I, Me, Myself and the World-Online

Thursday, November 21, 2024

The Changing Landscape of India's M&E Industry: Profitability, Market Share, and Consumer Impact

India’s Media & Entertainment (M&E) industry is facing a significant transformation, driven by both external pressures and internal challenges. As OTT platforms surge in popularity and traditional broadcasters battle with declining ad revenues, the central question remains: How can companies deliver strong ROI in a market flooded with content and shrinking margins?

For JioStar (the newly merged entity of Jio and Star), this challenge is particularly complex. Jio has already disrupted India’s telecom market with its aggressive pricing, and now it must balance affordable, wide-reaching content with sustainable profitability in M&E.

We can expect JioStar to offer bundled services that combine telecom, OTT, and linear TV, taking full advantage of its vast infrastructure. But the big question will be: How will they balance affordability with profitability? Jio’s access to massive consumer data will allow for targeted content and advertising, but at what cost? The danger is that, in the pursuit of profitability, content quality could be compromised.

The Real Challenge: Winning the Audience’s Time

The real battleground for JioStar is audience attention. It’s no longer just about creating content—it’s about owning time. Who can capture the consumer’s attention for the longest? The challenge isn’t just other platforms, but giants like Meta and Google, which are already entrenched in consumer daily habits.

JioStar has the potential to build a 360-degree ecosystem, where entertainment, news, and social experiences are seamlessly integrated. But, as we’ve seen globally, the temptation to cut costs in the race for growth can erode content quality. The balance between scale and quality will be crucial, especially when the focus shifts from just content to a full-service experience.

Uday Shankar vs. Mukesh Ambani: Different Philosophies, Same Challenge?

Looking at the leadership legacies, Uday Shankar’s Star India was built on a foundation of quality content and a deep understanding of India’s diverse audience. He understood the need for both regional and premium content, delivered with financial discipline.

In contrast, Mukesh Ambani’s approach has always been about disruption and scale. His strategy with Jio wasn’t just about profitability; it was about dominating at a massive scale, even if it meant short-term losses for long-term dominance. So, how will JioStar reconcile these two approaches? Ambani’s push for aggressive pricing and market share will need to be tempered with quality control to avoid alienating consumers, as seen with other global platforms.

What Does This Mean for Consumers?

For consumers, the short-term benefits of this merger could be substantial: more content, better pricing, and greater variety—particularly in rural India, where digital adoption is still growing. However, there’s a risk of overwhelming the audience with too many options or fragmented experiences, especially as bundling becomes more common. The rise of ad-supported models and freemium subscriptions could make the viewing experience more intrusive. The question is: will content quality and user experience suffer as companies chase profitability?

Profitability and the Future of JioStar

While many M&E players are struggling to turn a profit, the JioStar merger could be the key to turning the tide. With Jio’s vast user base and Star’s rich content library, JioStar is positioned to dominate the market and expand its subscriber base across telecom, OTT, and linear TV. But the real test will be whether this scale can translate into a sustainable business model that balances growth with quality.

Ultimately, market size and subscriptions won’t be enough. Success will depend on whether JioStar can retain the loyalty of its users, avoid sacrificing content quality, and offer an experience that drives long-term engagement. Will this be a win for the consumer? Or will it be another example of market consolidation that leads to fewer choices and higher prices?

Final Thoughts

The Indian M&E landscape is evolving rapidly, and JioStar is at the forefront of this shift. As the merger plays out, we’ll see how Jio blends profitability with quality, scale with personalization, and disruption with sustainability. The battle for consumer attention is intensifying.

For all its potential, the question to ask is: Will this be a win for consumers?

Monday, November 05, 2012

15 seconds and dwindling (marketing)

Have we thought of the term "15 seconds of fame" and how it has come to being?

It emanates from "15 seconds of mindspace". Our schedules are busier today. Be it emotions, thoughts, feelings, dreams or fears, we can't contain it for more than 15 seconds. External forces (unless life threatening) do not get more mindspace. We are what we think we are. And that's all there is. And us busybodies have no time to think. Thus the fleeting thoughts make us.

An important lesson for marketers.

If you plan your $$, you might be rest assured of the 15 seconds of fame, sooner or later.

So will that assure you of 15 seconds of mindspace?

