MAM
O&M advocates simplicty in Hutch campaigns
NEW DELHI: For a category such as telecommunications – in which products and services keep on changing at a blistering pace – to break through the advertising clutter can be a challenging proposition. Considering this, Hutchison Telecom seems to be following a peculiar strategy.
Ogilvy & Mather Delhi office, which handles Hutchison Telecom’s Hutch brand here, follows a `child-like’ communication strategy to differentiate the value-added services.
Whether it’s the recent `Hutch4help’ print and outdoor campaign; or the print campaign for the personalisation offer for postpaid connection (through a special series); the agency continues to work on simple text and cute visuals for propagating the message.
Says O&M creative consultant Ajay Gahlaut: “The communication is not ‘childish’ but it’s child-like. Anyone can understand the communication. It’s not too clever and idea is to keep it simple. The objective is to convey the benefit immediately. The ads might also bring a smile as one views them.”
Gahlaut’s colleague and creative consultant Sudip Bandyopadhyay, states that purposely agency is not using any shocking visuals. “The stuff we portray is very cute and pretty. We don’t try to show any shocking visual. The painted thumb (depicting different emotions) denotes this strategy. The proposition is also very upfront as the service, which one wants to avail, can be understood easily,” says Bandyopadhyay.
Citing an example from `Hutch4help’ campaign, Bandyopadhyay says: “For example, one has to type `4flowers’, if flowers are needed or `4taxi’ for communication purposes. So idea is get message across instantly.” The usage of numerical 4 is part of the communication strategy for availing value-added services. “We have created a branding instead of long sentences. It’s a regular SMS language, which has shaped up through usage of mobile phones,” adds Gahlaut.
In the personalisation number advertisements, restricted only to English and Hindi dailies, the campaign tries to stress upon tendency to use personal incidents or numbers such as anniversary or house number for luring consumer to get hooked on to new number.
“The idea of personalisation seems to have worked very well with consumer, who loves the idea of having his or her car number or house number or any preferred number for mobile connection. The response is very good and apparently it has worked very well for the client,” adds Gahlaut.
MAM
Sameer Nair steps down as CEO of Applause Entertainment
Veteran media executive exits after a decade at the Aditya Birla Group-backed studio.
MUMBAI: After a decade of calling the shots, Sameer Nair is taking a bow from Applause Entertainment. The veteran industry leader and CEO of the prominent content studio is stepping down from his role, according to sources familiar with the development. This marks a significant leadership transition at one of India’s key players in the television and digital content space.
Applause Entertainment, part of the Aditya Birla Group, has built a strong reputation under Nair’s leadership for its high-quality adaptations of international formats and a slate of original series across OTT platforms. Nair, who joined the company a decade ago, was instrumental in shaping its growth and positioning it as a notable force in India’s evolving streaming landscape.
Prior to Applause, he held senior roles at major media organisations, including Star India, where he played a pivotal part in the launch of the iconic show Kaun Banega Crorepati in 2000. He also worked with Balaji Telefilms and NDTV Imagine.
It remains unclear who will succeed Nair or what his next professional move will be. Queries sent to Nair did not receive a response, and Applause Entertainment declined to comment on the matter.
His exit comes at a time when the Indian content ecosystem is undergoing rapid changes, with streaming platforms recalibrating investments, focusing on profitability, and adjusting content strategies amid shifting viewer preferences and increasing competition.
Industry insiders suggest the transition could signal a strategic reset for Applause as it navigates the next phase of growth.
In the fast-paced world of Indian entertainment, where hits can fade as quickly as they rise, Sameer Nair has enjoyed a remarkably steady and influential run. As he steps off the stage at Applause, the spotlight now turns to what comes next for both the executive and the studio he helped build.
