Pushed to a corner by broadcasters, the embattled TAM boss says: “This is an absolutely false claim! Let the broadcasters give one example of TAM not having responded to their queries because ultimately they are our clients”

BestMediaInfo Bureau | Delhi | June 10, 2013

LV Krishnan

What is your first reaction on the withdrawal of subscription by so many channels at one go?

Even as there were issues, we were unaware of such an action coming. We responded to every query received by us. So we are really perplexed to see this kind of reaction. The way to resolve it was to come to the table and give us a certain time to come up with a solution. The problem is that nobody is coming back and saying that these are the three or four issues they have that need to be deliberated upon. Many people have said that the methodology is wrong or TAM is not transparent enough or TAM is not working with the industry body. But on all these three counts, nobody has actually pointed out what is wrong with the methodology and how it needs to be corrected. In fact, the entire documentation on methodology has been made public. The second aspect is transparency. Our entire process is documented and we have put it put on our website.

We want the industry to wake up and see the facts. Why don’t they create a committee just like they did during the DAS implementation phase when IBF, ISA and AAAI created a Core Industry Committee to work with TAM to achieve the process to be followed before the data came out? So, all it takes for the industry if they have any issue with TAM is to form a committee to introspect TAM from the top to the bottom and see if they can arrive at a solution. This kind of aggressive stand is not going to help anybody.

Broadcasters complain that their concerns and complaints have not been responded in a way it should have been besides the serious fluctuation in the data which have forced them to take such an extreme step. How do you respond to these accusations?

This is an absolutely false claim! Let the broadcasters give one example of TAM not having responded to their queries because ultimately they are our clients. We don’t make our clients’ issues and our responses public. The fact is that we have helped every broadcaster to understand the data and resolved their queries. There may be a possibility that some of our answers may not have been liked by broadcasters but there has not been a single issue of TAM not responding to any complaint.

Will TAM continue to report the data for the channels that have withdrawn their subscription?

It depends upon our parent companies, how they take a call on this. From our perspective, the show will go on and the data will come out.

Do you think the timing of the decision has anything to do with 10+2 ad cap?

10+2 ad cap will result in more time spent on content which will increase the viewers’ engagement and ultimately yield better ratings. It is a separate matter whether the viewers will like their content or not. But I don’t think blacking out the data will help the broadcasters in any way. By stopping the TAM subscription, they will not be able to understand how the viewers are receiving their content with lesser advertising. In my view, if 10+2 ad cap is one of the reasons behind their decision, I think this is an absurd reason.

Do you relate BARC issuing RFP with the broadcasters withdrawing from TAM considering that they have both happened on the same day?

RFP is a result of RFI and TAM is also a party to it. And I don’t see any relation between these two. However, you are free to read between the lines!

Do you think BARC will be free of such problems?

Frankly, all ratings systems have issues like small sample size, fluctuations in data and impact of changing environment. No system in the world is free from such problems. The object is to address those issues and for this every stakeholder needs to come together for a positive outcome.

What will happen to subscription revenue stream of TAM?

Obviously it will come down and financially it is a blow.

So, if all broadcasters are united against TAM, what’s the way ahead?

They are the media houses. They own the majority voice in the marketplace. So the 10 broadcasters will have bigger voice than one TAM. The question does not arise about fighting with them.

Has the overdependence on TAM data created a faulty ecosystem?

People get very emotional about data in this country. We are just saying that this is how a channel stands in terms of popularity. But that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t do any other research to substantiate TAM data. Like BBC also conducts PAC surveys and Cartoon Network and Doordarshan do their own studies. So, when there is so much research options available, it’s up to broadcasters to use which at a given point of time. Why only focus on TAM as if it’s the only available research in the marketplace? I see it as a lack of maturity. Having gone through all these phases, probably a couple of years down the line we will be more mature to understand the use of research data.

Is it the end of the road for TAM with the evolution of BARC and do you regret for not doing enough to meet the industry’s expectations?

We have never stopped expanding. We had about 3,400 people meters about five years back and now we have 9,500 meters. If we would have been dependent only on our own funding, we would not have gone so far. We have done what we could have done step by step with the given revenue stream. So, from our perspective, there is no regret as such. For client servicing also, we have a 50-people team to ensure none of the queries go unanswered.

If you talk about the desired 25,000 people meters, that would have also been an achievable target over the course of time. When we expanded recently to LC1 markets, people started saying why did you expand as the ratings in those markets are comparatively lower. When we had 3,400 meters, there were demands for 10,000 meters and that was not possible overnight, so we reached that level over a certain period of time. We started measuring digital in 2007 and now we measure terrestrial and cable – both analog and digital. We smoothly moved from analog to digital recently. There are so many things that have happened but nobody talks about them. All they talk about is that some broadcasters have complained.

How tough was your experience as a CEO of TAM Media Research?

To head any research organisation which involves multiple stakeholders/industry is not an easy task, be it TAM, MRUC or BARC or any other agency in the future.

Also read: 

Broadcasters cry foul, leave TAM high and dry in fast-paced endgame

TAM gets a shot in the arm with AAAI rooting for current system

Advertiser can’t advertise without television ratings: ISA

Info@BestMediaInfo.com

Other stories in this section

• Interview: Keertan Adyanthaya, MD, NGC Network India & Fox International Channels
• “English GEC genre has become more relevant post DAS”: Anand Chakravarthy
• Interview: Rahul Johri, SVP & GM – South Asia, Discovery Networks Asia Pacific
• Interview: Anuj Gandhi, Group CEO, IndiaCast
• Interview: Ritu Kapur, Programming Head, History TV18, A+E Networks | TV18

“There is going to be high growth in the regional space. We cater to such fractionalisation by providing the channel in multiple languages. Currently we have 5 languages and going forward we would love to be present in every possible Indian language”

BestMediaInfo Bureau | Delhi | May 29, 2013

Keertan Adyanthaya

It’s been over three years that you have headed factual entertainment channels at Fox International. How has your journey been so far in terms of achievements?

The journey has been fun, like the tagline of Fox Traveller. On a serious note, it has been a pretty productive experience. We launched Fox Traveller and took it to the top of not only travel and lifestyle genre but also the English entertainment genre. We launched our entire portfolio in HD and made sure that our channels are available across all digital platforms. We strengthened the National Geographic Channel at a time of increased competition in the infotainment category. We aggressively distributed our channel from the beginning of digitisation in smaller markets also. We travelled from 8 hours of locally produced content every year to 100 hours. Today, NGC and Fox Traveller have over 3 million fans on Facebook. And last but not the least, the wonderful team I work with is a huge achievement for me.

Anything that you think you could not achieve?

We want consistent leadership in every genre we operate in. While National Geographic Channel managed to beat Discovery for a few weeks last year, it couldn’t sustain the leadership. That’s one thing that I want to do and we are working towards that goal.

Now that entire country will soon go digital, where do you see the factual entertainment genre five years down the line and how prepared are you to cash in on the new environment?

We see digitisation very positively for the entire television universe. Earlier we were struggling with absence of sufficient bandwidth, hence the quality was suffering. Now without those constraints, television consumption is bound to grow specially the genre in which we operate into. Our industry changes so fast that predicting anything for five years is not very realistic. We look at 2-3 years… In my view, with time and technologies, there is going to be high growth in the regional space. We cater to such fractionalisation by providing the channel in multiple languages. Currently we have 5 languages and going forward we would love to be present in every possible Indian language.

As for English viewership, I don’t see that much growth like we see in language viewership. The English-speaking population is about 14-15 per cent in the country. I would say that English viewership is very much like our taste for international food that Indians want to eat once a week. Rather, the younger audience consumes English content in a big way as they like to go to McDonald’s and Domino’s on a daily basis. The majority of older audiences consume content in their own language. When the younger audience will grow older, they will be back to their own language.

As a network, we never believe that we deliver English-speaking audience. We deliver audience… the audience of SEC AB, 15+ years who matter for advertisers. We keep a close eye on growing viewership in a particular language and once we find that the viewership is large enough to support the cost of dubbing, we launch the feed in that language. Currently we have a single advertising beam for all the languages but in future, when we have a large enough viewer base to acquire separate licence for each regional market, we will have separate ad revenues for each market.

How do you compete with the English entertainment and English movies genre?

Factual entertainment is way ahead for English entertainment and neck and neck with the English movies genre. To grow more we need to make content more relatable and accessible. We need to make it a two-way kind of communication by interacting with our viewers through various activations. Internationally, infotainment channels do far better than in India. Even as we are neck and neck with the English movies genre, our ad rates are much lower. This is also an area where we have to work hard.

Among all the brands of Fox International in India (National Geographic Channel, Fox Traveller, Baby TV, Nat Geo Wild, Nat Geo Adventure, Nat Geo Music and National Geographic Channel HD), a few are already household names, but some  are yet to pick up. Do you see digitisation helping to provide a big push to them?

We don’t believe in carriage fee based model at all. So we stayed away from spending tons of money on carriage unlike many other channels. Worldwide we operate as a pay television network and paying huge monies to cable operators in India is completely contrary to our worldwide model. Now, with the possibility of carrying 800 channels in DAS regime, we see that viewers and cable operators will be hungry for content and then our segmented channels will be in demand and grow eventually.

There are still several channels under Fox International that can find space in India post complete digitisation. Which channels do you see having a stronger potential to write another success story?

We believe that we have a pretty effective portfolio. With digitisation taking place across the country, this is a phase of consolidation and may be after a year and two, we consider introducing new channels. We are evaluating and nothing has been finalised yet.

