like that till date.

# Post Independace, Neheru playerd a large part in Shaping all thinking about the press, as Gandhi had done before the Independance. He was opposed by powerful sections of the press, but he had mass appeal as he was a product of adult suffrage. He stood for tolerence, asked for an agressive, critical press, and expected the press to have dignity, knowledge and high standards.

# The hang-over of the Raj, a spirit of defiance and of constant railing of the authorities continues till date because of the Press.

# Many times, the authorities of Indpendant India have tried to underrate the importance of the freedom of the press, and to impose restraints in the name of law and order, but this has never been done to a great extent.

# The press in India continues to flourish as the most vibrant amongst all nations, and is the chief source of shaping of public opinion.

Bengali Press

# Driven by its commitment to preserve the highest standards in Bengali language and culture, Anandabazar Patrika devised a way to use the complete set of Bengali characters in the word processing software, a decade before Unicode.
# The Anandabazar Patrika, is rightly called the "Voice of Bengal."
# In 1954, the Press Commission report declared Anandabazar Patrika to be the largest circulated newspaper in the country, published from one location.
# Over the years, Anandabazar Patrika has achieved many milestones along the way — it was the first in the east and one of the first in the country to use offset printing.

# Filling up of Niche audiences is seen in new regional language newspapers. Ganashakti is the mouthpiece for the communist Party's Bengal state unit, but has the claim to the best science and technology reporting around.

# Seven years after its launch, figures show an impressive circulation of 2,58,117 copies, making Sangbad Pratidin the third largest Bengali Daily, after ABP and Bartaman. One primary reason for its growth in popularity could be attributed to its strictly unbiased news coverage. It is the only Bengali daily that has a supplement everyday of the week, providing variety and diversity as well as entertainment to its readers.

# Sangbad Pratidin is targetted at the young, upcoming Bengali, who are looking beyond tradition and heritage, in their quest to keep page with the changing times.
Constant efforts are made to improve the quality and content of the news coverage and articles, to provide the ultimate reading satisfaction and maintain contemporarity. The supplements of this paper are very vibrant and popular.

# The Aajkaal is a Bengali newspaper started in 1981, and currently edited by Mr. Ashok Dasgupta. It is a leftist newspaper, but is better known for its excellent standards of sport reporting.

# The Bartaman Patrika has the second largest circulation after ABP in Bengal, and is an anti-establishment paper. The Uttar Banga Sambad is another Bengali paper of importance that has a considerable hold over northern Bengal.

Hindi Press

# The Bhaskar group is the largest read newspaper group of India with a total readership of Rs 2.67 crores, as per NRS 2006.
# The Dainkik Bhaskar is as technically advanced as the Sakal. It uses state of the art machinary, and is published all across northern India. Bhopal, Indore, Gwalior, Raipur, Bilaspur, Ajmer, Bikaner, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Kota, Sekhawati, Udaipur, Hisar, Panipat, Amritsar, Jalandhar, and Chandigarh.
# Dainik Bhaskar is a part of the 3D syndication, which is a virtual feed from three leading newspapers in India. The other two papers are Divya Bhaskar and DNA.
# Sanmarg, is a Hindi newspaper published from Kolkatta.
# The hindi press as a whole has the largest readership. More newsprint exists today in Hindi than any other language in the world.
# The "Dainik Jagran" has 31 editions and the only daily to print over 200 sub-editions, each one customized in content to the needs of the readers in different geographical areas.
# According to NRS-2005 DAINIK JAGRAN,is the highest read National Daily across all languages (including English) in India with a phenomenal readership of 21.24 Million Readers .
# The 1st Indian publication to cross the 20 million readership mark, is the Dainik Jagran. An ABC certified Net paid Sales of over 2.4 million copies (Source : ABC Jan-Jun 05).
# Rajasthan Patrika is the initiator in the development of 'Journalism in Rajasthan'. It is committed to provide reliable, authentic, and apolitical news, to educate the masses and give voice to issues that concern their lives.

Marathi Press

# Samna tried to campaign socially for some causes now, but it does not garner much support now. It started the sons-of-the-soil campaign.

# Shivram Maharaj Atre, and Paranjpe, were principal marathi satirical writers. There have been no significant marathi satirist since them. Bal Thackeray was a satirical cartoonist, but not for a regional newspaper.

# Most Marathi newspapers are socially committed.

! While most newspapers have websites, the Sakal has a blog, and a very interesting one at that. The address is sakalblog.blogspot. The Sakal is in fact, much more tech savvy than even English Language newspapers. It embraces technology like Smartflow and SAP, which both enable to streamline business processes and network a lot of people together.

# The Events Division of the Sakaal Group organizes special events with mass appeal like exhibitions, conferences and seminars. And, to top it all, the Sakaal Group of Publications works for social causes through its instruments like the Sakaal Relief Fund, which is aimed at providing immediate aid to victims of natural disasters, and Madhurangan, which is an exclusive forum for women, to name just two.

# The Sakal was founded by Nanasaheb B Parulekar in 1932. Parulekar was a student who went to the United States, got a doctrate in sociology, married a foreigner, came back to Pune and indulged in social reform activities. He modelled the "Sakal" after leading newspapers in the US.

# Sakal's attitude was so different that it was an innovation in Marathi Press. The paper was taken over by the Sharad Pawar family. Changes were brought about in the layout and design of the paper, and seperate editions were launched in Solapur, Nasik and Mumbai. It is still considered the best Marathi paper.

# Every tier-2 city in Maharashtra has a favorite home newspaper, The Gomantak in Panaji, The Pudhari and Sanchar in Kolhapur, The Sarwamat in Shrirampur, The Tarun Bharat in Belgaum, the Lokmat and daily Deshdhooth in Jalgaon.

Malyalam Press

# The Malyalam Manorama has a National Identity similiar to that of the Anand Bazaar Patrika.

# Although Malyalam Manorama has been plagued with controversy, and has spurious relations with illegit firms, it has a solid foundation because of its social outreach programmes. The Manorama has sponsored villages where it had no subscribers. It organises cultural programs twice every year to reach out to its readers in Mumbai.

# The Chandrika is a Muslim League newspaper run from Khazaikode.

# The Deshabhimani describes itself like this : "It continues to champion the cause of the common folks - the factory worker, the office goer, the farm labourer, the small businessman, the self-employed. These are, in fact the people who constitute the largest chunk of the consumer market in the state. That's why it wields so much influence with large masses of Kerala's population. To them, Deshabhimani has become a unbreakable habit, a daily ritual, as much as the Malayalee's well-known penchant for a daily morning bath or brushing the teeth."
# The Deshabhimani is a paper known for its Marxists views
# Malabar, Cochin and Travelcore till date have a unique identity, although they were merged together to form the state of Kerla. Each area has its local newspapers, which is a unique feature in Malayalam journalism.
# The Mangalam, the Matrabhumi and the Kerla Kaumudi are other important Kerla Dailies.

Telegu Press

# The origin of Telegu Journalism is different from all other language groups.

# Till 1946, Telegu people had no home land, unlike other languages. The core of the telegu clan was Hyderabad, and it was ruled by a Nizam, whose court language was Urdu.

# Some border areas between Maharashtra and Karnataka spoke in Telegu.

# This was the picture till 1956, when the demand for a Telegu speaking state came about with great vigour, Potti Sriramalla started a fast unto death demanding a Telgu speaking state... and died. It was the congress that started dividing responsibilities across the countries by linguistically dividing its chapters. People had a linguistic "national" identity because of this, and wanted a linguistic state. Till that point of time, the government had more pressing problems, like agriculture and poverty. There was a general outcry in the Telegu speaking areas, and riots broke out.

# In the 1920s, the Andhra Prabha and the Andhra Patrika came about.

# The Andhra Prabha belonged to the Indian Express group. The Andhra Patrika was run by a small industrial group (which produced and sold the amrutanjan balm). The offices of both papers, were located in Madras, Chennai.

# When the state of Andhra Pradesh came into existence, Ramoji Rao (a young journalist stationed in Delhi representing the Andhra Prabha and met people deeply studying the working of newspapers) launched Eenadu in Telegu. This is because it came into existance on the newly formed homeland of Andhra Pradesh after the linguistic re-organisation of states. In many ways, the press continued the freedom struggle after India won its Independance.

# The Eenadu had an initial print order of 4000 copies. There was a drive to increase its circulation in the eighteen districts of Andhra Pradesh. Each district headquaters had a correspondant who filed an extensive report.

# Within the first five years, the Eenadu had covered all the Talukas with local tabloid inserts.

# MR. Ramamoorthy Rao appointed 2500 ad solicitors, the job of these 2500 people was to go door to door and educate the rural people about advertising and newspapers. The concept of advertising was alien to the largely illiterate agricultural society of Andra Pradesh. Eenadu carried important Birthday parties, aniversaries, ceremonies and festivals. There was an increase in the social prominance of the people who advertised. All the local editions became self sufficient, and increased local circulation.

# The Eenadu today has 18 editions in AP, and 6 editions outside AP.

# The Eenadu's coverage of the women disgracing drunk men in a villiage by parading them on donkeys lead to the government abolishing country liquor in the state. In 1992, the Eenadu started a full woman's page, which became a popular series.

# The Eenadu wiped out its competition, the Andhra Prabha and the Andhra Patrika. The Eenadu dominated the Telegu journalism scene within twenty five years.

! The Eenadu, in Telegu, means "Today" or "Our Land" according to different translators.

# The Eenadu has a strong influence over its readership, and because of its open criticisms of the government, it is considered to be the de-facto opposition party.

# The Vaartha was a hyperactive hi-tech infotech attempt, initiated in 1996 where editors waited for news to pour in as late as four in the morning. Initially, it was very popular, then all the fuss died down within a year.

Urdu Press

# By the beginning of the twentieth century, there were about 70 Urdu journals, unlike the nineteenth century when the Urdu press had numerical superiority over the Hindi press.

# Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad started his weekly, the Al Hilal, on June 1, 1912. The Al Hilal made its influence felt within four weeks of its birth. Within six months, its circulation had reached the figure of 11000. It became so famous, that study circles were formed where the Al Hilal was read out loudly to a group of people.

# Maulana defended the right of cow slaughter for Muslims in the Al hilal, and the influence of the journal was as far reaching as to effect Eruopeans.

# The Madina of Bijnor, started in 1912, achieved considerable influence over Muslim opinion, so did the Urdu paper of Humdum started in Lucknow.

# In 1945, two years before the Independance, the Qaumi Awaz was started in Lucknow, as a sister publication of the National Herald by Jawaharlal Nehru and other leaders.

# The Urdu papers suffered greatly from the Partition. Several of them lost their base at Lahore and had to rehabilitate themselves in fresh fields.

# The Munsif and the Siasat from Hyderabad, the Hind Samachar from Jalhandar and the Urdu Times from Mumbai are the principle Urdu newspapers currently in circulation.

The turning point

# Considering the size of the population and the readership in many languages, the press has a long was to go and has a bright future.

# There has been no planning for the press, either for its growth or for its developement, this will help the regional press grow.

# Indian regional newspapers have a great potential for growth.

# The country is still growing, and although newspapers in India have the highest readerships anywhere in the world, they still fall far below the UNESCO standards per head because of the large amount of illeterate population. However, for a country that is growing so aggressively, and coming out particularly in those regions untouched by urbanisation, there is no question that regional journalism is about to have large growth spurts.

# Almost every taluka and district all over India has at least one newspaper that is not registered with the audit bureau of circulation. There are many newspapers that circulate exteremely local news, and carry advertisements of local merchants. There is no count of how many such papers exist, but there are many.

! There are 41 countries without a single newspaper. Even today.

# Newspaper economics will undergo evolution in future growth. Investment, cost and availibility of machinary and newsprint, literacy and spread of telecommunication technology will all play a part.

# A co-operative press has a much better prospects of growth than a competetive one.

# Sucessive National readership surveys show the following trends:
- Increase in the reach of the press in terms of dailies, weeklies and periodicals
- The population, is however, growing at a much faster rate than the press, so the press is constantly catching up to its readership
- (From NRS 2006) Dailies have driven this growth in the press medium, their reach rising as a proportion of all individuals aged 12 years and above – which is the universe defined for NRS – from 24% to 25%. Magazines have declined in reach from 9% to 8% over the last one year. (This is the Trend opposite to developed Nations, where newspapers are losing out to Magazines)
- Collectively, there is a lot of Niche journalism going on that is yet to be studied. Many residential areas all over urban India have a small newspaper of their own.
- More scope for growth in Rural areas than in Urban areas

# The Indian press has scope for growth overseas

Conclusion
The power of the Indian press is not seen in it playing a part in the freedom struggle, not in the eradication of a multitude of social evils, and not even in true spiritual and psychological upliftment of its readership. The power of the Indian press is with the farmer who mourned the death of his bull in a full page obit.

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Bengali Journalism : 'Professional, Somewhat Conservative' and Calcuttan By Robin Jeffrey

In spite of technological possibilities and the apparently increasing wealth and political influence of rural West Bengal, newspaper proprietors have not followed the road taken by their counterparts in much of the rest of India: not one major newspaper has even a printing centre outside Calcutta resulting in a lack of penetration of the newspapers into the countryside. [Spreading across India after the end of the 'Emergency' in 1977, technological change in the form of the personal computer and offset press revolutionised the newspaper industry. The circulation of daily newspapers in all languages trebled between 1976 and 1992 - from 9.3 million to 28.1 million and the dailies-per-thousand people ratio doubled - from 15 daily newspapers per 1,000 people to 32 per 1,000. Regular reading of something called 'news' both indicates and causes change. Expansion of competing newspapers clearly signals the vitality and growth of capitalism: newspapers have owners and owners must have advertisers. The changes of the past 20 years are obvious yet largely unstudied. The essays in this series on the press in the major Indian languages are part of a larger project to map, analyse and try to understand the transformation of the Indian language newspaper industry. [It is a truism that Bengal once provided the intellectual leadership of India - "pioneering in Indian journalism as well as . . . giving the lead in socio-religious and political controversies"] It is a truism also that from the 1950s Bengal slid into division, disarray and political sterility. Calcutta, once the second city of a British empire, became a synonym for urban disaster, and East Bengal, today's Bangladesh, became Henry Kissinger's notorious 'international basketcase'. The Bengali press in some ways reflects thre modern political history of the Indian state of West Bengal. Bengali was the language in which the ideological struggle against foreign rule genuinely began. Bengali was the first Indian script to have international companies invest in it. The Linotype Company delivered a hot-lead mechanical casting machine for Bengali in 1935, a technology produced for the Roman alphabet in the 1880s. Such equipment was not produced for the Devanagari and other lndian scripts until after the second world war. Calcutta was once India's commercial capital. But from the outbreak of the Second World War, Bengal became a region traumatised. The famine of 1942-44 was by far the most devastating in South Asia in the 20th century. And the partition of 1947, the creation of millions of refugees and the obvious shift of commercial activity to Bombay, and political activity to New Delhi, left the new state of West Bengal contracted, contracting and self-absorbed.

Calcutta and Bengal had produced India's first newspaper- James Hicky's Bengal Gazette or the Original Calcutta General Advertiser [sic] which was published from 1780 until the confiscation of his press by the East India Company's government in 1782. The enterprise quickly produced competitors, all of them concerned with advertising and, according to one later critic, "scurrility and servility..., the only two notes known to Calcutta journalism." By 1830, the vast province of Bengal produced 50 newspapers, most of them in English, with a total circulation of about 2, 200. Rapid expansion of the Bengali press came after the revolt of 1857. In Britain itself, the 1850s marked a decade of press expansion as a result of the abolition of the paper tax, innovations in printing and the excitement generated by the Crimean War and the 'Indian mutiny'. In India, by 1870 the number of Bengali newspapers approached 90, and their criticism of British rule troubled the rulers, who responded with the Vernacular Press Act of 1878. Subjecting Indian language newspapers to controls from which English language newspapers were exempt, it shaped the activities of one of the great Bengali newspaper families. It embedded a tradition of privilege that the English language still enjoyed in the 1990s, according to some proprietors and journalists. A fondly told story of the Vernacular Press Act holds that it was directed particularly against Amrita Bazar Patrika, a forebear of today's Ananda Bazar Patrika and itself still publishing, barely, in the 1990s. The story reveals ideas about the power of Indian language newspapers yet their paradoxical vulnerability; it includes too the ambiguous place of English-the language of unjustified privilege yet little genuine influence among 'the people', a category to be both exalted and feared.

Amrita Bazar Patrika was started in Bengali in the village of Amrita Bazar in Jessore district of eastern Bengal in 1868 by a family of kayasths led by Sisir Kumar Ghosh. The paper was soon involved in a libel case, began publishing in English as well as Bengali and moved to Calcutta in 1871. Its own triumphal accounts of these years emphasise Sisir Kumar's reply to an Indian official who warned that, "your writings . . . may . . . spread discontent and disaffection." The people, said Sisir Kumar,"are now more dead than alive and need to be roused from their slumber. Our language has, therefore, to be loud and penetrating." The language appears to have penetrated the Lieutenant- Governor of Bengal. According to the story, the Lieutenant- Governor, Sir Ashley Eden, tried to win over the newspaper by offering government patronage in return for having the newspaper's copy vetted by officials. Sisir Kumar rejected the proposal, made an enemy of Eden, and the Vernacular Press Act was the result. But Amrita Bazar [Patrika] had the last laugh: it converted itself from a bilingual paper into a purely English language newspaper just in time to avoid the provisions of the Act, which exempted English language newspapers.

The story became legendary, and Sisir Kumar's great-grandson was still telling it substantially the same way to fellow train-travellers in 1994. In his version, however, Eden offered Rs 1,00,000 to import the latest printing equipment - a reflection perhaps of the preoccupations of Indian language newspaper proprietors in the 1990s. The Vernacular Press Act was repealed by the Liberal-appointed viceroy, Lord Ripon, in 1881, but its enactment constituted a landmark in the developing racism of the British in India in the late 19th century. The rationale for the Act was that material written in English could not inflame the masses and therefore the English press need not be subject to such tight restrictions as the uncontrolled, immature Indian language press. In fact, British officials knew they would outrage British newspaper owners if they tried to bring their newspapers under tighter control. At the same time, officials found the Indian language press hard to monitor, understand and, under the available law, sue or prosecute. One of the surviving outcomes of the Vernacular Press Act were the Reports on Native Newspapers, prepared weekly or fortnightly by government translators in every province. Continuing until the 1930s, these have provided the substance for scores of MA and PhD theses since independence in 1947. Most of the original newspapers disappeared or disintegrated long ago. A daily from 1891, Amrita Bazar Patrika by the beginning of the 20th century was recognised as a pillar of the national movement, the inspiration even for B.G.Tilak and his Marathi language Kesari in Pune. In 1922, generational change within the Ghosh family led to division. A branch split off and started a Bengali daily Ananda Bazar Patrika, from which grew today's powerful media group. The two newspapers became keen rivals, and in the intensity of Bengal's politics and the struggle against the British, they intruded on each other's circulation base. In 1937, Ananda Bazar started an English daily, the Hindustan Standard (which staggered on till 1974 in Calcutta), and Amrita Bazar retaliated with a Bengali daily, Jugantar. After independence, Ananda Bazar adapted more successfully to the need for management and advertising. Under A K Sarkar (1912-83), a chartered accountant and science graduate, Ananda Bazar Patrika in the 1960s became India's largest circulating daily published from a single centre and the base for one of India's major media groups. Amrita Bazar Patrika and Jugantar declined, stopped publishing in 1990, and though revived, apparently with political help, in 1993, faced an uncertain future. The fate of Amrita Bazar underlined the commercial requirements of the newspaper industry after independence. No matter how highly old elites might have regarded its service in the nationalist struggles, a newspaper in the 1980s was only as secure as its latest circulation figures and advertising rates.

Ten years after independence, the Registrar of Newspapers recorded only five daily newspapers in Bengali (combined circulation: 1,84,000). This put Bengali seventh in daily circulation among India's major languages, though Bengali is, after Hindi, the most widely spoken language in south Asia. To be sure, the majority of those speakers now lay in a foreign and hostile country-East Pakistan-but even within India, Bengali ranked after Hindi as the second largest spoken language. Why weren't Bengalis reading newspapers? The answers relate to education, class and economics. Though the high caste elite - the so-called 'bhadralok' - of Calcutta had been intellectual leaders for more than a hundred years, they were far from constituting a majority of Bengalis. Indeed, the gap between the reading elite and the largely illiterate masses was as gaping as the gulf between Calcutta and the countryside. The great city was a sponge, sucking resources and talents from the rural areas and giving little in return. Other language regions had various centres - Mumbai, Pune and Nagpur for Marathi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad and Vadodara for Gujarati, etc-but for Bengal, there was only Calcutta. Even in the 1990s, the only audited Bengali publications to originate from anywhere except Calcutta are two magazines from Allahabad in the heart of the Hindi belt. They publish there to cater to a dispersed Bengali clerical class that staffs offices throughout north India. All three of the major Bengali dailies sell half of their copies in the city itself, even though Calcutta accounts for only 16% of West Bengal's population and a quarter of the state's literates. These details illustrate the class divisions of Bengal. Though Bengal had a powerful communist movement from the 1930s and the state of West Bengal has had governments led by the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI M) since 1977, hierarchy, distance and intellectual snobbery prevail. Ganasakti, the CPI(M)'s daily founded in 1967, was until the 1990s uncompromising in its attempts to 'improve' its readers rather than entertain them. Aveek Sarkar, editor-in-chief and part-owner of Ananda Bazar Patrika, the largest Bengali daily, captured this sense of Bengali newspapers catering to a cultivated citizenry: The other Indian language newspapers are very shoddy editorial products, and I don't think there is a very strong commitment to editorial excellence. There are only about three developed languages in Asia - Chinese, Japanese and Bengali.... People have attempted to mak it [Bengali] as good as the English language at all levels. . . . No educated Malayali reads Malayala Manorama; no educated Tamil reads any Tamil paper...[but in Bengal people from an] educated professional background . . . would all read a Bengal newspaper . . .

I have never seen a Gujarati or Tamil paper in my life. We have always compared ourselves with the best.... our idea has been essentially moulded by the quality of English newspapers . . . [and other Bengali newspapers basically copy us. It's a social heritage . . . . Each and every Bengali civil servant will read my paper. Claims to having an influential readership contribute to the creation of a profitable newspaper. Advertisers since the 1980s have accepted Ananda Bazar Patrika's claims to a high-quality (i e, wealthier) readership particularly since the group started the successful English language daily, The Telegraph, in 1982. In 1995, Ananda Bazar Patrika's circulation of 4,75,000 made it the largest selling daily in India published from a single centre. This combination of high advertisement rates and circulation leadership have discouraged Ananda Bazar Patrika from trying to push its sales in the countryside and small towns of West Bengal - where 85% of Bengalis live. Ananda Bazar's rival lacked the finances to do so - and the confidence that the advertisers will accept that rural readers in West Bengal have purchasing power worth cultivating. Newspaper struggles were therefore largely waged in Calcutta itself This was reflected in the surprisingly low ratio of dailies per thousand-people (see Table). This hovered just under 20:1,000 in the 1980s, lower even than the ratio for Hindi (about 25:1,000) The gulf between Calcutta and the provinces and between educated classes and the rest seemed vast. Though one might scoff at the Gujarati and Tamil press, both languages had larger proportions of their people reading daily newspapers. Calcutta's elites appeared to feel a disdain for the 'lower orders' which made rural West Bengal seem an unlikely place to find readers or consumers. Such a feeling seemed symptomatic of Bengal 's difficulty with capitalism. The elities looked more to the nation and the world than to the backyard. The Ananda Bazar group, though based on a Bengali daily, looked to a national - even an international - audience and market. As well as The Telegraph, the group ran the English weekly Sunday, the English business weekly, BusinessWorld and the daily, Business Standard. The ability to operate successfully nationally and in English lessened the compulsions to discover a larger Bengali market. Neither could rival capitalists see clear returns in the countryside. Circulation was only useful if it brought influence and advertisers, and Bengali proprietors were not convinced that rural West Bengal would bring either. Poor telephone and road communication and heavy capital costs to establish new production centres added to the discouragement of any attempt to do in West Bengal what was being done in Andhra Pradesh, Kerala or elsewhere.

The most notable attempt to change this pattern came in the 1990's from capitalists in the chit fund industry - from which Eenadu had risen in Andhra Pradesh 20 years before. Overland was founded by the Overland Investment Company, a chit fund organization, in1993. It aimed at the districts of West Bengal, was hailed as, "a marketing masterstroke" and claimed a circulation of 1,20,000 within a few months. It focused on local news, emphasized education and exam preparation and was priced at Rs 1.50 well below the cost for a 12-page paper with few advertisements. Overland quickly produced an imitator - Pratibedan, also owned and run by a chit fund tycoon. Within a year, however, both proprietors were in jail, charged with defrauding chit fund investors. The newspapers stopped publishing. The evidence of these brief experiments was contradictory. To be sure, a market appeared to exist: no one denied that Overland was popular as non-Calcutta newspapers had seldom been. But Overland lost money. Would small town and rural readers pay an economic price for newspapers and would advertisers decide that real purchasing power existed in rural West Bengal? Consumer surveys suggested that the answer to both questions might be yes. One found that households with middle-range incomes in rural West Bengal doubled between 1990 and 1993-from about one million to 2.2 million. But the experiment of a sustained attempt to garner rural readers on large scale was yet to be made. The Calcutta-centred nature of Bengali newspapers and perhaps too, of life in Bengal itself-appeared to result in a static, or even declining, ratio of daily newspapers to people. The figure was 19 per 1,000 in the early 1980s and even using the most favorable figures, stood at about the same (or even slightly lower) in the early 1990s. As well as Ananda Bazar Patrika, the Bengali dailies that survived and prospered in the 1980s and 1990s - Aajkal (1,66,000: July-December 1993), the CPI (M)'s Ganasakti (1,02,000: July-December 1991) and Bartaman (2,34,000: January-June 1995) - exhibited similar characteristics. Each was well laid out by the standards of the international English language newspapers, and each moved increasingly to expand its readership by catering for the widest possible audience in and around Calcutta. Sports and finance became prominent news topics. Ganasakti provided the ultimate example of this homogenisation of newspaper style. Once the sombre- ponderous, some people may have said - organ of a revolutionary party, Ganasakti was remade in the early 1990s to compete with other newspapers: Defending the charge that Ganasakti was losing its class character, the editor, Mr. Anil Biswas, pointed out that listing stock market quotations, writing about companies and having a matrimonial column did not mean a sellout.
Ganasakti's marriage advertisements were open only to those people who were not seeking dowry, and the stock-market quotations provided readers with a service that they had said they required. The newspaper now aimed to sell 30% of its space as advertising each day. Yet Ganasakti, too printed only one edition, heavily targeted at readers in Calcutta. Aajkal and Bartaman both arose from the transformation of the newspapers industry in the 1980s. The success of Aajkal, started by a wealthy import-exporter in 1981, foreshadowed the founding of Bartaman again by a wealthy capitalist family, in 1984, introducing phototypesetting and offset printing. Aajkal attempted to produce a broadly based, wide-appeal newspaper. It followed a well known formula but with greater verve and application than elsewhere: it recruited a young staff, emphasized local news and developed an unusually comprehensive sports page. The successful Bartaman approach included prominent sustained attacks on the long-running CPI(M) government, which came to power in West Bengal in 1977 and survived into the mid-1990s. Bartaman, according to an admiring rival, has taken a distinct line against the CPM and Mr. Jyoti Basu [ chief minister of West Bengal]. He [the proprietor of Bartaman] runs a tirade regularly and that has given him an increasing circulation from 1,25,000 to nearly 2,00,000. Both Aajkal and Bartaman, journalists agreed, were Calcutta focused, "very professional and somewhat conservative in their display". The example of the Bengali press makes it tempting to generalize about the way in which newspapers reflect the preferences and cultures of their readers. But such propositions could be misleading and notably untrue. The process is two-way: proprietors and their friends make newspapers; consumers accept or reject them. In West Bengal, Calcutta's intellectual and economic dominance-or the certainty of Calcutta people that this dominance exists-has paralysed the Bengali newspaper industry. In spite of technological possibilities and the apparently increasing wealth and political influence of rural West Bengal, newspaper proprietors have not followed the road taken by their counterparts in much of the rest of India. No major newspaper has even a print centre outside Calcutta. "The ones [newspapers] that are in the districts are no newspapers at all"-poor measly sheets selling no more than one or two thousand copies.24 The result of the lack of penetration of the countryside, where 73 % of the population lives, has been that West Bengal has fallen well behind other parts of India in its consumption of newspapers. This raises two interesting questions that I shall try to deal with in later essays: Do newspapers indicate levels of political participation and involvement? If so, what is the connection between the relatively low penetration of newspapers and the 20-year reign of the CPI(M) government? And what is the role of purchasing power in the expansion of newspapers?

If we judge by economic surveys in the 1990s and the apartment success of the short-lived Overland, rural West Bengal has a market that has not been tapped. Is it only the myopia of the Calcutta elites - and the newspaper proprietors who serve them and are part of them - that has precluded a notable expansion of newspapers in the West Bengal countryside?

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Malayalam 'The Day-to-Day Social Life of the People...' By Robin Jeffrey

