Ad Creativity

Why do we focus so much on creating better ads, generating more keywords, optimization of the accounts and things like that. Just so we get more traffic, more impression, more clicks and more sales done. It is the imperative to constantly improve the ads that we have, so that the clicks get converted to sales. Our entire activity deals with making sales by reaching out to customers at the most desirable form that can be presented to them. Hence, we focus on our sales team to drive in that conversion of clicks by our customers.

So we not only hope to attract users of the internet but make every visitor a potential customer by turning them to click on our ads. We work hard on our ads and even harder to get the clicks. So what is important is turning the clicks into customers. We however cannot make this possible with everyone since we cannot go on telling people what to do. But what we can do is work on optimization (better, relevant, precise, suggestive ads) so when people get to the site, they will be more likely to make a purchase.

-  Clarity of the value proposition is the most important factor in determining whether a customer buys or not. So, the ability to answer the question of why I as a customer would buy gives a better picture by standing in the customer’s shoes

-  Presenting a concise and summarized description, sub-headings, etc. help attract customers because this makes the page more succinct providing only the necessary details. It is important not to say too much, so learning how to convey the key message through the use of few words is vital

-  Simple is always the best. A user does not require an elaborated landing page. All he does is look for a piece of information and go ahead and click on it if it is suggestive. So, designing a simple yet powerful ad description that is both straightforward and attractive is very important

-  It is good to flaunt the product by giving hints of why it is better than the competitors or what differentiates it from the rest available. So, the option available by using attractive words and phrases like free, offer, discount is appropriate. Getting specific to free offers and indicating free shipping, warranty information is always helpful

-  The search results are very positive if provided with the right landing page through the URLs. So directing the ad to the particular URL with the specific product is very important to get the customer click on it and make the transaction. Credibility is a true statement. Customers will buy only from people who can be trusted and who are genuinely selling the product

The best way to sell a product is to let the customer make the choice of why he should choose this particular product through your ad. This is the key to advertising. Reaching out to the customer’s mind by proving him right is important. This can be achieved through compelling ads and one should keep in mind not to have an argumentative approach but a passive one.

 

Ad Ranking Model

The ranking model refers to the method in which advertisers’ ads that compete against each other are ranked and is applicable to both Sponsored Search as well as Content Match. So once an ad is qualified to be displayed, its rank is determined by an algorithmic combination of its bid and Quality Index score.

                                                Rank = Bid + Quality Index Score

Bid

Since advertisers are allowed to decide and determine how much they want to pay, they pay only when their ad is clicked. This allows them to remain in control of their costs. The average of these click charges is the cost-per-click (CPC).

Quality Index Score (QI)

It is the relative measure of the ad’s performance. An advertiser learns how well his ad is performing, on average. It further reflects an ad’s ability to meet the needs of the users by looking at the click-through-rate (CTR). It identifies those ads that are performing well and separates them from the ones that need attention. The goal of Quality Index is to add value to an ad’s position by more than just the bid.  The goal is to improve the end user’s experience, as well as reward advertisers for developing high-quality ads.  The Quality Index helps advertisers focus their efforts on what matters most to their business that is making effective marketing messages.

When an advertiser creates a new ad, the Quality Index score is based on various relevance factors.  As time goes on and impressions and clicks accumulate, the click-through rate (CTR) becomes the primary factor in calculating a Quality Index score. 

Note : International traffic is not factored into the Quality Index score – only traffic from IP addresses (internet protocol address) located in the account’s marketplace.

Rank Determination

An ad’s rank is determined by an algorithm based on its bid and Quality Index score.  An advertiser with high-quality ads is rewarded with the best position for their bid.  Quality Index greatly impacts how much an advertiser needs to bid and the position in which their ad is displayed. So, even if the cost to the advertiser is low or high, it does not affect its ranking since the rank is purely determined by the QI score and the bid amount.

Calculation of CTR: (Click/Impression)x100

Calculation of CPC: (Cost/Click)

Calculation of CPA: (Cost/Conversion)

Tourism in India - 5 Star Accommodations or Exotic Vacation

India’s travel and tourism industry is one of them most lucrative businesses in the country, and also accredited with contributing a considerable volume of foreign exchange to the country reserves. The World Travel and Tourism Council predicted that the India has the potential to become the number one tourist destination in the world with the demand growing at 10.1 percent per annum. The World Travel Organization also predicts that India will receive 25 million tourists by 2015. 

