Transcript
Hi Vinay.
Hi.
So Vinay is the digital marketing manager of 9x Media. Thank you so much for your time.
Thanks for having me.
So Vinay you have started with sound engineering if I am not wrong.
Correct.
Then you turned towards audio with Radio City and now you are a digital marketing manager.
Yes.
So what is this graph?
So this graph is that there is a time when you are starting and you are looking at your life. There is a life in school where you are playing guitar. So yeah I am a guitarist musician. So I started from here and after that I felt that I am not able to study. So I don’t say that you don’t have to study or anything like that. Just study because basic knowledge is really important. Okay. So we fought and So I went to sound engineering college. I started my career as a…
What did you do before that? Did you do engineering?
Not engineering. Till 12th I was in science. Okay. Science student. And when you are asked what you want to be in your childhood, then you say music manager, not sound engineer.
What I wanted to be? Like I don’t need that now. I mean at that time I wanted to be a software engineer. Okay. But now I was listening to that at that time.I was listening to that at that time but now it is useless. It is completely useless for me. Okay. I went to sound engineering. I started sound engineering. I was going through everything there. And the first year just completed and I got an opportunity to work as an intern for MyFM. So I started from MyFM not from Radio City.
Okay. So this MyFM was from Nagpur.
Yeah. MyFM Nagpur. And after going there I was like bro I am a sound engineer from Pune. I will tell you how to become a music director, how to do video production but failed and luckily there were some people who explained the proper things to me. There are two big names Manish Chaudhary and Rajan. So these people taught me a lot. So while living with these people I understood that the audience likes it. Because we won’t make that content that I like music, I like this kind of music so I will make that content.
When was this? In which year?
2015.
Just after social media came?
Yes, the social media boom was just starting. So they told me that whatever content you are
making is fine but you are going to make content for your audience. So first you have to understand your audience. When you understand your audience then you will be able to deliver it. And if you don’t understand your audience then you won’t be able to deliver it. And if you want to deliver something to your audience then you will have to understand their problems. And when you take something to them and when it relates to their problems then they will understand you and then they will influence you or they will listen to your content. So that’s how it all started. And then at one point I understood that Nagpur doesn’t have much scope. So I had to leave for Mumbai. Okay. I had to leave for Mumbai because till now the marketing was under my control.
You are still an artist here.
Yes, I’m still an artist here. I want to make content and I am making content for people. It’s all about that.
Got it.
So I came to Mumbai. I came to Mumbai for a profile I didn’t know anything about.
Which was?
Video editor. I didn’t know how to use Adobe’s software. I have a friend, Pradyumna. He is a video editor. So I told him that I am done. I am leaving but I don’t know how to use the software. He said, what’s the big deal in this? Let’s do it in two minutes. And when I got the offer…
But you did not know the software.
They accepted me and everything was done.
So they didn’t evaluate you?
I did some jugaad.
Amazing! That’s why you are in marketing today.
So I said I have to learn. I should know the basics. So I called ACP. I called him and asked him what to do. He said let’s go and have coffee. I will tell you about the software.We went to have coffee. ACP turned on the software. We did some things. We went back home after having coffee. I still don’t know how to use the software. There is excitement.
Mumbai, Radio City, big brand. Then I reached Radio City. First day at Radio City. I worked on a Mac but that was way earlier than I can remember.So I was very confused about Mac. I was very confused. So, First, software is a matter of time. I sat down. I called ACP. Brother, how do you run Mac? He was like, do this and that. Okay, okay, done. So, this happened. The report manager came and sat beside me and he was like, let’s edit something. I was like, I don’t know this. At that time, it was the eggplant. In those six months, I was four times the star of the month for the work which I had never done. I had never learnt it in life. Now, these things kept going on and on. So, we started marketing. I started marketing. There are a lot of things that have happened in this. First, I didn’t host it. So, I got an opportunity to host a show.
That was completely unpredictable. I didn’t know how it would happen. At that time, I started working as a DOP in the office. I used to watch all the outdoor and client shoots. After Radio City, I went to a company. I don’t even want to take the name of the company. I don’t want to promote that company. I don’t want to promote it.
Is this on your LinkedIn or is it not on your LinkedIn?
It was on LinkedIn. I did it that day, but I couldn’t remove it.
It will be a controversial topic. Don’t put it there. After that, I came back to Nagpur. After going to Nagpur, I understood one thing. What we have done in Mumbai, try, test, we know this is not going to work. We know this is going to work. But, after coming back to Nagpur, if you have to do the same thing again, how will you feel?