Spreading across India after the end of the 'emergency' in 1977, technological change in the form of the personal computer and offset press revolutionised the newspaper industry. The circulation of daily newspapers in all languages trebled between 1976 and 1992- from 9.3 million to 28.1 million and the dailies-per-thousand people ratio doubled-from 15 daily newspapers per 1,000 people to 32 per 1,000. Regular reading of something called 'news' both indicates and causes change. Expansion of competing newspapers clearly signals the vitality and growth of capitalism: newspapers have owners and owners must have advertisers. The changes of the past 20 years are obvious yet largely unstudied. The essays in this series on the press in the major Indian languages are part of a larger project to map, analyse and try to understand the transformation of the Indian language newspaper industry. It would be foolhardy to argue that Malayalam newspapers, because they have long led India on most statistical measures, provide models of the future for other parts of the country. However, the Malayalam experience does illustrate the force of capitalist practices and international technology and the necessity of adapting these forces constantly and skilfully to local conditions. The second largest Malay-alam daily newspaper has impeccable nationalist origins and distinctive regional and social associations; but what makes it particularly instructive for our purposes is its structure of ownership. Based in the northern Kerala town of Kozhikode (Calicut), Mathrubhumi (circulation 1995: 5,35,000) was founded in 1923 in the aftermath of Gandhi's non-cooperation movement as a public limited company. This status makes it rare among newspapers, which tend to be closely held private companies owned by a single family. Mathrubhumi's ownership has proved controversial, and the struggles to control it illustrate the extent to which language and newspapers affect the emotions and politics of large numbers of people. The newspaper's founders were members of the Indian National Congress led by K.P. Kesava Menon (1886- 1978); its shareholders included about 350 men and women of Kerala. Though Mathrubhumi lost money regularly in its early years, that did not matter, its historian noted in 1973, because its goals were not those of business but of social service. It battled gallantly with British authorities before independence and bitterly with Kerala's Communists from the late 1930s. By the 1940s, as Kerala's literate and politicised character forced itself to the attention of officials, the British acknowledged that Mathrubhumi,
reaches every village in the district [of Malabar] and... [a] mischievous attack of the Police [in Mathrubhumi] is likely to do, a great deal of harm among the mass of the people who are able to read but not able to think for themselves. Mathrubhumi came to be known as a Congress newspaper, closely associated with Malabar district and with Nayars, the upper caste group that had largely made up both the gentry and intelligentsia of Kerala. To refer to 'Kerala', however, is premature. Under the British, the Malayalam-speaking region was divided among three political entities. The Malayalam language and shared social characteristics gave Kerala a cultural unity which the British had frozen into political division about 1,800. In the North Malabar district, the home of Mathrubhumi, was one of two dozen districts in the sprawling Madras Presidency, directly ruled by the British. The southern part of today's Kerala was divided between two 'princely states' ruled by Indian princes-Cochin [now Kochy], small and central, and Travancore, much larger, to the south. From 1920 when Gandhi reorganised the provincial units of Indian National Congress on linguistic lines, modest pressures had grown for common Malayali institutions, including a single state of Kerala. In the 1940s, Mathrubhumi supported such demands, which were met in two stages, first, with the unification of Travancore and Cochin in 1949 and then with the formation of Kerala state, under the far-reaching reorganisation of India's states, in 1956. From the beginning of the 20th century, Kerala was notorious for its passion for newspapers. The first reports of the Registrar of Newspapers for India in the 1950s showed Malayalam dailies selling 4,30,000 copies a day, only 84,000 fewer than Hindi, the national language. And Mathrubhumi was Kerala's leading daily with an estimated circulation of 19,000 at independence in 1947, which rose quickly to 26,000 by 1952.5 Once the struggle against the British ended, Mathrubhumi faced similar choices to those of other nationalist newspapers in Indian languages. What now was their role? For Mathrubhumi, this was perhaps easier than for newspapers elsewhere. The bitter struggle between the Congress and the Communists in Kerala gave a Congress newspaper not only a reason for existence but a steady supply of electrifying stories for eager readers. The conduct of the newspaper remained with the old nationalists who had founded it and who comprised most of the shareholders, most of whom, it was said, had little idea where they had put their ancient share certificates. Commercial competition became noticeable after the formation of Kerala state in 1957. Mathrubhumi had been slow to join the Audit Bureau of Circulations, as its certificate No. 143 suggests. The other long established Malayalam daily, Malayala Manorama, published
from Kottayam in the old Travancore state, held ABC certificate No 19, an indication of the newspaper's origins in 1888 as a venture of a prospering Syrian Christian family. By 1960, Malayala Manorama had become the largest-selling Malayalam daily with 91,000 copies to Mathrubhumi's 78, 000. In 1962, Mathrubhumi started a second edition in Cochin and recaptured the circulation lead for the next five years. Malayala Manorama countered by setting up an edition in Kozhikode itself in 1966, and by 1971 had established a lead in circulation that it has never surrendered. The 1960s was a decade of striking circulation rises. From 1960 to 1971, both dailies more than trebled: Malayala Manorama, from 91,000 copies to 3,09,000; Mathrubhumi, from 78,000 to 2,50, 000. Of particular interest, however, is the contrast in the managements of the two organisations and the timing of crucial changes. Though both newspapers are public limited companies, Malayala Manorama is closely held as a family operation; it is hard to imagine its share being traded in the market. Similar assumption governed Mathrubhumi as long as the old nationalists lived. They, too, were rather like a family, and a clutch of stalwarts ran the newspaper. All this began slowly to unravel at the end, of Indira Gandhi's 'emergency'. As new technology became inevitable, the need for capital grew, as did the pressures to change the way a slow-moving, old-style, probably overstaffed newspaper worked. A prolonged strike followed. The old nationalists began to retire or die in the 1970s. A new edition launched from Trivandrum in 1980, did not close the gap with Malayala Manorama. A struggle began among the shareholders for control of the company. The 5,000 shares at Rs 5 each, which had floated the newspaper in 1923, acquired undreamt- of value. By the 1990s, with control of the newspaper contested, they traded at thousands of rupees each. The struggle to control Mathrubhumi eventually reached the Supreme Court of India and illustrated the value of a newspaper and the way in which languages and local honour provide at least a hindrance to the acquisition of newspapers by 'outside' capitalists. In 1993, Mathrubhumi's general manager - finance described the financial structure and compulsions of the company. When the newspaper was floated in the 1920s, 3,479 of the 5,000 shares were purchased at a nominal fee of Rs 5 each by 352 different shareholders, 203 of whom bought only one share each. Even in the 1990s, no single person owned more than 225 shares. Mathrubhumi was a "public limited company in the true sense". Shareholders elect nine directors for two-year terms, one-third being elected each year. The late 1970s brought two important changes. First, the old nationalists, who had run the newspaper as a kind of public trust, began to disappear. Second, the economic climate in India and in Kerala began to become more unapologetically capitalist. Mathrubhumi, which under its old regime was a Kerala institution
and also an effectively run business, came to be seen as a valuable asset. Its control could provide wealth - and certainly provided influence and prestige. Shares in Mathrubhumi began to be traded in a way that was inconceivable 10 years earlier. Indeed, when the share book was tidied up in the mid-1980s, it was found that there were dozens of partly paid-up shares whose owners were long dead or unknown. Such shares were forfeited, making the remaining valid shares even more valuable. A keen contest to control the company began, in which M.P. Veerendra Kumar, a wealthy planter and political aspirant, who held about 3% of the shares, emerged as the dominant shareholder and became managing director. In the course of this struggle, M.D. Nalapat, another shareholder and editor from 1984-87, whose mother, the writer Kamala Das, also held shares, was forced off the board of directors. Nalapat then broke the rules as they had existed uptill that time: he sold his shares (at Rs l2,500 each) not merely outside of Kerala but to India's wealthiest newspaper chain, Bennett, Coleman & Co., owners of The Times of India in Bombay. Nalapat and his supporters sold close to 20% of the shares in Mathrubhumi. Though this was scarcely a controlling interest, others saw the sale as the beginning of a Times of India takeover of a Kerala institution, and, according to Nalapat, an "innate sense of paranoia surfaced". The dominant shareholders appealed against the sale to the Kerala High Court which ruled that because The Times of India was a competitor of Mathrubhumi, the sale was invalid. Some saw the court's decision more as a response to Kerala sentiment than to the requirements of the law. The Times of India appealed to the Supreme Court of India where the case was still pending in the mid-1990s. The rival, Malayala Manorama, extended its circulation lead in Kerala to more than 2,50,000 copies in 1995. The struggle for Mathrubhumi highlights processes that went on throughout India from the late 1970s. People connected with Indian-language newspapers discovered that such newspapers had enormous potential for profit and power, yet the same circumstances rendered them more susceptible to destruction than ever before. It was no longer enough to rely on the old methods, the old advertisers, the old subscribers and the old labour practices. Kerala by the late 1970s appeared increasingly unusual in India. Its falling birth rate and high levels of literacy generated the label 'Kerala model' to describe its puzzling economic and social development. Its heavy migration of workers to the Gulf brought foreign exchange that made Kerala people eager purchasers of low-cost consumer goods. Advertisers grew interested. A classic conundrum presented itself. To attract advertising, a newspaper needs to show high circulations. To attract new readers, it has either to get the paper into new areas or win readers from other newspapers. By the late 1970s, technology was
becoming available to allow newspapers to reach ever more remote areas in reasonable lengths of time. But such technology required investment, and only a growing newspaper could persuade bankers to back it. And if a newspaper chose to stand still, rivals would woo the readers and take the advertisers. Kerala in 1990 had 120 daily newspapers registered with its government public relations department, more dailies than any comparable region of India. The processes of capitalist expansion and technical change thus worked themselves out more noticeably and dramatically and not merely between Mathrubhumi and Malayala Manorama. Two of the state's most important institutions are the Catholic Church and the Communist Party of India (Marxist), the CPI(M). Each long ago started a newspaper to speak to, and for the faithful. Indeed, Deepika (the light) is the oldest still-publishing newspaper in Kerala, founded in Kottayam by Carmelite priests in 1887. The CPl(M)'s Deshabhimani, founded in 1942, had a rocky history of conflict with both British and post-independence governments. By the 1980s, however, as Mathrubhumi and Malayala Manorama both strove to become broad-based, appeal-to- everyone newspapers, both the Catholic and the Communist newspapers were forced to change their approach. Deshabhimani passed Deepika in circulation in 1983, and by 1987, had established a marked advantage (74,000 to 54,000). But both lay far in the wake of the major dailies (here we must add the Trivandrum-based Kerala Kaumudi - circulation 1995: 1,32,000). As the costs of newsprint, equipment and even news gathering rose, the need for advertising became inescapable, but major advertisers wanted readers, not simply devotees. Both newspapers set out to broaden their appeal. The resident editor of Deshabhimani's Trivandrum edition caught the sense of what was happening as he explained why his newspaper now covered the major festivals of all religions. The religiously inclined, he said, could read the newspaper and, if they wished, pray for Nayanar, the CPI(M) leader, to be elected. From 1988, the CPI(M) agonised, debated and slowly moved towards advertising agents, sports pages, marriage advertisements and coverage of religious festivals. By 1993, it was claimed that advertising took up a quarter to a third of any edition. The claim was now made with pride; once it might have been stated with a cynical guffaw. Deepika also had to change its style. In 1989, priests withdrew from the conduct of the newspaper, and it was made a public limited company with about half the shares held by the Catholic Church. In 1992, it brought in as managing director and managing editor, a former marketing manager from a fertiliser company. The emphasis on managing and marketing shows the trend: the transition from
fertilisers to newspapers was not judged to be difficult for a good marketing man. Deepika started new publications: an evening daily in the nearby city of Cochin, a financial weekly and specialist magazines for job-seekers and farmers. It hired young journalists who eagerly investigated local stories, set out to rock boats and dismissed Malayala Manorama and Mathrubhumi as, "the monopoly press". This homogenisation-or broadening-of daily newspapers' coverage to appeal to as wide an audience as possible had gone on in Malayala Manorama from the 1960s. Kerala newspapers tended to cater for particular social groups and interests. Malayala Manorama therefore was held to be a Syrian Christian paper for central Kerala; Mathrubhumi, a nayar paper for the northern half of the state; Deshabhimani, for the CPM; Deepika, for Catholics of all kinds; Kerala Kaumudi, for ezhavas (lower-caste Hindus) of southern Kerala. However, when Malayala Manorama started its Kozhikode edition in 1966, it became "a big supporter of the Muslim community", Muslims accounting for more than 30% of the population of northern Kerala. To create inroads into Mathrubhumi's circulation and to attract new readers, the newspaper changed its focus. When Mathrubhumi opened in Trivandrum, 15 years later, it did the same thing. It had once a convention that its reporter in Kottayam, hometown of Malayala Manorama, was always a Hindu. Nalapat, the young editor, appointed Christians and told them to look for stories about Christians-how else would Christians, whose money was as good as anyone else's, come to read the newspaper? "We were the ones", said Malayala Manorama's news editor in Kozhikode (a Muslim), "who [put] ... local stories on the front pages ... [and] people were very much crazy because their name appears [or] their photo appears. We identified with the masses". To make a newspaper "identify with the masses"-to localise it-to get close to the readers-is in some ways a geographical task: distance and isolation have to be overcome. Newspapers must have pages in which people see their own and their neighbours' pictures and stories. They must also see these things at the right time: if it is a daily newspaper, usually this means in the morning, usually in India by seven in the morning. Computer technology and offset presses have allowed printing centres, bringing out easier-to-read newspapers, to come closer to widening circles of Indians. This is especially true in Kerala, which, in any case, is often described as a vast 'urban village'-continuous semi-urban, semi-rural settlement running from north to south. But to move a newspaper closer to local readers means the whole locality must be the focus of the local pages. In the past, Deepika might have been the paper for Catholics, Deshabhimani for Marxists, but now to maximise readership, every newspaper must aim to cover every social group-to try to report the whole scene of its operations, not merely the bits of it that its publishers might specifically regard as worthy or their own. In theory, this might mean
that individuals come to know more about the practices of their neighbours than ever before and that the newspaper habit creates-or reinforces-a sense of shared geography and related customs. Kerala suggests that to expand circulation, it is necessary to localise a newspaper's geographical coverage and broaden its social coverage. Three other aspects must be considered in a discussion of the Malayalam press: the place of periodicals, the question of cost and the effects of television. Malayalam weekly magazines indicate the importance to readers of familiar things close to hand. The largest circulating periodical in India in the mid-1990s, and for many years before, has been one of two Malayalam weeklies: Manorama Weekly or Mangalam. In 1995, Manorama Weekly sold 1.2 million copies a week; Mangalam, more than 9,00,000. Priced at Rs 1.80 for Manorama Weekly and Rs 2 for Mangalam, together the two magazines were purchased each week by one in every 10 adults living in Kerala. The price equalled that of a cup of tea or coffee. A full rice meal in a basic restaurant cost Rs 6. What did readers get for this small investment? Most of all, stories. A 40-page issue of Manorama Weekly might contain 23 pages of stories - one or two short stories and six or seven serialised novels, all of them about Kerala people and most of them set in the present. On the front cover, always the face - never the torso - of a pretty and very proper girl. In the issue of April 17, 1993, for example, she also happened to be the daughter of two nayar teachers at Nair Service Society College, Changanacherry. There had to be no mistake that the magazine was for all Malayalis. Manorama publications long ago began working hard to overcome any suspicion that they published "only for Christians". The magazines usually carried an interview, a health column, recipes, readers' letters and advice-to-readers. In Mangalam, the latter is called 'For Women Only'. Though very puritanical about sex (its owner banned advertisements for brassieres), Mangalam often carries a lurid news feature - 'Victims of Cruel Fate'. Suicides and murders are favourites, but, an editor pointed out, they generally have a positive side. The story of a murdered taxi driver in 1992 brought Rs 13,000 in donations for his widow, and the 'Victims of Cruel Fate' feature was said to have collected and distributed more than Rs 10 million over 20 years. The intense rivalry between the two weeklies in the 1980s illustrated the blending of Kerala issues with the techniques of international capitalism. Founded in 1969 by M.C. Varghese, who once worked in the production department of Deepika, Mangalam is a job-printer-to-media-moghul story. Having an interest in people and believing he knew what they liked, Varghese started a magazine with 250 copies printed on a treadle press. In 1984, it hit 7,70,000 and passed Manorama Weekly (6,37,000). Until Mangalam actually took the lead, the Manorama people "did not take it that seriously". Once
threatened, however, they called in the Market and Research Group (MARG) from Bombay, "felt the pulse of the reader and changed our style a bit". By 1990, the two publications were on roughly, even terms, selling about a million copies each. Subsequently, Manorama Weekly recovered its lead of former times. It did so by asking readers what they wanted to read. It commissioned serials on themes that market-research indicated would appeal to readers and developed plots as the stories went along, again in consultation with target groups. The magazine hired writers to produce novels from story ideas that had already been tested with market-research groups of readers. At Mangalam, M.C. Varghese credited his success to his "people interest"; At the revamped Manorama Weekly, the recipes of modern marketing replaced the intuition of Charles Dickens. Though no women were involved in the production of either magazine, both magazines agreed that the majority of their readers were women. The editor of Manorama Weekly in 1993 estimated women were 70-75% of its readers. There was an element of condescension in this. We wrote, they said at Mangalam, for the "lower strata of society". But for the two magazines to sell two million copies a week in a state with only 30 million people, suggested that a lot of men were furtively reading Mangalam or Manorama Weekly, disguised perhaps behind a copy of a 'reputable' daily or, given Kerala's powerful Communist tradition, the works of Karl Marx. What is important for our discussion is the way in which publications were compelled to seek as many potential readers as possible: all religions, all castes, all genders. To survive and succeed, print needs mass readership which comes only from such widening and including. As India's most literate state with its most buoyant newspaper industry, Kerala may offer a standard by which to gauge the constraints on readership imposed by levels of literacy, wealth and television penetration. By the 1990s, virtually every adult in Kerala was able to read and write. Mass literacy campaigns in the early 1990s were held to have eliminated the last pockets of illiteracy. Indeed, at Mangalam, they claimed that many old people came to literacy classes because they wanted to be able to read Mangalam for themselves. For a number of years, the ratio of dailies-to-people stuck at between 50 and 60 dailies per 1000 Keralites. This was far higher than the all-India average of about 30:1,000 or the next-best languages which were in the range of 30-to- 40 dailies per 1000 speakers. Figures for the 1990s are ambiguous, though the 1992 rise in the circulation of Malayalam dailies, which would give a 70:1000 ratio, seems more accurate than the surprisingly low daily circulations published by the Registrar of Newspapers for India for 1991. Since the 1980s, readership has not grown as fast as the proprietors of Malayalam publications would wish. The National Readership Survey of 1995
(NRS-1995) found that no Malayalam daily ranked in the top 10 Indian dailies in terms of readership. This results from the fact that a number of Malayalam dailies compete so intensely that no single newspaper, not even Malayala Manorama, dominates. Similarly, Kerala households appear to want to buy their own newspaper, and the number of individual readers of each copy may be declining in Kerala, even though circulations continue to rise. At Mangalam, for example, the editors maintained that some families bought three copies because each member wanted a personal copy to take to work or school. Malayalam newspaper circulations also illustrated the limitations of purchasing power. The state of Kerala falls below all India averages for per capita income. And the national averages themselves are low. NRS-1995 estimated that 75% of urban households in India had monthly incomes of less than Rs 3,000 (about US $85). In Kerala, a family of four needs perhaps 40 kg of rice per month - a cost of about Rs 300 for good rice at 1993 prices. A daily newspaper - Rs 60 per month - may represent the sacrifice of eight kg of rice or nearly a week's supply. The 70:1000 people-to- dailies ratio of Kerala in 1992 may represent as high a consumption of newspapers as India can expect without major increases in wealth. Finally, the effect of television on reading habits in Kerala in 1990s underlined the importance of lively, local close-to-home content for successful mass media. Though Doordarshan, the government-controlled national television network, had been available in Kerala since the early 1980s, its production standards were poor, even in Hindi, the language in which most broadcasting is done. Production in Malayalam was limited and uninspiring. The start in 1991 of Star TV, a multi-channel satellite broadcaster based in Hong Kong, and the launch of Zee TV, a Hindi channel on the same satellite in October 1992, brought uncensored (by Indian governments at least), slicker television to Indian viewers, but none of it in Malayalam. Asianet, a Malayalam channel owned by Indian investors and beamed at Kerala from a Russian satellite, began in September 1993 but faltered in the face of bureaucratic delays in connecting Kerala homes to the signal (either by cable or reception dish). Until television in Malayalam was sufficiently widespread, immediate and local, it was newspapers and magazines that still reflected and embellished daily life in ways which induced people to spend their money. It would be foolhardy to argue, however that Malayalam newspapers, because they have long led India on most statistical measures, provide models of the future for other parts of the country. Television has just begun to transform Indian media, and its effects may render obsolete all previous experience. The Malayalam experience does, however, illustrate the force of capitalist practices and international technology, yet the necessity of adapting those forces constantly and skilfully to
local conditions. The contest to control Mathrubhumi exemplifies the sentiment that can be aroused when outsiders affront local honour. The key to expanding circulations, according to editors at Mangalam, is, "involvement of the weekly with the day-to-day social life of the people".

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Marathi: Big Newspapers Are Elephants By Robin Jeffrey

To understand the Marathi press, one needs to appreciate two cities-Mumbai (Bombay) and Pune (Poona). Mumbai is the Manhattan of India-a buzzing, multi- lingual magnet of an island. As well as the industrial and commercial focus of India, it is the base for the advertising industry and for India's two biggest newspaper chains, The Times of India and The Indian Express. Pune, on the other hand, is Maharashtra's Boston (indeed, both have brahmins) where history, culture and more cultivated ways of life are supposed to prevail. Mumbai's magnetism has meant that it is not a solely, or perhaps even predominantly, Marathi city. Migrants come from all over India to seek their fortunes in what ought to be called, if New York is the Big Apple, the Big Mango. Virtually, all of India's languages are spoken in Mumbai, and daily newspapers in Gujarati, Hindi, Urdu, Sindhi, Tamil and Malayalam are published here. Marathi journalism, on the other hand, first flowered in Pune under the renowned patriot Bal Gangadhar Tilak (1857-1920) in the 1880s, and Marathi's dowager daily, Sakal, began in Pune in 1932, another product of nationalist idealism. Mumbai's dominance distorts any attempt to take simple snapshots of 'Maharashtra' as a whole. Though Maharashtra in the 1990s was India's most urbanised major state with 39% of the population living in cities, one-third of those urbanites lived in Mumbai. After Kerala and Goa, Maharashtra was India's most literate state, but 17% of literates lived in Mumbai, though it accounted for only 12.5% of the population. Maharashtra appeared as India's most industrialised state, but most of that industry was concentrated in Mumbai and its immediate neighbourhood. In rural Maharashtra, particularly the dry districts of the east, literacy and urbanisation were below all-lndia averages. As a consequence of these contrasts, Marathi journalism acquired two distinct styles. One is embodied in Sakal, the other in the intensely competitive commuter newspapers of Mumbai like Navakal, Mahanagar and the Shiv Sena's Samna. The two styles also capture two of the motives for publishing a newspaper: idealism and profit. In some ways, Sakal was a classic newspaper of the nationalist period. But its idealistic founder, N.B. Parulekar had been influenced by American papers during his years at Columbia University. And though he started Sakal (morning) to advance Gandhi's movement for independence, he also introduced genuine daily journalism to Marathi. Previously, as a veteran Sakal journalist recalled, Marathi journalism had amounted to opinions published two or three times a
week; the staff went home at 7 pm. Parulekar's Sakal hired reporters, paid stringers in small towns and covered crucial local topics like fluctuations in the price of mangoes. In its first years, Sakal appears to have been ridiculed and deplored in much the same way that old elites scoff at the expanding popular press of the 1990s. "People used to joke about its [Sakal's] district and taluka correspondents' reports about village fairs, pilgrimages and crops." But Sakal built a place in the hearts of the people of Pune and its neighbourhood-and a circulation. By the early 1960s, Sakal sold 69,000 copies a day. The Mumbai-based Marathi dailies of the two chains (The Indian Express and The Times of India) sold 1,22,000 and 75,000, though Mumbai had a population five times greater than Pune. Sakal in the 1960s represented "a real success", according to a widely travelled editor, and "a standing testimony to the viability of the provincial press". Though begun as a part of the nationalist cause, it established itself as a successful business by making day-to-day concerns, not just of Pune but its rural neighbourhood, a preoccupation. By the 1980s, this became a recognised essential for any Indian language newspaper seeking circulation. But Parulekar brought such techniques to Sakal from the 1930s and showed that they complemented, rather than detracted from, the goals of the nationalist movement. By the 1960s, Sakal kept full-time correspondents, each with a telephone, in every town in its neighbourhood. It ran training camps for its journalists, promotions and cultural events for its readers and letters to the editor on its front page. Parulekar converted Sakal into a private limited company in 1948, with himself, his French wife, their daughter and one or two other shareholders. When he died in 1973, he left the paper with practices and traditions that wore well. It survived the first shocks of India's revolution in newspaper technology and carried on for more than 10 years. But he also left a complicated ownership structure: a minority of shares went to his wife and daughter but most went to individual trustees and to a trust. Widow and daughter do not appear to have got on well with the trustees and the trust, which put their shares on the market at the end of 1984. The Pawar family, whose best known member was Maharashtra politician, Sharad Pawar (chief minister, 1978-80, 1988-90, 1993-95), bought them over the opposition of Parulekar's wife and daughter who went to the courts. At the same time, the rapid changes overtaking the newspaper industry, and the death of the long-serving editor, S.G. Mungekar in 1985, reinforced the sense that Sakal was at a turning point. The sale and renovation of Sakal illustrate the increasingly tight interlock between capitalism and newspapers. In the early 1980s Sakal's circulation fell when newspapers elsewhere in India, including its Mumbai rivals the Maharashtra Times and Loksatta, were
recording rapid increases. The Pawar family turned the paper into a public limited company in 1989, and P.G. Pawar, a brother of the politician, became managing director. Emphasising marketing, he sent representatives around India to promote the paper and overseas to study marketing techniques. Prior to the acquisition by the Pawar family, Sakal had been competently run, but old-fashioned and perhaps over- staffed. The new owners took it in the same direction as renovating newspapers around India: towards marketing surveys, new management practices, aggressive selling of advertising and improvement in labour-saving technology. "I sell my news and views to the reader", P.G. Pawar said, "and I sell my readers to the advertisers". Sakal's annual turnover grew by 5 times in eight years-from Rs 60 million to Rs 300 million. The emphasis on selling and marketing was in keeping with the trend at successful newspapers throughout India. But the process could not be straightforward and simple. Some employees had joined Sakal when Parulekar was alive, and one felt in the offices and newsrooms of Pune in 1993 a sense of transition-of new brooms brushing up against old dogs. There was a sense, too, of attempting to learn, or define, a new business. For example, one of Sakal's corporate advisers, whose job was to promote advertising, was "a housewife until three years ago" and a former classmate of the managing director. In the hunt for advertising, "we experimented", she said. From 1990, Sakal began to look for advertisements outside of Maharashtra, and she and her colleagues travelled India to promote Sakal and "learnt as we went along". India's economic 'liberalisation' that began in 1991 greatly aided the hunt. Between 1990 and 1993, Sakal raised its advertising rates three times, but the ads kept flowing in as Sakal told advertisers about the purchasing power of rural Maharashtra, and television manufacturers and financial houses looked for ways to sell products and raise capital. Sakal co-operated with financial institutions to turn its small-town offices, promotions and good name, which in Parulekar's time were deployed for drama festivals and grow-more-food campaigns, into investment seminars and introductions to the stock market. Every meeting in a district or even a taluk town was said to draw 200 or 300 people. The emphasis on advertising surprised and annoyed some of Sakal's readers and employees. "The concept [of selling ads] didn't exist" previously at Sakal. If a reader wished to place an ad, he was welcome to do so; but to go touting for ads was thought to be demeaning; and a newspaper employee whose job was simply to sell advertising would have been seen as a wastrel who simply roamed around performing no useful service. Such views had no place in an expanding daily newspaper in the 1980s. Sakal did, however, harbour characteristics of earlier times when commercial concerns were important yet less insistent, and the new
management could turn older ways to new ends, sometimes with fruitful effect. Sakal's circulation manager in 1993 had been with the newspaper for 32 years, and circulation manager since 1985. Circulation records were kept in ledgers, the department was still to be computerised, and his methods stressed the need for intimate knowledge of the newspaper's agents. His white, long sleeved, heavily ironed shirt, carefully clipped moustache and standard-issue horn-rimmed spectacles captured the placid civility found in the best Indian offices of the pre-1991 era. And Sakal had been a successful newspaper during that time. By 1993, the knowledge of agents, distribution and market towns had to be exploited urgently. "The competition is growing so severely", said Sakal's young deputy general manager, formerly a college lecturer in English, a purchasing officer and assistant secretary of the Pune Chamber of Commerce and Industries. This] must of course be welcomed. It appears that only the papers that are at No I and No 2 will really survive...Only by way of increasing circulation can I push my paper to No I position, and...for the last two years we have been all the more aggressive on the circulation-promotion-subscription point of view. But that aggression, he said, had to be married to the sobriety that long-time readers associated with Sakal. Sakal would not print its name on balloons, kites and T- shirts. Sakal aimed to educate, inform and improve as well as sell. The Marathi newspaper industry in some ways provides a microcosm of Maharashtra, both geographically and socially. Geographically, four major newspapers divide the state among them. Sakal dominates Pune and through its edition in Kolhapur, the south (circulation all editions 1995: 2,57,000). Loksatta (circulation all editions 1995: 3,24,000) of the Indian Express reigns in Mumbai, a clear leader over its rival from The Times of India, the Maharashtra Times (1,58,000). Based in Nagpur, Lokmat (circulation all editions 1995: 2,64,000) led in the east of the state. Founded as a weekly in 1952 by Jawaharlal Darda (b.1923), a Congress politician and minister, Lokmat became a daily in 1971. Darda's son, Vijay Jawaharlal Darda (b.1950) became the managing director in the 1990s. It is perhaps not fanciful to suggest that the readiness of the Pawar family to acquire Sakal in 1985 may have had something to do with the advantages that ownership of Lokmat appeared to have given the Darda family. Competition in the 1990s was intense, and the newspapers jumped, like moves in a game of checkers, into towns of rural Maharashtra. Loksatta put editions into Pune (1988) and Nagpur (1992) to challenge the two rivals in their strongholds. Sakal started an edition in Nasik (1989) to confront Lokmat, which itself began publishing from Ahmadnagar (1988) to encroach on Sakal territory.
Socially, however, Maharashtra's contrasts glared most strikingly in Mumbai. The sprawling city's commuter railways, bubbling economy and swelling population created a newspaper market unrivalled in India. Morning dailies in English, Hindi, Gujarati and Marathi rubbed shoulders with an array of evening newspapers aimed at commuters. Among both categories were tough, scrappy papers that conjured up images of scruffy, broken-nosed street-fighters. Such newspapers aimed for different audiences, and the old elites deplored them; but they won readers and were capable of provoking riots and demonstrations-at least against themselves, if not among citizens of Mumbai. Navakal, Aapla Mahanagar and Samna, had much of what even the new managers at Sakal deplored. Navakal's circulation in the 1990s often exceeded 3,50,000, which in Canada or Australia would have made it one of the biggest papers in the land. In India, it ranked in the top ten. But Navakal was produced by one family in premises no bigger than an average Canadian or Australian family home, and Navakal was the oldest continuously publishing daily newspaper in Marathi. Its editorial offices stood on the second floor of a yellow-washed three-storey building with three roller-doors at ground level. The presses and storage area for newsprint took the ground floor, rather like a garage under a house. Navakal was run by a peculiar genius, both ridiculed and admired in the journalism of western India. His family had been in the business since the first world war. Navakal was founded in 1923 by K.P. Khadilkar, a Chitpavan brahmin, "one of the trusted lieutenants of Tilak", twice editor of Tilak's Kesri and a noted playwright, "the Shakespeare of Maharashtra". The paper was said to have "reached the zenith of its popularity" when the British convicted Khadilkar of sedition in 1929 and the father of the current (1996) owner became editor. Circulation fell sharply after independence, and when Nilakantha Khadilkar (b.1934) joined his father in the publication in 1956, it was, he said, down to 800 a day. It staggered to 5,000-6,000 where it remained through the 1960s, limited by ancient flatbed presses that could not produce more than 10,000 copies a day. Nilakantha Khadilkar's journalistic recipe captured essential elements of newspaper success, a complex blend of attention to detail, business sense, idealism and art. First, a newspaper had to pay its bills, and in Navakal's position, with little capital, it could only do this by making money on its sales, something very few newspapers do. Navakal was always a four-page broadsheet. In 1993, it sold for 75 paise, less than a third of the price of many dailies and half the price of most; but they ran to 10 or 12 pages and their per-page cost was therefore less than Navakal's." So Navakal becomes the costliest newspaper to purchase",
Khadilkar concluded. But people do not carry a pocket calculator when they buy their newspaper. Navakal's notably cheap price gave it a huge advantage among poor people who wanted to read. With any other Mumbai daily at Rs 1.50 or more, you had a newspaper to read; but with Navakal at 75 paise, you had a newspaper and half the price of a cup of tea still left in your hand. But how could a brahmin of the old elite, grandson of 'the Shakespeare of Maharashtra', attract readers for whom such trifling calculations were important? In part, it was because Navakal showed textbook attention to newspaper economics, production and cheap distribution. Big newspapers are elephants; they can't move quickly. I move quickly. For instance,... for newspapers there are S[tate] T[ransport] buses right from 10 o'clock at night so I catch the first ST bus which travels long distance:.. all of them reach [distant towns in Maharashtra] before 6 o'clock [in the morning]. On Mumbai island, Navakal's five motorised three-wheelers beat the big dailies because the latter used the same truck to transport two or three different newspapers. If one was late in production, the truck waited and everything was delayed. People must have their newspaper when they want it-early, in the case of a morning daily. Navakal got the paper out quickly because it printed only one edition which it sent throughout Mumbai and Maharashtra. Readers then were not buying Navakal for the latest news. The "local news coverage of Navakal cannot compare with a paper with 12 pages", Khadilkar admitted. "We select [and highlight] one news [item] ... and that is the news about which people discuss". In short, Navakal's choice was intended to provide the day's teashop conversation for hundreds of thousands. The editor's inspiration was something no capital according to Khadilkar, could buy. A good headline will at least make a difference of five or 10,000 [copies]. Every day. I have judgement that this headline will bring me so much. If you write it in this manner, my circulation will increase so much. Out of 10 judgements, 9 will come true. The paper had also to be readable. Navakal was set in notably large type-14 points or about a quarter larger than the normal body type of other dailies in Marathi Hindi. Print clarity was crucial. ...with offset, even with the first offset machine, printing will be as good as that of The Times of India because...attention to printing...[is] more important than the price you pay for the machine. In offset attention is more important. In the old days, [with the] best machinery you get best result. Not so now.
See this "g" [he said, examining a muddy character in The Times of India]. Is that the way for the biggest capitalist newspaper to print a "g"? I am taking care of this letter also. Because now...I can beat them in quality of writing...[and] also [in printing]. I know what it means to be without money knowing all the time that I am better than you, but you have [more equipment]. Navakal had to reach readers early; had to be easy and inviting to read. But why did readers want a four-page paper with great many lottery results and cinema advertisements and not a lot of news? Much of the answer appeared to lie in the unique resonance that Khadilkar's long front-page editorial essays achieved with a wide range of readers. The deft style was said to appeal both to the values of a once-genteel but now bypassed high-caste elite and to the cynicism of the Marathi working class. Poor readers welcomed the allusions to classical literature and religious themes as a window on, and an invitation to be part of, a world of 'high culture'. Higher-caste readers accepted such devices as natural. Navakal played on the theme that the rich and powerful systematically exploited the poor and deserving and that Navakal was one of the few voices able and unafraid to speak. I am honest-that is the only extraordinary thing about me [Khadilkar said]. And people believe that I am honest-that is more important. People believe that everybody else is dishonest. The editors [of the big papers] are paid editors. They are writing to the tune ... of their owners, which is part of my propaganda-that they are hired ... hired by whom? By the big capitalists to serve their interests. They cannot write the truth; only I can write the truth. One per cent of the population ... rules this country by deceiving; they are exploiting 99% just by deceiving... From where [do] they bring [get] money? From the people on the streets ... [The] poor are exploited...I put all these things with all my heart, because...here is a newspaper which reflects our values, reflects our anguish and which attacks the government and the big shots...and people now love it [the paper]. Outsiders might describe Navakal as a "down-market paper meant for the coolies", but a circulation of 3,50,000 (ABC, July-December 1994) for a four-page newspaper demonstrated that newspapers were more than monopoly printing presses and management systems. Navakal represented inspired demagoguery. It was often stridently anti- Muslim and frequently in tune with the Shiv Sena, Mumbai's
Hindu-chauvinist political movement. But what the paper demonstrated so well was the unpredictable mix of business sense, technical mastery and cultural intimacy central to successful newspapers, as they struggle to become part of people's routines of life in newly reading societies. Two other Marathi newspapers of Mumbai strengthen this impression that sensitivity to, and reflection of, popular interest and prejudice are crucial in spreading the newspaper habit. Samna is the daily of the Shiv Sena, the aggressive political organisation built around Bal Thackeray and a programme of Hindu and Marathi supremacy. Thackeray, who is listed as Samna's editor, himself worked for many years as a cartoonist in English-language newspapers. The paper was founded in 1989 as the Shiv Sena moved away from its original Mumbai-for-Marathis focus, which regarded south Indian immigrants as important foes, to an anti-Muslim, India-for-Hindus emphasis which had wider electoral potential. In the mid-1990s, Samna had an audited circulation of 96, 000. In 1990, during the first round of the campaign to destroy the mosque at Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh, Samna was at the forefront of the familiar newspaper war. On 3 November 1990, Navakal had brought out an early edition with a front-page headline that 20 of the would-be stormers of the mosque had been killed. It re-plated-Khadilkar usually brought out only one edition-for a new edition that raised the number of headline dead to 100. Samna also decided on 100 dead "in an eight column headline in reverse types-above which the paper cordially invited the prime minister and chief minister of Uttar Pradesh to black their faces in shame". Neither paper of course had a correspondent in Ayodhya. In the second and successful attack on the mosque in Ayodhya in December 1992, Samna and Thackeray declared "this is Dharma Yudh [religious war] and not confined to Mumbai alone, and in the whole country you [i.e., Muslims] will have to pay the price for it." Samna in December 1992 and January 1993 played a textbook role in disseminating fears and stereotypes. In creating awareness of larger social groups-in transcending neighbourhood and word-of-mouth communities-newspapers are fundamental. Samna in the 1990s did not create Hindus and Muslims or even suspicions between them. But it embedded in Mumbai exaggerated tales of indignities done faraway. It gave such tales the dignity and durability of print. And its calls for "redress"- "It is time for Hindus to act ... The next few days will be ours" - profited from the stamina, "authority" and transportability that is the essence and strength of print. Samna had a privileged position which grew out of the way in which newspapers and journalists control themselves and are controlled by others. As the voice of the Shiv Sena, Samna was protected by the most aggressive bully-boy operation in Mumbai. According to critics, no newspaper in Mumbai enjoyed the same degree of free speech as
Samna. Even the biggest organisations like The Times of India took pains to avoid falling out with the Shiv Sena. A turgid piece on Indian heroes written by a graduate student and published in the Illustrated Weekly of India, the venerable magazine of The Times of India group, brought threats against the group and abject apologies from the magazine's editor. The article had made the mistake of trying to discuss the documented history of Shivaji, the Marathi hero of the17th century from whom the Shiv Sena takes its name. More telling, however, for the nexus between political gangs, newspapers and urbanisation were the attacks on another Mumbai evening daily Aapla Mahanagar. Founded in 1990 by a young journalist, Nikhil Wagle, Mahanagar was wrecked and its staff attacked by ruffians from the Shiv Sena in October 1991, for "criticising Thackeray". Mahanagar was on the street the next day with an editorial saying that it accepted "the challenge" thrown down by the Shiv Sena. "And ... these people, the Shiv Sena,...are so fascist",Wagle recalled, that ...after my editorial...it was a comic thing: their entire office was protected. They got police protection, because they thought that [when] I wrote ... "we will accept the ... challenge", that I will attack you [ i.e., that we were going to attack them]. It was so foolish! Politically, Wagle and his colleagues were independent journalists, committed more to putting out a paper people would read than to any particular line. Indeed, he confessed a grudging admiration for Khadilkar and Navakal for their ability to read the mind of the people and to be many things to many different groups. In terms of newspaper economics, the conflict with the Shiv Sena was beneficial: within three years, Mahanagar was selling more than 1,20,000 copies a day, and its Hindi counterpart, 60,000. Mahanagar continued to fight: Wagle was jailed for four days by the Maharashtra legislature in 1994 for ridiculing its procedures. And the evening newspaper market in Mumbai grew to well over 3,00,000 copies in the mid-1990s, by far the largest evening market in India. The success of evening newspapers in Mumbai contrasts with the relative lack of importance of weekly magazines in Marathi. It is as if the life of the city looks for news- accounts and explanations of what is going on in the streets-while in less frenetic, more rural parts of India (Tamil Nadu, Kerala or even Gujarat, for example), people have the leisure to absorb the fiction of weekly magazines. Only one weekly in Marathi, published by The Indian Express group, exceeded 1,00,000 copies (1,03,000) in the mid-1990s; Sakal's weekly managed only 37, 000. What does this examination of the Marathi press tell us about the dynamics and ramifications of the newspaper business in India? It
leads irresistibly towards considerations of influence and control. Perhaps nowhere in India is the press judged to be more capable of influencing - inciting - people in the street than in Mumbai. Perhaps nowhere too are the efforts to control the press - to intimidate, to muzzle - more pronounced. Such efforts extend from the attacks on Aapla Mahanagar and the imprisonment of Wagle by the legislature to the threats to The Times of India group after the publication of the article on Shivaji. Outcomes of these struggles do not necessarily confirm one proposition about newspapers under threat: that, "if officials do not resort to extreme coercion and civil associations have some room for manoeuvre, it is the large one [i e, big newspaper organisations] that can put up the best fight". Wagle and Khadilkar make more waves in Mumbai than The Times of India's publications. "The Times of India has lots of things to lose", said Wagle. "They have big building[s], they have big office[s]". A few big newspaper chains are easier to control and mould than a dozen Wagles and Khadilkars. Size-central locations, large investments in presses and offices-can make big newspaper organisations vulnerable. In the short-term at least, it is easier for a hostile state to turn off the power to two or three big newspaper plants (as Indira Gandhi's officials did in New Delhi on the night her "emergency" began on June 25-26, 1975) or throw a police cordon around their offices than to close a score of Khadilkars and Wagles scattered round a large state. This raises a second area in which the Marathi press provides illustration. Individual genius and imagination are fundamental in the newspaper business. To flourish, a newspaper must be integral to the culture in which it lives. The operations of Khadilkar and Wagle-and, indeed, Samna of the Shiv Sena as well-are subtle, constantly changing responses to the Marathi-readers of Mumbai. Market research aims to achieve the same goals and no doubt sometimes can; but the intuition of the inspired editor are inimitable- and far cheaper. Marathi offers greater scope for small newspapers and peculiar geniuses because Mumbai dominates Maharashtra yet Mumbai is not an overwhelmingly Marathi city. Because various languages-Marathi, Gujarati, Hindi, Tamil and Malayalam-are all heard and read on the streets of Mumbai, concentration of newspaper ownership has gone less far. The market for the Marathi press is more segmented-between the regions of a great state, between Mumbai and Pune, between them and the rest of Maharashtra and in Mumbai itself, between Marathi and other languages. In these segments, various newspapers and proprietors can survive and even thrive. On the other hand, in regions where a single language prevails almost alone-Kerala or Andhra Pradesh, for example-consolidation of the industry may come quickly once the compulsions of capitalism arrive in earnest. In such regions, one or two organisations may soon eclipse all others.