A number of reasons are cited as being the cause of the progress and success of India’s travel and tourism sector. Economic growth has added millions annually to the ranks of India’s middle class, a group that is driving domestic tourism growth. Thanks in part to its booming IT and outsourcing industry a growing number of business trips are made by foreigners to India, who will often add a weekend break or longer holiday to their trip. Foreign tourists spend more in India than almost any other country worldwide.

Hotels in India are broadly classified into 7 categories by the Ministry of Tourism based on the general features and facilities offered and the ratings are reviewed every five years.

Hotel category	No. of Hotels	No. of Rooms
5 star deluxe/5 star	165	43, 965
4 Star	134	20, 770
3 Star	505	30,100
2 Star	495	22,950
1 Star	260	10,900
Heritage	70	4,200
Uncategorized	7,078	-
Total	8,707	1,32,885

The above table clearly shows the void of 5 star accommodations in India. The state of New York alone has over 800 5 star hotels. This means that even though India has major attractions such as the world's highest mountains, miles of coastline with excellent beaches, tropical forests and wildlife, desert safari, lagoon backwaters, ancient monuments, forts and palaces, adventure tourism and, of course, the Taj Mahal, India currently cannot accommodate enough tourists in luxury. 

However, the country is witnessing an unprecedented growth in hotel constructions and will be adding almost 114,000 hotel guest rooms to its inventory over the next five years. The earlier setbacks in global tourism have strengthened the Department of Tourism's resolve to promote India's tourism through aggressive marketing strategies through its campaign 'Incredible India'.  The 'marketing mantra' for the Department of Tourism is to position India as a global brand to take advantage of the burgeoning global travel and trade and the vast untapped potential of India as a destination.

There are several challenges in the sector and the biggest of them all is to improve the image of India as a brand. India is prone to socio-economic and political conditions that can turn ugly. Terrorist strikes, riots, epidemics, political instability and fiascos, slowdown in economic reforms etc. hamper the brand image. One way to overcome this is by allowing international players to set foot and build Aman Resorts, Shangri- Las, Four Seasons and Hiltons, the names of which are sure enough to draw tourists in the belief that the stay will not be compromised irrespective of the conditions outside. And when it comes to exotic destinations, India is becoming an increasingly popular choice for travelers.

M.A.C Cosmetics in India

M.A.C - One of the most influential and popular forces in contemporary cosmetics

Of all the cosmetic brands available in the malls and high street stores, The Body Shop and M.A.C are two of my favorites. No matter how you look at the company and the brand, there is no denying the one simple truth – every woman deserves a M.A.C cosmetic in her purse.

With shades and colors that we never knew existed before, the Indian cosmetics industry and consumers are prepping to be shaken from the ground up while welcoming such much needed competition and diversity. Their extensive, almost exhaustive, line of eye shadows, lipsticks, body care, nail care products and mascaras are just a part of what lends authority to this brand’s iconic image in the eyes of the fairer sex worldwide, and now in India.

The product line that the brand markets, promotes and sells includes even cosmetic brushes, fragrances and perfumes, and even top-of-the-line skin care products. It is hailed by beauty professionals worldwide and in India for their pigmented shadows, which with one swipe gives you more color than you thought your skin could take.

From bold colors like “Humid, which is a shimmery, yet intense shade of green, to the ever-popular “Beauty Marked”, which has a beautiful black-red velvet hue – once you enter the world of shades that it has to offer, there is no looking back. The colors pop and are an instant attention-grabber no matter the place, time or company.

The organization was purchased by Estee Lauder in the mid 90s to much success and continued patronage. Originally founded by the legendary Frank Angelo, this beauty stalwart has always been a popular choice for makeup, cosmetic goods, and the quest to look beautiful.

