Even as
the debate around Facebook's Free
Basics program continues, Facebook has embarked on a large-scale and ambitious
marketing campaign. The new campaign, which has been going on for a couple of
weeks, encompasses print, TV, OOH and digital
We had reported on December 30, 2015 that approximately Rs 25 crore had already been spent in print and OOH campaigns, with most of it on print.
Facebook spends around Rs 25 crore on Free Basics print & OOH campaign - See more at: http://www.exchange4media.com/digital/did-facebook%E2%80%99s-free-basics-campaign-pay-off_62916.html#sthash.FgWxMg4M.dpuf
We had reported on December 30, 2015 that approximately Rs 25 crore had already been spent in print and OOH campaigns, with most of it on print.
Facebook spends around Rs 25 crore on Free Basics print & OOH campaign - See more at: http://www.exchange4media.com/digital/did-facebook%E2%80%99s-free-basics-campaign-pay-off_62916.html#sthash.FgWxMg4M.dpuf
Apart
from this, the company has also been asking users to send messages to TRAI via
Facebook to show their support for the programme; something that has drawn ire
from netizens.
In fact, recently, while announcing an extension to the deadline for sending suggestions on the differential pricing issue, TRAI chairman RS Sharma also alluded to the fact that the nearly 14 lakh comments that have been received through Facebook are inadequate as they do not answer the specific questions raised by TRAI.
- See more at: http://www.exchange4media.com/digital/did-facebook%E2%80%99s-free-basics-campaign-pay-off_62916.html#sthash.FgWxMg4M.dpuf
In fact, recently, while announcing an extension to the deadline for sending suggestions on the differential pricing issue, TRAI chairman RS Sharma also alluded to the fact that the nearly 14 lakh comments that have been received through Facebook are inadequate as they do not answer the specific questions raised by TRAI.
- See more at: http://www.exchange4media.com/digital/did-facebook%E2%80%99s-free-basics-campaign-pay-off_62916.html#sthash.FgWxMg4M.dpuf
TRAI extends deadline for differential pricing comments
Further controversy was also caused when some users pointed out that messages to TRAI were being sent automatically in their names without their permission; a fact that Facebook has not addressed as yet.
Giving his thoughts on the campaign and the messaging, N Chandramouli,
CEO of Blue Lotus Communications, felt the print campaign was “overboard”,
especially for an audience that is still to make up its mind whether Free
Basics is a good thing or not. He also questioned the fact that the entire
campaign was launched without any PR support, which would have been a more
subtle way of getting the message across. “What Facebook is doing is classic
propaganda; something you would expect a government to do. They are saying,
‘Join us or you are disappointing your country’. By using the kind of media
they have and going overboard with it, they are further making people question
whether there is an ulterior motive behind it all,” he said.To say that Facebook is pushing for Free Basics to pass in India would be the height of understatement but in its enthusiasm, is Facebook unintentionally alienating the country? Has the multi-crore campaign actually attained its purpose?
Both Jaideep Shergill, Founding Partner at Pitchfork Partners and Paresh Chaudhry, CEO of Madison PR, opined that the role of the individual stakeholder needs to be looked into. A positive, according to Shergill, would be that it will foster more debate and scrutiny, which will ensure that consumer rights are protected.
“Opinion remains sharply divided on the matter despite the campaign.
Though some have come out in favour of Free Basics, the overwhelming sentiment
seems to be against it. Many influencers have come out strongly against
Facebook's initiative. What's good is that it's sparked off a debate and has
motivated many to educate themselves about net neutrality and their rights as
netizens,” he said.One thing pointed out by PR professionals and branding experts we spoke with was whether the entire Free Basics campaign actually targeting the right audience.
For example, Ramanujam Sridhar, Founder and CEO of Brand-comm, was of
the opinion that internet users are people who are informed and have great
access to information. “So, I don’t know how much sense it makes in coming up
with full page ads to influence the unconvinced. Also, you cannot push people
to do something against their wishes. The general consensus among the educated
masses seems to be that Facebook is pushing us into doing something against our
wishes,” he said.
On similar lines, Chaudhry mentions the recent op-ed piece written by Mark
Zuckerberg in The Times of India, where he gave the example of a farmer called
Ganesh from rural Maharashtra, who used the internet to look up commodity
prices and other information. “Surely Ganesh has a talent beyond farming, and
it’s ironic for him to be positioned as a champion for Free Basics, when his
more pressing need and value may be to educate fellow farmers on how he did
what he did, irrespective of who provided him the internet to do so and this
may need to be in languages other than English, or via front page ads in
national English newspapers,” he said.
On similar lines, Chaudhry mentions the recent op-ed piece written by Mark
Zuckerberg in The Times of India, where he gave the example of a farmer called
Ganesh from rural Maharashtra, who used the internet to look up commodity
prices and other information. “Surely Ganesh has a talent beyond farming, and
it’s ironic for him to be positioned as a champion for Free Basics, when his
more pressing need and value may be to educate fellow farmers on how he did
what he did, irrespective of who provided him the internet to do so and this
may need to be in languages other than English, or via front page ads in
national English newspapers,” he said.
