“Multi-dimensional media buying is a strategic need”

Anwesh Bose, Branch Head, North & East, Mudra Max-Media, has been involved with media planning and buying for the past 13 years. In this interaction, he discusses media buying in the indian context.

On October 30, 2011, Omnicom, the second largest advertising and media network in the world announced that it would be acquiring a majority stake in the Anil Ambani led Mudra Group. The deal had significant implications and also pointed towards the rise of India as an important market, which perhaps no business can afford to ignore. In order to understand the evolution, dynamics and future prospects of the Indian media buying industry, we caught up with Anwesh Bose, Branch, Head, North & East , Mudra Max-Media. He Joined Mudra in April this year from Dentsu India Group where he worked as Chief Growth Officer. He has prior experience of 13 years in media buying and planning. In this exclusive interaction with 4Ps B&M, Bose shares his views on the challenges facing the Indian media buying industry and how social media is the next big thing which will shape the future of media buying agencies.

As it is with every other industry, the media buying sector too is unique in form and substance. What do you think are the fundamental challenges that media buying agencies in general experience?

The fundamental challenges experienced by media buying agencies today are that of the people who are engaged in the process of buying. In most cases the personnel know how to buy but are not knowledgeable enough in terms of what to buy. To add to that, most media buying agencies are given to creating buying silos, which is only harming the industry. A media buyer is supposed to know the rationale and logic for buying so that he/she can keep in mind the perspective and the strategy behind the media-buying plan. Also, the fact that it is planning that leads to buying and not the other way round is something which everybody in the industry should appreciate.

With consumerism on the rise in India, how has the role of a media buying agency evolved over the past several years?
Consumerism has given rise to heterogenous consumption… the result is visible in the media fragmentation that exists. Media fragmentation has made the task of the media buying agency very challenging as the advertiser is looking at returns on media investment models rather than only on returns on media delivery models. Therefore, there is an imminent need for multi-dimensional media buying strategy.

What do you think has been the most significant event or set of events to contribute towards shaping the media buying industry into its present shape?
Media fragmentation (explosion of choices), media access formats (DTH, CAS, etc), unknown metric of consumer consumption of media in rural India, rise of digital & explosion of mobility, to name a few.

How has 2011 been in terms of growth vis-à-vis 2010. What are you projection for 2012?
The Indian media & entertainment (M&E) industry bounced back in 2010 registering a growth rate of 11% compared to a mere 1.4% in 2009. The advertisement expenditure is estimated to grow by CAGR of 15% till 2015.

How do media buying agencies in the Western world differ from their peers in the high growth developing nations?

The demographics, psychographics, media choices and literacy levels in the Western world present a different landscape to media buying agencies there, which can be very different to that faced by media buying agencies in the developing countries. In countries like India, media buying is seen as a cost whereas in the Western countries it is seen as an investment.

What determines the growth and decline of media buying agencies in general?

The economy is the best measure of the growth and decline of media buying agencies. In a vibrant economy, advertisers spend more, agencies buy more and the advertiser & agency make more money. The reverse is applicable when the economy is not doing well.

What kind of an impact do ‘medium disruptions’ have on the way media buying agencies work? It is about being aware and knowledgeable of the technology shifts and the ways in which they are influencing media consumption that is or will lead to medium disruptions. The agencies that are investing in knowing and learning about these shifts will have the edge (Know-l-edge).

How has the growing popularity and widespread acceptance of digital media influenced the media buying business?

It has influenced the advertisers more than it has influenced the agencies. For most media buying firms, digital is terra incognito, thus they feel safe in either letting the business be taken by a ‘digital agency’ or they get into a ‘strategic alliance’ with a digital agency. But we seem to be learning fast… the leading media buying agencies are setting up digital verticals and very soon the mid & small set-ups would look at strategic tie-ups with independent digital media specialists.

Which trends are most likely to shape the media buying business in the years to come?

Multiple media access platforms and avenues along with media convergence will result in multi-dimensional media buying approach in the very near future. Agencies that have already invested or are making investments in scaling their knowledge of multi-dimensional planning will be the ones that will benefit.

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2011.

