?Web+TV optimizer is a neutral planning tool?

Traditional media, especially television, continue to hog the largest chunk of the advertising pie in India. Advertisers, so far, have thronged to TV because of its unparalleled reach. The emergence of internet-based media platforms, however, is denting this reality. General portals such as Yahoo and social media networks such as Facebook now are bigger than television and they also command loyalty and deliver stickiness. Online media is also a better medium for targeted advertising which is not possible with television. Yet, digital media?s share in the ad spends, according to a report by Ficci-KPMG, was a mere Rs 1,500 crore against TV?s Rs 11,600 crore in 2011.

To bring in a much needed balance to this picture, media buying network Starcom Mediavest Group (SMG) has launched a fused TV + Web optimizer that will enable planners to evaluate media plans for marketers seamlessly between TV and digital platforms.

The optimizer uses the television audience measurement and web audience measurement data provided by television audience measurement agency TAM Media Research. FE?s Payal Khandelwal speaks to Mallikarjunadas CR, CEO, SMG India to understand the functions of this tool and how it will help media planners exploit the reach and efficacy of digital platforms and, in turn, also boost digital spends. Edited excerpts:

Can you explain to us the functions of the Web+TV optimizer?

The purpose of the Web+TV optimizer is to provide a neutral planning tool so that our media planners can seamlessly make a TV plus digital plan. Today, if you look at the numbers, as stand-alone media vehicles, some of the digital platforms are larger than the reach of TV channels. Vehicles such as Yahoo, Youtube, Facebook should merit an entry into a media plan on an exposure metric itself. However, one does not have a currency that enables that. The optimizer will allow our planners to specify reach goals, throw in real-world constraints, put a budget cap and achieve the goals. Every single planner in SMG will have this on her desktop.

Which are the other markets, apart from India, where this product has been launched?

This has been launched in three other markets besides India?US, France and China. We have seen game-changing results in these markets with several of our clients shifting significant budgets to digital and, more importantly, seeing better business results.

Do you see this pushing digital spends in India?

We believe that fast moving consumer goods (FMCGs) companies in India should be spending a lot more on digital than they are doing currently? this shift is already happening at a dramatic pace in other markets. However, since media exposure?reach, GRP (gross rating points), OTS (opportunities to see)?is a staple of FMCG planning, digital has played a limited role. When you throw in a TV + Web optimizer, you will start seeing digital coming into an FMCG media plan on the exposure metric itself! This will raise the quality of the conversation between planners and brand managers and surely raise the digital spends by FMCG. This has been SMG?s experience in other markets.

What are the product categories where you see maximum growth in digital over the next couple of years?

FMCG is going to be big on digital. This, I think, will be crucial in ensuring an exponential rise to digital spends. Besides that, one would increasingly see categories such as auto shifting to digital as the first medium of choice. That is, in another year, the lead medium for categories such as auto could be digital, and TV and print become incremental reach builders!

What else is SMG doing to make its planners more digitally oriented?

We are undertaking several training initiatives. We have an in-house digital training programme titled ?Agency Edge?. Every individual in SMG has to clear this test. On similar lines, we have initiatives lined up for social, search, etc. We also look at cross-pollination?get some of the mainstream planners to spend time on digital and vice-versa. This is on the top of our agenda right now. ?Agency Edge? that we are driving. Every individual in SMG has to clear this test. On similar lines, we have initiatives lined up on social, search etc. We also look at cross pollination?get some of the mainstream planners to spend time on digital and vice-versa. This is on top of our agenda right now.