MAM
Reaching out to the Rich Man
Target the class that has the capacity and the inclination to spend.
Madison has pursued this dictum with a recent survey that studies the spending and media consuming habits of the well-heeled and provides media planners with guidelines on zeroing in on this miniscule but powerful class.
Concluding that a rise in disposable income among the rich segment of society has seen the launch of several high end products and services, the agency has tracked the way the increasingly affluent are using their money. While consumption of new generation products is slated to increase at 25 to 40 per cent every year in India, standard indicators like the Monthly Household Income (MHI) are not being adequate to track the actual spending of the well-heeled class, the study notes. The agency studied the habits of the Well Heeled Class (WHC) in Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Delhi, Chennai and Mumbai.
Most of the well-heeled class belongs to SEC A, according to the study, while Mumbai and Bangalore have higher representation from SEC B. WHC form a minuscule percentage of the so-called elitist SEC A. Except for Cinema, the reach of all other media is significantly higher among WHC. WHC show marked preference for Business and other niche content in various media, the study says. Specialist magazines or specific section in leading newspapers – like Business section, Page three society content will be more effective in reaching out to WHC, it says.
Work pressure means that most of the WHC prefer late night viewing. Also, only 7.2% of the WHC do not watch English programming while nearly 50% of SEC A population does not watch English programming. Nearly 12% of WHC members spend more than 75% of their viewing time on English programming. FM radio scores high too. Radio listenership analysis shows that listening to FM radio while driving to work and back is popular. The preferred programming genres for listening are Film based, News and Cricket commentary.
WHC tend to significantly spend more time on the net especially on weekdays, notes the study. Significantly, 26% of the WHC have reported business as the reason for accessing the net. Most of the products aimed at WHC are highly personalised in nature and advertisers could look at using the net to build strong Customer Relationship Management destinations, it says.
The fact that well-heeled members form a minuscule percent of the population, leads to inadequate and often erroneous audience measurement, particularly in television. Television audience measurement is based on a panel data and representation of the well-heeled class is extremely low, says the study. This miniscule composition means media planners need to temper various media research data where sample size determination and measurement is normally based on the socio economic classification.
A small sample size leads to high relative error especially for small rating size, says the study. This means that there is a tendency to “under report” niche channels like Discovery, HBO that one would intuitively select for the well-heeled class.
These inaccuracies lead media planners to select programmes on a broad based audience, failing to target the niche WHC viewer. To counter this anomaly, Madison Media has evolved a correction factor that help in assessing the true value of various niche television channels, based on the unmeasured WHC and the measured SEC A. The correction factor was arrived at by comparing the values of “Channels normally watched” reported in NRS 2001. Higher index value indicates higher relative popularity of the channel. Madison found that:Recruitment of well heeled families into the audience panel is extremely difficult as most reject the idea of having peoplemeters in their homes, the study notes. Random sampling assumes that everybody within a pre-defined universe has an equal chance of being qualified as a sample. However, most of WHC members reject to be a sample leading to bias at the sampling state itself. The recent highly publicised “rating point scam” provided enough evidence of this bias. The profile of the disclosed SEC A families did not match with the expectations of a typical advertiser. Audience evaluation packages have ownership of durables as one of the audience filter criteria. One would assume that a tighter audience definition is thus possible. However, the sample size turns out to be insufficient, thus defeating the entire exercise.
**Popularity of Hindi Channels like Zee and Sony in non southern cities is lower among the well-heeled class.
**Higher index values for Hindi Channels in southern cities indicate that well-heeled members watch programming in other languages apart from their regional language. In general, English language channels are preferred among the well-heeled class.
**There is a marked preference for news based programming
**HBO performs well in Mumbai, Pune and Delhi than in Ahmedabad, Bangalore and Chennai.
This means that for niche brands, media weight plans will be effective and reach at various levels could be examined as a reality check, says the study. It concludes that advertisers will increasingly design and market products aimed at a niche segment of the society.
“Demassification” or anti mass production are thoughts that are gaining currency among the business leaders. Media planners then need to be responsive to the challenge and arrive at a framework that best meets the marketing objective. As audience measurement techniques are not expected to keep the pace with the requirements of demassification, media planners need to arrive at ingenious ways to deliver most effective and efficient solutions, the study says.
MAM
Effie turns 25 and still means business
Nestle, Leo India and McCann lead a landmark night in Mumbai.
MUMBAI: If ideas are currency, the Effies are where they are audited and this year, the balance sheet looked impressive. The Advertising Club India marked the 25th edition of the Effie India Awards 2025 with a glittering ceremony at Taj Lands’ End, Mumbai, bringing together more than 1,000 professionals from advertising, marketing, media, research, PR and communications. Presented by News18 India and News18 Marathi, and powered by CNN News18 and CNBC TV18, the milestone edition was as much a celebration of legacy as it was a reminder of where Indian marketing stands today sharper, more accountable and relentlessly focused on results.