Even as the debate around Facebook's
Free Basics program continues, Facebook has embarked on a large-scale
and ambitious marketing campaign. The new campaign, which has been going
on for a couple of weeks, encompasses print, TV, OOH and digital
We had reported on December 30, 2015 that approximately Rs 25 crore had already been spent in print and OOH campaigns, with most of it on print. - See more at: http://www.exchange4media.com/digital/did-facebook%E2%80%99s-free-basics-campaign-pay-off_62916.html#sthash.FgWxMg4M.dpuf
We had reported on December 30, 2015 that approximately Rs 25 crore had already been spent in print and OOH campaigns, with most of it on print. - See more at: http://www.exchange4media.com/digital/did-facebook%E2%80%99s-free-basics-campaign-pay-off_62916.html#sthash.FgWxMg4M.dpuf
Even as the debate around Facebook's
Free Basics program continues, Facebook has embarked on a large-scale
and ambitious marketing campaign. The new campaign, which has been going
on for a couple of weeks, encompasses print, TV, OOH and digital
We had reported on December 30, 2015 that approximately Rs 25 crore had already been spent in print and OOH campaigns, with most of it on print. - See more at: http://www.exchange4media.com/digital/did-facebook%E2%80%99s-free-basics-campaign-pay-off_62916.html#sthash.FgWxMg4M.dpuf
We had reported on December 30, 2015 that approximately Rs 25 crore had already been spent in print and OOH campaigns, with most of it on print. - See more at: http://www.exchange4media.com/digital/did-facebook%E2%80%99s-free-basics-campaign-pay-off_62916.html#sthash.FgWxMg4M.dpuf
Even as the debate around Facebook's
Free Basics program continues, Facebook has embarked on a large-scale
and ambitious marketing campaign. The new campaign, which has been going
on for a couple of weeks, encompasses print, TV, OOH and digital
We had reported on December 30, 2015 that approximately Rs 25 crore had already been spent in print and OOH campaigns, with most of it on print. - See more at: http://www.exchange4media.com/digital/did-facebook%E2%80%99s-free-basics-campaign-pay-off_62916.html#sthash.FgWxMg4M.dpuf
We had reported on December 30, 2015 that approximately Rs 25 crore had already been spent in print and OOH campaigns, with most of it on print. - See more at: http://www.exchange4media.com/digital/did-facebook%E2%80%99s-free-basics-campaign-pay-off_62916.html#sthash.FgWxMg4M.dpuf
Even as the debate around Facebook's
Free Basics program continues, Facebook has embarked on a large-scale
and ambitious marketing campaign. The new campaign, which has been going
on for a couple of weeks, encompasses print, TV, OOH and digital
We had reported on December 30, 2015 that approximately Rs 25 crore had already been spent in print and OOH campaigns, with most of it on print. - See more at: http://www.exchange4media.com/digital/did-facebook%E2%80%99s-free-basics-campaign-pay-off_62916.html#sthash.FgWxMg4M.dpuf
We had reported on December 30, 2015 that approximately Rs 25 crore had already been spent in print and OOH campaigns, with most of it on print. - See more at: http://www.exchange4media.com/digital/did-facebook%E2%80%99s-free-basics-campaign-pay-off_62916.html#sthash.FgWxMg4M.dpuf
Even as the debate around Facebook's
Free Basics program continues, Facebook has embarked on a large-scale
and ambitious marketing campaign. The new campaign, which has been going
on for a couple of weeks, encompasses print, TV, OOH and digital
We had reported on December 30, 2015 that approximately Rs 25 crore had already been spent in print and OOH campaigns, with most of it on print.
Facebook spends around Rs 25 crore on Free Basics print & OOH campaign
Apart from this, the company has also been asking users to send messages to TRAI via Facebook to show their support for the programme; something that has drawn ire from netizens.
In fact, recently, while announcing an extension to the deadline for sending suggestions on the differential pricing issue, TRAI chairman RS Sharma also alluded to the fact that the nearly 14 lakh comments that have been received through Facebook are inadequate as they do not answer the specific questions raised by TRAI.
TRAI extends deadline for differential pricing comments
Further controversy was also caused when some users pointed out that messages to TRAI were being sent automatically in their names without their permission; a fact that Facebook has not addressed as yet.
Giving
his thoughts on the campaign and the messaging, N Chandramouli, CEO of
Blue Lotus Communications, felt the print campaign was “overboard”,
especially for an audience that is still to make up its mind whether
Free Basics is a good thing or not. He also questioned the fact that the
entire campaign was launched without any PR support, which would have
been a more subtle way of getting the message across. “What Facebook is
doing is classic propaganda; something you would expect a government to
do. They are saying, ‘Join us or you are disappointing your country’. By
using the kind of media they have and going overboard with it, they are
further making people question whether there is an ulterior motive
behind it all,” he said.
To say that Facebook is pushing for Free Basics to pass in India would be the height of understatement but in its enthusiasm, is Facebook unintentionally alienating the country? Has the multi-crore campaign actually attained its purpose?
Both Jaideep Shergill, Founding Partner at Pitchfork Partners and Paresh Chaudhry, CEO of Madison PR, opined that the role of the individual stakeholder needs to be looked into. A positive, according to Shergill, would be that it will foster more debate and scrutiny, which will ensure that consumer rights are protected.
“Opinion
remains sharply divided on the matter despite the campaign. Though some
have come out in favour of Free Basics, the overwhelming sentiment
seems to be against it. Many influencers have come out strongly against
Facebook's initiative. What's good is that it's sparked off a debate and
has motivated many to educate themselves about net neutrality and their
rights as netizens,” he said.
One thing pointed out by PR professionals and branding experts we spoke with was whether the entire Free Basics campaign actually targeting the right audience.
