The big gets bigger…

IIPM, GURGAON

…as Reliance Entertainment steps out-of-home

The step child of advertising – out- of-home (OOH) media is finally getting its due attention, as the biggies of Media Inc. are pumping huge money to dress up this Cinderella. With more and more people staying out of their homes, advertising fraternity was quick to realise the need for the OOH format of advertising to catch the attention of the audience. According to Zenith Optimedia, the Indian OOH market is currently growing at 15-18% (compared to 9-10% growth in overall media market). Even the OOH spend (as part of the overall media spend) has also grown to 40% compared to 10% five years back. These numbers are attracting big media houses to bet heavily on this predominantly unorganised segment. Times OOH was the first big name to enter the organised OOH segment. Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group too is all set to foray the Rs.13 billion OOH market, through its new division – Big Street (arm of Big 92.7 FM).

Jayant Bokhare, VP, Business Development, Big 92.7 FM (who will also head Big Street) told 4Ps B&M, “OOH category is growing very fast and has huge potential with very few players, leading to a lot of untapped opportunity. With players like us, the quality & effectiveness of the medium will surely improve.” The plan of Big Street is simple – acquire OOH inventory across 12 cities in the first phase and provide advertising options on billboards, street furniture, multiplexes & malls. Adds Bokhare, “With Big Street, we can create world class platform for OOH by offering the best services. The focus will be on making the category more robust, streamlined & standardised.”

Even though OOH has been the oldest form of advertising, advertisers till now had never used this as a primary medium. But that’s changing now. Sectors like telecom and entertainment are often using the OOH route to communicate to consumers. In the past, DNA newspaper had used outdoor advertising as a launch tool. Even the latest Dove ads have been tailor-made for billboards and malls. That’s not all! If you thought that winning the advertising rights of the busiest Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport by Times OOH in early 2007 was outstanding, then Big Street is not sitting idle and has already acquired the advertising rights for display at Delhi metro stations. With big ticket clients like Kotak Group already in its kitty, Big Street is all set to clobber competition. However, this is just a tip of the iceberg. With TV, print & radio advertising grabbing all the eyeballs, it will be a tough road ahead for this Cinderella to maintain its oomph factor!!!

18 till I die...

Shakespeare once opined, “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” But the corporates in India don’t seem that impressed by Shakespeare on that note. Name change is in vogue these days. First UTI (now Axis) Bank, HUL & now TV18. The media giant has recently dumped the idiot box from its prefix and has rechristened itself as Network18. B. Sai Kumar, Group CEO, Network18 explains, “We’ve outgrown the term ‘Television’, as our organisation straddles continuously growing verticals in the media industry and other allied businesses. ‘Network’ is more inclusive & appropriate, and will rightly connote our ambitions.”

Network18 with its base-line ‘Enable, Enlighten & Entertain’ symbolises all the attributes of the group, which could not be communicated through TV18. Further, this is an attempt by the company to make itself the first Indian media company to have global footage. With market cap. of over $2 billion, it is the only entity to tie-up with three global media giants – NBC, Time Warner & Viacom. In the past, the group has been hyperactive in the media space, both organically & inorganically. However, only time will tell how this rechristened rose will smell sweeter with this new identity.

Edit bureau: Aditi Soni

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

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