<ul><li>As the industry copes with the after-effects of the lockdown, which had paralyzed the logistics and production involved in making ad films, communication around IPL has not been very impressive this year. </li><li>A lot of people have been talking about the dearth of quality ads that stand out or that have created an impact this year. </li><li>We speak to experts to find out the reason behind the dip in quality advertising this year and how ad agencies can buckle up to help their clients reap the best benefits in the upcoming days of IPL. </li></ul>Indian Premier League (IPL) has almost become a festival of its own that gives brands an opportunity to reach out to a huge number of people who are glued to their television sets for close to two months every year. Dream11 IPL 2020’s opening match itself was watched by 200 million people, which indicates why IPL is the biggest marketing opportunity for brands this year to bounce back. IPL also brings along an array of wonderful ads every year. In the early years, brands like Vodafone, Kingfisher and Nestle created some spectacular work to take advantage of this uniquely-engaging event. However, the on-going pandemic has brought in a lot of challenges for agencies. They are producing ads with minimum money, trying to operate within the government guidelines of production and selling it for really expensive slots. They are also expected to create an ad that stands out in a sea full of celebrity-endorsing cliches. And after seeing a lean first-half this year, all kinds of brands are trying to cash in on IPL’s fervor. With this increased pressure and responsibility, agencies are working extra hours to meet clients’ expectations. To top that, an air of despondency is still looming around because of the fear of the unknown, blues of working in isolation, pressure to overperform in a dismal atmosphere, salary cuts, work overload and time-crunch. Ergo, COVID-19 has had a clear impact on the country's creative minds as well, possibly leading to unimpressive production this year. A lot of people have been talking about the dearth of quality ads that stand out or that have created an impact this year. A few experts did appreciate Dream11 and Khatabook for their IPL ads but largely, they were disappointed with the plunge in quality ads. <div type="twitter" handle="anubhavsinha" handlename="Anubhav Sinha" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1297501233310138368/6ehw_DUO_normal.jpg" favoritecount="2869" retweetcount="141" status="Who has Directed the Dream11 commercials? Very nice and all the cricketers are acting so well. @agracadabra" createdat="1600876574000" id="1308797330389229568"></div> Roshan Abbas, MD and Founder, Geometry Encompass took to Twitter and said, “The drought in quality advertising during IPL is mind boggling. Show me one good ad, please one good ad.” <div type="twitter" handle="roshanabbas" handlename="Roshan Abbas" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1296454010052808704/zIDYh7wP_normal.jpg" favoritecount="118" retweetcount="9" status="The drought in quality advertising during IPL is mind boggling. Show me one ad, pls one good ad! @AnantRangaswami" createdat="1600839200000" id="1308640574233223168"></div> On lack of quality, Satbir Singh, Founder and CCO of Thinkstr, commented, “Over the next 45 days, clients are going to spend over 2,000 crores on ads on IPL. About 500 crores on celebrities. And, looking at the ads, a couple of crores in creative fees.” <div type="twitter" handle="thesatbir" handlename="Satbir Singh" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1263439382133927941/1jXTTKoe_normal.jpg" favoritecount="506" retweetcount="68" status="Over the next 45 days, clients are going to spend over 2,000 crores on ads on IPL. About 500 crores on celebrities.… https://t.co/nKQbSM3jz9" createdat="1600616932000" id="1307708312478121984"></div> <div type="twitter" handle="dabas_jeetu" handlename="Jitender Dabas" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1137186055126278145/nFmzhBxz_normal.jpg" favoritecount="19" retweetcount="2" status="Buy the most expensive raw ingredients in large quantities, spend more money on fancy ingredients &amp; spices ... the… https://t.co/1qPtZMGY8Y" createdat="1600664254000" id="1307906794367246336"></div> <div type="twitter" handle="abidmg" handlename="Abid. M" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1275706817524510721/zTzvK04N_normal.jpg" favoritecount="2" retweetcount="2" status="No wonder ads are looking lousy these days. Increase creative budgets. Make better ads. https://t.co/PUDONAwtWE" createdat="1600659487000" id="1307886799818170369"></div> <div type="twitter" handle="SlyandSulk" handlename="What's in a name?" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1261406875750330368/LSIs7HNY_normal.jpg" favoritecount="3" retweetcount="2" status="Advertising industry leadership is equally at fault. &quot;20 lakh me campaign kar denge saar&quot;&quot;20 lakh me campaign ka… https://t.co/j4iPPLkWM7" createdat="1600664558000" id="1307908069876137984"></div> Lloyd Mathias, Business Strategist and former HP, Asia Marketing Head found this year’s IPL to be quite disappointing. He said, “I guess in their keenness to use cricket and cricket stars the brand proposition has got lost. There are a few exceptions though. My personal favourite is the Swiggy spots – esp. the middle aged men getting together to watch IPL. Harsha Bhogle’s commentary at a key moment lends a great touch. IPL sponsor Dream 11’s ads using the superstars in classic gully street cricket situations with the line ‘yeh apna game hain’ is funny, endearing and tells consumers everyone is an equal when it comes to Dream 11.” On whether lockdown has impacted industry’s creativity, Mathias said, “Not really. I think many advertisers think that a spot in the IPL must be anchored in cricket – and sometimes the best spots have little to do with the sport. Vodafone’s zoozoos are a great case in point.” On the other hand, Ambi Parameswaran, Founder, Brand-Building helped us look at the brighter side and appreciated brands who have trusted in advertising despite seeing gloomy days. Parameswaran said, “There is a lot of debate on the fall of creative quality of ads in this year’s IPL. But this is a false argument. The country faced a severe lockdown and even now the movie halls are yet to open. Film shootings are happening in stages. So it is futile to say that why are the ads not their sparkling best. Instead we should applaud the brands that have boldly decided to advertise. These brands are demonstrating their faith in advertising and its effectiveness. Yes, there is a surfeit of tech-enabled brands and that is to be expected. But there are also so many auto brands, consumer product brands, consumer service brands, etc., that have decided to bet on IPL. Each and every one of those brands needs to be praised and not criticised for their relative tame creative quality. Research has shown, over a broad range of products, the creative quality may account for just about 7 - 11 % of ad effectiveness. The balance rests with media weight and the core messaging. So let us put our hands together for those brave brands who have decided to stimulate the market, nudge the consumer out of their inertia, to start spending.” Earlier while conceptualising TV ads, production challenges were given scant thought while approving scripts. However today, the starting point of conceptualising creatives would be around the associated production constraints, which Ronita Mitra, Founder and Chief Strategist, Brand Eagle Consulting said is one of the reasons why IPL ads are impacted this year. Mitra said, “All these constraints and challenges are visible in the ads being played during IPL 2020. However, these challenging times are also the litmus test of the true creative potential of the creative teams. Due to cuts in marketing budgets, ads have probably been made on much lower budgets. Further given the safety protocols to be followed these days you can see that most brand ads are either old ones or shot with solo models, or using animation. Viewers would also be seeing ads with those filters in mind and therefore be tempering their expectations of the entertainment value of the ads. Still, IPL 2020 could have been the ideal opportunity for brands and agencies to showcase some real creative talent, and to show that creativity and the power of idea can rise above the constraints of low budgets or execution constraints. To that extent, the display of creative thinking has been rather disappointing. For me, the Dream 11 ads are the only ones that stand out for making a serious attempt at creating a series of engaging ads.” Albeit, Kuber Chopra, Founder, Creative &amp; Strategy Director, Rasta, said that lack of creativity is not due to lockdown constraints. Chopra said, “I don't think one should attribute this lack of creativity to the lockdown because all good creatives enjoy good constraints. I am personally just really surprised that no one has done anything contextual which is focussed on the consumers who’ve been dealing with the pandemic. For instance the ad by Paytm featuring Sachin Tendulkar is quite campy where the service is also lost. I really like Dream11’s focus on the active fan. It is also good to see how the cricket demigods have been humanised and are happy to be part of the sobering script. In my opinion, ads need to have some cultural connect with viewers and much of this is missing as is evident even in the ad for Apple 11.” “It’s surprising how brands haven't taken a chance with either new stories or fresh treatment. Decision-makers and creative heads have chosen to be safe,” added Chopra. IPL is considered India’s Super Bowl, not only because it’s the biggest sporting event but also because over the years, it has come to become the benchmark for creativity in advertisements. Shashwat Das, Founder, Almond Branding, said, “Whether it was the iconic Zoozoos or Jio dhan dhanadan, Amazon’s Chonkpur Cheetahs or IPL’s own Jumping Japang campaign, we always looked up to what’s new and path-breaking each season. The expectations have only grown over the years. However, this season, apart from the funny series of Dream11 ads nothing else have yet got people talking. With more digital viewers of IPL this year than ever before, the engagement and online conversations that a brand can pull is the biggest success parameter. Sadly I still remember the DLF Maxima from the initial days of IPL more than any brand campaign this season. I am hoping as the game progresses, brands will rise to the occasion and surprise us.” On how ad agencies can buckle up to help their clients reap the best benefits in the upcoming days of IPL, Sameer Makani, Co-Founder and Managing Director Makani Creatives said, “The industry is still coping up with the after-effects of the lockdown which had led to paralyzing the logistics and production involved in making ad films. Although progress in digital advertising is visible, the attention span of the audience is significantly reduced. Today, it’s about opting for a more concentrated approach and creating content that resonates with the audience instead of conventional carpet bombing. For instance – video content has become an excellent medium to touch, feel and engage with the audience in this new normal. It has helped several brands in channelizing the content in a manner that helps in leverage relationship with customers. The quality of ads depends on how well the advertiser is capable of sending the message and how well the audience perceives the message. This is an opportunity for brands to understand and conceptualize ads as per needs.” The story is not over yet Mathias anticipates that things will change as we get deeper into the league. He said, “I would expect a few brands may release fresh creatives as the tournament progresses. Given that viewership of the IPL has been phenomenal in the first phase and the tournament will build up to the festive season – there should be better advertising on the anvil.” Chopra is hoping to see smaller brands shine on Disney+ Hotstar. “I’m rooting for the iconic equivalent of 'Flipkart Kids' from the ed-tech folks who’ve heavily invested in the IPL. It’s really their moment to own. As a footnote, I’d keep an eye on Disney+ Hotstar -- where smaller advertisers can express themselves efficiently with lower media spends,” said he.