For
example, Ramanujam Sridhar, Founder and CEO of Brand-comm, was of the
opinion that internet users are people who are informed and have great
access to information. “So, I don’t know how much sense it makes in
coming up with full page ads to influence the unconvinced. Also, you
cannot push people to do something against their wishes. The general
consensus among the educated masses seems to be that Facebook is pushing
us into doing something against our wishes,” he said.
On
similar lines, Chaudhry mentions the recent op-ed piece written by Mark
Zuckerberg in The Times of India, where he gave the example of a farmer
called Ganesh from rural Maharashtra, who used the internet to look up
commodity prices and other information. “Surely Ganesh has a talent
beyond farming, and it’s ironic for him to be positioned as a champion
for Free Basics, when his more pressing need and value may be to educate
fellow farmers on how he did what he did, irrespective of who provided
him the internet to do so and this may need to be in languages other
than English, or via front page ads in national English newspapers,” he
said.
(Inputs from Priyanka Mehra and Sarmishtha Neogy) - See more at: http://www.exchange4media.com/digital/did-facebook%E2%80%99s-free-basics-campaign-pay-off_62916.html#sthash.FgWxMg4M.dpuf
We had reported on December 30, 2015 that approximately Rs 25 crore had already been spent in print and OOH campaigns, with most of it on print.
Facebook spends around Rs 25 crore on Free Basics print & OOH campaign
Apart from this, the company has also been asking users to send messages to TRAI via Facebook to show their support for the programme; something that has drawn ire from netizens.
In fact, recently, while announcing an extension to the deadline for sending suggestions on the differential pricing issue, TRAI chairman RS Sharma also alluded to the fact that the nearly 14 lakh comments that have been received through Facebook are inadequate as they do not answer the specific questions raised by TRAI.
TRAI extends deadline for differential pricing comments
Further controversy was also caused when some users pointed out that messages to TRAI were being sent automatically in their names without their permission; a fact that Facebook has not addressed as yet.
Giving
his thoughts on the campaign and the messaging, N Chandramouli, CEO of
Blue Lotus Communications, felt the print campaign was “overboard”,
especially for an audience that is still to make up its mind whether
Free Basics is a good thing or not. He also questioned the fact that the
entire campaign was launched without any PR support, which would have
been a more subtle way of getting the message across. “What Facebook is
doing is classic propaganda; something you would expect a government to
do. They are saying, ‘Join us or you are disappointing your country’. By
using the kind of media they have and going overboard with it, they are
further making people question whether there is an ulterior motive
behind it all,” he said.To say that Facebook is pushing for Free Basics to pass in India would be the height of understatement but in its enthusiasm, is Facebook unintentionally alienating the country? Has the multi-crore campaign actually attained its purpose?
Both Jaideep Shergill, Founding Partner at Pitchfork Partners and Paresh Chaudhry, CEO of Madison PR, opined that the role of the individual stakeholder needs to be looked into. A positive, according to Shergill, would be that it will foster more debate and scrutiny, which will ensure that consumer rights are protected.
“Opinion
remains sharply divided on the matter despite the campaign. Though some
have come out in favour of Free Basics, the overwhelming sentiment
seems to be against it. Many influencers have come out strongly against
Facebook's initiative. What's good is that it's sparked off a debate and
has motivated many to educate themselves about net neutrality and their
rights as netizens,” he said.One thing pointed out by PR professionals and branding experts we spoke with was whether the entire Free Basics campaign actually targeting the right audience.
For
example, Ramanujam Sridhar, Founder and CEO of Brand-comm, was of the
opinion that internet users are people who are informed and have great
access to information. “So, I don’t know how much sense it makes in
coming up with full page ads to influence the unconvinced. Also, you
cannot push people to do something against their wishes. The general
consensus among the educated masses seems to be that Facebook is pushing
us into doing something against our wishes,” he said. On
similar lines, Chaudhry mentions the recent op-ed piece written by Mark
Zuckerberg in The Times of India, where he gave the example of a farmer
called Ganesh from rural Maharashtra, who used the internet to look up
commodity prices and other information. “Surely Ganesh has a talent
beyond farming, and it’s ironic for him to be positioned as a champion
for Free Basics, when his more pressing need and value may be to educate
fellow farmers on how he did what he did, irrespective of who provided
him the internet to do so and this may need to be in languages other
than English, or via front page ads in national English newspapers,” he
said.(Inputs from Priyanka Mehra and Sarmishtha Neogy) - See more at: http://www.exchange4media.com/digital/did-facebook%E2%80%99s-free-basics-campaign-pay-off_62916.html#sthash.FgWxMg4M.dpuf
Even as the debate around Facebook's
Free Basics program continues, Facebook has embarked on a large-scale
and ambitious marketing campaign. The new campaign, which has been going
on for a couple of weeks, encompasses print, TV, OOH and digital
We had reported on December 30, 2015 that approximately Rs 25 crore had already been spent in print and OOH campaigns, with most of it on print.
Facebook spends around Rs 25 crore on Free Basics print & OOH campaign
Apart from this, the company has also been asking users to send messages to TRAI via Facebook to show their support for the programme; something that has drawn ire from netizens.
In fact, recently, while announcing an extension to the deadline for sending suggestions on the differential pricing issue, TRAI chairman RS Sharma also alluded to the fact that the nearly 14 lakh comments that have been received through Facebook are inadequate as they do not answer the specific questions raised by TRAI.
TRAI extends deadline for differential pricing comments
Further controversy was also caused when some users pointed out that messages to TRAI were being sent automatically in their names without their permission; a fact that Facebook has not addressed as yet.
