'The lowest rate has never built the greatest brand'

How do you see the media scenario playing out in India over the next three-five years?

 

These are very exciting times for the media industry. Over the next three-five years we see the following key themes playing out.

 

Firstly, the convergence of screens or platforms especially between TV and digital - from a content, consumption and measurement perspective things will evolve very rapidly. Secondly, we will see data driven marketing take center stage through programmatic platforms and other advancements in ad tech. The lines between content creation, deployment, distribution and measuremrnt will

all blur. And finally we see demands for media accountability and transparency force open the walled gardens if stakeholders have to stay in the business. 

 

 

Do you see the Indian media landscape transforming completely by 2020? Who wins, who has to watch out?

 

There is no divergence today between whats happening in India and elsewhere. If anything India will leapfrog several intermediate states of evolution. What used to be called 'media dark markets' will perhaps end up becoming the most media addesssable with mobile technology. Digital will further erode the share of print media and will start gaining from TV too. Addressable TV will scale up in the next few years, giving advertisers interesting targeting capabilities. 

 

Legacy media companies especially in print media who have not  succeeded with digital transformation are in danger of losing out. 

 

How will the media services business change as a result of the changing media landscape?

 

Media services companies that do not invest in technology and talent will be fighting to stay relevant in these rapidly changing times. Today technology can disintermediate all the basic services of a media agency. This is a golden opportunity for media agencies to move up the value chain by becoming a lot more consumer centric in their services so as to unlock far greater value for their clients. But this needs not only  investments in technology but a mindset change. Agencies need to 

move beyond managing throughput to creating business value for their clients. 

 

The over emphasis on media value (lower rates) which is largely driven by procurement departments will destory brands and enterprise value in the long run. Media agencies have the onerous task of proving to their clients that the lowest rate has never built the greatest brand.