DAINIK BHASKAR GROUP introduces DB Assist

The Dainik Bhaskar Group presents DB Assist, a one-stop data reference source - on the move. A compilation of useful data from a variety of sources in an elegantly designed for easy to access- refer format. A handy guide; accessible anytime to people interested in markets-media interaction across India.

Two things brought about the genesis of DB Assist. The Dainik Bhaskar Group has rapidly grown from a single-state publication to a multi-state, multi-language media behemoth within the past decade. And at the same time, the media landscape itself has undergone a sea change that, today involve complex transactions in the manner in which media planning & buying is conducted.

We therefore realized that for sales teams, there is a latent need to understand markets, their affluence levels & consumption habits and media exposure, to deal with marketers and the media fraternity. DB Assist initially took birth as a way to provide our teams with a simple yet powerful data-reference source.

As the data-base took shape, we saw this reference source growing bigger and more potent by the day. Soon it was clear that this was not getting limited to just being a provider of data for presentations & pitches but had evolved into a good medium to bring alive the nuances of our markets to our business associates.

To be sure of the response and its utility value, the team at Bhaskar met few seniors in industry across Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore. Field tests results were amazing. Almost every senior planner and chosen marketers we shared our beta version with, were truly impressed with the potential utility of a single-window source for such varied information Data-On-The-Move, they termed it. And we were sure that we had something that was really going to help professionals in the industry.

Suddenly, from being a sales-kit, providing information just about our markets, the DB Assist turned into being a single-point reference source for information on just about any market in India, turning into a virtual All-India data-base a decision based on feedback from our business associates.

Peter Suresh, Senior GM Dainik Bhaskar Group and one who has championed this project says The DB Assist is a result of observing and analyzing three disparate challenges that exist for any marketer or media planner today.

Firstly, in the era of information overload to find a single source of neatly compiled data, from a variety of sources, readily available at the click of a button. The practical utility of the DB Assist is its first advantage.

Secondly, to be able to present cases with empirical evidence, of a vibrant emerging India beyond the traditional Metros. While many of us are bombarded by sound-bytes on this issue and some of us pay heed to it, very rarely are we able to sit back and put some shape and act on it. We believe the DB Assist will help us in some small manner to provoke just that.

And thirdly, to acknowledge the impatience of a generation of young professionals, who believe they possess neither the time nor the inclination to dig deep for information. For example it is often surprising for us on just how little of IRS is actually dug by planners & buyers today. The IRS is a veritable mine-field of information, yet not much is mined. One of the many things that a DB Assist aims to accomplish is to bring alive media metrics.

He adds Future versions will include more evolved cross-tabs that go beyond just listing of data. For example in our field visits we have received suggestions like; to convert district-wise data into SCR baskets. Such things are not readily available currently. The same is the case with things like trending. We anticipate similar constructive feedback that will help us further enhance the value of future versions of DB Assist. We will be bringing out a new version every quarter.

We have sought and received formal permissions from the owners of all the data sources that we have used and have acknowledged them. The data-base itself is Flash-based and hence prevents direct copying attempts.

Sanjeev Kotnala, VP Dainik Bhaskar Group says this initiative of Dainik Bhaskar Group is completely non-commercial and neutral to the industry. In fact DB Assist serves as a good promotional platform for the sources. The data released in DB Assist from sources such as the IRS & Indiastat.com or Indicus Analytics is just the tip of the huge icebergs that these sources have to offer on their original platforms.

There have been a lot of investments in data sources and in the design of DB Assist. And teams of three have been putting shape to this project over the past six months. We hope there are others in the fraternity who think alike. If there is one thing that is a malady with practitioners in the industry is that there is always a dearth of well designed and readily available sources of information, especially on markets beyond the metros. Bulk of media discussions today are monopolized by TV ratings and new media possibilities in the metros. There is very little discussion on markets beyond.

By virtue of its presence across almost a third of our country's landscape, the Dainik Bhaskar Group can lay claim to the mantle of a leader-voice for the Tier-2 & 3 markets. This presents the group with an opportunity to hold out promises & reassurances of ROI possibilities, in the consumer collations beyond metros, for the most diehard of marketers. DB Assist is just one way in which we believe we can bring to the fore such issues.

Sanjeev Kotnala adds the data is rich, offering some 63 market indices and 40+ economic indices across India, which are possible to be seen in different cuts on state or city levels. There is state specific information including infrastructure, State GDP, tourism, festivals etc in addition to the relevant media interface data. Now it's for the industry to see how well they leverage this data base.

About Dainik Bhaskar Group

DB Corp Ltd has a strong presence in newspapers, radio, event marketing, printing, short code, internet portal, internet services and Mobile application. With its flagship Hindi daily newspaper, Dainik Bhaskar, Gujarati daily, Divya Bhaskar, and DNA- the English Daily it covers 11 States with 48 editions. In addition to these, it also publishes Business Bhaskar, DB Gold, DB Star and Magazines like Aha! Zindagi, Balbhaskar, Young Bhaskar and Lakshay. The other media businesses includes MY FM (radio channel), 54567 (Short Code), IMCL (internet services).

The brand Bhaskar' is today synonymous with success, quality, dynamism and ethics in millions of households across India and the corporate world alike. For additional information please visit www.dainikbhaskar.com.