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

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Sellers want volumes. Buyers, discounts. Who will win?

Come festive season, white goods will start appealing more to consumers. Which way will the balance tilt in the buyer-seller equation is hard to predict.

Nothing symbolises the great cultural divide between ethnic India and much of modern America more than the very months when the hustle and bustle in the name of festivities begin in these geographies. This year, just like in the past, while marketers in India are already warming up for the annual rapture, those in America know that they have yet another quarter to go before the carols fill the air.

They know their audience, do the marketers in India. They know the time too. The murmurs and the amens make that obvious. As for the consumers, they love the message of the season that come in the form of discounts on various labels. The sudden rush of spoilt-for-choice emotions in the buyer category, make the messengers loved too, especially if you talk about the Rs.65,000 crore-a-year topline earning consumer durable sector. For their lot, the weeks leading to Dushera and Diwali festivals each year, mark a season of overflowing coffers that provide them adequate spiritual nourishment for the rest of the financial year. How?

That the plasma screen and refrigerator-buying consumers will exercise their right to splurge lavishly during the festive season is a given in the Indian market. But the consumer durable players in the hope of making the most of the excitement generated do their bit too. Most even prefer going easy on their marketing expenditures for most part of the year, so that they can get generous in their efforts to attract eye balls during the festive season. As per a market expert, the target for most consumer durable companies is to be able to generate on average, 30% of their annual sales during the three month period leading to end-November, after spending as much as up to 33% of their advertising and marketing budget during the same period.

No different is the plan this year, despite a non-impressive performance by the sector so far in FY2011-12, which primarily reflected the impact of persistently `est rates on demand for consumer durables. During April-July 2011, the category showed a y-o-y growth of 4.2% [lower than the IIP growth of 5.8% for the period], as compared to a much higher 18.4% during the same period last year [higher than the IIP growth of 9.7%; as per the Central Statistics Office & ICRA]. Most cons. durable players have lined-up various initiatives to lure the buyers. For instance, players like Sony, Panasonic, LG, Samsung, Sansui and Godrej are betting big on both the flat panel TV and the home appliances categories. The idea is to achieve more than 50% y-o-y jump in sales during the mid-September to end-October period this year.

Samsung, which reported sales of Rs.16,740.5 crore in the country in FY2010-11, is eyeing a 30% rise in sales during the two aforementioned months. The company plans to dole out freebies worth Rs.150 crore to lure customers during the 45 day promotional campaign ‘Samsung Smart Utsav’ (which started from September 15, 2011). With a new line up of slim TVs, and mass-targeted washing machines, the aim is to achieve Rs.2500 crore in sales during the festive period alone. Surprisingly, the other chaebol LG does not sound all-optimistic about the festive period. As compared to 2010, it has reduced the festive season marketing budget for this year by around 15% and hopes for a y-o-y jump in sales of 25%.

Japan-bred Sony is betting big on its Bravia range of TVs (which contribute to 35% of its TV sales) to achieve a 30%-plus sales growth with a turnover target of Rs.2000 crore during the season. It has introduced 15 LED TV models, with sizes ranging from 22 to 65 inch. Sony has allocated Rs.155 crore as marketing budget for a 360 degree multi-media campaign “The Rebirth. LED TV”. This will include both ATL & BTL activities, such as TV and print commercial, online, PR, outdoor and shop-front. While talking about his expectations for the month ahead, Masaru Tamagawa, MD, Sony India, says, “Our clear focus is on the Bravia range, which is the biggest contributor to our sales. We aim to sell 400,000 units of Bravias during the festive period.” Sony’s other focus area will be its Cybershot camera segment, where it has launched about a dozen low-end models to increase penetration and sales.

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2011.

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

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“You can Expect Newer Trends...”

Growing Demand for Sources of Entertainment, and a Fight for Supremacy over multiple vehicles will define The Future of Media Consumption.