Has working remotely led to a dearth of good IPL ads this year?

<ul><li>Prime Minister Narendra Modi's thanked Alia Bhatt, Aayushman Khurana, Madhuri Dixit, Tata Group, Coal India and others for their contribution to <keyword id="8972802" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="pm-cares">PM CARES</keyword>.</li><li>Prime Minister Narendra Modi's mother Heeraben Modi donates ₹25,000 from her personal savings to PM CARES Fund</li><li>Around 2,56,000 employees from India's largest bank, State Bank of India (<keyword id="13222" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="SBI">SBI</keyword>) have decided to pledge their salary to Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations (PM-CARES) Fund. The total sum amounts to ₹100 crore.</li><li>The Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Limited (IFFCO) has decided to donate ₹25 crore.</li><li>The National Agricultural Coorperative Markering Federation (NAFED) had donated ₹5 crore.</li><li>Jindal Steel and Power (JSP) made a contribution of ₹25 crore.</li></ul>Prime Minister thanked Alia Bhatt, Aayushman Khurana, Madhuri Dixit, Karan Johar and others from the film fraternity is a tweet for their support towards the newly-formed Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations (PM-CARES) Fund. 
	<div type="twitter" handle="narendramodi" handlename="Narendra Modi" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1134082549041393672/QbihPzrL_normal.png" favoritecount="13613" retweetcount="1904" status="Every effort counts, every contribution matters. I thank leading film personalities @MadhuriDixit, @bhumipednekar,… https://t.co/F7vuQhM66c" createdat="1585674560000" id="1245035461761892352"></div>



 He also threw a shout out to government-owned enterprises like Coal India, the Ministry of External Affairs and the Wives Welfare Association for showing leadership and compassion during the Coronavirus outbreak and their collective contributions to the fund. 
	<div type="twitter" handle="narendramodi" handlename="Narendra Modi" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1134082549041393672/QbihPzrL_normal.png" favoritecount="8771" retweetcount="1449" status="Rising to the occasion for a healthier India, showing leadership and compassion. Thank you @IRSAssociation,… https://t.co/aNAtCljd5h" createdat="1585674521000" id="1245035300323094528"></div>



 Modi also acknowledged Tata Group's contribution of ₹500 crore and thanked Ratan Tata for his gesture. 
	<div type="twitter" handle="narendramodi" handlename="Narendra Modi" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1134082549041393672/QbihPzrL_normal.png" favoritecount="14410" retweetcount="2658" status="Admirable commitment to service and national development shown by the Tata Group. I welcome their gesture of contri… https://t.co/aOGpLbO9Z4" createdat="1585674828000" id="1245036586548359168"></div>



 List of everyone who donated to PM CARES Fund Modi's mother, Heeraben Modi, who is currently 95 years old, donated ₹25,000 from her personal savings to PM CARES. In an interview, Modi once said that Heeraben was the pillar in his life and has played a crucial part in his success. <div type="image" title="baimodi_edited" msid="74915240" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Prime Minister Narendra Modi&amp;#39;s mother Hiraba donates ₹25,000 from her personal savings to PM CARES Fund&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>

 The Dalai Lama also announced that he's announced that he will donating to PM CARES through the Dalai Lama Trust, although he did not disclose the amount. "As a token of my sympathy and support, I am making a donation from Dalia Lama Trust to the PM CARES Fund set up to provide relief during crises such as this," he said. Employees from India's largest bank, the State Bank of India (SBI) have also pledged to donate two days' salary to the PM-CARES Fund. The collective effort from around 2,56,000 employees with amount to ₹100 crore. The Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Limited (IFFCO) is donating ₹25 crore to PM-CARES as well as conducting ground donation drivers in villages across the country. In Delhi, the National Agricultural Cooperative Market Federation of India (NAFED) wrote out a cheque of ₹5 crore to the fund. India's richest man <keyword id="3820" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Mukesh-Ambani">Mukesh Ambani</keyword> is also in the mix having pleded ₹500 crore ($66.4 million) to PM-CARES through his company, <keyword id="6355199" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="reliance-industries">Reliance Industries</keyword>. In comparison, Ambani's net worth is a whopping $39.9 billion. According to the company, this money will go towards sponsoring 5 million free meals over the next 10 days. PM cares donations by celebrities Actor Anushka Sharma and Cricketer <keyword id="6354486" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="virat-kohli">Virat Kohli</keyword> pledged their support earlier today, March 30 to help "ease the pain of fellow citizens." 
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	<div type="twitter" handle="AnushkaSharma" handlename="Anushka Sharma" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1195210447172952064/oZyMahy-_normal.jpg" favoritecount="23321" retweetcount="1616" status="Virat and I are pledging our support towards PM-CARES Fund &amp; the Chief Minister's Relief Fund (Maharashtra). Our he… https://t.co/CU9SVN2Jda" createdat="1585546272000" id="1244497382684819458"></div>