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Malayala Manorama

One bright morning, more than a century ago, Malayala Manorama came into being. Founded by Kandathil Varghese Mappillai on March 14th 1888, Malayala Manorama has had a stimulating effect on the minds of the Malayalees. It spurred social progress, defined cultural sensibilities. It has been an overwhelming presence while reflecting and exploring the life and times of Kerala. Manorama has had good times and hard times; it has known tyrant's thunder and human tenderness. Encounters with extinction were part of its exciting evolution. It has been a saga of courage and endurance, of triumph and excellence, of dedication and commitment to the people and their aspirations. The years have not blunted our mission; we breathe the ideals of our illustrious founder and his visionary successors. The long list of best-selling products 1.The WEEK 2.Bashaposhini 3.Karshakashree 4.Manorama Weekly 5.Manorama Annual 6.Vijayaveedhi 7.Vanitha 8.Vanitha Hindi 9.Kalikkudukka 10.Magic Pot 11.Balarama 12.Balarama Digest 13.Amarchitrakatha 14.Thozhilveedhi 15.Knowledge Adventure CDROM 16.Hindi Year Book 17.English Year Book
18.Tamil Year Book 19.Malayalam Year Book 20.Bengali Year Book 21.MalayalaManorama Newspaper -- is a testimony to this fact. Our field of vision has expanded, our horizons have widened. As the world goes digital, we are stepping into cyberspace. For long ago, our destiny became interlinked with yours. For more than a century Malayala Manorama has had a stimulating effect on the mind of the Malayali. It spurred social progress, defined cultural sensibilities, and even set political agenda. It has been an overwhelming presence while reflecting and exploring the life and times of Kerala. Manorama has had good times and hard times; it has known tyrant's thunder and human tenderness. Encounters with extinction were part of its exciting evolution. It has been a saga of courage and endurance, of triumph and excellence, of dedication and commitment to the people and their aspirations. Long ago, our destiny became interlinked with theirs. This link is thicker than the printing ink. It transcends language. Banegaon, in earth-quaked Latur, was a heap of crushed sunflowers. Fifteen months later, we sang the story of its rebirth. We rebuilt the village and saw sunflower smiles on rustic faces. Hearts beat for us in Kerala. Hundreds of hearts for whom we ensured free surgery. For the good earth, we honour the unsung farmer with the 'Karshakashree' Award. Our field of vision has expanded, our horizons have widened. We have publications in five languages, and from print we have stepped into television and cyberspace. The years have not blunted our mission; we breathe the ideals of our illustrious founder and his visionary successors. The following pages tell the story of Malayala Manorama-and how it has gone beyond journalism. One bright morning, more than a century ago, the first joint stock publishing company of India came into being. It was founded by Kandathil Varghese Mappillai at Kottayam, a small town in the princely state of Travancore, onMarch 14, 1888. The great poet Kerala Varma named it Malayala Manorama. It turned out to be an enchanting, enduring name. The company started with one hundred shares of Rs.100 each. The investors paid in four equal installments. The first installment was good enough to buy a press. It was a small hand press, a Hopkinson & Cope, made in London. The press was installed in a vacant building, which would later become a school chapel. A local craftsman, Konthi Achari, made the types for the
imported press. It was a Herculean task. Being phonetic, the Malayalam script had a few hundred letters for the 53 vowels and consonants and their different combinations. The first issue of Malayala Manorama appeared on March 22, 1890, while Kottayam was hosting a highly popular cattle fair. It was a four-page weekly newspaper, published every Saturday. There were a few other newspapers around, mostly organs of Christian churches. But most people in Travancore did not have basic human rights. As Varghese Mappillai was a man of letters, there was a profusion of poetic outpourings and literary debates in Manorama. But its heart was with the underdogs. Its very first editorial was a fervent plea for education of Pulayas, untouchables who could not even walk on public roads. It was the voice of human dignity. Thus began Manorama's unflagging fight against injustice and iniquity, and people grew close to it. Manorama grew with them, too. From a weekly it grew into a bi-weekly in 1901, a tri-weekly in 1918 and a daily in 1928. Today, the daily is published from eight centres in Kerala: Kottayam, Kozhikode, Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram, Palakkad, Kannur, Kollam and Thrissur. The new unit at Malappuram was inaugurated in February, 2001. Manorama Online, the Internet portal was inaugurated in20 June, 2003. The march goes on, winning hearts every step of the way. Kandathil Varghese Mappillai was only 31 when he founded Malayala Manorama. Already, he was an accomplished writer. A high thinker. And very enterprising. He was a shroff like his father. But, unlike his father, he had no head for figures. His head was full of dreams and poems. He quit the job and become Editor of Kerala Mitram, a Malayalam newspaper run by a Gujarati businessman called Devji Bhimji, inKochi. Later, he taught Malayalam at C.M.S. College,Kottayam, an early cradle of English education in India. He launched Malayala Manorama while he was a teacher. Even the Maharajah of Travancore, Sree Moolam Tirunal, held him in esteem. The Maharajah gave Manorama the Royal Coat of Arms. With a slight variation, it adorns the newspaper's logo. It was an honour from a ruler who established the first legislative council in India in 1888, the year Manorama was born. Varghese Mappillai campaigned, through editorials, for greater power for the legislature. He sparked many a political debate. And he spent reams on literature, throwing the pages of Manorama open to the finest poets and writers. He also nurtured new talent. Soon after its birth Manorama triggered a war over alliteration. It was the fiercest literary debate in the history of Malayalam. Literature was intoxicating stuff those days. In 1891 Varghese Mappillai formed a literary club, Bhashaposhini Sabha. It brought together the tallest poets and writers from Travancore andCochin States and the British-ruled Malabar. Locking creative horns, they shed awkward angularities of dialects. The Sabha held keen literary contests. Once, the challenge was to churn out, within five hours, a verse drama of one hundred stanzas in four acts. Poet Kunhikuttan Thampuram did it in four hours. He simply dictated it.
An offshoot of the Sabha was Bhashaposhini magazine, which Varghese Mappillai started in 1892. It remains the greatest literary journal in Malayalam. A poet himself, Varghese Mappillai was a social visionary. He inspired the building of several schools and libraries. Shortly before his untimely death at the age of 47 he did something unthinkable in hidebound Travancore: he established a residential girls' high school at Thirumoolapuram in 1904. The whoosh of it can still be heard in the strides Malayali women have made. The fifty years from 1904 were eventful for Malayala Manorama. Those were years of evolution, struggle, oblivion and glorious rebirth. After the death of Kandathil Varghese Mappillai in 1904, his nephew K.C Mammen Mappillai was the natural choice as Editor. The uncle had groomed the nephew, who too was a teacher. And he proved a worthy successor. Mammen Mappillai built into Manorama the kind of grit and determination Indian journalism had never witnessed before. He maintained the secular and literary tradition set by his uncle. And he infused it with a new vigour, setting a lively style, starting columns for women and children, and initiating debates on politics and industry. He made Manorama a powerful catalyst of social change. He straddled diverse fields. He was a teacher, writer, legislator, social reformer, banker, farmer, planter, industrialist, insurance baron..... He lived a full life many times over in 80 years. The National & Quilon Bank under his chairmanship was one of the most successful banks in India in the 1920s. The new Guardian of India Insurance Company, which he founded, had an enviable reputation. Popularising rubber cultivation, he gave Kerala's economy a new bounce. Rubber became the economic backbone of Kerala's midlands. The champion of rubber was a man of steel in the Sree Moolam Legislative Assembly and in the stormy conflicts in the Syrian Church. He played a pivotal role in the abstention movement and struggle for civil rights and responsible government. To break him, Travancore Diwan (prime minister) Sri C.P Ramaswamy Iyer broke his bank by engineering a run on it in 1938. Everywhere his voice throbbed with the spirit of freedom. Malayala Manorama was sealed and Mammen Mappillai jailed. All his property was confiscated. The immediate provocation: Manorama had published a news item of deaths in Neyyattinkara following a cruel Police firing by Sir.C.P's goons. He walked out of jail two years later. His brother K.C. Eapen, who was arrested with him, was carried home dead. Mammen Mappillai built Manorama all over again. It eventually became the best-read newspaper in India. Inaugurating Manorama's belated Diamond Jubilee celebrations in 1951, Indian President Rajendra Parasad said: "I was much pleased to have an opportunity to participate in the Diamond Jubilee celebrations of the Malayala Manorama. It was because I thought it was not a celebration of the paper only, but a Diamond Jubilee celebration of the services of its soul and life, Sri Mammen Mappillai." Mammen Mappillai breathed his last on the last day of 1953. The Chief Minister of the united Travancore-Cochin State, A.J. John, and his cabinet ministers led the
funeral procession. And the people raised in his memory the K.C. Mammen Mappillai Hall in Kottayam. It was poetic justice that the Memorial hall came up where a park in the name of the Diwan had stood. Built in 1957, and rebuilt in 1997, this beautiful edifice stands in perpetual tribute to a man who built an empire in human hearts. Five days after K.C. Mammen Mappillai's death, his son K.M. Cherian published his last dictum. "By God's grace, Manorama is in a position to create and garner a forceful public opinion. This may be used for the good or the bad. But, we should consider it as a public trust bestowed upon us for the selfless service of humanity." "You will have no qualms to use Manorama as a sacred public trust or an institution God has trustingly bestowed upon us to be used without fear or favour from anyone. You should always work with this in mind. God has placed in our hands a mighty weapon. To use it for our personal, vindictive and vitriolic ends will be an unpardonable and immoral act injurious to the faith bestowed on us by a large number of people. God does not want that. And hence our eternal vow should be to tirelessly work for the success of fairness, justice and morality." It remains a sacred, inviolable dictum for Malayala Manorama. For nine long years Malayala Manorama lay in chains. By any estimate, it was the stiffest price paid for freedom of expression in Indian journalism. The 1930s were tempestuous years of India's struggle for freedom. Malayala Manorama was in the forefront of the struggle in Travancore. It was actively involved in the civil rights agitation, the formation of the Travancore State Congress and the historic campaign for responsible government. Mammen Mappillai's trenchant articles in Manorama invited the wrath of the all-powerful Diwan Sir C.P. Ramaswamy Iyer. He believed that Manorama was bankrolling the State Congress. "I will crush them," he swore in wild rage. He did not wait too long. He banned Manorama for carrying a brutally frank report on firings and military atrocities at Neyyattinkara on September 1, 1938. On September 10, 1938, armed police confiscated the Manorama office in Kottayam and sealed its doors. Later,K.C. Mammen Mappillai was arrested. The vengeful Diwan was out to crush Manorama. This he did. And the civil liberties it championed. The day Manorama was banned was the saddest in the life of Mammen Mappillai. It was the champion of press freedom. Overnight, it lay inert with an iron hand clamped over its mouth. This he did. Words lay dead in the throat for nine years. India won freedom on August 15, 1947. In less than three weeks, the Diwan fled Travancore in ignominy. His stratagems to keep Travancore out of the Indian Union failed. And on November 29, 1947 there was jubilation: Malayala Manorama was back. It was a glorious rebirth. As Malayala Manorama was struggling to break out of its nine-year-long banishment, a 50 Years-old former professor came forward to strengthen K.C. Mammen Mappillai's aged elbows. It was his eldest
son, K.M. Cherian. He teamed up with his father as Managing Editor. It was Cherian who paved the way for Manorama's magnificent comeback. On Mammen Mappillai's death, Cherian took over as Chief Editor in 1954. His immediate goal was the emotional integration of the people ofTravancore, Cochin and Malabar, which were uniting to form Kerala State. He won great acclaim for the excellent effort. Cherian kept his father's last dictum close to his heart. And he cherished lofty ideals. Under his inspiring leadership Manorama went from strength to strength and launched an edition fromKozhikode in 1966. Cherian also started a few other successful publications. The circulation of the newspaper soared from 30,000 to 300,000. And that of Manorama Weekly, which he had revived, rose to 329,000. Prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru, while visiting an allied concern, remarked: "I shall confess that part of the reason which made me agree (to the visit) was also the fine record of Mr. K.M. Cherian and his family in every business they have undertaken." Cherian was Chairman of Press Trust of India and President of the Indian & Eastern Newspaper Society (now Indian Newspaper Society). He won several national honours, including the Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan. He died onMarch 14, 1973. If Kandathil Varghese Mappillai conceived Manorama and K.C. Mammen Mappillai moulded its character, K.M. Cherian gave it the Midas touch. And he won it national glory. 'Keep the family out and bring in the professionals!' is one way. There's a better way. Keep the family in but make them professionals first. That's the way things are working out at Malayala Manorama today and nobody could wish for anything better. The man who thought up the better way, K.M. Mathew, joined Manorama as General Manager in 1954. As a true professional, Mathew proved his mettle before he became Managing Editor under his eldest brother,K.M. Cherian. When Cherian died in 1973, Mathew took over as Chief Editor. He nurtured the newspaper and made it branch out like a giant banyan tree. It has truly been a phenomenal growth. Mathew could find competent lieutenants within the family to run Manorama. Until 1981, his well-trained nephew Mammen Varghese assisted him. He helpedK.M. Mathew launch M.M Publications, which brings out Balarama and Vanitha, the best-selling Indian magazines for children and women. Today, Vanitha has a Hindi edition. And Balarama has had several offshoots. Mammen Varghese continues to be Printer and Publisher of Malayala Manorama newspaper. Another nephew K.O. Kurian, holds that responsibility in Manorama Weekly. Mammen Mathew, eldest son of K.M Mathew, is Editor & Managing Director. Another son, Philip Mathew, is Managing Editor and the youngest, Jacob Mathew, is Executive Editor. George Jacob, Grandson ofK.M. Cherian, is Director. All in the family, maybe, but each one has a track record of professionalism. The levels of professionalism that K.M. Mathew infused in them in his quest for excellence. Yet, Mathew is best known for his caring, nurturing brand of journalism. While spurring Manorama into circulation conquest and spawning a dozen
other best-selling publications he gave journalism a human face of compassion. Who else would have sent a team of reporters to war-torn Kuwait and asked them to concentrate, not on the war, but on helping frantic expatriates return to Kerala? His initiatives often went beyond the ken of conventional journalism. Once he built a hundred houses for the poor. Then he rebuilt an entire village in the distant Maharashtra. Later, he gave poor heart patients a new lease of life. Mathew liked to build and heal. He triggered a host of development projects in Kerala by initiating a series of seminars on industry and environment. In the 1980s he set an easy-to read writing style for the mass circulated Manorama Weekly. It sustained the reading habit of neo-literate adults. Down to earth, he honoured the farmer-with a biannual award and a monthly magazine. He has won several awards himself, including Padma Bhushan. Mathew regularly sharpened Manorama's managerial and technological edge. And he honed its news gathering skills. But has excelled himself in building emotional bonds with the readers, giving them information with the human touch. A year after Malayala Manorama became a daily it gave birth to a children's organisation. It is called Akhila Kerala Balajana Sakhyam. Founded in 1929, the Sakhyam aims at the full flowering of children's talents. It unleashes creative energy and builds leadership qualities. It was K.C. Mammen Mappillai's baby. And he nourished it through the columns of Malayala Manorama. Over the years, it has grown into the largest democratic institution of its kind inAsia. Its motto: Service. It has a branch in almost every village in Kerala. The members, in the age group of 6-18, elect leaders to run the Sakhyam. In the process they breathe in the spirit of democratic discipline. It has become a great movement, unique in very respect. While developing physical, mental and aesthetic abilities, the Sakhyam initiates the children to community work. The whole approach is constructive. The Sakhyam has constructed a hundred houses for the poor, built roads, dug canals and distributed food during natural calamities. The children build and create. And care. The Sakhyam is helping children shape destinies- their own and the nations'. Growth…multifaceted and on target. It sums up Manorama's progress over the years. Today, the Malayala Manorama daily is published from eight centres: Kottayam, Kozhikode, Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram, Palakkad, Kannur, Kollam and Thrissur. With a combined circulation of more than 11, 00,000 copies a day. A unit at Malappuram was inaugurated in February 2001. That's growth, smooth and sustained. The Kozhikode edition got rolling in 1966 and the Kochi edition in 1979. Manorama became the first language daily in India to have a facsimile edition, fromThiruvananthapuram, in 1987. The second edition from the Malabar region, after Kozhikode, was launched at Palakkad in 1992. The Kannur edition arrived in 1994 and Kollam the next year. The Thrissur edition was born in 1998. A new edition was
commissioned in Malappuram. In 1982, Manorama launched The Week, a news features magazine in English. It is among the best-read English magazines in India. Manorama has grown into a highly successful publishing house with a slew of other immensely popular periodicals. Besides the daily newspaper, there is Manorama Weekly for the common man. It is the largest selling weekly in India. The weekly Balarama is the best-selling children's magazine in India. Children of school -going age have two other playmates fromManorama: Balarama Amarchitrakatha and Balarama Digest. For pre-schoolers, there is the delightful Kalikudukka.. Plus there is its cuddly English version, Magic Pot. For women, there isVanitha, the largest circulated women's magazine in India. Vanitha's Hindi edition, launched in 1997, became an instant hit. School students have found a reliable study aid inVijayaveedhi. And job seekers have a guide in Thozhilveedhi. Karshakashree- a bold experiment in farm journalism - has won over the farming fraternity. Bhashaposhini, the literary journal, is sought - after by the high-brow reader. For lovers of literature, there is also the Manorama Annual. For the scholar and the knowledge - seeker, choices come in five languages: Manorama Yearbook is published in Malayalam, English, Hindi, Tamil and Bengali. And in CD-ROM, too. It is called Manorama Knowledge Adventure. Publications for different age-groups, different tastes and needs. But all for the family. Besides, Manorama has a vibrant presence on the Electronic Media. Manorama Vision, its television software division was launched in 1993 producing quality television serials and news and current affairs programmes for Malayalam television channels. Its music division, Manorama Music, was started in 1995. On the Web, Manorama Online has a magnetic pull. And it has exciting plans in cyberspace. Watch this space! Malayala Manorama has always relied on appropriate technology. From hand - composing of cold type and treadle presses, it moved to hot metal composing and rotary letter presses. And then to photo-typesetting and web offset presses. All at the right time. It has been a continual adaptation to change. Today all eight units of Manorama are connected on a high speed Wide Area Network using fibre-optic cable network, the first newspaper in India to be so lined. In 1986, the then ultramodern facsimile system connected Kottayam to the other units for transmission of the newspaper pages. Today a more modern, more flexible and faster editorial system links all the centres. There is a computer on almost every desk in the organisation. It's a wired world out there in Manorama. And the newspaper's home on the Web is just a small part of it. Far away from Kerala, a village of golden sunflowers has taken a new name. It calls itself 'Malayala Manorama Banegaon.' No one there reads Malayala Manorama, India's largest selling language newspaper. They only love it. A love that bloomed after the heartbreak of
September 30, 1993 when the earth shook in tectonic terror. The quake flattened more than forty Maharashtrian villages, killing thousands of people, their cattle and their fowl. Among them lay Banegaon in Latur, in grim ruins. In that hour of inconsolable grief, we set up relief fund with Rs.10 lakh and turned to our eight million readers. We appealed to them. "Let us reach out and touch the frozen face of Latur." Our readers had no bonds with Latur: most of them had never even heard of the place. Yet, within 45 days, the fund swelled to Rs. 2.39 crore. It was more than what any other newspaper in India could ever collect for relief work. We could have handed over the money to the relief agencies and sat back. But Banegaon had become an obsession. We were determined to rebuild it ourselves, keeping even the contractors out. Renowned architects spent a gruelling month in Banegaon, studying the milieu. They visualised a holistic village. Then a team from Manorama took over. An entire village came up in just 15 months. It is a complete village: 163 houses, roads, a library, hospital, a panchayat office, an open air theatre, a unique village parlour called chavady, a gymnasium, a big pond to collect rainwater, and even a Hanuman temple. The layout is aesthetic. Each house has a courtyard, two rooms and a bathroom and space to keep the cattle. For privacy, there is the compound wall: for togetherness, eight houses form a cluster, which suits the joint families. When Manorama announced an award for the most innovative farmer in Kerala in 1992 there were ripples of amusement in the land of backwaters. Why honour a hick? Why not a technocrat, social reformer, artist or academic? People wondered. But then, the century - old newspaper had always stood by the underdogs and voiced their throttled aspirations. Fighting for their social and political rights, it remained close to the good earth. It encouraged the people, who had been relying mainly on paddy and coconut, to grow tea, coffee and rubber as well. Eventually, agro-industries and exports bloomed. Though Kerala is just 1.2 percent of India's total area, it produces more than 90 per cent of India's rubber and pepper, 60 per cent of tapioca, 45 per cent of coconut and almost the entire lemongrass oil. It is abundant in tea, coffee and spices, and is the largest producer of a number of other crops such as banana and ginger. The Malayali farmer has worked wonders cultivating more than a hundred crops on five million tiny holdings. People savoured his fruits, not his labours. They took him for granted, and even looked down upon him. College educated new generation would not hold a spade. Little was done to honour the farmer until Manorama instituted the biennial 'Karshakasree Award', the first of its kind in south - east Asia. It carried a citation, a gold medal and Rs.1 lakh in prize money. The prize money would later be raised to Rs.1.50lakh. The search for the best farmer was systematic. Research organisations, government agencies, NGOs and Manorama news bureaus sent in resumes of several farmers. An expert team pruned the list and video-taped the
work of select farmers. Then, a panel of judges, including World Food Prize winners Dr. M.S.Swamintathan and Dr. V.Kurian, chose Velayudhan for the 1992 award. Velayudhan had yoked modern technology to traditional wisdom and changed the rocky face of Mulayam hamlet in Thrissur District. It was sweet success for him: he had started off with just one beehive. It grew into a colony of coconut palms, rubber, pepper, plantains, herbs, fish, fowl and pigs. "I am very pleased to learn.' said Nobel - winning agriculture scientist Dr. Norman Borlaug, "that Malayala Manorama is sponsoring an award for excellence in agriculture.' Manorama went further. In 1995 it came out with a monthly magazine exclusively for farmers, aptly called Karshakasree. The award, given every two years, has invested the half-naked farmer with the dignity he deserved. While an Internet-savvy world was grabbing eyeballs, Malayala Manorama went for the heart. It did a random survey of cardiac cases in Kerala in 1999 and realised that many patients were in misery because they could not afford surgery. Most poignant was the plight of children with congenital complications. All that their parents could do was bite down quivering lips, sigh and wait for death. It was cruel irony: they were dying young when Kerala boasted high literacy, high life expectancy, low birth and death rates, and a high concentration of hospitals. Their bleak lives were far removed from glowing statistics. The survey made good copy. It also opened valves of compassion inManorama. The newspaper set apart Rs.25 lakh to bear the full cost of surgery for 30 patients. Heartened, Madras Medical Mission offered to do free surgery for 20 others. The endeavour was called 'Hridayapoorvan', meaning 'from one's heart'. As it announced five medical camps to pick 50 patients, Manorama faced an avalanche of 8,000 applications for admission. Manorama was in a predicament: it would be heartless to pick only 50 and forget the rest. It doubled its contribution and appealed to its readers for help. The readers responded soulfully. Some sent in cheques for lakhs of rupees. Some others handed over a hard day's earnings, salty with sweat. Children broke their piggy banks and dropped tinkling coins into the fund. So that hearts would keep ticking. Hope rose in many hearts as the medical camps opened in October 1999. Renowned cardiologist Dr. K. M. Cherian led a team of 11 doctors from Madras Medical Mission at the camps held at five 'K' towns -Kollam, Kannur, Kozhikode, Kottayam and Kochi . They examined 6201 patients. Before the year ended, the fund grew toRs. 3 crore, just enough for 395 heart surgeries. Living up to its name, the Medical Mission made it 500, offering 105 free surgeries. Thirty more patients benefited thanks to assistance from the Prime Minister's Relief Fund. All the operations were over by December 2000. Except a dozen all were successful. In their hen-scratched letters thanking Manorama, there was a refrain: "You have given us a new life." For the first time in the world a newspaper had offered the ultimate gift - the gift of life.
Timeline of Malayala Manorama 1888 Malayala Manorama Company founded by Kandathil Varghese Mappillai on March 14. 1890 The first issue of Malayala Manorama appears on March 22. It is a weekly newspaper. 1892 Publication of Bhashaposhini. 1901 Manorama becomes a bi-weekly on August 7. 1904 Kandathil Varghese Mappillai passes away on July 6. K. C. Mammen Mappillai becomes Editor. 1915 Manorama starts publishing daily World War supplements. 1918 Manorama becomes a tri-weekly on July 2. 1928 Manorama becomes a daily on January 16. 1929 Akhila Kerala Balajana Sakhyam formed on May 29. 1930 Manorama commences publication of Annual Numbers. 1937 Publication of Malayala Manorama Weekly on August 8. 1938 Manorama proscribed in Travancore on September 10. It makes a surprise appearance from Cochin State on September 14 but folds up after three months. 1939 Mammen Mappillai convicted and jailed. 1941 Mammen Mappillai released from jail. 1947 Manorama restarts on November 29. 1950 The first rotary press installed. 1951 President Dr. Rajendra Prasad inaugurates Diamond Jubilee celebrations. 1953 Mammen Mappillai passes away on December 31. 1954 K. M. Cherian becomes Chief Editor on January 1. K. M. Mathew joins Manorama as General Manager.1956 Manorama Weekly restarts. 1957 Mammen Mappillai Memoriall Hall at Kottayam opened.
1959 Publication of Manorama Yearbook in Malayalam. 1965 Publication of Manorama Yearbook in English. K.M.Cherian awarded'Padma Shri.' 1966 President Dr. S. Radhakrishnan inaugurates Platinum Jubilee celebrations. Kozhikode Edition started on December 1. 1970 President V.V.Giri inaugurates Balajana Sakhyam state convention. 1971 K. M. Cherian awarded 'Padma Bhushan.' 1972 Balarama launched. 1973 K.M.Cherian passes away on March 14. K.M.Mathew becomes Chief Editor. Mammen Varghese becomes General Manager. 1975 Vanitha launched. 1979 Kochi Edition started on January 15. 1982 President N. Sanjeeva Reddy inaugurates Balajana Sakhyam Golden Jubilee celebrations on January 31. The Week magazine started on December 26. 1986 President Giani Zail Singh formally commssions the facsimile transmission system at Manorama, Kottayam, on August 30. 1987 Kerala Chief Minister K.Karunakaran inaugurates Thiruvananthapuram Edition on February 16. 1988 President R. Venkataraman inaugurates Centenary celebrations at Kottayam on March 23. Commemorative Postage released. Scheme launched to build 104 houses for the poor and the handicapped. Mammen Mathew takes charge as Editor & Managing Director on September 1. 1989 Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi is chief guest at the Centenary celebrations valedictory in New Delhi on March 18. Manorama Yearbook in Hindi released. Tarzi Vitachi, columnist, delivers the First K.C. Mammen Mappillai Memorial Lecture on m March 19. 1990 Tamil Nadu Governor Dr. Bhishma Narain Singh releases Manorama Yearbook in Tamil on March 15.
1992 Chief Minister Karunakaran inaugurates Palakkad edition on April 22. Bhashaposhini celebrates its Centenary on April 25. Union Agriculture Minister Balram Jakhar presents the first Karshakasree Award to K. K. Velayudhan on August 1. Vice President K. R. Narayanan inaugurates the computerised digital photo transmission unit on September 27. President Dr. Shanker Dayal Sharrma dedicates Manorama's 104 houses for the poor on October 27. The President hands over the 525th house built under K. M. Cherian Memorial Housing Scheme for Manorama employees, on October 27. Kerala Governor B. Rachaiah is chief guest at the valedictory function of Diamond Jubilee celebration of Balajana Sakhyam on October 27. 1993 Manorama Vision, the electronic media division, formally launched on October 18. Manorama takes on the task of rebuilding Banegaon, a quake - hit village of Latur, Maharashtra, with 'Bhoomi Puja' by Chief Minister Sharad Pawar and Editor Mammen Mathew on October 24. Governor Dr. P. C. Alexander unveils a commemorative plaque. Bernard Levin, chief columnist of The Times, London, delivers the second K. C. Mammen Mappillai Memorial Lecture in New Delhi on November 10. 1994 Vijayaveedhi launched on January 5. Lok Sabha Speaker Shivraj Patil presents the second Karshakasree Award to A. J. Joseph on April 12. Chief Minister Karunakaran inaugurates Kannur Edition on December 17. 1995'Manorama Music' launched on January 1. Columnist Nikhil Chakravarthy inaugurated Kollam Edition on March 27. Publication of Karshakasree magazine on September 2. Prime Minister P. V. Narasimha Rao hands over 'Malayala Manorama Banegaon' to the villagers on December 8. 1996 Manorama Yearbook in Bengali released in Calcutta on April 18. Union Agriculture Minister Chaturanan Mishra presents the third Karshakasree Award to S.J. Rasalam on August 11. 1997 President K. R. Narayanan inaugurates the rebuilt K. C. Mammen Mappillai Hall on September 18. Prince Philip of the United Kingdom inaugurated the Internet Edition of Malayala Manorama, Kochi, on October 17. Publication of Vanitha, Hindi, on December 10. Gene Roberts, Managing Editor of The New York Times and Chairman of IPI, delivers the Third K.C. Mammen Mappillai Memorial Lecture in New Delhi on December 16. 1998 A.P. Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu presents the Fourth Karshakasree Award to K. C. Kuriakose on November 20.
1999 Malayala Manorama knowledge Adventure CD-ROM released on March 4. Publication of Balarama Digest on November 13. Hridayapoorvam camps for heart patients during October - December. 2000 Publication of Magic Pot on March 1. Union Minister Suresh Prabhu presents the fifth Karshakasree Award to M.M.Subrahmanyan Nair on March 26. Malappuram Unit inaugurated. 2002 Manorama Online launched on June 20.

Exclusivity is key for Minute Maid's new Nimbu Fresh

2010-03-22T11:57:00.000-07:00

Coca-Cola recently unveiled a new lemon variant of Minute Maid, the drink that was launched in a 'Pulpy orange' flavour in 2007. The Nimbu Fresh variant, whose tagline is 'Bilkul Ghar Jaisa' (just like home), was launched on February 19 but interestingly, the product was made available exclusively at the Future Group's Big Bazaar and Food Bazaar hypermarket chains.

For approximately 10 days, till February 28, Minute Maid Nimbu Fresh, that is available in 400 ml and 1 litre PET bottles priced at Rs 15 and 40 respectively, was retailed only from Big Bazaar and Food Bazaar's 96 outlets across seven cities including Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Pune and Ahmedabad.

This was done under the chain's 'Shubh Muhurat' programme. Under this programme, Big Bazaar introduces new products each month and new brand launches are carried out exclusively in its outlets.

Sandeep Walunj, chief marketing officer, Big Bazaar, tells afaqs!, "Close to 15 lakh people walk into Big Bazaar on a daily basis. The idea was to work together closely with the brand team at Coca-Cola to deliver a never before launch. Big Bazaar consumers experienced the 'Joy of New' with close interactions with the product."

Walunj shares that the Shubh Muhurat programme is a four month old property, adding, "We successfully launched Tasty Treat corn flakes in November, Milestone luggage range in December, Monza furniture range and Koryo Slim television in January. The entire planning and execution for each brand is customised as per the launch objectives, resources available and product and category specifics within Big Bazaar's guardrails for Shubh Muhurat."

For the exclusive launch of Nimbu Fresh, teams from Coca-Cola and Big Bazaar's internal Experience Design team planned unique in-store promotions, signages and branding. A special Minute Maid Nimbu Fresh zone was created with a canopy, with lemon cut outs and multiple bottles stocked in it. Floor graphics of lemons were pasted around it, making the zone stand out in the store.

Contests and sampling were done as well. One of the contests, the 'Fresh n Spoon' race, involved a Nimbu Fresh bottle replacing the lemon in the 'Lemon and spoon' race. In a lemon and spoon race, participants race while balancing a lemon on a spoon held in the mouth. For the Fresh n Spoon race, a bigger spoon was used and participants were asked to get across a distance balancing the bottle on the spoon. Winners received on the spot prizes from Coca-Cola.

The brand also had a juggler juggling the bottles for added effect.

Besides the usual standees, danglers and dropdowns, cross category reminders were also created. For example, bottles were kept in the Farm Fresh area that stocks fruits and vegetables, where some bottles were kept in the lemon crates.

In the electronics section, attractive communication was placed on refrigerator door handles that said 'Open the door to get fresh' and inside, tent cards were placed along with the products in the doors of the refrigerators. A canopy was also created near the chill station section. The brand also had presences in the fashion section as well as in the trial rooms.

Sumanta Datta, vice-president, customer and commercial leadership, Coca-Cola India, says, "This partnership was a win-win opportunity for all as it provides Coca-Cola India the scale to refresh its consumers across the four metros as well as Hyderabad, Ahmedabad and Pune, all in one go. On the other hand, this special relationship enables Big Bazaar to exclusively offer a brand such as Minute Maid Nimbu Fresh to its consumers."

Incidentally, this is not the first lemon drink to hit the Indian market. Besides the company's existing brand Limca, last year, competitor PepsiCo launched Nimbooz by 7Up in February, while in March, Parle Agro launched LMN. Whether the brand quenches thirst and gains loyal customers remains to be seen. However, the summer season is almost here and the consumers are already sensing the heat of the brand war.

Copyright content to pinch pockets of FM, TV channels

2010-03-20T11:54:00.000-07:00

Entertainment content (movie and music) will be 10-15 per cent more expensive, following the proposals of the Finance Bill 2010.

According to the Bill, service tax will be levied on any "temporary transfer of copyright or permitting the use or enjoyment of, any copyright defined in the Copyright Act, 1957 except the following: original literary, dramatic, musical and artistic works [Section 13(a) of the Copyright Act, 1957]."

Said Ranjeet Mahtani, associate partner, Economic Laws Practice (ELP), a Mumbai-based law firm, the proposal simply means, "A song writer, a composer or a film maker will not have to pay service tax, if he himself exploits the creation commercially. However, if he sells the copyright of the creation to a producer or a music company, service tax will be levied as and when they use the movie or music for commercial gains."

The move, according to ELP, specifically seems to be aimed at bringing the entertainment industry within the purview of service tax.

After implementation of the Finance Bill, experts say, radio stations and TV channels will have to bear service tax for broadcasting and telecasting music and films.

"Producers will have to pay service tax for letting TV channels broadcast their movies, and radio stations will also have to pay for playing copyright music," said Supriya Jain, senior manager, indirect tax division, KPMG. Therefore, a producer will pass on the service tax on the royalties paid to him by a TV channel and the channel will try to make good of the loss in taxes from advertisers.

Savio D'Souza, general secretary of Indian Music Industry (IMI), said, "With the new tax structure, content would become 10-15 per cent more expensive for all stake holders, from producers to radio stations to even direct-to-home (DTH) players who play on-demand content. In turn, they will pass it on to their advertisers and to the end-consumers as well. Music content is already expensive and a further revision in prices may see piracy increasing more than the current levels."

For FM radio stations, who are already in the 10.2 per cent service tax purview, would have to pay around 2 per cent more for playing the same content.

Neeraj Chaturvedi, national marketing head, Fever FM, said, "Content could get more expensive now because producers too would have to pay taxes. Currently, we pay around Rs 1400 per hour of music. We pay to Phonographic Performance Ltd and Indian Performing Rights Society and in turn, the money goes to the artists whose content we play. For radio stations, like ourselves, it would not have much of an impact because we will pass it on to advertisers."

Apurva Purohit, CEO, Radio City, said, "Clarity on this clause has not yet come from the government and so we are still waiting."

Direct-to-home (DTH) service providers will come under the service tax net for the pay-per-view service they provide, tax experts said. They will have to pay service tax for airing on-demand movies for which a customer makes a payment. On whether the tax will be passed on the end user, Dish TV's chief operating officer Salil Kapoor said, "We will evaluate it. When the proposal is implemented, we will look at it and take adequate steps."

Use or transfer of copyright was earlier excluded from the purview of the taxable service of Intellectual Property Services. ELP says that the proposal in Finance Bill 2010 would also open up the contentious issue of dual taxation since transfer of right to use copyright is also liable to VAT.

IBM in talks with Indian telcos to sell Web 2.0 tools

2010-03-18T11:46:00.000-07:00

In a bid to take on online giants like Google and software majors like Microsoft, IBM is in discussion with some large Indian telecom companies to help them weave cloud-based social networking, collaboration and communication tools into their applications.The telcos can then either host the applications on their applications stores - similar to the way Nokia run its Ovi stores - or they can sell them to enterprise users as a value-added service.

"This will give customers powerful new ways to solve business problems," asserts David P Farrell, vice-president, Worldwide Sales Lotus Software IBM Corporation.

IBM uses the cloud (metaphor for the internet) computing model to offer online collaboration tools (also bunches as Web 2.0 technologies) like web conferencing, contact management and customer relationship management (CRM), business networking (as opposed to social networking), instant messaging (IM) and now email and calendaring too.

Called LotusLive, IBM's online collaboration solution has 18 million direct subscribers worldwide in the first year alone. In India, it has deployed LotusLive offerings within conglomerates such as Bharti, Colgate, Tata Sky, Axis Bank, TCS, HDFC and UTV.

"We're seeing a lot of companies that are looking to get a lot more remote workers or make people work in a home office as opposed to a set location. When you put them into remote work, you do need to give them some pretty easy-to-use tools that will still make them feel connected to the organisation," reasons Farell.

Farell also notes that companies are seeing customers that may have an aging workforce. "When you have new hires come in, they need to find who those old veterans are, identify where they are, identify intellectual capital that they've created, that they manage or that they provide or keep in file repositories. Linking these newer workers with these older workers is really critical. Social networking has proven to be extremely valuable in helping accelerate that linkage and that knowledge transfer," he says.

IBM has managed to convince some large global players. Panasonic is a case in point. It recently announced it would deploy the LotusLive suite across 100,000-300,000 employees. "When fully deployed this year, it could be the largest SaaS implementation ever," says Farell.

Software as a service (SaaS) is a software delivery method that leverages the cloud computing model. The Indian SaaS market, which was $105 million (around Rs 470 crore) in 2009, is estimated to be worth $352 million (around Rs 1,800 crore) by 2012.

Traditional software applications are slowly beginning to yield ground to SaaS applications, with 32 per cent of SaaS adopters replacing an on-premise application, according to Springboard Research.

The total cost of ownership (TCO) for this model is more than 50 per cent lower than owning assets. IBM's Lotus users, for instance, typically pay $6-14 (around Rs 280-650) per user per month. If they move their business to the cloud with LotusLive, says Farell, the costs could come down to $2-3 (around Rs 90-130) per user per month.

According to Gartner Magic Quadrant Enterprise Content Management 2008, IBM is the largest enterprise content management (ECM) vendor based on total software revenue, with a 25 per cent market share.

IBM is not new to social networking, explains Farell, adding: "What we have done is to step up our investments in this space".

The latest version of its collaboration suite provides a web-based file sharing library for users to upload and securely share content such as presentations and documents. Utilising social software features such as tagging, ratings, recommendations, and the ability to comment, the solution offers the ability to share, view and provide feedback on content.

A Wiki service allows designated users to create, view, edit and contribute to content that is uploaded to the intranet-style collaborative Web site. As many people may be editing a single page, the wiki has automatic versioning and a "show changes" view so that users can easily view the latest versions and edits. A tool called Atlas helps users analyse their relationships with business contacts.

However, given the security concerns over cloud-based implementations, Farell admits that many companies "may move to at least, a hybrid model of information technology that includes part on-premise IT and part cloud-based IT, depending on their requirements".

WHAT'S CLOUD COMPUTING?

Most of us who use web-based email services like Gmail, Yahoomail or Windows Live (Hotmail), watch a video online, share snaps using photo-hosting services like flickr or snapfish, read news online or watch TV shows on the internet may not realise that we use 'cloud computing' services.

A metaphor for the internet, cloud computing stores data and applications on the internet. Users do not have to invest in hardware (reducing costs considerably) and maintenance experts. They can simply pull up applications when needed and use them like we use utilities, for example electricity. Most players provide these services for free for individual users. For enterprise users, it's generally a paid subscription-based model.

Major global cloud computing service providers like Vmware, Sun Microsystems, IBM, Amazon, Google, Salesforce, Verizon, Microsoft and Yahoo already have a presence in India. IBM, for instance, even has a cloud computing centre in Bangalore. Oracle is getting its act together. Even Apple is now reportedly planning for cloud computing to go beyond music.

Closer home, major Indian players like Wipro, HCL Technologies, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Infosys and Patni offer cloud computing solutions as software as a service or SaaS or on-demand computing. Cloud computing, however, still faces questions within IT about security and the guarantee of uptime for companies which rely on the cloud.

Honda in its 'happy-go-lucky' avatar

2010-03-15T11:32:00.000-07:00

At a time when terms such as 'product recall' are doing the rounds in the Indian auto segment and many of the industry leaders, including Honda Siel Cars India Ltd (HSCI), are publicly acknowledging problems with their products, Honda Motorcycles and Scooters India (HMSI), a business division of the Honda Motor Company, is boasting of its commitment to 'quality' and thereby assuring 'happiness' in the lives of its stakeholders.

The recently launched corporate campaign of HMSI upholds the joy that one derives from the interaction with brand Honda. The campaign revolves around the idea that joy/happiness is contagious. It spreads. Therefore, anything that is created with happiness will be a bearer of that emotion. Accordingly, the film showcases how the joy of creation in every nut and bolt of Honda is carried through and is felt by every customer.
The TVC recasts real life situations and uses a revised version of the folk rhyme 'If you're happy and you know it clap your hands...' against the backdrop of the world of Honda to convey the creative insight. Bringing alive the point that joy and happiness are spread effortlessly from one to another, the old rhyme has been changed to say 'If you are happy and you know it pass it on'.