Giving
his thoughts on the campaign and the messaging, N Chandramouli, CEO of
Blue Lotus Communications, felt the print campaign was “overboard”,
especially for an audience that is still to make up its mind whether
Free Basics is a good thing or not. He also questioned the fact that the
entire campaign was launched without any PR support, which would have
been a more subtle way of getting the message across. “What Facebook is
doing is classic propaganda; something you would expect a government to
do. They are saying, ‘Join us or you are disappointing your country’. By
using the kind of media they have and going overboard with it, they are
further making people question whether there is an ulterior motive
behind it all,” he said.
To say that Facebook is pushing for Free Basics to pass in India would be the height of understatement but in its enthusiasm, is Facebook unintentionally alienating the country? Has the multi-crore campaign actually attained its purpose?
Both Jaideep Shergill, Founding Partner at Pitchfork Partners and Paresh Chaudhry, CEO of Madison PR, opined that the role of the individual stakeholder needs to be looked into. A positive, according to Shergill, would be that it will foster more debate and scrutiny, which will ensure that consumer rights are protected.
“Opinion
remains sharply divided on the matter despite the campaign. Though some
have come out in favour of Free Basics, the overwhelming sentiment
seems to be against it. Many influencers have come out strongly against
Facebook's initiative. What's good is that it's sparked off a debate and
has motivated many to educate themselves about net neutrality and their
rights as netizens,” he said.
One thing pointed out by PR professionals and branding experts we spoke with was whether the entire Free Basics campaign actually targeting the right audience.
For
example, Ramanujam Sridhar, Founder and CEO of Brand-comm, was of the
opinion that internet users are people who are informed and have great
access to information. “So, I don’t know how much sense it makes in
coming up with full page ads to influence the unconvinced. Also, you
cannot push people to do something against their wishes. The general
consensus among the educated masses seems to be that Facebook is pushing
us into doing something against our wishes,” he said.
On
similar lines, Chaudhry mentions the recent op-ed piece written by Mark
Zuckerberg in The Times of India, where he gave the example of a farmer
called Ganesh from rural Maharashtra, who used the internet to look up
commodity prices and other information. “Surely Ganesh has a talent
beyond farming, and it’s ironic for him to be positioned as a champion
for Free Basics, when his more pressing need and value may be to educate
fellow farmers on how he did what he did, irrespective of who provided
him the internet to do so and this may need to be in languages other
than English, or via front page ads in national English newspapers,” he
said.
(Inputs from Priyanka Mehra and Sarmishtha Neogy) - See more at: http://www.exchange4media.com/digital/did-facebook%E2%80%99s-free-basics-campaign-pay-off_62916.html#sthash.FgWxMg4M.dpuf
We had reported on December 30, 2015 that approximately Rs 25 crore had already been spent in print and OOH campaigns, with most of it on print.
Facebook spends around Rs 25 crore on Free Basics print & OOH campaign
Apart from this, the company has also been asking users to send messages to TRAI via Facebook to show their support for the programme; something that has drawn ire from netizens.
In fact, recently, while announcing an extension to the deadline for sending suggestions on the differential pricing issue, TRAI chairman RS Sharma also alluded to the fact that the nearly 14 lakh comments that have been received through Facebook are inadequate as they do not answer the specific questions raised by TRAI.
TRAI extends deadline for differential pricing comments
Further controversy was also caused when some users pointed out that messages to TRAI were being sent automatically in their names without their permission; a fact that Facebook has not addressed as yet.
Giving
his thoughts on the campaign and the messaging, N Chandramouli, CEO of
Blue Lotus Communications, felt the print campaign was “overboard”,
especially for an audience that is still to make up its mind whether
Free Basics is a good thing or not. He also questioned the fact that the
entire campaign was launched without any PR support, which would have
been a more subtle way of getting the message across. “What Facebook is
doing is classic propaganda; something you would expect a government to
do. They are saying, ‘Join us or you are disappointing your country’. By
using the kind of media they have and going overboard with it, they are
further making people question whether there is an ulterior motive
behind it all,” he said.To say that Facebook is pushing for Free Basics to pass in India would be the height of understatement but in its enthusiasm, is Facebook unintentionally alienating the country? Has the multi-crore campaign actually attained its purpose?
Both Jaideep Shergill, Founding Partner at Pitchfork Partners and Paresh Chaudhry, CEO of Madison PR, opined that the role of the individual stakeholder needs to be looked into. A positive, according to Shergill, would be that it will foster more debate and scrutiny, which will ensure that consumer rights are protected.
“Opinion
remains sharply divided on the matter despite the campaign. Though some
have come out in favour of Free Basics, the overwhelming sentiment
seems to be against it. Many influencers have come out strongly against
Facebook's initiative. What's good is that it's sparked off a debate and
has motivated many to educate themselves about net neutrality and their
rights as netizens,” he said.One thing pointed out by PR professionals and branding experts we spoke with was whether the entire Free Basics campaign actually targeting the right audience.