 Actor Kartik Aryan also took to Twitter to announce that he is pledging ₹1 crore in fight against Coronavirus in India. 
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	<div type="twitter" handle="TheAaryanKartik" handlename="Kartik Aaryan" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1192821355013644290/R0duNRKC_normal.jpg" favoritecount="20197" retweetcount="4005" status="It is the absolute need of the hour to rise together as a Nation. Whatever I am, whatever money I’ve earned, is onl… https://t.co/w0U6rgk9Fd" createdat="1585546614000" id="1244498818600558595"></div>































 T-Series Bhushan Kumar announced that the company has pledged ₹11 crore to the PM-CARES Fund on March 29. Kabir Singh producer Murad Khetani also stepped forward to pledge ₹25 lakh to the PM-CARES Fund and another ₹25 lakh to the Maharashtra Relief Fund. 
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	<div type="twitter" handle="itsBhushanKumar" handlename="Bhushan Kumar" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1225348487979552773/z5jQsEiP_normal.jpg" favoritecount="13220" retweetcount="3026" status="Today, we are all at a really crucial stage &amp; it’s extremely important to do all we can to help. I, along with my e… https://t.co/8Is8pjyQnD" createdat="1585460086000" id="1244135893834682369"></div>





































 <keyword id="2823" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Akshay-Kumar">Akshay Kumar</keyword>, known for his blockbuster hits like Kesari, Pad Man, and Hera Pheri, pledged to donated ₹25 crore from his savings to the newly formed Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations Fund (<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/narendra-modi-announces-new-fund-pmcares-for-people-to-donate-towards-govt-fight-against-coronavirus/articleshow/74863818.cms">PM-CARES</a>). 
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	<div type="twitter" handle="mrsfunnybones" handlename="Twinkle Khanna" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/896049725241081857/8VCRlpsy_normal.jpg" favoritecount="77162" retweetcount="15535" status="The man makes me proud. When I asked him if he was sure as it was such a massive amount and we needed to liquidate… https://t.co/5u2aD72fd9" createdat="1585399438000" id="1243881516855447554"></div>









































 Actor Sonam Kapoor followed a more subtle approach by lauding the initaitive and confirming that she will be be making a donation. However, did not disclose the amount. 
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	<div type="twitter" handle="sonamakapoor" handlename="Sonam K Ahuja" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1145948449193566208/SvvELvMl_normal.jpg" favoritecount="1646" retweetcount="84" status="This is an excellent initiative. And I will be donating. 🙏🏽🇮🇳 https://t.co/xpLAzalhgg" createdat="1585453373000" id="1244107734754025474"></div>



































 Others like Priyanka Chopra and husband Nick Jonas, Sara Ali Khan, R Madhavan and Katrina Kaif followed the same approach. PM CARES donations by singers Punjabi singer Guru Randhawa announced a ₹20 lakh pledge and asked people to “help each other” during these trying times. His contemporary Diljit Dosangh, also pledged to donate ₹20 lakh. 
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	<div type="twitter" handle="GuruOfficial" handlename="Guru Randhawa" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1239256783408906240/iMVG7uJ3_normal.jpg" favoritecount="3936" retweetcount="961" status="I pledge to contribute Rs 20 lacs from my savings to @narendramodi sir’s PM-CARES Fund. Let’s help each other 🙏🏻 I… https://t.co/n7J308xt7d" createdat="1585402078000" id="1243892590467936256"></div>
















 PM CARES donations from sportsmen From the sporting arena, Indian cricketer Suresh Raina is donating ₹52 lakh but only ₹31 lakh is going towards the PM-CARES fund. The other ₹21 lakh is going to Raina’s home state, Uttar Pradesh, towards the chief minister’s Disaster Relief Fund. "That's a brilliant fifty," Modi responded to Raina's contribution. Soon after, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) also pledged ₹51 crore to the fund. 
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	<div type="twitter" handle="ImRaina" handlename="Suresh Raina🇮🇳" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1227208077415288832/dQloczSs_normal.jpg" favoritecount="74231" retweetcount="14567" status="It’s time we all do our bit to help defeat #COVID19. I’m pledging ₹52 lakh for the fight against #Corona (₹31 lakh… https://t.co/UCOQ5EFiRI" createdat="1585397402000" id="1243872976883376130"></div>
















 
























 Pledge campaigns for donations to PM CARES Organisations like PhonePe and Motiwal Oswal are also doing their part during this time of crisis. The online payments platform PhonePe has launched a ₹100 crore pledge campaign in which they will add ₹10 to everyone’s donation. "This will inspire and enable a number number of Indian to donate to PM-CARES," according to Modi. 
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	<div type="twitter" handle="PhonePe_" handlename="PhonePe" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1228394203421372416/4X3QZazb_normal.jpg" favoritecount="261" retweetcount="102" status="Join our #100CrorePledge &amp; donate to the PMCARES FUND using contactless UPI payments. Remember no contribution is t… https://t.co/b6Z4yD3rMh" createdat="1585405072000" id="1243905146087542785"></div>









































 Paytm, the online payment platform led by Vijay Shekhar Sharma, followed suit with its own ₹500 crore pledge. 
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	<div type="twitter" handle="vijayshekhar" handlename="Stay Home, Stay Safe" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/813598012173754368/MnHjJnCv_normal.jpg" favoritecount="18358" retweetcount="3731" status="We at @Paytm are aiming ₹500 crore towards PM CARES Fund. Not just when you donate on Paytm, we will add up to ₹1… https://t.co/vPXt3hlqAO" createdat="1585412377000" id="1243935786338115584"></div>





































 Indian companies donate to PM CARES Banking magnate Uday Kotak announced that he will be donating ₹25 crore out of his own saving and another ₹25 crore on behalf of Kotak Mahindra Bank. "It's time to protect lives and livelihood," he said. 
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	<div type="twitter" handle="udaykotak" handlename="Uday Kotak" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/532114039342505984/y0x0ooJy_normal.jpeg" favoritecount="6454" retweetcount="1199" status="It is time to protect Lives and Livelihood. Jab Jaan hai to Jahaan hai. https://t.co/AhKb1Yr8n1" createdat="1585468385000" id="1244170700589395968"></div>
















 L&amp;T, the Mumbai-based multinational, also announced a donation of ₹150 crore in addition to setting aside ₹500 crore to support its 1,60,000 contract workers. Pradeep and Pankaj Rathod from the Cello Group, known for its glassware, bottles and tiffin-ware, donated ₹3.5 crore to the fund. "Such support from the world of commerce and industry is extremely valuable," said Modi. The online stock trading platform, Motilal Oswal, is donating ₹5 crore to the PM-CARES Fund. According to Oswal, “Health is wealth.” Jindals' JSW Group, led by Sajjan Jindal, contibuted over ₹100 crore to the national Coronavirus fund to help in the relief efforts. 
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	<div type="twitter" handle="MrMotilalOswal" handlename="Motilal Oswal" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1124698615153340418/_rnyIAMp_normal.jpg" favoritecount="1430" retweetcount="321" status="At this time when all of us need to help our fellow Indians in whatever way we can, @MotilalOswalLtd pledges to con… https://t.co/AehKZpINC6" createdat="1585403586000" id="1243898914681393157"></div>









































