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Starcom Digital’s new tool marries tube and PC for maximum effect
Advertisers juggling between reach and cost figures may now have an innovative solution in Magnitube, a cost effective option from Starcom Digital.
Starcom Digital, the digital media division of TLG, has combined the two tubes – television and the ubiquitous PC, hitting out at the target audience on TV and luring him to the Net, helping the advertiser reap exponential benefits. Born out of the small budget advertiser’s necessity for increased reach with a limited kitty, Magnitube offers a delectable advantage to the advertiser – that of tracking consumer interest through the internet page views.
For advertisers who have long been sceptical of spending on banner ads, while splurging on TV, Magnitube helps build a synergy between the two. And for those who have stayed away from TV due to the prohibitive costs involved, Magnitube claims to give the benefit of cross promotion and thus revenues, besides helping the cost effective index to soar at least 10 times. Television, says Starcom Digital head Madan Sanglikar, provides the reach while the Net allows interactivity and involvement with the brand.
Starcom tried out Magnitube on Chromozome, the international male innerwear from Huechem Textiles. The brand was advertised on the Laugh Out Loud segment of Zee English (which includes cult series like Friends and Full House). Apart from ads, promos guiding viewers to play contests based on the LOL series on the Contests2win site were also sun on the Zee network. Viewers logging on to the site could check out the various designs of the brand and also win prizes based on the answers. The scheme has apparently paid rich dividend.
The symbiotic deal apparently paid rich dividend for both C2W and Zee, allowing for cross promotions and increased revenue. “For Chromozome, the cost effectiveness index soars 10 times more than that, had this deal been structured in the conventional form,” says Sanglikar.
Magnitube, he says, also has the scalability to benefit clients who are high spenders on TV but need targeting and accountability. The module is basically designed to target the SEC A + category, which embraces most of the Net users in the country. This segment is essentially the youth and office goers, and children and women to a lesser degree. Apart from FMCGs, financial products and services (who currently contribute 80 per cent of total advertising) could also use Magnitube to advantage, feels Sanglikar. The Net is also turning into the preferred medium for contests and quizzes, and several horizontal portals in the country offer themselves as ideal vehicles for the interactive advertising envisaged by Magnitube, he says.
Online advertising in India during 2001 was pegged at Rs 400 million, a fraction of the total adspend in the country. However, with the Internet as a niche medium growing fast in the urban sector, the advertising industry sees a growth of at least 15 per cent in the current year.
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