The casting and the voices are kept real and untrained to keep the human aspect alive and true to life. Furthermore, the film has a childlike quality that makes it all the more catchy and energetic.
Explaining the reason behind linking the happiness insight with the brand, A Kurokawa, executive vice-president, Dentsu Marcom, says, "At the core of Honda's philosophy are the 'three joys' - the joy of buying, the joy of selling and the joy of creating. So, joy is integral to Honda. We therefore thought that instead of showing the three joys as separate, we will show it as contagious.

"Not to mention that it is the Honda quality that is at the heart of this joy. The customers are happy because of the quality that they get every time they ride/buy a Honda product; the dealers are happy because if they sell good quality products, they have a growing business; and Honda is happy because making a good quality product, apart from giving pride, makes business sense," adds Kurokawa.

The positioning 'I enjoy the quality' is the raison d'être for the film, which proclaims that it is this Honda quality that brings joy to the customers, the dealers and the people at Honda, confirms Kurokawa.

It took about a month to create this campaign as a rough track had to be prepared and shot and the protagonists had to sing during the shooting process. The creative team at Dentsu behind this 60 sec TVC includes Chandana Agarwal, vice-president on the account and Titus Upputuru, executive creative director. The film has been directed by Jerald Packiasamy of Still Waters. Prime/Pixion is the post production studio and the music credit goes to Ram Sampat.

Apart from the film, about 36 posters have been released as a part of the brand campaign. Each of the posters has been associated with virtues such as honesty, team work and social concerns such as saving paper and electricity.

Kurokawa says, "SEE (Safety, Energy conservation and Environment protection) is an internal credo at Honda. Therefore, the internal message is that we find joy in creating bikes because we make bikes that are safe, that conserve energy (and therefore give better mileage) and are responsible towards the environment. This is again a part of our effort to bring alive the spirit of joy through the entire process of creation."

The creative team at Dentsu Marcom hopes that the campaign will connect with the audience at a very human level. "The film has a childlike quality that gives it a fresh appeal. The casting and the voices used are untrained and therefore relatable. The song is something that most of us have grown up hearing and is very hummable. As a result there is an exuberance that does not look staged," states Kurokawa.

Is everybody 'happy' with it?

The TVC has generated a mixed response in the ad fraternity.
According to Sujay Nanavati, chief strategy officer, Percept/H, it's a well executed ad that scores very high on 'viewability'. "I don't think people will get tired of watching this ad with repetitive views. The concept and message is fresh and new. The idea that Honda makes quality vehicles that make a difference to the lives of its customers comes out very clearly."

However, he has his doubts whether the ad will connect well with the up country customers. "The fact that Honda makes quality products is pretty well established in the minds of most consumers in big cities. If that gap is felt with upcountry customers, who may not have experienced or heard about the quality of Honda products, then this ad doesn't have the emotional appeal to be relevant to their lives," adds Nanavati.

He also observes that the TVC lacks a single high point that people will remember. To bring home his point, he mentioned the shot from the old Hamara Bajaj film, where a couple of youngsters on a bike manoeuvre it to avoid the 'rangoli' on the road, which, according to him, people still recall and talk about years after the film went off air.

Similar views were expressed by Hanoz Mogrelia, creative director, Saatchi & Saatchi Mumbai. "I like it. I am happy and I know it and I clap my hands. SFX: Clap! Clap!! The film has a killer track - it keeps playing in my head," he says.

Although he feels that the film will certainly give the Honda badge a lot of warmth, he agrees that there is no single or set of visual images that stay with the viewer. He further feels that some of the visuals could have been made less clichéd. "Internationally, some Honda films have very little to almost no car/bike. This one has many forced product shots. Do I hear the client saying, 'you must show my entire range'?"

However, Amar Wadhwa, executive director, CrystalEyes places the commercial in the "come and go without getting noticed" set. "The role of any corporate ad is to unequivocally present the brand's worldview and belief system to its consumers. This ad fails on that count. It is devoid of an insight and that is its biggest failing," he states.

He further observes that the TVC fails to create any discriminating, long term value for the brand. "Even the execution is not compelling enough to compensate for a namby-pamby thought. The situations are contrived and unreal. The final verdict - It's an opportunity gone waste," he adds.

MSN India forays into vernacular content

2010-03-12T12:00:00.000-08:00

MSN.co.in, the horizontal portal of Microsoft, has tied up with Webduniya.com to launch a Hindi microsite named MSN Yuva. The site will be targeted at youth audience residing in Tier II and III towns.

The microsite went live last week and can be accessed directly at MSNYuva.Webdunia.com or through MSN.co.in, where it exists as a separate section.

Speaking to afaqs! on the deal with MSN, Pankaj Jain, president and chief operating officer, Webdunia.com, says, "Webduniya is the content partner and it will provide Hindi content -produced or owned by Webduniya - for MSN Yuva." However, the editorial and content strategy rights will be held by MSN India.

Currently, MSNYuva.Webdunia.com is carrying content related to various genres such as news, sports, lifestyle, entertainment, career, health, astrology and romance.

Apart from this, a social networking application, Dosti, owned by Webduniya.com, will also be made available on MSN Yuva. The application will allow Internet users to create their profiles and a network of friends. They can also send and receive messages or scraps in Hindi.

This is the first attempt by MSN to foray into the vernacular content market, claims Sanjay Trehan, head, MSN India, in an interaction with afaqs!. He indicates that MSN India may launch more online properties in other regional languages such as Tamil in the coming months. However, he refused to divulge the details or the strategy behind foraying into the vernacular content space.

Trehan says, "The next growth in the online space will be powered by vernacular content."

MSN Yuva will be monetised through advertisements and sponsorship of content. Microsoft Advertising, the online advertising arm of MSN, will be responsible for getting advertisers for the Hindi microsite.

"There is no advertising revenue sharing arrangement with Webduniya.com," clarifies Trehan. Webduniya.com will be paid for the content used by MSN Yuva.

MSN India will start promoting the microsite through advertisements after three months.

IPL 2010 rights sold to ITV in the UK

2010-03-10T11:36:00.000-08:00

With the third season of Indian Premier League (IPL) about to start on March 12, the management is busy signing deals. Recently, a deal has been signed with UK's commercial TV network, ITV.

As per this, all 60 matches of IPL 2010 will be broadcast in the UK on ITV over 45 days. The free-to-air channel in the UK will use live feed from SET Max.

This is the first time that live cricket would be shown on the ITV network. The matches will also be simulcast on ITV.com and ITV Mobile. Besides, highlights of the matches will also be available on ITV.com, as part of a special section on the website. The League will be heavily promoted across the ITV Network.

As of now, the deal is only for this season; but it might get extended, depending on mutual agreement between the two parties.

Though the UK-based network will use footage from SET Max, it will have its own shows around the League and its own studio guests. There will be no sharing of commercial ad spots between the two broadcasters either.

Through this arrangement with ITV Network, IPL 2010 will reach out to around 20 million homes in the UK.

In an official communiqué, Lalit Modi, chairman and commissioner, IPL says, "This is a hugely significant deal for the IPL, given the large Indian and Asian diaspora. Cricket has massive following in the UK; and this landmark agreement is fantastic for those fans, for IPL and cricket as a whole. IPL is a truly global competition, unlike any other in cricket, and is ideally suited to the British passion for both cricket and entertainment. We are delighted that ITV has recognised the game's appeal and are certain that it will pull out all the stops in ensuring that our fans have access to creative, innovative and enriching content, which will be available in full, free to air, throughout the UK."

For the record, IPL is broadcast across Australia, the US and Middle East, and reached out to 450 million people in its second year.

Honda's 'small' move

2010-03-08T03:24:00.000-08:00

Honda recently shipped saris from India to its factories in Japan. No, sari weavers need not brace themselves for competition from Japan. These were meant for local Japanese women to wear. Clad in saris, they got in and out of a small hatchback a number of times, while a team of designers and engineers keenly observed them. They wanted to check if Indian women can enter the car comfortably? Is the height right for them? Should the door be redesigned?

Honda is readying a new small car. Though it will be sold across all continents, its principal market will be India. And the world's sixth-largest car maker wants to leave nothing to chance. The fabric on the doors, for example, will be different from the one on the seat, though they will look alike. This is because for over ten months in a year, Indians wear short sleeves. As the elbow touches the door, its lining has to give more comfort to the skin. The air-conditioner will be a notch or two stronger because of the scorching heat in the country.

Though it is a mass-market brand in most countries, Honda's market share in India is small - just around 4 per cent. If Honda wants to play the volumes game here, it needs a small car in its product portfolio desperately. Without it, Honda has no presence in 82 per cent of the market. At the moment, the City accounts for 70 per cent of Honda's sales in India. Nowhere else in the world does a single car have such a huge share of its business! This makes the need for a small car all the more acute. Honda needs a second pillar of business after the City.

Though Honda makes the Zest and Life (called Kei cars) in Japan, the need was felt for a brand new car for India. The new car, which was showcased at the recent Auto Expo in New Delhi, is yet to be named. It will be launched towards the end of 2011. To qualify as a small car, and thereby get excise duty concessions, it will be less than 4 metres in length and will have a 1,200-cc engine. It will be the biggest initiative from Honda in India. If it succeeds, the small car could be a game changer. If it doesn't, it will set Honda back by several years. The stakes are huge. Here's how Honda has gone about it.

A car for all

Way back in 2007, Honda put together a survey and product planning team with executives from both Japan and India to observe consumer behaviour. It visited homes of people to understand how they live, how they use their car, what are their driving habits, how many people do they seat in their cars, how do they park, what do they put in the luggage space, and so on. The first learning was that virtually every car in the country is a family car.

This insight has been used in the design of the car. Family cars need space. Thus, the small car would have to be a comfortable 5-seater. For some time now, Honda has begun to move towards the concept of "man maximum, machine minimum". So, this fit in well with the brief for the small car. This had to be integrated with what customers expect from Honda. Surveys showed these were high durability, quality and reliability; contemporary style; and safety. Thus, the small car will have airbags, ABS and G-CON body standards which keep the integrity of the passenger cabin intact in an accident. An added feature will be pedestrian safety. In case of a hit, the bonnet and wiper will come down and reduce the injury to the pedestrian.

The question is, are Indians ready to pay extra for safety? Honda Vice-president (marketing) Jnaneswar Sen says they are. "We surveyed 1,600 people during the recent Auto Expo on what they want from the new car. I can tell you that safety is not down the order."

The second learning was that almost every customer looks for value for money in his car. This gets captured in the lifetime cost of acquisition - the price tag, fuel efficiency, cost of service and spare parts, and resale value. Honda has decided to price it below Rs 500,000. "This will be the cheapest Honda anywhere in the world," says Honda Director (marketing) Tatsuya Natsume. So, it will likely compete with bestsellers like the Maruti Suzuki Swift and Hyundai i20. Fuel efficiency will be high, like with the City.

Is the price good enough? In his defence, Natsume says there has been a shift in the profile of the Indian customers in the last few years. "Price-conscious buyers have become value-conscious buyers. We can talk to such customers," says he. "Entry-level cars were 60 per cent of the market 12 years ago. Today, they are just 25 per cent."

To keep the cost of spares down, the small car will have over 80 per cent local components. Also, the car will be made in India and Thailand. There is a free-trade agreement between the two countries. This will help Honda import free of duty those parts which Thailand produces at a lesser price. "The cost of Honda spares," says Sen, "is higher than rivals but they require fewer replacements. So, over a lifetime, a Honda customer spends less on spares and maintenance." A Honda also fetches best value in resale, claims Sen. According to him, while other brands depreciate 50 per cent in three years, a Honda depreciates just 30 per cent.

To sell the small car, Honda will first approach its 400,000 or so existing customers in the country. "They can be our initial target. They know our quality and service standards. There are no mental barriers here," says Natsume. For others, Honda will communicate through the mass media. This will be a new turn in the story: Honda has so far stayed away from the mass media because it addressed a small section of the market. The communication is yet to be devised, but Natsume discloses that it will focus on "what Honda means". "Honda is an aspirational brand in India," says he.

All told, Natsume hopes to sell 50,000 small cars in the first year itself. This could take Honda's market share from 4 per cent to around 7 per cent. Honda's factory at Greater Noida can produce up to 100,000 cars per annum, and is running at 65 per cent now. When it runs out of capacity there, Honda plans to start production near Alwar in Rajasthan. The sheds are ready. Honda produces components there, and, claims Natsume, can start rolling out cars at short notice.

Foolproof plan?

In spite of the grand plans, sceptics say it won't be a cakewalk for Honda. They point to the Jazz, the last hatchback from Honda, which sells as little as 500 a month. (Overall car sales in January, to put it in context, were of the order of 146,000.) The price - Rs 698,000, ex-showroom, New Delhi - was totally out of whack, they say.

Sen admits that the conversion ratio (purchases divided by enquiries) for the Jazz is 12.5 per cent, which is way below the industry average of 25 per cent. But the sales have met the target, says he. Though it was built on the City platform and shares 70 per cent of its components, the price of the Jazz was high because of the reinforced hatch, which caused the rest of the body also to be beefed up. As Honda has decided against selling any car at a loss, it could not price it lower. "However, it has given us a foothold in the hatchback market. People now know that we too can make hatchbacks," adds Sen.

Still others say it will be too late by the time Honda enters the small car market. There are strong incumbents like Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai and Tata Motors. General Motors has come out with the Beat. Next are the Volkswagen Polo and the Ford Figo. Before Honda, Toyota will have launched the Etios. Where does that leave Honda?

Sen, on his part, believes growth possibilities are huge. "It's still a small market, given the size of our population," says he. "We haven't hit the inflexion point. We should be there in another few years."

That may be fine, but rivals insist there is a huge entry barrier - the service networks of Maruti Suzuki and Hyundai. Aware of this challenge, Honda wants to ramp up its dealer network fast, especially in smaller towns, to be able to sell the car in large numbers. From 114 dealers in 67 cities, it plans to expand to 150 dealers in 85 cities in three years. Sen reckons this will cover up to 80 per cent of the market. Honda, of course, will need to push cars aggressively through these new dealers. As there aren't too many Hondas in small towns, the dealers cannot rely on service and spares for support.

Also, existing Honda dealers will have to learn to talk to a whole new set of customers when the small car is launched. The existing dealers, says Sen, will be retrained to handle higher volumes of customers of a new profile, who will in all probability come from lower socio-economic groups than existing customers.

Observers also feel that the recent recall of over 8,000 Citys has dented the image of Honda in the country. Sen says the recall hasn't impacted sales at all. "If you do a recall proactively, that doesn't affect your image. But if you wait for a problem to happen, then it's a different matter," says he. Recalls of the Honda Accord and CRV in 2007 had no effect on sales, he claims. Car buyers, experience tells us, do not have a long memory.

Rin versus Tide: As white as it gets

2010-03-05T11:45:00.000-08:00

Debating over it in advertising hallways is one thing; but when one overhears strangers in a public place bonding over a discussion on 'that ad on TV last night' and 'how shocking it was', one knows that the advertising has done its job.

For television viewers, it was hard to miss the now infamous Rin commercial, which was unleashed on Indian television screens last Thursday (February 25, 2010). Perhaps bombardment would be a better word: the high-voltage TVC was supported by a media plan that included primetime slots across all major GECs and news channels, in an effort to deliver maximum impact over the long weekend.

The ad shows two mothers waiting at a bus stop for their children, who are returning from school. They spot each other's shopping baskets - one woman's basket sports a packet of Rin, while the other has purchased Tide Naturals. The Tide lady looks proudly at her purchase and brags about Tide's 'khushboo aur safedi bhi' offering (fragrance combined with whiteness). The Rin lady simply smiles.

When the school bus rounds the corner and drops off the two children, the Tide lady's boy is wearing a visibly dull shirt, while behind him emerges a boy clad in a spotless white shirt, who runs past the shocked Tide lady, over to his 'Rin' mother. To make things cheekier, the boy asks his mother, 'Aunty chaunk kyun gayi?' (Why is aunty so shocked?), where the word 'chaunk' could easily be a reference to Tide's punch line, 'Chaunk gaye?'

The voiceover concludes that Rin is 'behtar' or superior to Tide, when it comes to whiteness, and at a 'chaunkane wala' price of Rs 25, at that. A super, 'Issued in the interest of Rin users', completes the commercial.

Comparative advertising is, quite obviously, not a new phenomenon by any standards. Every other brand has dabbled with it at some point, while it is almost formulaic for some categories. However, to make comparisons with competition involves discretion in execution, such as air-brushing or pixelating a competitor's brand name/pack shot, and most definitely, keeping away from referring to rival brand names.

With this ad, however, Rin seems to have broken every rule in the book. But what may seem like a publicity stunt to some, is, in all probability, a well-thought out strategy on the part of Rin's makers, Hindustan Unilever (HUL). afaqs! investigates.

Legal eagle

The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) has, over the last few days, received several complaints from customers/viewers, who feel that the comparison is "not fair". According to the ASCI spokesperson, "We are writing to the advertiser concerned about the complaints received and are seeking a response."

In order to make comparatively superior claims, an advertiser has to keep the following ASCI Code in mind, which states that advertisements containing comparisons with other manufacturers or suppliers or with other products, including those where a competitor is named, are permissible in the interests of vigorous competition and public enlightenment, provided:
• It is clear what aspects of the advertiser's product are being compared with what aspects of the competitor's product.
• The subject matter of comparison is not chosen in such a way as to confer an artificial advantage upon the advertiser, or so as to suggest that a better bargain is offered than is truly the case.
• The comparisons are factual, accurate and capable of substantiation.
• There is no likelihood of the consumer being misled as a result of the comparison, whether about the product advertised or that with which it is compared.
• The advertisement does not unfairly denigrate, attack or discredit other products, advertisers or advertisements directly or by implication.

While no official confirmation could be obtained at the time of filing this report, sources reveal that there are sufficient grounds for HUL to be taken to court over this matter.

On being contacted by afaqs!, an HUL spokesperson justifies the commercial, stating, "Rin is a household detergent brand and is used by millions of consumers across India for its promise and delivery of superior whiteness since its launch in 1969. The latest advertisement of Rin brings alive the superior whiteness delivery of Rin, vis-à-vis competing brands in the market."

Further, HUL adds that this advertisement reinforces the promise to consumers that Rin delivers superior whiteness. "This claim is based on laboratory tests done through globally accepted protocols in independent third party laboratories," the spokesperson adds, to substantiate the claim made in the TVC.

Bharat Patel, chairman, Procter & Gamble (P&G, the makers of Tide Naturals), was unavailable for comment on this matter.

Knockout or washout?

Unleashing this communication on a long weekend (Eid-e-Milad on Saturday and Holi on Monday) is no coincidence; industry watchers even feel that Indian courts being shut over the weekend has helped Rin's cause, as anyone taking offence to the commercial could not do much about it during this period. In the meantime, Rin gained with high visibility on TV.

Harish Bijoor, CEO, Harish Bijoor Consults, calls this the "putting your finger in competition's eye" kind of advertising. "Of course, this is a gimmick to create 'hungama' or noise. But if the facts are correct and Rin is able to prove them in the buckets of the nation, then its job is done. But I see the chances of that proof as slim," he says.

On the flip side, HUL is considered a "buzz generating, edgy and trend-setting" company, so there isn't any reason to not tom-tom about its superior products, Bijoor adds.

Ask him if the ad is distasteful, and Bijoor shakes his head in the negative. "What was distasteful 20 years ago isn't now, and the younger generation's palate of what is acceptable is fast changing," he muses. And so, Rin's well-planned strategy - both of taking on competition head on, as well as a weekend release - may not be a bad thing at all.

But there are contrarians like ad guru Alyque Padamsee, CEO, AP Advertising, who, incidentally, is the brain behind Rin's trademark lightning strikes and whiteness positioning. "This is comparative advertising to its extreme," he declares.

To him, this is equivalent to hurling stones at another in a manner that doesn't say, 'I am better', but that 'You are worse' - a tonality that hurts both brands. "My guess is, a significant dent in the sales of Rin, much due to Tide, may have led to this blatant, gloves-off approach," he reflects.

Ask him how Tide should react, and Padamsee says, "When people throw stones, it is because they have nothing to say. If I were Tide, I would not launch a counter-communication, which itself should put Rin in its place."

The adman is also dissatisfied with the 'faded shirt versus white shirt' mnemonic used to bring out Rin's 'superiority'. "The consumer is not a moron (as David Ogilvy said), but the advertising agency that uses such tactics, is," he signs off.

Naresh Gupta, director, strategy and planning, Dentsu Marcom, too, feels the only reason for such an attempt by Rin could be Tide's entry into its whiteness territory. The fact that it targets Tide Naturals, a variant, and not Tide itself, may just be a 'by the way' thought, or a way to avoid some legal problems.

To Gupta, the marketer in this case has shown gumption to say 'I do this, they don't.' Air-brushing and other such means are, in fact, the coward's way of doing things. "At the end of it all, it does evoke a chuckle or two," he shrugs. "This is better than a lot of competitive advertising out there."

As an analogy, Gupta muses that such an ad is akin to the two marketers picking up the phone and talking down to each other - something that is so interesting in itself, that the lack of a big creative idea (Padamsee's 'faded shirt' grouse) can be forgiven.

Brand experts conclude that this could well spark off a trend, to release controversial, capsule-duration advertising campaigns, which do their job by the time they are pulled up. But on the other hand, brands with limited, finite budgets may not have the financial muscle, or the gall, to walk this path.

Shoppers Stop plans expansion to catch up with competitors

2010-03-04T03:22:00.000-08:00

Shoppers' Stop Ltd, the 18-year-old retail chain promoted by K Raheja Corp, is plans to expand over the next three years to catch up with competition.

Though the company was among the first movers in the country's organised retail market, it has about 1.9 million (sq ft of retail space today. It is considered a slow mover compared to competitors such as Kishore Biyani's Pantaloon Retail, which has over 10 million sq ft of space, or Reliance Retail, which has over 950 stores covering 4 million sq ft. Aditya Birla Retail has 700 stores with over 2 million sq ft space. Both Reliance and Aditya Birla started operations in 2006.

Shoppers' Stop plans to add 1 million sq ft over the next three years. This would mean 18 new department stores by 2013, the highest addition in the company's history. Currently it has 29 department stores and five Hypercity outlets, apart from Crossword bookstore, and specialty store MAC, among others.

"From being steady, we are increasing the pace now. We are focusing on rolling our formats faster than earlier," Shoppers' Stop Chief Executive Govind Shrikhande said.

The company will invest Rs 250-300 crore. It plans to raise Rs 350 crore through the qualified institutional placement (QIP) route and other means by March 2011 to fund its expansion. "The fall in rents is helping us. The delivery of properties is (also) much faster as any delay is creating problems for developers, too," said Shrikhande.

According to him, retail rents in some cities have fallen 20-30 per cent from their peak. "Our performance in the last few quarters is giving us the confidence to open more stores," said B S Nagesh, vice-chairman of Shoppers' Stop. The company turned around in the first quarter of 2009-10, after losses in couple of quarters. It posted a net profit of Rs 19.2 crore in the December quarter, against a loss of Rs 20.5 crore in the previous year.

Gross turnover during the period grew 15 per cent to Rs 427.4 crore. During the slowdown, retailers had either closed down several loss-making stores or put expansion on the backburner to save cash. Shoppers' Stop, too, pulled out from unviable ventures. It closed a couple of Crosswords and airport retail store Stop & Go in Mumbai. It pulled out of a catalogue retailing venture with UK's Argos Group and moved out from food business. It also made UK's Mothercare store a shop-in-shops instead of a standalone property.

"Though they are the slowest, they are one of the oldest retailers in the country who have a lot of learning with them. They made their mistakes and understood that mostly Hypercity and Shoppers' Stop will work," said Susil Dungarwal, a former employee of Shoppers' Stop and founder of Beyond Squarefeet, a mall management firm.

© 2010 Business Standard

Marketing Research Notes - Introduction III

2010-03-02T10:15:00.000-08:00

CONSUMER ORIENTATION TO MARKETING RESEARCH:
MR is concerned with all types of marketing problems. They may related to product, price, distribution, packaging and branding, publicity and sales promotion. All these problems are required to be studied in the context of consumer and his expectations. In other words, MR in the present marketing environment is essentially consumer-oriented and not profit or product oriented. In MR the consumer and his need, expectations and satisfaction/welfare are given priority. All marketing aspects are studied in order to give convenience and satisfaction to consumers. Consumer research is one important branch of MR as all research activities move around the consumer and his satisfaction.

Consumer orientation to marketing research means making research activities pro-consumer rather than pro-manufacturer. It also means giving more importance to consumers and their satisfaction, expectations, needs, etc. and not merely to sales promotion and profit to the manufacturer. Such orientation is essential as consumer is the center of all marketing activities and his satisfaction is the base or basic consideration in modern business.

This consumer orientation to MR is the result of modern concept of marketing, which is basically different from the traditional concept of marketing. It is consumer-oriented and service-oriented. It is societal in character. As a result, in the marketing research activities, special attention is now given to consumers. All research activities are for making marketing useful, agreeable and acceptable to consumers. This is what is described as consumer orientation of MR. Research activities are now made pro-consumer rather than pro manufacturer or trader. Even research techniques and methodologies are adjusted according.

The importance of consumer is now accepted not only in MR but also in all aspects of business management. In fact, consumer is the most important person in business. He is the king and should be treated accordingly. All production and marketing activities are for meeting his needs and also for raising his satisfaction and welfare. He is the cause and purpose of all business activities. Finally, modern business is not profit-oriented but consumer oriented or service oriented. All these arguments are equally applicable to MR. In other words, MR activities move around the consumer and his satisfaction. He is the focus point in all research projects as MR is essentially for adjusting the marketing activities as per the expectations of consumers. This clearly suggests the importance of consumers in all MR activities.

Marketing research helps the management to be consumer-oriented in its policies and decisions. The benefits of MR will not be available if consumer and his needs, conveniences, expectations, etc. are not given due attention. This suggests that neglect of consumers in any type of research activity is undesirable and even dangerous. The benefits of marketing research will be available only when research activities are conducted after due regard to consumer who acts as the center of all marketing activities. Information available from consumer research can be used as a foundation for many important marketing decisions.

Finally, it may be noted that there is nothing wrong in making MR activities pro-consumer. In fact, this trend exists since the early growth of marketing research activities. Consumer is important in all marketing activities and the same rule is applicable to MR activities. Research activities without due consideration to consumers may not give expected results. In fact, the purpose of MR is to find out precisely what the consumer wants and how to make marketing activities agreeable to consumers in all respects such as product, price, packaging, promotion j and so on. In brief, MR as a subject has consumer-orientation in all its aspects. Consumer/Customer is the cause and purpose of all marketing research activities. How to make consumers happy and satisfied is the basic issue before the researchers. At present, all manufacturing/, marketing companies spend huge money on marketing research. The purpose is to make marketing activities consumer oriented.

MARKETING RESEARCH DRIVERS
The following factors suggest increasing need of MR:
1. Growth and complexity of markets: Markets are no more local in character. They are now national and even global in character. The marketing activity is becoming increasingly complex and broader in scope as more firms operate in domestic and global markets Manufacturers find it difficult to establish close contact with all mark and consumers directly. Similarly, they have no control on the marketing system once the goods are sold out to middlemen. The marketing procedures are now, complicated. The market competition is also severe

This situation creates new problems before the manufacturers, which can be faced effectively through MR as it acts as a feedback mechanism to ascertain first hand information, reactions, etc. of consumers and middlemen. Marketing activities can be adjusted accordingly.

2. Wide gap between producers and consumers: Market research is needed as there is a wide gap between producers and consumers in the present marketing system. Due to mass sc production and distribution, direct (personal) contact between product and consumers is practically lost. This creates information gap between producers and consumers. The middlemen dominate the market] scene. Producers do not get dependable information as regards nee expectations and reactions of consumers. They are unable to adjust the products, packaging, prices, etc. as per the needs and requirements consumers.

The problems created due to information gap can be solved q] through MR as it is possible to establish contact with consumers a collect first hand information about their needs, expectations, likes & dislikes, preferences and special features of their behavior. Thus marketing research enables a manufacturer to make his marketing policies pro-consumers. Effective communication with consumers is a possible through MR activities. Thus, MR is needed for removing wide communication gap between producers and consumers.

3. Changes in the composition of population and consumption pattern: In India, many changes are taking place in composition of population. There is a shift of population from rural urban areas. There have been considerable changes in the consumption and expenditure patterns of consumers in India. The incomes of people, in general, are rising. This brings corresponding increase in the purchasing capacity and buying needs and habits. The rising prices affecting the lower and middle class consumers and their purchasing power and purchasing priorities. Similarly, there are considerable changes in the purchasing pattern of clothing and other consumer items. The demand for consumer durables is fast increasing. The markets now flooded with consumer durables like TV sets and so on.

Manufacturers are expected to know such qualitative & quantitative changes in the consumer preferences and their consumption pattern. For achieving this objective, MR activities are necessary and useful. It is possible to adjust production and marketing operations as per the information supplied from consumer surveys and market surveys conducted under various MR projects. In brief, MR is needed for the study of changes in the pattern of consumption and corresponding adjustment in the marketing planning, policies and strategies.

4. Growing importance of consumers in marketing: Consumers occupy key position in modern marketing system. They are now well informed about market trends, goods available, consumer rights and protection available to them through consumer protection acts. The growth of consumerism has created new challenges before manufacturers and traders. Even growing customer expectations create situation when manufacturers have to understand such expectations and adjust the production and marketing policies accordingly. Indifference towards consumer expectations may lead to loss of business. In the present marketing system, consumers cannot be taken for granted. Their expectations need special consideration in all marketing activities. Production needs to be adjusted as per the expectations of consumers.

Marketing research particularly consumer research gives valuable data relating to consumers. It is possible to use such data fruitfully while framing marketing policies. Thus, marketing decisions can be made pro-consumer through marketing research activities
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5. Shift of competition from price to non-price factors: Cutthroat competition is unavoidable in the present marketing field. Such competition may be due to various factors such as price, quality, packaging, advertising and sales promotion techniques. Entry of new competitors creates new problems in the marketing of goods and services. In addition, market competition is no more restricted to price factor alone. There are other non-price factors such as packaging, branding, after-sale service and advertising which create severe market competition. Every producer has to find out the extent of such non-price competition and the manner in which he can face it with confidence.

MR is needed as it offers guidance in this regard. A manufacturer can face market competition even by using certain non-price factors. The shifting of competition from price to non-price factors has made marketing of consumer goods more complicated and challenging. This challenge can be faced with confidence by using certain measures suggested through marketing research.

6. Need of prompt decision-making: In competitive marketing, marketing executives have to take quick and correct decisions. Companies have to develop and market new products more quickly than ever before. However, such decisions are always difficult. Moreover, wrong decisions may bring loss to the organization. For correct decision-making, marketing executives need reliable data and up-to-date market information. Here, MR comes to the rescue of marketing managers. Problems in marketing are located, defined analyzed and solved through MR technique. This suggests its need as tool for decision-making. MR is needed as a tool for reasonably accurate decision-making in the present highly competitive marketing system.

7. Problems in the distribution system: Modern distribution system is complex and costly. How to market goods efficiently and economically is a basic issue in the present marketing system. Modern production is now possible because of the use of advanced technology. However efficient distribution is rather difficult. For this, it is necessary to identify new markets, new consumers, new channels of distribute and new sales promotion techniques. For such identification, MR needed.

The cost of marketing is fast increasing in modern marketing. The burden of rising marketing cost is normally passed on to consumers. This creates adverse effects on marketing activities. In brief, obstacles large scale distribution and rising distribution costs are two problems in the present marketing system. These problems can be studied & solved through MR activities relating to products, distribution channel consumers and so on. This suggests the growing need of MR.
8. Recent developments in science and technology: Science and technology are making rapid progress. In fact, the impact of such progress touches all aspects of commercial and industrial activities. Me products are manufactured and brought in the market. Articles with good demand become old and out-dated within a short period Consumers prefer new/novel articles in place of old ones. Produce and distributors find it difficult to take decisions due to lack knowledge about future market trends. Here, marketing research useful as it provides information about future trends in the markets field and enables marketing managers to take quick and corn marketing decisions. This suggests the need of marketing research.
9. Existence of large size enterprises: Modern manufacturing enterprises are large in size. Such enterprises can work as viable units and make progress only when their products are made popular with the consumers. Large-scale enterprises need distribution of their products on a massive scale. Here, MR is useful. It helps the enterprises explore, identify and locate new consumer markets. It suggests the ways and means for large-scale distribution of goods at the national/global level. In brief, MR is needed as an essential element of large scale manufacturing and marketing.

The factors noted above clearly suggest the growing need of MR in the present consumer-oriented marketing system. It is needed in order to reduce the risks and uncertainties in the marketing activity. It supports 1 marketing managers while dealing with the marketing problems. Marketing research is needed as it acts as a key factor in successful marketing of goods and services.

ROLE OF MARKETING RESEARCH IN MARKETING MANAGEMENT:
(i) Close relationship between MR and Marketing Management: Marketing management covers different areas of marketing such as production, packaging, branding, pricing, distribution, advertising and sales promotion. Marketing research activity is closely integrated with all these key areas of marketing. It is an integral part of scientific marketing management. This is natural as marketing research deals with the different marketing problems of a company and offers guidelines to marketing managers in solving such problems. In brief, marketing research acts as one useful and reliable tool for framing marketing policies and decision-making in regard to different aspects of marketing. It plays an important role in marketing management.
MR collects and provides information to marketing managers for decision-making. It studies certain marketing problems and offers suggestions for solving them. It also acts as the intelligence wing of marketing management.

Marketing management and marketing research are inter-related activities. In fact, marketing research cannot exist as a watertight compartment nor has it any existence independent of marketing management. It must be a part and parcel of the problem-solving process of marketing management. MR activities in any organization must be directly related to the marketing problems faced by that organization. This is natural as MR cannot be effective, if it is assigned some portions of a marketing problem for exploration in a piecemeal manner. It must be supplied with the full background required to study the whole problem in depth. This will enable the researcher to provide reasonably accurate solution to the problems faced by the marketing managers. Similarly, MR will be effective/purposeful, if the research activities are conducted in a regular and continuous manner and also as per the specific needs of the marketing management.

(ii) Need of effective integration between MR and Marketing Management: Marketing research needs to be treated as a part and parcel of total marketing management. It has to operate as a problem-solving tool of marketing management or as an intelligence wing/tool of marketing management. Similarly, MR should not be conducted merel1 as an academic activity but as a tool for decision making by the marketing managers. It should facilitate quick and reasonably correct decision-making by the top-level marketing managers. MR should act as an aid to decision-making in the marketing management.

This suggests that there should be effective integration in between marketing management and marketing research. Both these activities should be effectively co-ordinated. This will ensure efficient management of marketing activities of a company. There is no scope for any conflict in between the two as such conflict is undesirable to the company itself. However, on many occasions, differences of opinion and discord between research department and management are visible Keane, John G has spelt out the conflicting points of view of the to management and marketing researchers in the areas of research responsibility, research personnel, budget, assignments, problem definition, research reporting and use of research.

MR will be effective/purposeful only when there is close c ordination between research and actual management. Research activities must be necessarily relevant to the marketing problems. Both (researchers and top-level management) should have a clear understanding and appreciation of each other's position and role. However, in practice, conflicts are noticed between the top-level management and the researchers. Such conflicts should be avoided.

(iii) Responsibility of top management for effective integration: The top management should accept honestly that the researchers have a capacity to study marketing problems and offer valuable suggestions for solving the marketing problems. In addition, adequate budget provision and all necessary facilities should be provided to the researcher to investigate marketing problems minutely and make suitable recommendations. The top management should keep meaningful communication with the marketing researchers in a continuous manner. The bias attitude towards them is certainly undesirable. Finally management should avoid too many layers of communication between top management and researchers. It is also desirable to discuss the recommendations of researchers with open mind. Such liberal outlook will make MR activities useful to the marketing management.

The researchers should also adopt open and constructive approach towards the top-level management. In the research project, attention should be given to the plans and priorities decided by the top-level management. The researchers should continuously improve the research methodology and see that their reports and recommendations are easily acceptable to the management. Delay in the research work should be avoided as top-level management can consider the recommendations if received in time as the nature of marketing problem changes in the course of time.

0n some occasions, the management is not convinced about the utility of marketing research. This may be due to past experience in regard to research activity undertaken. The other reasons for unfavorable opinions about marketing research include delay in the completion of research work, heavy expenditure involved, bulky and confusing report and finally recommendations made are not convincing and practical. The result is that the management forms negative impression about the very concept of marketing research. The company management fails to understand the practical utility of research work. It feels that MR is an unnecessary activity and funds should not be spent on the same. It is as good as waste of money as positive benefits may not available. Such negative opinion formation is the result of previous experience of the firm. It is a type of criticism of the researchers who failed to submit promising, result-oriented and practical research report. It need not be treated as the criticism of marketing research activity itself. The adverse opinions of companies on marketing research are undesirable and even dangerous to the future growth of MR activity. Here the responsibility lies on the researchers. They have to conduct research work honestly and also by taking keen interest in the proposed research project. As a result, the research report and recommendations 11 be promising and easily acceptable by the management. The marcher should prepare the outline of research project properly and place it before the management in a convincing manner. As a result, the management will be convinced about the utility of marketing research project and will be willing to spend money on the same. "Many a times, management is not convinced about the utility of marketing research and discards it as an unnecessary activity over which no funds should be spent." is possible when the research project is not prepared and placed properly before the management for consideration and approval.

(iv) Responsibility of researchers for effective integration: The researchers should use their skills, experience and knowledge while conducting the research activities. Finally, they should maintain persuasive communication as inadequate/poor communication creates bias attitude on the part of top-level management. As a result, the recommendations are rejected or not used in actual practice. In addition, the superiority of the top-level management in the decision-making process should also be honored. The approach should be to help the management in all possible ways. Such positive/constructive approach on the part of researchers will enable them to make purposeful contribution in the field of marketing management.

(v) Present Position: MR is now given more creative role as compared to the conventional role where it was used just for studying buyer behavior or for the feasibility studies for new products to be introduced in the market. MR until the mid-1980s, was considered a luxury, which only multinationals could afford. However, all companies now feel the need of MR due to growing competition and liberalization. Realizing the contribution that MR makes, more and more companies in India are now turning to MR.

