Print Media is dead - Nope - It is alive and kicking - Next level Flipkart interactive Rubbable first page ad in THE HINDUSTAN TIMES

Print, they say, is dead. They snicker, "Who reads newspapers?" Reading is so boring, man. Everyone seems to be on the digital gravy train. Everything is online, including a country - Tuvalu. Tuvalu is furiously trying to become the first virtual online country. 

But popular beliefs, myths, and hearsay have no standing in real life. The Indian Newspaper Society (INS), the central organization of newspapers and periodicals in the country, said its member publications recorded an 11% rise in ad revenue for calendar 2023 at ₹16,472.40 crore, compared to ₹14,892.34 crore in 2022. 

Print is still a big draw, and its primary advantage is its credibility. Readers still believe in the printed word, and somewhere there is a grudging admiration for journalists and the editorial fairness and impartiality. Newspapers are still respected, and people working there are seen as part of a trained professional team. 

This is in stark contrast with the Wild West of social media, where anyone can be a digital creator. All one needs is a mobile phone. There is no training, qualifications, degrees, or communication skills needed, and best of all, no editing and censorship. One can do as one feels. The first page of a newspaper still has an irresistible appeal and still grabs instant attention. 

Headlines always make news, and they stay as headlines for a day, unlike digital media, where headlines can change in a matter of minutes. It was refreshing to see Flipkart and The Hindustan Times try out a new innovative print media advertising campaign. 

Last Sunday Hindustan Times newspaper readers woke up to an intriguing headline. The front page had a picture in which the milk was splashed liberally. The headline said, "Doodh ka Doodh aur Paani ka Paani Ho Jayega (meaning don't worry; everything will be as clear as clear water)”. 

The Advertisement also said, "Rub some water on the split milk and see what happens"! On rubbing or wiping the split milk with water or with a soft tissue, the message magically appeared: "Flipkart MINUTES—Everything in minutes, Toh Tension Mat lo. Khyunki Sab 10 minutes mey Replace ho jayeega (don't take tension; everything will be replaced within ten minutes)". 

The pitch was for the super-fast 10-minute delivery service from Flipkart. It was a wonderful attempt by all three parties: Flipkart, its advertising agency, and the Hindustan Times. They hit a bull's eye, garnered huge eyeballs and curiosity, and created a buzz on social media. It was a very innovative and creative interactive print advertisement that stays in the mind.

"THE TIMES of INDIA" does it again - Plays with its Masthead! But not the first Time!!!

At ICBM-SBE students are given two newspapers per day. "The Times of India and The Economic Times." Today they were excited to receive a third, the Paneer of India! Jokes apart, can you play around with the sacrosanct masthead? 

The Fake Masthead

The Real Masthead

This type of stunt was tried by TOI once, maybe 20-25 years ago for the first time. On that day the first page screamed, 

"LET TIMES OF INDIA WAIT" 

The body copy talked "breathlessly" about the impending launch of a new variant of chocolate (or something else; I don't clearly remember). The entire masthead was changed. It was the love of the lucre!!

The Puritans were furious with the wordplay involving the Sacrosanct Masthead. Arguments raged for weeks and months. But in the overstimulated modern era, anything is passé. Your opinions are welcome.

Thunder Strikes again - A perfect Match between Thums Up and Allu Arjun's Pushpa's 2!!!

“Thunder striking soon,” the latest campaign of Thums Up, has a twist. One needs to see it twice to understand what it is conveying. Show it to a Caucasian American, and he would be nonplussed. He would understand it as a promo, but it would not make any sense to him.

But for Indians and Indians throughout the world, it makes perfect sense. Thums Up has partnered with Allu Arjun; the Thums Up teaser is for the much-awaited movie Pushpa 2.

Does it make sense? You bet it does. For Allu Arjun, who is endorsing Thums Up, it is free publicity for his movie. For Thums Up, the teaser gets tremendous eyeballs, and the image that Allu Arjun portrays in the movie matches the positioning tack that Thums Up has consistently used.

The positioning is that of a macho man who wants the strongest cola in the market. And even better if that strong man borders on the line between lawfulness and lawlessness. That is Sona Pe Suhaga (That is the icing on the cake). The present generation wants to be a rebel—with a cause or without. A perfect marriage between the brand, its positioning, the brand ambassador, his on-screen image, and movie promotion.

What is Killing Movies?

What is killing the movie industry? OTT, high ticket rates, and movie makers' greed. OTT has become omnipresent, and for the cost of a single movie watched in a theatre one can buy the annual subscriptions of all the major OTT platforms. 

Then it is the greed of the movie makers. They are not allowing the movie to become popular. They exhibit movies only for a week or two before pulling the plug. People like me simply wait. So our release date is two weeks after the regular theatrical release. Check out Devara. It is coming to OTT within a month. Except for die-hard fans of Junior NTR, everyone will watch it on OTT at home in total comfort. 

And OTT has huge advantages. There is no dissonance, as we don't pay for the movie. We can

1) Watch it

2) Watch it in parts. 

3) Watch, stop, and continue. 

4) Watch partially. 

5) Watch only the punch scenes and fights. 

6) Watch comedy scenes. 

7) Skip songs 

8) Watch it many times. 

9) Pause 

10) Take calls and work on a laptop.

And right now, OTT streaming rights for movies are bought at a premium, so many producers are queuing up to show their movies at very short notice.  This results in many movies crashing onto OTT. It is like a tsunami of movies. For example, nearly 10–14 good movies have landed this week on OTT. 

For a working professional, it is difficult to watch more than a movie per day.  At best we can watch 7-8 movies a week. This results in watching fatigue, and many movies don't get good viewership even on OTT, an almost free-to-watch platform. 

Resultantly, only the best movies and the movies with a buzz get seen, and others disappear in the quick sands of time. Such a pity!!