The work you did for the companies here or the target audience here? And the companies of Nagpur, did you feel any difference?
The difference is that the companies here, especially Mumbai, work by understanding the audience. They know what their target audience is and what they have to give as a video production solution. But the situation there is like this. I am not talking about all the companies in Nagpur. There are some companies.
Working in metro cities, working for 2-3 tier cities, you have to work. So, you create a lot of problems. What happens in those companies is that they don’t understand their target audience. And they just work for it. They just create content. You make content. I am just producing. They have a target to work on the video production.You make 20 videos, 30 videos. But you should know your target audience. What do I want to give to my audience? What does my audience want from me? Even for clients, you are bringing those deliverables which clients don’t need.
So, we talked about marketing. How you evolved from being an editor to then a marketer and how you cracked all those things. I want to ask you about two things in this scenario. One is long format video and one is short format video. Short format is getting viral very fast. It is being liked a lot. And it has a lot of views. As a marketer, from the other side of the table, what are your views on it? If we talk about long format content or short format content
We are consuming both content equally. When we consume long format content, we see that sorry, when we talk about short format content, we see that oh my god, it is going so much.
They say 2 million, 3 million, 4 million. Like, recently, a movie came out, Jawan, I guess. When it was released on OTT, it made a record of so many plays in one day. I guess, I don’t know the record, but in one day, so much has been consumed. So, whether the content is small or big, it depends on one thing: how interesting it is or how entertaining it is. Because when we go to watch content, there is one problem in front of us. The main problem of a basic human is that I have a lot of time and I have nothing. What should I do? I have to pass time. So, the problem is to pass time. What is its solution? The content that we can watch, that we can consume, and I pass time.
We need a solution to pass time. So, where will those solutions come from? Those solutions will come from content. Now, short format content, those people who have a very short period of time
will scroll, scroll up, scroll up, scroll up. Because they know that after 5 seconds, my boss will see me and ask me to work. So, they are simply scrolling. But those who have a problem that they have to watch content now, they have a lot of time. So, they will go to Netflix or any other brands. Now comes the marketing part in this. You don’t talk. You end it there. But when Shah Rukh Khan was using Poko’s phone in Jawan, his viral videos were being made.
Shah Rukh Khan is using Poko, Poko, Poko, Poko.
Correct, correct. I understand. Means, that thing has to be delivered in that way. Who is your basic ambassador?
Yes. And what did you say? Technical Guruji also tells, this phone, that phone, this phone, that phone, that phone, this phone, that phone. But that phone, you and I are not talking about it. Or Instagram is not talking about that phone from that video. But when an influencer really comes, who is doing a long format content, on which you trust, when he is talking about a new brand’s phone, he only has a picture of it clicked, there is a shot in it, like 4 seconds or 5 seconds. I have said 4 seconds, 5 seconds a lot. More than enough. That short has become viral. Why? Because Shah Rukh Khan was using it. Now, there are a lot of people who are just using Shah Rukh Khan’s phone in that style and that brand. People must have bought it. Correct. Because of influence, if someone wants to influence, he should be so trusted that if he sees a phone in his hand, he will buy it. Now, there is only one thing about short format, long format content. Short format keeps hammering you again and again. Continuously hammering that this phone, this phone, this phone. But you don’t trust it so quickly. That’s why you need to hammer it again and again.
This is in this phone, this is in this phone, this is in this phone. When the OnePlus phone came, then Samsung, Nokia, iPhone, there were so many big phones.
Like when a new brand comes and you say that this brand has come, and I have Nokia, Samsung, Sony, there are big brands all over the world. Why are you buying OnePlus? If you don’t buy OnePlus, then there is no big ad or Shah Rukh Khan. But after that, when the phone videos were being made, small, or people were making its reels. People were doing all the unboxing of it.
People were making short format videos. So people were talking about its technical specifications. What was the biggest specification of it according to you?
Of OnePlus.
Yes.
Maybe its camera.
And?
Affordability.
Because when someone has bought a phone, they have to pay for it. I will take Rs. 1000 from you.
iPhone used to have 16 megapixels Samsung is also giving you 50, iPhone used to have 16 megapixels and will take Rs. 1.5 lakh and people were talking but a camera suddenly comes
which is giving 50 megapixels and says that I will give it to you for this much in that it was not working that this is the specification in Rs. 50,000 such a phone it was of Rs. 38,000 in Rs. 38,000 so people the main thing is that pocket size everyone wants an iPhone but not everyone buys it
what I am seeing now I use Samsung’s phone but I am going in auto iPhone is coming out why?