Ra.Won - Paisa Vasool

Ra.One -  Random Access Version 1.0

Cast:    Shahrukh Khan, Kareena Kapoor, Arjun Rampal, Sahana Goswami, Armaan Varma, Satish Shah, Dalip Tahil, Tom Wu, Priyanka (Damsel in distress) Chopra, Sanjay (Khalnayak) Dutt and Superstar Rajinikanth (Chitti)

Genre: Sci-Fi

Music: Vishal-Shekhar

Writer: Anubhav Sinha

Editor: Sanjay Mishra & Martin Walsh

Director: Anubhav Sinha

Ra.One, the most ambitious project by SRK, released with over 3,500 prints across the globe, is no doubt a path breaking film in Indian cinema both in terms of scale and money invested. The dedication and hardwork of the entire team is commendable and was made obvious with the help of some smart Integrated Branding by SRK and his Ra.One team. But what makes a film worth talking about is when there are enough elements to talk about. Ra.One provides us with just that. Technology-checked, chartbuster music-checked, action-checked, menacing villain-checked, charming hero-checked, hot heroine-checked, emotion-checked, comedy-checked and in that sequence. So, even if Ra.One does not appeal to everyone, it sure is a film to watch for all these elements. Like my other pieces, I will try to keep this to the point talking only about the quality of the film covering characters, technicalities, marketing and why I am going to watch it for a second time (huhu).

There is so much more to the movie than just the story. This film has sequences and unfolding of events just as a pattern in a kaleidoscope that you enjoy every scene and you know that the next scene will give you a different element. The evolution of the characters is well sketched. A stark contrast from what has been said and what we saw in the G.One in Ra.Ville comic, G.One is not the next generation Super Hero. G.One is so far, a Super Hero with a H.A.R.T. who only protects the wife and son of late Shekhar Subramanyam. This is reinstated when SRK aka Shekhar Subramanyam says “Banta nahi super hero muscle ya power se. banta hai super hero dil se”. Kareena aka Sonia Shekhar Subramanyam aka Chammak challo is scrumptiously stunning, delectably dazzling and has taken a giant leap from her zoobi doobi days in terms of her oomph factor. Armaan is adorable, has got the attitude and the charm, an unmistakable star, no doubt. But my favorite character remains that of Arjun Rampal as Ra.One. Ra.One is devilish and deadly in appearance, mean and merciless in feat. SRK kept the look of Ra.One unrevealed for a long time which has worked in the favor of the character because one tends to liken Ra.One all the more for his rawness and matchless splendor.

The movie has a lot of drawbacks which become apparent as we sit through the first half. There are scenes that have been hurriedly shot and there are moments where the film lacked originality bettering only by spoofs on previous SRK films. Anubhav Sinha, like many of us thought SRK would pull it off. Alas, even SRK cannot charm us twice with his caricatured styles from an Om Shanti Om, Rab Ne Banadi Jodi or even his most recent My Name is Khan. These could have been avoided to keep the class and genre of the movie intact. Having said that, there are spectacular scenes in the movie, not one or two or three but several breathtaking action sequences which is where the money that has been much talked about has been invested. The flying glass pieces, the car chasing scenes in London, the fight between G.One and a mob of rowdies, the way Ra.One draws power from electricity, the demolitions by Ra.One are all worth the money. The film has brisk editing, is fast paced and even though there are lousy moments, there is no time to think because the next thing you know, there is an item number to rev it up. Also, there is a lot of hobnobbing throughout the movie, between new neighbors, co-workers, security cops and others.

In my book, Ra.One is an out and out blockbuster with some really catchy item numbers and stylized 3D action. It will sweep the weekend box office collections easily and will go on to be a landmark movie in Indian cinema. One must not try to intellectualize a masala film like this one. It will be ‘criminal’ to do so, because the theme does not allow us to do that. Also, it cannot fail for one more reason, there’s Superstar Rajinikanth as Chitti after all. As I’m completing this article, I’m also booking the tickets for one more time, this one for the love of SRK.

If I were the Chairman of Selectors

The Indian Cricket Team if I were the Chairman of Selectors.