You may go beyond awareness. You may go make space in the life of the consumer.

But until you win his mind over, he will forget you the moment he sees a more beautiful damsel.

Do what it takes. All you have is 15 seconds. Sometimes it is not even as long as 15 seconds. It could be just a word, visual or some sensory that gets evoked in that fleeting moment of time. And it is this 15 seconds that make or break the next purchase decision.

Why are we as consumers so short of time?

Two reasons:

-The over-abundance of available information

-Socially and individually built complications

Twitter for instance, is one such brilliant example to capture the 15 seconds of mindspace. Seed a thought 'subtly' in and wait for it to grow. Once you assimilate or manage to seed in the 15 seconds of mindspace, it is upon the strength of the thought to grow or branch out within the consumer mind. So it is not just about the "seeding", but also the "strength" of the thought.

In yesteryears, this 15 seconds was much longer. Just like a Rs. 100 has lost its value in today's time. Today, the value of time has appreciated more than we can imagine. And in time to come, it will be practically zilch. The task ahead for marketers is to focus as much on the seeding as well as the strength. It is necessary to go beyond the obvious product benefits for instance. A soap is meant to lather. But if a soap makes you feel better about yourself, it could be worth your time.

It is common practice to plan basis a consumer's purchase basket. It is now time to plan basis a consumer's time basket. It is not about day-in-the-life of, it is about day-in-the-mind of the consumer. Think like him. Think his thoughts. Why do you think your thought is good enough to be that extra thought in his mind?

Sent on my BlackBerry® from Vodafone

Friday, January 21, 2011

Media

I joined the workforce in 2002 with the aim of getting into "marketing". I
had specialized in the field and therefore, becoming a brand manager came to
me as a natural ambition.

With no real idea of where I was headed, during the course of my working
tenure, I happened to set foot into a media conglomerate, Group M. All I
knew from hearsay and HR say was that this was a set up more alike a
treadmill. Either you manage to run with it or you fall. I decided to go for
it. Less said the better on whether I had a choice at the time. I joined the
largest media agency in the country, Mindshare India and am today working
for its largest unit, Fulcrum, servicing the largest advertiser in the
country, Unilever. For those far from the industry, Mindshare and Fulcrum
may sound unfamiliar. At one time, even to me, they did. But soon I realized
that an agency of this size and stature offer immense opportunities to grow
and learn. The objective behind my writing this piece is to give you an
insider's perspective into an industry that few know about and one where I
am happy to have spent my time.

Working at a media agency has its pros and cons. I can immediately tell you
that this treadmill kind of lasts more than 12 hours a day. The treadmill
often becomes thankless with the belt simply stretching you, making you run
faster and faster. And questions being raised on why cant you double the
speed?

Too taxing..well little meetha ho jaye.. Any strenuous exercise gives you an
adrenaline high and so does working in a media agency. Life is mostly on the
edge.

The trough..Deadlines are mostly yesterday's. And a campaign is as dependent
on your client's mom's serial watching habits as with the logic / science
behind the planning. For instance, I still remember the time a client
chalked out his flamboyant frequent flying boss' travel patterns from office
to airport so as to place his outdoor media. It takes patience to explain
logic to some guys who think media begins and ends with them, their boss or
family. Secondly a media agency is a media agency is a media agency. So
while you may be the singularly taking the client's campaign thought and
communication to the next level of thinking and implementation, the kudos
may still remain internal. After all, an agency has to be kept on its toes.
And if you encourage too much, wouldnt the credit be belittled from your
collars?

Lets delve a little into the pros. The pro is at times, the world is running
with blinders on. Most of us are. And the game goes to those who think
outside the box. And its very easy to turn into a me too. Innovation after
all gets easily duplicated. And first time evers become a way of life. So
its highly challenging to stay ahead in the game. Being in the know of the
latest ups in the industry and swinging it to your advantage. Also the
industry like many others plays a lot on relationships and people. Internal
relationships, client relationships, supplier relationships, team
relationships, etc. So once you get your game right in terms of being in the
system with the right rapports / attitude, you can play it big.