INTERACTION BETWEEN MANAGEMENT AND MARKETING RESEARCH

Marketing research is a useful tool available at the disposal of management. At all stages of marketing cycle it can be used. On the other hand in certain quarters misunderstandings have cropped in about each other. Many organizations feel that marketing research is not at all needed. On the other hand, marketing researchers point out the lack of appreciation for their work by the organization.

Some of the organization’s complaints about marketing researchers are:
1. Research is not problem-oriented. It tends to provide a plethora of facts, not actionable results.
2. Researchers are too involved with techniques, and they appear to be reluctant to get involved in management problems.
3. Research is slow, vague and of questionable validity.
4. Researchers cannot communicate, they do not understand and they do not talk the language of management.

Marketing researchers have the following complaints:
1. Management organizations do not include researchers in discussions of basic problems. Management tends to ask only for specific information about parts of problems.
2. Management pays no more than lip service to research and does not really understand or appreciate its value.
3. Management does not allow enough time for research. They draw preliminary conclusions based on early or incomplete results.

BENEFITS OF MARKETING RESEARCH

General benefits of marketing research are
1. Marketing research has made the job of forecasting and decision making easier by applying scientific norms.
2. Through this, the changing tastes of the consumers could be identified and the firm can suitably alter its production pattern or bring a new variety to meet in needs of the consumers.
3. By means of marketing research the type of competition that exists and the ability of the other manufacturers could be identified.
4. It helps the sales manager to push activities further thereby to enrich the sales as well as to find new markets and new customers.
5. It tells the management where the company stands in its industry
6. It tells management what the industry trends are & likely to be.
7. It is an essential tool in appraising and improving sales management effectiveness. Specific activities in this area include measuring variations in territorial sales yield, market share, sales effectiveness, measuring the effectiveness of individual salesmen and analysis of salesmen's activities.
8. It is an essential tool in the development and introduction of new products.
9. Supplies data to be used in salesman's and territorial quotas planning.
10. Supplies the facts for fixing the budget.
11. Helps determine the advertising methods that should be used and the angle that should be employed in the advertising copy.
12. Furnishes facts to convince dealers of the selling possibilities of given articles and to help them to increase their sales.
13. Predicts the trend of business conditions in given industries and furnishes a basis for promotion programs.
14. Ascertains the consumer's likes and dislikes.
15. Reports the methods used by the dealers, display, advertising and selling
16. Measures the stock in the dealer's hands.
17. Finds the dealer's reactions to given policies.
18. Furnishes data for fixing dealer's territories and quota.
19. Finds out and tabulates statistics in which the concern is particularly interested.
20. Keeps one informed about the developments in other industries, which may affect the business of the firm.
21. Measures the purchasing capacity of a given territory.
22. Discovers new uses for the product.
23. Analyzes the cost data that are available in published form.
24. Studies the organization of the concern with a view to suggesting changes or improvements

(A) BENEFITS OF MARKETING RESEARCH TO TOP-LEVEL MANAGEMENT:
Top management is concerned with the decision-making and policy framing at the highest level as regards production, marketing and so or it is the highest level planning, policymaking and controlling authority in the organization. The top-level management of a business unit includes Directors, Managing Director and other top-level marketing executives and other executives. Top-level management has to take marketing decisions such as fixing short-term and long-term marketing objective and sales targets, finalizing marketing policies and strategies, evaluating marketing performance, forecasting sales, allocating resources t marketing activities and selecting suitable marketing channels. For taking decisions on these matters, reliable and updated data are requires and the same are provided by the MR department. This is one service that MR department provides to top-level management. It facilitates decision-making on marketing issues by providing necessary information on the marketing and other aspects of business.

The top-level management needs feedback on current marketing environment and the MR department can provide this quickly. The feedback required in this regard can be provided in a continuous manner by the research department which studies marketing problems of the company in a regular and continuous manner. The research department is supposed to supply information to the top-level management on the following aspects of marketing:
(1) Current business environment (more particularly marketing environment) faced by the company and the changes likely to take place in the near future.
(2) Trends in consumer behavior, demographic information and consumer needs/expectations.
(3) Changes in consumer purchasing power and data on demand and supply position in the market.
(4) Trends about market competition and marketing policies of major competitors of the company and their marketing strategies.
(5) Availability of better/cheaper raw materials and technology for manufacturing superior quality goods at lower costs.
(6) Feedback on the marketing performance of the company and the challenges that it is facing.
(7) Sales force requirement, recruitment and development.
(8) Marketing opportunities available (domestic and foreign) and the marketing challenges likely to develop in the near future.
(9) Any other information that the top management is expected to know for correct marketing decision-making and policy framing.

The top-level management can take reasonably correct decisions in the following marketing areas with the help of updated feedback available from the marketing research department:
1. Deciding the long term marketing objectives and setting marketing plans, policies and strategies to achieve marketing objectives.
2. Designing of product or modifications in the existing products.
3. Determining the product line and adjusting the products as per the needs and expectations of consumers and allocation of resources among various products and marketing activities.
4. Improving the brand or package design, color, etc.
5. Fixing fair pricing of the product.
6. Fixing marketing strategies in order to face the competitors’ ever-changing market environment.
7. Selecting suitable channels of distribution for large scale an economical marketing of company's products.
8. Estimating sales i.e. sales forecasting for adjusting production and marketing activities of the company.
9. Designing internal mechanism to monitor and evaluate performance of marketing department and introduction of remedial measures, if required.

In brief, MR is the crucial analytical tool and provides management with vital strategic and tactical information for decision-making. It guides management in the decision-making process. However, the final decision is to be taken by the top management. The feedback of Marketing department certainly plays a positive role in the correct decision making This suggests the importance and benefits of marketing research to top level management of the company.

(B) BENEFITS OF MARKETING RESEARCH TO GOVERNMENT:
Marketing research at the government level is conducted by various government departments concerned with agriculture, industry, commerce, industrial production, exports and imports, finance, foreign exchange and so on. These departments collect information on various aspects of national economy. In addition, government companies, public corporations, public sector banks, RBI/ etc. also collect information about various aspects of national economy.

In India population census, (census survey) crop surveys, surveys of industrial production, wholesale and retail prices, cost of living index, estimates of imports and exports etc. for the future period are conducted regularly. In addition, needs of various sectors of the economy are estimated. Information collected through these sources is used while deciding government policies, budgets, funds allocation, etc. This suggests how research activities are given adequate importance attention at the government level. The data collected through census and other surveys are used while framing economic policies, long term development plans, allocation of resources and so on.

MR at the government level is useful in the following areas:
(1) Planning and controlling national economy: For planned economic development, available resources must be allocated in different sectors of the economy in a rational manner. Nation priorities must be decided clearly. The future needs of the economy must be estimated properly and arrangements need to be made meet them properly. Misdirection of resources must be controlled effectively. For such planned economic development, data on important aspects of the economy need to be collected. For this, research activities should be undertaken at different levels.
(2) Control on production, distribution and other marketing activities: Government conducts various marketing activities on a large scale. It conducts production, looks after distribution and even restricts consumption of certain commodities through its marketing operations. The government has to bring equitable distribution of goods particularly essential commodities. Reasonable prices need to be maintained for social good. Production needs to be adjusted as per the needs of the entire economy. All such objectives can be achieved through appropriate policies. For the introduction of such policies, marketing research activities in the form of surveys, estimates and collection of data are useful. Research studies are also useful for the calculation of needs of the people, production required, consumption patterns of people and so on.
(3) Control on exports and imports: Exports and imports are usually regulated by the government through suitable Exim policy. Exports must be adjusted as per the needs of the economy and also as per the surplus production available. Imports must be allowed to supplement the internal production. Large-scale imports are also necessary for export promotion. Proper policy decisions in this regard are necessary and are also visible in the Exim policy of the government. For framing such policy, adequate data must be available. This is possible through research activities. Surveys conducted are useful for estimating surplus production for exports, domestic consumption and imports required to be made. In brief, appropriate decisions as regards exports and imports can be taken with the help of data available through MR activities conducted at the government level.
(4) Use of MR in Miscellaneous areas: Marketing research is useful to the government in many other areas of national economy. Such areas are: production plans (targets) in regard to consumer goods and industrial goods, foreign exchange requirement for the future period, regulation of production and prices, equitable distribution of goods and services, resource allocation and allocation of funds to social service at reasonable prices and so on. Census reports arc useful to the government for policy framing and decision-making on various social services such as facilities of primary education, and allotment of funds for primary education, provision for sports and recreation facilities, provision for medical facilities and provision for family planning and welfare facilities.

In brief, marketing research is useful to the government in bringing economic stability and economic growth. The government can take correct decisions about various aspects of national economy with the help of the feedback provided by marketing research activities. Finally, it can solve economic problems and difficulties with the help research activities undertaken at the government level. This suggests the importance of marketing research at the government level.

(C) BENEFITS OF MR TO ADVERTISING AGENCIES:
Advertising agencies are specialized professional service agencies that offer different services to their clients as regards advertising and publicity through different media including press, TV and radio. Such agency performs various functions and offers varied services to its clients by charging necessary fees. Such services include booking space and time for advertising, preparation of advertising copy, organizing advertising campaigns of clients, offering guidance to the clients as regards packaging, branding, product modification and so on. Selection of suitable media for advertising, copy writing, testing effectiveness of advertising, advertising planning of the clients are some more functions/services offered by advertising agencies. Some agencies even conduct marketing research activities on behalf of their clients.

In order to conduct its activities efficiently, an advertising agency needs adequate information and latest trends as regards advertising and marketing. Such information includes product details, readership details, details of different advertising media, media rates and so on. Such information is available from different sources such as data published by newspapers, TV, radio, advertising magazines and so on.

An advertising agency also needs information as regards new trends and techniques used in advertising, legal and other restrictions on advertising and publicity in India, details of different advertising media (i.e./ rates, coverage, audience, popularity of the media, etc.). Information about market competition, new products available in the markets, advertising campaigns of competitors of its clients, etc. is also required by an advertising agency. For this, the agency has to conduct research activities in the field of advertising and marketing.

An advertising agency has to collect and maintain all such information in an orderly manner for quick reference. It has to collect all useful data from different sources. Data already published on advertising and allied subjects need to be stored by the agency for ready reference. In addition, the agency has to conduct research activities in order to collect necessary information useful for the conduct of its functions. A well-maintained reference library is also necessary in the case of an advertising agency. Such activities will provide suitable feedback to the agency and the agency will be able to offer efficient services to its clients. This suggests the importance of MR and MIS in the case of advertising agencies.

MR supports advertising agencies in regard to advertising activities. It provides reliable and updated information for correct decision-making on advertising budgeting, media planning, selection of advertising media for the clients and checking advertising effectiveness. An advertising agency can arrange advertising campaigns of its clients with the support of data available through MR. Finally, an advertising agency can give proper guidance to its clients on advertising matters with the help of information available through research activities on press, media, and so on.

(D) BENEFITS OF MARKETING RESEARCH TO WHOLESALERS:
MR is beneficial to wholesalers in the following areas of their business:
(1) Location of business establishment: Every wholesaler has to locate his business establishment at a convenient place. Location includes location of main office, branches, warehouses and so on. The cost of marketing will be low if the location is optimum. Here, researchers undertake a survey of available convenient places and suggest the convenient places for locating business establishments. Thus, for selection of convenient location, locational survey is useful.
(2) Selection of sales territory: Every wholesaler has to select promising area for his business. This selection is important as turnover and profit are related to the sales territory selected. For such selection, the features of product to be distributed, market demand of different areas, purchasing capacity of customers, possible increase in demand in future, possible benefits of sales promotion measures, etc. need to be taken into consideration. Researchers undertake surveys of different trading areas and suggest the best trading area to the wholesaler.
(3) Reduction of distribution/marketing cost: Every wholesaler will like to reduce the cost of distribution as his net profit is closely linked with the cost of distribution. This cost includes expenditure on advertising, services to retailers, discount and credit facilities offered, arrangement for delivery of goods to retailers and so on. Such distribution cost needs periodical review in order to check wastage and liberal expenditure on distribution. Reducing distribution cost is difficult due to market competition but efforts should be made in this regard with the help of experts i.e. researchers. They suggest ways and means to bring down the cost of distribution without any adverse effect on total sales.
(4) Decision on number of commodities for distribution: Every wholesaler has to decide the number of product lines he can handle efficiently. He has to decide the number of items that he can distribute effectively. Sometimes, marketing of limited items with good demand may be profitable. Similarly, stocking of different items may prove to be costly. In addition, every wholesaler has to consider his financial position, manpower available and storage facilities available while deciding the number of items for the business. Marketing researcher can study all relevant facts and offer suitable guidance to the wholesaler in this regard.
(5) Storage and handling of goods: Every wholesaler has to maintain adequate stocks for smooth and regular supply of goods to retailers. Naturally, he has to give attention to storage, handling and transportation of goods. He has to conduct these activities economically. The wholesaler can undertake studies in these areas in order to find out ways and means for handling these activities speedily and economically. For this, research studies are useful.
(6) Miscellaneous benefits to wholesalers: Marketing research is also useful to wholesalers while dealing with other aspects of marketing. They include cost-profit analysis, stock handling and delivery procedure, credit recoveries, incentives to retailers for their loyalty, sales promotion measures and so on.
In short, MR offers guidance to wholesalers while dealing with their problems and difficulties. It is useful for the expansion of business and also for raising the margin of profit in the business. Wholesalers can undertake such research directly by making suitable internal arrangements. They can even study the published material and use it for the benefit of their business operations. Many wholesalers do not conduct their own research studies but take advantage of research studies conducted by others.

(E) BENEFITS OF MARKETING RESEARCH TO CONSUMERS:
Consumers do not conduct MR activities on their own. However, the benefits to all research activities are available to consumers. In fact, the purpose of MR is to study/understand the needs, expectations, problems, etc. of consumers and to give maximum possible convenience and satisfaction to them. This suggests that consumers secure the maximum benefits of research activities indirectly as all research activities are basically for the benefit and convenience of consumers.
The benefits of MR to consumers are as noted below:
1. Supply of goods and services as per the needs and expectations of consumers. MR provides wide choice to consumers. Consumers get wide variety of goods at fair prices due to MR activities.
2. Suitable adjustments in the products (as per the requirements of consumers) through product planning, product innovation and product modification.
3. Supply of goods at right place, time and also at the right price.
4. Better return (in terms of convenience, satisfaction and welfare) of the price paid for goods and services.
5. Protection of the rights of consumers and prompt redressal of complaints relating to price/ quality, use, etc.
6. Availability of new / innovative products as per current socio-economic-cultural needs.
7. Provision of wide variety of goods for the convenience of consumers.
8. Better quality after-sales services.
9. Fair treatment and prevention of exploitation of consumers.
10. Production as per the expectations of consumers.
11. Provision of wide choice to consumers.

(F) BENEFITS OF MR TO SMALL BUSINESSMEN:
In general, MR is useful to all categories of businessmen - small or big. Small businessmen include small-scale manufacturers, small-scale dealers, retailers and so on. They can adjust their business policies and \ activities as per the information available from the research activities. They can take decisions regarding location of business/ sales territory, commodities for manufacturing or marketing, sales promotion policies, storage of goods, credit policies, pricing policies and so on with the help of information available through research activities.

A small businessman may not be able to maintain separate research department for the conduct of research activities. However, he can collect necessary information from census reports, other financial and marketing reports, etc. published by different agencies. He can even refer to market reports and other reports on current economic issues and adjust his business policies accordingly. This is how marketing research is useful to small businessmen in the conduct of all their business activities properly and with foresight, imagination and vision.

Small businessmen have to adjust their business policies and activities as per the need of the situation. Here, they use the research techniques (knowingly or unknowingly). This suggests that marketing research is useful to large business houses as well as small businessmen. In the case of small businessmen, the use of MR may not be extensive as in the case of large business houses. However, small businessmen study market situation as per their business needs, use available information on market competition, consumer needs, etc. and adjust their business plans, policies and operations according. This is precisely the manner in which they use marketing research for their benefit.

Reasons for the Failure of Marketing Research:
1. There is resistance on the part of the business executives to use research, because they think that research is a threat to their personal status. They also think that marketing research may expose them adversely.
2. Sometimes, the executives develop their own objectives, which are in conflict with the organization, and they want research to support their views rather than the views of the organization.
3. The executives are unable to use specialists effectively. Marketing research presently draws on a variety of specialists from such disciplines as mathematics, statistics, economics, psychology, sociology, general semantics, anthropology, etc.
4. Marketing research department is often isolated from key departments.

CHARACTERISTICS OF GOOD MARKETING RESEARCH
The duty of marketing research is to solve the problems of the organization relating to its sales and related marketing issues. As such it is considered to be a primary tool by several managements and as a secondary tool by many managements. In spite of its drawback of arriving at exact results with complete accuracy, corporate world has accepted its relevance. One such drawback posed against marketing research is its cost-effectiveness. If the tools used are crisp and less costlier its service could be welcomed by all. For such recognition marketing research must possess certain characteristics, which are mentioned by Philip Kotler as follows:
1. Scientific method: Competent marketing research is characterized by an attempt to follow the scientific method, careful observation, formulation of hypotheses, prediction and testing.
2. Research creativity: At its best, marketing research develops innovative ways to solve a problem.
3. Multiple methods: Competent marketing researchers keep away from over reliance on any one method, preferring to adopt the method to the problem rather than the other way round. They also recognize the desirability of the simultaneous gathering of information in different ways to give greater confidence than any one method would provide.
4. Interdependence of models and data: Competent marketing researchers recognize that the facts do not speak for themselves but rather derive their meaning from models of the problem. They attempt to guide their search for information on the basis of causal decision model to help the executive.
5. Value and cost of information: Competent marketing researchers show concern for measuring the value of information against its cost. Value/cost is a consideration when the Marketing Research Department chooses which research projects to conduct, which research designs to use and whether to gather more information.

BASIC VS. APPLIED MARKETING RESEARCH:
Research can be divided into two classes viz., basic research and applied research.
(1) Basic Research
Often basic research is called 'theoretical’ 'pure' or 'fundamental' research. It is not directly concerned with solving marketing problems. Primarily it aims at improving academic knowledge about the subject matter. Basic research does not deal with commercial problems but it relates to fundamental questions concerning the business and allied subjects. Basic research may address itself to issues like economic and political changes in a country or reasons for changes in lifestyles in youth.
(1) Applied Research
Applied research directly deals with commercial problems. It tackles the business problems and attempts to find alternative solutions to the problems. Applied research may relate to locating reasons for fall in sales or to introduce a new brand of product.

Applied research can be of two types (a) problem-solving research and (b) problem-oriented research. As the name indicates problem-solving research relates to a specific problem. This research can be conducted either by the marketing research department of the firm or by an outside research agency. By contrast problem-oriented research deals with problems that may be of interest to many firms. This type of research puts into practice the knowledge obtained through basic research.

What keeps 9X and Real up and running?

2010-03-01T03:16:00.000-08:00

It's been more than a year since 9X, the general entertainment channel, has been running repeat content, except for the odd show, Black, which was launched in March 2009. The channel's monthly GRPs are down to a mere 39, as in December 2009. This is the fate of the channel, which once upon a time, challenged the No. 3 position amongst GECs.

Another GEC, Real met an even worse fate. The channel, which garnered its highest weekly GRP of 10 in Week 28 of 2009, managed to get only 4 GRPs in December 2009.

With such low viewership and no new programming to speak of, the two GECs would be of minimum interest to advertisers. afaqs! explores what keeps these channels running in such a scenario.

A senior executive previously attached to one of these channels says, "The sole motive is to attract investors. If the channel is up and running, there is a possibility that the promoters could find an investor. Else, who would buy a closed channel?"

While this could be the primary reason for keeping these channels switched on, there are several other contributing factors too.

One reason why it has been possible to keep these channels alive is low operational cost, which is in the range of Rs 1-2 crore for such channels. Considering that hundreds of crores of rupees have already been invested on the channel, a few additional crores to keep it running is not too huge a cost.

The channels currently rely on their libraries. 9X, for one, is heavily dependent on feature films and film songs. In fact, 75 per cent of its viewership comes for these two genres. The GEC had acquired 25 Dev Anand titles, such as Guide, Des Pardes, Prem Pujari and Awwal Number. And some of these movies still have a decent viewership.

Besides, 9X also runs about six dedicated hours of retro music, coupled with songs from a few freshly acquired movies. Real, however, is more dependent on reruns of its old shows, such as Vicky Ki Taxi and Namak Haraam.

Moreover, these channels are learnt to have already spent a significant amount of money - estimated at more than Rs 1 crore - on distribution. So, it makes more sense to keep the channels on-air.

Another factor that's keeping the channels on-air is the advertisers, who haven't completely switched off, especially in 9X's case. In fact, 9X is learnt to be recovering its operational cost from its advertising revenues.

Sidharth Parashar, national trading head, Maxus, says, "A channel such as 9X becomes effective for FMCG companies, as they buy it for frequency." As per market estimates, 9X today seeks Rs 800-1,200 for a 10-second ad spot.

On the other hand, it is learnt that Real - the joint venture between Turner and Alva Brothers Entertainment - runs ads for free. According to sources close to the company, Turner will continue to fund this channel till March 2010, while it looks for interested parties. The other possibility is that it could be revamped into a completely new genre - perhaps as a lifestyle channel.

Sriram Sharma, general manager, Bengaluru, Starcom Worldwide, says, "This year, we might witness mergers and acquisitions in this space, wherein smaller channels will get absorbed by larger channel networks. If these channels keep their operating costs low and manage to stay afloat, chances are they might find buyers."

Amit Ray, president and chief operating officer, Lintas Media Group, says, "Media brands in our country keep chugging along; and they get lucky, when they are rescued by some international company who is looking for a business opportunity in the country."

"The only channel that failed to remain afloat was Home TV, which shut shop in 2004," he concludes.

To "B" a "BMM" Grad?

2010-02-28T01:18:00.000-08:00

BACHELOR OF MASS MEDIA is a professional course introduced by the University of Mumbai in 2000-2001 for creating media experts. With a rigorous semester system, internal assessment and project work, this is indeed a course which aims at providing the basic platform for tomorrow's Barkha Dutts and Rajdeep Sardesais!

At the inception, the admission was through an entrance exam, a GD and personal interview, which altogether served to test the aptitude. However, for the past 3 years, this system has been discarded and now only the HSC marks are considered for admission to BMM.

CBSE, ICSE vs HSC Boards: A difficult situation
Jostling with the CBSE and ICSE boards’ system of higher scoring is the HSC Board. Last year this lead to climbing up of cut-off percentages - for example, the first & second lists for BMM at coveted colleges like St. Xavier's, Wilson, Jai Hind, Mithibai, Ruparel hovered between 70- 85% in the open category. Some colleges did not even have a third list!

The University of Mumbai has become generous and given permission to conduct BMM Course to many colleges, and there is enough room for every aspirant - but students still flock to the top rung colleges thanks to their brand name,
the superior facilities, faculty and practical exposure.

Quotas
Here they have to encounter various "categories" and "quotas"-minority quota, sports quota and so on. The whole quota system leads to frustratingly weird scenarios in some colleges - such as 6 open seats among total 60. Rest are reserved! And these open seats are filled up at 80-85%.

Add to this the myriad confusions arising periodically-the latest one related to the BMM syllabus. While admission to first year is on at full throttle, no one seems to know for sure the latest syllabus for BMM!

Moreover, there is a huge confusion regarding "Marathi and Hindi translation" component into the latest syllabus. The questions hogging thelimelight are-who devised the syllabus? When? Where? Why?

Meanwhile the future media professionals are busy making umpteen rounds of various colleges and temples to ensure their academic future is not "cut-off" from their dreams!

- Prachi Shailendra (Jam Mag)

Will the Commonwealth Games transform the OOH business in Delhi?

2010-02-27T03:17:00.000-08:00

Can the CWG permanently change the outdoor business in the Capital?

Noomi Mehta
Chairperson and managing director, Selvel One Group

OOH (out of home) advertising rights, in keeping with the avowed policy of the authorities, are incidental to the infrastructure projects announced. A careful study of the suitability of locations and the positioning of the advertisement space is needed before jumping in to sign and submit tenders.

The biggest concern is the sustainability of the created infrastructure through expected ad revenue alone. The ability to carry on maintaining the assets, if faced with a loss in the immediate future, is doubtful. The sort of assets being created would have a normal life span of five-10 years, with proper upkeep and renewals. All cities face a slump in OOH advertising immediately after a mega event. OOH media owners are betting that India, and more particularly Delhi, will grow exponentially to be able to ride out the slump quickly and that local clients will jump in to seize the opportunity.

Can Delhi grow from Rs 250 crore to Rs 500 crore-plus in two years and sustain itself at that level? I think not. Excess supply will lead to massive discounting and if media collapses, the infrastructure collapses along with it.

Pradeep Shrivastava
Chief marketing officer, Idea Cellular

The Commonwealth Games will most definitely throw open a number of new OOH opportunities. For example, the metro network will get extended by 200 kms, permanently changing the way people travel across the Capital. It will also add on a substantial portion of facade area for communication. A mass brand such as Idea will benefit from it.

Idea has used OOH extensively in metros and other cities for speaking to its customers. The focus in telecom is, however, shifting to rural, which is witnessing significant growth today. With a majority of new subscribers coming from rural areas, these companies are increasingly looking at media that help connect with this audience.

In cities, there are high-end products and services in telecom, including data cards, roaming plans or VAS, which can be effectively promoted through new and innovative OOH media such as digital 3D frames, kiosks and metro façade. The use of such media will, however, be selective after considering their cost effectiveness and relevance.

Raj Mohanty
Senior business director, Poster Publicity

Delhi's media scenario is undergoing changes. With the Commonwealth Games around the corner, many campaigns will be rolled out by the government bodies. Also, there will be campaigns rolled out by various corporates associated with the games through sponsorships and creation of infrastructure. No stone will be left unturned to grab eyeballs with outdoor advertising.

Delhi has more buying power than Mumbai but more money is spent on OOH in Mumbai due to traditional bifurcation of budgets. Also, media owners in Mumbai are more open to innovations and the city offers large formats. Both Mumbai and Delhi have approximately equal shares of print and radio spends. So, why should OOH lag behind? Delhi has the scope to grow - and it will - in a constructive and planned manner. There should be a dialogue between the government bodies, media owners and agencies to earmark large format media options across the city.

After the games, the media created will hold up to the market as more spends will be diverted.

Marketing Research Notes - Introduction II

2010-02-25T10:13:00.000-08:00

Limitations of marketing research are as explained below:

(1) Marketing research offers suggestions and not decisions: Marketing research is not a substitute for decision-making process. It only offers possible suggestions/solutions to marketing problems. It actually acts as a tool that facilitates decision-making process. It guides marketing managers in taking balanced, result-oriented and rational decisions. The suggestions offered by marketing researchers are usually possible/probable solutions but not the exact solutions.

MR offers predictions but they are not necessarily accurate or perfect. Such predictions should be taken in the right spirit by the management. It offers information and guidance to marketing managers but not the final decisions, which are to be taken by managers themselves.

MR does not provide readymade solutions to marketing problems. It only provides indicators. It may not provide conclusive information on marketing problems. The marketing managers have to use available information properly and take appropriate marketing decisions.

The effectiveness of MR depends on the skill of the decision-maker. For this/ various marketing forces need careful consideration. However all such forces are not covered by research project undertaken. MR aids managerial decision-making but it cannot replace judgment and experience of marketing executives/managers.

(2) Marketing research cannot predict accurately: In MR, efforts are being made to estimate or predict the possible future situation. For this/ certain research studies are undertaken. However, the results/ conclusions arrived at may not be complete, perfect or accurate. They predict possible tendencies but not certainties. Future is always uncertain and exact prediction about the future is just not possible through marketing research. This is because market environment is ever changing consumer behavior is difficult to estimate correctly and reliable data for research purpose may not be available. As a result, the decisions taken and policies framed on the basis of such research studies may not be accurate and useful for solving current marketing problems.

Marketing research gives guidance to marketing managers through information and conclusions drawn but such guidance may not be accurate as it is based on the predictions about future situation. The guidance offered through research activities may prove to be out-dated at the time of taking current marketing decisions.

(3) MR conclusions are not always dependable: There are many who are skeptics of MR. Their criticism is that MR conclusions are not dependable. There are examples where the research failed to deliver desired results or a product failed even when the research had shown promising market demand and consumer support. The classical example is that of Coke. Its MR showed that 68% customers in US liked the taste of the new formula developed by the Coca-Cola Corporation. However, the New Coke failed and in less than six months of its launch, the Coke management had to re-launch old Coke under the brand name Coke Classic. However, this failure of MR was mainly due to conventional approach of researchers.

(4) Not an exact science: Since marketing research plates to consumers, it cannot be accepted as an exact science. Both quantifiable and non-quantifiable factors have to be assessed with the help of various techniques available to formulate marketing policies that will help to achieve maximum sales. The technical part of marketing research comes into operation particularly while collecting, analyzing, interpreting facts and figures. No amount of sophistication makes the subject an exact science. Because, as stated earlier, it concerns primarily the consumer as a human being Study of human behavior precludes absolute mathematical accuracy Probable trends, at the most can be indicated within predetermined limits. This sets a basic limitation to marketing research. At the same time, it necessitates a creative and skilled approach to the conduct of research. In this way, marketing research can contribute immensely to decision-making in a dynamic market. For accurate judgment, the marketer must be fully aware of the nature of limitations of marketing research.

(5) Time lag in presentation and implementation: There are other constraints as well that make for qualified utility of marketing research in decision-making. For example, there is the limitation of time. Collection of data, their checking as to accuracy and analysis and presentation often involve considerable time. The formulation of policies and their implementation as also their subsequent evaluation, which are a necessary follow-up, also take time. People's tastes and preferences are subject to frequent changes. It is, therefore necessary, keeping in mind the scope and nature of marketing research, that the projects should be completed in time to ensure their utility. In this process, at times, as a compromise some accuracy may have to be sacrificed, but the degree of it can be decided in relation to the specific circumstances.

(6) Limitations of personnel: Another constraint that is experienced pertains to personnel and its quality. Trained, well-equipped and well-directed research personnel can improve the quality and utility of marketing research. In the absence of this, research is likely to be costly and unreliable. Correct and complete information has to be collected from the respondents tactfully. The interviewer has to be reasonably aware of the psychological make-up of the persons that are being interviewed and should be able to analyze their thoughts and reactions. Apart from this, interviewers may have their own failings and weaknesses. Hence the training interviewers and investigators is a must. These limitations and constraints can be overcome or at least their impact can be minimized. To the extent a market researcher is successful in his task, the value of the findings can be improved. What is most important is that reliable data should be available on the basis of which production and marketing plans and programmers can be formulated with a fair degree of accuracy. It is better to be certain about 50 percent reliable information than do a guesswork, which has more chances of going wrong.

(7) Difficult to ascribe results: It is also difficult to ascribe results as a direct consequence of market research. The rupee value received by a firm from marketing research, therefore, cannot be measured accurately and completely. This has contributed to an element of hesitation on the part of organizations to undertake marketing research in many cases, especially in the developing countries.

(8) A cost-generating operation: Marketing research is expensive. The existence of sellers’ market or a sheltered market in many developing countries in particular has also been responsible for an apathetic approach to marketing research. However, with the growth and development of their economies, the marketing conditions are changing in favor of buyers and the need for and the value of marketing research are being increasingly recognized by the enterprises in these countries also. With the communication between the purchaser and the manufacturer becoming indirect, meagre and unsatisfactory and as a result of competition, the manufacturer is increasingly becoming anxious to know the magnitude of his sales to consumers, where they are being effected, the kinds of people buying his goods and their reactions and responses. All this information is essential to the manufacturer, as this decides ultimately whether he will survive in the market or not. He can improve his product and marketing strategy to secure consumer satisfaction and logically profit from these changes.

(9) Marketing research cannot study all marketing problems: Marketing research is rather very wide in scope. However, it cannot study all marketing problems particularly where it is difficult to collect relevant data. Similarly, research study is not possible where value judgments are involved. Even it is not useful for dealing with urgent marketing problems where quick decisions and follow-up actions are necessary. Thus, all marketing problems are not researchable and all research problems are not answerable.

MR cannot provide answer to each and every marketing problem. A problem like Profitability Vs. Consumer satisfaction is difficult to answer with complete accuracy. The present marketing research techniques have certain limitations. MR fails to offer guidance to managers while dealing with specific problems. Thus, marketing research cannot study all marketing problems and do not offer ready-made solutions to all marketing problems faced by a business unit. It is also argued that very many times, marketing research tends to be fragmentary in its approach. As a result, it becomes difficult to have an overall perspective in which a marketing problem is to be viewed and studied.

(10) Resistance by marketing executives: Researchers study marketing problems and offer information and guidance to marketing executives in their decision-making process. However, some executives are reluctant to use the solutions suggested by the researchers. They feel that such extensive use will act as a threat to their personal status. Findings of the research work may bring them in difficulties if the policy-decisions taken accordingly prove to be wrong.

Marketing executives may also feel that researchers suggest solutions that are academic in character and lack practical utility. They use guidance and suggestions given by the researched only when they are compelled to do so. There is absence of meaningful dialogue between the marketing managers and the marketing research team. As a result/ marketing researchers get divorced from the main stream of marketing. Such attitude of indifference on the part of researchers and marketing executives makes marketing research meaningless.

It is necessary to have effective communication between researchers and marketing executives. Secondly, researchers should try to act as friend and guide of marketing executives. Marketing executives should also consider the findings of researchers in an impartial manner. Such attitude of mutual confidence and understanding is useful for cooperation between researchers and marketing executives. Conflict between researchers and executives is always undesirable but do exist in many companies. It is treated as one limitation of MR activity.

(11) Lengthy and time-consuming activity: MR is a lengthy and time-consuming activity. It involves various stages/steps, which need to be completed in an orderly manner. It is not desirable to conduct research work in a haphazard manner. Naturally, the research work takes longer period for completion and the findings when available may prove to be old and outdated. Even data collected very soon become old or historical due to fast changing market environment. As a result, research findings based on them become irrelevant in the changed situation.

MR is not useful for dealing with urgent marketing problems. Moreover, research work cannot be conducted overnight and marketing decisions cannot be postponed till the research work is completed. Thus, urgent/pressing marketing decisions arc usually taken without the support of research work. In brief, lengthy and time consuming aspect of marketing research reduces its practical utility and is rightly treated as one limitation of marketing research technique.

(12) Non-availability of qualified staff: For scientific MR, professional marketing researchers with proper qualifications, training and experience are necessary. Research work is likely to be incomplete/ unreliable in the absence of such expert staff. Companies find it difficult to have the services of such expert staff. They find it difficult to pay high salary to professional consultants. Research activities are conducted in limited areas due to non-availability of properly qualified staff. Such staff includes statisticians, psychologists, sociologists, economists and computer experts.

(13) Complexity of the subject: Marketing research fails to give complete and full proof solutions to management. This is because marketing research itself is not an exact science. It is concerned with the study of human beings and human behavior is always difficult to predict, errors in drawing conclusions are possible due to this human element in marketing research activities. Errors in the research studies are also possible due to uncertainty of human behavior and also because of non-availability of reliable data.

(14) Changing behavior of consumers: Consumer is the focal point in marketing research. However, his buying motives are difficult to judge precisely and accurately. This brings some sort of uncertainty in the conclusions drawn from the research activity. The findings of the research work (particularly in the case of consumer research) may not prove to be accurate.

(15) Limited practical utility: MR is regarded as an academic exercise. It is often been delinked from the business strategy. As a result many research reports become "academic" in nature and are 'filed'. Researchers take more interest in conducting research work rather than in supplying information and guidance to marketing managers in the decision-making process. Many research reports are rather bulky and unintelligible due to the use of technical language and unnecessary details. Such reports are rejected or are not used meaningfully b) marketing managers. This brings down the practical utility of MR.

(16) Passive nature: MR is passive by its nature. Sometimes, it becomes too superficial and faulty in business management. Man) conclusions drawn from the marketing research activities may be imaginary or not based on realities. Its use and effectiveness largely depend on the ability of marketing executives to get the most promising results out of it. Marketing research by itself may not give any benefit. It only shows the way to executives in the decision-making process.

(17) Fragmentary approach: On many occasions, marketing research tends to be fragmentary in its approach. It suggests solutions that may be difficult to put into operation. This is because overall marketing environment is not given adequate attention while suggesting the solution. Such fragmentary approach is not useful for solving marketing problems in an integrated manner.
(18) Absence of effective communication: The research activity will be useful and result-oriented only when there is meaningful dialogue between the marketing management and marketing research team. However, such dialogue is ineffective in many organizations. This make' research activity ineffective.

Inspite of the limitations noted above, MR is necessary and useful in marketing management.

SCOPE OF MARKETING RESEARCH / BRANCHES OF MR:

Marketing research is a subject with wide scope. Broadly speaking, it is concerned with the marketing activities of an enterprise. All activities of a seller-to market his products to consumers are covered by such research. Marketing research is primarily concerned with "4 Ps" of marketing mix. These are: Product, Price, Place and Promotion. The scope of marketing research is comprehensive and is actually widening in recent years. Products research, sales research, pricing research, brand and package research, promotion research and customer research arc the usual areas covered by MR. In addition, specialized research activities such as motivation research, consumer satisfaction research, etc. are also undertaken to meet the specific needs of a business unit. Additional areas and new methods of conducting research activities are regularly added within the scope of MR.

In 1973, the American Marketing Association noted that marketing research activities were undertaken on 36 different topics of 1322 companies interviewed. Even in India, large companies conduct research activities on many marketing problems. Finally, it may be pointed out that marketing research is essentially for solving the marketing problems of a business unit. Naturally, research activities will be adjusted accordingly. This suggests that there is no limit to the areas covered by marketing research. Everything connected with marketing comes within the scope of MR.. The branches of MR are as explained below:

1. Product Research:
Product research relates to products that are to be marketed to consumers. It is useful for introducing new product that will be agreeable to consumers. Product research relates to various aspects such as design, development and introduction of new products, testing of existing products, product modification studies and so on.