The youth and the mature group – both form an integral part of your target audience. And in the recent past, due to changes in the trend of media consumption, both groups have evolved in preferences and expectations. What changes – in media consumption trends – have you observed in the recent past?
Well, for starters, the overall consumption of media has definitely gone up, especially in the last 18 months. The Internet has certainly helped in fuelling demand for international music amongst the youth. While on one end, the youth is getting back to international music per se, the more mature audience is willing to experiment with classic international music. What’s best – earlier, their preferences were only restricted to music. But in recent times, they have gradually shown an inclination to long format programming, and shows like ‘America’s Got Talent’.

So, you do confess that there have been notable changes in trends. Which are the most important ones that have shaped media consumption patterns?
Every few years, a new pattern emerges. During the mid-90s, there were just 12-15 channels and MTV was a rage. Slowly, Indi-pop became popular, and then came the flurry of daily soaps. All it takes is someone to think smart, unite a larger mass and thus set a trend. What Colors’ launch has done is also a paradigm shift in programming, which is coupled with pro-social messaging. And it is still cutting through the clutter. Similarly, in the reality entertainment space, we have moved from the more serious KBC to accepting a glamorous Khatron Ke Khiladi. There was a time when VJs were a big phenomena. Not any more. So, it has all got to do with the way the country is evolving. The television industry in India is very young right now. It is barely a decade-and-a-half old. You can expect newer trends to come by as the years pass.

So, where do the most interesting opportunities lie over the next 2-3 years, as far as media vehicles are concerned?
See, content is king. It will remain the king. The question is – how accessible can you make it? For instance, all the promises related to 3G will take shape only if you deliver on them. There are no LCD TVs in cars as yet; basically, it’s just about platforms. It’s a question of penetration. Mobile will have a larger penetration in the times to come, but at the moment, it is mostly at the entry level. Today, you have 565 channels on DTH, and it is important to understand what can keep the consumer glued to a particular medium. While mobile has the accessibility factor – which is why you see youngsters accessing social media through the mobile phone – you would notice that the TV sets are also on at the same time. And that’s where the fight begins.

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2011.

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

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.

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Too Much, Too Soon for New-age AD Kids?

Why Are today’s Youngistan in Adville Losing the Wow Factor? 4PS B&M‘s Consulting Editor Monojit Lahiri Investigates

It’s always been there, but in recent times the whisper seems to have amplified into a veritable roar with guys who are recruiting or looking for talent. The problem, they say, is two-fold. One, chronic shortage of appropriate talent in a booming business scenario – with more seats than right bums, available – has forced them to kick ‘existing talent upstairs’, irrespective of maturity or experience, with out-of-whack remuneration packages; and then pray like hell that miracles (read: grinning, satisfied clients!) happen. Two, frequently sit back and helplessly watch some of the really gifted kids enjoying hyper-designations at hyper-speed have a blast... and then job-hop! So, whatever happened to good ol’ loyalty, dedication, experience and maturity and the Guru-Shishya thingamajig?

Subhash Kamat, head honcho, BBH, is first off the block & cuts to the chase in a flash. He believes the trend has largely to do with policies relating to recruitment, training and retaining talent with the appropriate appreciation-reward factor. “As economies head north, it is critical for industries to scale-up & keep pace with this growth in terms of vision and values. This has not happened with our Adbiz. Recruitment & Training – at most agencies – continue to be given short shrift, a cosmetic, line-job thing, dumped the moment there are budget constraints. Same with rewards. Mentoring too seems to have taken a hit. How many Piyush Pandeys do we have as inspirational leaders?” Kamat tells 4Ps B&M. He adds to this the prevailing disease (impatience) of today’s generation & their mad hurry to step-on-the-gas & move to the next stop – account, task, career, whatever! “Tough to fight that, my friend,” ruminates Kamat.

The National Creative Director (NCD) of Bates 141 appears to be more circumspect. Sagar Mahabaleshwar reckons that that was then, this is now, and since change is the only thing that is constant, this churn is inevitable. “Not only in Adland, the world is changing rapidly across the board and so adaptability with speed and quality is the ruling mantra. In this scenario, unfortunately, traits like loyalty, solidity and steadfastness – admirable traits as they are, revered and cherished back then – have taken a hit. That’s where the youth score. No wonder there are tonnes of under 35 guys and gals rocking big designations with confidence and effectiveness,” Mahabaleshwar tells 4Ps B&M. However, he concedes that the exact opposite also happens and magnanimously takes a part of the blame. “We were lucky in getting someone like Piyush to mentor us, as friend, philosopher and guide. Have we been able to provide that kind of personalised leadership to our kids? I guess it cuts both ways,” adds Mahabaleshwar.