Do you think the Indian market is mature enough to accommodate segmented channels, especially for brands like Baby TV? If not, how much time would the Indian market take to attain that maturity?

Talking about Baby TV in particular, it definitely has a great potential because India has the highest number of babies born every second. It teaches little babies about colours, shapes, alphabets, nursery rhymes and also teaches your children to express. This is the only channel available for toddlers. This is a pay channel with no advertising at all because we believe that the children at this age should not be exposed to advertising. Hence this channel‘s expansion is completely driven by subscription revenue. Similar is the case with Nat Geo Music which is all about discovery of different forms for music. We are re-looking at its positioning.

I think the Indian market is maturing now. With digitisation, the choice has shifted to consumers’ hands. They will consume content and channels like they consume any other item depending on their choice of brands. As we go forward, many of the niche and segmented channels will not be supported by advertising as much as they will be supported by subscription fees. If you ask about timeline, I’d say, it will take two to three years to reach that level.

Household names like Nat Geo and Fox Traveller may be advertisers’ obvious choice but how difficult is it when it comes to monetize more niche and segmented brands besides the subscription revenue model?

As you go more segmented, like for example Nat Geo Adventure, while it may not have so much advertising support, what we may do is to perhaps have a tie-up with adventure sports or an adventure tour & travel company and offer customised adventure holidays and sell that on the channel. So there are various models of getting revenues and we have to explore those models. Each channel will have to look at it in a different way.

Is the factual entertainment genre already getting a bit crowded?

Yes, it is crowded but that is a part of every business. There will be competition in every genre and especially in India, we see maximum competition in comparison to the rest of the world. Considering the expensive entry and huge effort and investment in production of shows, you will see only large global networks like us operating in in the factual entertainment genre.

According to you, what are the three things that are key to the success of a factual entertainment brand/channel?

Distribution, distribution and distribution! Well, this is the most important criteria. Clutter-breaking content is the second key to success followed by interactivity or two-way communication.

Info@BestMediaInfo.com

Other stories in this section

• Interview: LV Krishnan, CEO, TAM Media Research
• “English GEC genre has become more relevant post DAS”: Anand Chakravarthy
• Interview: Rahul Johri, SVP & GM – South Asia, Discovery Networks Asia Pacific
• Interview: Anuj Gandhi, Group CEO, IndiaCast
• Interview: Ritu Kapur, Programming Head, History TV18, A+E Networks | TV18

“Last year wasn’t a great year for India. But this year, too, I did not see great commercials which can go and make a mark at Cannes. The weakness is that although we come up with great ideas we have very poor execution”

Shachi Tapiawala | Mumbai | January 14, 2013

Santosh Padhi

Santosh Padhi, Co-Founder of Taproot India, has been rated by people like KV Sridhar ‘Pops’ as the best art director in the industry. This year, Paddy, as he is popularly known, has just been appointed to the prestigious Executive Jury of the New York Festivals International Advertising Awards and also as Jury President at Adfest 2013.

Along with his colleague and other Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer, Agnello Dias, he has driven Taproot to the topmost league of Indian creativity. Paddy started his advertising career 18 years ago. After a 10-year stint at Leo Burnett, he started Taproot with Aggie, and it was ranked amongst the Top 20 Independent Agencies in the world in a Cannes Survey last year, and also rated as the ‘Best Performing Agency from India’ at Adfest 2010. Global advertising giant Dentsu took notice of the strength of Taproot and bought a 51 per cent stake in the agency last year.

Shachi Tapiawala of BestMediaInfo.com caught up with Paddy for a free-wheeling interview where he talks about Indian creativity, global ad standards, what makes Taproot tick, etc. Excerpts:

How would you describe Taproot India’s journey in 2012? Was it your best year since inception?

I think when we started in 2009, it was the best. 2010 was better than 2009. So, gradually we started getting better. We got more people on board. But definitely we have to pass 2013 and have a great 2014. So if you ask me, 2009 was the best year since our inception.

You have just been appointed Jury President for Adfest 2013 and made a part of the Executive Jury of New York Festival. How does it feel?

I have judged many advertising awards shows like Cannes, Clio, NYF, Adfest before, but for the first time I have got an opportunity to be a Jury President and I am already feeling the pressure as I need to hold the entire jury together. But I am excited at the same time.

The big industry news of last year was Dentsu buying into Taproot. What has changed post the acquisition?

I think when we got into this acquisition, it was already decided that since we were looking out for a merger, there was a very clear principle on which it had to happen: that they would not interfere in our work pattern. And that is what even Dentsu agreed to. In other words, when things were not working out for us, we would approach them and they have stood by whatever they have said. As for financial support, I do not think they have completely taken over Taproot as it is not a 100 per cent acquisition – and that’s what we wanted because we know how to run the company and we would like to continue like this. We always wanted to keep this control as we have a big commitment to the company.

Has the pure creativity that you and Aggie (Agnello Dias) are known for become somewhat curtailed because of your being a part of a large entity like Dentsu?

No, in fact I think for NourishCo, the JV between Tata Global Beverages and PepsiCo India. We both have jointly pitched for it. We have come together to strengthen ourselves and do something better.

We have seen a lot of combined business acquisitions by Taproot-Dentsu. How is this arrangement working out?

NourishCo is the only project in which we have worked together. We will come together as and when needed in future as well.

Do you see more independents like Creativeland Asia and some others selling out to big network agencies?

Some people have the vision to continue the way they think it is right. We thought it was the right time for us to join hands which would make us stronger. So, it all depends upon the agency and the company as to what they want to achieve and their overall vision. It is very difficult for me to say what is right for another agency as it is completely upon them.

Let me embarrass you a bit…Is Taproot only about Aggie and Paddy? There doesn’t seem to be a second line of defence or a creative B team in the agency…

I would not say it is about Aggie and Paddy because when we started working, we got younger blood who were far more aggressive and wild and were able to hold their point, it worked better for us and every work that came to Taproot. If something is needed in a week’s time, at times it’s impossible for the two of us to do everything, hence the brief goes to other team members. It’s like a Dhoni alone cannot win a cricket match unless other cricketers in the team also perform well – and that is what we are doing at Taproot.

Coming to your second point, we are trying to invest in new talent as it is very important for us to find junior Aggies and Paddys who can carry forward the Taproot philosophy for a longer period of time and provide better work to the world.

After a poor Indian performance at Cannes Lions in 2012, you were of the view that Indian creativity is growing at a much slower speed in comparison to other countries. Now with the opening of entries for 2013, are you hopeful when you look at the work this year?

Last year wasn’t a great year for India. But this year, too, I did not see great commercials which can go and make a mark at Cannes. In the past nine to ten month, from what I have seen, we don’t have great TV or integrated campaigns but we have always been doing small little things that have surprised the world and I hope India keeps doing these small little things.

What is the key differentiator when you compare the standard of Indian creativity with the rest of the world?

Our market is very different compared to the US or the UK as there is a very lateral behaviour. Whereas in India, when you travel 2 to 4 hours there is a change in language, taste, preferences and mentality. I think it is a very complicated country and somehow I would like to thank the senior people who have managed to crack these regions. Somehow in 40-odd years we have managed to crack this complexity and that is a great achievement. So when you try putting this case study to a foreigner, they would think ‘You guys are something else!” We as an industry have lots of strengths and weaknesses. Our strength is in our ability to crack the complexities of the Indian market, as I said. In the South we have Tollywood that works, and in the North there is a Dabangg kind of mindset.

The weakness is that although we come up with great ideas, we often fall short in execution. We are not even close to what the global standards are. We need to do a lot to match up and catch up. But some of the ideas we have produced are mind blowing! When it comes to execution we lag as we want to take the idea by replicating it and finish it before the deadline.

For Taproot it has become almost routine to pick up major international and national awards – 3 Gold medals at Effies, Cannes Lions, Abbys… What is the secret behind this success? I mean there has to be something that is working much for the agency…your comment please.

Taproot has considered every brief as an opportunity and every time we get a brief, we try to beat our past record and raise our bar. We believe in the philosophy of Great Work= Great Monies, Great Work = Fame, Great Work = Awards and Glory. So, every time we get a brief, we try and convert it into fabulous work.

Now that India is embracing new technologies gradually with the rise of digital advertising, is it likely to impact the conventional grammar and mindset of creative people like your colleague Agnello Dias and many others like him?

Some years back, print was the lead medium in India and TV had not developed. Suddenly everyone was able to afford it and found it entertaining, so all those people who did long copy transformed themselves not the mediums! Around 80 per cent of the people delivered. I do not feel the time has come yet when digital has become the medium. But the day that happens, the creative people will transform from TV to digital. I think that is the time when the digital medium will become a hero. I think every medium has challenges and we need to overcome them.

May I ask you which TVC or ad campaign of 2012 did you like the most and remember the most? Any reasons why?

It would be unfair to mention just one. I liked the Cadbury Gems ‘Umarless’ campaign; it used a humorous storyline to reach out to a different target audience, the older people, that they too like to have Cadbury Gems. The insight of the brand was to expand their category audience and hence switched on to the older generation too – whenever there is chocolate, a 30-year-old man would also behave like a kid! This is what Cadbury has experimented with. I feel more big brands should break the barrier as it is not only about an agency replicating a TVC idea and getting a relative share. Whenever you do something drastic, people would appreciate it. Apart from that, I loved the Tanishq Diwali ad campaign and the Parallel Journey of Nike. There are a few pointers which grab your attention and those campaigns have it.