For
example, Ramanujam Sridhar, Founder and CEO of Brand-comm, was of the
opinion that internet users are people who are informed and have great
access to information. “So, I don’t know how much sense it makes in
coming up with full page ads to influence the unconvinced. Also, you
cannot push people to do something against their wishes. The general
consensus among the educated masses seems to be that Facebook is pushing
us into doing something against our wishes,” he said. On
similar lines, Chaudhry mentions the recent op-ed piece written by Mark
Zuckerberg in The Times of India, where he gave the example of a farmer
called Ganesh from rural Maharashtra, who used the internet to look up
commodity prices and other information. “Surely Ganesh has a talent
beyond farming, and it’s ironic for him to be positioned as a champion
for Free Basics, when his more pressing need and value may be to educate
fellow farmers on how he did what he did, irrespective of who provided
him the internet to do so and this may need to be in languages other
than English, or via front page ads in national English newspapers,” he
said.(Inputs from Priyanka Mehra and Sarmishtha Neogy) - See more at: http://www.exchange4media.com/digital/did-facebook%E2%80%99s-free-basics-campaign-pay-off_62916.html#sthash.FgWxMg4M.dpuf
ven as the debate around Facebook's
Free Basics program continues, Facebook has embarked on a large-scale
and ambitious marketing campaign. The new campaign, which has been going
on for a couple of weeks, encompasses print, TV, OOH and digital
We had reported on December 30, 2015 that approximately Rs 25 crore had already been spent in print and OOH campaigns, with most of it on print.
Facebook spends around Rs 25 crore on Free Basics print & OOH campaign
Apart from this, the company has also been asking users to send messages to TRAI via Facebook to show their support for the programme; something that has drawn ire from netizens.
In fact, recently, while announcing an extension to the deadline for sending suggestions on the differential pricing issue, TRAI chairman RS Sharma also alluded to the fact that the nearly 14 lakh comments that have been received through Facebook are inadequate as they do not answer the specific questions raised by TRAI.
TRAI extends deadline for differential pricing comments
Further controversy was also caused when some users pointed out that messages to TRAI were being sent automatically in their names without their permission; a fact that Facebook has not addressed as yet.
Giving
his thoughts on the campaign and the messaging, N Chandramouli, CEO of
Blue Lotus Communications, felt the print campaign was “overboard”,
especially for an audience that is still to make up its mind whether
Free Basics is a good thing or not. He also questioned the fact that the
entire campaign was launched without any PR support, which would have
been a more subtle way of getting the message across. “What Facebook is
doing is classic propaganda; something you would expect a government to
do. They are saying, ‘Join us or you are disappointing your country’. By
using the kind of media they have and going overboard with it, they are
further making people question whether there is an ulterior motive
behind it all,” he said.
To say that Facebook is pushing for Free Basics to pass in India would be the height of understatement but in its enthusiasm, is Facebook unintentionally alienating the country? Has the multi-crore campaign actually attained its purpose?
Both Jaideep Shergill, Founding Partner at Pitchfork Partners and Paresh Chaudhry, CEO of Madison PR, opined that the role of the individual stakeholder needs to be looked into. A positive, according to Shergill, would be that it will foster more debate and scrutiny, which will ensure that consumer rights are protected.
“Opinion
remains sharply divided on the matter despite the campaign. Though some
have come out in favour of Free Basics, the overwhelming sentiment
seems to be against it. Many influencers have come out strongly against
Facebook's initiative. What's good is that it's sparked off a debate and
has motivated many to educate themselves about net neutrality and their
rights as netizens,” he said.
One thing pointed out by PR professionals and branding experts we spoke with was whether the entire Free Basics campaign actually targeting the right audience.
For
example, Ramanujam Sridhar, Founder and CEO of Brand-comm, was of the
opinion that internet users are people who are informed and have great
access to information. “So, I don’t know how much sense it makes in
coming up with full page ads to influence the unconvinced. Also, you
cannot push people to do something against their wishes. The general
consensus among the educated masses seems to be that Facebook is pushing
us into doing something against our wishes,” he said.
On
similar lines, Chaudhry mentions the recent op-ed piece written by Mark
Zuckerberg in The Times of India, where he gave the example of a farmer
called Ganesh from rural Maharashtra, who used the internet to look up
commodity prices and other information. “Surely Ganesh has a talent
beyond farming, and it’s ironic for him to be positioned as a champion
for Free Basics, when his more pressing need and value may be to educate
fellow farmers on how he did what he did, irrespective of who provided
him the internet to do so and this may need to be in languages other
than English, or via front page ads in national English newspapers,” he
said.
(Inputs from Priyanka Mehra and Sarmishtha Neogy) - See more at: http://www.exchange4media.com/digital/did-facebook%E2%80%99s-free-basics-campaign-pay-off_62916.html#sthash.jRNhfLyL.dpuf
We had reported on December 30, 2015 that approximately Rs 25 crore had already been spent in print and OOH campaigns, with most of it on print.
Facebook spends around Rs 25 crore on Free Basics print & OOH campaign
Apart from this, the company has also been asking users to send messages to TRAI via Facebook to show their support for the programme; something that has drawn ire from netizens.
In fact, recently, while announcing an extension to the deadline for sending suggestions on the differential pricing issue, TRAI chairman RS Sharma also alluded to the fact that the nearly 14 lakh comments that have been received through Facebook are inadequate as they do not answer the specific questions raised by TRAI.
TRAI extends deadline for differential pricing comments
Further controversy was also caused when some users pointed out that messages to TRAI were being sent automatically in their names without their permission; a fact that Facebook has not addressed as yet.
Giving
his thoughts on the campaign and the messaging, N Chandramouli, CEO of
Blue Lotus Communications, felt the print campaign was “overboard”,
especially for an audience that is still to make up its mind whether
Free Basics is a good thing or not. He also questioned the fact that the
entire campaign was launched without any PR support, which would have
been a more subtle way of getting the message across. “What Facebook is
doing is classic propaganda; something you would expect a government to
do. They are saying, ‘Join us or you are disappointing your country’. By
using the kind of media they have and going overboard with it, they are
further making people question whether there is an ulterior motive
behind it all,” he said.To say that Facebook is pushing for Free Basics to pass in India would be the height of understatement but in its enthusiasm, is Facebook unintentionally alienating the country? Has the multi-crore campaign actually attained its purpose?
