Guest Column: Smile, you are being clicked!

Vishakha Singh of A Comms shares instances from the digital platform that have made the world exciting with the ubiquitous click

e4m by Vishakha Singh
Published: Dec 10, 2012 7:44 PM  | 5 min read
Guest Column: Smile, you are being clicked!

Little things, step by step, enter our lives and bring a smile to us. A few things happened this morning to me…

a) My mother, 64+ years of age and a Bihar resident, puts some Facebook posts right in the morning. Her frequency of posts have gone up tremendously ever since she moved from ‘laptop-to-be-connected-to-internet’ to ‘internet-enabled tablet’, in an electricity dark area. Brings a smile to me.

b) I bought music. I bought two songs from one album, one song from the other and gifted one song, just one song to a friend. No, I didn’t gift him the album. Smiles.

c) The Times of India solus ad is about an online sale called CitiOMG 24hours online sale. Smile again.

All these events in one morning! Each activity powered by technology. Each one brings a smile on many. Being socially connected or shopping or consuming information or entertainment, all of these are choices made by the user on internet devices which are making life simpler through advancements in the field of technology.

I am borrowing a quote from Mary Meeker, ‘A lot to be excited about in tech, a lot to be worried about in other areas’.

Technology is an enabler. And it will continue to be the enabler. Online shopping is just shopping enabled by technology. It is just another service. Citi OMG online sale just marked the day of bringing brands together like in a shopping festival – be it in a mall or a Future Group’s shopping festival across various stores or any other. Buy shoes. Buy bags. Buy jewelry. Buy a bat. Buy a cat. Whatever.

I am happy to see the ad. It is the announcement of online sale in an offline medium. Mark this date in the calendar. This is the beginning of merging of online and offline, not just the media but also the businesses. We have seen e-commerce advertisements in newspapers and hoardings. Anant Rangaswamy, in his book on the future of advertising ‘The elephants in the room’, mentions how agencies that are dedicated to online brands are thriving.

Speak to PE-VC fund managers and you will find them with a microscope, to find success in their e-commerce venture.

Some things are going right, but many things are not
The announcement of the first online OMG sale is the right thing, but there are many things to worry.

The design: It starts with the design. Brands need to be developed for the digital world, but they have to be compatible for every other medium. And it starts with the logo. Logo needs to be designed to be compatible across media. The digital world in itself demands logo design in multiple forms; the same logo may not be functional in the profile picture of theFacebook page or the logo in URL. Are we getting it right?

The experience: Shopping is an experience. It is not just an act. Are we designing experiences? Visual design is as important as the navigational design. Rules of aisles, rules of signage have to be applied in online medium as well. I looked and looked around to see what was available on OMG sale, across websites, across products.

Accessibility: Today, in India, mobile internet penetration has exceeded far more than PC penetration.

Very few e-shops are mobile compatible. I didn’t find Yebhi.com compatible. I didn’t find pepperfry.com compatible.

Marketing and social-ability: A few days ago, a VC mentioned to me that one of his e-commerce projects has more than 1.5 million likes on its FB page. And this question has been ringing in my head – Is success measured in FB likes? If yes, then how are we using these FB likes? Take a look at these statistics. This data has been compiled from Facebook page of the brands that participated in CitiOMG sale. Some of these pages posted about the sale, some didn’t. Or at least we couldn’t spot the same on their page.

This doesn’t say that these portals had a good sale or not. All it does is signifies how marketing, integrating social media, milking likes cannot be ignored. Ebay India has more than two million likes. Probably OMG sale was not so critical to promote to these two million people. But their interaction, defined as ‘talking about this page’ by Facebook is less than two per cent.

A lot to learn here. A lot to keep our ‘likes’ engaged. Continue the faith in ‘Joh dikhta hai, woh bikta hai’.

Integration and integration: Newspaper ads are not integrated with the digital world. The lines are merging and so the need to communicate seamless is essential.

These thoughts are just about the hygiene part of the communication for all of us in the business of communication, in the business of e-commerce, in the business of consumption.

Citi OMG Online sale still brings a smile to my face as I believe in the fact that it is better to execute than to miss the opportunity by trying to get it right. There is a lot to be worked upon. Shopping is going to continue. Online shopping is here to stay.