2. Packaging Research:
Packaging research is a part of product research and is important for making the products attractive and agreeable to consumers. Packaging is now treated as a tool for sales promotion. It attracts the attention of consumers and induces them to purchase products. Constant changes in the package design are-required for sales promotion. For innovation in the package design/ packaging research is necessary. Packaging research is now treated as an independent branch of marketing research. Such research is conducted in order to know the impact of packaging. Branding and packaging normally go together and hence brand research is treated as a part and parcel of packaging research.

3. Pricing Research:
Pricing research relates to pricing of the product It relates to analysis of pricing policies and strategies, studies market price trends, fixation of market prices, studies relating to prices charged by competitors, studies relating to future price trends, price incentives for sales promotion and provision of price discount and other price concessions to dealers and consumers.

4. Market Research:
Market research proper relates to analysis of consumer markets, assessment of market trends, forecasting of business conditions, setting of sales territories and sales quota, sale potentials studies, studies of wholesale marketing, demography descriptions of customers, market competition studies, sale-forecasting, estimating demand for new products, analyzing relative profitability of sales territories and monitoring competitive-marketing activities.

5. Sales Research:
Sales research relates to studies of sales outlets, sales territories and their revision, trends in sales, sales forecasting, effectiveness of sales force, sales policies and sales performance and so on.

6. Promotion and Distribution Research:
Promotion research related to assessing effectiveness of the sales force and selling efforts, testing of media selected, advertising copy and assessing effectiveness of advertising campaigns. The scope of this area of marketing research also includes the study of channels of distribution for modification, distribution cost analysis of the physical distribution, problems relating to warehousing, inventory control and handling of goods.

7. Consumer Research:
It relates to finding out consumers' needs and preference, consumers' purchasing intentions, consumers' choice of brands, trends in consumer preferences and purchasing patterns

8. Policy Research:
Policy research activity is connected with the evaluation of effectiveness of marketing policies, sales policies, distribution policies, pricing policies, inventory policies and so on. Necessary changes in such policies are possible through intensive policy research studies.

9. Advertising Research:
It relates to evaluation of advertising effectiveness, analyzing competitive advertising and selection of appropriate advertising media.

10. Media Research:
Different media are used for communicating message about the products to prospective buyers. Media are used for advertising and publicity purpose. Newspapers, radio, TV magazines, transport vehicles, etc. are the media used for advertising. Media research relates to detailed study of different media for selection and use.

11. Motivational Research:
Motivational research is one aspect of consumer research as it deals with consumer behavior. It studies "Why" aspect of consumer behavior. Consumer research is useful for finding out the sentiments, buying motives, priorities and inner feelings of consumers. It is a type qualitative research.

12. International Marketing Research:
International marketing research deals with foreign markets that are attractive and profitable provided products and marketing activities are adjusted as per the need of foreign markets and buyers. Such research is useful for exploring profitable foreign markets, for export promotion and for making suitable modifications in the exportable items. Data collection about foreign markets, market surveys, etc. are undertaken under international MR. Such research is costly and time consuming as compared to internal research. However, it is a must in the case of exporting companies. International MR is also undertaken by export promotion organizations such as Export Promotion Councils and Commodity Boards.

APPLICATION OF MARKETING RESEARCH
A. TRADITIOMAL APPLICATION OF MARKETIMG RESEARCH
Traditionally, marketing decisions have been divided into 4P's - product, price, promotion and place decisions.
I. NEW-PRODUCT RESEARCH
New product development is critical to the life of most organizations as they adapt to their changing environment. Since, by definition, new products contain unfamiliar aspects for the organization, there will be uncertainty associated with new products. New product can be divided into four stages

a. Concept generation
There are two types of concept generation research. They are:
1. Need identification. The emphasis In need research is on identifying unfilled needs in the market. Marketing research can identify needs in various ways. Some are qualitative and others, such as segmentation studies can be quantitative. Following are some examples:
i. Perceptual maps, in which products are positioned along the dimensions by which users perceive and evaluate, can suggest gaps into which new products might fit. Multidimensional scaling is used to generate these perception gaps.
ii. Social and environment trends can be analyzed.
iii. An approach termed benefit structure analysis has product users identify the benefits desired and the extent to which the product delivers those benefits, for specific applications. The result is an identification of benefits sought that current product do not deliver.
iv. Lead user analysis the approach in which instead of just asking users what they have done, their solutions are collected more formally. Lead users are positioned to benefit significantly by solving problems associated with these needs. Once a lead user is identified, the concepts that company or person generates are tested.

2. Concept identification. During the new product development process there is usually a point where a concept is formed but there is no tangible usable product that can be tested. The concept should be defined well enough so that it is communicable. There may be simply a verbal description, or there may be rough ideas for a name, a package, or an advertisement approach. The role of marketing research at this stage is to determine if the concept warrants further development and to provide guidance on how it might be improved and refined
b. Product Evaluation and Development
Product evaluation and development, or product testing, is very similar to concept testing, in terms of both the objectives and the techniques. The aim is still to predict market response to determine whether or not the product should be carried forward.
1 Use testing - The simplest form of use testing gives users the product and after a reasonable amount of time asks their reactions their intentions to buy it.
2. Predicting trial -Trial levels (the percentage of a sample of consumers who had purchased the product at least once within 12 months after launch) were predicted on the basis of three variables:
à Product class penetration (PCP)
à Promotional expenditure
à Distribution of the product
3. Pretest marketing - Two approaches are used to predict the new brand's market share.
C The first one is based on preference judgments. The preference data are used to predict the proportion of purchases of the new brand that respondents will make given that the new brand is in their response set.
C The second approach involves estimating trial and repeat purchase levels based on the respondent's purchase decisions and intentions-to-buy judgments.
c. Test marketing
Test marketing allows the researcher to test the impact of the total marketing program, with all its Interdependencies, in a market context as opposed to the artificial, context associated with the concept and product tests that have been discussed. Test marketing has two primary functions.
l The first is to gain information and experience with the marketing program before making a total commitment to it.
l The second is to predict the program's outcome when it is applied to the total
market There are really two types of test markets:
1. Sell-in test markets are cities in which the product is sold just as it would be in a national launch. In particular the product has to gain distribution space.
2. Controlled distribution scanner markets are cities for which distribution is prearranged and the purchase of a panel of customers are monitored using scanner data.

eariy stages of the product life cycle are sacrificed in the expectation that higher volumes in later periods will generate sufficiently greater promts to result in overall profit for the product over its life
III. DISTRIBUTION RESEARCH
Traditionally, the distribution decisions in marketing strategy involve the number and location of sales persons, retail outlets, warehouses and the size of discount to be offered The discount to be offered to the members in the channel of distribution usually is determined by what is being offered by existing or similar products and also whether the firm wants to follow; a "push1 or a "pull” strategy Marketing research, however, plays an important role in the number and location in decisions about numbers and locations
a. Warehouse and Retail Location Research
The essential questions to be answered before a location decision is made are "What costs and delivery times would result if we choose one location over another?"
Simulation of scenarios is used to answer these questions. The simulation can be relatively simple paper-and-pencil exercise for the location of 3 single warehouse in a limited geographic area. or it can be a complex, computerized simulation of a warehousing system for a regional or national market
i. Center of gravity simulation - The center for gravity method of simulation is used to locate a single warehouse or retail site In this method, the approximate location that will minimize the distance to customers, weighted by the quantities purchased is determined The more symmetry there is in customer locations and weights the more nearly the initial calculation approximates the optimal location The location indicated by the first calculation can be checked to be determine if it is optimal (or near optimal) by using a "confirming” procedure. If it is not optimal, successive calculations can be made as necessary to “home in" on the best location
ii. Computerized simulation models - The concept involved m simulations for this purpose is quite simple Data that describes the customer characteristics (location of plants, potential warehouse and retail sites) and distribution costs (costs per mile by volume shipped, fixed and variable costs of operating each warehouse the effect of shipping delays on and variable costs of operating each warehouse, the effect of shipping delays on customer demand) are generated and input into the computer The computer is programmed to simulate various combinations of numbers and locations of warehouses and to indicate which one(s) gives the lowest total operating cost Effective results have been achieved by using computer simulations to design distribution systems
iii. Trade area analysis - Formal models have been developed that can be used to predict the trading area of a given shopping center or retail outlet based on relative size travel time and image A variety of other techniques can be used to establish trading areas. An analysis of the addresses of the credit card customers or license plates of the cars (by plotting the addresses of the car owners) can provide a useful estimate of the trading area. Check-clearance data can be used to supplement this information. The best, but also the most expensive way of establishing trading area bound Aries is to conduct surveys to determine them
iv. Outlet location research. - Individual companies and, more commonly, chains, financial institutions with multiple outlets, and franchise operations must decide on the physical location of their outlets). Three general methods involves plotting the area surrounding the potential site in terms of residential neighborhood, income levels, and competitive stores. Regression models have been used for location studies for a variety of retail outlets, including banks, grocery stores, liquor stores, chain stores and hotels. Data for building the model and for evaluating new potential locations are obtained through secondary data analysis and surveys.
b. Number and location of Sales Representatives
How many sales representatives should be in a given territory? There are three general research methods for answering this question.
l The first, the sales effort approach, is applicable when the product line is first introduced and there is no operating history to provide sales data.
l The second involves the statistical analysis ofsales data and can be used after the sales program is under way.
l The third involves a field experiment and is also applicable only afterthe sales program has begun.

IV. PROMOTION RESEARCH
It focuses on the decision that are commonly made when designing a promotion strategy. The decision for the promotion part of a marketing strategy can be divided in to (1) Advertising and (2) Sales promotion. Sales promotion affects the company in the short term, whereas advertising decisions have long-term effects. Companies spend more time and resources on advertising research than on sales promotion research because of the greater risk and uncertainty In advertising research.
1. Advertising research
Most companies concentrate on advertising because advertising decisions arc more costly and risky than sales promotion decisions. Advertising research typically, involves generating information for making decisions In the awareness, recognition, preference and purchasing stages.
What separates an effective advertisement from a dud? The criteria will depend, on the brand involved and its advertising objective. However, following basic categories of responses are used in advertising research in general and copy testing in particular

a) Advertisement recognition
b) Recall of the commercial and its contents
c) The measure of commercial persuasion and the impact on purchase behavior.

• Purchase behavior
- Coupon stimulating purchasing
- Split-cables tests. Information Resources Inc's (IRI) Behavior Scan is one of several split-cable testing operations. Behavior Scan monitors the purchases of panel members as well as in-store information such s special prices, features and displays.
• Tracking studies
When a campaign is running, its impact often is monitored via a tracking study Periodic sampling of the target audience provide a time trend of measures of interest. The purpose is to evaluate and reassess the advertising campaign, and perhaps also to understand why it is or is networking. Among the measures that often are traced are advertisement awareness, awareness of elements of the advertisement, brand awareness, beliefs about brand attributes, brand image, occasions of use, and brand preference. Of particular interest is, knowing how the campaign is affecting the brand, as opposed to how the advertisement is communicating the message.
• Diagnostics testing
A whole category of advertising research methods is designed primarily not to test the impact of a total ad but rather to help creative people understand how the parts of the ad contribute to its impact. Which are weak and how do they interact? Most of these approaches can be applied to mock-ups of proposed ads as well as finished ads.
• Copy test validity
This test refers to the ability to predict advertising response.
* Budget decision
Arriving at analytical research-based judgments as to the optima! advertising budget Is surprisingly difficult. However, there are research inputs that can be helpful. Tracking studies that show advertising is either surpassing or failing to reach communication objectives can suggest that the budget should be either reduced or increased.
• Media research
In evaluating a particular media alternative, it is necessary to know how many advertising exposures it will deliver and what will be the characteristics of the audience. A first cut of the vehicle's value is the cost per thousand (circulation), the advertisement insertion cost divided by the size of the audience.
2. Sales Promotion Research
There are three major types of sales promotion: consumer promotion, retailer promotion and trade promotions.
In consumer promotion, manufacturers offer promotions directly to consumers, whereas retail promotions involve promotions by retailers to consumers. Trade promotions involve manufacturers offering promotions to retailers or other trade entities. Trade entities can also promote to each other. For ex ample, a distributor can offer a steep temporary price cut to retailers in order to sell excess inventory. It is called trade promotions, since the recipient of the promotion is a marketing intermediary.
Sometimes several manufacturers or several retailers combine in one promotion. These are called cooperative promotions or promotion partnerships.

B. CONTEMPORARY APPLICATIONS OF MARKETING RESEARCH
1. Competitive Advantage.
The notion that achieving superior performance requires a business to gain and hold an advantage over competitors is central to contemporary strategic thinking. Businesses seeking advantage are exhorted to develop distinctive competencies at the lowest delivered cost or to achieve differentiation through superior value. The assessing competitive advantage can be done in number of ways. The methods can be broadly classified as market-based and process-based assessment Market-based assessment is direct comparison with a few target competitors, whereas process-based assessment is a comparison of the methods employed.
2. Brand Equity.
Brand equity is defined as a set of assets and liabilities linked to a brand that add to or subtract from the value of a product or service to a company and/ or its customers. The assets or liabilities that underlie brand equity must be linked to the name and/or symbol of the brand. The assets and liabilities on which brand equity is based will differ from context to context. However, they can be usefully grouped into five categories:
a) Brand loyalty
b) Name awareness
c) Perceived quality
d) Brand association
e) Other proprietary brand assets: patents, trademarks, channel relationships etc.

3. Customer satisfaction.
The measurement of customer satisfaction and its link to product/service attributes is the vehicle for developing a market-driven quality approach This approach requires a sequential research design that uses the results from each research phase to build and enhance the value of subsequent efforts. During this process, it is imperative to study customers who were lost, to determine why they left This issue must be addressed early in the system design The steps involved in customer satisfaction is
a) Define goals and how information will be used
b) Discover what is really important to customers and employees
c) Measure critical needs
d) Act on the information
e) Measure performance overtime
f) Issues in questionnaire design and scaling in satisfaction research

4. Total quality management
TQM Is a process of managing complex changes In the organization with the aim of improving quality.
The power of measurements is clearly visible in applications of quality function deployment (QFD), a Japanese import used to make product design better reflect customer requirements. In QFD. a multifunctional team measures and analyzes in great detail boih customers attitudes and product attributes. Marketing research plays a crucial role atthis stage of the process. Then the team creates a visual mtrix in order to find ways to modify product attributes (engineering characteristics) so as to improve the product on the customer-based measures of product performance. Along the way, the team must develop a series of measures of several different types.
C. EMERGING APPLICATION OF MARKETING RESEARCH
1. Database marketing
A database is a customer list to which has been added information about the characteristics and the transactions of these customers. Businesses use it to cultivate customers - as they seek new customers.
Need
A database provides the means for research to support decisions. It enables profiling of customers by searching for prospects who are similar to existing customers. It provides the means for implementation of profitable programs of repeat business and cross-selling. It assists in marketing planning and forecasting. Further a database can:
• Match products or services to customers' wants and needs
• Help select new lists or use new media that ft the profile of existing customers.
• Maximize personalization of all offers to each customer.
• Provide for on going interaction with customers and prospects.
• Pinpoint ideal timing and frequently for promotions
• Measure response and be accountable for results
• Help create the offers most likely to elicit responses from customers
• Help achieve a unique selling proposition (USP), targeted to appeal to your customers
• Integrate direct-response communication with other forms of advertising
• Demonstrate that customers are valuable assets.
Types of database
1. Active customers
2. Inactive customers
3. Inquiries

Benefits of database marketing
a) Customers are easier to retain than acquire. The first reason is that it takes five times the energy and budget to get new customer a sit does to keep an existing one. Also, a disproportionately small number of your customers generate a very large proportion of your income.
b) Determine their "Lifetime Value”. Building a lasting relationship becomes the obvious way to a prosperous and profitable future.
c) Developing relationships with customers. Understanding your customers' tastes and preferences on an individual basis is the foundation for relationship marketing. Relationship marketing combines elements of general advertising. sales promotion, public relations and direct marketing to create more effective and more effective ways of reaching consumers. It centers on developing a continuous relation ship with consumers across a family of related products and services.
2. Relationship marketing
The relationship marketing process incorporates three key elements.
1. Identifying and building a database of current and potential consumers, which records and cross-references a wide range of demographic, lifestyle and purchase information,
2. Delivering differential messages to these people through established and new media channels based on the consumers' characteristics and preferences
3. Tracking each relationship to monitor the cost of acquiring the consumer and the lifetime value of his other purchases.

Reasons for Inaccuracy in Marketing Research
(1) Human behavior is always unpredictable: MR deals with humans who are far more complex and unpredictable than the subjects of physical sciences. A human being has ability to think and react. The responses of human beings are different unda1 different situations. These features of human behavior bring limitations on the findings of MR.. The conclusions drawn may not be always identical, accurate and reliable. This makes the conclusions less scientific.
(2) Human behavior is difficult to measure precisely: MR is not fully scientific as human behavior is difficult to measure accurately Human beings are liable to change in their outlook and behavior during the process of experimentation. Moreover, devices for measuring human behavior are not available. This affects the conclusions drawn in the research work. General conclusions about human behavior can be given. However, such rough estimates are not completely scientific. In short, complexity of human behavior puts limitations on MR and makes it less scientific.
(3) Human beings react differently under test conditions: MR is les^ scientific because human beings react differently under different conditions or while testing. The human tendency is to keep the real causes/reactions secret when interviewed for a research purpose. This affects the quality of results of research project. Such results are not scientific to the fullest extent. It is always difficult to collect reliable information from the persons selected for interview. It equally difficult to verify the correctness of the information collected from them. This makes MR less scientific.
(4) MR cannot be completely objective: MR cannot be completely objective as human beings cannot be studied in complete isolation This is possible in laboratory work by physical scientists, as they can shut off all outside influences during the period of experimentation However an investigator in MR cannot be separated from the society. His attitudes and interests are bound to affect research findings. This affects the conclusions drawn out of the MR project.
(5) Human beings cannot be studied in isolation: In MR, it is not possible to study the behavior of a consumer independently. It needs to be studied along with his personal interests, values, attitudes and so on. This situation affects the behavior of the consumer and the findings of the research work. The researcher has to conduct his study openly and has no control over the external factors. As a result, the findings of marketing researcher are bound to be less scientific.
(6) Dearth of reliable information: Information serves as the base of MR. The quality of research work depends on the reliability of information collected. The information collected in MR may not be accurate or complete. It is possible to draw only rough estimates/ conclusions from such information/data. This makes research conclusions less accurate and reliable. Sometimes, even the attitude and approach of researchers, investigators, etc. may make the research work less scientific.

Backlit human Translites for Minute Maid Nimbu Fresh

2010-02-24T22:03:00.000-08:00

It's already hot in Chennai. So, Coca-Cola India has decided to introduce its recently launched drink, Minute Maid Nimbu Fresh, to the consumers in the city. The company has hired 10 backlit human translites to roam around malls and multiplexes in Chennai to grab eyeballs and encourage sampling.

The communication is conceptualised by Leo Burnett and executed by MOMS, the OOH (out of home) arm of Madison World.

The medium of backlit human translites have been tried elsewhere but as a concept, it was new in South India. Dipankar Sanyal, chief operating officer, MOMS, says, "The brief was to carry out mixed formats and anything like this would instantly grab the attention of the people in a market such as Tamil Nadu - which was apt for a product launch."

Besides, life size PET bottles of the drink have been placed, along with replicas of sliced lemon, at various places in Chennai. The company is also organising road shows for extensive sampling of the product. It has also launched a TV commercial specifically for the Tamil Nadu market.

In fact, Coca-Cola India has a tradition of launching its brands through outdoor campaigns.

Minute Maid Nimbu Fresh was launched in Tamil Nadu for test marketing and soon, the company will go for a pan India launch. The brand will be available in two PET bottles of 400 ml and 1 litre, priced at Rs 15 and Rs 40 respectively.

According to company sources, Coke aims to take the new offering to 35,000 outlets in Tamil Nadu by March and 90,000 more across the country in a phased manner.

The history of Minute Maid brand goes as far back as 1945, when the Florida Foods Corporation launched the brand Minute Maid. Coca-Cola subsequently acquired the brand in 1960 and today, it is sold in 60 countries worldwide.

The size of the largely unorganised 'nimbu paani' market is 1 billion cases, which is double the size of the carbonated soft drink industry in India. According to industry sources, over the past one year, beverage brands have cut down on their outdoor spends drastically.

Marketing Research Notes - Introduction I

2010-02-23T10:08:00.000-08:00

MEANING OF MARKETING RESEARCH

The term "Marketing Research" is composed of two words -"Marketing" and "Research".

Marketing
Marketing basically consists of spotting the needs of customers and meeting them in the best possible manner through appropriate production and distribution activities.

The term marketing refers to buying and selling activities. Exchange/transfer of ownership is the essence of marketing.

Research
Research means detailed/systematic/comprehensive study of a problem. .

Research is a process involving a series of steps to collect and analyze the information needed for decision-making in the desired / specific field of inquiry. The term research can be applied to any field of human activity.

Research means “studious enquiry" or "thorough, honest and impartial study conducted by trained men using scientific methods". It means detailed study relating to a particular subject.

The term MR is used extensively in modern marketing management. It acts as a tool for accurate decision making in marketing of goods and services. It is also useful for studying and solving different marketing problems faced by business units. . Here, the details (information and data) of the marketing problem are collected and studied, conclusions are drawn and suggestions/recommendations are made to solve the problem quickly, correctly and systematically. In MR/ marketing problem is studied in depth by collecting and analyzing all relevant information and solutions are suggested to solve the problem relating to consumers, product, market competition, sales promotion and so on.

MR is a special branch of marketing management. It is comparatively of recent in origin. MR acts as an investigative arm of a marketing manager. It suggests possible solutions on marketing problems for the consideration and selection by a marketing manager. It also acts as an important tool to study buyer behavior, changes in consumer life-styles and consumption patterns, brand loyalty and forecast market changes.

MR techniques are used by manufacturers/exporters/distributors and service organizations to collect information on various aspects of marketing. The information collected is analyzed and used for decision-making in the marketing management. MR facilitates accurate marketing decisions for consumer satisfaction on the one hand and sales promotion on the other hand. It is rightly treated as the SOUL of modern marketing management. MR suggests possible solutions on marketing problems to marketing manager for his consideration and final selection/decision. It is rightly said that the beginning and end of marketing management is marketing research. Decisions on each element of the marketing mix-product, price, distribution and promotion-need marketing research support. Marketing research is primarily used to provide information needed to guide marketing decision viz., market mix. It acts as a support system to marketing management.

DEFINITIONS OF MARKETING RESEARCH:

Let us now, consider some definitions of MR:
(1) The most widely accepted definition of marketing research is given by American Marketing Association (AMA). The AMA has defined marketing research as "the systematic gathering, recording and analyzing of data about problems relating to the marketing of goods and services”
(2) According to Richard D. Crisp: "Marketing research is the systematic, objective and exhaustive search for and study of the facts relevant to any problem in the field of marketing."
(3) According to Philip Kotler: "Marketing research is systematic problem analysis, model building and fact-finding for the purpose of improved decision-making and control in the marketing of goods and services."
(4) Luck, Wales and Taylor have defined marketing research as "the application of scientific method to the solution of marketing problems"
(5) Green and Tull have defined marketing research as "the systematic and objective search for and analysis of information relevant to the identification and solution of any problem in the field of marketing."
(6) British Institute of Management: In 1962, the British Institute of Management defined marketing research as/ "The objective gathering, recording and analyzing of all facts about problems relating to the transfer and sales of goods and services from producer to consumer."

FEATURES OF MARKETING RESEARCH:

(a) Marketing research is concerned with systematic gathering, recording and analyzing of information: In MR, information that is relevant to the marketing problem is collected in a systematic manner from all available sources. Thereafter, the same is tabulated and recorded for systematic scrutiny. Such scrutiny will offer certain specific conclusions useful for solving the marketing problem.

(b) In MR, information is to be collected objectively and accurately: This feature of MR suggests that the required information needs to be collected objectively. In brief, the information collected should be accurate, precise, relevant and properly verified. The conclusions drawn and the remedial measures introduced will be ineffective if the information collected is not reliable.

(c) Marketing research is a tool for solving marketing problems: MR is a means and not the end in itself. It is a tool in the hands of management for identifying and analyzing marketing problems. The purpose is to solve them correctly.

CHARACTERISTICS OF MARKETING RESEARCH:
(1) Systematic and continuous process: MR is a continuous process. This is natural as new marketing problems are bound to come from time to time in the course of marketing of goods and services. One type of research is not adequate to resolve all marketing problems. Similarly, new research projects will have to be undertaken to solve new marketing problems and challenges. A marketing company faces new marketing problems from time to time. For facing these problems marketing research activities need to be conducted on a regular basis. A marketing company has to conduct MR regularly for its survival & growth in the present dynamic marketing environment.
(2) Wide/comprehensive in scope and application: MR is wide in scope as it deals with all aspects of marketing of goods and services. It is more than just collecting data on marketing. Introduction of new products, identification of potential markets, selection of appropriate selling techniques, study of market competition and consumer preferences, introduction of suitable advertising strategy and sales promotion measures, are some areas covered by MR. It plays a role in all the three phases of the management process in marketing: planning, implementation and evaluation.
(3) Emphasizes on accurate data collection and critical analysis: In MR, required data should be collected objectively and accurately. The data collected must be reliable. It should be analyzed in a systematic manner. This will provide comprehensive picture of the situation and possible solutions.
(4) Offers benefits to sponsoring company and consumers: MR is useful to the sponsoring company. It raises the turnover and profit of the company. It also raises the competitive capacity and creates goodwill in the market. It enables a company to introduce consumer-oriented marketing policies. Consumers also get agreeable goods and more satisfaction due to MR activities.
(5) Commercial equivalent of military intelligence: MR is the commercial intelligence activity. It is similar to military intelligence where systematic study is made before taking any military action. MR acts as the intelligence tool of marketing management.
(6) Tool for managerial decisions: MR acts as a tool in the hands of management for identifying and analyzing marketing problems and finding out solutions to them. It is an aid to decision-making. It suggests possible solutions for the consideration and selection by managers. MR is an aid to judgment and never a substitute for it.
(7) Applied type of research: MR is applied knowledge. It is also called 'decisional research as it provides specific alternative solutions to deal with a specific marketing problem. It studies specific marketing problem and suggests alternative solutions and possible outcome of each alternative. In addition, it is both science and an art. MR is also becoming highly professional activity.
(8) Reduces the gap between the producers and consumers: MR is an essential supplement of modern competitive marketing. It is useful for understanding the needs and expectations of consumers. It reduces the gap between producers and consumers and adjusts the marketing activities to suit the needs of consumers.
(9) Not an exact science: MR is both science and an art. It collects information and studies marketing problem in a scientific manner. The information collected is also applied to real lire problem. However, MR is not an exact science. It only suggests possible solutions and not the exact solution to marketing manager for consideration and selection. At present, MR is treated as a professional activity. We have professional agencies (MR agencies or advertising agencies) dealing with the marketing problems of their clients on commission basis.
(10) Use of different methods: MR can be conducted by using different methods. Data can be collected through survey or by other methods like observation method or experimentation method. Even computers and internet are used for data collection. The researcher has to decide the method that is suitable for the conduct of research project. This selection is important as the use of unsuitable methods affect the quality of research work.
(11) Dynamic character: MR is dynamic in nature. Its scope is fast expanding along with the new developments in the field of marketing. This is natural as MR is essentially for dealing with new problems and challenges in the field of marketing. In addition, developments in other subjects such as economics, statistics, computer science, sociology, psychology, cultural anthropology and behavioral sciences also bring corresponding changes in the field of MR. New methods, new techniques, etc., are used while conducting the research activities. This suggests that MR is a dynamic and progressive subject with new developments taking place regularly.
(12) Closely connected with marketing information system: Both the concepts are interrelated. In fact, MR is one component of MIS. Both are useful for solving marketing problems and for accurate and quick decision-making in the field of marketing.
(13) Phenomenal growth: MR has made a phenomenal growth since its inception. It has become an important tool in the hands of management (to solve marketing problems) along with the advent of consumer-oriented philosophy in modern business. The increasing research budgets of companies are the indicators of its tremendous growth in recent years.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF MARKETING RESEARCH:
The aims of the marketing research and analysis may be stated as follows:
(1) To study the needs, wants and expectations of consumers.
(2) To find out reactions of consumers to the products of the company.
(3) To evaluate company's sales promotion measures for suitable adjustment and improvement.
(4) To study current marketing problems and opportunities for suitable follow-up actions.
(5) To suggest the introduction of new products, modifications of existing products and to discover new uses of existing products.
(6) To design and test appropriate packages of company's products and make packaging as attractive as possible
(7) To study existing pricing, channels of distribution and market competition for suitable changes, if necessary.
(8) To find out methods for making the products of the company popular and raising its goodwill and market reputation.
(9) To assess competitive strength and policies.
(10) To estimate potential buying-power in various areas
(11) To know the company's expected share of the market.
(12) To determine the dimensions of the marketing problems, facilitate evaluation of the alternative solutions of different problems and help in the selection of a right course of action.
(13) To define the probable market for a specialized product and to report on general market conditions and tendencies, buying habits, etc.

MARKET RESEARCH V/S MARKETING RESEARCH:
The two terms “market research" and "marketing research" are used interchangeably though there is difference in the meaning and scope of the two terms. "Market research" is used as a popular synonym for "marketing research". Market is a part of marketing and market research is only a part of marketing research. It covers only a few aspects of marketing. According to Philip Kotler, the term "market research" is accurate for describing research into the market, its size, geographical distribution, income and so on. However, it fails to cover the idea of research into the effects of marketing efforts on the market for which the term "marketing research" is more accurate. MR is increasingly coming into favor as the term that describes both ideas. Marketing research need not be treated as pure academic research. It is a type of applied research with scientific orientation.

Distinction between market research and marketing research

Dimension
Market Research
Marketing Research
Meaning
Market research directly relates to market situation i.e. size, location, market competition and features of customers. It provides details about the market for decision-making and policy framing.
Marketing research is a systematic and comprehensive search/study of different aspects of marketing - including the current marketing problems and challenges for decision-making & policy framing.
Nature
Market research is a branch of marketing research.

Marketing research is one branch of Marketing Information System.
Scope
The scope of market research is limited/restricted to the study of market or market situation

The scope of marketing research is comprehensive & wide as it covers all aspects of marketing.
Type of term
Market research is a narrow term as it relates to one aspect of marketing

Marketing research is a wide/broad term as it covers all aspects of marketing
Objective
Market research is undertaken in order to deal with the problems and challenges relating to different aspects of market such as competition, market demand and consumer needs

Marketing research is undertaken in order to study varied types of marketing problems such as product line, marketing mix, advertising, packaging, branding and so on.

GROWING IMPORTANCE OF MARKETING RESEARCH:

Marketing research has received attention and importance along with the growth of highly competitive consumer-oriented marketing philosophy. Research activities in different aspects of marketing are necessary and useful in such competitive and flexible marketing environment. Large companies marketing consumer items noted the growing need of MR activities in the marketing decision-making process. They naturally took initiative in conducting research activities within the organization itself. This was followed by the formation of specialized marketing research agencies and advertising agencies for this purpose. This is how professional orientation was given to MR. Many marketing research departments and agencies were established after World War II.

MR activity (as we understand today) is comparatively new in the field of marketing. This activity probably began around 1950s (Modern era of marketing research) and attracted the attention of companies interested in marketing their products in the national and global markets. However, the concept of MR got firm roots in the marketing activity after 1910. First time the marketing research techniques were used by newspapers to predict the election results. However, during the second decade of 20th century, marketing research emerged as a valuable management tool to solve marketing problems. In the developed countries, marketing research activity is conducted on scientific lines. Even in India, large manufacturing companies treat marketing research as an essential supplement of planning and decision-making in the marketing field. It is treated as an indispensable tool for profitable and consumer-oriented marketing. The popularity of MR increased after 1960 due to the introduction of computers in data collection and analysis. In the early period, marketing research activities were confined to market studies only but in 1950s research relating to marketing activities was broadened to include all managerial aspects-price, produce place and promotion. In late 1950's motivational and psychological techniques were introduced to generate more information on consumers.

Several factors have contributed to the growing importance of marketing research. For example, due to large-scale production, producers could not have direct contact with the consumers. This created many problems before producers. For solving all such problems developed due to the gap between producers and consumer and marketing research activities prove to be useful.

Secondly, the shifting from sellers’ market to buyers' market made it necessary to have better understanding about consumer net-expectations. For this, marketing research proved to be useful.

Thirdly, the introduction of computers has contributed to the growth of marketing research activity.

Fourthly, rapid changes in the business environment, shift to consumer-oriented philosophy in business are also responsible for growing importance of marketing research.

Finally, the scope of marketing has widened due to population growth and development of rural markets. MR proved to be useful for dealing with the problems created by national and global markets. In brief, growing importance of marketing research in the present marketing system is the net result of various factors and forces available in the present marketing system. At present, MR activities are undertaken by marketing companies on their own. In addition, marketing research consultants and agencies provide expert advice to companies on general and specific marketing problems of their clients.

Relevance of MR under Globalization:
The business world is fast moving towards globalization in which all countries participate. Every country has to face competition in the domestic as well as in export marketing. Survival in the global business is possible through quality improvement, cost reduction and by attracting consumers through various sales promotion techniques. Here, MR offers helping hand to companies. It offers suggestions for survival under global competitive environment. In brief, the importance/relevance of MR is fast growing along with the globalization of business. It is a must for survival and growth under globalization. Current marketing scenario is different as compared to traditional one. There is a new trend towards liberalization and globalization. Markets (domestic as well as foreign) are becoming highly competition. New companies and new products re entering in the markets. Survival is difficult under the present marketing environment. Here, MR offers various services. It is, now, a professional activity with new developments in regard to scope/coverage and techniques. In brief, MR has great relevance in the current marketing scenario in India as well as in all countries- developed and developing of the world. MR has enormous capacity to help and guide marketing companies in regard to their marketing problems and challenges.

FUNCTIONS OF MARKETING RESEARCH:
MR performs five basic functions. These are: Description, evaluation, explanation, prediction and finally aid in decision-making. These functions are related to the research project undertaken. Usually, every research study performs all the five functions explained below:
(1) Description: MR provides data and gives information/description of customers who buy the product. This includes information about their age/sex, education, income and the amount of money that they are willing to spend on the product. Description of the customers is useful in order to draw certain conclusions about the customers and their buying behavior. Even marketing strategies can be decided as per the information available.
(2) Evaluation: MR is useful for understanding the views/reactions of the buyers. This includes views of consumers on packaging/ advertising/sales promotion measures used. A manufacturer gets these details as well as the information about his product in comparison with the products of his competitors. This facilitates evaluation of the marketing policies. For example, how far the packaging of the product is attractive to consumers or superior as compared to packaging by competitors and so on.
(3) Explanation: MR gives explanation to certain questions of a manufacturer. It may be related to decline in sales, retailers negative reaction or resistance of consumers in a particular marketing area. MR enables a manufacturer to understand why sales are reducing (causes) or why the response of the retailers is negative or why consumers in a particular region are not willing to purchase a specific product. Such explanation is important as it enables a manufacturer to adjust his marketing policies in order to rectify the prevailing unfavorable situation.
(4) Prediction: MR conducts prediction function. Such predictions may be related to consumers, market environment/market competition, possible socio-economic changes and so on. This prediction function enables a manufacturer to understand how much people will spend on the specific product in the next year or the fashions that consumers may prefer in the next year. In addition, prediction about the possible turnover in the years to come is also possible through suitable marketing research studies. In brief, marketing research is useful for understanding the marketing environment likely to develop in future. This facilitates proper adjustment in the marketing policies for the future period. In this sense, the prediction function is important even when all predictions made through research studies may not prove to be fully correct. However, the trend indicated can be used for appropriate policy decisions.
(5) Aid in Decision-making: One more function of MR is to facilitate the process of decision-making in the marketing field. MR guides the manufacturer as regards the manner in which he can make effective advertising appeal or create incentive among his salesmen/distributors. It also gives him guidance as regards price fixation and sales promotion techniques that will be useful for the future period. This function of marketing research is closely related to other functions that it performs. These functions facilitate reasonably correct decision-making by marketing managers.

They also suggest the practical utility of MR activities.

MR functions provide feedback (information and guidance) to marketing managers and improve the quality of their decision-making. This practice is certainly safer as compared to decision-making on the basis of past experience or intuition. When reality is complex and many facts are not detectable, intuition is not adequate for decision-making. Similarly, experience is useful but decisions on experience alone may not be accurate.

Large companies and professional executives prefer to resort to marketing research than depending on experience. This is because information available is based on real data and is more reliable/ dependable. This facilitates correct decision-making. Thus, marketing executives should prefer decisions on the basis of information supplied through marketing research. Such decisions are likely to be more accurate as they are based on actual market situation.

In brief, the basic function of MR is to support marketing decision-making process. Marketing research does not provide ready-made decisions or exact solutions on all marketing problems. It only provides the clues or possible solutions that should be taken into consideration in the decision-making process. It provides support to skills and abilities of marketing managers.

The different functions of marketing research are supplementary in character. These functions enable a manufacturer to keep close touch with the marketing situation and enable him to make suitable changes in his marketing policies and programmers. They also suggest the role marketing research activity in modern competitive and consumer oriented marketing. Marketing research functions certainly improve the quality of decision-making by marketing managers.