Shachi@BestMediaInfo.com

Other stories in this section

• Interview: Michael O’Rourke, President of International Awards Group/New York Festivals
• Interview: Alisun Armstrong, Executive Director, AME Awards
• Interview: Santosh Padhi, CCO & Co-Founder, TapRoot India
• Interview: Kitty Lun, Chairman & CEO, LOWE China
• Interview: Matt Seddon, CEO, Saatchi & Saatchi India

“The jury members we invite realise they have a responsibility to serve not only their agencies but the industry at large. They take pride in what they do and do a tremendous job with respect to awarding great work and ultimately raising the bar in terms of what’s considered great advertising”

January 8, 2013

Michael O’Rourke

Michael O’Rourke has been at the helm of the International Awards Group/New York Festivals for four years now. It is one of the world’s most prestigious awards for creativity, and has entered its 56^th year. As the call for entries for honouring the World’s Best Advertising in 2013 has opened, O’Rourke speaks to BestMediaInfo.com on what makes this one of the most difficult awards to win, and the unique jury process as well as Indian creativity.

It’s been four years since you took charge as President of International Awards Group/New York Festivals. What are the accomplishments that you are most proud of?

Developing a team of talented, dedicated and knowledgeable staff who all have a tremendous amount of respect for the industry in which we serve.  Any agency is only as good as the team it assembles and NYF believes in this same ideal. Over the last four years, we have made significant strides on many fronts, from the structure of our competition, the process and pool of jury members that have joined us, our efforts to promote our winners and the education of the future of the advertising industry.  Collectively, we have continued to adapt alongside an ever-changing landscape and because of this, the winners from the New York Festivals provide a true representation of the world’s most creative forms of communication.

This is the 56^th year that New York Festivals International Advertising Awards honouring the World’s Best Advertising has opened for entries. To what do you attribute the competition’s longevity, and what makes NYFA unique from other awards shows? How has the competition evolved over the years?

The fact that NYF has been around for almost 56 years speaks volumes about the organisation and our dedication to awarding great work.  We pride ourselves on many things, one of which is evolving and adapting.  As a service provider to the industry at large, we focus on continuously learning and acting on the valuable feedback that our entrants and jury members provide.  As a result of this, we were able to create an entirely unique entry process and judging procedure unique from any other show.  With the creation of the Executive Jury featuring over 30 chief creative officers from around the globe, we felt it was important that we allow them to evaluate all entries across all mediums.  This culminates in a true representation of the work being awarded within our industry, across all platforms.

Consumers are expecting branded entertainment such as video and other free online content from brands. Can you elaborate on NYF’s new category ‘Branded Entertainment’ and why this competition was added to NYF’s roster?

What began with product placement has since evolved into various forms of what the industry calls branded entertainment.  The idea of branded entertainment has taken on new life for brands with the advent of original online content such as YouTube, where brand communication meets entertainment.  In addition to this, there are projects that are often the result of a content partnership between brands, broadcasters, and cross-platform media integration deals.  In evaluating what our competition previously offered, we realised that the demand is there for such a competition within the NYF Advertising Awards and have created a more accurate platform for this type of work to be received.

Big ideas across several platforms seem like the norm for a brand’s campaign, and agencies are creating what the consumer wants to achieve the goals of the brand. Has the creative mix changed dramatically over the past few years? What approach are you seeing in entries that achieve top awards? What per cent of the creative mix is marketing based, digital platform based, or based systematic applications? We know it varies from brand to brand; however, can you give a few examples?

While the amount of channels to target the consumer has increased, it has also fractured the consumer in terms of your opportunity to reach them.  Consumer habits have change significantly. But, any successful campaign today has achieved what any successful campaign 20 years ago did.  And it has done so through the key fundamental of any piece of communication, the idea.  Simply utilising multiple channels doesn’t mean it’s going to work.  The key difference today is measurability, allowing agencies to adapt a campaign based on consumer feedback and response. But at the end of the day, the idea reigns supreme and without it, you haven’t reached that message’s potential no matter how many channels you use.

2013 marks the third year for NYF’s Executive Jury. How do you continually secure Global CCOs who are some of the industry’s  the top thought leaders  to spend four days sequestered judging NYFA’s entries?

The jury members we invite realise they have a responsibility to serve not only their agencies but the industry at large. They take pride in what they do and do a tremendous job with respect to awarding great work and ultimately raising the bar in terms of what’s considered great advertising. For us, we’re given the great honour of assembling such a talented and respected group of industry thought leaders from countries all over the world. To anyone outside the industry, sitting in a room for four full days of intense evaluation and deliberation sounds painful. To the NYF Executive Jury, it’s the complete opposite. You find yourself having to kick them out of the room at the end of the day. Their passion and dedication is what allows us to award the world’s best advertising.

Considering the diversity and localisation of the work in India, how do you see the Indian market in comparison to the other markets worldwide?

Obviously, the market in India is incredibly large and diverse which always presents more of a challenge in creative communication.  In that regard, we’re seeing more visually driven campaigns win awards at NYF from India, particularly in the print and outdoor competitions. In comparison to other markets worldwide, India is a market that is clearly in a fast transition and India’s success increases with each year at NYF.

After India’s poor performance at Cannes Lions 2012, a lot has been said about the raised standards of advertising worldwide. What do you expect from India this year at NYFA?

Each year we are seeing the standards raised and I think the industry benefits tremendously as a result.  The ultimate goal for us is to provide a platform where industry leaders can set the standard and raise the creative benchmark. The professionals that dedicate their valuable time to judge are the key decision makers in this.  We employ the judges to judge fair, but judge tough.

Do you expect more Indian entries this year at NYFA?

In our view, since India has had a poor performance at Cannes this year, Indian ad agencies will look forward to NYFA for international recognition. We have made several key enhancements to the blueprint of our competition, thanks to intense research and crowd sourcing with industry thought leaders. With a restructured category base, a judging scoring process unique from any other show and of course the creation of the NYF Executive Jury, we are confident that NYF has established itself as one the industry’s premier award shows.

How does New York Festivals International Advertising Awards engage future generations of advertising creatives and why is it important to invest in the next generation of advertising stars?

Showcasing the award winning work is the ultimate goal.  Providing young creatives with an opportunity to engage with the NYF winners is a crucial part of what we do in terms of educating the future of the advertising industry.  In 2010, New York Festivals began the NYF Media Center programme at various universities around the world. These centres showcase the World¹s Best Advertising across all 14 competitions, providing university students studying marketing and advertising the unique opportunity to experience the award winning work from the New York Festivals International Advertising Awards. Featuring screening rooms, print galleries, interactive work stations and a library of Advertising Annuals, the NYF Media Centers provide the future of advertising with a source of education, entertainment and inspiration.

Content is provided annually, allowing the university students to witness the evolution of award winning ideas each year.  To be able to provide the future of advertising with unprecedented access to the most creative form of communications is something we’ve dedicated a tremendous amount of time too.

Who initiated the The World’s Best Idea Award and what qualities does a campaign need to earn that title?

Every award show presents an award by medium which is considered to be the best of the best within that context.  We are no different.  We present Grand awards to the best presentation of a campaign across any given medium.

But the reality is, each year there is a campaign that truly differentiates itself from anything else that¹s been done. It’s a message; it’s a campaign that captivates the attention of both the jury and the average consumer unequivocally.  The World’s Best Idea represents a campaign that people won¹t forget for a long, long time, it¹s a message that people pay attention to and engages people in a way that keeps their attention and changes their way of thinking.  And in the world of advertising, changing consumer behavior and their way of life is something that never really played into the original brief. It used to be about selling product, but now consumers are knowledgeable and well informed, educated and provided power, so what can you do to effectively change human behaviour. The World’s Best Idea represents those efforts.

Recently NYF announced a partnership with the Berlin School of Creative Leadership, to offer an exclusive scholarship for New York Festivals Executive and Grand Jury Members, the Helga and Michael Conrad Scholarship for New York Festivals Jury Members. Can you elaborate on this exciting opportunity for NYF’s juries to receive a scholarship to attend the Berlin School’s part-time global Executive MBA Creative Leadership Program?

Today, effective leadership is critical to great work in all creative industries. The Berlin School¹s mission is to turn great creatives into great creative leaders.  And having a creative CEO in every creative business is the Berlin School¹s vision.  After all, being a creative person doesn¹t default to one being a creative leader. There is a huge difference. The industry of creative communications evolves at such a rapid pace, requiring the need to continue to learn and adapt. Berlin School’s Helga and Michael Conrad Scholarship for New York Festivals Jury Members speaks volumes in terms of its dedication to improving the industry standard and establishing stronger creative leadership as a result. We are and continue to be honored to be part of this initiative, and share this excellent opportunity with our Executive and Grand Jury members.

Our jury members play such an integral part in terms of what we stand for, and together with the Berlin School, this is just another opportunity to show our appreciation for those who dedicate their time to improving the industry at large.

Info@BestMediaInfo.com

Other stories in this section

• Interview: Santosh Padhi, Chief Creative Officer & Co-Founder, Taproot India
• Interview: Alisun Armstrong, Executive Director, AME Awards
• Interview: Santosh Padhi, CCO & Co-Founder, TapRoot India
• Interview: Kitty Lun, Chairman & CEO, LOWE China
• Interview: Matt Seddon, CEO, Saatchi & Saatchi India

The Business Head of BIG CBS Network says that media agencies need to recognise this change as there will be a difference how channels and genres are used by advertisers and sold by broadcasters following the increased segmentation and fragmentation

Shachi Tapiawala | Mumbai | January 7, 2013

Anand Chakravarthy

With digitisation almost complete in the three big metros, in the post-DAS scenario, 90 per cent of people have a digital set-top box in Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata. The number of 100+ GRP channels has seen a drop, while there has also been a reduction in channels originally delivering zero TVR. English GECs have been the highest gainer with 45 per cent growth. The 45 per cent increase in absolute share for English GECs is the highest among genres, making English GECs even more relevant post-DAS. In conversation with Shachi Tapiawala of BestMediaInfo.com, Anand Chakravarthy, Business Head, BIG CBS Networks, highlights how mass channels are skewing even more and the prominence of English GECs. Excerpts:

Now that TAM has resumed release of data post DAS, do you see any major viewership trends emerging?