Getting it right is the question. Getting a smile is the challenge. Think about it, most of us have a camera phone that is internet-enabled and most of us are clicking, sharing, smiling. It is all integrated seamlessly. Google, are you reading this? We look forward to Cyber Monday.

The author is the Executive Director of A Comms. The above mentioned thoughts are personal views of the author. 

Read more news about (internet advertising India, internet advertising, advertising India, digital advertising India, media advertising India)

For more updates, be socially connected with us on
Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook & Youtube

e4m Digital Marketing Leaders Awards laud contributions of 33 industry pioneers

The leaders have been honoured for their successful digital strategies, campaigns and innovations

By exchange4media Staff | Jun 9, 2023 9:14 PM   |   3 min read

digital award

The exchange4media Group hosted the inaugural edition of the e4m Digital Marketing Leaders Awards on Friday, June 9, at the Taj Santacruz in Mumbai. The star-studded award night recognized and felicitated the game-changers in the digital marketing domain for their outstanding and impressive contributions to the industry. The awards celebrated the best minds in the digital marketing space for their successful digital strategies, campaigns and innovations that leverage new technologies.

A total of 33 digital marketing leaders were awarded at the dazzling awards night. The occasion was graced by top leaders, industry heads and experts from a wide cross-section of marketing, media and brands. Spotify Advertising is the Celebratory Partner of the event while Lemma is the Networking Partner.

The winners who were honoured with the award include Abhishek Mehta, Digital Marketing Lead, FMCG- Jubilant Foodworks, Altamash Khan, Digital Lead- Kellogg India, Ankit Desai, Head - Media & Digital Marketing (India & Global Centre of Excellence)- Marico., Anvesha Poswalia, Head of Digital & E-commerce - Home Care- Unilever, Apoorva Maheshwari, Head of Marketing- Bestseller, Deepa Krishnan, Director - Marketing, Category, Loyalty, Digital- Starbucks, Dipti Sudhir, Head- Digital Marketing & PR- Britannia Industries, Divya Batra, Head of Marketing- Haldiram’s, Girish Hingorani, Senior General Manager & Head – Marketing & E-commerce Cooling & Purification Appliances Group- Blue Star, Jahid Ahmed, Senior Vice President and Head of Digital Acquisition/ Website/ Content & Social Media Marketing- HDFC Bank. 

The other winners are Madhu S Dutta, Head of Marketing & GM- Brand, Media, & Digital Social- Raymond, Madhur Acharya, Vice President E-commerce- Lenskart, Manik Mahajan, Director - Digital Marketing and E-Commerce- Versuni, Niranjan Mutkekar, Associate Director - Digital Marketing- Purplle, Pierre de Greef, Digital Marketing Director- Pernod Ricard India, Priyanka Gandhi, Associate Director - Integrated Marketing Communication & E-commerce Marketing- Colgate Palmolive India, Priyanka Sethi, Director - Head of Marketing- Haier Appliances India, Proshanjit Dey, Marketing Head- Strategy & Innovation, ATL, Digital & Social Media, Nutrition- India & EM Markets- Dr. Reddy's Lab, Puneet Gupta, Business Head - Digital & Marketing- Nuvama Wealth and Rajeev John, Vice President Marketing- Health Care & Strategic Investments- Dabur India.

Adding more to the winner list were Ritu Mittal, Head of Marketing & Digital- Bayer, Sachin Mishra, Digital Marketing Lead- Cipla Health, Sachin Vashishtha, Chief Marketing Officer- Paisabazaar, Sadhana Daswani, Head Brand and Digital- JSW Paints, Saurabh Saini, Head, Digital Marketing & Communication- Havells India, Shaktipriyo Sikdar, Head - Digital Marketing- Emami, Sheena Kapoor, Head - Marketing Corp Comm & CSR- ICICI Lombard, Sunil Nat, Head of E-commerce & Digital Marketing- Galderma, Urmesh Chandra, Head - Digital Marketing- PolicyBazaar.com, Vidya Kailasam Hangal, India Consumer Digital Leader- Mondelez International, Vikram Jeet Bhayana, Head of Marketing- Bajaj Allianz General Insurance, Vinay Dholakia, General Manager - Digital Marketing & Media Head- Tata Motors and Vishal Gaba, Associate Director - Marketing- Bira 91.