 
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	<div type="twitter" handle="ParthJindal11" handlename="Parth Jindal" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/531456067004542976/gW2LzOKD_normal.jpeg" favoritecount="4382" retweetcount="1093" status="Chairman of the @TheJSWGroup and chairperson of @JSWFoundation Papa @sajjanjindal and Ma @SangitaSJindal have dec… https://t.co/8JFTWpUs5E" createdat="1585463852000" id="1244151689713778689"></div>





































 The ayurvedic consumer goods company Patanjali, founded by Baba Ramdev, has given ₹25 crore to the PM CARES Fund and set up five quarantine centers for those who have testing positive for Coronavirus. Indian tech giant Infosys, will be donating ₹100 crore through the Infosys Foundation, the company's arm for philanthropic efforts. Branches of government doing their part National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) officials are putting up one day's salary towards PM CARES. Coal India Limited (CIL) has pledged ₹220 crore and NLC India has promised ₹25 crore. All of Indian Railway's employees have pledged one day's salary to the newly-formed Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations (PM-CARES) Fund, according to union minister Piyush Goyal. Collectively, the contribution will amount to ₹151 crore from Indian Railways Ministry. Similarly all of the employees of the Airport Authority of India (AAI) collectively raised ₹20 crore to do their part during the crisis. 
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	<div type="twitter" handle="AAI_Official" handlename="Airports Authority of India" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/877857676109033472/JvXlewA7_normal.jpg" favoritecount="1345" retweetcount="391" status="#AAI employees raised ₹20 cr as an initial contribution to the #PMCARES Funds to fight the menace of #COVID19. Coll… https://t.co/WytKLioEsX" createdat="1585463322000" id="1244149467294486533"></div>





































 Indian President Ram Nath Kovind has also pledged one month of his salary towards the fund that will help fight the Coroanvirus pandemic in India. 
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	<div type="twitter" handle="rashtrapatibhvn" handlename="President of India" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/921303478684790784/FLIFCZxh_normal.jpg" favoritecount="9652" retweetcount="1341" status="President Ram Nath Kovind pledges to donate one-month salary to PM-CARES Fund to help the nation tide over the cris… https://t.co/EH8czooIw7" createdat="1585462054000" id="1244144145914003458"></div>




































 The Indian Administrative Services (IAS) Association is contributing ₹21 lakh and has encouraged its members to donate a day’s salary as well. 
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	<div type="twitter" handle="IASassociation" handlename="IAS Association" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1070320942784557056/LsgH95pr_normal.jpg" favoritecount="3322" retweetcount="839" status="@IASassociation decides to contribute Rs. 21 lakhs to the PM-CARES Fund as its initial contribution to combat COVI… https://t.co/GLjNRfMpYw" createdat="1585395546000" id="1243865190803750912"></div>









































 Members of other branches of the government like the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) are also donating one to two day’s salary in the fight against Coronavirus in India. Officials from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) have also pledged one-day's salary to PM-CARES. 
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	<div type="twitter" handle="iamkash_kr" handlename="Kashyap Kadagattur 🇮🇳" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1166388395318247424/PPqGxPF4_normal.jpg" favoritecount="141" retweetcount="29" status="We in CRPF contributed our one day's salary to PM Relief Fund. Some of us contributed two day's salary as we felt w… https://t.co/veZ0nYlprM" createdat="1585400917000" id="1243887720067297281"></div>









































 Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CIBC) has pledged to donate ₹8 crore, and the Sports Authority of India has promised ₹76 lakh. See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/narendra-modi-announces-new-fund-pmcares-for-people-to-donate-towards-govt-fight-against-coronavirus/articleshow/74863818.cms">Narendra Modi announces new fund for people to donate towards govt fight against coronavirus</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/ratan-tata-donates-500-crore-for-covid-19-for-testing-kits-and-protective-gear-for-health-workers/articleshow/74862906.cms">Ratan Tata donates ₹500 crore for Covid-19 for testing kits and protective gear for health workers</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/zomato-collects-1-5-crore-in-17-hours-to-feed-daily-wagers-who-are-out-of-work/articleshow/74806506.cms">Zomato collects ₹1.5 crore in 17 hours to feed daily wagers who are out of work</a>

PM Modi thanks Alia Bhatt, Tata Group, Aayushman Khurana and others for supporting PM CARES

