MAM
Global ad expenditure slated to rise; Zenith Optimedia
LONDON: Global advertising expenditure is now expected to rise by a total of 3.2 per cent in 2003. These new figures released by media buying giant Zenith Optimedia indicate a slight increase on previous forecasts.
By contrast, the Zenith Optimedia report states that the television advertising market is showing no sign of recovery and is unlikely to do so until next year.
The report states that the increase has driven by growth in the US economy and a surge in demand for poster advertising around the world.
The Zenith Optimedia report states that while the situation in the US continues to improve, Europe is still some months from following the US lead.
“The US was the first in to the advertising downturn and is the first out. In Europe we’re seeing a bit of a delay. But there’s also been a bit more spending in Europe than expected,” said Jonathan Barnard, knowledge management manager at Zenith Optimedia.
In the UK, Zenith predicts growth of just 0.5 per cent on the previous year, a drop in real terms of 2.4 per cent once inflation is taken into account. Demand for press advertising remains slow with “no real growth in prospect” according to the report, with sectors such as financial advertising down 14 per cent since the beginning of the year.
The report adds that the billboard market, shot up by 17 per cent in the first quarter of the year 2003 and by 6 per cent in the second quarter. The growth, which Barnard said was chiefly down to improvements in the quality of stock offered by outdoor contractors and new advertisers using the medium for the first time, has led to Zenith raising its sector growth forecast for the year from 6 per cent to 8 per cent.
Television advertising spend will witness a growth in 2004 and this will be driven by football’s 2004 European Championships in Portugal.
MAM
Vikram Kannan exits Times Network after seven years
Media veteran may explore entrepreneurial venture after long stint
MUMBAI: Times Network associate vice president – revenue Vikram Kannan, has exited the company after a seven-year stint.
His next move remains undisclosed, though sources familiar with the matter say Kannan may explore an entrepreneurial venture.
A media industry veteran with more than two decades of experience, Kannan has worked across television, radio and print during his career.
Before joining Times Network, he held roles at Star India, where he managed revenue for the Hindi movie cluster. He has also worked with The Walt Disney Company India, Radio City and The Times of India.
Kannan served as region head for Star India’s flagship Hindi movie network Star Gold between 2015 and 2019, overseeing monetisation for Star Gold SD, HD and Star Gold Select. Earlier at the company, he worked on advertising and branded content solutions for the youth entertainment channel Channel V and supported music and Bollywood content acquisition.
Between 2014 and 2015, he worked with The Walt Disney Company India in advertising sales and brand solutions, managing ad sales and branded content monetisation for kids’ channel Hungama TV across key western markets including Mumbai, Gujarat and Maharashtra.
Earlier in his career, Kannan spent more than eight years at Radio City, where he handled advertising sales and branded content solutions across the western region and led digital revenue initiatives for the network’s online platform.
He began his media career at Bennett, Coleman and Co LImited, publisher of The Times of India, as part of the special features team working on projects such as ET 500 and the Brand Equity Brain Teasers quiz series.
