GECs
Cookie communication causes commotion
MUMBAI: & coming soon… A box containing a cookie with these words imprinted on it has been making its way to the offices of trade and print publications, creating a buzz amongst journos. Speculation has been running rife about what this unexpected teaser gift means. Is it from the Star network which is acquiring an expensive cricket property or movie catalogue? Or is it the Zee Network which is launching a new channel? Or is it from Colors which is coming up with a new weekend event or show? Or is it from Sony which has launched another movie in partnership with another Indian studios? The bets are out and nobody knows, but it sure has got scribes’ attention who now have their ears pricked up for even a sliver of information relating to the gift. Hundreds of calls have been made to one of the GECs, but no information has been forthcoming.
Welcome to marketing to trade lesson 1.01. Of course channels and brands have been doing it for years. The Essel group, for instance, in the early nineties had sent out toothpaste tubes to newspaper and magazine offices to impress upon journalists/advertisers/media planners what a lamitube looks like.
Former Star India communications head Yash Khanna points out such “activities” do lead to a lot of excitement. “Gone are the days when one or two channels ruled. If a corporation does this they not only create excitement but they also remind the various members of the ecosystem that hey we are connecting with you and we care enough to share with you something meaningful.”
He states the example of Star Gold and Star Movies. “Before Star Movies was launched, we had sent out a Director’s chair to most advertisers and bean bags before the launch of Star Gold. Such initiatives keep the channel in the recipient’s mind.”
Shola Rajachandran an independent PR consultant who has worked with Star, Zee and Sony in the past goes on to say that today creating buzz before a launch has become a said thing. “Today, before any product is launched, a certain amount is kept aside to create buzz through different initiatives and activations. Earlier, people used to call for press conferences and give out merchandise which is not the case today. The competition has increased tremendously and hence, everyone is trying to outdo each other by coming up with out of the box innovations.”
A communication consultant who has spent over 40 years in the industry, Amitabh Khona, goes on to call them collectors’ items. “I have got watches, wine bottles, cricket balls, trophies etc. Once I got a pillow from CNBC shaped in their logo. It would be wrong to label it as a gimmick because a lot of thought goes into coming up with such innovative ideas that too keeping in mind the whole fraternity.”
“Clearly, the marketing teams have to dig deep into their creative wells,” said a media observer. “And come up with new gimmicks to create the buzz. Which they have done in this cookie’s case. By the way has anyone identified who it is,” he asked us.
We, at indiantelevision.com have kind of guessed, but we have chosen to keep our lips sealed and open them only to munch away at the cookie and wait until the mysterious sender declares what and who is it for.
GECs
Sebi sends show-cause notice to Zee over fund diversion, company responds
Regulator questions 2018 letter of comfort and governance lapses; company vows robust legal response
MUMBAI: India’s markets watchdog has reignited its long-running scrutiny of Zee Entertainment Enterprises, issuing a sweeping show-cause notice that drags the broadcaster and 84 others into a widening governance storm.
The notice, dated February 12, has been served by the Securities and Exchange Board of India to Zee, chairman emeritus Subhash Chandra and managing director and chief executive Punit Goenka, among others. At its heart: allegations that company funds were indirectly routed to settle liabilities of entities linked to the Essel Group.
The regulator’s probe traces its roots to November 2019, when two independent directors resigned from Zee’s board, flagging concerns over the alleged appropriation of fixed deposits by Yes Bank. The deposits were reportedly adjusted against loans extended to Essel Group entities, triggering questions about related-party dealings and board oversight.
A key flashpoint is a letter of comfort dated September 4, 2018, issued by Subhash Chandra in his dual capacity as chairman of Zee and the Essel Group. The document, linked to credit facilities availed by certain group companies from Yes Bank, was allegedly known only to select members of management and not disclosed to the full board—an omission SEBI believes raises red flags over transparency and governance controls.
Zee has pushed back hard. In a statement, the company said it “strongly refutes” the allegations against it and its board members and will file a detailed response. It expressed confidence that SEBI would conduct a fair review and signalled readiness to pursue all legal remedies to protect shareholder interests.
The notice marks the latest twist in a saga that has shadowed the broadcaster since 2019. What began as boardroom unease has morphed into a full-blown regulatory confrontation. The final reckoning now rests with SEBI—but the reputational stakes for Zee, and the message for India Inc on governance discipline, could scarcely be higher.
