The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) on August 28, 2008, issued a circular to industry players, announcing that the bidding of vacant channels of FM radio in Phase II be cancelled. Instead, ‘a combined tender be floated in respect of vacant channels of Phase II and channels of Phase III’, the MIB circular stated.
Consumer durables advertising in print dipped by 20 per cent during the first half of 2008 as compared to the corresponding period of 2007. Television sets had the largest share of the consumer durables advertising pie in print during the period. LGEIL was the No. 1 advertiser in print, while Samsung Bio Sleep was the most advertised new consumer durable brand in H1 2008.
Organised laundry business in India is set for a major boost with Wardrobe launching its operations in Delhi with an aim of setting up a pan-India network of an ultra modern chain of dry cleaning and laundry stores. The company will be investing Rs 150 crore over the next five years on expanding the operations to 1,000 retail outlets in 30 cities.
Million Words Media Pvt Ltd, which has two publications for children – ‘Million Words’ targeted at the 8-15 age group, and ‘Little Words’ targeted at the 3-8 age group – is now introducing online versions of the two magazines in two weeks’ time.
The FIPP/ABM International B2B Conference 2008 got underway in New York on September 7. Spread over three days, the Conference is covering areas like traditional magazine publishing, licensing and partnering, digital media, workforce transformation, integrated selling success, the face-to-face experience, custom publishing, etc.
Bennett, Coleman & Co Ltd. (BCCL) has acquired a stake in Manhattan Communications (India) Pvt Ltd through Times Private Treaties. Manhattan Communications specialises in total marketing solutions, which include advertising, branding, public relations, marketing (media, interactive, ATL, BTL) and events in India.
R Sridharan, who recently quit Business Today as Managing Editor, is joining Economic Times TV as Senior Editor. He was with Business Today for close to 12 years. He was simultaneously the Editor of Harvard Business Review South Asia.
Krishna Prasad has been elevated as Editor of Outlook magazine. He will report to Vinod Mehta, Editor-in-Chief of Outlook magazine and also Editor-in-Chief of Outlook Group.
The Indian Cricket League (ICL) is all geared to embark on a brand positioning campaign before its upcoming tournament on October 10, 2008. ICL has planned a 360-degree campaign and has allocated Rs 40 crore for this campaign, which will span the next three months. ICL agencies DraftFCB Ulka and Madison Media are behind this campaign.
English movie channel HBO is all set to go commercial free in India very soon as it is in several markets globally. The channel is reportedly in talks with distribution platforms already in this regard. exchange4media finds out whether despite the growth in digital homes HBO would be able to sustain this move in India, given the market dynamics here.
In times of rising inflation and an economic slowdown came the news of Big Street, the OOH venture Reliance ADAG, making an upfront payment of Rs 79 crore to MMRDA to bag the 10-year outdoor advertising rights for Mumbai’s first Skywalk. exchange4media spoke to some leading OOH players on the significance of this contract for Big Street and implications for the OOH industry.
The word has been out for a while and now Partha Sinha has made the move too. Sinha has put in his papers at Publicis, where he was Chief Strategy Officer for the Southeast Asia market. Even as his destination next is not decided yet, majority bets are on BBH India.
Even before the Indian advertising industry could get over the hangover of GoaFest 2008, the Advertising Agencies Association of India is already planning for the festival next year. JWT India’s CEO Colvyn Harris has been given the mandate to handle GoaFest 2009. Harris said that in its fourth year, the attempt is to make GoaFest the “biggest, brightest and best ever”.