At the centre of the night’s honours was Nestle India Ltd, which was adjudged Effie Client of the Year, recognising sustained commitment to impactful, effectiveness-led marketing. Leo India was named Effie Agency of the Year, reflecting consistent performance across categories and a strong portfolio of results-driven campaigns.
Speaking at the Effie, McCann India CEO and The Advertising Club president Dheeraj Sinha said, “As we celebrate 25 glorious years of the Effie India Awards, we are not just marking a milestone, we are honouring a legacy of effectiveness that has shaped Indian marketing. Over the past quarter century, Effie has become the gold standard for results-driven creativity, championing ideas that deliver real business impact. This landmark edition reflects the extraordinary evolution of our industry and the power of creativity. Congratulations to all the winners. Here’s to the next chapter of impactful storytelling and transformative growth.”
The coveted Grand Effie went to McCann, Gurugram, for Nestle India Ltd’s campaign “Maggi, Why save the best for the last?”. The campaign stood out for turning a familiar consumer insight into a commercially powerful narrative, demonstrating how cultural relevance, when aligned with business objectives, can deliver both emotional connection and measurable growth.
“The Effie India Awards have evolved into one of the most credible and respected platforms for marketing effectiveness in the country. What truly stands out this year is the scale and diversity of participation – from leading networks to independent agencies and new-age specialists, all demonstrating a shared commitment to effectiveness. It is encouraging to see stakeholders attach deeper strategic value to the Effies, viewing it as a benchmark of real business impact”, added Effie India Awards chairperson and The Advertising Club founder and The Horologists president Mitrajit Bhattacharya.
Marking its silver jubilee, the 25th edition witnessed participation from 89 agencies, spanning large network agencies, independent shops and new-age specialists. The breadth of entries reflected a marketing ecosystem that is no longer siloed where data, creativity, media strategy and business outcomes are increasingly interlinked.
Elaborating on the awards Eros Media World group CEO and Effie India Awards, The Advertising Club co-chairperson Pradeep Dwivedi said, “We are delighted to witness such enthusiastic participation from across the industry, reflecting the trust and prestige the platform commands. The campaigns showcased this year set a remarkable standard, combining bold creativity with strategic rigor and tangible results. It is inspiring to see the industry consistently push boundaries while remaining firmly focused on impact.”
What distinguishes the Effies from many other award platforms is its judging framework. Campaigns are not only assessed by advertising professionals but also by clients and academic experts, ensuring a holistic evaluation of strategy, execution and real-world impact. In an industry often accused of rewarding style over substance, the Effies have steadily positioned themselves as champions of effectiveness over spectacle.
“The core of our creative culture is ‘Impact a Billion’ creating work that genuinely moves people and delivers real business outcomes. When that kind of impact is achieved, recognition follows. Being honoured at the Effie Awards reaffirms our belief that effectiveness and creativity are deeply intertwined. This win belongs to our teams who push for ideas that matter, and to our clients who share the ambition to create work that goes beyond visibility to deliver meaningful impact at scale.” Leo chairman for South Asia and Publicis Groupe CCO for South Asia Rajdeepak Das.
The event was also supported by category sponsors including Adani Group for Integrated Advertising Campaign, Eco Media Solutions for Brand Experience and Tata Communications for B2B, reflecting strong corporate backing for platforms that celebrate measurable marketing excellence.
At Leo, effectiveness isn’t merely a metric, it’s core to the kind of creativity that can effect change for people, communities, businesses and the planet.
We are stoked to have won across some of our biggest brands tonight. To be consistently recognized as the best – globally, and now at our home-ground – is both rewarding and inspiring. We’re grateful to our client partners for placing their trust in our ideas, and to our teams for relentlessly pushing the boundaries of excellence.” Leo, Publicis Health & Publicis Business CEO for South Asia Amitesh Rao.
Beyond the trophies and applause, the 25th edition carried symbolic weight. Over a quarter century, the Effie India Awards have chronicled the transformation of Indian marketing from traditional mass campaigns to data-led, multi-platform ecosystems where accountability is non-negotiable. As brands grapple with fragmented audiences, evolving media habits and heightened expectations around ROI, effectiveness has moved from being desirable to being essential.
The silver jubilee celebration underscored that shift. In a landscape crowded with creative awards, the Effies continue to stand apart by asking a simple, uncompromising question, did it work?
After 25 years, the answer for many on that Mumbai stage was a resounding yes.