Ogilvy’s hot-shot creative ‘dude’ Sumanto Chattopadhyay is up next and brings his own special spin. “Right at the outset I have to say that we in Ogilvy have been extremely lucky in this area. The reason is that, unlike most other agencies, we have a definite process and our Creative Directors (CDs) are trained, ready and in-the-groove professionals, fully aware of the implication of what a CD stands for in a holistic way, when they hit that slot,” says Chattopadhyay. In fact, his observation is that in many agencies, talented creative kids who, however, still have to gain maturity and are at least “four levels away from the designation are scooped up and made CDs, which would never happen here. The result is that the “too much, too soon” factor kicks off, big time. A CD is not just about doing great creative work. It has a much larger canvas and has to deal with motivation and leadership as also managing clients, colleagues, bosses, juniors and of course creativity that entertains and empowers. I think, as our record shows, we have been able to hold up this model pretty decently. No major hiccups – ever!”

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2011.

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

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.

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Insurance print ad trends: 2010

In an exciting and dynamic category like Insurance, The role of The Intermediary is changing; hence The Role of collaborative communication is becoming even more challenging. The Industry players have apparently realised this critical need for Integration, as is evident from the Indian Insurance Industry print ad trends for the year 2010.

Changing Perception

Advertising, in any form, has become inevitable to the success of any product and insurance is no exception. Having realised the criticality of making a differentiated offering and building salience, insurance companies are leaving no stone unturned in the process of promoting their products. Be it LIC in the life insurance domain or standalone health insurers like Apollo Munich, Max Bupa or Star Health insurance or Oriental General Insurance, each one has upped their ad spend in the print medium. As a result, this has led to a gradual shift in the perception of insurance.

Aggressive Marketing

‘Insurance is sold not bought’ seems to be the underlying fact upon which insurers base their ad spending. Ever since the insurance bill was passed in 2000 and with the entry of private players, there is a slew of never seen before aggressive marketing and advertising strategies. Nevertheless, insurers seem to have realised that instead of pushing policies down the throat of the customers, it is better to educate them and offer guidance - an approach that is slowing paying off. On both the fronts insurers have relied heavily on print ads; however to woo customers, life insurers seem to take the print route more than non-life insurers.

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2011.

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

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.

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IIPM: Indian Institute of Planning and Management
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Deliver he will; the package and results

Under his leadership, Safexpress has won several accolades. But can he make the company stand tall against global giants? Finds Angshuman Paul

Vineet Kanaujia
GM – Marketing, Safexpress Private Limited

With over six million square feet of warehousing space and 566 destinations spread across the length and breadth of the country, Safexpress today can proudly boast of being the largest logistics service provider in India. However, things were not as right for it as it seems today, when 15 years ago the company started its corporate journey. It was like any other unorganised logistics player in the country – striving hard to get noticed.

Although Vineet Kanaujia’s entry into this embittering logistics war happened only a few years back, when took over the reins (as GM Marketing) of Safexpress, he has retained an extraordinary and iron-clad focus on the fundamentals of marketing. Kanaujia started his career with HCL and went on to work with ConAgra Foods and Samsung. Post this, he joined Safexpress. Having impeccably positioned brand Safexpress as the ‘market leader’ in the logistics industry, Kanaujia has radically enhanced Safexpress brand equity in India in a very short span of time.

In fact, for his incredible contribution in establishing Safexpress as one of the foremost brands in the country, Kanaujia has been conferred several awards and accolades which include ‘Brand Leadership Award’ by World Brand Congress, ‘Professional of the Year Award’ by Express Logistics & Supply Chain Council, as well as the highly coveted ‘Best CMO of the Year Award’ by the CMO Council, USA. So what was the strategic intent that pushed Safexpress so far and ahead? “Our holistic marketing strategy,” Kanaujia replies confidently, “It’s that which has worked so brilliantly for us. We have carved our own niche amongst the most elite brands in the country by consistently focusing on each and every aspect of marketing.”