<ul><li>As the number of Covid-19 cases keep going up in India, various brands and business tycoons have come ahead to donate to help the government in its drive to control the spread of the virus.</li><li>While many companies have created funds to contribute to the PM Cares Fund, a lot of other brands are contributing by donating sanitizers, masks and even food, to help those in the need.</li></ul>The world, as we knew it even till a month back, has changed. With the <keyword id="1754604" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="coronavirus">Coronavirus</keyword> outbreak, our country, along with many other countries across the world has announced complete lockdown. The effects of this pandemic, both on the economy, and on human life, will be massive. At the time of writing this report, the number of positive cases in India crossed 1,050, and the death toll stands at 29. And the number is growing with each passing day. While governments across the globe are working tirelessly to come up with ways of minimizing the impact of this pandemic, we have seen many brands come forward, and contribute in different ways, to help out in these trying times. Since we are seeing a lot of brands come up with many initiatives almost every day, we will keep updating this space with the latest happenings. Tata Group: <keyword id="6360722" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="ratan-tata">Ratan Tata</keyword>, Chairman <keyword id="6383155" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Tata-Trusts">Tata Trusts</keyword> and Chairman Emeritus Tata Sons, pledged Rs 500 crore to protect and empower all affected communities. The money will be spent on personal protective equipment for medical personnel, respiratory systems for treating increasing cases, testing kits to increase per capita testing, setting up modular treatment facilities for infected patients and knowledge management and training of health workers and the general public. <div type="twitter" handle="RNTata2000" handlename="Ratan N. Tata" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1189494401359208448/AwbXHtpn_normal.jpg" favoritecount="199569" retweetcount="59205" status="The COVID 19 crisis is one of the toughest challenges we will face as a race. The Tata Trusts and the Tata group co… https://t.co/GQ6H6sSFcF" createdat="1585392484000" id="1243852348637605888"></div> Mahindra Group: <keyword id="46425" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Anand-Mahindra">Anand Mahindra</keyword>, Chairman, Mahindra Group said he will donate 100% of his salary to create a fund to help small businesses and self-employed people who are expected to be impacted the most due to the outbreak. He also urged our businesses to also set aside contributions for those who are the hardest hit in their ecosystem. <div type="twitter" handle="anandmahindra" handlename="anand mahindra" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1053583782584807425/-7IRmY5u_normal.jpg" favoritecount="48372" retweetcount="13478" status="Going by various reports from epidemiologists, it is highly likely that India is already in Stage 3 of transmission… https://t.co/hBSwnUb9Vp" createdat="1584860752000" id="1241622104778268672"></div> ITC: ITC is setting up a Contingency Fund of Rs 150 crore to address and manage the challenges arising out of the Covid-19 outbreak. The fund will be utilised primarily to provide relief to the vulnerable and most needy sections of society who have been harshly impacted by the pandemic and have faced significant disruption in their livelihoods. Additionally, the fund will collaborate with District Authorities to provide assistance to the district health and rural healthcare eco-system that reaches out to the weakest sections of society. Furthermore, the brand added that the resources under this fund could also be channelised towards the protection and well-being of the ground forces doing commendable work to reach medicines, groceries, other essential goods, sourcing of agri-commodities and so on for people across the country during the lockdown, by providing protective personal gear and hygiene products to such frontline warriors. Reckitt Benckiser: Reckitt Benckiser has launched the RB Fight for Access Fund to improve access to health, hygiene and nutrition for all. As part of this fund, an additional £32 million has been mobilized to address the urgent collective fight against the spread of Covid-19 by breaking the chain of this fast-spreading infection. In India, the brand will be distributing 10 million units of Dettol Soap to the most vulnerable. RB will also be donating 1 million litres of its disinfectant products including Lizol disinfectant liquid and Harpic toilet cleaners to aid India’s states in fighting this crisis especially in public health institutions and at the frontline with health and sanitation workers. It will donate critical protection equipment, 3.5 million N95 masks with a focus on pharmacists and health care workers. These will be distributed across their major markets. Dettol is also partnering with Bollywood actress, Madhur Dixit to release an engaging public service announcement #ApniSurkashaApneHaath to encourage viewers to practice handwashing. Godrej Group: The Godrej Group announced that it is earmarking a fund of Rs 50 crore for community support and relief initiatives in India. This is an initial outlay and the corporate said that it hopes to supplement it over time. It has been buying and supplying medical equipment and protective supplies for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). As a part of the initiative, the group has donated Rs 5 crore to the BMC, donated 115 hospital beds to Maharashtra government hospitals and helped set up a 75-bed quarantine center at the Seven Hills Hospital. Moreover, it has supported the free distribution of 1 million packets of Godrej Protekt Mr. Magic powder-to-liquid hand wash in Maharashtra through partnership with the BMC and Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC), partnered with communities linked to their CSR programmes to support 1.12 lakh beneficiaries across 8 states with hand wash, sanitisers and soap, donated sanitisers to the Mumbai police force, begun ramping up capacity to meet the demand for soap, hand wash and sanitisers and initiated outreach through various networks and hand wash education programmes. Reliance Group: <keyword id="3820" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Mukesh-Ambani">Mukesh Ambani</keyword> has pledged to donate Rs 5 crore to Maharashtra Chief Minister’s Relief Fund. Led by Nita, Ambani Reliance Foundation has promised to provide a free meal to needy people across the country. Additionally, Ambani has also donated a hospital for the patients battling with infection of Covid-19 and will set up a dedicated 100-bed centre at Seven Hills Hospital in Mumbai, along with a fully-equipped isolation facility in Lodhivali, Maharashtra. Paytm: Paytm said that it is aiming to contribute ₹500 crore to the PM CARES Fund. For every contribution, or any other payment done by consumers on Paytm, the online payment app said it will contribute an extra up to ₹10. <div type="twitter" handle="Paytm" handlename="Paytm" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1242803598083395585/4cWZptzw_normal.jpg" favoritecount="9431" retweetcount="2966" status="Paytm is aiming to contribute ₹500 Crore to the PM CARES Fund. For every contribution, or any other payment done… https://t.co/JrSAJTnO1J" createdat="1585411759000" id="1243933194556248064"></div> PhonePe: PhonePe has launched a #100CrorePledge, urging 10 crore Indian citizens to donate to the PMCARES Fund to show their solidarity in fighting the menace of COVID-19. PhonePe has pledged to contribute Rs 10 for every Indian who donates even Rs 1 to the PMCARES Fund via the PhonePe App using UPI by April 30, 2020. In total, PhonePe has pledged to contribute a maximum of up to Rs 100 crore. <div type="twitter" handle="PhonePe_" handlename="PhonePe" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1228394203421372416/4X3QZazb_normal.jpg" favoritecount="834" retweetcount="306" status="Join our #100CrorePledge &amp; donate to the PMCARES FUND using contactless UPI payments. Remember no contribution is t… https://t.co/b6Z4yD3rMh" createdat="1585405072000" id="1243905146087542785"></div> Zomato: Along with announcing measures to help its partner restaurants, delivery staff, and other daily wage workers in India who are currently income-starved due to the lockdown, Zomato set up ‘Feeding India’, a fund to support families of the daily wage workers in India in the absence of employment opportunities. Known as ‘Feeding India’, the initiative has successfully received more than Rs 6 crore in funds. <div type="twitter" handle="deepigoyal" handlename="Deepinder Goyal" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/980757579360972800/TWg-KSki_normal.jpg" favoritecount="1727" retweetcount="1399" status="Please help by donating to 'Feed the Daily Wager' by Zomato Feeding India (@FeedingIndia) and provide food support… https://t.co/8vQRliTLtM" createdat="1585054814000" id="1242436058748317697"></div> Parle: Parle, makers of the much loved Parle-G biscuits announced that it is joining hands with the government to give away 3 crore packets of Parle-G to people in need over the next 3 weeks. The brand made the announcement after PM Narendra Modi made an announcement of the country’s lockdown to prevent the spread of the virus. <div type="javascript" title="Instagram" contenttype="Image"><cdata><![CDATA[ ]]></cdata></div> Diageo: Diageo India, the liquor firm that sells McDowell’s whisky and Smirnoff vodka, will produce 3 lakh litres of hand sanitizers to help overcome its shortage in the country due to the Covid-19 outbreak. A stock exchange filing by the company stated that 15 of the liquor firm’s manufacturing units are being repurposed to manufacture hand sanitisers and donation of extra neutral alcohol (ENA). Kansai Nerolac: Kansai Nerolac Paints has announced that it will do an early disbursement of funds to its painter community falling under the Nerolac Premium Painter Pragati (NPP Pragati) Programme. Over 30,000 painters can benefit from Nerolac’s initiative, upto Rs 36,000 approximately. Mankind Pharma: Mankind Pharma has pledged to donate Rs 51 crore to CM Relief fund to manage the outbreak. The brand will be donating ventilators, Personal protective equipment (PPE) and medicines to the states reporting maximum number of positive cases. Mankind Pharma will be working closely with the Governments of Kerala, Maharashtra, UP, Uttrakhand, Bihar, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, AP, Telangana, Delhi, Haryana, HP, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Punjab, West Bengal J&amp;K and Orrisa.

How brands are contributing to the fight against Coronavirus

The <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/E-Commerce-industry-is-ready-to-host-the-Diwali-season-Are-you/articleshow/48680283.cms">Indian eCommerce industry </a>is leaving no stone unturned to woo customers in the upcoming festive season. They are offering additional 5% discount, cash back and wallet points to its <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/GokulRajaram-Every-household-will-start-using-mobile/articleshow/48513516.cms">mobile users</a> to ensure user engagement and boost sales. 
 
Srinivas Murthy, senior vice-president for marketing at <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/Snapdealraises-500-million-eBay-sells-its-stake/articleshow/48530553.cms">Snapdeal </a>said, "We are developing a host of solutions for our 1.5-lakh sellers to help them pre-empt demand through analysis of consumer behaviour and stock-up their inventory accordingly.” The company’s traffic grew 15 times ahead of Diwali last year. 
 The <keyword id="436047" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ecommerce">eCommerce</keyword> companies this year are eying to score the highest <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=gross+merchandise+volume">gross merchandise volume (GMV)</a>, a key metric for continued investor interest in the space. 
 <keyword id="6357066" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="ShopClues">ShopClues</keyword> senior director Nitin Agarwal has said, "In the campaign starting next month, there will be differentiated offerings for loyal customers. We have started working with cash back and loyalty programs through Cluebucks, which can be redeemed for future transactions. As opposed to previous years, the assortment cover has gone down and only certain categories get promoted." 
 
