MAM
Media agencies gung ho about proprietary research tools; Lintas launches ‘Inteligrip’
MUMBAI: In today’s day and age when accountability is high on the clients’ agenda and everyone wants to get the maximum bang for the buck, the task of media service agencies’ has become that much tougher.
In a scenario like this, Lintas Media Services has developed a new proprietary research tool called Inteligrip (Intelligent GRP), which has been devised by its research arm Intellect, to provide a more efficient target base and a better quality of return on planned media spends of its clients.
While these research tools do not undermine the importance of gut feeling in planning; media agencies are nevertheless relying on them in order to gain a competitive advantage. Says Lintas Media Services director Lynn de Souza, “The current scenario makes it imperative to beat ad avoidance rather than to continue relying on traditional GRP valuations that in reality are eventually being avoided by the consumer. Inteligrip aims to capture not just the highest GRPs but in fact to establish the viewer’s interest in brand categories or products through a history of their brand experiences.”
That seems to be the need of the hour. Last year, Initiative Media along with BBC World came out with the ‘Ad Avoidance’ study, which revealed that only 31 per cent of the surveyed population was receptive to advertising and that most of the advertising done on television was ignored. Riding on these findings, Lintas decided to make planning for their clients more structured via this new research tool, which will be utilized across all brands of the Group.
Inteligrip is a tool that will lead the way in delivering ‘intelligent GRPs’ by making them more efficient and effective through a closer match to the viewers’ Ad World. These ‘intelligent GRPs’ are derived through a multi stage process of filtering, which will ultimately result in a better and focused target base.
Tam initiated the commercial launch of Viewer Graphics in India in August last year. Lintas acquired the system in January this year. Viewer Graphic allows for advanced planning and its seamless integration with Adex and Xpert.
The Tam TV systems form the core engine that Inteligrip works on for delivering these ‘intelligent GRPs.’ Inteligrip is a multi-stage planning process that treats the media plan and ensures an optimised and effective media thrust. The unique and final stage of the tool, which addresses the viewers’ ad world and narrows the ambit of wastage due to this targeted approach, ensures that the marketer enjoys a closer and more profitable experience while communicating brand benefit.
The thought process behind Inteligrip is that every viewer has an ‘ad-stock’ that is the result of historical exposures to various brand messages. This ‘ad-stock’ gives an idea of conditioning that the viewers have gone through and the subconscious preference of the consumer. Also, GRPs should take advantage of the knowledge of the ‘ad-stock’ in the mind of the viewers.
For example: The ad world for a prospective Maruti Alto buyer, would be that of a WagonR and Hyundai Santro owner and also that of a two-wheeler vehicle owner who may be looking at upgrading to a four-wheeler. Similarly, the ad world of Samsonite would be V.I.P. and also various viewers who are interested in tourism and therefore Tourism Malaysia, Singapore Tourism and the likes would comprise the ad world of Samsonite.
Hence the tool helps in refining the target audience by viewing the ad worlds by knowing the programme preference of those people who are interested in these categories.
Inteligrip aims to help in identifying the source of the business and therefore determining the ad worlds and segment viewers in order to deliver intelligent GRPs.
IMPORTANCE OF PROPRIETARY RESEARCH TOOLS
Other agencies also realise the importance of proprietary research tools as a means to retain the existing business of agencies; this also helps improve and grow clients’ return on investment (ROI). Says Madison Communications chairman and managing director Sam Balsara, “These tools are extremely important as the senior talent can work on strategic insight based on their experience and expertise and the juniors can do sophisticated analysis at the touch of a button. It also enables standardised ways of looking at a problem and ensures that hygienic analysis is done at a faster rate.” Asked whether if this meant that gut feeling didn’t work anymore while planning, Balsara says, “It is not that gut feeling doesn’t work. Gut feeling should be added after all the basic analysis has been crunched.”
MindShare South Asia managing director Vikram Sakhuja adds, “Tools if used properly can really work for the brand. We have tools like MindWare and 3D that we use on a regular basis while planning for our clients. These tools are something that gives us judgement and work as an add on to the gut feel.”
While Lintas has Intellect as its research wing, Lodestar’s Lab Center in India launched in 1995 undertakes proprietary research. Lodestar’s Lab Center is the regional center for the Asia Pacific region and provides research data to 18 countries from Singapore to Australia. Lodestar vice president Nandini Dias says, “Almost 99 per cent of inputs while planning for a brand is derived from the findings revealed by these proprietary research tools. One per cent is gut feel. Once you have scientific data in your hands, you can predict what will work where, when and how. Clients benefit immensely from this and at the end of the day it is worth spending money in developing these tools. They are an investment for us.”
At a time when television channels in the country are mushrooming, these proprietary research tools no doubt help in planning effectively and sensibly.
Brands
Trump announces $300bn Texas oil refinery with Reliance, calls it the biggest in US history
First new US refinery in 50 years planned at Brownsville port with Reliance
WASHINGTON: The United States may soon see the first brand-new oil refinery built on its soil in half a century.
Donald Trump announced a proposed $300 billion refinery project in Texas, calling it a landmark moment for American energy production and jobs.
Posting on Truth Social on 10 March, Trump said the facility would be built at the Port of Brownsville and developed by a company called America First Refining, with major investment from India’s Reliance Industries.
The announcement frames the project as a centrepiece of the administration’s push for “energy dominance”, with Trump claiming it would deliver thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in economic activity to South Texas.
If realised, the plant would mark the first all-new major refinery constructed in the United States since the 1970s. In recent decades, oil companies have largely chosen to expand existing facilities rather than build new ones, citing high costs, regulatory hurdles and environmental scrutiny.
Trump described the proposed investment as the “biggest in US history”, positioning it as proof that policy changes such as streamlined permits and lower taxes are drawing large-scale energy investments back into the country.
The refinery is planned for the Port of Brownsville, a strategic Gulf Coast location that provides easy access to shipping routes and export markets.
A key partner in the project is Reliance Industries, controlled by billionaire industrialist Mukesh Ambani. The company already runs the world’s largest refining complex in Jamnagar, India, making it one of the most experienced operators in large-scale petroleum processing.
The Texas venture would mark a significant step for the group into America’s domestic refining sector, potentially strengthening industrial ties between the US and India.
The proposed refinery is being promoted as a next-generation facility capable of processing American shale oil while maintaining high environmental standards. Trump said it would be “the cleanest refinery in the world”, although the specific technologies behind that claim have not yet been detailed.
Industry observers also note that the $300 billion figure is unusually large for a refinery project, and analysts are waiting for more clarity on whether the number reflects total construction costs, long-term infrastructure investment, or broader economic impact estimates.
As of 11 March, Reliance Industries had not publicly confirmed the investment size or the structure of its involvement.
For now, the announcement has sparked equal parts excitement and curiosity in energy markets. If the plan moves from promise to pouring concrete, the refinery could reshape the Gulf Coast energy landscape, and reopen a chapter in American refining that has been quiet for nearly fifty years.