Both Jaideep Shergill, Founding Partner at Pitchfork Partners and Paresh Chaudhry, CEO of Madison PR, opined that the role of the individual stakeholder needs to be looked into. A positive, according to Shergill, would be that it will foster more debate and scrutiny, which will ensure that consumer rights are protected.
“Opinion
remains sharply divided on the matter despite the campaign. Though some
have come out in favour of Free Basics, the overwhelming sentiment
seems to be against it. Many influencers have come out strongly against
Facebook's initiative. What's good is that it's sparked off a debate and
has motivated many to educate themselves about net neutrality and their
rights as netizens,” he said.One thing pointed out by PR professionals and branding experts we spoke with was whether the entire Free Basics campaign actually targeting the right audience.
For
example, Ramanujam Sridhar, Founder and CEO of Brand-comm, was of the
opinion that internet users are people who are informed and have great
access to information. “So, I don’t know how much sense it makes in
coming up with full page ads to influence the unconvinced. Also, you
cannot push people to do something against their wishes. The general
consensus among the educated masses seems to be that Facebook is pushing
us into doing something against our wishes,” he said. On
similar lines, Chaudhry mentions the recent op-ed piece written by Mark
Zuckerberg in The Times of India, where he gave the example of a farmer
called Ganesh from rural Maharashtra, who used the internet to look up
commodity prices and other information. “Surely Ganesh has a talent
beyond farming, and it’s ironic for him to be positioned as a champion
for Free Basics, when his more pressing need and value may be to educate
fellow farmers on how he did what he did, irrespective of who provided
him the internet to do so and this may need to be in languages other
than English, or via front page ads in national English newspapers,” he
said.(Inputs from Priyanka Mehra and Sarmishtha Neogy) - See more at: http://www.exchange4media.com/digital/did-facebook%E2%80%99s-free-basics-campaign-pay-off_62916.html#sthash.jRNhfLyL.dpuf
ven as the debate around Facebook's
Free Basics program continues, Facebook has embarked on a large-scale
and ambitious marketing campaign. The new campaign, which has been going
on for a couple of weeks, encompasses print, TV, OOH and digital
We had reported on December 30, 2015 that approximately Rs 25 crore had already been spent in print and OOH campaigns, with most of it on print.
Facebook spends around Rs 25 crore on Free Basics print & OOH campaign
Apart from this, the company has also been asking users to send messages to TRAI via Facebook to show their support for the programme; something that has drawn ire from netizens.
In fact, recently, while announcing an extension to the deadline for sending suggestions on the differential pricing issue, TRAI chairman RS Sharma also alluded to the fact that the nearly 14 lakh comments that have been received through Facebook are inadequate as they do not answer the specific questions raised by TRAI.
TRAI extends deadline for differential pricing comments
Further controversy was also caused when some users pointed out that messages to TRAI were being sent automatically in their names without their permission; a fact that Facebook has not addressed as yet.
Giving
his thoughts on the campaign and the messaging, N Chandramouli, CEO of
Blue Lotus Communications, felt the print campaign was “overboard”,
especially for an audience that is still to make up its mind whether
Free Basics is a good thing or not. He also questioned the fact that the
entire campaign was launched without any PR support, which would have
been a more subtle way of getting the message across. “What Facebook is
doing is classic propaganda; something you would expect a government to
do. They are saying, ‘Join us or you are disappointing your country’. By
using the kind of media they have and going overboard with it, they are
further making people question whether there is an ulterior motive
behind it all,” he said.
To say that Facebook is pushing for Free Basics to pass in India would be the height of understatement but in its enthusiasm, is Facebook unintentionally alienating the country? Has the multi-crore campaign actually attained its purpose?
Both Jaideep Shergill, Founding Partner at Pitchfork Partners and Paresh Chaudhry, CEO of Madison PR, opined that the role of the individual stakeholder needs to be looked into. A positive, according to Shergill, would be that it will foster more debate and scrutiny, which will ensure that consumer rights are protected.
“Opinion
remains sharply divided on the matter despite the campaign. Though some
have come out in favour of Free Basics, the overwhelming sentiment
seems to be against it. Many influencers have come out strongly against
Facebook's initiative. What's good is that it's sparked off a debate and
has motivated many to educate themselves about net neutrality and their
rights as netizens,” he said.
One thing pointed out by PR professionals and branding experts we spoke with was whether the entire Free Basics campaign actually targeting the right audience.
For
example, Ramanujam Sridhar, Founder and CEO of Brand-comm, was of the
opinion that internet users are people who are informed and have great
access to information. “So, I don’t know how much sense it makes in
coming up with full page ads to influence the unconvinced. Also, you
cannot push people to do something against their wishes. The general
consensus among the educated masses seems to be that Facebook is pushing
us into doing something against our wishes,” he said.
On
similar lines, Chaudhry mentions the recent op-ed piece written by Mark
Zuckerberg in The Times of India, where he gave the example of a farmer
called Ganesh from rural Maharashtra, who used the internet to look up
commodity prices and other information. “Surely Ganesh has a talent
beyond farming, and it’s ironic for him to be positioned as a champion
for Free Basics, when his more pressing need and value may be to educate
fellow farmers on how he did what he did, irrespective of who provided
him the internet to do so and this may need to be in languages other
than English, or via front page ads in national English newspapers,” he
said.
