Percept launches new unit, Percept Media Lab

This unit will be spearheaded by Shripad Kulkarni, CEO, Allied Media.

Percept has announced the launch of its brand new unit called Percept Media Lab. It will function as an independent cell of specialists from research, analytics and marcom planning sectors. Percept Media Lab will explore analytics, forecasts and future trends and concepts in the marcom space.

Though the formal announcement is being made now, the Percept Media Lab team has been in place for the past three months.

This unit will be led by Shripad Kulkarni, chief executive officer, Allied Media. As of now, Percept Media Lab will operate out of Mumbai and Delhi. Currently, the team comprises eight data analysts (based in Mumbai) and four strategists (two in Mumbai and two in Delhi). While the strategy function has been divided across the two cities, the analysis centre is headquartered in Mumbai.

In conversation with afaqs! about this new unit, Kulkarni says, "This is a support function or staff function. There's no revenue model as such." Basically, it is an effort to raise the bar on the 360-degree work that the agency does for its current and prospective clients.

The first report that Percept Media Lab has released is a comprehensive statistical viewership analysis of IPL Season 5.

According to the report, IPL 5 is expected to continue its dominance in the 15+, male, SEC AB segment and that in its opening week, it is expected to register 8 per cent increase in GRPs in this segment, as compared to IPL 4 last year.

Also, Percept's statistical analysis and research shows that the viewership (GRPs) of IPL 5 in the 15+, female, SEC ABC segment is projected to grow by 17 per cent, as compared to IPL 4.

Further, the report cautions that more matches may not translate into more time spent on viewing matches.

Percept Media Lab's next initiative, which is already underway, is an 'M3' project (Message, Media, Market Share) that has at its core a consumer study involving a sample size of 20,000 individuals. The study will explore the path to purchase (P2P) for 10 product categories in the context of marcom challenges and strategies.

This study will measure the importance of key drivers for each of the 10 product categories. It will also analyse the perception of the top brands in each of these categories. "The first round of categories will be ready by June this year," shares Kulkarni.

The high point of this study, as conveyed by the Percept team in a press note, is expected to be the unique 'M3' model in collaboration with Pointlogic, a marcom planning and analytics firm that combines research, mathematical modelling and software tools to deliver optimum message and media touch-point combinations, all in an effort to maximise products' market share.