One of the biggest things which happens with DAS – and this happens worldwide – is that it has changed the way viewership happens. If I take the three DAS markets of Mumbai, Delhi and Kolkata, collectively they had about 10 million homes which were analog and digital. Now there are 10 million homes which are fully digital. Secondly, after 95 per cent penetration in Mumbai, Delhi and Kolkota, suddenly every home has a set-top box through which consumers can watch 200+ channels. I would say that the medium is no longer a television; it is a monitor as majority channels are accessed through the set-top box remote, and the television remote is just a mode of switching on the television set. Thirdly, I would say that no longer are the channels of the same genre on different points, that is the music channels are all put together and so are the entertainment channels, movie channels and sports channels, etc.

The advantage we see here is that the 10 million homes in Mumbai, Delhi and Kolkota are watching more channels and no doubt there is a fragmentation in viewership. In fact, as an advertiser, if I planned to include 15 channels earlier, I would now include 20, leading to a big change in the media pattern.

Which genre is the biggest gainer post DAS and at whose cost?

The fact is that different genres have gained and some have not. The English GEC genre has a share of 45 per cent now, the youth GECs are at 30 per cent, and English movies at 19 per cent. It is not about what channels are available to viewers – it is now about a change in the pattern of viewership. Most of this is at the cost of English music, Infotainment, Hindi music and I would say Hindi movies to an extent. The Hindi GEC spectrum is very limited and the franchise is large. They are always available across all networks, but when we enter phase 2 comprising 38 more cities, we will see a large change in shares.

I would say that the top two leading genres have dropped in terms of shares because they have been here so long and now, since there is new content available, people spend more time on watching what is new and what interests them.

What does this trend mean in terms of media planning in the new scenario?

The different channels and genres used by advertisers, sold by broadcasters and incorporated by media agencies need to recognise this change. It is also exciting because some genres are going up while some have seen a drop. Broadcasters need to ensure that they are prepared for eventuality and advertisers for leveraging opportunities.

Would you say that there is increased segmentation and also fragmentation vis-à-vis genres?

Yes, definitely! And it will only increase.

In the English Entertainment genre, which channel or network is the biggest gainer?

BIG CBS Prime without any doubt.

Since you claim that the English Entertainment genre has gained the most, is that an indication that the legacy leaders – primarily Hindi GECs and Infotainment channels – are under pressure?

Not Hindi GECs, I would say Infotainment and English music. Remember it is not what we are saying, it is the TAM data. It provides a holistic perspective as over here we are not talking on a channel level but a genre level. The GEC spectrum is always a hindrance but now, in phase 2 which consists of 38 cities, it would be different.

From the BIG CBS point of view, are you planning any initiative or campaign to tackle the entrenched mindset of the media planners? If so, what kind of campaign are you planning?

It is very important for media planners to understand how growing genres give better ROI, so when there is a decline, you know how much you can give them. The typical thing I would do is watch the No. 1 channel. But when it does not account for the largest chunk of shares, you look at No. 2 or 3 also. Within a genre, too, there would be a set of channels you would prefer to watch. So, from a holistic point of view, while talking to clients, it is best done on communication basis and not one-on-one. That means going out and meeting people, talking to them about your plans and leveraging PR to speak to clients. We are also trying to do many interesting things such as arranging a Round Table Conference, calling experts from different parts of the media industry who can talk about experiences and markets like the UK. The idea is to create more awareness and education versus just ratings of a brand. We will plan an initiative to convey this message.

What kind of CPRP (cost per rating point) changes have you noticed?

In the English Entertainment genre, if there is a network like ours which was 100, it has come to 75. Amongst the networks, if I bundle two channels, then the advantage would be even more. Channels which blocked shares at the current rate, the CPRPs have moved higher. So, depending upon the loss and gain in shares, the CPRPs are moving in the opposite direction and that is what planners should also take advantage of while looking for better ROI.

Is there now a CPT (cost per thousand) advantage vis-à-vis Niche Print given the increased reach of the English genre? Please elaborate.

Certainly. If you look at the overall reach of the English Entertainment genre even in the DAS markets, our national circulation is far more. So taking into consideration all the networks, my entire DTH platforms, the overall reach of the channel is far more that Niche Print. Additionally, the categories which were not advertised on the genre now become a great advantage for ROI and reaching out to audience.

Info@BestMediaInfo.com

Other stories in this section

• Interview: LV Krishnan, CEO, TAM Media Research
• Interview: Keertan Adyanthaya, MD, NGC Network India & Fox International Channels
• Interview: Rahul Johri, SVP & GM – South Asia, Discovery Networks Asia Pacific
• Interview: Anuj Gandhi, Group CEO, IndiaCast
• Interview: Ritu Kapur, Programming Head, History TV18, A+E Networks | TV18

“India is a robust market but complex too and one has to navigate it well. I would really like to see the entire suite of Discovery Channels here in India at some point of time”

December 3, 2012:

Rahul Johri, Senior Vice President and General Manager – South Asia, Discovery Networks Asia Pacific

12 years and still counting with Discovery Networks! How would you describe this journey?

It’s been a fascinating journey. We started with just two channels – Discovery and Animal Planet and they weren’t doing well initially. We were having some challenges and we were restructuring the business. When you revamp the business, you look at how well structured your decisions are? Starting from our Ex-Managing Director Deepak Shourie’s tenure, our decisions have played out well till now. It is really a hearting thing that we did the right thing at right time that helped the business grow.

In an industry that sees a fair amount of attrition at the top, what in your case makes the bond so strong and long?

Discovery is the best place to work in.  I enjoy working here. It’s more about challenges, initiatives and opportunities that kept me excited every day. There has never been a dull day in this office.  The greatness of this company is that it is a bottom-up company where nobody gives us instructions. We decide here from this office what we have to do for India but of course we have to convince people. So whatever we decide, we are able to implement.  If you see over last 4-5 years, we have launched  5  new  channels , 4 new languages  across  multiple brands  so we have really managed to expand  the operation.

Every career sees ups and down and particularly in these 12 years did you face the same?

There is no any business which does not have challenges. The key lies in how well equipped are you to handle those challenges. Because we have the freedom to take the decisions to navigate those challenges, it has been very interesting. Of course, the economy goes up and down but the good thing is that we have been able to hold our ground and able to expand our business.

Any revenue pressure from International headquarters?

There is no such pressure. Usually, people misconstrue that term. Every business has to grow and we managed to grow. It could be any kind of management, be it the local owner or investors outside the country, they expect returns from the business and delivering on expectation is really the key.

Have you been to fulfill all the expectations?

If I haven’t, I wouldn’t have been sitting here.

Under your leadership, we have seen several new channels from Discovery Networks? Is there any particular strategy behind this expansion in the Indian market?

Strategies could be very simple. One has to engage the Indian viewer much more. Today 65% of Indian population is of 30 years of age. Today you might be fashionable, you might be contemporary but how do you get fashionable or contemporary is by the virtue to know more. Today if you see the Indian Television landscape, who is providing the appetite of knowledge? It is the Discovery Network. Discovery Network has always been on brands and that is our key. Being on the brand we deliver the viewers what they expect from us. That is what has played out well for us and that’s why our ratings continue to grow. That is why people relate to the Discovery brand. We have Discovery Turbo, Discovery Science, Discovery HD, Discovery Kids and Animal Planet, TLC and Discovery Channel and if you see each of these channels, these all channels deliver to a clear cut slice to the audience, and it’s that fine target which has really played out for us.

Are we likely to see more niche channels from the network? Can you share some details on the timeline?

You can never say ‘No’.  India is an expanding market.  We are at the cusp of digitalization. Metros are already digitalized, which open opportunities for us because the bandwidth constraint of analogue cable is not there anymore. I would really like to see the entire suite of Discovery Channels here in India at some point of time.

Do you see any specific content worldwide which is yet to enter India but is capable to make space here?

The future of TV lies in specialized content and more well defined content. Not one channel will be providing you all kind of contents. If you go to a magazine store you find magazines on men, women fashion, kids, computers , telephone etc.  The same will play out in television because the television space will have very-very targeted focus and we are really preparing for that. Which is why we are having Discovery Turbo, Discovery Automobiles, Discovery Science and we have Discovery for kids etc. We are getting into a pay TV scenario where you should have specialized content according to the viewers need for what they are paying.

Is the Indian market fertile enough in terms of profitability for niche channels if you compare it with other international markets? There are quite a few today…

India is one of the key priority markets in the world of Discovery. That is why we expanded here and if it was not that then how would we be launching our new channels.  India is a robust market but complex too and one has to navigate it well.

Among other factors deciding the ad revenues for a channel, TRPs are always the most important factor. Is the absence of TAM data for more than 2 months affecting your revenues or impacting any of your channels in any manner?

This doesn’t effects us any ways for sure.

We saw the closure of BBC Entertainment and CBeebies complaining about the delay in digitisation. What’s your take on this?

Digitisation is happening in India. We are pretty confident that India will go digital. India is long-haul country and one has to be patient.  Discovery is operating here for last 16 years and we only go from strength to strength.  We are pretty sure about it.

How is digitisation going to help niche channels?

