MAM
New AIR package pitched as attractive for advertisers
MUMBAI: The newly developed All India Radio (AIR) packages might be something ad agencies and advertisers should have a closer look at.
Percept Picture Company division Techniche Media CEO Vivek Salian says: “AIR is offering a package on Vividh Bharati called Vividh Bharati Network (which includes 29 cities) for Rs 5,000 per 10 seconds air time. But a better alternative is a sponsored programme on the Vividh Bharati network. A half-hour slot would cost only Rs 54,000 plus production charge of anything between Rs 15,000 to 20,000. The FCT (free commercial time) of 180 seconds per city can be used for direct plug-ins. One third of the FCT can be banked, i.e. played on other time slots.”
Salian’s firm Techniche Media (a division of PPCPL) is a radio and audio production house that provides consultancy services to advertisers, ad agencies and PR agencies. “The advantage of a sponsored (recorded) radio show is that the show can be conceptualised as per the brand / target audiences requirement, so that the client derives maximum possible mileage,” adds Salian.
Rates were as high as Rs 10,000 for a 10-second spot some time back and AIR’s efforts to rationalise the rate structure is an indicator that the public radio broadcaster is becoming market savvy.
Another strong advocate of Vividh Bharati and AIR is outdoor advertising specialist company DS Mittle & Sons director and RAPA’s 2003 council president Brij Mittle. Mittle, who has been involved in radio and ad jingles software production says: “Radio hasn’t been exploited to the extent to which it should have been. Ad agencies must realise that people will come back to radio in fiscal 2003-4. The FM sector has seen a revival of sorts but Vividh Bharati is still not getting it’s due. The mainline media executives simply don’t realise the significance of Vividh Bharati as a medium. Or even if they do realise – they are aren’t doing enough to promote the stations.”
Mittle, who owns one of the oldest recording studios in Mumbai, adds: “Consider some programmes on Vividh Bharati that still have a piece of our mind space – Bhule Bisre Geet or Chitralok on Vividh Bharati still evoke some kind of a nostalgia that today’s programmes don’t. The government must must take steps to reduce licence fees and public and private radio channels must rationalise their rate structures.”
Says Salian: “Programmes such as Binaca Geet Mala anchored by the inimitable Ameen Sayani delivered tremendous value for the brand. The association was very strong and the brand was inextricably linked to the programme and the anchor. We need to replicate this success.” Techniche Media has re-positioned itself to explore the opportunity that exists in offering consultancy services to ad agencies, radio channels and advertisers.
Well, Prasar Bharati has already set the ball rolling. In fact, Prasar Bharati has grabbed Rs 906 million for the triangular one day series between India-Australia-New Zealand (10 matches during October) and two test matches ( between India and New Zealand) – with Doordarshan getting Rs 880 million and All India Radio (AIR) getting Rs 26 million.
Prasar Bharati Marketing Division director Vijay Laxmi Chhabra says: “For the first time, we created a package wherein Doordarshan and AIR were marketed jointly. The scientifically devised package ensured that AIR bagged nearly five times what it got for the India-West Indies series last year. Our effort signifies the great results that can be obtained by clubbing the two Prasar Bharati arms together and marketing them jointly.”
As Mittle says: “Most of the FM radio channels sound the same – haven’t been able to differentiate themselves much from each other. They sound like clones.”
MAM
Dinshaw’s launches 3x chocolate cone with ‘Dildaari’ campaign
Vinod Kambli fronts summer push built around richer final bite.
MUMBAI: The sweetest part of an ice cream may no longer be the first lick, it is now the last word. Dinshaw’s is rewriting the rules of cone indulgence with its new ‘Dildaari’ campaign, built around a simple twist: three times more solid chocolate at the tip.
At the centre of the launch is a familiar consumer truth, the final bite of a cone is often the most anticipated. Dinshaw’s is leaning into that moment, turning it into the hero by amplifying the chocolate layer at the bottom, effectively repositioning the end of the cone as the highlight of the experience.
The campaign is fronted by former Indian cricketer Vinod Kambli, whose personal journey lends an emotional undertone to the storytelling. Built around the line “Jinko life mein thoda kam mila, unke liye thoda zyada”, the narrative blends nostalgia with generosity, framing the product upgrade as more than just a feature, it is a gesture.
Timed for peak summer and the ongoing cricket season, the campaign taps into moments of heightened consumption and sentiment, where small indulgences carry outsized emotional value.
The new range features nine flavours Badam Roasted, Butterscotch, Caramel Dolce, Choco Chip, Chocolate Brownie, Chocolate Ganache, Cookies n Cream, Mississippi Dark and Mocha Black and White each designed to complement the enhanced chocolate finish.
Conceptualised by Womb, the campaign pivots away from functional messaging to a more human insight: that sometimes, the smallest additions can make the biggest difference.
As brands continue to hunt for differentiation in a crowded category, Dinshaw’s bet is clear, if you cannot change the whole cone, make the last bite unforgettable.