ADVANTAGES/IMPORTANCE OF MARKETING RESEARCH:
1. Indicates current market trends: Marketing research keeps business unit in touch with the current market trends and offers guidance for facing market situation with confidence.
2. Pinpoints deficiencies in marketing policies: MR pinpoints the deficiencies as regards products, pricing, promotion, etc. It gives guidance regarding different aspects of marketing. They include product development, branding, packaging and advertising.
3. Explains customer resistance: MR is useful for finding out customer resistance to company's products. The researcher also suggests remedial measures to deal with the situation. This makes the products and marketing policies agreeable to consumers.
4. Suggests sales promotion techniques: MR enables a manufacturer to introduce appropriate sales promotion techniques, select most convenient channel of distribution, suitable pricing policy for the products and provision of discounts and concessions to dealers. Marketing research facilitates sales promotion.
5. Offers guidance to marketing executives: MR offers information and guidance to marketing executives while framing marketing policies. Continuous research enables a company to face adverse' marketing situation boldly. It acts as an insurance against possible changes in market environment.
6. Facilitates selection and training of sales force: Marketing research is useful for the selection and training of staff in the sales organization. It also suggests the incentives that should be offered for motivation of employees concerned with marketing.
7. Promotes business activities: Marketing research enables a business unit to grow/expand its activities. It creates goodwill in the market and also enables a business unit to earn high profits through consumer-oriented marketing policies and programmers.
8. Facilitates appraisal of marketing policies: Research activities enable business executives to have an appraisal of the present marketing policies in the light of findings of research work. Suitable adjustments in the policies are also possible as per the suggestions made by the researchers.
9. Suggests new marketing opportunities: MR suggests new marketing opportunities and the manner in which they can be exploited fully. It identifies emerging market opportunities.
10. Facilitates inventory study: Marketing research is useful for the evaluation of company’s inventory policies and also for the introduction of more efficient ways of managing inventories including finished goods and raw materials.
11. Provides marketing information: MR provides information on various aspects of marketing. It suggests relative strengths and weaknesses of the company. On the basis of such information, marketing executives find it easy to frame policies for the future period. MR provides information/ guidance and alternative solutions to current marketing problems.
12. Suggests appropriate distribution channels: MR can be used to study the effectiveness of existing channels of distribution and the need of making suitable changes in the distribution system.
13. Provides information on product acceptance: Marketing research helps in knowing the probability of acceptance of the product in its present form. It is also useful for the introduction of modifications in the existing product line of a firm.
14. Creates progressive outlook: MR generates a progressive and dynamic outlook throughout the business organization. It promotes systematic thinking and a sense of professionalization within the company. It also creates enthusiasm among marketing executives. This brings success and stability to the whole business unit
15. Has wider social significance: MR is of paramount importance from the social angle. It is the means by which the ultimate consumer literally becomes king of the market place, with his desires/ prejudices and every whim transmitted to the producer and distributor. In brief, MR has wider social significance. It is useful to all parties involved in the process of marketing.

Marketing research need not be treated as a fad. It is one of those fundamental tools that today’s marketing manager needs to keep sharpened all the time so that he might be-m a position to minimize the business or marketing risk.

IPL Season 3: Back with a bang and a roll

2010-02-22T03:19:00.000-08:00

The Indian Premier League (IPL) is back with its third season. The format, which combines the excitement of a limited overs cricket match in the time frame of an action movie, originated in India and was a hit with the audience from the very first season. Like the earlier season, the Twenty20 championship had its share of controversies and troubles this year, too.

IPL Season 2 was held at a different venue since the tournament coincided with the general elections in India. The series was taken to South Africa, much to the disappointment of many fans and critics, who believed that the IPL belonged exclusively to India. This year, things are a little different and the IPL is back where it began - in India. This is the premise that SET Max (the official broadcaster for the IPL) and DLF IPL have chosen in their communication.

The bigger view from the broadcaster

SET Max released its first phase of communication earlier, where seven of the team captains candidly spoke about how they're glad to be back. The theme of the communication was 'homecoming'. The second phase has been released in the first week of this month and is being aired across all major channels.

The second phase of communication is more of an ode from the people who missed having the game played on home ground. The film has been shot on a huge scale and takes forward the premise of homecoming. The TV commercial begins with a passenger in an airplane, who sees a huge roll of red carpet perched on a snow capped mountain. The red carpet is unrolled by a group of people and rolls through huge expanses of mountains and valleys to go through streets, by lanes and the other nooks and corners of the country to welcome the captains and the teams to a stadium for the IPL.

The film has been shot by Arun Gopalan from Storytellers and makes extensive use of computer graphics. The team at JWT Mumbai comprised Debu Purkayastha, Vistasp Hodiwala, Ram Jayaraman and Sundeep Sehgal. The music, a rendition of the national song Saare jahan se achcha, depicts that no other place is apt for the IPL.

The film started as one based on the soundtrack, with a lot of people running and leading into a stadium to welcome the tournament home. However, when the directors were briefed about the thought, the interpretation that Gopalan came up with (which included a red carpet as a symbol of welcome) was approved by the agency.

Gopalan's version, however, was restricted to the red carpet unfolding in a single city. The broadcasters asked for a bigger scale roll out of the red carpet since the background score was about the nation.

Have I seen that before?

However, there is an uncanny similarity between the SET Max ad and an ad for Coca-Cola rolled out during the Beijing Olympics. The similarity exists not only in the thought but also in the execution of the film. afaqs! spoke to others in the industry to understand what they think about the film.

When contacted, Gaurav Seth, vice-president, marketing, SET Max, tells afaqs! that the similarity is just a terrible coincidence. He says, "I'd like to think of this as an original piece of work, though it is very similar to the Coca-Cola ad."

KV Sridhar, national creative director, Leo Burnett calls it a wasted opportunity. "The red carpet is such a cliché. When its cricket that we're talking about, it could've been a film more skewed towards cricket." Of the similarity, he says that they should've rather borrowed from the passion that Indians have towards the sport.

"From the first frame, it reminds me of the Coca-Cola Olympic ad," says a disappointed Santosh Padhi of TapRoot India.

Prassana Sankhe, national creative director, Publicis Ambience, says, "The ad works for the moment," but has his share of doubts about whether it will be impactful.

Purkayastha at first is taken aback with the striking similarity and even admits to the uncannily same execution of the films, but says that an adaptation was definitely not what the agency or the client had in mind. Jayaraman adds, "It would be only suicidal to have thought that we could get away with trying to rip-off another ad - that too one that has been released only in 2008."

The film, they say, has not been made by design but evolved while ideating with the client and even when filming.

The initial set of ideas included the hordes of people running towards the stadium in order to welcome the players; an outpouring of people from all places gathering at the stadium; and different stadiums of the country giving their own renditions of the song 'Saare jahan se achcha'.

Also, says Jayaraman, the idea of symbolising the welcome with a red carpet came in only at a much later stage.

IPL wants to see you cheer

The DLF IPL films have been shot by Manoj Pillai of Thinkpot Films. All three films have tried to re-create the buzz and craze associated with watching a match live in a stadium.

The three films, Cheerleader, Dolphin and Sixer, ride on the thought of 'Stadium ka mazza sirf stadium mein hain' (The thrill and excitement of a stadium is found only at the stadium).

Anup Chitnis, executive creative director, Ogilvy India, says, "There are things that happen within a stadium, apart from just the match that's being played. It is these experiences that make the entire experience richer."

Having started off with about five ideas, one of which included having a celebrity, the agency and client narrowed down on three. The focus was on the audience and they being the heroes of the story. The thought was to iterate that the DLF IPL is back in India.

The films have been shot at Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. The shoot involved close to about 1500 hundred people to occupy the stadium so as to create the crowd. Pillai had to create the the magic within a packed stadium while still rendering a small activity that happened inside it. "A stadium is a lot like a high definition TV with surround sound," he says of his experience when shooting. The hypnotic wave that envelops a stadium when a cricket match is going on had its own share of troubles for the crew when shooting the ads, since many people among the crowd wanted to step out just when shooting would commence. Pillai says that CGI (computer graphic imagery) was an option, however he didn't want to sacrifice the raw emotions of the audience.

The director of cinematography is Andres and the music has been given by Rupert Fernandes.

With the change in venue in 2009, the advertisers suffered many setbacks. With the return of the IPL to home turf, the advertisers and organisers are looking at a lot of support from the fans in terms of filled stadiums.

Do you think it's back?

Sridhar likes the Cheerleader film. The cheerleaders as a phenomenon happened only to the IPL and hence he says this particular film appeals to him the most. "It's the live interaction that one can have only in the stadium of an IPL match," says Sridhar.

Padhi likes the positioning of the films that make the most of watching a match in the stadium. However, he feels that the storytelling falls short in some ways and it could have been a more memorable ad.

Sankhe thinks that the film needed to work very hard. "I didn't get it that it was an IPL communication from the script. Only the voiceover gave away that it was an IPL film," he says. When the film aims to capture the life of the stadium, Sankhe feels that it lost out on establishing the fervour and passion seen inside a stadium.

© 2010 afaqs!

Tata Comm eyes big gains in media space

2010-02-21T21:31:00.000-08:00

Tata Communications yesterday announced the forming of a new division, Global Media and Entertainment Solutions, as a sequel to the takeover of the Mosaic platform from BT Group plc. It will invest $50 million over the next two years in the new service, a cloud-computing media management system.

The company said the new business could bring in $200-300 million annually over the next three to five years. The service is targeted at the entire spectrum of media customers, encompassing content creators, producers, post-production houses, digital media publishers, content service providers and TV channels, the company said.

Claude Sassoulas, the company's managing director, Global Data Solutions-Europe, said the new lot of services will be targetted at emerging markets in India, China and South Africa, even as the company expands its reach in established markets in North America, Europe and Australia.

Tata Communications had, last week, announced the acquisition of BT's Mosaic platform (for an undisclosed sum). This cloud-based system, it said, would help media companies and broadcasters globally manage their content more efficiently, while also offering potential cost saving. Though the acquisition price of Mosaic had not been disclosed, the company indicated the potential gains on account of this acquisition (and through its integration into the existing network) could be several times the cost of acquiring Mosaic.

Integration of Mosaic to its existing portfolio is expected to throw open opportunities it could not effectively tap earlier. The media and entertainment solutions portfolio of Tata Communications already has Video Connect and Satellite Broadcast services, that provide content delivery network (moving media files more efficiently, within all key players in the system), global IP network and managed hosting and storage services.

The company said broadcasters could expect savings from Video Connect's flexible pricing scheme, as they could pick traffic direction and purchase for the exact bandwidth required for a specific amount of time and be billed by usage. "Video Connect's on-demand and customisation capabilities also allow broadcasters to activate the service for special broadcasts and enable different feeds to be used for different time zones, so that revenue streams can be created from local advertising," the company said.

Tata Communications' current global infrastructure comprise advanced and largest submarine cable networks, a Tier-I IP network with connectivity to more than 200 countries, and nearly a million sq ft of data centre and collocation space worldwide.

The proposed $50 million investment will mostly be in software development and hardware to support ambitions in GMES (Global Monitoring for Environment and Security, an initiative to pull together all satellite data to get a picture of the health of the planet) but does not include routine capex the company would invest in its global IP (internet protocol) infrastructure.

Hero Honda: Different Strokes

2010-02-20T21:56:00.000-08:00

Hero Honda, the title sponsor for the Men's Hockey World Cup 2010, has released three television commercials featuring Priyanka Chopra, Rajyavardhan Rathore, and Virender Sehwag. The underlying theme in the three ads is: to urge people to come and watch the underrated game.

"The campaign is not about taking hockey to India, but about taking India back to hockey," says Subroto Pradhan, vice-president and director, client services, JWT, who has worked on the Hero Honda Hockey campaign.

"Hockey is our national game, and we have a cherished history of great achievements and great players. While the pride for the game still lives on, we need to rebuild mass interest in the game," rationalises Anil Dua, senior vice president-marketing and sales, Hero Honda Motors.

Hero Honda's positioning statement -- 'Phir Dil Do Hockey Ko' -- aims to build support for the game, which is losing its charm in the hearts of Indians.

"Our new campaign aims at building excitement around the game. Through initiatives like these, we hope to bring people back to hockey once again, and rekindle the passion for it across the nation," says Dua. With India playing host to Hero Honda FIH World Hockey Cup, it is, perhaps, the right time to do so.

The ads, created by JWT, are based on the insight that performers give their best, when their fans support them. Based on this insight, the team at JWT came up with the idea to urge people to rekindle their love for the game, which has brought them glory in the past. The creative director on the campaign is Surjo Dutt, while Preeta Mathur is the copywriter.

But how does the idea of bringing in celebrities from different walks of life (apart from hockey) work for the game? "Roping in hockey players to support the cause is actually demeaning to them and the sport. Ads where sportspersons are made to promote their own game do not really strike an emotional chord with the target group," opines Jitender Dabas, executive planning director, JWT.

"The people we chose are not just celebrities but national heroes, who've inspired people with their achievements. And people follow their heroes. So, when the heroes pledge their passionate support to a cause, it helps to make the cause bigger and popular."

To mark its association with the company, team Hockey India was also present at the Hero Honda stall, at the recently concluded Auto Expo in New Delhi.

The company is organising several activities to get more people interested in hockey. Apart from the TVCs, print, radio and outdoor advertising are also being utilised. The soon-to-be-aired radio programme, called Hockey Jockey, aims to generate interest among youngsters.

Hero Honda is also sponsoring an inter-school hockey league, Hero Honda Cup Inter-school Hockey Tournament. The tournament for school children has been organised across 19 cities, where 4,000 kids from more than 275 schools will participate. The cities where the tournament has been organised are: Delhi, Lucknow, Jalandhar, Chandigarh, Ludhiana, Kolkata, Ranchi, Bhubaneshwar, Patna, Jamshedpur, Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur, Ahmedabad, Indore, Chennai, Cochin, Bangalore and Hyderabad. The company has also created an anthem, which it plans to play in the stadium.

The Steel Authority of India (SAIL) is the presenting partner of World Cup. Other World Hockey partners are ABN Amro, Azerbaijan-based ATA Holdings, BDO International and Samsung. ABN Amro was the title sponsor in 2009, while BDO sponsored the event in 2002.

The 12th edition of the Men's Hockey World Cup, which is spread over two weeks from February 28 to March 13, will be played at New Delhi's Dhyan Chand National Stadium. The event will be held in India after a period of 28 years. The finals of the game will be played on March 13, which incidentally, coincides with the one of the IPL matches.

India's largest motorcycle maker, Hero Honda has sponsored various events in the past. It will also sponsor the upcoming Commonwealth Games in Delhi. The company is also sponsoring the Queen's Baton Relay, which is similar to the Olympic Torch Relay.

Striking Idea?

Within the fraternity, the campaign gets full marks for the cause, but earns mixed remarks for roping in icons from different disciplines.

Ajay Gahlaut, group creative director, Ogilvy India, thinks it is an interesting idea to rope in celebrities that help grab attention; and it is also a nice way to support the national game. He says, "Because a hockey player will obviously support the game, the impact comes when there is a cricketer or a shooter or an actor supporting it. And since it is our national game, the effect comes when icons from their discipline also support it."

However, Vedobroto Roy, creative director, Cheil Communications, has a different take. He says, "I would have rather loved to see the common man celebrating the World Cup in Delhi and what the game means to us, and not some celebrity ordering me to go to a game and on the sly, selling me a bike."

Nevertheless, both agree on the simple, yet effective conveyance of the message in the ads.

"The ad has nothing flashy about it, but it talks to people sincerely and directly about the fact that the brand supports hockey. And I think the simple and straightforward approach is desirable in this case," says Gehlaut.

Roy feels that the concept for the ads is good -- a shot in the arm that Indian hockey and the World Cup committee so badly needs.

Mother Dairy turns the heat on Amul

2010-02-18T05:03:00.000-08:00

The fight for marketshare in the branded packaged milk segment has intensified in Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) with Mother Dairy trashing Amul's claim that it is the new leader in these areas. Mother Dairy says that it sells 2.8 million litres per day and not 1.45 million litres per day, as indicated by Amul. The latter had said on February 16 that it was leading in the branded packaged or pouch milk segment in Delhi and NCR with sales of over 1.5 million litres per day.

Paul Thacil, chief executive officer, (dairy & foods), Mother Dairy Fruit & Vegetable Pvt Ltd, says that the brand's position is intact in its traditional markets of Delhi and NCR. He says, "We understand the growing demand for milk and milk products in the region. We will enhance our milk sales to 3 millon litres per day in the near term."

Amul is also looking to boost its milk sales to over 2 million litres per day this summer in view of the growing demand in the region. The liquid milk market in the capital is over 6 million litres per day. This includes both packaged milk and loose milk.

Amul, according to R S Sodhi, chief general manager, marketing, Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation, operates in the packaged milk segment only in Delhi and NCR. "We don't play in the loose milk segment, which is also quite large at over 2.5 million litres per day in Delhi and NCR. Mother Dairy is the leader there.

One reason for Amul's lack of presence in the loose milk segment in the capital is the absence of its own milk booths there. Amul depends totally on 9,000 retail outlets in the region to push sales there. Sodhi says that the cooperative is looking at enhancing its retail presence in the capital to push up sales.

Mother Dairy meanwhile has a network of 14,000 retail outlets and 845 exclusive stores to push sales. That clearly works to its advantage, say observers. "Mother Dairy has been around for a long time in the capital. It has a strong distribution network which ensures that milk delivery is not hampered," says an executive with a food & beverage firm.

Amul, in contrast, entered the Delhi market in 2005 only. It has four dairies at the moment in the region that pack milk for it. "There are no plans at the moment to increase the number of dairies. We may take that call later," says Sodhi.

Even then Amul has been been looking at ways and means to increase its share in the liquid milk market in different metros. The aim is to try and sustain its leadership position in these areas. For instance, Amul is the largest player in the packaged milk segment in Mumbai supplying 650,000 litres per day in the city. In Kolkata, the brand is at the top again supplying 400,000 litres per day in the city.

Delhi has been one market however that hasn't been easy to crack for Amul, given the domination of Mother Dairy for over 35 years now. A strong network and retail distribution has meant that Mother Dairy is competitively priced to Amul in the region. A litre of Mother Dairy's full-cream milk is available at Rs 2 less than Amul's variant. A litre of Mother Dairy's toned milk, on the other hand, is even cheaper, available at Rs 22 to Amul's Rs 23.

Open Happiness Act 2: Imran Khan takes Coke's optimism baton further

2010-02-17T11:01:00.000-08:00

Last year saw Coca-Cola's long-time brand endorser, Aamir Khan 'Opening' happiness for the brand in India (Open Happiness being the global creative thought adopted by the brand a while ago). Khan, who has been endorsing Coca-Cola or Coke for over a decade, was seen as a messenger of optimism in the campaign, where a bottle of Coke brought people together in their joy.

Taking the message further this summer is Bollywood actor, Imran Khan, who now joins his uncle, Aamir Khan as an endorser for Coca-Cola. The brand's objective remains the same -- to reinforce its role as a cheery friend. However, the younger Khan's association with Coke is a step towards getting the brand closer and more identifiable to teenagers.

Anand Singh, director, marketing, colas, Coca-Cola India, tells afaqs!, "As the new campaign targets teenagers, we were looking for a teenage heartthrob that the youth look up to. Imran fits that image perfectly."

Singh adds that Imran's real-life relationship with Aamir Khan, of course, propelled the association further; in future campaigns, the duo may even be seen endorsing the brand together.

"Coca-Cola has been growing successfully and has established a strong connect with the youth. The global communication initiative is all about inviting people to welcome small moments of joy and happiness into their lives. The idea really is to pause, enjoy a bottle of Coca-Cola, and also enjoy life's simple pleasures," Singh elaborates.

The new communication takes the Open Happiness theme to the next level, by building spontaneous human connections and sharing joys even with strangers. A new punch line, 'Coke khule toh baat chale' (Coke opens up possibilities), was arrived at to further this thought.

According to a study on teenagers by Coca-Cola India, it was discovered that largely, there are two kinds of teenagers in India today -- those that are secure, confident and can take on anything; and those that feel a sense of hesitation while approaching new people and situations.

The commercial, titled 'Invisible Bottle', features Imran Khan and Kalki Koechlin of DevD fame. It shows Koechlin sitting in a crowded bus, trying to catch the attention of a hesitant standee, Imran Khan. The bolder of the two, she spots a hoarding of Coca-Cola, and once Khan looks her way, she pretends to grab the Coke bottle from the hoarding and attempts to take a sip. Then, she offers the invisible bottle to him.

Our hesitant boy plays along and pretends to down the entire bottle, and is apologetic about it. However, he wins her over by taking out a real bottle of Coke from his bag, and offering it to her, real time. As the two exchange sweet glances, the film concludes on the thought, 'Coke khule toh baat chale'.

This is Imran Khan's first ever endorsement for any brand. He first shot to fame with his debut movie, Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na in 2008.

"The latest communication is based on the spontaneous human connections between people, particularly those who are unlike each other," says Prasoon Joshi, executive chairperson (India) and regional executive creative director, McCann Erickson, Asia Pacific.

"Through the lovable device of the invisible bottle, brand Coca-Cola breaks the ice of social distance between a boy and a girl and brings them together." He also adds that the new campaign with Imran Khan is more youthful, playful and fun in nature.

The campaign, which will go on air next week, has been conceptualised by Joshi, along with Ashish Chakravarty, Tirtha Ghosh and Nakul Sharma, while the film has been directed by Dibakar Banerjee of Freshwater Films.

The campaign will be supported with mass media, as well as in-store and on-ground activities around youth hangout areas and colleges across various cities. Digital media, particularly social networking sites, will also be leveraged to generate interaction with the brand.

Stages of Memory

2010-02-15T12:05:00.000-08:00

Sensory memory
Sensory memory is the first level of memory, as explained in the paragraph levels of memory. Sensory memory retains the brief impression of a sensory stimulus after the stimulus itself has ended. Imagine, you see an object. When the object has disappeared, it may still be vivid in your memory.

Research
Most research has focused on the visual and auditory systems, although there are presumably sensory registers for all our senses. For visual stimuli, we have an extremely short 'photographic' memory (about 500 milliseconds), which gives us a persistent image.
In hearing we have echoic memories, which are mental echoes of stimuli.

Characteristics
There are various specific issues about sensory memory: first, it is a high capacity form of memory registration of visual data. Second, information in the sensory memory is un-interpreted. Third, sensory memory is short; visual information, for example, fades away in less than a second.

Using the Information
If we want to use the information in the sensory memory, we must quickly encode it it into a more durable form. Processing begins with attention, which selectively determines what will 'get through' for further examination and what will not. Attention allows us to focus on parts of the stimulus and thereby to recognize some of its features. Obviously, any shortcomings in sensory memory can create problems for further processing of sensory information.

Sensory memory allow us to take a 'snapshot' of our environment, and to store this information for a short period. Only informatin that is transferred to another level of memory will be preserved for more than 1 à two seconds.

Short term memory
STM is characterized by:
A limited capacity of up to seven pieces of independent information.
The brief duration of these items last from 3 to 20 seconds.
Decay appears to be the primary mechanism of memory loss.

After entering sensory memory, a limited amount of information is transferred into short-term memory. Within STM, there are three basic operations:
Iconic memory - The ability to hold visual images.
Acoustic memory - The ability to hold sounds. Acoustic memory can be held longer than iconic memory.
Working memory - An active process to keep it until it is put to use (think of a phone number you'll repeat to yourself until you can dial it on the phone). Note that the goal is not really to move the information from STM to LTM, but merely put the information to immediate use.
Mechanism of short-term memory loss revealed
The process of transferring information from STM to LTM involves the encoding or consolidation of information. This is not a function of time, that is, the longer a memory stayed in STM, the more likely it was to be placed into LTM; but on organizing complex information in STM before it can be encoded into LTM. In this process of organization, the meaningfulness or emotional content of an item may play a greater role in its retention into LTM. As instructional designers, we must find ways to make learning relevant and meaningful enough for the learner to make the important transfer of information to long-term memory.
Also, on a more concrete level, the use of chunking (Reigeluthís Elaboration Theory) has been proven to be a significant aid for enhancing the STM transfer to LTM. Remember, STM's capacity is limited to seven items, regardless of the complexity of those items. Chunking allows the brain to automatically group certain items together
Long term memory
The knowledge we store in LTM affects our perceptions of the world, and influences what information in the environment we attend to. LTM provides the framework to which we attach new knowledge. It contrasts with short-term and perceptual memory in that information can be stored for extended periods of time and the limits of its capacity are not known.
Schemas are mental models of the world. Information in LTM is stored in interrelated networks of these schemas. These, in turn, form intricate knowledge structures. Related schemas are linked together, and information that activates one schema also activates others that are closely linked. This is how we recall relevant knowledge when similar information is presented. These schemas guide us by diverting our attention to relevant information and allow us to disregard what is not important.
Since LTM storage is organized into schemas, instructional designers should activate existing schemas before presenting new information. This can be done in a variety of ways, including graphic organizers, curiosity-arousing questions, movies, etc.
LTM also has a strong influence on perception through top-down processing - our prior knowledge affects how we perceive sensory information. Our expectations regarding a particular sensory experience influence how we interpret it. This is how we develop bias. Also, most optical illusions take advantage of this fact.

An important factor for retention of learned information in LTM is rehearsal that provides transfer of learning.

Maslows Heirarchy of Needs

2010-02-15T12:03:00.000-08:00

Abraham Maslow developed a theory of personality that has influenced a number of different fields, including education. This wide influence is due in part to the high level of practicality of Maslow's theory. This theory accurately describes many realities of personal experiences. Many people find they can understand what Maslow says. They can recognize some features of their experience or behavior which is true and identifiable but which they have never put into words.
Maslow is a humanistic psychologist. Humanists do not believe that human beings are pushed and pulled by mechanical forces, either of stimuli and reinforcements (behaviorism) or of unconscious instinctual impulses (psychoanalysis). Humanists focus upon potentials. They believe that humans strive for an upper level of capabilities. Humans seek the frontiers of creativity, the highest reaches of consciousness and wisdom. This has been labeled "fully functioning person", "healthy personality", or as Maslow calls this level, "self-actualizing person."
Maslow has set up a hierarchic theory of needs. All of his basic needs are instinctoid, equivalent of instincts in animals. Humans start with a very weak disposition that is then fashioned fully as the person grows. If the environment is right, people will grow straight and beautiful, actualizing the potentials they have inherited. If the environment is not "right" (and mostly it is not) they will not grow tall and straight and beautiful.
Maslow has set up a hierarchy of five levels of basic needs. Beyond these needs, higher levels of needs exist. These include needs for understanding, esthetic appreciation and purely spiritual needs. In the levels of the five basic needs, the person does not feel the second need until the demands of the first have been satisfied, nor the third until the second has been satisfied, and so on. Maslow's basic needs are as follows:

Physiological Needs

These are biological needs. They consist of needs for oxygen, food, water, and a relatively constant body temperature. They are the strongest needs because if a person were deprived of all needs, the physiological ones would come first in the person's search for satisfaction.
Safety Needs

When all physiological needs are satisfied and are no longer controlling thoughts and behaviors, the needs for security can become active. Adults have little awareness of their security needs except in times of emergency or periods of disorganization in the social structure (such as widespread rioting). Children often display the signs of insecurity and the need to be safe.

Needs of Love, Affection and Belongingness

When the needs for safety and for physiological well-being are satisfied, the next class of needs for love, affection and belongingness can emerge. Maslow states that people seek to overcome feelings of loneliness and alienation. This involves both giving and receiving love, affection and the sense of belonging.

Needs for Esteem

When the first three classes of needs are satisfied, the needs for esteem can become dominant. These involve needs for both self-esteem and for the esteem a person gets from others. Humans have a need for a stable, firmly based, high level of self-respect, and respect from others. When these needs are satisfied, the person feels self-confident and valuable as a person in the world. When these needs are frustrated, the person feels inferior, weak, helpless and worthless.

Needs for Self-Actualization

When all of the foregoing needs are satisfied, then and only then are the needs for self-actualization activated. Maslow describes self-actualization as a person's need to be and do that which the person was "born to do." "A musician must make music, an artist must paint, and a poet must write." These needs make themselves felt in signs of restlessness. The person feels on edge, tense, lacking something, in short, restless. If a person is hungry, unsafe, not loved or accepted, or lacking self-esteem, it is very easy to know what the person is restless about. It is not always clear what a person wants when there is a need for self-actualization.
The hierarchic theory is often represented as a pyramid, with the larger, lower levels representing the lower needs, and the upper point representing the need for self-actualization. Maslow believes that the only reason that people would not move well in direction of self-actualization is because of hindrances placed in their way by society. He states that education is one of these hindrances. He recommends ways education can switch from its usual person-stunting tactics to person-growing approaches. Maslow states that educators should respond to the potential an individual has for growing into a self-actualizing person of his/her own kind. Ten points that educators should address are listed:
1. We should teach people to be authentic, to be aware of their inner selves and to hear their inner-feeling voices.
2. We should teach people to transcend their cultural conditioning and become world citizens.
3. We should help people discover their vocation in life, their calling, fate or destiny. This is especially focused on finding the right career and the right mate.
4. We should teach people that life is precious, that there is joy to be experienced in life, and if people are open to seeing the good and joyous in all kinds of situations, it makes life worth living.
5. We must accept the person as he or she is and helps the person learn their inner nature. From real knowledge of aptitudes and limitations we can know what to build upon, what potentials are really there.
6. We must see that the person's basic needs are satisfied. This includes safety, belongingness, and esteem needs.
7. We should refreshen consciousness, teaching the person to appreciate beauty and the other good things in nature and in living.
8. We should teach people that controls are good, and complete abandon is bad. It takes control to improve the quality of life in all areas.
9. We should teach people to transcend the trifling problems and grapple with the serious problems in life. These include the problems of injustice, of pain, suffering, and death.
10. We must teach people to be good choosers. They must be given practice in making good choices.

Yet another flop by Google

2010-02-14T12:22:00.001-08:00

Google's 'Buzz' invades privacy

It has emerged that Google's messaging tool 'Buzz' has a serious privacy flaw, in which it could allow anyone to see who they have been emailing.

Google claims that Buzz allows users to "share updates, photos, videos, and more", but users have discovered that unless privacy settings are changed, it publicly shares details of users' contacts.

The application asks a user to create a profile and upload a photograph when creating a new account, and then it automatically builds a buddy list based on names in the user's Googlemail account.

The list is then, by default, made public on the user's profile.

"In my profession, where anonymous sourcing is a crucial tool, the implications of this flaw are terrifying," Sky News quoted Buzz user and journalist Nicholas Carson, a Business Insider writer, as saying.

"Google should just ask users, 'Do you want to follow these people we've suggested you follow, based on the fact you email and chat with them? This will expose to the public who you email and chat with most'," he said.

In response, Google moved to tweak the sign-up process and now claims the opt-out option for a public list is clearer.

"We think that showing followers publicly by default makes Buzz more useful because it helps people expand their networks," they said in a statement.

"In response to feedback, we've made the option to hide these lists more prominent in the set up process," the statement read.

"We continue to believe these chances to opt-out do not force the user to make a real choice about this setting," Carson responded to the statement.

"Google could and should simply make this feature 'opt-in' so that people know what they're doing," he added.

Only 1411 Left

2010-02-14T10:14:00.000-08:00

You know that the Royal Bengal Tiger is India's national animal. You might also know that the number of this majestic species is dwindling fast. What could be interesting trivia is that India is home to the world's largest population of the Royal Bengal Tiger, the most numerous of all tiger subspecies.

In a bid to raise awareness about the declining number of tigers, Aircel, partnering with World Wildlife Fund (WWF) India, has launched the 'Save Our Tigers' initiative.

The campaign, a little over a week old, has already created quite a buzz. 'Stripey the Cub', the face of the initiative, has over 96,400 fans on popular social networking website, Facebook; and the official Twitter page has 3,027 followers already.

afaqs! takes a look at the strategy behind the initiative and the much talked-about campaign.

Talking to afaqs!, Rahul Saighal, chief marketing officer, Aircel says, "Aircel sees itself as having strong social responsibilities. This is a cause that cuts across all sections of the population and something we believe in and are passionate about."

"The response has been overwhelming from all sections of society, be it school children or adults. It has proved to be a very engaging campaign. As a brand, it is important to engage with consumers at multiple levels," he adds.

A dedicated website has been designed for the initiative (www.saveourtigers.com), where over 96,000 visitors have pledged their support.

Save Our Tigers is part of the corporate social responsibility activities of the brand; and Aircel has been associated with the cause for about a year with WWF.

"As a service provider, we are in the realm of communication, where we can connect and create awareness with the audience. This project has a direct impact on the environment and is close to our heart. Therefore, we are a part of this," an Aircel executive says.

Dentsu Communications, the creative agency behind the campaign, has created four television commercials, which that involve three production houses -- Cutting Edge, Keroscene and Tellywise, and three film directors -- Rickii Kapoor, Rajesh Saathi and Shiva. The logo for the campaign has been designed by Wham, a London-based agency.

The main film focuses on the helplessness and vulnerability of a small tiger cub, Stripey, who is lost, hungry, and is looking for his mother. The viewer then realises that the tigress may never return to the cub, as poachers could have killed her. The voiceovers in the film are by actors Kabir Bedi and Shernaz Patel.

In the three other films, cricketer Mahendra Singh Dhoni, footballer Baichung Bhutia and South Indian actor Suriya, pledge their support to the cause.

The campaign has been conceptualised by Shivanand Mohanty, national creative director; Sangeeta Velegar, creative director; and Samson Samuel, art director. Velegar, Mohanarangan K and Harish Arora, executive creative director are the copywriters.

An emotional approach runs strong through the campaign and with good reason. The creative idea comes from the 1994 Walt Disney classic, The Lion King.

"When watching The Lion King, why do our eyes well up when Mufasa dies? Not because a majestic animal has been killed, but because a father died trying to save his son. A tiger is beautiful, majestic and dangerous; but a six-month-old cub is just another baby that needs his mother to survive," says Mohanty.

"The seriousness of the crisis may not be at the top of the mind. So, instead of just mentioning, one must feel the cause, highlight it," he adds.

The brief to the agency was to structure a long term, all-encompassing 360-degree public communication campaign, which informs people about the seriousness of the threat, and the urgent need for action.

Besides the TVCs and the activity on the internet, there are ongoing radio spots, outdoor campaigns and on-ground activation across the country.

Mohanty mentions that the internet forms an important platform for the campaign, because it is the best place for interaction and an ideal tool to build awareness.

The campaign is being planned on a long-term basis. Both Dentsu and Aircel confirm that this is the "launch phase" of the programme, which focuses on building awareness. "As the first phase ends, we will study the results of the campaign and decide on the way forward," says Mohanty.

Throughout the campaign, the fact that only 1,411 Royal Bengal Tigers are left, is emphasised upon.

"Though people are aware that few tigers are left in the country, not everyone has an exact idea of how many. So we wanted to highlight the number, 1,411, in the communication. We want people to register this number. This will, in turn, generate further buzz around saving tigers," says Ameen Ahmed, communications in-charge-species, WWF-India.

Mumbai Indians hopes to earn money online with MSN's help

2010-02-12T21:30:00.000-08:00

Horizontal portal MSN.co.in has bagged the responsibilities to establish and manage the Internet presence of the Mumbai Indians team for the IPL (Indian Premier League) Season 3 cricket tournament. The team owners had managed the website, MumbaiIndians.com, in the last two seasons.

Speaking to afaqs!, Sanjay Trehan, head, MSN.co.in, reveals, "We have entered into a deal with the team owners of Mumbai Indians, according to which MSN (India) will set up, manage, maintain, generate content and monetise the new website of Mumbai Indians for IPL Season 3 on a revenue sharing basis." MSN will also partner with the team owners to market the site.

He adds, "The new Mumbai Indians website is expected to go live in the second or third week of February and will be hosted on MSN (India) servers. It will have two URLs -MumbaiIndians.in.msn.com and MumbaiIndians.com, both of which direct users to the same webpage." There will also be a dedicated section for Mumbai Indians on MSN.co.in.

How will the upcoming website of Mumbai Indians differ from its previous avatar? Trehan says that the team will have presences on social media platforms including Twitter and Facebook, which will be integrated with the revamped site as well. He indicates that the site will have a Twitter box, where conversations happening on the Mumbai Indians Twitter account will be posted.

Apart from social media integration, regular features such news, photo gallery, score card, videos, player details and merchandise will continue to exist in the Mumbai Indians portal.

The new website of the team will also have space for advertisements, including banner, video and text ads. Trehan says, "The advertising will contribute the major chunk of revenue for the Mumbai Indians website. It will be supported by content sponsorships, sale of merchandise and match tickets."

As per the deal, MSN (India) will share the total revenue earned from the Mumbai Indians web presence with the cricket team owners. Trehan refused to divulge details about the percentage of revenue that will be shared with the team owners and the budget or costs allocated for the website. However, according to an industry estimate, the costs borne by IPL team owners for the online presences during an IPL tournament are in the range of Rs 20 lakh-1 crore.

For the record, this is not the first time that MSN has tied up with an IPL team owner for its web presence. Earlier, during IPL 2008 and 2009, MSN had entered into partnerships with the Bengaluru team (Royal Challengers), in which the horizontal portal designed, hosted and powered the Royal Challengers website.

Discovery Networks: New discoveries

2010-02-09T10:17:00.001-08:00

Discovery Networks, which has a strong presence in India through its channels Travel & Living, Discovery and Animal Planet, has recently launched two new channels: Discovery Science and Discovery Turbo.

Discovery Science will feature the impact of science and technology on our lives. It will look at areas like the human body, astronomy, genetics, exploration, medical advances and space. It will also cover the world of cars, trucks, motorbikes, planes, yachts, trains and other innovations.

In Master of the Universe, Stephen Hawking will examine how far our knowledge of the universe has developed and introduce unimagined scientific ideas. 100 Things that Will Change Your Life is a countdown series that will look at 100 projects that are under the radar right now, and which are certain to make a difference in the future. Beautiful Minds approaches the huge scientific field of brain research through a study of savants. How It's Made visits dozens of assembly lines where technology turns raw material into finished products right in front of the viewer's eyes.

Discovery Turbo, on the other hand, will feature speed-based programmes on Formula One racing, motor clubs, profiles of celebrity motorists and so on. Thus, Mean Green Machines will showcase vehicles just off the assembly line. Wheelers Dealers features the duo Mike Brewer and Edd China who save repairable classics and sell these cars for more than just profit. Racer Girlz is a show on women drivers and mechanics. Red Line TV covers the fast-paced sport of drifting, exposing viewers to the drivers during preparation and practice. Trick My Truck is a series that features big, rig-truck mechanics who scour truck-stops in search of trucks in need of help.

"By and large, channels today show almost the same programmes. If one needs to break the clutter, then niche programmes and channels are what will attract eyeballs. As the country's audience moves from analog to digital viewing, we believe it's the right time to launch such niche channels," says Discovery Networks Asia-Pacific Senior Vice-president & General Manager Rahul Johri.

To begin with, the channels will air on Tata Sky, the direct-to-home service, and the analog platform. "The initial revenue will come from these being pay channels. Once we hit critical mass, we will then focus on the advertising revenues," says Johri. Going forward, the network plans to launch a high-definition channel, Discovery HD. The 24-hour channel is slated to launch in 2010.

Discovery Channel, Animal Planet and Travel & Living have a combined reach of 116 million subscribers in India. While Discovery Channel airs in three languages (English, Hindi and Tamil), Animal Planet airs in two (English and Hindi). Travel & Living is telecast only in English.