Analogue cable had the constraint on carrying over 60-70 channels and in a whole digital world you can carry up to a thousand channels. We are one of the largest content generators in the world and we have that ability to bring that content and so sometime back we were discussing about expanding our portfolio. If compare the ratings of our specialized channel’s on the basis of digital vs analogue, all our channels are much better in digital because of availability.

What are the plans keeping digitization in mind?

One may look at October 31, 2012 as the onset of digitization, but for us the digitization of India started when first DTH operator started operating. Today, 33% of our homes are DTH homes so 33% of India is already digitized. As far as we are concerned that number is growing, so we started planning our operations to be suitable for the digital environment   5 years back.

Did the strong competition like Fox ever bother you much?

We believe in doing our job well and that has been our strength.

Discovery has been the leader in factual entertainment genre over the years. How have you managed to hold this position in a strategic sense?

Discovery has always been the best brand in the factual entertainment genre and our approach has been to be on brand.  We don’t chase ratings for ratings sake. We will always be on brand and we will always do the right show. There have been times when we have debates in the office that we know our show which is absolutely fantastic, but we also know that it would not be the highest rated show. There are sections of audiences which will really like us, but it would not be the highest rated show. However we took a decision that if Discovery will not run the show then who will? We have taken these decisions at times and we really get the reward for that.

Do you see HISTORY TV 18 as a challenger?

As said earlier we do our work. Today we are way way ahead of them. We are focused on ourselves. We look at every TV channel as a challenger.  When a viewer picks up remote, he or she has the choice of all 300 channels. We are operating in that ocean and we look at every channel as a competition.

Recently you added one more feather in your cap – Media Person of The Year. Discovery Network has won several international accolades. What does an award mean for you? 

I’m grateful to the people who have given me this honour. Awards are important. The award is really a testimony to the quality of work.  We’re seen as a mainstream media company which has navigated the Indian market place well and that is why these awards are testimony and important for us, because it gives recognition to our work.

What is your forward looking statement from here?

To keep growing our business and presence of our company and touching as many lives as possible.

Info@BestMediaInfo.com

Other stories in this section

• Interview: LV Krishnan, CEO, TAM Media Research
• Interview: Keertan Adyanthaya, MD, NGC Network India & Fox International Channels
• “English GEC genre has become more relevant post DAS”: Anand Chakravarthy
• Interview: Anuj Gandhi, Group CEO, IndiaCast
• Interview: Ritu Kapur, Programming Head, History TV18, A+E Networks | TV18

“I don’t think TDSAT order to resume the placement fees is going to make a big difference. However, the decision will effect smaller channels”

BestMediaInfo Bureau | Delhi | October 23, 2102

Anuj Gandhi

We have been hearing the points of view from every stakeholder on digitisation except distributors who are actually the bridge between broadcasters and cable operators. Now that the digitisation deadline is almost here, what major challenges do you foresee?

Challenges for the aggregators like us remain the same as it was in analogue. We have to ensure the carriage, right placement and right packages of the channel.

What’s your take on the recent judgment passed by TDSAT that sets aside restrictions put on MSOs by the Telecom Regulatory Authority on placement fee, number of channels and carriage fee?

TDSAT has compared cable to DTH and said that if there is no restriction on carriage and placement fees on DTH, then there is no reason for it to be there on cable. In my view, since there is no regulation on placement fees, it will be as per the negotiation between operators and broadcasters. However, the bundling of all channels from the same genre will ensure that the placement fees are not as high as earlier. Also, as DAS does not have the demand and supply problem of bandwidth, I don’t think the placement fees is going to make a big difference. However, I think the decision may bring more challenges for the smaller channels which are not a part of aggregators as the placement and carriage fees for them can go anywhere.

What are your concerns about the packages being offered by cable operators? Are you satisfied with the tier options created by them?

I’m largely satisfied with the packages being offered though I think some of them could have been better. Clearly my interest remains in packages which drive the ARPU up.

As a distributor, what are your observations on the preparations to meet the October 31 deadline? Do you see any difference in operators’ approach as the deadline comes closer?

Now that everyone has a clear picture of DAS happening, every party is working to ensure the smooth transition. Operators are busy installing STBs and deals are happening smoothly. The whole industry is helping each other to meet targets.

How do you defend the charges labeled by operators that major distributors are not working in their interests and exploiting the situation?

If you take a look at the number of deals signed between every major aggregator and every major MSO in the last 40 days or so, you will find that such charges don’t exist on ground. If there would have been any conflict, no deal would have been done. We have completed 70 per cent deals and will close the rest before the deadline.

Do you agree with the government’s claim that 87 per cent digitisation has been achieved?

Government claims this data as reported by the MSOs and LCOs. The gap has to be kept in mind that there are a lot of second and third TV homes and that number is not known by operators in most cases. Such numbers will come later and that may be huge.

What do you think will be the major changes after completion of the first phase of digitisation? Will a smooth transition help make the second phase of digitisation easier?

We need to worry about how the cash flow will be managed post digitisation. Till now the cash flow was dependent upon lumpsum deals with LCOs. Now the money charged from consumers has to flow back to MSOs and it may take more than six months to make everything work properly. Finally, we need to start focusing on the second phase and the challenges will remain the same. However, accepting DAS as a reality will make the process smoother.

Info@BestMediaInfo.com

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“History TV18 has carved a niche for itself with its edgy and differentiated programming mix featuring shows with greater emphasis on creating fact-based entertainment, thrill and action formats that appeal to a much wider audience”

October 18, 2012

Ritu Kapur

It’s been a year of History – a year of differentiated content and of expanding the factual entertainment genre since the launch of History TV18 in October last year. The youngest factual entertainment channel witnessed success from the first week of its launch and kept itself on track as it completes a year this month. BestMediaInfo.com spoke to Ritu Kapur, Programming Head, A+E Networks | TV18 on the journey and the road ahead for the channel. Excerpts:

As you celebrate one year of History TV18, what would you say are the main achievements of the channel?

The last one year has been quite fascinating, we witnessed accomplishments and have had a healthy disrespect for established rules of the game and have challenged the same. Immediately after the launch, History TV18 accelerated growth for the entire genre from 2 per cent and 15 per cent in 2010 and 2011 to a whopping 29 per cent post launch. The channel now reaches over 72 million viewers and is available in over 55 million households across the country while reaching a million fans on Facebook.

We are consistently No. 1 in time spent per viewer. History TV18 delivers the highest time spent per viewer at 26 minutes against Discovery’s 25 minutes and NGC’s 19 minutes.

The Greatest Indian, our first local production in India, generated enormous buzz over a three-month period with over 20 million votes coming through missed calls and online. The campaign also sustained a healthy engagement on social media platforms reaching over 20 lakh Facebook users through viral content. A large number of interesting comparisons and discussions followed on Twitter with hashtags related to the initiative trending consistently and reaching over 2 lakh users daily.

What have been the main differentiating factors in the content of History TV18?

The channel has carved a niche for itself with its edgy and differentiated programming mix featuring shows with greater emphasis on creating fact-based entertainment, thrill and action formats that appeal to a much wider audience. The other sub-genres that have worked for us have been information and technology, topical and tactical programming like ‘60 Hours’, ‘102 Minutes that Changed America’, etc. Apart from this, India-centric content has found reasonable traction.

Being present in different languages was one of our key differentiators which helped us grow the entire genre. It has been one of our greatest strengths.

Do you still see any gap or shortcomings in terms of programming?

What we would really like to have, whether acquired or produced locally, is a series that has a capability to sustain viewer interest on a long-term basis. This will also help us allow to strip the same (run it every day at the same time), thereby building viewer traction for a particular time band. We are focused on this and are sure that we will be able to crack something in the near future.

The channel’s content is almost entirely foreign. Going forward, are we going to see more Indian/local programming?

There are strong research-backed insights on why factual entertainment channels depend on foreign content if we may call it so. Audiences are used to and expect a certain kind of programming from themes to visual appeal to production quality and values in these channels. That’s precisely the reason why they come here. And global productions, given their budgets, production values and thematic ideas, allow for the same.

Having said that, History TV18 has already begun local production initiatives starting with ‘The Greatest Indian’. Going forward, we will engage in more such initiatives so far as we are able to mount them in a way the audience would like to watch them. We also have a lot of India based content in the mix; in fact, ‘India Unlimited’ is a special stunt that we will start this Diwali.

The channel claims to have expanded the factual entertainment genre since its launch. But NGC and Discovery also fall in the same category. So what is History TV18’s USP vis-à-vis them?

Besides what I have already said before, History TV18 also has a very distinct look and feel, which is as refreshing as it is innovative. Also, we have considerable breadth of content cutting across genres of factual entertainment, be it adventure, wildlife, contemporary history, action, survival, food, travel, which is unparalleled.

We also have a great affinity with premium and young audiences, compared to the others in the genre.

Has the channel been able to achieve its targets in this one year and where do you see when it completes three years? What will be the focus from here on to maintain the momentum?

We are well on our way to achieving our targets as far genre growth, market share, revenue, etc., go. The focus will now be to consolidate our leadership in the 1mn+ town class and expand our footprint to all-India. We will also continue to strengthen our programming mix with width and variety. Local initiatives are also being planned. We plan to replicate the success of ‘The Greatest Indian’ through similar innovative and path-breaking concepts

History TV18 will continue to excite, enthuse and push the envelope in terms of a differentiated, clutter-breaking, world-class programming mix; and thus grow the genre.

Which specific programmes have given the highest eyeballs in the first year?

We have had a variety of shows that have done well in the last one year, such as ‘Pawn Stars’, ‘Targeting Bin Laden’, ‘Food Tech’, ‘Ice Road Truckers’, among others.