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2011.

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

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The Bindass Atyachari Strategy Exposed!

“What Am i? Don’t you dare slot me! Name me. Fit me. Patronise me. Don’t go by...” It’s The ‘BINDASS Guru Mantra’ that’s topping the charts. 4Ps B&M unveils the man behind the madness

“If you know of a person who might be cheating on their significant other, prevent Emotional Atyachaar, call 5059995 and report!” It’s mad, sounds utterly stupid, yet the Bindass formula is rocking the Indian TV space. Known for its dominance in the youth space, generating content which is innovative and cutting edge, UTV Bindass launched the 2nd season of the most talked about and sensational reality show Emotional Atyachaar. Nikhil Gandhi, Business Head, UTV Bindass shares the madness with 4Ps B&M (yes, exclusively):

How has been the journey of UTV Bindass?
2009 was an important year for us. Our business grew by 300% q-o-q. So that is one of the fundamental changes which happened over the last year. We came up with innovative shows which connected well with the target group. We started off with the Big Switch, Emotional Atyachaar and to top it all we did a very strong brand campaign. This gave us a strong playback positioning, identification and recognition in the youth space.

What is your target market and how does advertising work for your channel and target audience?
We attract any brand that caters to the youth. The age group 15-24 is our core target group which extends into 15 to 34 by virtue of preference. We have 356 brands on air at present and the remaining 10-15 which are off the list would be in line soon. We are launching two more shows this month and have increased our ad rates 4 fold. So all of that put together, the revenue model has become a very robust process.

What has been your strategy behind converting music centric viewers to youth centric ones?
We were the first to launch a youth entertainment channel and given its success, other music channels followed suit and launched the same kind of content that we already had. It was the other way around for us that we put music on our channel as an add-on just to be categorized with the MTVs and Channel Vs of the world. We were the first movers in the youth space and coined the term YEC beyond GEC.

How important is music as a genre for your channel? How have you dealt with the reality format?
Music is an ingredient which connects with the target group. It’s one of the important ingredients required for a youth channel and yes, we do play music. In fact we have music of the finest quality. With reality, there are various genres. There is fiction, reality and game show. In truth, there is also horror reality, our relationship reality like Emotional Atyachar and Splitsvilla, there is action reality like Dadagiri and Stuntmania; so there are different genres within reality. We have held on to the format, expanding into various genres within the format.

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2011.

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

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.

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Why Lufthansa isn’t a niche brand anymore!

Sangeeta Sharma, Manager Marketing, South Asia, Lufthansa in conversation with lufthansa4Ps B&M reveals the critical importance of gathering customer intelligence

Most domestic airlines and some international ones too are advertising on TV; do you think it works? Does Lufthansa also have similar plans?
Yes and no. TV is the quickest medium but cannot hold the brand on its own. I think one should go into TVCs after certain recognition as a brand. What is really important is to have a great marketing mix and to make sure that the money is being utilised effectively. If we can achieve that through an effective marketing mix, then TV is not important. We were the first ones to do TV tickers and they really worked very well for us.

In that case, are you saying that TV advertising doesn’t make sense at all when it comes to the aviation industry?
I think that TV is a way to engage customers while others are done to create awareness about the brand. If you have not established a relationship with your customer, if you have not created enough awareness about yourself, then even a television commercial will fail to achieve its objective. So according to me, TV should be used as a tool for customer engagement. We have advertised using other media like radio and a lot of BTL activities. We are there where the customers are least expecting us.

How have you measured whether your BTL activities have proven to be effective?
We do not do anything that we cannot measure. We tap everything through direct mailers, portals. There has been a special mix for this. We know exactly how many hits the website receives, the entire traffic. Customer intelligence is very very important and we keep that in mind. We have engaged our viewers through SMS contests giving out Lufthansa goodies and have received enormous replies. We wanted to give the brand some life and subsequently, got some good 18,000 hits on the website. We got responses from all major cities We knew exactly who we were talking to. We were bang on! It is important for us to know whether our campaigns have worked or not, because everything has to give an ROI; otherwise, the campaign is not relevant.