A media agency can reach a level of proximity and trust with the client that
very few creative agencies can today boast of. After all, media is
responsible for the next big badge on their client's mantle. At least so is
the case in leading FMCG/telecom companies. Dikhta hai to Bikhta hai. And
dikhate to hum hain. Hence with high risk come high returns. No offence
meant but ever since the division of creative and media as 2 different
compartments, creative agencies get restricted to making ads. A media agency
gets to go beyond by directly bridging the gap between the client and the
consumer. The main difference between a media agency and their advertising
agency counterparts is that return on investment (ROI) is key – ensuring
that every element of the clients’ media investment is evaluated and
accountable.

A pro is definitely that the media world is a small fraternity. Good work is
seen and appreciated real time.

Bas do minute of gyan here. A media agency helps to communicate with current
and potential consumers and/or the general public. Media agencies work with
their clients to understand the business issues, their markets and their
consumers. The media agency then identifies the consumer insights, which can
help to devise a channel-neutral communication strategy which really
connects with those consumers; using channels ranging from influencing media
content, events and sponsorship to advertising, interactive advertising,
social media, word of mouth and direct mail; to build a genuinely integrated
campaign. Media agencies bring efficiency to their clients across media
planning and negotiation points as they have the specific expertise, volume
leverage and deliver economies of scale and therefore reduce per media
booking transaction cost.

Then comes the adrenaline high part. Coups. Ambush. Guerilla. Viral. Take
Unilever P&G. Kingfisher Jet Airways. Coke Pepsi. Some of these are fought
tooth and nail on media. And believe me, it is like you are working under
CIA. Top secret confidential information exchanges hands. Market
Intelligence, Competitor information and so on are passed real time and you
become the confidantes and rock solid partners who ensure that coups are
carried out smoothly, swiftly. If you can replicate warfare in a corporate
set up, then this is it. You get the high of outshouting, killing or pulling
off a fast one. The recent P&G HUL Ambush Marketing case was one such case.
And I was glad to have been in the middle of it. Working overnight on
pulling off a successful multimedia campaign in a matter of 24 hours gives a
stupendous high.

We dont just have client's competition to face. We also have other agencies.
And the turf to play it out is proving your point at awards. Emvies is one
such held every year to honour measurable and significant contributions in
the field of media. Here, you dont just need to write a winning paper. You
also need to present your case in front of an audience consisting of media
fraternity and advertisers. It becomes a place for many to take a dig at
their nearest rivals, making the game all the more fun and exciting. These
award ceremonies are nothing short of a carnival. Its a war out there and
all is fair.

What else? You work on some of the biggest brands in the country. You become
'wanted' / 'hunted' by media sales teams across board. You get power and
control over your brand(s) and get to handle huge levels of media
investment. You plan how people see or think about these brands.
You work in a dynamic world. You tweak and customize basis people's thoughts
and actions. Technology is changing the face of the consumer and his
behaviour. Internet, mobile, congruence, augmented reality, behavioural
targeting, social media have become the new buzz words. What was impossible
yesterday is passe today. It is as dynamic as that. Just look at yourself.
You are not the Lalitha ji of yesterday. You have changed. And so have we to
address you. You spend more time on FB, twitter and gmail. And we understand
that. Today media likes to play smart. It creeps into you. Like telecom
companies have made their signature tune so 'homely'. Global handwashing
day. World Heart day. Did you even know of such days a year or two ago?

So what does it take to become an adrenaline charged media professional?
Passion. Enthusiasm. And Ambition. I think these take you far and are some
of the key skills one looks for while recruiting media personnel. The will
to go the extra mile. The urge to get things done by hook or by... The want
to be ahead of the pack. The want to do something different or to do
something differently. The want to create, innovate and excel.

What will you achieve? You will be acutely aware of what's happening in your
city, your country, your specialist area of expertise. You will understand
brands, markets, communication and media. Most of all, you will understand
other people. The people we live with. The people we work with. The people
we are. For that you will need to be a thinker plus doer, relentless in the
pursuit of success for your clients. You will need to continuously seek -
and find - the perfect connection between your clients' products and
potential customers. An agency does this by using its skill and clout to
plan and negotiate great deals with broadcasters and publishing houses. In
the liberated, unpredictable, spectacular media world of the 21st century,
we use analysis and creativity to commission a group of specialists, not
necessarily us to create a stream of brilliant ideas and control them as we
distribute them around the world.

Its a mad mad world. A treadmill!