Talking about advertisers, what major change do you see in their response in one year?

I think for most advertisers the factual entertainment genre is a key category. It is very positive for them to see this genre grow in recent times where fragmentation seems to be the norm. This genre also allows clients and advertisers to take chances with innovative brand solutions and differentiated properties as the risk is not very high as in the case of big-ticket properties of more mainstream channels.

Do you feel the factual entertainment market has reached saturation point or is there scope for more channels in the genre?

Genre growth is the key for any category to accommodate more players. Until the same happens, I think all players will tent to only cannibalise audiences. This has been our agenda since launch. Also, other factors like yield increases for this genre are very important, else sustaining many players will be a challenge.

Info@BestMediaInfo.com

Other stories in this section

• Interview: LV Krishnan, CEO, TAM Media Research
• Interview: Keertan Adyanthaya, MD, NGC Network India & Fox International Channels
• “English GEC genre has become more relevant post DAS”: Anand Chakravarthy
• Interview: Rahul Johri, SVP & GM – South Asia, Discovery Networks Asia Pacific
• Interview: Anuj Gandhi, Group CEO, IndiaCast

“In keeping with our desire to stay in touch with our entering community, we increased our performance categories, expanded our programming categories, and added some craft categories. Our categories and eligibility rules fit today’s worldwide production demands for global programming”

BestMediaInfo Bureau | September 11, 2012

New York Festivals, now in its 56th year of honouring the World’s Best TV Programs & Films, has announced its 2013 competition Call For Entries. Rose Anderson, Executive Director, New York Festivals International Television & Film Awards speaks in length about the competition. Read the full interview:

What makes the New York Festivals International Television & Film Awards unique from other television or film competitions?

Great question! We want to honour the very best TV and film being created around the world today. There are no geographical boundaries for talent and innovation, so we have no boundaries in our entry process. Our entrants come from hundreds of production companies around the globe and embody the wide spectrum of programming – news, sports, entertainment, promos, films, and brand/corporate image – being made today. Like the Olympics, our competition has a worldwide scope. For example, in last year’s competition, we received feature films from Germany and China, prime-time drama from the US, New Zealand, Spain, Japan, and Ukraine; reality shows from Singapore, Canada and the US. Documentary entries came from world leaders in over 25 countries: CNN, PBS, DW-TV, NDTV, ITV, WDR, NDR, NBC, ESPN, RTE, HBO, Televisa, Zee News, ZDF, ORF, National Geographic and Discovery. And the medal-winners covered a wide variety of subjects ranging from Albert Maysles’ and Sir Paul McCartney’s “The Love We Make” to ZDF’s “On the Trail of Easy Rider – Born to be Wild.”

News and sports coverage submissions ranged from breaking news of the Arab Spring, recovery from earthquakes in Japan and Haiti to specials commemorating the 10^th anniversary of 9/11; and the creative services entries inspired viewers  everywhere – from AstroMBNS,  Fox Italy, HBO, Turner Latin America, Canal Plus in Spain, Showtime USA, BBC Worldwide, NBC Germany, NBC Italy, Walt Disney, NBC Entertainment  USA, Warner Bros International,  Televisa, Starz, Discovery, National Geographic, Sky Italia, MultiScreen Media in Mumbai, Turner Argentina, CBS News, EPIX, TNT, i-Cable, Canals Globosat, MLB Network, Channel One Russia, ESPN, Bravo, Syfy – to stay tuned with their out-of-the-box promotional campaigns .

We received pre-eminent communications films, event venue productions, business theatre and upfront presentations The Edge UK, St. Louis Rams, Kansas City Chiefs, CBS News, Lockheed Martin, HBO, Kaleidoscope, NFL, Wilder Films, NDTV, May Events, World Wide Pictures UK, Mercator, Kemper Kommunikation GmbH, Vogel AudioVision GmbH & Co. KG, ZIGGY Mediahouse GmbH, OPIUM effect GmbH, Group.IE GmbH, Frische Brise Film GmbH, weareflink GmbH. The 2012 medal-winning stories were seen by audiences around the world – from Abu Dhabi to New South Wales.

Our agenda is simple: to celebrate the achievements of the many talented men and women who make up the worldwide creative community.

How does your background as an award-winning broadcast producer influence your strategy to guide NYF’s TV & Film awards into the future?

Rose Anderson

Well, that’s why they hired me! Producing and directing live events no doubt have shaped my perspective on how you do things. There is no substitute for discipline, preparation, teamwork and focus. Paying attention to detail at that level gives you a flexibility that lets you respond to what’s happening. Since what’s happening in the television and film industries today includes the availability for viewers to have access to content anywhere, any time, on any device, here at New York Festivals we want to be open to what the industry – both in the content sphere and the technology area – is doing, and respond in a timely fashion to the need for recognising innovation in all of the growing areas of programming and storytelling.

In 2010, the NYF TV & Film Award forged a strategic partnership with the annual NAB Show. What does this relationship between two iconic brands offer award-winning entries and individuals attending the awards ceremony?

Having the NAB Show as our Official Partner puts our award winners in the midst of more than 90,000 media professionals from over 150 countries at the world’s biggest digital media show. It’s a great marketplace of ideas and of course the Grand Awards Showcase that takes place the day after the awards gala – part of NAB Show’s Creative Masters Series – is a great press opportunity. Our strategic partnership brings together today’s award-winning content creators with game-changing technologies for tomorrow. The fact that our winners and the NAB Show attendees come from all over the globe makes it a “sweet spot” for all.

What’s new this year for the Television & Film Awards?

We took a look at the way we list our categories and freshened up our own terminology to make it more current. And, in keeping with our desire to stay in touch with our entering community, we increased our performance categories, expanded our programming categories, and added some craft categories. Our categories and eligibility rules fit today’s worldwide production demands for global programming.

This year you also initiated an improved online entry process. Can you discuss the impetus for this new process?

We want to use technology to make it easier for our entrants, mirroring their own production methods. We are transitioning to a file-based entry system. That means that now you can upload your entry – even if it is a full-length HD programme. So, no more paperwork or duplication – just enter and upload. In the past, file sizes had to be much smaller in order to be uploaded and that meant documentary films or other programmes had to be sent to us on DVDs. Not the best delivery system for the 21^st century!

What is the rationale for creating new categories and how do these new categories offer an ROI for the entrants?

Today’s storytellers not only have a wide variety of topics to explore – and a wide net of casting possibilities open to them – but also the many  technologies at their disposal offer  a new way of telling those stories. The new categories offer a better fit for what they are doing without being too arcane. We allow submission in multiple categories and I ask entrants, “If you earn a medal, what category would you want engraved on the award? What are you most proud of?”

In the last few years you have streamlined the TV & Film Awards competition categories while adding innovative new categories that respond to worldwide trends. Can you touch upon the relevance of these new categories in the ever-changing television industry?

Producers and directors are always experimenting – and their driving curiosity was why we added a category this year for innovation – something digital or mechanical that enhances the viewer’s experience and understanding of a programme or by advancing or adding impact to the storytelling.

Last year, we added a category for Heroes – ordinary people whose actions touch the lives of people and set an example for others to follow – a natural outgrowth of the increase in human interest stories being reported worldwide and reminding us all of the power of a single individual to respond to a problem in his or her community.

In 2010, we added a category to honour exceptional work in telenovelas, ‘Latin America’s greatest contribution to the television landscape’ per Joaquin Blaya, former President and CEO of Univision. It is a leading international entertainment genre produced around the world for prime-time audiences. Our competition is open to all productions worldwide; wherever they are created and wherever they are aired, they can enter. The previous year, we introduced the category Event Venue, encompassing all arena and stadium productions – recent advances in digital technology increased the level of sophistication of those presentations, as anyone who has attended one can tell you!

Can you discuss NYF’s Television & Film Awards’ Green initiative?

For the past few years, our Green initiative has taken multiple forms. First, instead of a gala programme – involving printing and paper and transportation – we have developed a mobile app for that. NYF is committed to using technology in a creative way. This app helps both attendees and award winners navigate the creative session schedule at the NAB Show and view the winning entries easily and effectively. Second, we have added special categories for Green Promotion Campaigns – all designed to make us more energy-conscious. Third, our winner’s showcase exists online, giving additional ROI to our winners without increasing our carbon footprint.

What was the impetus for adding the new ‘Entertainment’ category in the Film & Video competition?  

With the rise of VOD, and for-sale DVDs, we wanted to include that type of programming in our competition.

What is the most important point or idea you would like entrants to be aware of when entering NYF’s Television & Film Awards?

Here at NYF, we think of ourselves as being of service to our entrants. Even before our online jury scores entries, each entry is screened by me. That level of care is very important to us. Every entry is evaluated on its own merits by our international jury. That means that for each entry, you are competing against yourself – it doesn’t matter how many entries are submitted in a given category – and so the odds are totally even. Every entry has the same chance at earning top honours. Many awards competitions are national in scope or are by invitation-only or have other restrictions limiting eligibility. Our rules make it clear: one world, one competition, one show.

NYF TV & Film Awards is known for its international jury. How do you go about selecting the jury and what qualities are you looking for when assembling the TV & Film jury?