Today, we have a significant lot of travel portals. Do you consider them competition?
We do not think portals are giving any competition to us. In fact, they work like agents for us. We have a contract with makemytrip.com, which works with us very closely. They are not competing with us. They are working alongside. These distribution channels are very helpful.

Any plans to increase the number of routes?
Airlines are growing because there is more demand. We have 49 flights, 200 destinations in 81 countries. Lufthansa thrives on network. Network is our biggest strength and nobody can beat us at that. We have a JV with Star Alliance that makes it even more efficient for us.

In all, in terms of marketing and advertising, what kind of an edge does Lufthansa have over others?
In the last 2-Maybe years ago, it was [niche], but not anymore. Today, we do not want to be tagged as a niche brand. We want to diversify our target audience and this is a progressive change. You will see us everywhere possible.

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2011.

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

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.

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GAUTAM AHUJA, MD, AHUJA CONSTRUCTIONS TELLS SHEPHALI BHATT ON WHY ONE NEEDS TO HAVE AN ‘EYE FOR DETAIL’ IN HIS BUSINESS

Does it happen at times when your ‘eye for detail’ becomes a liability for you?
It is definitely frustrating at times because you keep pushing yourself for the better. You are never content with the work you deliver, but that’s the beauty of this trait. It ensures that you will never deliver mediocrity at any point. At the end you want the buyer to go out with a happy face. That’s what gives you job satisfaction.

You seem to travel a lot. How has that helped you extract the best lessons in business?
Traveling gives you amazing exposure. You are able to catch the latest trends, explore what is being appreciated by people globally and what is it that the indigenous consumer needs at this point. It is only courtesy traveling that we brought Italian marble into Indian construction when every other player in the market was offering simple or vitrified tiles. It was a risk worth its while; you need to dare to do such things. In our business, you have to put the money first, long before the customer starts paying you the rewards.

Which leadership style gets your vote and why?
I strongly vote for a combination of a style that is authoritative as well as supportive. There are times when you have to lead the army, while at certain occasions you have to be a good team person. Both are essential for being a good leader and I come to the table with both.

What are the nuances of creating a great brand like yours?
Innovation should be at the core of every activity undertaken under your leadership. You have to keep thinking out-of-the-box at all times. Customer focus should definitely be the key element for any organisation irrespective of its genre.


For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2011.

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

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.

IIPM B-School Detail
IIPM makes business education truly global
IIPM’s Management Consulting Arm - Planman Consulting
Arindam Chaudhuri (IIPM Dean) – ‘Every human being is a diamond’
Arindam Chaudhuri – Everything is not in our hands
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Google TV – just a “Hobby” or a “Habit”?

In a recent survey conducted by Frank N. Magid Associates, 40% of the respondents voted for the fact that they desired to connect their Internet browsing PCs to their TV sets. Google has an answer – the Google TV. It’s another thing that there have been others before who have tried the same; Apple TV for instance, which has gathered such a small fan following that Apple calls it a “hobby”. So will Google TV be written off as “another hobby” or will it become a habit for the world?

The grapevine has it that brands like Sony, Logitech & Intel will be integrating Google TV into the PC and TV. But the most pertinent question that uninformed TV watchers and netizens (who have not heard of so much as the MSN TV or the Apple TV) are asking is – what on Earth is Google TV? It’s a “box” (like the “set top box”) that would accompany the idiot box. It runs on an Android 2.1 platform, uses Google Chrome as the browser and also has Flash 10.1 version for live streaming of videos. Therefore, a TV still, but more intelligent as it enables viewers to directly download content from the web – so, a web-integrated TV!

So what’s Google TV’s bet? Unlike others in the past, the big daddy of online ad-revenues wants to make its offering a habit for the 3 billion TV users worldwide (Note: The figure excludes TV viewers in China!). Imagine the revenue-earning potential through ads, with the Google TV finding a place in markets around the world. The problem why we haven’t heard much about either Apple or MSN TV is because they never saw the world beyond Obama-land. And Google knows that too well!

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2010.

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

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