(Inputs from Priyanka Mehra and Sarmishtha Neogy) - See more at: http://www.exchange4media.com/digital/did-facebook%E2%80%99s-free-basics-campaign-pay-off_62916.html#sthash.jRNhfLyL.dpuf
We had reported on December 30, 2015 that approximately Rs 25 crore had already been spent in print and OOH campaigns, with most of it on print.
Facebook spends around Rs 25 crore on Free Basics print & OOH campaign
Apart from this, the company has also been asking users to send messages to TRAI via Facebook to show their support for the programme; something that has drawn ire from netizens.
In fact, recently, while announcing an extension to the deadline for sending suggestions on the differential pricing issue, TRAI chairman RS Sharma also alluded to the fact that the nearly 14 lakh comments that have been received through Facebook are inadequate as they do not answer the specific questions raised by TRAI.
TRAI extends deadline for differential pricing comments
Further controversy was also caused when some users pointed out that messages to TRAI were being sent automatically in their names without their permission; a fact that Facebook has not addressed as yet.
Giving
his thoughts on the campaign and the messaging, N Chandramouli, CEO of
Blue Lotus Communications, felt the print campaign was “overboard”,
especially for an audience that is still to make up its mind whether
Free Basics is a good thing or not. He also questioned the fact that the
entire campaign was launched without any PR support, which would have
been a more subtle way of getting the message across. “What Facebook is
doing is classic propaganda; something you would expect a government to
do. They are saying, ‘Join us or you are disappointing your country’. By
using the kind of media they have and going overboard with it, they are
further making people question whether there is an ulterior motive
behind it all,” he said.To say that Facebook is pushing for Free Basics to pass in India would be the height of understatement but in its enthusiasm, is Facebook unintentionally alienating the country? Has the multi-crore campaign actually attained its purpose?
Both Jaideep Shergill, Founding Partner at Pitchfork Partners and Paresh Chaudhry, CEO of Madison PR, opined that the role of the individual stakeholder needs to be looked into. A positive, according to Shergill, would be that it will foster more debate and scrutiny, which will ensure that consumer rights are protected.
“Opinion
remains sharply divided on the matter despite the campaign. Though some
have come out in favour of Free Basics, the overwhelming sentiment
seems to be against it. Many influencers have come out strongly against
Facebook's initiative. What's good is that it's sparked off a debate and
has motivated many to educate themselves about net neutrality and their
rights as netizens,” he said.One thing pointed out by PR professionals and branding experts we spoke with was whether the entire Free Basics campaign actually targeting the right audience.
For
example, Ramanujam Sridhar, Founder and CEO of Brand-comm, was of the
opinion that internet users are people who are informed and have great
access to information. “So, I don’t know how much sense it makes in
coming up with full page ads to influence the unconvinced. Also, you
cannot push people to do something against their wishes. The general
consensus among the educated masses seems to be that Facebook is pushing
us into doing something against our wishes,” he said. On
similar lines, Chaudhry mentions the recent op-ed piece written by Mark
Zuckerberg in The Times of India, where he gave the example of a farmer
called Ganesh from rural Maharashtra, who used the internet to look up
commodity prices and other information. “Surely Ganesh has a talent
beyond farming, and it’s ironic for him to be positioned as a champion
for Free Basics, when his more pressing need and value may be to educate
fellow farmers on how he did what he did, irrespective of who provided
him the internet to do so and this may need to be in languages other
than English, or via front page ads in national English newspapers,” he
said.(Inputs from Priyanka Mehra and Sarmishtha Neogy) - See more at: http://www.exchange4media.com/digital/did-facebook%E2%80%99s-free-basics-campaign-pay-off_62916.html#sthash.jRNhfLyL.dpuf
ven as the debate around Facebook's
Free Basics program continues, Facebook has embarked on a large-scale
and ambitious marketing campaign. The new campaign, which has been going
on for a couple of weeks, encompasses print, TV, OOH and digital
We had reported on December 30, 2015 that approximately Rs 25 crore had already been spent in print and OOH campaigns, with most of it on print.
Facebook spends around Rs 25 crore on Free Basics print & OOH campaign
Apart from this, the company has also been asking users to send messages to TRAI via Facebook to show their support for the programme; something that has drawn ire from netizens.
In fact, recently, while announcing an extension to the deadline for sending suggestions on the differential pricing issue, TRAI chairman RS Sharma also alluded to the fact that the nearly 14 lakh comments that have been received through Facebook are inadequate as they do not answer the specific questions raised by TRAI.
TRAI extends deadline for differential pricing comments
Further controversy was also caused when some users pointed out that messages to TRAI were being sent automatically in their names without their permission; a fact that Facebook has not addressed as yet.
Giving
his thoughts on the campaign and the messaging, N Chandramouli, CEO of
Blue Lotus Communications, felt the print campaign was “overboard”,
especially for an audience that is still to make up its mind whether
Free Basics is a good thing or not. He also questioned the fact that the
entire campaign was launched without any PR support, which would have
been a more subtle way of getting the message across. “What Facebook is
doing is classic propaganda; something you would expect a government to
do. They are saying, ‘Join us or you are disappointing your country’. By
using the kind of media they have and going overboard with it, they are
further making people question whether there is an ulterior motive
behind it all,” he said.