Our Grand Jury is made up of over 200 directors, writers, actors, creative directors, filmmakers, composers and programming executives who are all award-winners themselves. They are actively involved in what is being made today. Last year, the jury members came from over 40 countries and that mix of perspectives is one of the strengths of this jury process. The most common feedback from our judges is the unique experience of viewing programmes, stories, and news on a global level. In each of our rounds of judging, the jury members view and score entries based on industry-accepted standards of excellence using a scale of 1 to 10 for the following set of criteria: Production Values, Creativity, Content Presentation, Direction, Writing, Achievement of Purpose and Audience Suitability. Jury members abstain from judging entries submitted by their companies. So, we look for wide experience and demonstrated achievement in our jury members as a way of quantifying fairness in selecting the World’s Best TV & Films.

What makes an award-winning entry trophy-worthy and what specific qualities does an entry need to have to garner a World Medal or Grand Trophy (NYF’s Best in Show)?

Our World Medal winners – and certainly the Grand Trophy winners – all demonstrated to the Grand Jury a high level of achievement – a mastery of the form. Let’s review the past few years’ Grand Awards and I think that will tell you all that you need to know. There were two in 2010: ‘Muhammad & Larry’ (ESPN) directed by Albert Maysles and Bradley Kaplan, and airing on ESPN’s ‘30 for 30’ series. The documentary is an unprecedented and revealing look at the 1980 heavyweight title fight between Ali and Holmes. ‘1001 Inventions and the Library of Secrets’ (The Edge Picture Company UK) starred Sir Ben Kingsley, the film accompanied the 1001 Inventions global touring exhibition, promoting greater understanding of the scientific heritage of ancient Muslim civilisation. In its first year it was downloaded over 12 million times worldwide.

There were also two in 2011: ‘The Two Escobars’ (ESPN) directed by Jeff and Michael Zimbalist, and airing on ESPN’s series ‘30 for 30’. The documentary investigates the secret marriage of crime and sport in Colombia leading up to the 1994 World Cup, and uncovers the surprising connections between the murders of Andres and Pablo. ‘Who We Are’ (FOXTEL), directed by Dei El-Ayoubi, was shown during The Dreaming Festival programme, Australia’s largest indigenous festival  then aired across the platforms of FOXTEL for NAIDOC Week. 

Last year, there were three: ‘The Kennedys’ (REELZ Channel), directed by Jon Cassar. The historic eight-episode mini-series starred Greg Kinnear, Barry Pepper, Katie Holmes and Tom Wilkinson. ‘Indianapolis 500 Open – A Walk Through Time’ (ESPN) compressed 100 years of history in a single lap around the track. The Indy 500 is the largest single-day sporting event in the world. Over 300,000 fans gather every year to watch what will happen at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

‘Ray Charles’ America’ (BIO) narrated by David Duchovny commemorates the 80^th anniversary of Charles’ birth and is an in-depth look at the life, impact and influence of the unconventional American icon.

What is the criterion for selecting the NYF Lifetime Achievement recipient?

Two years ago, we made the decision to recognise some of the driving forces in the television and film industry – leaders with a body of work that have made a lasting impression. Legendary documentary filmmaker Albert Maysles received our inaugural Television & Film Lifetime Achievement Award. Called ‘The Greatest American Cameraman’ by Jean-Luc Godard, Albert, along with his brother David (1932-1987), is recognised as a pioneer of ‘direct cinema’. Last year, the recipient was Geoffrey Mason, one of sports television’s most accomplished executives, who has more than 40 years of domestic and international production experience, including seven Olympic Games, six World Cups, and multiple America’s Cup races. Mason has worked for ABC, NBC, Fox, ESPN and NFL Network over five decades in the business, mentoring hundreds of co-workers along the way.

As Executive Director, you personally screen all the entries submitted to your competition. What, if any, cultural trends have you observed when reviewing entries?

Over the past three years, what I have observed as a universal trend is a shift of tempo – which translates into more information packed into the same amount of time of a presentation or piece. Sound tracks are more sophisticated, too. So, more ways to capture and hold the viewers’ attention who perhaps are multi-screening themselves. 

In what regions around the world would you like to expand NYF’s Television & Film Awards global footprint and why?

At this point, rather than a geographical focus – because we have entries from all continents – we would love to expand the types of submissions. There is so much terrific content being created that could have an even wider impact and even broader audience! For example, we’d love to receive telenovelas from all the countries which produce them.

How does the competition encourage and engage young television content creators and filmmakers? 

We do this in two ways. First, we have seven categories for student work – from Best On-Campus Station to Best Online Programme (webisodes) and student film. Second, their work is seen by the same Grand Jury as our other entrants. This puts their work in front of industry experts from around the world – and their encouragement is very generous and genuine.

How has the programming landscape changed in the last few years and has online programming become a game changer? What categories do the TV & Film Awards offer to reflect those changes?

There is no doubt that online programming has changed not only the programming landscape but the very way that all of us view the world. Our several online categories – for news, entertainment, education, sports, promotion of a website, interactive promo and, new this year, Special Event – means that producers of this genre have a go-to-space at NYF.

How has the live presentation landscape changed in the last few years and has live event technology become a game changer? What categories do the TV & Film Awards offer to reflect those changes? 

Advances in digital technology – like advanced projection and LED video technique, 3D visualisations, HD video boards – have meant that live presentations are more sophisticated in real-time. The Event Venue, Business Theatre, Innovation and Technical Production categories all address this global phenomenon.

What is the relationship between NYF and the UN?

Since 1990, New York Festivals has partnered with the UN Department of Public Information on a special award for programming. The United Nations Jury honours finalists on worldwide issues of importance that go to the heart of what the work of the United Nations is all about – improving people’s lives. Past UNDPI medalists have included ‘Law & Order: Special Victims Unit’ (Wolf Films/NBC) and ‘Ladies Detective Agency – Botswana Gem of Africa’ (HBO).  Last year, UNDPI medalists were Gold – ‘L’Arbitre’ (BDA/ ESPN), the story of three female referees in the Democratic Republic of Congo whose determination in the face of discrimination was an inspiration for  their community; Silver – ‘Jeene ki Aasha’ (NDTV), a report on dire conditions of childbirth in Central India; and Bronze – ‘Heartache and Hope Through the Viewfinder – 49 Days of Life and Death’ (Higashi Nippon Broadcasting) – the eyewitness account of the tsunami which devastated his hometown by cameraman Kenichi Chiba.

As a 20-year veteran of the television industry, what advice do you have for creative talent entering the television and film industry? You personally have won multiple awards for productions you have worked on including five Olympics. To what qualities do you attribute success in award shows?

There is no one formula of how to make a great piece of TV or film, but every great programme has a level of engagement, a resonance with the people who are watching, that was painstakingly created in the field, on the set, in the mobile unit, in the mix and was a function of passion, dedication and commitment to excellence on the part of everyone involved. At the end of the day, it is the willingness to put everything on the line that brings success.

Info@BestMediaInfo.com

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“I would love to see more representation from India; there are great ideas that deserve to be seen by an international audience”

August 6, 2012

Alisun Armstrong

With the call for entries for 2013 AME Awards® the World’s Best Award for Advertising & Marketing Effectiveness™, its recently appointed executive director Alisun Armstrong has announced several strategic initiatives designed to enhance the 2013 competition and expand AME’s global footprint.

The new initiatives include a streamlined entry process, sleek new website design, revised entry fee structure, and a roster of new competition categories that mirror trends in the constantly evolving advertising and marketing industry. In an interview with BestMediaInfo.com, Armstrong speaks in detail about the new initiatives and Indian participation:

What makes the AME Awards unique from other awards show?

We’re not the 800-pound gorilla in the room, and oddly enough I think that’s how we stand out—we’re not mired in bureaucracy. Our size lends us flexibility, lets us make big changes really quickly, and allows us to pay attention to the details and deal with people on a personal level. We’ve also got a team who’s very passionate about advertising and marketing, and with more than 100 years experience in the awards industry between us, we’ve got some unbeatable institutional knowledge.

What’s new for AME this year and what strategy do you have planned to guide AME into the future?

The most obvious change is a new look—the new skin is more dynamic, more versatile, and has a lot more personality. The old website was a bit bland, I thought; and since we’re such a dynamic competition, concentrating on not only ideas but results, I thought it was important for the brand to reflect that right from the starting gate.

We’ve also restructured the entry process. In order for our judges to get a clear understanding of our entrants’ campaigns and results, we require a great deal of information, and it can seem overwhelming. I felt it was important to organize the entry form in a way that made sense to whoever was filling it out—whether it was an experienced awards coordinator or an intern. A campaign shouldn’t suffer in the scoring rounds for obfuscation in the entry process.

Another big change is a new entry fee structure. Awards season is a busy time, with a lot of information to be gathered and a lot of forms to fill out. Based on some feedback we got through an entrant survey, we thought we’d give our entrants a little incentive to get their information to us earlier rather than later, when time is tight: We’ve instituted a tiered fee system. Basically, the earlier you get us your materials, the less you pay. For example, if you enter by August 27, about four weeks after the competition opens, you’ll pay the 2012 entry fee. But if you wait longer than that, the fees increase up until the deadline, October 22.

We’ve also got some new categories, including Sports Promotion, Branded Entertainment, Ebooks, Games, Pop-up Stores, Tablets, Low-budget, Collateral, and Print, and a new category group, Social Benefit.

The Social Benefit categories concentrate on campaigns that benefit a charity’s brand or initiatives and contribute to the greater good, showcasing advertising and marketing campaigns that promote peace, human rights, and social consciousness as well as a commitment to planetary stewardship. Categories include Civic/Social Education, Environmental Issues, Philanthropic Appeals, Promotion of Peace/Human Rights, and Promotion of Health & Human services. There’s a lot of great work being done in this area, and I can’t wait to see what comes in.

