Indian OOH Industry : Is it time for Agencies ? Or will they reinvent and revitalize ?

It was in 2009, that few instances happened that shook the industry.

In infallible fell. The industry was in a big shock. But bigger shock awaited the industry.

For next 3- 4 years. The industry stagnated. People just shifted roles, jobs, agencies, vendors. Talented , bright people left the industry , for good actually.

What industry was stuck with grew to become leaders. You cannot make Giant Organizations on the shoulders of Midget Team members. That seems to be all too visible in OOH.

Last 4 years, over all agencies profitabilty have come down. Mergers and acquisitions are more of rescue operations than joining of strengths. Hiring and Firing has become a regular practice. because the industry didnot respected itself and its professionals, the clients don't respect them either.
Though i am no more parts of Billboards industry, but it pains to see the situation of people, organizations and businesses. Industry due to lack of leadership and vision. is today in doldrums. Though people will hate me for saying this. They are suffering from frog in boiling water syndrome.

Nobody likes the middlemen, but they are neccesary evil. And on heart.Do we like property dealers ? God Hell, No. Uncooth, womanisers, Dogs, blah, blah.

But still we go through them as they are experts in thier business and do the dirty paperwork for us. More Importantly both parties trust him.

In our case, It has become worse than that. Clients are squeezing for better rates and savings and agency commisions. Vendors refuse to give in as they dont trust the agent.

Irony is industry is doing bad, but people working in the industry are doing well.  Nobody seems to realize that its all visible. Everybody knows, whats happening and its showing on your business numbers. Though the clients love OOH. They dont trust the middlemen.

Hai koi OOH ka Kejriwal ??? Jo is Saanp Newle ki ladai se industry ko bachayega ????

Aaya Mausam OAC ka

Chalo Goa . This seems to the buzz in the OOH agencies nowadays. The bigger question is who will go and what will they come back with from the annual drink and Gossip get together of the industry.

Here is the summary of discussions that i have with friends from the fraternity on OAC 2013. This will give you a fair idea. Those who can understand great, Those who can't don't bother.

Obviously Top management and regional heads have to go go, for others, its a cost constraint. The industry is going through a bad patch.

Will it be some learning ?Who knows.

Will there be some knowledge sharing.? Who cares

So what will you do in OAC ? Sleep , drink, roam around in goa on our Activas and Aviators.

What will the discussions be around ? Measurement of media, RoI, Currency, Transparency, Innovation. 2 din ke liye demaag ka Dahi.

Followed by free ke Daru and Awards aur kya.

Have you entered for awards ? Kya fayda, fixed hai.

Fixed hai matlab ?  Unhi  2-3 agenciesmain batna hai, isko 20 usko 30 baki sab 1,2,1,2. Woh dhandha kartey hai hai, Wohi award lete hain. Bade logon ka game hai. Hum toh sirf maje lene ja rahe hain. 2-3 din ash karenge , yaar doston ko milenge. Is baar goa hai toh aur bhadiya.

How is business otherwise ? Dhanda hai kahan yaar. There are no clients in the market. Those who are there, everybody is after them, cutting rates, offering better deals. Payments are stuck, vendors are after us. on top of that , recession.

People are being fired , left right and centre. No fresh hirings. All freeze. Lagi padi hai bhai.

The icing on the cake.

So what are your plans to come out of this mess ? Abe hum kya karenge. Jo karega bhagwaan karega.

In an industry ruled by MNP. There is hardly anything you can do, to offer better service, idea, or innovation.

So friends, Till it lasts, enjoy your booze, have fun in Goa. Happy OAC 2013

KAHANI GHAR ke BAHAR ki ( OOH KI)

KAHANI GHAR ke BAHAR ki ( OOH KI)

Once upon a time few rare crabs were imported from planet Jupiter ( read media)  to earth ( read OOH). And an experiment was done.

Crabs from Jupiter:)

Experiment-

Steps-

1) Two open jars were taken . Number One and Number two; And these jars were placed in front of an ocean.

2) In number 1 jar there were all the rare crabs from Jupiter

3) In the number 2 jar were crabs collected from different countries of earth ( agencies)

The Two jars were observed carefully for a few days

Time zone  1-

Jar no 1- All the crabs seemed to be sleeping . Immobile and completely relaxed with eyes closed. As though they  were on a vacation , Sun bathing in front of the ocean.

Jupiter Crabs chilling!

Jar No 2- In contrast here, there was restlessness. Like these guys were suddenly put in middle of a traffic jam in Mumbai and they had no clue where to go, suffocated and nauseated by this sudden shift of environment. ( incapability to adapt due to poor learning and training)

Time Zone 2-

Jar No 1- These guys seemed finally tired of their vacation and opened their eyes. All of them held their hands together formed a crab pyramid and one after the other helped each other move out of the jar. Effortlessly effortless… As though they were enlightened!!! ( IRS and TAM)

Happy and Out of the jar!

Jar No 2- Oops! these guys looked tired for some other reasons. When a crab would crawl up a little using utmost strength, the others would pull him out. Some were climbing over the other, a few who had risen little higher by attacking the weaker or the tolerant one, had announced they were super powers. The ones who were down below were waiting to hit back when they got a chance. And Jar war 1, Jar war 2, and three happened. (TYPICAL OOH INDUSTRY SCENARIO)

Time Zone 3-

Jar No 1- This jar was completely empty and these crabs were now dissolved in the infinite ocean. ( Client side, Other agencies, digital , new ventures)

 But one crab from Jupiter found his way to Jar no 2. Let’s name him the enlightened crab.

Enlightened Crab looking towards the Jar 2 

Jar no 2- The enlightened crab again seemed to have fallen asleep in the midst of all the jar wars going on in there. Slowly a lot of tired crabs were attracted by this guy and went near him and tried power sleeping like him.

Jar 2 Crabs happyy after the power nap 

Time Zone 4-

Jar No 2- The enlightened crab finally opened his eyes and whispered a secret code in the ears of the crabs flocking around him (a handsome number had gathered around him by now.) and they all held their hands made a crab pyramid and moved out of the jar one by one, helping each other. Those who did not choose to join continued there journey in the jar, but the ones who got the secret code were now Merged in the Infinite enjoying the thrills of the ocean, surfing, playing, celebrating being free….

But what was the secret code??

I heard it vaguely from distance it sounded like

DATA , RESEARCH, ANALYTICS