MAM
Social distancing makes clients, agencies bond well
MUMBAI/NEW DELHI: With the whole country at a standstill because of the Covid2019 crisis, there is hardly anything that seems positive to businesses across the spectrum. It has been well reported that media spends are being cut as clients deal with massive liquidity issues raised by problems in supply and distribution chains. But what this crisis has managed to do beautifully is create human relationships, which are going to be the spirit of agency-client bonding in the years to come.
According to industry insiders, this time has given them an opportunity to bond well with their clients, which are more trustworthy and dependable.
There have been significant examples of brands and agencies working remotely yet coming together with great pieces of work. Some time back, Indiantelevision.com had covered how Ogilvy came on board with brands like Asian Paints and Tata Sky to shoot videos from home.
Elaborating more on how the client-agency relationships have improved in recent times, Publicis Worldwide MD Srija Chatterjee said during one of our virtual roundtables: “We have started understanding each other more. There is much more transparency now. As an agency, we know what the issues are that they face with the cash flows and we are trying our best to help them out.”
She elaborated that they are tackling each client’s problem with a different approach, catering to their specific needs. “Clients are going through a tough time and we are working with them on a 60-90 day plan. We workshop together and discuss ideas. For example, for a client like Cars24, we are expecting that once the lockdown is removed, the demand for second-hand cars may rise as people who did not have a vehicle in their house faced mobility issues and the brand must benefit. So, we are creating hypotheses like that and working on it.”
Madison Media and OOH group CEO Vikram Sakhuja shared that while clients are facing issues with cash flows right now, customers like to get some reassurance in times of a crisis. “We are trying to tell brands that these things (advertisements) will help in the longer run. Strong brands will come out stronger and we are encouraging them to advertise.”
DDB Mudra Group’s CEO and MD Aditya Kanthy said: “There is a lot of work but its nature and form are different from business as usual. It is more consultative in the spirit of client partnership; working together to find answers to the hard questions that are emerging each day for their businesses and ours. It is important to acknowledge that change regardless of increased media consumption.”
Digitalkites senior vice president Amit Lall says that brands are understanding the needs of consumers right now and creating ads according to that. "The consumer is not in the right frame of mind; the sentiments are relatively low. The thing which is important to him now is something he can survive on. Hence, for categories which are supporting consumers, whether it is to boost his immune factor; like Dabur Chyavanprash or sanitizers, the sales which have gone up. From the advertising point of view, purchasing is out of the radar. At this challenging time, it is important for brands to come forward and speak in a motivational way."
Ogilvy India CCO Sukesh Nayak also feels that brands have a role to play during the time of crisis. "It has happened with both the brands; Tata Sky as well as Asian Paints. At the end of the day, consumers are your guide. Ads are created for them. Today we all are at very challenging times in our lives. Everybody is struggling with their own fear, anxiety, and pressure," he said.
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MAM
Microdrama Specialist COL Group International Builds Out With Narativ, Rock Networks & BlingWood Deals
MUMBAI: Microdrama powerhouse COL Group International is building out its distribution network, with its CEO saying vertical video is about to enter its “next competitive chapter.”
The microdrama arm of publicly-listed Chinese company COL Group appointed Narativ Media as its official distributor in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) and CIS regions and Africa, and a struck new content deal with a new Dubai-based microdrama platform.
The deals were unveiled this morning at MIP London, and also included Rock Networks as its exclusive Southeast Asia telco distribution partner for its app, FlareFlow. MIP London is now into its second day at the Savoy Hotel and adjoining IET London complex.
The deals come soon after COL appointed Harbour Rights to represent its titles in Europe and Latin America, as we reported yesterday in our extended feature on microdrama distribution.
COL’s Singapore-based microdrama unit says its “coordinated global distribution architecture and significantly expanded international content slate” would help to scale its catalogue to more than 1,700 microdrama titles worldwide. These hail from South Korea, Japan, Africa, the Middle East, Southeast Asia and the UK and roll out across Sereal+, FlareFlow and 17K.
A deal with Dubai-based BlingWood, which recently launched as an OTT platform, will expand COL’s access to Middle Eastern and Indian microdramas, and includes a broader pipeline of Indian series from storytelling platform Pratilipi, Korean titles from BeLive Studios and British reality-led formats from Tattle TV — the UK’s first dedicated microdrama app, including titles such as Dog Dates.
“Microdrama is entering its next competitive chapter, where quality, retention and monetization standards are increasingly shaped by data and operational discipline,” said Timothy Oh, General Manager of COL Group International.
“As pioneers in both China and the U.S., scaling some of the world’s leading platforms in this space, we understand what it truly takes to win sustainably. Our role is not simply to offer catalogue volume, but to help partners select, position and scale the right content for their platform and audience. By bringing together a broad, constantly refreshed slate from across regions, we enable smarter curation, clearer differentiation and long-term growth for serious industry players.”
Narativ deal
COL and UAE-based Narativ described their deal as a “strategic expansion of premium vertical content distribution across high-growth emerging markets,” and comes as the microdrama continues to boom financially. The growth of the medium will be among the key topics of conversation today at MIP London, where COL chief Oh will be speaking.
The pact extends beyond content representation and is being billed as part of a more “structured micro-drama distribution infrastructure.”
Narativ will spearhead market development, platform alliances, broadcaster relationships and digital monetization frameworks across the MENA and CIS regions and Africa, where they have identified “rapid mobile-first consumption growth and strong demand for short-form, high-engagement storytelling formats.”
“Micro-dramas are reshaping global viewing habits, particularly across mobile-first markets like MENA, Africa and CIS,” said Manjyot Sandhu, CEO and co-founder of Narativ. “Our appointment as official distributor for COL Group in these territories reflects Narativ’s strategy to build sustainable distribution architecture.
“A key pillar of the collaboration includes integration with FlareFlow, enabling strategic telco partnerships, bundled carrier offerings, and alternative monetization pathways designed to accelerate scale across mobile ecosystems and OTT platforms.”
Oh added: “We are building more than a content slate – we are building the global infrastructure for microdrama. With hundreds of new titles launching every quarter, scale and regional strength are critical. Narativ with its deep foothold in MENA, Africa CIS and other key markets makes them a natural strategic partner as we expand FlareFlow and bring microdrama to new platforms, telcos and audiences.
Narativ, which is joint venture Sandhu operates with Copyright Capital, manages around 7,000 hours of content and has a digital network spanning 150 million subscribers across 21 language.
COL Group has emerged as one of the biggest microdrama platforms, running platforms such as FlareFow. It is also a part-owner of ReelShort.
