Trends that defined brands' world

We get honchos in four arenas that shape up a brand, to talk about the trends that either took roots or grew stronger this year

Abhijit Avasthi
Ex-Ogilvy and Mather

On a hiatus currently, he quit O&M, as its executive creative director, after growing through the ranks for almost two decades. Is contemplating something of his own that would give credence to insights he has picked up over the years

• e-Commerce took off: So, advertising around e-commerce also grew. We might be still learning the digital ropes, but brands experimented like never before.
• New women-centric spate of ads: Be it Titan Raga, Cadbury Bournvita talking to the mother or even some of the automobile ads, brands realise that women with increased spending power are a strong audience. And, no more in the singular role of the housewife that Lalita ji had portrayed.
• Long-format gained momentum: Be it the Nescafe film or the Google ad on India's first voter. The restrictions on TV ad inventory and the resultant high costs will lead to longer ads on other media.
• Spurt in sports marketing: Sports marketing went beyond cricket like we hadn't seen before, with the standouts being the kabbadi league and ISL (soccer). So, we will have heroes from other fields; whether it is celebrity endorsement or having sports as a backdrop -- every second commercial will not have to be about cricket now.
• Strategic political advertising: This year set the tone for formal political advertising. This would get reflected beyond general elections of this year, in future elections, say of the state, city councils. Political advertising went mainstream with agencies turning in professional work, more than just pure sloganeering and more of insight-based advertising. Even digital was used to get an advantage.

Sudhanshu Vats
Group CEO, Viacom18 Media

Responsible for all their brands/businesses, including broadcasting. He was a Hindustan Unilever veteran for 20 years, working across its many brands and up the corporate ladder to leave as the vice-president the laundry business, South Asia. He is director on the board of IBF (Indian Broadcasting Foundation), director on the board of BARC (Broadcast Audience Research Council) and chairman of the National Media and Entertainment Committee of CII

• Optimising advertising: The ad cap rule was the single biggest occupier of mental space for a lot of marketing professionals. While news and music channels were most affected, general entertainment rose to the occasion. Advertisers optimised what they spent on for better returns without expanding funds
• Grabbing eyeballs through content: Content innovation scaled new highs with experimentation in sub-genres. Audiences are returning to their favourite channels rather than shows. So, Zee Zindagi's realistic family drama enjoys its special viewership just as crime-fiction such on COLORS.
• The second screen: No more is the second screen limited to another TV nor flooded with reruns. With smartphones and tablets flooding Sec A&B, content for these is bespoke, opening up greater avenues for monetisation. Broadcasters amplified interest during ad-breaks via these second screens on digital and on-ground.
• Tech it easy: Distributors, operators and broadcasters have begun to revisit subscription models. Better signals has resulted in growing number of channels, bundling of channels and new premium channel launches. The transition from analogue to digital cable is predicted to grow by 25% or Rs 9 crore in four years.
• Measure it right: Digitisation is expected to clear the air on consumption patterns. TAM updated systems to measure TV viewership and BARC has evolved metrics too.

Aleya SenSharma
Director and co-founder of Chrome Picture

Created some well-remembered ads. Recent examples include the Visa Womens Education, the Lifebuoy Gundappa and the Google Reunion ads. Has a slew of awards to her name such as the 'True Awards' for Production Design from Lowe Lintas, ProMax Asia and BDA World Gold Awards

• Long versions of ads have worked in favour of creative aspect for directors. Clients are more willing to see the cinematic value in a script.
• The digital revolution in advertising was awesome this year. It helped us to explore more. The concept of only TVCs can convey a product's traits has faded.
• Brands are also using economies of scale better by grouping the making of TVCs together and shooting them at one go, for better quality, rather than create one or two seasonally.

Ajit Andhare
Chief operating officer of Viacom18 Motion Pictures

With the studio since inception, produced 'Queen' this year among other films and 'Bhaag Milkha Bhaag' last year. Before heading the studio, his production company created TV content such as 'MTV Roadies' and 'MasterChef India'. Had been a Unilever hand in Asia for 12 years.

• Content is king and queen: Audiences are evolving faster than filmmakers. Viewers today want to break away from the cliched. Queen's unique narrative, powerful characters and effective marketing delivered a fabulous word-of-mouth, pushing it into the elite Rs 100-crore club. Coming-of-age films like the LunchBox, 2 States and PK emphasise the same.
• The economics of sex: Mardaani, Mary Kom and Highway, three women-oriented films caught the nation's attention. Then more filmmakers found faith in the fairer sex. Women actors are considered as bankable as their male counterparts with an increasing number of production houses hedging on the trend.
• Smart plans: An alternative revenue stream, thanks to India's improving international relations, is film syndication. We spent much of 2014 exploring this. Bhaag Milkha Bhaag set a new scale of success, and continues its international run with a release in Japan in 2015. Other movies to follow suit such as Gangs of Wasseypur, Kahaani etc.
• Wild west: One of the key learnings from the west is that franchises are here to stay. Opening as the second-biggest Hollywood film of 2014, Transformers - Age of Extinction received a thunderous response from viewers, while being the third-biggest opening weekend for a Hollywood film in India. This epic franchise has an ever-growing fan base and revenues that multiply year on year in the region. Films like Amazing Spiderman 2 and X- Men Days of the Future Past are also testimony to the same. Successful franchises like Dhoom, Golmaal are the desi versions.
• Breath of fresh air: Viewers embraced fresh talent this year. The success of films like 2 States, Ek Villain and Humpty Sharma ki Dulhaniya is testimony to the growing demands for new talent in the industry. Some studios are providing platforms to showcase one's talent in acting or direction.