A new brand has come in this large finance industry. They told you to take whatever you want and keep giving us money. People then took iPhone now iPhone’s customers you can see how many now all these phones now to promote these phones it does not take a big star. Now it is the same for them now this brand has been made to make a new brand small videos are very much in but when you already have a big brand you make a small video people will consume it automatically because they want to know what Samsung has done what iPhone has done what OnePlus has done you will get a shot in this now you don’t need any influencer. This is the basic thing number of time hammering so you think that these big brands who were initially making big video ads I think when we were kids we used to see a lot of 1 minute ad 2 minute ad duration of the ads have reduced 10 seconds 20 seconds and now the interesting thing is from the beginning till now a lot of things have changed. All the ads that have failed, the ads that we don’t remember we don’t remember like if you take the big bubble ad big bubble is a big thing ok yes the bird ad an egg with a bird was something, washing powder but when you look at the screen they were not showing the big bubble they were showing the story of a bird animated and a tortoise got mixed. Take the cadbury ad you have never seen a chocolate ad they have created a romantic scene. The storytelling is more strong than ever, you remember that story. Your story should be so strong that you remember the brand. If you look at any ad old or new look at the 5 star ad. What was in the 5 star ad? There are 2 people sitting and they are eating their chocolate. This morning I was scrolling. I saw that old squirrel ad for Kitkat. There was a traffic ad. A traffic officer stands there.
A girl opens the door beside him. He takes care of the traffic and tells him how to eat. That was his take-a-break. He is telling him how to eat.
And when he is telling him to do this and that, the traffic is cleared. The traffic was cleared because he took a break.
But now the traffic is reduced. The traffic is reduced because people have accepted that short format videos are the best. So they show the brand.
But the thing is that the brand is not important. Your story is important. Your brand comes after the story.
But don’t you think that it is over now?
So I worked for a brand. So we pitched them a big story-based video.
Which was around two to two and a half minutes. And there were other requirements in which they were given ten to ten minutes in twelve different languages. In twelve different languages.
Only one person was speaking directly into the camera. It was going to take the same time in the production. But then, this was supposed to go into more states in their native language. As compared to the longer video. We, as creators, preferred that we go from the storytelling route. And we create one big ad in which we actually talk about their brand.
But eventually what the client actually gave a green flag to was shorter videos of ten seconds, fifteen seconds. In different languages.
You know one thing. The most true thing. One thing that was better in it was that it was different in every language.But you will have to understand one thing. If somebody is talking about marketing. Short format video, long format video. You know the best marketing is word of mouth. Correct?
Of course.
When you are making short format videos, short format videos are going to be consumed. But they die so quickly. Their longevity is very low. No. Now you tell me one thing. You made a very beautiful storytelling video. Okay. When people start watching it. They don’t go straight to the brand. You see old ads. They never go straight to the brand. They talk about the whole world and then go to the brand.
Correct.
There was a huge Pepsi ad. Hey bubbly, come on bubbly. In that if you see. It goes on after saying hey bubbly bubbly. The whole song goes on. It’s like a one minute ad. Yes. Music video. At the end they tell you Pepsi. It looks good in the video.
But that again, that ad came a long time ago and we are still talking about that ad. Versus any short format video that I must have seen last week, I will not remember it. So do you think, as a marketer and for example, any agency or any creator, there is a slight gap between them?
Basically, we work for the client. How is it for the client? The client said to do this, it’s just like the Bhai ne bola karneka hai toh karneka hai.
But do you think that’s the right approach?
Now the thing is that if you take an agency stand that I do it and tell you, or I do it and tell you, go according to me.Now you have to give your expertise properly. Just think once that you don’t have to earn money, you have to make a big thing and give it. That day it will end up being very simple. Sir, no, no, no. You will have to do this and that.
Why are you hiring me? If you are the one who has put me in the inputs to do this work, you told me to do this and that. If I have to do it with your inputs, then you do it, sir, because you will hire me because I will design for you.
It’s not such an easy conversation.
I know. I know. It doesn’t happen because in the mind of the client, it is said that he has to market like this. Now find an agency. The agency will tell you to market like this. It’s over.
But there is no need for such a market.So, you have to be able to make sound first. If you can make a sound or get the audience into the audio production, then that’s it. Today, at this time, tink tink tink tink tink tink tink tink tink tink tink tink tink tink tink tink tink tink tink tink tink Britannia,
Now, as soon as you book this, it comes. It’s like Ola. So, as soon as you lock, the sound comes.
So, I want to ask you one thing in conclusion.