Summer Internship at Draftfcb + Ulka

Internship Profile

Division:                      Strategic Planning

Location:                    1103/5, Barton Centre, Mahatma Gandhi Road, Bangalore

Industry Guide:           Aishwarya Anandanathan

Designation:                Account Executive

Assignments Performed

Assignment 1:

·         Xylys Relaunch - Detailed product and price analysis based on mystery shopping with leading watch stores across Bangalore

·         Perform an exit interview with 20 respondents walking out of leading watch stores across Bangalore

·         Tabulate data collected from Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai based on the survey results and reporting the same in an excel spreadsheet

Assignment 2:

·        Summer Project -“Changing World of Children’s Advertising - ATL, Promotions, Surround and Digital with specific focus on Confectionery and Biscuits segments”.

Experience of working with the Draftfcb + Ulka Team

The first thing that I noticed when I began my internship at Draftfcb + Ulka was the commitment that each individual showed towards their work. This, in turn rubbed off on me and I was naturally prepared to work sincerely in all my tasks. Another interesting thing was the way the agency functioned. It did not act as an advertising agency, but rather as a strategy partner with the clients. I gradually learned that during my internship, they were handling 2 clients, ITC and Wipro in Bangalore. In spite of the busy schedule and work load, my mentor always found time to help me with my research providing suggestions from time to time as well as guiding me on how to conduct the customer surveys.

The company has strict policies on non disclosure of client data and would not share such information that may be reproduced in the future for any purpose. However, in an effort to make clear the method of analyzing different ads and promotions, I was allowed to observe the obvious models of the process. The entire duration of 2 months that I spent as an intern with the company, I felt no different from the employees. I was welcome and acknowledged from time to time on my tasks completed.

At the end of the internship, I know now how an advertising agency works in modern day businesses. It develops creative strategies for clients, work on building a brand as their own and see to it that everything falls in place right from the tagline to the poster to the television commercial and final positioning of the brand.

Indian Cricket Individuals

nPower Test Series 2011

Indian Politics and Indian Cricket - everything that is talked about these two is easier said than done. However, like all cricket columnists and their opinions, I think I’m entitled to mine. This is the series that everybody believed will test the Numero Uno status of the Indian Cricket team. The first 2 matches have displayed the lack of preparation, the inability to cope with foreign conditions and the injury blows either due to lack of match practice or just plainly unfit athletes. Even as a viewer sitting in my room and watching on the television I notice a sense of complacency seeping into the approach of the Indian players and the way they carry themselves on the pitch. There is a certain air of self-importance and arrogance in the way they carry themselves.

Question in my mind, “Do these people think it’s just another game and they will still qualify for the finals anyway?” I don’t know exactly but I’m made to think so. At this age (I’m 24) I know that success does affect the behavioral attitude and that may be the reason why a certain Raina or a Yuvraj or a Bhajji and even Skipper Dhoni got self-satisfied. The hectic T20 schedule may have caused the fatigue in the Indian dressing room. In my humble opinion and as an ardent Test cricket lover, I feel IPL does no good to the game, except maybe good money (but for a lot of people). Zaheer's injury, Sehwag's absence, Bhajji's attitude and even the inept technique of Raina & Yuvraj may all be the consequence of a long schedule of the elaborate T20 format and the intensity that these games draw from the players (all Test players except VVS Laxman play in the IPL).

Individually, the Indian cricketers are talented, aggressive and a couple of them are legends, no two words on that. Just glancing at the lineup before a match, it must give jitters to any opposition. I also don’t think its lack of skill or competency that is causing India’s debacle in the on-going series. However, it is certainly debatable whether we will be able to retain No. 1 spot without a lethal bowling attack which all top test playing countries have. I don’t have much to complain against any of the players either. I also don’t identify anything against the strategies by MS Dhoni so far. It is perhaps just a tired state of mind (also pride) and drained physical motivation, really. India, with Sehwag and Zaheer back in the team will look like Champions once again, no doubt. They will win again, no doubt. Right now, it is however, clear that Indian Cricket Team is individually driven and not a synergistic, cohesive unit that fight together. Atleast, I get that kind of feeling while listening to the commentary and reading the newspaper articles. All that is being said and written about is a certain Tendulkar, a certain Zaheer, a certain Dravid. I’m hopeful (not quite confident) of a comeback by the team once these individuals are back in the playing 11.