Here’s the complete list of winners:




Read more news about (internet advertising India, internet advertising, advertising India, digital advertising India, media advertising India)

For more updates, be socially connected with us on
Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook & Youtube

Disney+ Hotstar offers free streaming of Asia Cup, ICC Men’s Cricket WC on cellphone

Both tournaments will be held later this year

By exchange4media Staff | Jun 9, 2023 11:10 AM   |   1 min read

Disney Star

Disney+ Hotstar has announced that Asia Cup and ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup tournaments being held later this year will be made available as free-to-view to all mobile phone users accessing Disney+ Hotstar.

“Disney+ Hotstar has remained at the forefront of the rapidly evolving OTT industry in India and the various innovations we have introduced to continue enhancing the viewer experience has allowed us to delight our audiences across the region. Making the Asia Cup and ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup available to a wider audience, we believe, will help us grow the overall eco-system,” said Sajith Sivanandan, Head of Disney+ Hotstar.

We reached out to Disney+ Hotstar for a comment on the same but are yet to receive a response.

Read more news about (internet advertising India, internet advertising, advertising India, digital advertising India, media advertising India)

For more updates, be socially connected with us on
Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook & Youtube

e4m-ESP Indian Online Gaming Landscape 2023 Report: Glimpses unveiled

The report seeks to decode the growth of the online gaming landscape in India and focus on how brands can leverage this billion-dollar industry

By exchange4media Staff | Jun 9, 2023 10:54 AM   |   2 min read

Game On

India has witnessed a digital revolution over the past decade, driven by various factors such as technological advancements, government initiatives, increasing internet penetration and the rapid adoption of smartphones. With over 750M active internet users in 2022, the country has become a prime destination for the open internet and all that digital media entails. 

The key driver of India’s digital revolution is gaming, with the country being home to close to 500M individual gamers. The ever-evolving gaming market in India is fuelled by devices, data and digital penetration, all of which are getting cheaper, better, and faster. 

The e4m GameOn Online Summit held in Mumbai today gave a sneak-peek into the much-awaited e4m-ESP Indian Online Gaming Landscape 2023 report. The comprehensive report serves as a compass, guiding stakeholders through the vast opportunities and challenges that lie ahead in the gaming sphere. The detailed report is set to be unveiled soon and will be available for public use.  

Gaming has emerged as a powerful force and the industry has experienced remarkable growth in recent years. 2022 has been a game changing year for the gaming industry in India with publishers, streaming platforms, esports organizers, and teams coming together to create a very healthy gaming ecosystem. It is believed that with professional teams training to compete and win in global tournaments, 2023 may well be a crucial year for esports.

The gaming industry in India has created bundles of opportunities for gamers, making them economically independent. Moreover, e-sports has gained substantial popularity in India and is poised for significant growth in the coming years. The emergence of professional teams, increased prize pools, and a growing fan base, esports is expected to become a mainstream form of entertainment and a lucrative industry in India.




Read more news about (internet advertising India, internet advertising, advertising India, digital advertising India, media advertising India)

For more updates, be socially connected with us on
Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook & Youtube

Sociowash bags eBay India’s integrated digital mandate

The agency will develop performance media strategies while deploying its video production and influencer marketing verticals

By exchange4media Staff | Jun 8, 2023 2:41 PM   |   1 min read

ebay

Sociowash, an integrated advertising agency, has won the integrated digital mandate for eBay India. The agency will be responsible for enhancing the brand’s overall digital presence by developing creative tactical strategies. The account was won in a multi-agency pitch and will be handled by the agency’s Mumbai team, stated a release.

As part of this strategic partnership, Sociowash will be responsible for creating awareness about the brand and executing campaigns to onboard more sellers onto the platform. The agency will provide end-to-end solutions and services for the brand's creative, performance media, video production, and influencer marketing needs while resonating with its target audience and helping them achieve their business objectives.

Pranav Agarwal, the co-founder of Sociowash, commented on the win, "eBay India is a prominent leader in the e-commerce industry. We are elated to have been chosen by them to manage their digital landscape. Our team's extensive experience and expertise will redefine and elevate the brand's digital positioning. Together, we can create an impact that goes beyond what has been achieved before, setting new benchmarks and adding genuine value for the brand"



Read more news about (internet advertising India, internet advertising, advertising India, digital advertising India, media advertising India)

For more updates, be socially connected with us on
Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook & Youtube

Meta Verified now in India

As per reports, the subscription is available for ₹699 monthly on iOS and Android3

By exchange4media Staff | Jun 8, 2023 11:35 AM   |   1 min read

Meta

Meta has said that Meta Verified will now be available in India.