As a marketer, is there something that you want to, because I feel there is a genuine
gap between marketers looking at advertising and creating content and the way agencies look at creating content. So is there something, what are your views on this?
See, one important thing that I understood, I am talking about storytelling, storytelling means, it can be anything. But storytelling should be something that connects. Okay.
Storytelling that connects can come from static, can come from animation, can come from a long format video, can come from a short format video, can come from audio, can come from anything.
Now the biggest example that everyone knows is Amul. Amul’s story is called, I am not going to tell you the name.
Whatever happens, personal connection comes from what’s happening around you, what you’re seeing around you. PM Modi has become Prime Minister.
His post comes in a short period of time, max to max, in which PM Modi is present.
Correct. And I think they have also played around very well with the mascot. Yes, his mascot is still the same. And it’s still relevant.
It’s still relevant. But it’s connected to every flavor. Correct. Earlier, we used to do a lot of ads on TV. When we used to watch their ads on TV, they used to be animation ads.
In animation ads, one thing used to be, oh my God, yes, this is happening. When the Jawan movie came out, their post was similar to that of the Jawan movie.
Whatever is coming, Shah Rukh is coming, this is happening, that is happening, Covid is coming, whatever is happening. Correct. Their post is so relevant that you look at it and say, yes, it’s happening. Now, the rest, the other creatives, they are not related to it.
You will see, you will read a little bit and take it out. But Amul is such that when you see his post, you stop and wait. What has happened to him? Correct. At that time, you imagine that yes, this has happened.
But sometimes I feel that what has happened in India, you have to go to Amul’s page. If something new is visible in Amul’s page, then it means that something big has happened. Correct.
Amul is so crazy about marketing that whatever is happening, you will see it on Amul’s page. Either you do the opposite. Go to Amul’s page and find out what is going on in the world. Correct. You will get that information too. Correct.
And you are so connected. I like that the most important thing for me is storytelling. The second is relevance. So, there was a campaign.
Zomato or Swiggy, I am not sure. So, they wanted to clean the internet.
When you say desi masala in India, like when you and I are talking, you have spices in front of you. But when you write desi masala on the internet, you get aunties. Sexy aunties.
Okay.
So, Zomato or Swiggy, whatever it was, one of the brands, they said that whatever you are ordering from us, you order it, click its picture, write the hashtag desi masala and upload it.
Facebook, Instagram, Twitter. Wherever you want to upload it. So, people started it. So, when this whole campaign started, I am not saying that everything is clean. But yeah, now let’s see the real desi masala there.
There was an attempt towards it.
So, now let’s think that I am saying that I want to clean it. Okay. I want to change it here. But now see that you are also putting the hashtag Zomato with it.
Zomato, Swiggy, whatever it is. Correct. So, the number of shares is increasing. The number of shares is increasing. So, don’t always sell direct products. Sell the story and you are relevant.
The product will run on its own. The product will move forward on its own.
All in all, as a marketer or as being from an entertainment side of it, you think that even today storytelling is the boss.
Yes.
And everything else is secondary. Correct?
Correct.
Done. And content is the king.
Telling an interesting story is.
People have to move forward. Brands will also collaborate with you. Today, TRS Beer Biceps is doing interviews. But I guess his partner is Ajio.
Ajio is giving everything. Because he knows that people stop in his conversations. And his conversations are such that he gets to learn a lot. The conversations that are going on now. Recently, what happened with Johnny Lever.
That was kind of a no filter conversation. And in that conversation, Johnny Lever is talking about his past life. That time, working at a liquor store. He is talking about those things.
It’s authentic basically.
That’s what people are seeking. Authentic. I am telling you the story. I still remember that Ajio is his partner. Ajio is giving clothes.
But the fact is that I put him aside. But the important thing is that I will come to his channel again and again for those stories. That I know that I am going to get to hear such stories.
And I will have to see Ajio again. Correct. Now the branding that is happening here. Create 100 videos. Ajio will make 100 videos. He will upload 100 videos.
In short format. But he will not be able to create that much impact. Correct. When the impact will be created here. So this is the thing. Brand collaborations are also important.
So it’s not just about one thing anymore.
Wherever you are getting a place. You have to get into the brand. So that the other brand doesn’t get a place. Strategically. Strategically. Yes. It’s not like you have to enter anywhere. Not like you are traveling in a local train. You have to put a sign there. Black magic.
That’s a very good technique. That’s very good advertising actually. It reaches the common people. Black magic. It’s over. Amazing advertising.
I am very amused by the local train. The pamphlets and all the things that are there. That’s what our cameraman is writing. Number. Number.