Paytm, a transaction platform, however, plans to promote wallet downloads. The company’s vice-president Saurabh Vashishtha says, "Discounts combined with attractive cash backs will be offered. The actual benefits would vary for different categories." 
 
"From last year, we see a lot of tier-2 ecommerce players tying up with wallets such as Mobikwik and PayU to offer wallet points as incentive to online shoppers. The focus has shifted from discounts directed at acquiring customers to promoting newly on-board merchants through discounts," said Ashok Reddy, founder of couponing site, GrabOn. 
 
If reports are to be believed, Indian users are not loyal to the online marketplace; the reason being, instant benefits available by couponing and cash-back deals. 
 
"We have seen the minimum order value on flat-out discounts go up over the years and the discounts are conservative at 20-30%. In India, loyalty points are not generous, as a result of which the uptake by online buyers has been slow," said Swati Bhargava, cofounder of cash back site, CashKaro. 
 "There has been a move by horizontal marketplaces to move from discounting to loyalty programme, though none of them have been successful. The reason being that unless it is synchronous, they will lose customers to the competitor offering flat-out discounts," said Arvind Singhal, chairman and managing director of retail advisory firm, <keyword id="182686" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Technopak">Technopak</keyword>. 
 
Massive discounts will also be driven by new segment of consumer internet companies. "Food tech companies will be among the new players in discount space," said Ankita Tandon, COO at couponing site, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=CouponDunia">CouponDunia</a>. 
 
Image: Thinkstock

Indian eCommerce industry hopes Diwali will light up sales

Fearing that backlash in India will hurt prospects of his <keyword id="1826931" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="Internet-org">Internet.org</keyword> in other countries, <keyword id="6354576" type="CITY" weightage="80" keywordseo="Facebook">Facebook</keyword>’s <keyword id="6354630" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Mark-Zuckerberg">Mark Zuckerberg</keyword> is leaving no stone unturned to swing India’s opinion in favour of Internet.org, which allows certain services to be provided free of data charge to users. 
 
The billionaire is also exploring alternatives to subsidise access to certain Internet services including Facebook. 
 
Zuckerberg recently held dialogues with people in India's start-up and technology world to convince them about Internet.org, a partnership stitched by the social networking giant. 
 
Earlier in May, Sharad Sharma, former Yahoo India research head, angel investor and software product activist, received a call from Zuckerberg in this regard. 
 
A person briefed on the discussion told Economic Times, "Facebook is worried that the backlash in India could affect Internet.org in other markets like Brazil and Indonesia." 
 Internet.org invited severe criticism in India as activists claimed that it violated the principle of <keyword id="6391709" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="Net-neutrality">Net Neutrality</keyword>. As the debate hogged global attention, the social networking giant publicly defended the initiative. 
 
Meanwhile, Zuckerberg also initiated talks with the Union Government on a proposal to subsidise data access for Indian consumers. It is willing to foot as much as one- third of the cost, the person cited above said. 
 
Facebook did not respond to an email sent by ET. 
 
"Now that there is global criticism of Internet.org, they need India to allow it to go through. India is ground zero for zero rating," Nikhil Pahwa, one of the people leading the Savetheinternet campaign in the country, told the financial daily. 
 
Zero rating, or the practice of allowing certain services to be accessed free of charge, is the focal point of the Net Neutrality debate in India. Proponents of Net Neutrality argue that allowing companies to zero rate their applications or services will lead to an uneven Internet ecosystem where smaller competitors will be edged out by companies with more money. 
 
Economic Times reported that through Internet.org, a partnership between Facebook and several telecom operators including Reliance Communications in India, users can access certain websites and services free of data charges. The social networking site doesn't pay the telecom operators but these firms see this as a way to get more people to consume data services as they experience the Internet and move out of free or subsidised plans. 
 
Founder and Chief Executive of mobile-commerce, Paytm, Shekhar Sharma, said he was glad that Mark Zuckerberg was reaching out and sorting the issue out. 
 
"Internet.org should be more transparent about the partners they choose because arbitrarily selecting them doesn't make it neutral," he said. 
 
Nearly 40 service providers signed up on Internet.org when it was launched in India in partnership with Reliance Communications in October. However, many services pulled out of the programme as the Net Neutrality debate heated up and companies were forced to take a stand. 
 
(Image: Reuters)

Mark Zuckerberg wants Indians to love Internet.org. Here’s why

The recent decision of <keyword id="6357395" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="eBay">eBay</keyword>'s board of directors to split its <keyword id="6357940" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Paypal">PayPal</keyword> payment platform and eBay marketplace businesses into separately traded public companies by the middle of next year has come across as a dramatic U-turn. Till now the company was vehemently saying it will have better prospects when the two wings are together. 
 An immediate trigger for the split between the main online auction business and the electronic payments arm was the year-long campaign run by activist shareholder <keyword id="15937" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Carl-Icahn">Carl Icahn</keyword>, pushing for a split, saying the value of PayPal—which he describes as a ‘jewel’—is ‘covered up’ by the larger eBay behemoth. The billionaire hedge fund chief, who owns 2.5% of the online auction house, openly locked horns with eBay’s president and chief executive officer <keyword id="789080" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="John-Donahoe">John Donahoe</keyword>, slamming the latter as ‘being asleep’. Donahoe’s announcement that he would step down as CEO once the separation is completed indicates the extent of damage done to investor confidence in his leadership by Icahn’s campaign. 
 
So far, eBay and PayPal have been sustaining a marriage of divergences—both are different businesses, operating in different markets, each with its own strategic priorities. PayPal’s revenues have been rising at twice the rate of eBay’s (while PayPal has been clocking growth of around 20%, eBay has been growing at 10% annually). In addition, PayPal is operating in a more dynamic and rapidly changing marketplace, facing tougher competition. A section of analysts has been arguing that separating the two segments will help each focus on its core strength, push strategic priorities and enhance growth. 
 
The spinning off will also help PayPal get better valuation. PayPal was valued just $1.5 billion when eBay acquired the electronic payments arm in 2001. PayPal’s steady growth over the last decade has already enhanced that valuation to around $50 billion. A section of investors, including Icahn, argues that eBay’s market cap of $69 billion is not sufficiently reflecting PayPal’s valuation, especially since the online auction site still accounts for more than half of the group’s revenues, and that the split will encourage investors to appreciate the value of each segment separately and unlock value. 
 Rapidly changing operating ambience and increasing competition is another reason that forced the company’s board and its boss Donahoe to suddenly change their perspective. Square, the payment platform launched by Twitter founder <keyword id="265395" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Jack-Dorsey">Jack Dorsey</keyword>, has already emerged a formidable rival to PayPal, in addition to existing big players such as Visa. In September, Apple unveiled plans to launch Apple Pay, an online payments system, which will help millions of iPhone users use their smartphones to make purchases instead of carrying credit cards wherever they go. This is in addition to <keyword id="6355629" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Google">Google</keyword> Wallet, the payment platform of the search engine behemoth which has been trying to expand market share. The split will help PayPal get its act together before it is too late in the challenging race against Apple and Google which have better technical know-how and deep pockets to drive innovation in the online payment space. 
 