The announcement was made in a post by Mark Zuckerberg who also mentioned that previously verified accounts will maintain the status for free.

Meta Verified in a subscription bundle on FB and Insta.

Subscribers will get a badge indicating their account has been verified with a government ID, extra protection against impersonation, direct access to customer support and more visibility, the company had earlier said.

As per media reports, this subscription is available for ₹699 monthly on iOS and Android3. The company also plans to introduce a web purchase option for ₹599 a month.

Read more news about (internet advertising India, internet advertising, advertising India, digital advertising India, media advertising India)

For more updates, be socially connected with us on
Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook & Youtube

e4m GameOn Summit to explore the future of gaming

The conference will be held on June 9

By exchange4media Staff | Jun 8, 2023 8:55 AM   |   2 min read

GameOn

The gaming market in India is dynamic and is a rapidly evolving ecosystem. Gaming has emerged as a powerful force and the industry has experienced remarkable growth in recent years and continues to expand at a rapid pace. The widespread availability of affordable internet access, affordable data plans, has led to a surge in online gaming, allowing people across the country to access and engage with various gaming platforms. In order to explore the gaming industry further, e4m has announced the third edition of the e4m GameOn-Online Gaming Summit. The conference is set to be held on June 9 in Mumbai. The Presenting Partner of the event is AnyMind, the Growth Partner is Mobavenue while AdScholars is the Co-partner.

At the conference, top leaders from the gaming ecosystem will come together and share insights on key topics under the theme ‘Online Gaming, The Next Big Thing?’. The summit will also give a sneak-peek to the much-awaited e4m-GroupM ESP Report on the Indian online gaming landscape. 

As per industry experts, 2022 was one of the landmark years for the Indian esports and gaming industry, as publishers, streaming platforms, esports organizers, and teams came together to create a very healthy ecosystem. It is believed that with professional teams training to compete and win in global tournaments, 2023 may well be a breakout year for esports.

Click here to see the full agenda: https://e4mevents.com/e4m-GameOn-2023/agenda 

Due to the advancements in technology, the gaming market is only getting bigger. Top leaders and experts from the gaming industry are set to come together under one roof to discuss the opportunities, challenges and the future of the gaming industry in India. The e4m Summit explores the industry’s rapidly growing revenue streams, the drivers of growth, the changing demographics of the gaming universe, and ways brands can seize the opportunity to target consumers.

To ensure you don’t miss out on valuable insights, click here to register: 

https://e4mevents.com/e4m-GameOn-2023/login 




Read more news about (internet advertising India, internet advertising, advertising India, digital advertising India, media advertising India)

For more updates, be socially connected with us on
Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook & Youtube

e4m Digital Marketing Leaders Awards: Inaugural edition on June 9

The awards recognize and honour digital marketing leaders for their impactful strategies, campaigns and innovations

By exchange4media Staff | Jun 8, 2023 8:51 AM   |   1 min read

digital marketing awards

Digital marketing leaders play a crucial role in shaping the industry and driving innovation. Their expertise, insights, strategies and vision help others advance their knowledge and understanding of digital marketing practices. These leaders inspire the next generation of marketers and help the industry grow. 

With an aim to honour the great minds in the digital marketing sphere, the exchange4media Group is hosting the first edition of the e4m Digital Marketing Leaders Awards on June 9 in Mumbai. The awards night will celebrate and acknowledge the stars of the domain in India and witness the coming together of some of the best brands, individuals and agencies. Spotify Advertising is the Celebratory Partner of the event while Lemma is the Networking Partner.

e4m Digital Marketing Leaders Awards acknowledges the great leaders who have developed & implemented successful digital strategies, campaigns, and innovations by leveraging new technologies for digital marketing. The awards aim to inspire leaders to stay ahead of the curve and unlock their full potential as digital marketers by felicitating pioneers in the digital marketing sphere.

The star-studded awards night is a perfect opportunity to network with the best and brightest minds from the digital marketing ecosystem, expand knowledge and get an overview of the functioning of several digital marketing agencies.

Read more news about (internet advertising India, internet advertising, advertising India, digital advertising India, media advertising India)

For more updates, be socially connected with us on
Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook & Youtube