In the infotainment genre, Discovery Channel leads the pack with around 56 per cent market share, followed by National Geographic, Animal Planet and Fox History & Entertainment, according to TAM Media Research. Travel & Living in the lifestyle genre has a market share of 46 per cent. The leader in this genre is NDTV Good Times with 54 per cent market share.

7Up looks new, with heightened lemon cues

2010-02-08T21:23:00.000-08:00

PepsiCo India has brought in a change in the New Year - an icy lemony look for its brand, 7Up.

A switch in design template - a change in the packaging, including the label and the can - has been undertaken for the brand. The brand's packaging was last refurbished towards the end of 2006.

Talking about the new guise for 7Up, Alpana Titus, executive vice-president - flavours, PepsiCo India tells afaqs!, "A conscious decision has been taken to take the look to newer heights of lemon refreshment. The lemon cues and lemon colour codes have been heightened in the visual codes."

A Spanish production house, Garrigosa Studio was roped in to create the new look. It took about a month to complete, and involved taking over a thousand pictures of water splashes appearing in the shape of lemons.

Sources reveal that PepsiCo India has spent about Rs 25 lakh on the initiative, which is almost the cost of producing a television commercial.

To unveil the new look, a television commercial has been launched, which will be supported with a special focus on outdoor. The images for the outdoor hoardings have been created using a photographic technology hitherto unused in India.

The new commercial communicates the refreshment that 7Up gives to a couple, who is getting bored in a cafeteria. It takes the viewer on a sensorial ride of lemon refreshment. The film has been conceptualized by BBDO India and produced by Cutting Edge Productions.

Speaking about the film, Manoj Deb, executive creative director, BBDO India says, "The challenge for us was to create a look that's fresh and strongly communicates the message that 7Up has natural lemon flavour. Keeping in mind that pictures speak louder than words, especially in the OOH medium, we created water splashes in shape of lemon slices, which made them visually delightful. Such a look is distinctly different from what others have attempted in the category."

Titus reveals that the company is looking at a selective number of outdoors across their core markets, but is definitely high on quality. The markets include Bengaluru, the top five cities in Gujarat, Karnataka, UP, Gurgaon, Kanpur, Ghaziabad, Meerut, NOIDA, Mumbai, Delhi, Jamshedpur and Ranchi.

Apart from television and outdoor, other collaterals would also find place in the mix. This will include on-ground activation, inducing trial-driving refreshment and highlighting the new look. Titus reveals that specific consumer engagement programmes have been put in place for the core markets.

Virgin Mobile to invest Rs 500 cr

2010-02-02T21:21:00.000-08:00

Virgin Mobile India Limited, a 50:50 joint venture between Tata Teleservices and the UK-based Virgin Group, plans to invest Rs 500 crore over the next six months on its mobile operations in the country.

The cellular operator, which has a presence in six telecom circles as of now, aims to extend its presence to around 1000 towns in all the 22 telecom circles across the country within two years.

"We would invest Rs 500 crore in the next six months on our mobile operations in the country. The investment will be made in areas like sales, brand promotion, distribution channels and customer care", M A Madhusudan, chief executive officer, Virgin Mobile India told reporters here at the launch of the company's GSM mobile services.

He refused to comment on the number of targeted subscribers stating that Tata Teleservices was providing the combined subscriber base of all its mobile services brands including Tata Indicom, Tata Docomo and Virgin Mobile.

Virgin Mobile, a youth focused mobile operator intends to capture 10 per cent market share in mobile services in the urban youth segment in the country.

Virgin Mobile has rolled out its GSM mobile services in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Orissa.

Right from the day of launch, Virgin will have a presence in 27 towns of Orissa. The operator will have a network of around 6,000 outlets in the state which will cater to 65 per cent of the urban youth population.

Customers, who sign up for Virgin Mobile, can make local and STD calls within the network at 20 paise per minute. The tariff for local calls to other network has been fixed at 40 paise per minute and that of STD calls at 50 paise per minute.

Neo Cricket targets Rs 150 crore from India-South Africa cricket series

2010-01-31T23:54:00.000-08:00

Neo Cricket is busy putting together sponsors for the forthcoming India-South Africa cricket series, which begins on February 6.

The series consists of three ODIs (one day internationals) and two Test matches. Sources close to the development reveal that the channel expects net revenue of Rs 150 crore from the cricket series. The total advertising inventory for the India-South Africa cricket series is about 5,000 seconds.

Neo Cricket has already roped in a host of sponsors for the property. Currently, the channel has eight sponsors on board. Tata Indicom, Coca-Cola and Micromax Mobile have been roped in as co-presenting sponsors. Others, including Volkswagen, HDFC Standard Life, Citi Credit Card, Perfetti and JK Cement have come on board as associate sponsors.

With a week to go for the series, the channel is on the verge of closing sponsorship deals with a two-wheeler brand and a white goods brand for the three ODIs and two Test matches. The cost of a 10 second ad spot for the series is estimated to be upwards of Rs 3 lakh.

Prasana Krishnan, chief operating officer, Neo Sports Broadcast, says, "2010 will be an action packed year for us. As of now, we have three confirmed India tours. The India-South Africa series will be followed by two other cricket series involving India-Australia and India-New Zealand."

Neo Cricket is promoting and positioning the India-South Africa cricket series as the World Championship of Cricket because it's a clash between world's No.1 cricket team, India and the No. 2 team, South Africa. According to the latest ICC ODI Cricket Rankings, India tops the ranking chart by registering 3957 points and is followed by South Africa in the second place, with 3672 points.

Krishnan shares that through the year, Neo Cricket broadcasts nearly 50 days of international cricket and 70 days of domestic cricket. According to him, the success of some recent international cricket series, including last year's India-Australia cricket series, prove that the format continues to rule and grow. This is a heartening development for Neo Cricket.

The channel is in a strong position to cash in on the popularity of the sport for the next four years, courtesy the recent content deal struck between Nimbus Communications and BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India).

Nimbus Communications markets the media rights for international cricket tours to various broadcasters, including Neo Sports Broadcasts' dedicated cricket channel, Neo Cricket. As per the agreement, Nimbus Communications has secured the media rights for all international cricket tours staged by the BCCI and 78 days of BCCI domestic cricket events every year till 2014.

Krishnan hopes that with a packed cricketing calendar, Neo Cricket will attract eyeballs and advertisers with its properties.

Remembering Suresh Mullick for Mile Sur Mera Tumhaara

2010-01-30T21:42:00.000-08:00

It was on January 26, 1986, that the song, 'Mile Sur Mera Tumhaara' first aired on Doordarshan - then the only channel available to Indian viewers. More than two decades later, we continue humming that song, though many of us know little of its visionary, Suresh Mullick.

15 years hence, the ad world has come together to pay its respect to the ingenious mind for his invaluable contribution to Indian advertising, and towards national integration.

Mullick passed away on March 10, 2003. But he lives on in the memorable work he created, and in the minds and hearts of those he interacted with. There are many in the industry who feel that Mullick hasn't been given the recognition he deserves. Hence, his close associates, colleagues, friends, and near and dear ones have put together an e-book, comprising letters, notes and pictures of and by the creative genius.

The e-book (http://periscopedesign.co.in/index.html) has been put together by his erstwhile colleagues who include the likes of SR (Mani) Ayer, R Sridhar, Farida Sabnavis, Anil Uzgare and Roda Mehta.

Mullick spent all his 35 years in advertising at SH Benson (the agency has been through various name changes and is now known as Ogilvy India). He joined the agency in 1962 as an account executive, and even managed the Delhi office for a while.

It was Mani Ayer, ex-CEO of the agency, who made the decision of moving Mullick into the creative department, and took him on as his creative partner. Mullick was responsible for the launch of many brands, including Titan and Bru. Vicks' mnemonic line 'Galle mein khich khich' was his work, as was Titan's signature tune.

The idea behind the e-book, says Ayer, is to familiarise the younger advertising generation with the stalwart that was Mullick. The introduction to the e-book has been written by Ayer, who is glad that he decided to shift Mullick to the creative side of the business. "It was among the few sensible decisions I made…" says Ayer in the note.

Going through the book, it is clear that everyone who interacted with Mullick has been influenced by the man in one way or the other.

The initial concept of the 'Freedom' films was Rajiv Gandhi's brainchild, who envisaged pieces of communication that would add to the sense of unity in the country and instil national pride. The trilogy of films was created by Mullick's team at Ogilvy, and Kailash Surendranath and Jeet Surendranath of Far Commercials. For the first film in the trilogy, they arrived on the theme of sportspersons. Mullick, who had a keen interest in sports, rattled off the names of various luminaries from different sports. This film, called Freedom Torch, was released in 1985.

A year later, Mile Sur…, which included singers, film stars and sportspersons, was released on Republic Day. The final film of the trilogy, Desh Raag, was a compilation led by the best music artistes in the country.

Piyush Pandey, who is now at the helm of Ogilvy India as executive chairman and national creative director, has also written a small dedication to his only boss. When working with Mullick on the films, it was the young Pandey who came up with the line, 'Mile sur mera tumhaara'.

The e-book was a result of a gathering of many Ogilvy-ites in late 2008. Every entry in the e-book mentions how Mullick never lost his childlike nature and enthusiasm, his love for sports and his thought of doing something for the country. Mullick's ear for music would surprise even the best sound engineers of the time.

The e-book includes short interviews that Mullick gave, which bring to the surface the tongue-in-cheek manner in which he called a spade a spade.

Surendranath has now created another film, 'Phir Mile Sur' on the lines of 'Mile Sur…', which features a plethora of artists, and speaks of unity in the turbulent times that the nation is dealing with. The film is being aired on Zoom TV and was launched before Republic Day.

Hari Sadu is back

2010-01-29T23:51:00.000-08:00

It is ok to call your boss names again!

Does 'H' for 'Hitler, 'A' for 'Arrogant', 'R' for 'Rascal', 'I' for 'Idiot' ring a bell? It is rather likely that it would. Hari Sadu, the boss Naukri.com made an example of, is back with the job portal's new television commercial and he has the choicest of adjectives thrown at him this time as well.

The new TVC does not feature the boss or his disgruntled employees in person. However, it shows Sadu's door and numerous hands doodling and scribbling around his nameplate some hilarious and some outright inane words such as 'anaconda', 'acidity', 'in-laws' and 'swine flu', among others.

The ad ends with the message 'Jobs are Back' and 'Bye Bye Recession. Hello New Year'. The commercial, created by DraftFCB Ulka, has been directed by Vishal Gellani. The production house is Keroscene.

"The tides are changing. We are witnessing more job listings on the site. While it is not the best of the situation, it is definitely improving," says Sumeet Singh, national head, marketing and strategic alliances, Info Edge India.

The web site conducts what it calls the 'Naukri Hiring Outlook Survey' every six months. The survey, Singh says, indicates that about 72 per cent of recruiters are of the view that new jobs are being created.

According to Singh, sectors such as banking, information technology and related sectors, and construction are beginning to hire again.

On the new TVC, Singh says, "This is a tactical campaign to welcome the New Year and bid farewell to the recession."

The commercial was first released on YouTube and went on air over the weekend. On YouTube, the ad has already registered close to 60,000 views in a week.

"Traditionally, everyone releases commercials on television first. However, our target group is obviously the ones online and since online video is getting so popular, we decided to release it on YouTube first," Singh says.

Talking to afaqs!, Sanjay Sharma, creative director, DraftFCB Ulka, says, "We were looking to use a property that is already popular to welcome the good times. We played on the fact that people never leave jobs but leave difficult bosses.

"It is not a thematic campaign. It is not merely to convey what the brand offers but to celebrate the changing times," he adds.

However, does the ad bank too much on the success of the previous campaign that was launched way back in 2006?

"Hari Sadu has become synonymous with an unreasonable boss. It connected well with the audience. Although we launched the last TVC in 2006, we have been airing it quite a few times. Hence the connect was always there," Singh explains.

Sharma agrees as he says that Hari Sadu has become a cult figure and everyone has a fair idea about him.

The campaign will use the Internet and television extensively. Info Edge India is contemplating other options to add to the media mix. Singh, however, says that it is still early to comment on the same.

O for Opinions

Who would not like getting the better of a difficult boss? While the TVC works on the same premise as the first one, it evokes wisecracks, laughter and nods of appreciation.

Comments on the YouTube thread show how viewers already love the commercial.

Ryan Menezes, executive creative director, McCann Erickson joins the gang. "It is a great second ad. It is not an obvious sequel as many would expect, yet it has all the qualities that made the original so popular. It is naughty, wicked and roots for the underdog. The previous Hari Sadu was successful and so there is no harm in capitalising on that and milking it for all it is worth," Menezes says.

He thinks the ad could lead to an "epidemic of disgruntled employees doing the same exercise with their boss' names".

While Adrian Mendonza, national creative director, Dentsu Marcom thinks it is a "nice attempt", he cannot help but draw comparisons with the first ad and finds the current one falling short of expectations.

"It looks like it has been very hurriedly put together. While a lot of TVCs are hurriedly done, it should not be evident. They have of course stuck to the theme of an 'irritating boss' which is good, but while us ad guys will recall Hari Sadu, a lot of youngsters who are the portal's target audience might not track advertisements that closely," he says.

"It is not in the same class as the first ad," he remarks.

Home advantage: IPL Season 3 is a sell out

2010-01-12T21:58:00.000-08:00

IPL (Indian Premier League) Season 3 has proved to be a sell-out, with the official broadcaster of the sporting event already having sold 85 per cent of its advertising inventory.

With nearly three months to go for IPL 3, SET Max has got on board two co-presenting sponsors and eight associate sponsors for the Twenty20 tournament. Vodafone and Videocon are the two co-presenting sponsors and others including Pepsi, LG, Hyundai, Samsung, HUL, Godrej and TATA Photon have been roped in as associate sponsors.

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Speaking to afaqs!, Rohit Gupta, president, network sales, licensing and telephony, MSM, says, "The critical season three of IPL is back in India as a six week sporting extravaganza. With the tournament moving back to the country from South Africa, we started sales in July-August. This time, marketers have enough time on hand to create and plan extensive creative or marketing communication related to the brands."

For IPL 3, SET Max is commanding a premium of 20 per cent over last year's edition. The broadcaster is commanding Rs 5 lakh for a 10 second ad spot for the matches. Last year, the average cost of a 10-second ad spot on SET Max was about Rs 3.75 lakh. Besides the co-presenting sponsors and associate sponsors, the 10 second ad spots have been filled up by brands such as Aircel, Spice Mobile, TVS, Virgin Mobile and Coca-Cola, amongst others.

Commenting on the buzz and expectations around IPL 3, Nandini Dias, chief operating officer, Lodestar Universal, says, "The tournament being played in India stands to generate a different kind of excitement and enthusiasm - as was proved by the popularity and success of the first edition of IPL. In fact, there is always higher curiosity and far more interest in a domestic cricket series in comparison to cricketing spectacles scheduled outside the country."

Also, factors such as the involvement and presence of Bollywood stars, interest in the lives of the franchise owners (since most of them are celebrities in their own rights), merchandising and cheerleaders further make the event far more appealing when played at home.

In addition to selling the inventory for T20 matches, the broadcaster has also finalised brand associations for its show, Extraa Innings. The brands that have aligned with the show include advertisers such as Whirlpool, Park Avenue and Raymonds.

It is learnt that IPL 3 has on offer 2,100 to 2,200 secondages of advertising. Out of this, around 1500 secondages will go to sponsors and another 500 secondages will be consumed by advertisers who have opted for spot buys (10 second ad-spots). The rest of the advertising inventory has been held back by SET Max, to be sold at a premium of about 10 per cent when the tournament is at its peak.

Basabdutta Chowdhury, chief executive officer, Platinum Media, shares, "Coming back to India, IPL 3 is poised to be a bigger sporting spectacle on account of the enthusiasm created by ground events and the consumer connect, which was missing in previous year's edition. This time, fan based club activities will be renewed and this, coupled with the Bollywood connect, will result in IPL 3 turning out to be more enjoyable and bigger."

Another senior media planner says that the sponsorship tag for IPL 3 endows on brands value add-ons and leads to blocking of a category, whereby the competing brand can only get as much limited exposure.

Bringing out the value and the benefits of the tournament being held in the country, especially for advertisers, Gupta explains, "Last year, IPL teams could not leverage their on-ground associations simply because the game shifted to South Africa. However, this time, with teams set to play in front of the home crowd, each team has got at least three-four on-ground sponsors. The total number of on-ground associations could be anything between 40 and 45, which translates into a lot of activities for the teams and the brands involved."

He is confident that by mid January, a marketing blitzkrieg will hit the media, involving different stakeholders including team franchisees, BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India), sponsors and promotional campaigns by the broadcaster.

Dias of Lodestar Universal adds that IPL 2 did not come as a surprise. Brands were well prepared for the tournament last year, with hosts of contests, dealer meets and meet and greet sessions. It was the sudden decision to shift the tournament to South Africa that was a surprise. This year, too, marketers will have their back-end in place, with detailed brand initiatives. It will be interesting to see the new teams and their compositions in the third season of IPL.

Mid-Day Delhi shrinks to accommodate 'chhotu' Kurkure

2010-01-06T08:55:00.000-08:00

Mid-Day Delhi turns 'chhotu' for a day today. To promote the 'chhotu' pack of Frito-Lay's Kurkure, the Rs 3 pack, today's Delhi edition of the tabloid has shrunk to half its regular size in order to give an impact to the message and generate brand recall.

The size of the main Mid-Day Delhi has been reduced to 24x15 cms (height x width) for a day (December 29), as opposed to the regular 32x25 cms. The special edition came out with the regular sized Delhi Edition.

JWT Delhi is the creative agency behind the campaign. Sonia Bhatnagar, vice-president and senior creative director, JWT India, says, "We wanted to do something that's never been done before to announce the launch of the small pack of Kurkure. The innovation aims to drive home the point that though the size is smaller, the 'masala' is still the same. Also, since both Kurkure and Mid-Day are full of 'masala' (spices), it was a natural fit."

Talking about the innovation, Rajnish Rawat, publisher, Mid-Day Delhi, says, "Mid-Day has always focused on providing innovative media solutions to meet the needs of the clients. For the Kurkure small pack, we not only reduced the size of our newspaper to half but also integrated a lead story and infused special distribution drive for product sampling."

Rawat adds that the idea behind the innovation was to further reinforce the launch of the small pack of Kurkure through an innovative communication. Incidentally, Mid-Day also comes at a cover price of Rs 3.

The innovation is being supported by suitable sections in the content, too. The main story of the special edition is about sportspersons who made an impact at an early age. Also, the front page of the tabloid has a message written in a strip below the masthead that reads 'We've shrunk, but our masala is still big. Flip to Page 31 to discover why', with Page 31 showcasing a full page ad of Kurkure's small pack.

With the prominent difference in the size of the tabloid, the innovation hopes to create the buzz and hype. The 32 page special edition will be distributed as usual with a special distribution drive in areas such as the airport, metro stations, coffee chain outlets and retail stores.

This is not the first time that Mid-Day has altered its size to accommodate a brand innovation. On August 1, 2007, when UTI Bank was rechristened Axis Bank, Mid-Day had turned into a broadsheet for a day to announce the name change. The change was accompanied by an editorial on the front page about the innovation done for the brand. Also, there were ads at various positions in the tabloid, along with related content. Rawat adds that the revised format done for the bank was noticed by 96 per cent of the people.

Big TV to monetise video on demand and interactive services

2010-01-04T02:18:00.000-08:00

Big TV, the DTH (direct to home) arm of the Reliance ADA Group, has entered into a strategic partnership with the ad network start-up, Networkplay.in, to monetise its video on demand (pay per view) and interactive offerings.

"Advertisers will be roped in for video on demand, electronic program guide (EPG) and interactive offerings of Big TV," says Rammohan Sundaram, founder, chief executive officer and managing director, Networkplay, in a conversation with afaqs!. Big TV has more than 20 interactive channels such as iStock, iCooking, iCricket and iCare.

He explains, "Video on demand service could be monetised through TV commercials. Similar to movie broadcast on a TV channel, the video on demand content such as a movie will also have commercial breaks in between."

For the interactive services, there are plans to offer advertising solutions including static and dynamic banner ads, branded skins and sponsorships of entire interactive sections or channels. The ads will be interactive in nature and Networkplay will also create landing pages for the ads. This implies that if a user clicks on a banner ad by pressing a red button available on the Big TV remote control, it will redirect users to a landing page, where more information about the advertised brand will be offered.

Ad slots will be sold on a fixed price basis. "It is a revenue-sharing deal," clarifies Sundaram, who refused to divulge details of the revenue sharing arrangement with Big TV.

According to an industry estimate, 60 per cent of the revenue earned through the monetisation of interactive offerings goes to the DTH firm, while the rest gets routed to the ad sales partner.

In an official communiqué, Sanjay Behl, group head, brand and marketing, Reliance Communications and chief executive officer, Big TV, says, "With the robust technological back end of the Reliance ADA Group and measurable digital TV viewing experience in more than two million homes, Reliance Big TV now has a platform for advertisers to latch on to, especially when they are looking for their brand communication to reach the right audience in the most cost effective manner."

For the record, Networkplay.in is also responsible for monetisation of the interactive offerings of Airtel digital, the DTH service of Bharti Airtel. The ad network company is funded by Goosefish Media Ventures and Capital18, the private equity arm of Network18.

Volkswagen aims to sell over 300 Beetles in 2010

2010-01-02T21:49:00.000-08:00

Going by the initial demand, Volkswagen India hopes to sell over 300 Beetles next year. The bug shaped popular car was launched in India in the first week of December.

"There are already over 170 advance bookings across India, and we have started delivering the cars as well. Going by the initial euphoria, we expect to sell around 300 Beetles in 2010," said Raj Sawant, business head of Automark Motors, Volkswagen dealer in Ahmedabad.

"We are now getting shipments of 40 cars in a batch. One batch has already landed while the second one is expected soon," he added. The car is brought into the country as a completely built unit(CBU) attracting a duty over of over 100 per cent.

The Beetle comes in a single 2-litre petrol variant with a 6-speed automatic transmission and is priced at Rs 20.90 lakh ex-showroom in Ahmedabad. Explaining the enthusiastic response to the Beetle, Garima Mishra, Dealer Principal, Volkswagen Ahmedabad, said "Its distinctive design makes it easily recognizable, which can be an effective brand-building feature. People's fascination for this bug shaped car has made Beetle one of the world's most popular cars across decades."

In comparison, the Fiat 500, priced at Rs 15 lakh, has sold over 62 units since its launch 17 months back. The company today also launched the sports utility vehicle Touareg in Ahmedabad, at a price of Rs 53 lakh ex-showroom. The SUV, which was earlier available in the country only on order, will now be stocked here, making its delivery time much shorter.

The German carmaker has, in the meanwhile, started the production of its small car Polo in India in its Chakan plant near Pune recently.

The five-seater hatchback is likely to be positioned in the B+segment, including Hyundai's i20, Maruti's Swift and Chevrolet's Beat.

With its slew of new launches, the company hopes to increase its market share in India to 10 per cent by the year 2015.

Happy New Year

2010-01-01T19:59:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year from everyone at MyBMM and BMMfriends

Vodafone set to take Zoozoos overseas

2009-12-30T21:40:00.000-08:00

The lovable Zoozoos, created by India's largest advertising agency Ogilvy & Mather, is all set to be exported abroad, courtesy Vodafone. The telecom company will be taking the iconic characters to allied markets in what is being seen as a clear thumbs-up to the creative concept that has taken the local advertising industry by storm since the campaign's launch earlier this year.

Piyush Pandey, Executive Chairman of Ogilvy & Mather, South Asia, says it's (taking Vodafone worldwide) a definite possibility and a lot of progress has been made on this front in the past one week. "I am keeping my fingers crossed," he says.

Into its second leg at the moment, the campaign with the egg-headed characters first surfaced during the second season of the Indian Premier League in April this year. Instead of the traditional repeat ads, Vodafone decided to launch a new film everyday during the league as it wanted to showcase its value added services. The characters, enacted by Marathi theatre actors, became endearing as they represented innocent people living in a simple world, says Pandey.

The campaign was conceived by Rajiv Rao, National Creative Director, O&M, and the film was directed by Nirvana Films.

Vodafone has been quick to cash in on the fever by launching exclusive Zoozoo merchandise in October this year. This was the first for an advertising concept in the country.

The second leg, called Power to You, is a continuation of the first, except that the ads now dwell on certain product attributes, in a Zoozoo way, of course. So, if Vodafone wishes to communicate that it has an exhaustive play-list to select from, in case a subscriber wishes to download a ringtone, then the Zoozoo adaptation of it would be as follows: A young Zoozoo girl is seen rushing from the end of a bench to the other desperately trying to catch up with the music being played out by her suitors who wish to woo her somehow. The manner in which she makes her entry, sits next to one of them, when he plays his music from his stereo, then rushes to the other who tries to woo her with his collection, is comical.

More viewers tuned in on opening day than on final day of Bigg Boss

2009-12-28T21:54:00.000-08:00

The Grand Finale of Bigg Boss Season 3 was relayed on Colors for 158 minutes (117 minutes without the ad breaks) on Saturday, December 26. The show had 9 million viewers tuning in, less than the number of viewers who watched the opening day of the show, as per aMap data for C&S, 4+, NWE audiences.

The TVR recorded on the final day was 2.84. The opening TVR recorded by the show in this season hosted by Amitabh Bachchan was 3.2, whereas that of the last season was 1.4. More than 10 million viewers tuned in on the first day in Season 3, almost double that of the last season.

The final day of Bigg Boss Season 2 fetched a TVR of 2.7 and was the highest in that season. The number of viewers that tuned in was about 6 million, whereas in this season, it was far higher.

In November last year, when Bigg Boss came to an end, the general entertainment genre was witnessing a 'black-out' state due to the unresolved spat between producers and workers. It was the only channel that was allowed to air fresh episodes of the show due to its format. Other channels were airing only repeats during that phase.

In the final episode of season 3, the metros recorded a higher viewership with a TVR of 3, while small towns recorded a TVR of 2.4. The viewership recorded in Mumbai was 4, while in Delhi it was 3.6.

The highest TVR recorded by the show was on November 13, when contestant actor Tanaaz Irani was ousted from the house and actor Shamita Shetty exited the house, too. That was the most watched episode of the show and drew a TVR of 3.5.

The time band during 9-11.30 pm on Zee garnered a cumulative TVR of 4.2, with shows such as Dance India Dance and repeats of Yahan Main Ghar Ghar Kheli and Aap Ki Antara. On STAR Plus, Music Ka Maha Muqabla and repeats of Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai and Tere Mere Sapne garnered a cumulative TVR of 1.6.

Colors has replaced Bigg Boss with two fiction shows, Yeh Pyaar Na Hoga Kam and Laagi Tujhse Lagan.

Who says the TV screen is crowded?

2009-12-27T20:48:00.000-08:00

Four new Hindi general entertainment channels (GECs) were launched in the past 18 months. That brought the total to 13 in one of the most over-served markets in the country, the Hindi speaking states. Has that increased clutter?

Surprisingly, no. According to a TAM Media Research report, 'The Impatient Generation; TV Consumption Behaviour Study 2009', it actually led to an increase of three per cent in the viewership share of Hindi GECs. That, among many other insights, is what the study, which covers TV viewing behaviour in India between January and June 2009, highlights.

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It confirms something we guessed all along - that fragmentation is increasing and attention spans are decreasing. The time spent on TV on weekends has fallen by three minutes, especially among young people and (surprise) the elderly.

However, the TAM report also busts some popular myths about TV viewing, especially the ones perpetuated by TV critics. That people are tired of soaps and are watching reality shows. The viewership share of reality shows on Hindi GECs has actually dropped by four per cent over the same period last year. This happened even though the amount of reality programming on air remained the same. And that of serials increased by one per cent, even as the programming hours remained the same.

In other languages - Bengali, Tamil, Telugu, Marathi - while reality shows get a nice chunk of viewership, soaps walk away with anywhere between one-third to half the viewership in that genre. In markets like West Bengal, the share of reality shows has dropped by half.

The other major bit of news is the rise of news channels in Indian languages other than Hindi, even while the share of Hindi news dropped somewhat. That is not surprising. Almost every major broadcast network in the country has launched news channels in Marathi, Tamil and Telugu, among several languages. Since these would have a more local flavour, people prefer to watch the news in their own language.

The report makes a basic point. That, when it comes to understanding consumer behaviour on television, the weekly highs and lows in TVRs do not matter. It is the long-term trend - channel share or genre share over several quarters - that really shows what is happening in the broadcasting business.

© 2009 Business Standard

Merry Christmas

2009-12-24T20:57:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas to all the Members and Visitors of MyBMM and BMMfriends

UTV to launch a Hindi action movie channel on January 1, 2010

2009-12-23T02:21:00.001-08:00

UTV Global Broadcasting is all set to bring in some New Year cheer for audiences and advertisers alike, by rolling out an action movie channel. Called UTV Action, the channel will be rolled out on January 1, 2010.

Following the launch of UTV Action, the company will pull the curtains down on its existing movie channel UTV Bindass Movies, which was launched two years back. The movie channel will showcase fast-paced and high-octane Hollywood movies, dubbed in Hindi. Alongside, some of the latest action movies from Bollywood will also be broadcast.

Speaking to afaqs!, MK Anand, chief executive officer, UTV Global Broadcasting, says, "Analysis of performance of what works better with the audience within the movie space indicates that it's action flicks that are popular and deliver better, in comparison to comedy or romance. With the movie business getting bigger and with the market maturing; the generic movie platform will have to pave the way for genre-specific offerings. And the best opportunity and prospectus in such a scenario lay within the action genre."

Also, dubbed Hollywood hits, such as Avatar and Spiderman, drive home the truth that the genre has universal appeal.

Anand points out that the decision to launch an action movie channel also made sense, because when it comes to sourcing content, UTV is well placed with a strong movie library, courtesy its two existing offerings, UTV Movies and UTV Bindass Movies.

The channel is hopeful of clocking almost 30 GRPs in the first quarter and achieving a break-even in the first year. On the distribution front, the broadcaster is clearly eying C&S 4+ audience, and claims to be present in equal measure in all the TAM markets.

At the same time, the channel head explains that given the genre of the channel, it would be skewed towards male audience in the age group of 15 years and above. As a result, UTV is targeting TAM C&S A and B towns, with population of more than 1 million.

In the first month of its launch, UTV Action will showcase 15 titles, comprising Men in Black, Black Hawk Down, End of Days, Bad Boys - II, Grudge, Vertical Limit, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, Desperado, Godzilla, Blade, Ab Tak Chappan, Border, Chandni Chowk to China, Race and Pirates of the Caribbean - Curse of the Black Pearl.

Without sharing the investment pumped into the channel or revealing the cost of acquiring Hollywood and Hindi movie titles, Anand informs that the company enjoys good business relations with all the top Hollywood Studios, and will continue to acquire new titles with a window period of 18 to 24 months. For getting the rights for Bollywood hits, he sees no major change in the company's existing relationship and terms of business with the vendors.

On the advertising front, UTV Action is expected to draw both audiences and advertisers largely from news and sports genres. The channel claims to be one of its kind, having embraced action as a genre, and expects to find its own ground among the other Hindi movie channels, including SET Max, STAR Gold, Zee Cinema, Filmy, as well as UTV Movies and UTV Bindass Movies.

UTV is promoting the channel with a three-week marketing campaign, which will be kick started in January itself, with the launch of the channel. The communication message in the entire advertising campaign is based on the theme, Be Prepared, which urges viewers to get ready for an action-packed adventure. The campaign has been conceptualised by TapRoot India.

In addition to promoting the channel extensively on its own network, the broadcaster has booked as many as 3,500 (10-second) ad-spots on 20 other channels, across multiple genres. It has also taken up 300 outdoor sites across Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Ahmedabad and Lucknow.

Besides the media blitzkrieg announcing the launch of UTV Action, the channel is getting into a five- city hunt for the best freestyle footballer from India, who will be sent to the 2010 FIFA World Cup finals in South Africa, as part of a talent hunt called Red Bull Street Style.

In an attempt to reach out to the trade fraternity, UTV Action is getting into an Action Weekend activity, where it will offer lucky winners the opportunity of skydiving in a foreign location.

HUL to pay brand royalty to parent

2009-12-22T01:14:00.000-08:00

Hindustan Unilever (HUL) will pay parent, Unilever, royalty on use of some brands.

In a statement to the Bombay Stock Exchange today, the fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) company said it would pay 1 per cent of net sales for using these brands, the trademarks for which are held by Unilever. The agreement will take effect from January 1.

The board also approved amendments to the existing technical collaboration deal with Unilever to include product categories where technical inputs are provided by Unilever. The agreement would include products of specified categories manufactured by third-party manufacturers where technical inputs developed by Unilever were made available to them, the company said.

The revised TCA and the trademark licence agreement would enable the company to continue to leverage Unilever's capabilities to further build and grow the business in India, HUL said.

HUL first signed a technical collaboration agreement with Unilever sometime in the mid- to late-nineties, and has been paying royalty of 1 per cent under this arrangement since then. No trademark royalty was being paid by the company.

Brands owned by Unilever and licensed to HUL include Lux, Lifebuoy, Ponds, Vaseline, Dove, Surf, Close-Up, Sunsilk, Brew, Axe and Clinic. By some estimates, HUL is likely to pay a royalty of about Rs 90 crore, based on a turnover estimate of Rs 18,000 crore for this financial year. So, if 50 per cent is the contribution to sales by these brands, then 1 per cent of that is Rs 90 crore, say analysts.

The stock price of HUL was marginally impacted following the statement by the company. The stock price came down by Rs 2.2 or 0.8 per cent to close at Rs 265.8.

The practice of paying royalty to the parent for using its trademark is not unusual in the FMCG sector. Companies such as Nestle, GSK and Colgate-Palmolive pay royalty between 3 and 5 per cent for using the trademark owned by their parents.

While the company did not specify the brands, sources said the amended agreement would include categories such as soups which are currently not included. Personal care is already in the existing agreement.

LinkedIn's first Asia-Pac office in India

2009-12-19T21:03:00.000-08:00

LinkedIn, the largest professional networking site is getting its India act in place. With India becoming one of the fastest growing regions, LinkedIn has set up its India office in Mumbai, its first in the Asia Pacific region. The site has close to 50 per cent of its users from outside of the US. India has 3.4 million users of the 55 million user base globally.

Other than appointing Hari Krishnan as the Country Manager, LinkedIn has also pulled in Nayan Patel, who was the director of strategic partnerships for LinkedIn in Mountain View. Patel will be the director of operations at LinkedIn India.

Arvind Raja, Vice President International, LinkedIn, says: "India would be our first office in the APAC region. We have always had a global audience with half of LinkedIn's members coming from outside India. We were never physically present at several of the geographies, especially in the fast growing region." Other than India, the firm is also opening an office in Australia.

For Krishnan, 2010 would be the year of laying down a solid foundation for the company. "India is already a sizeable revenue base for India. But now we want to focus on the value that LinkedIn can provide for its users. Most of the top Indian corporates are on LinkedIn and use it for sales and marketing," he adds.

Among the user groups, Mumbai University from India leads the number followed by Delhi University. Among the Corporates the Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Infosys Technologies and Wipro account for a large user base.

The company will have a three-pronged approach in India. That would be to build awareness, engagement and monitisation. "The reason is, though we have 3.4 million users in India they are also beginning to do lot more other things on LinkedIn. For instance, there are 30,000 user generated groups in India. That is interesting as users are getting into collaboration mode, they are getting into professional conversation. Also with this focus we not only our own business but also make LinkedIn a productivity tool to build their business," says Krishnan.

LinkedIn has three revenue major offerings - subscription, advertisement and LinkedIn Software-as-a-service (Saas). These are also available in India. In order to cater to the Indian user the company will come with a subscription model that is specific to India. "It is true that we do not offer a lot of subscription models. But that will change. Some offerings will be tailored according to specific audiences as well as according to geographies. We are looking at this. One of the early focus of Hari and his team will be evaluating these models," says Rajan.

The other exciting and relevant space for India is the mobile segment. LinkedIn recently launched an application for Blackberry and already has applications for iPhone and Palm Pre. "India will be a key market for mobile solutions. Other than launching app's for mobile platform we would broadbase our offering to reach a larger audience. We are already working on this," says Krishnan.

Other than the professional users, the LinkedIn India team will focus on the students' community. "I think the relationship between the students and alumni is not well-developed in India and we will look at some of these services. Last year, we introduced an initiative in the US, and the response was good. We might look at that as well," says Krishnan.

© 2009 Business Standard

Cartoon Network makes comic books available on mobile

2009-12-16T20:45:00.000-08:00

Cartoon Network has tied up with a Mumbai based mobile entertainment firm, Nazara Technologies, which will convert the print version of comic books related to characters such as Ben 10, The Powerpuff Girls, Johnny Bravo and Dexter, for mobile consumption.

The comic strips will be available for download on GPRS-enabled handsets for variable charges such as Re 1 for a day, Rs 10 for a week and Rs 30 for a month. The download facility will be accessible only to subscribers of Airtel, Idea, Reliance Mobile and Tata Docomo.

Later, a downloadable application will also be launched, which will enable consumers to download a complete comic book.

"Mobiles and mobility are an integral part of a kid's lifestyle these days. About 63 per cent of kids use a mobile phone at least once a week in India, as per Cartoon Network's New Generations study," says Siddharth Jain, vice-president and deputy general manager, distribution and business operations, South Asia, Turner International India, in an official communiqué.

Although few cartoon character owners such as ACK Media, Raj Media and Diamond Comics have already extended their content to the mobile platform, and mobile operators such as Airtel and Tata Docomo have launched their dedicated comic portals, the mobile comic books market is still in its nascent stage.

According to an industry estimate, the size of mobile comic books market has not even touched the figure of Rs 1 crore as yet. Comic content owners usually have a 15-20 per cent of revenue sharing arrangement with mobile operators.

For the record, Airtel launched its dedicated mobile comic portal in October 2009 on the Airtel Live platform. It offers comic strips of more than 300 Indian and international comic characters such as Akbar, Birbal, Popeye and comic strips supplied by Amar Chitra Katha. Tata Docomo has a mobile portal called Comix on-the-go, which offers more than 2,000 comic titles related to characters such as Mickey Mouse and Winnie the Pooh.