As far as the future goes, I strongly believe that if we’re going to present ourselves as the arbiters of what constitutes creative, effective marketing, we better know what we’re talking about and demonstrate it through our website, entry process, communications, and the caliber of our judges. We understand and empathize with the work our entrants do because it’s part of our lives, too. My plan is to re-evaluate and adapt, adopt, and improve every year based on what we learn every day as a part of this exciting industry so we can continue to be an expert in recognizing the world’s most effective advertising and marketing.

Is there a trend towards advertising that has a social conscience and why did you add a roster of Social Benefit categories?

I added the Social Benefit categories specifically because, yes: I do think there’s a growing trend towards marketing for good. I also added it because I think there needs to be as much incentive as possible for agencies and individuals to promote a cause or an idea rather than a thing that can be put in a box and shipped to you. And there’s already a lot of great work being done in this area, as can be evidenced by the work we saw in last year’s competition—even beyond the big winners like “Operation Christmas” and “Save As WWF”—and the people doing it should be recognized.

How important is it for the AME Awards to select regional jurors to review the competition’s entries? What are qualities are you looking for when assembling the 2012 AME Jury?

Because we’ve set effectiveness as the higher bar in the competition, it’s important that the entry is reviewed in context. Social, economic, and cultural factors contribute so much to every part of a campaign, from planning to execution to success (or failure); a judge who possesses a base knowledge of where these campaigns are coming from and the people who experienced them can offer more nuanced feedback and a more accurate score.

That being said, it’s not enough to have been born in a particular place to judge entries from there. Deciding what work earns the World’s Best Award for Advertising & Marketing Effectiveness requires the world’s best judges. Every year we build a team of top international interactive and multidisciplinary marketers, media planners, strategy directors, social media experts, and creative directors to score the entries. Our judges also act as advisors, helping us to keep the AME Awards relevant. We leverage their expertise as we look to future competitions.

What are the criteria for evaluating entries? Can you elaborate on the importance of the enhanced scoring process?

Judges evaluate each entry according to a four-tiered matrix, assigning each component a score between 1 and 10: results and effectiveness, 30%; idea, 25%; execution, 25%; and challenge, strategy, and objectives, 20%. It’s basically a formula that breaks down what makes a creative, effective campaign: a good idea with a good execution, of course, but more importantly, effective; and if it also met the clients expectations, bonus.

What makes an award-winning campaign trophy-worthy, and why is so important to be recognized in this competition?

A winning AME entry demonstrates a ground-breaking solution to a challenging marketing problem. It exhibits the accomplishment of specific marketing goals and objectives through creative execution and strategic planning.

Winning an AME Award is a virtual stamp of approval from advertising and marketing industry leaders all over the globe. Winners also receive an invaluable amount of PR and exposure as we promote them internationally through press releases, our Winner Showcases, university media centers, the AME website and our international network of media partners. It’s an incredible ROI!

What qualities does a campaign need to earn an AME Platinum Award and why is the AME Platinum Award such a prestigious honor?

To decide the Platinum winners, the full complement of judges reviews all Gold-winning work, regardless of region. The entries that make it to this round are already exemplary; those that are chosen to represent their regions as Platinum winners were able to prove to an international panel of judges that their campaign truly represented the most creative and effective thing happening out there.

What, if any, cultural trends have you seen when reviewing 2012’s award-winning entries?

The trend I see right now is community-building—social media marketing engagement strategies were a huge trend amongst the 2012 AME Award-winning entries, and companies using engaged participation dominated the winner’s circle. And that was long before Pinterest caught fire. My prediction: It will only get bigger. I expect the bulk of the 2013 entries to involve some sort of community-building or social media engagement campaign. It will be a tough competition in this area, as there is so much great work being done in service to what I’m starting to think of as the Cult of Social.

How will digital and technology continue to affect the future of advertising and marketing effectiveness and AME’s categories?

Our industry evolves at a mind-blowing pace. Just about every leap in technology represents an opportunity for our clients—almost every step forward provides marketers with a new opportunity to reach their target audience. Our challenge is staying relevant, paying attention to trends, keeping abreast of how messages are going out… all of that is key to recognizing who’s doing it most effectively.

What is the most important point or idea about the AME Awards you would like potential entrants to be aware of?

The AME Awards belongs to the marketing and advertising industry. We’re here to serve them. My big boss, Jim Smyth, has told me and my colleagues to see ourselves as custodians; the competition is not about us, it’s about curating and maintaining the best of what’s out there. We respect the work our clients create, and we work hard to make sure they get the recognition they deserve.

Which regions around the globe would you like to expand the AME global footprint and why?

We have seen disappointingly little work from the Latin America and Middle East/Africa regions, and we know good work is happening there. The AME Awards prides itself in honoring the world’s best—but if we’re not seeing campaigns from all over the globe, we’re not fulfilling our mission. And because we aim to recognize campaigns that are working on a regional and cultural basis, I feel it’s important to represent people everywhere.

How about the response from India? Please elaborate the growth in number of entries over the recent years and what are your expectations from Indian agencies?

We actually haven’t seen a lot of growth in entries from India—in fact, it’s unfortunately been the opposite. And there are some fantastic things going on, like the SapientNitro India Absolut installation at the India Art Fair last year, the widely divergent Zomato ads, all of the work happening in mobile… I would love to see more representation from India; there are great ideas that deserve to be seen by an international audience.

In your views, what is Indian advertising better known for – Creativity or Effectiveness and why?

Well, if we base it on what has won awards in past AME competitions, it’s both. There are great ideas, both funny and serious, and so many of the themes are universal. The executions are lush but still approachable. And the results are fantastic—for example, the last Indian entry to win an AME was for Teach India, a campaign by the Times of India. Their goal was to inspire people to devote two hours of their time per week helping children in the underserved population get an educational boost. They used a media mix of TV, online, print, ambient, celebrity endorsement, and on-the-ground activism to such an astonishingly successful degree that they had a waitlist of participants and the program robustly continues today.

Do you know/remember any Indian campaign which makes great case study for effectiveness and hence has the high chances of winning?

I love the ZooZoos! Especially the super hero ad—he’s more powerful than a locomotive and he can solve a complex math equation in a single bound. I know it got a lot of buzz, and I would love to see the case brief detailing the actual effectiveness of the campaign. Another that caught my eye is the Docomo “No getting away” series. Simple and clever… and universally relevant. I heard a few of the spots caused some controversy, too, which can be good for effectiveness.

But generally, a winning campaign is one that first and foremost demonstrates ground-breaking solutions to challenging marketing problems with that special blend of creative execution and strategic planning. In the end, though, I can’t outthink my judges, and they’re the ultimate authority on what would have the highest chances of winning an AME Award.

What’s your view on effectiveness and creativity?

I think they should be considered inseparable when it comes to advertising, because that’s where a campaign hits the sweet spot: Serve your audience by giving them something good, something that makes them laugh or that they can connect to or that informs them, something that doesn’t insult their intelligence or waste their time; serve your client by translating that creativity into a customer behavior that exceeds the marketing goals.

How do you as an executive director stay on top of all the evolving changes in the industry?

I read. A lot. Thank god for the internet, because I don’t know how else a body could keep up with everything going on out there. I also depend on my jury—we’ve got a lot of smart, savvy people on board, and their feedback and input is invaluable.

How will you on behalf of AME engage future generations of advertising creatives and why is it important to invest in the next generation of advertising stars?

The audience as a whole is approaching a marketing and advertising saturation point, I think. Branding, messaging, advertising is everywhere the average citizen looks—online, on their mobile devices, on television, on the street. Some even feel like they’re assaulted by advertising. The challenge today’s marketers and advertisers face is, quite frankly, getting their message in front of their target audience without pissing them off. That, in my opinion, is why rewarding effectiveness is so important; if you’ve come up with an ad that not only gets attention but doesn’t make people angry with you and even motivates them to participate or purchase, you’re doing something right. Hopefully, by promoting AME Award winners and getting them exposure, we’ll inspire future creative to do meaningful work that respects the viewer while meeting the objectives of the creative brief.

What inspires you about you being an executive director for the AME Awards and what is the most rewarding part of your job?

As an unrepentant ad fan, getting to see the amazing work done around the world is a huge reward—I might never get to see it otherwise. I love smart, funny, commercials. I also like random weird ones. I love that my job lets me read up on and look at marketing campaigns that are happening all over the world. I love that I’m tasked with keeping up with these brilliant creatives, keeping tabs on what they’re doing in order to make sure we’re offering a competition that honors their work.

The AME Awards is a business like any other business—we need to keep our clients happy and provide a beneficial service. And we understand and empathize with the work our entrants do because it’s part of our lives, too. If we’re going to present ourselves as the arbiters of what constitutes creative, effective marketing, we better know what we’re talking about and demonstrate it through our website, entry process, and communications.

And as far as support goes, I’ll come right out and say it: We have a pretty involved entry process. But all the information we ask for is really critical to the judges’ understanding of a campaign and its effectiveness. That doesn’t mean, though, that it has to be difficult to tell the story. That’s why we make sure that the office staff is well versed in the competition rules and entry forms, why we improved and streamlined the online entry process, and why we hold customer satisfaction at such a premium. We want nothing more than to have so much great work we don’t know what to do with it all. We thrive on the inspiration we get from our entrants.

Info@BestMediaInfo.com

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• Interview: Santosh Padhi, Chief Creative Officer & Co-Founder, Taproot India
• Interview: Michael O’Rourke, President of International Awards Group/New York Festivals
• Interview: Santosh Padhi, CCO & Co-Founder, TapRoot India
• Interview: Kitty Lun, Chairman & CEO, LOWE China
• Interview: Matt Seddon, CEO, Saatchi & Saatchi India