Week at a glance: Privacy row; TRP scam - BARC in trouble?; Trending Now 2021

ARC’s forensic audit reveals the extent of manipulation in BARC TRP data

In the past few weeks, India’s premier industry body for measuring television ratings has been under intense scrutiny for TRP manipulation. Leaked Whatsapp chats between former BARC CEO, Partho Dasgupta and Republic TV’s Arnab Goswami have opened up a can of worms and show the collusion between the two and how Dasgupta favoured Republic TV.

Privacy row: An in-depth understanding of what the law states

The past few days have witnessed people across the world looking for alternative options if their privacy is likely to be infringed. Why should this matter to advertisers? Part 22 of the series of articles on Misleading Ads by Advocate Aazmeen Kasad serves to demystify the term ‘Privacy’, how use of customer data without their consent can back-fire and provide an in-depth understanding of what the law on the same is, etc.

Suspend IBF membership of Republic TV, no BARC ratings till Court order: NBA

The News Broadcasters Association (NBA) has expressed its shock over the Whatsapp messages revealed recently that show a collusion between former BARC CEO Partho Dasgupta, who has been arrested, and Arnab Goswami, Managing Director, ARG Outlier Media.

E-Commerce Sector Under Lens, Govt Planning Stringent FDI Rules

Government of India is likely to tighten the foreign direct investment (FDI) rules for e-commerce to check companies set up by the online marketplaces from trading on their own platform. A clarification is expected from The Department of Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade through a press note where it will prohibit e-commerce platforms from holding stake in a seller, directly or indirectly. 

Facebook Assures IT Panel that WhatsApp isn't sharing personal data

According to media reports, Facebook has assured the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information Technology that it's instant messaging app, WhatsApp isn't sharing personal data like text messages being exchanged between two individuals. 

Times Network contemplates legal action in BARC TRP scam

Times Network/ Bennett Coleman & Company Ltd (BCCL) is contemplating all possible legal actions against BARC for non-redressal of its grievances, as available in law for wrongful loss caused.

Vishnu Mohan steps down as Chairman & CEO, Havas Group

Vishnu Mohan has quit Havas Group as Chairman and CEO Southeast Asia, India and North Asia after spending 25 years with the company. After Moran's departure, Alberto Canteli, CEO of Havas Group in Middle East and Eastern Europe will extend his remit to include Southeast Asia and North Asia.

After a tepid Lohri-Pongal, will Republic Day offers buoy brand sales?

It seems the sale season now remains all round the year as marketers leave no occasion untapped to boost sales by offering attractive discounts. Over the years, we have seen marketers increasingly leverage national holidays to conduct sale offers, apart from the annual festive season periods. Hence, we have started seeing national events such as Republic Day and Independence Day being converted into sale periods by brands of all hues, as well as e-commerce platforms.

2021 will definitely be a year of influencer marketing again: Hitarth Dadia

Hitarth Dadia, Head of Monetization, NOFILTR Group, sees a tremendous growth curve for influencer marketing and video marketing in 2021. He also stresses on the importance of creative and diversified content to keep the audience entertained and informed at the same time.

No media trial in ongoing investigations; PCI rules apply to TV channels: Bombay HC

Taking cognizance of the media trial and intense scrutiny, especially pertaining to the Sushant Singh Rajput death case, the Bombay High Court has asked news channels to show restraint while covering ongoing investigation cases. Taking a strong view on the vitriolic spewed in toxic debates and discussions in such cases, the Court also asked the news channels to regulate their coverage.

India has a huge potential to be a data refinery: Ravi Shankar Prasad

Ten years ago, Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) conducted its first India Digital Summit inaugurated by Ravi Shankar Prasad, Minister of Communication, Electronics, Information Technology, Law and Justice, Government of India. IAMAI hosted its flagship two-day India Digital Summit 2021 on January 19^th and 20^th, which was once again inaugurated by Prasad. He was joined by Anant Goenka, Executive Director, The Indian Express.

"Big Tech needs to do a better job of educating users on how their data is being used"

Mobile ad spends in 2020 grew to $240 billion, up by 26% from 2019, according to State of Mobile 2021 study by App Annie. The report estimates that spend will reach $290 billion by the end of the year. On the side-lines of the 15^th India Digital Summit by Internet and Mobile Association of India, Adgully caught up with Nick Seckold, Vice President – APAC, Microsoft Advertising, to understand digital and mobile growth trends driving advertising dollars in the APAC market.

We need to stop treating influencers as a ‘media buy’: Karan Bhandari

In conversation with Adgully, Karan Bhandari, EVP, Integrated Media Strategy, Weber Shandwick, says that digital will be playing a huge role in the planning and strategy phase for brands and organisations from the word go in PR.

Regulators can’t make rules for a technology that’s still in beta: Vijay Shekhar Sharma

Vijay Shekhar Sharma, Founder, Paytm, while speaking to Anant Goenka, Executive Director, The Indian Express at a fireside chat on ‘Building Aatmanirbhar Digital Bharat’, highlighted how Paytm had brought about changes in QR Code.

Brands need to establish a data value exchange: Vasuta Agarwal

As digital media becomes more ubiquitous in the marketing strategies of brands, platforms must address consumers concerns of data privacy, security and client concerns such as brand safety and privacy compliant tracking of the consumer footprint. Platforms also need to address the question of content moderation and ask themselves whether they are publishers or aggregators.

Rishabh Pant – A new brand star is born

India’s decisive and inspiring win against Australia at the Gabba, which helped the team clinch the series 2-1, has been hailed as the greatest win. Rishabh Pant’s heroic knock of 89 played a major part in India’s win and he is now being hailed as a hero and he was also crowned as ‘Player of the Match’.

Is an English-first Internet irrelevant for Digital Bharat?

Access to computers 50 years back was very limited. Only 10 per cent of Indians speak English, but almost all of them have access to the Internet. If we want the Internet to grow in the country, it should be available in Indian languages as well. That was the view of the industry experts who were part of the panel discussion on ‘50 years of Indic Language Computing – How relevant is an English first Internet for Digital Bharat?’.

Bhuvan Bam becomes India’s first independent creator to cross 3 bn views

India’s most celebrated youth icon and Digital Content Creator BhuvanBam's YouTube channel BB ki Vines has hit a new high. With 20 million subscribers and a record 3 billion collective views, Bhuvan Bam has become India’s first independent digital content creator to reach this exceptional milestone.  

“2021 will be a year of content, especially short video platforms and OTT”

When the Indian Government banned over 100 Chinese apps in 2020 including TikTok, following Chinese incursions in Ladakh, it opened up a huge opportunity for Indian short video platforms. Bolo Indya, a vernacular short video platform, was one of the indigenous apps that found increase in traction after TikTok ban. Varun Saxena, Founder, Bolo Indya, highlights the growing importance of content in 2021, with the emergence of diverse and unheard content categories.

Budget 2021: “The industry is looking ahead to MSMEs for additional growth”

“Budget 2021 carries a lot of responsibility to revive specific sectors like tourism, services & apparel, which have been hit hard by the pandemic,” remarks Amit Gupta, Managing Director, Httpool India. These sectors contribute considerably to advertising revenues. Given the fact that the situation becomes better with the arrival of vaccination, we should see higher consumer consumption and demand. This Budget should help with sops to get these verticals back on track.

#TwitterChat: Will science based claims in advertising become ubiquitous?

Post the Coronavirus pandemic, a major shift that has come in consumer behaviour is the fact that they are relooking at the ‘Nutritional Information’ and ‘Ingredients’ labels of brands. Consumers are scrutinising the efficacy of products based on a single priority – their health and wellness.