The split will also make PayPal an attractive acquisition target—it would make good business sense for big players like Google and Apple to snap up PayPal to augment their consolidation efforts and boost market positioning. 
 From a macro perspective, the move points to increasing technology penetration aided by the growing use of smartphones and the shift from online payments on PCs and laptops to handsets which will have major implications for transacting business for the litany of emerging <keyword id="35621" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="e-commerce">e-commerce</keyword> players across the globe and the way banking transactions are done. This also means tougher competition for several players who facilitate online payments in India including Paytm. 
 
The split will also help PayPal—which had to temporarily withhold some of its payment offering for Indian customers following RBI and regulatory intervention in the past—tweak its offerings to make them more tailor-made for Indian customers and in tandem with diversions in the regulatory ambience in the country. Also, if PayPal decides to scale up or cut down its back-office operations in India following the split, its employee base in the country is going to be shaken. 
 
Image: www.doba.com

eBay-PayPal: Why Competitors Cannot Be Complacent

Long before Prime Minister <keyword id="6354477" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Narendra-Modi">Narendra Modi</keyword> had visualized a digital India, the country was already witnessing a trend on the digital front, which was enabling education, retail and eatery reach out to people faster and cheaper. The sudden upsurge in eCommerce did not come in as a surprise given the technology driven time where mobile phones with Internet have become a lifeline for Indian consumers. 
 
A large number of Indian audiences are hooked to their smartphone screens looking for the next big sale. Now this brings a huge opportunity for the eCommerce firms and as well as the advertising world. 
 
GroupM, the world's largest advertising media investment company, in their report titled "This Year Next Year', <a href="http://www.adageindia.in/homepage/interesting-times-ahead-for-the-indian-advertising-industry/articleshow/46131426.cms" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">says</a>, "eCommerce is expected to lead the charge in 2015 in terms of ad spend growth although from a relatively smaller base than more established categories." 
 
No wonder eCommerce firms are going to every extent to capitalize on the mindsets of the people. Time and money both are in favour of eCommerce. But does that mean the brands are lagging behind somewhere while eCommerce makes it a win-win situation? Not really! The digital platform is there for every brand and many of them are using the digital and social media to the core. 
 
But what makes eCommerce firms do aggressive advertising is that they bring brands under one umbrella, are easy to access and are available for a much cheaper price - exactly the things Indians urge for. When we spoke to Flipkart about their advertising funda, this is what their spokesperson shared. 
 
"In the recent years, the advertising landscape in India has undergone a lot of changes. It has transformed into a more engaging and communicative medium. Changing consumer mindset has pushed every brand to experiment with innovative OOH, digital and social campaigns." 
 
She further added, "The need and target audience of every campaign determines the use of different mediums. TV and print have been extensively used for most of our campaigns. Additionally, we have observed that change in the media consumption pattern of Indians has made social and digital advertising crucial for the success of a campaign. With rapid growth in the number of Indians accessing internet and the rise in mobile browsing─ mobile and online advertising have seen a rapid growth/adoption by brands too." 
 
Overall, the Indian advertising industry is growing and brimming with new-age mediums of communicating with the customers. Depending on the nature of the campaign and target consumers, the advertising spends are distributed between traditional and <keyword id="184415" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="new-media">new media</keyword>. Like with most brands, spends on new media has been increasing over the last few years. 
 
Favourable Forecasts 
 
Given the analysis, is it possible that a nascent sector like eCommerce can really topple the big spending behemoths like <keyword id="34523" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="fmcg">FMCG</keyword>, Auto and BFSI? 
 
Anil S Nair, CEO &amp; Managing Partner, Law &amp; Kenneth Saatchi &amp; Saatchi, believes that there is nothing new to this analysis. "eCommerce and new tech-enabled businesses have been dominating the ad spends for two quarters now. I don't see a change for sometime till the funding dries up or investors run out of patience. It will drive ad rates up and make the traditional brands panic a bit. And we will get stupid briefs like "I want you to do a Flipkart on this." 
 
Kartik Iyer, CEO, Happy Creative Services, also feels that the analysis by GroupM is obvious, "It is quite a possibility and they should know best as they would be aware of the kind of inventories that have been bought for the IPL. Besides the evident need to gain maximum mind share and the aggression to grow the category, it doesn't have any unique impact on the messaging. A brand still needs to say what it needs to, no matter what it spends on visibility. But for sure the pressure on ROI will be definitely felt from the marketing departments." 
 
K Vaitheeswaran, eCommerce pioneer and Founder of Indiaplaza, India's first eCommerce website, opines, "The forecast is not surprising. Selected Indian eCommerce companies are flush with funds. Their only goal currently is to increase top line and acquire customers, whatever the cost to enable the next round of funding. Hence these companies, and of course, <keyword id="18635" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Amazon">Amazon</keyword> who is also competing hard to build scale in India, will spend massive amounts on mass media this year. I expect this to continue for the next two years at least. I also expect mobile only eCommerce firms like PayTM to also spend lot more." 
 
Vice Versa? 
 
Strangely, traditionally large offline ad spenders like FMCG, Telecom, BFSI companies are allocating higher amounts from their ad budgets to online, while pure play online companies like eCommerce firms are spending more offline. 
 
Mahesh Murthy, Founder, Pinstorm &amp; Managing Partner, Seedfund, believes that this is a temporary blip, which is happening because eCommerce firms have been funded in silly ways to burn each other - and not to do good business. 
 
"Within 12 - 18 months, sanity and depleting bank balances will prevail, and this spend will shrink to a fraction of its current levels. This is just a temporary bonanza for TV channels and news papers who get big ad revenues; and for consumers - who can buy products below cost. But it won't last long," states Murthy. 
 
Now given the platform being huge and too many players trying to make it big, marketing strategies have to absolutely nail it. Murthy says, "In terms of strategy, more firms and their backers will realize that undifferentiated offerings do not work online. Creativity in terms of graphics and text won't make a difference. And undifferentiated firms will die, after burning through their cash." 
 
Truly differentiated offerings, that can capture healthy consumer word-of-mouth, are the ones who will survive. This means fewer people who are trying to copy Amazon or some Chinese company and more people building businesses to uniquely answer India's needs. 
 
However, Vaitheeswaran believes that he does not expect any change in approach or strategy. "It will be more of the same - deals, discounts, offers, specials, and savings in some random order. With so much of spends, there is a perfect opportunity for an eCommerce company to create a memorable campaign but no one so far has attempted to do it." 
 
Differentiate or Die? 
 
Much has been written about positioning of eCommerce firms since the concept was first introduced to the world of marketing. With thousands of eCommerce sites offering very similar product lines and looking almost identical, it is either that these sites ignore this very simple marketing concept or that differentiating themselves is much more challenging online. 
 
Iyer believes, "I don't think I can agree that most eCommerce platforms lack differentiation. Each one scores differently on trust, quality of delivery and service. This is the primary area that consumers build relationships with eCommerce brands. Do we see similar car ads? They all have four wheels and fight with the same specs in each category. So it's unfair to assume that the creative ideas will be the same. Well, I sure do hope they won't." 
 
Whereas Nair expresses, "It's a case of Quantity vs. Quality, though some of them have realized that behaving like footpath vendors outside the railway station no matter how loud you can scream will not make a sustainable brand. So as we have seen in some cases, few emotive stories will emerge and hopefully differentiate." 
 
