MAM
Channel press conference, launch invites get more innovative
MUMBAI: This one catch might land Zee Music’s publicity department on a sticky wicket, but for sheer originality, it scores a perfect ten.
In what is becoming a trend among media companies when it comes to publicising their events, Zee Music has sent out huge jars of glue emblazoned with the new channel logo, proclaiming ‘Here’s another place you’ll love to get stuck in.’
‘Phas Jaaoge’ claims the tagline for Zee Music, that is revamping in a new avatar with a wild bash this evening (29 August) at the Hyatt Regency in Mumbai. The one kg jar of glue however bears an uncanny resemblance to Fevicol, the popular Pidilite brand of adhesive. The twin elephant Fevicol logo too has been modified to show the pachyderms trying to pull a man apart from his TV set, while the jar sports the ochre and blue colours associated with Fevicol. “To better understand the adhesive powers of Zee Music follow the simple instructions written on this jar”, adds the footnote on the pack.
Innovative marketing measures seem to be the order of the day. A few weeks ago, MTV sent an equally innovative clothes rack when it put out invites for the MTV Lycra awards. While MTV lives up to its whacky reputation when it comes to media invites, the usually staid Sahara TV too couriered a toy pistol and a couple of real suparis encased in a sleek black box to media planners when it announced the acquisition of the Ram Gopal Varma flick Company. Seems no effort is too small when it comes to reminding the media of its new initiatives.
But the creative juices appear to be in full flow since early this year. While Zee MGM heralded the acquisition of the Miss Universe telecast rights this June by sending out dolls wearing the Miss Universe sash to select media persons, Sony reminded media people of the continuing travails of Kkusum by sending out ‘kundali’ (horoscope) copies, ostensibly Kkusum’s. All other means of innovative invites exhausted apparently, for Sony recently resorted to sending out simple postcards that invited media persons to the launch of Jassi Jaissi Koi Nahin. The postcards, incidentally, were sent out by courier.
SET India’s events and movies channel MAX had sent clones (or should we say duplicate) of Amitabh Bachchan and Govinda for the Bade Miyaa, Chote Miyaa film festival to ad agencies. The ad agency’s direct marketing ploy won it an Emvie award.
Coming back to Zee Music, the revamp seems to have started on the right track with the glue jar setting off enough curiosity about what the actual product might offer. If the thus-far somnolent channel does not deliver, however, all the publicity efforts might just come unstuck.
MAM
GUEST COLUMN: How strategy and creativity drives ROI in digital campaigns
Why engagement, AI, and integrated strategy are redefining ROI in digital campaigns
MUMBAI: As digital marketing matures, the benchmarks of success are undergoing a fundamental shift. Reach and visibility, once the primary indicators of campaign performance, are no longer sufficient in a landscape defined by fleeting attention spans and evolving consumer behaviour. Today, brands are being challenged to move beyond surface-level metrics and focus on meaningful engagement, relevance, and long-term impact. ForAkhil Nair, founder and CEO at BigTrunk Communications, this transition from visibility to value reflects a deeper change in how campaigns are conceived, executed, and measured. In this piece, Nair explores why traditional metrics fall short, how AI and integrated thinking are reshaping campaign effectiveness, and why creativity, context, and agility are essential to driving real return on investment in modern digital campaigns.
The shift from visibility to value
For a long time, digital campaigns were judged by how many people saw them. If lots of people looked at it and the numbers were good, it meant things were going well. Impressions and clicks were what mattered. Over time, that didn’t feel like enough. Just because someone sees something doesn’t mean it makes an impact. People scroll through content quickly and often do not really notice what they have just seen. This has changed how we think about campaigns today.
There has been a shift in how brands look at this. It is not just about reaching people, but also about what happens after that, whether someone stops, engages, or remembers the brand later. That is what matters more. This moves the focus from visibility to value.
Some metrics we have relied on for years do not tell the full story. A campaign can reach a large audience and still fail to create a real connection. On paper, it may look strong, but in reality, it does not do much. That is why engagement and intent have become more important, especially whether people are interacting with the content or simply scrolling past it. Even small actions, like spending a few extra seconds or clicking through, matter more.
AI is helping brands understand how people behave and interact with them. It helps brands make better decisions so they can create campaigns that truly connect with people, not just reach a large audience. AI can also predict what will be popular and help refine campaigns, which makes marketing more effective. This allows marketing teams to focus more on generating ideas. In this way, AI supports both creativity and strategy.
Why integration and context matter
Another important factor is how well everything comes together. Campaigns often fall short when strategy, media, and creative are developed separately, because that lack of alignment is noticeable. When everything is aligned from the start, the campaign feels more natural and the message comes through clearly. It also fits better within the platform where it appears.
This matters because people behave differently across platforms. The way someone watches a video is not the same as how they search or read longer content. These differences may seem minor, but they can significantly impact performance. Paying attention to context helps campaigns feel more relevant and effective.
Creativity, agility and long-term impact
There is a common assumption that performance-driven campaigns leave little room for creativity, but that is not the case. The most effective campaigns often feel simple and real. People tend to ignore anything that feels overly polished or forced. Instead, they connect with content that feels familiar and relatable, something that reflects how they think or speak.
At the same time, campaigns do not always go as planned. Audience behavior, trends, and platform dynamics can shift quickly. What works initially may stop working later. That is why it is important to continuously track performance and make adjustments. Small changes over time can improve outcomes, and campaigns that stay flexible tend to perform better.
While short-term results matter, consistency over time plays a bigger role. When a brand shows up in a relevant and consistent way, it builds familiarity. Over time, that familiarity turns into trust.
Digital marketing has evolved, and expectations have evolved with it. Visibility still matters, but it is no longer enough on its own. What truly drives impact is whether a campaign connects, leaves a lasting impression, and leads to action. Being seen is easy, but being remembered is what really counts.