To say that Facebook is pushing for Free Basics to pass in India would be the height of understatement but in its enthusiasm, is Facebook unintentionally alienating the country? Has the multi-crore campaign actually attained its purpose?
Both Jaideep Shergill, Founding Partner at Pitchfork Partners and Paresh Chaudhry, CEO of Madison PR, opined that the role of the individual stakeholder needs to be looked into. A positive, according to Shergill, would be that it will foster more debate and scrutiny, which will ensure that consumer rights are protected.
“Opinion
remains sharply divided on the matter despite the campaign. Though some
have come out in favour of Free Basics, the overwhelming sentiment
seems to be against it. Many influencers have come out strongly against
Facebook's initiative. What's good is that it's sparked off a debate and
has motivated many to educate themselves about net neutrality and their
rights as netizens,” he said.
One thing pointed out by PR professionals and branding experts we spoke with was whether the entire Free Basics campaign actually targeting the right audience.
For
example, Ramanujam Sridhar, Founder and CEO of Brand-comm, was of the
opinion that internet users are people who are informed and have great
access to information. “So, I don’t know how much sense it makes in
coming up with full page ads to influence the unconvinced. Also, you
cannot push people to do something against their wishes. The general
consensus among the educated masses seems to be that Facebook is pushing
us into doing something against our wishes,” he said.
On
similar lines, Chaudhry mentions the recent op-ed piece written by Mark
Zuckerberg in The Times of India, where he gave the example of a farmer
called Ganesh from rural Maharashtra, who used the internet to look up
commodity prices and other information. “Surely Ganesh has a talent
beyond farming, and it’s ironic for him to be positioned as a champion
for Free Basics, when his more pressing need and value may be to educate
fellow farmers on how he did what he did, irrespective of who provided
him the internet to do so and this may need to be in languages other
than English, or via front page ads in national English newspapers,” he
said.
(Inputs from Priyanka Mehra and Sarmishtha Neogy) - See more at: http://www.exchange4media.com/digital/did-facebook%E2%80%99s-free-basics-campaign-pay-off_62916.html#sthash.jRNhfLyL.dpuf
We had reported on December 30, 2015 that approximately Rs 25 crore had already been spent in print and OOH campaigns, with most of it on print.
Facebook spends around Rs 25 crore on Free Basics print & OOH campaign
Apart from this, the company has also been asking users to send messages to TRAI via Facebook to show their support for the programme; something that has drawn ire from netizens.
In fact, recently, while announcing an extension to the deadline for sending suggestions on the differential pricing issue, TRAI chairman RS Sharma also alluded to the fact that the nearly 14 lakh comments that have been received through Facebook are inadequate as they do not answer the specific questions raised by TRAI.
TRAI extends deadline for differential pricing comments
Further controversy was also caused when some users pointed out that messages to TRAI were being sent automatically in their names without their permission; a fact that Facebook has not addressed as yet.
Giving
his thoughts on the campaign and the messaging, N Chandramouli, CEO of
Blue Lotus Communications, felt the print campaign was “overboard”,
especially for an audience that is still to make up its mind whether
Free Basics is a good thing or not. He also questioned the fact that the
entire campaign was launched without any PR support, which would have
been a more subtle way of getting the message across. “What Facebook is
doing is classic propaganda; something you would expect a government to
do. They are saying, ‘Join us or you are disappointing your country’. By
using the kind of media they have and going overboard with it, they are
further making people question whether there is an ulterior motive
behind it all,” he said.To say that Facebook is pushing for Free Basics to pass in India would be the height of understatement but in its enthusiasm, is Facebook unintentionally alienating the country? Has the multi-crore campaign actually attained its purpose?
Both Jaideep Shergill, Founding Partner at Pitchfork Partners and Paresh Chaudhry, CEO of Madison PR, opined that the role of the individual stakeholder needs to be looked into. A positive, according to Shergill, would be that it will foster more debate and scrutiny, which will ensure that consumer rights are protected.
“Opinion
remains sharply divided on the matter despite the campaign. Though some
have come out in favour of Free Basics, the overwhelming sentiment
seems to be against it. Many influencers have come out strongly against
Facebook's initiative. What's good is that it's sparked off a debate and
has motivated many to educate themselves about net neutrality and their
rights as netizens,” he said.One thing pointed out by PR professionals and branding experts we spoke with was whether the entire Free Basics campaign actually targeting the right audience.
For
example, Ramanujam Sridhar, Founder and CEO of Brand-comm, was of the
opinion that internet users are people who are informed and have great
access to information. “So, I don’t know how much sense it makes in
coming up with full page ads to influence the unconvinced. Also, you
cannot push people to do something against their wishes. The general
consensus among the educated masses seems to be that Facebook is pushing
us into doing something against our wishes,” he said. On
similar lines, Chaudhry mentions the recent op-ed piece written by Mark
Zuckerberg in The Times of India, where he gave the example of a farmer
called Ganesh from rural Maharashtra, who used the internet to look up
commodity prices and other information. “Surely Ganesh has a talent
beyond farming, and it’s ironic for him to be positioned as a champion
for Free Basics, when his more pressing need and value may be to educate
fellow farmers on how he did what he did, irrespective of who provided
him the internet to do so and this may need to be in languages other
than English, or via front page ads in national English newspapers,” he
said.(Inputs from Priyanka Mehra and Sarmishtha Neogy) - See more at: http://www.exchange4media.com/digital/did-facebook%E2%80%99s-free-basics-campaign-pay-off_62916.html#sthash.jRNhfLyL.dpuf
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