This year, Indian TV has seen big events like ICC World Cup and IPL tournament and in this race for numbers, top line is all that matters. And very rightly, it is also predicted that during IPL, eCommerce brands will dominate ad spends on broadcast platform. 
 
For eCommerce to advertise a lot during the tournament and also to be the lead sector spending on ads throughout the year, experts believe, will add on to their traffic, sales and losses too. 
 
Image: thinkstock

eCommerce Ad Spends In India: A Fight Between Quality And Quantity?

<ul><li>Advertising and Media Insider introduces you to its latest property, The Influencer Adda, where we speak to social media stars who have made it big -- about their journey.</li><li>In our first episode, digital influencer <keyword id="8944292" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="saloni-gaur">Saloni Gaur</keyword> gets candid about her experience of working on her first TVC and Web Series with Sony LIV, making Indian middle-class parents understand the power of social media, her all-time favourite jingle and much more! </li></ul>Saloni Gaur aka Nazma Aapi aka Kangana Runout is a contemporary Indian comedian and mimicry artist, who has become an internet sensation, thanks to the relatable content she puts up. She has created 11 different characters who offer a fearless point-of-view on social and political issues even in volatile climes. Part of an industry that is highly misogynistic and sexist, she is changing the landscape, one funny video at a time. Saloni recently landed a show with Sony Liv, touched 535k followers on Instagram and worked on her first TVC with Paytm. In the past, she has worked with brands like Amazon Prime, Doritos India, MX Player, upGrad, to name a few. In an exclusive interview with Advertising and Media Insider, digital influencer Saloni Gaur got candid about her experience of working on her first TVC and Web Series with Sony LIV, making Indian middle-class parents understand the power of social media, the boycott culture, her all-time favourite jingle and much more! <div type="Video" msid="79450578" hostid="261" title="Here's the story behind social media star Saloni Gaur's journey" dataSource="BUSINESSINSIDER" thumbUrl="https://denmark.timesinternet.in/cmslite/api/app/images.jpg?msid=79450578"></div> On her way from aiming to become a banker to becoming a social media influencer Saloni discovered the world of social media because she was bored and had a tough time making new friends in her college. “This was the first time I moved away from my parents and it was tough for me to make new friends in college and I was getting really bored. I got my first smartphone and learnt about all these social media apps. I had no clue that Instagram has videos as well and I thought why was I wasting my jokes on my friends, now I can make a video to make others laugh. We had one TV in our hostel and kids would watch Bigg Boss there, so I thought I should start something of my own, for myself,” recounts Gaur. In 2018, Saloni mustered courage to make her account public and around this time last year, one of her videos went viral and she tasted the sweet fruit of social media fame. And with it, Saloni realised that this is what she always wanted to do because 'her passion started paying her'. However, she did not really have a plan. She did what her instincts told her to and followed her passion. She would make content around everything from her personal experience while taking a metro and speaking to neighborhood aunties to commenting on the status quo. Nazma Aapi was her first character that had a proper background. She gave her an identity, thought of what her husband and kids would be like, and where does she live. <div type="javascript" title="Instagram" contenttype="Video"><cdata><![CDATA[ ]]></cdata></div> Even Saloni’s first viral did not have a script -- she just poured her heart into the video. She was in a poor network area and couldn’t even add a caption. It was on a holiday trip with her family in Benaras that she got a call from her friend, “We have started getting your videos on WhatsApp.” “It is around this time that Delhi faces pollution issues. I was in my hostel, I opened my door and saw nothing -- it was all hazy. I thought a lot of people who have breathing issues like me, would relate to my video. I didn’t even clean my front camera, which worked to my benefit and it felt like I was in a polluted area. I also received my video on hostel WhatsApp group. So when you start receiving your own videos on WhatsApp, that’s when you realise that you have gone viral,” recalls Saloni. That was also the first video she had uploaded on Twitter. Before that, she wasn’t very regular with her Tweets. Some famous person posted her video asking about her, which served as another indication that she had arrived. Saloni uploaded videos on social media to escape from her mundane college life. She wanted to be a banker who does stand-up comedy on the weekends. After the lockdown, as she had more time to spare, she started posting videos more frequently. Saloni’s mother, like many other middle-class Indian women, wanted to at least see one of her kids become a banker. After Saloni’s first video went viral, she became her biggest cheerleader. She downloaded Instagram and Facebook to track her videos and read the comments to understand the pulse of the market. “My mother calls me to tell me that this person called you fat on social media today,” laughs Saloni as she speaks fondly of her mother. Recently, Saloni added another feather to her cap by starring in her own web series with Sony Liv. She was in college when she got an email from Sony Liv and she assumed it was just for a shout out deal. “We were on a Zoom call with Sony Liv’s team and my internet connection was so bad that I couldn’t see or hear them. After the call, I asked my brother, what were they talking about? He told me that they are offering you your own show. This year has been full of surprises, I haven’t planned anything about my future yet, ” tells Saloni. <div type="javascript" title="Instagram" contenttype="Video"><cdata><![CDATA[ ]]></cdata></div> This year has also taught Saloni to appreciate little things in life and gave her a privilege check. “I saw our migrants walking back miles to their homes and I realised that I was cribbing too much about my problems. I wasn’t demanding, but I complained a lot. This lockdown made me realise that what I have right now is more than enough.” Saloni works for brands that she truly resonates with and enters into a partnership only if she would use the brand herself. On whether budding content creators should be picky about their brand deals, she said, “Every creator has his/her preferences. A lot of people said no to endorsing Fair &amp; Lovely, which is now ‘Glow &amp; Lovely’ but there are celebrities who are okay with associating with that brand. But if you want to create a good image, you want to survive in the long-run and you really care for people, you will have to be wary about choosing the right brand and making sure you endorse what you relate with. I was careful about this. I only work with brands who align with my values.” Saloni has maintained a fresh, neutral voice on her social media. She offers an honest opinion on the status quo, whether it be the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act to U.S. Politics, she is fearless. A few of the brands who have reached out to Saloni in the past, have told her to stay away from politics. And Saloni doesn’t blame them. “I do what I like for my content pipeline, so it is not a problem for me if they deny to comment on a political issue. Twitterati is quick to jump on a boycott trend today and I think it is right that they stay away. It is not like they stay away from creators who have a political opinion, but they just give a guideline to follow so that they don’t become a part of the boycott trend. All of the brands I have associated with have been very open to experiment with news ideas as well,” says Saloni. Talking about the state of advertisements today and the brandverse, Saloni said, “Brands shouldn’t take their consumer for a fool. They should change that attitude. For example, take Fair &amp; Lovely again, they thought it would be okay to change the name. Maybe brands need to replace their CEOs because they are not really in the right frame of mind because they think consumers wouldn’t notice if you change the brand name.” It took Saloni Gaur three years to become a star on social media. She was patient, confident and trusted her instincts to reach where she is and never worried about how she looked or where she was. She has learnt how to be happy with little achievements and not worry too much about setbacks. So, her advice to budding content creators is to stay real. She says, “A lot of the creators worry about production quality from the beginning. I think they should just be patient and not compromise on their content quality. I had a weird phone but all I ever worried about before uploading videos was whether it would make people laugh. If I am creating a one-minute video, every line should be a joke. If people are laughing, it doesn’t matter which phone you have used to shoot your video or what you are wearing. Don’t plan too much, just go with the flow and be patient. Do it for fun!”

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