Now that thing is that it’s too simple. That story. Content. After that strategy. After that strategy plan. That’s it.
And your tagline is that content is still the king. Content is the king. That’s it. Even today.
I will tell you one last question. That in which you remember the name of a brand. But after that there is no story.
I can’t remember anything right now.
Okay. Now in the brands of the common people.
There is a story. And that story is being sold. And after that that brand is being sold. With that story that brand is being sold. Nothing is going on directly. Because there is no interest in anyone directly. So. Now in the long format video the biggest problem is that if the content is not good then it won’t work. It won’t work. That’s the problem. Okay. But for once if the content is good. All the brands that are included in it will work.
Now look at IPL. How many brands are there in it. One person is wearing a t-shirt. There is no design in it. There are only brands. Sponsors. There are only brands in it. Agreed. And what do they utilize in it?
That you are a batsman batting. MRF and Sachin, both of them became a brand together. Because at one time, he was playing cricket among the kids. Sachin was batting and everyone read that MRF was batting.
They thought that MRF bats were the only way to learn. After that, which batsman had a spring in his bat? A.B. Davis, Ricky Ponting.
Ricky Ponting had a spring in his bat. At the time of IPL, Gilchrist had to bat and he brought a Mongoose bat.
Okay? Okay. Mongoose bats are being bought by the public. It has a story with it. Otherwise, that bat is not even going on. Why were Mongoose bats going on? Because Gilchrist was watching it. People made a story that if it stays this much, then the power that is applied, then it goes to six. So, that bat was also sold. After that, the Gilchrist’s spring was installed. Due to the company’s bat that he was playing, people were buying it. They were buying it. You need a story with your brand. If your story is hit, then your brand will sell automatically. It will go on later. But yes, the story should not be such that, it should sustain, it should relate, and it should happen. Now, MRF’s bat is… What do you call it? Spring-installed bat. Or Mongoose bats. It will go to six. If it doesn’t go, then your brand ends there. That’s why these things take a lot of time. After that, it just vanishes.
Hmm. Great. So, basically, it’s about a few very important things. Firstly, content is still the king. Because… From my days of advertising, this is the first thing that I have always heard. Whether it’s advertising or video production, content is the king. But gradually, I started to see that, that was taught to us like a tagline. It seemed to fade away.
But I still think that it will slowly come back. Look, things are like that, right? That someone said it has to happen now, and it’s happening. Slowly, like today, you and I are talking. Maybe after listening to this interview, someone else will talk. Maybe, like I said, short format content is the king. Chinese whispers. Same thing. Then it will start again and again and again. And at the end, it will be the same.
That we and you will also not have a place. Because then only talent will run. The best talent will be sold. And the best talent, if it is made, it is finished. There is one very important thing in the radio industry.
Do you remember the radio industry jingles? Like the song that is played on the radio. 93.5 93.5 Fever 104 Yes, okay. All these things.
The one who recently got an award, like last to last year, Dhun badalke toh dekho, was given by Abraham Thomas.
Okay. The song with which Radio City has survived till now. Not surviving till now, but winning. That was Rag Rag me daude city, but dhun badalke dekho
It’s like, this is a new station. So, change the tune and see. Correct. After that, Radio City. Rag Rag Man Dode City. Rag Rag Man Dode City. Rag Rag Man Dode City. Means, everyone has Rag Rag Man. And above that, the name is City. So, all those things also come. How much you can connect people. In marketing, you know that as soon as you go to the end again.
Then you will say some word. Then you will say something new.
But you are the perfect marketer. Because I think about everything you have. I think it is also because of your experiences.Because you have not studied marketing. You have learnt from your marketing experiences. And I feel from whatever little conversation we had, that is the crux of marketing. So, that’s why you have so many experiences too. And so many practical things to share with everyone. So, thank you so much for that. And thanks a lot for your time. It was a lot of fun.
Yes. This conversation. It was a lot of fun for me. See, I am telling you the simplest thing. That you should not say anything now. If you bring up a topic, then something else will come. Then we will talk about something else. Okay. We will end this episode here. She will come again to meet you. Her name is Bhakti. Her page- Tattletale. Whatever it is, follow everything. Follow everything. Very interesting things are going to come. Meet me now. After me, she already has a lot of line ups.
Okay. Please continue. We are doing marketing.
I am so sorry. I am doing your marketing. So, don’t disturb me in between. Okay. Many episodes are going to come. Different marketing aspects. They are going to cover. So, follow them from now.
And take the full knowledge in the frame. Because there is no teacher better than experience. That’s it.
Very well said. Thank you.