MxMIndia

Author: mxm_india

  • Indian matrimonial industry pioneer Shaadi.com turns 15, celebrates World Matrimonial Week.

    Happy Anniversary, Shaadi.com!

    By A Correspondent

    Shaadi.com has completed 15 years of successful matchmaking and commemorated its anniversary by celebrating World Matrimonial Week from October 13 to 19. Through this week, Shaadi.com encouraged couples to pledge to do something special for their spouse. Over 1 lakh people have pledged gifts ranging from a romantic dinner to an iPad. The portal has already changed the lives of over 2 million people through successful marriages in the last 15 years.

     

    On the occasion of the company’s 15th anniversary, Mr Anupam Mittal, Founder andCEO, Shaadi.com said, “It is truly a proud moment for all of us. In these 15 years, Shaadi.com has succeeded in creating a compelling service that has touched the lives of millions of people. Constant Innovation and customer satisfaction has been the centrepiece of our strategy and as we grow, we will continue to strive to provide world-class professional matchmaking service.”

     

    Over the 15-year journey, Shaadi.com started with online business at its core and extended services to various platforms such as Mobile (through Shaadi.com Blackberry application), Television (through a show called Vivah) and on DTH (through Dish TV). In the offline space, Shaadi.com launched Shaadi Centres with a network of over 100 centres across 87 Indian cities. The ShaadiIM messenger, the first of its kind in the online matrimonial space, was launched by Shaadi.com to allow prospective partners to chat live, thus enriching the matchmaking process.

  • A week of surprises and a Diwali extravaganza airs from October 17 to October 21 at 6:30pm on Star Plus

    Diwali fun on Star Plus

    By A Correspondent

    Star Plus is treating viewers to a week-long Diwali celebration that ends on October 21, with drama, laughter and performances by some favourite television artists in Diwali Rishton Ki Mithas – Peedhiyan Anek, Tyohaar Ek.

     

    The  celebrations kick-started on October 17 with Lakshmi Pooja that showcased dance performances and aerial stunts, then for Bhai-Duuj there is shor-sharaba with some light-hearted moments between reel life siblings —Ahem-Kinjal and Ayush-Navya, and Antakshari between Suhana-Ishaan and the Kashyap family. King Khan and his chammak challo will make a special appearance with their latest track from Ra.One.

     

    The celebrations get louder as the television jodis and families get together to celebrate their happiness while commemorating the season of festivity by lightening everybody’s spirits.

  • Viewers will see Hollywood’s best in four special themes from October 3 to October 27 at 9pm

    WB to light up TV screens this Diwali

    By A Correspondent

    WB has a line-up of Hollywood movies throughout the month, packaged as a series of specials to help families celebrate the Festival of Lights. Titled Festival of Lights, the specials are running for four weeks under four themes commencing October 3 until October 27, every Monday to Thursday at 9pm. The line-up showcases Hollywood’s best in action, sci-fi, and adventure.

     

    Festival of Lights will kick off with the action-adventure genre movies such as The Tuxedo, Enter the Dragon, Blade II, Tekken and Superman II and also includes a line-up of movies in the ‘monster’ genre —Scooby Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed On, the fantasy genre — Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and action-packed films such as Torque and Speed Racer. Festival of Lights is co-presented by Nokia and Axe, in association with Airtel, Nivea, Tata Sky, Reebok.

     

    Viewers will also get to see some of WB’s best action movies featuring mind-boggling gadgets, explosions, kung fu, and adventure as part of its Diwali Heat special Fridays to Sundays at 9pm and 11pm.

     

    Ms Monica Tata, General Manager, Entertainment Networks, South Asia, Turner International India, said, “We are happy to be showcasing the best of international film content to our audiences.”

  • Travel Channel announces a new travel talk show, ‘Livewire With Ash’.

    Explore launches travel talk show

    By A Correspondent

    Explore Travel channel, India’s first travel channel, has announced ‘Livewire with Ash’, a first-of-its kind talk show on travel, hosted by Indian travel industry stalwart Mr Ashwini Kakkar.

    Indian travellers are discerning when it comes to travel plans.  More and more Indians are travelling not just within the country but overseas too for work, pleasure, quick breaks and shopping.  They seek information that is relevant, reliable and practical.

    ‘Livewire with Ash’ is a relevant programme for the Indian traveller to get first-hand topical and reliable information while making decisions on travel. ‘Livewire with Ash’ is also an opportunity to hear the travel greats from Airlines, Hotels, Travel Operators and Tourism Boards on how they view the Indian traveller and their future plans for India.

    Guests on the show include Mr Subodh Kant Sahai (Union Minister for Tourism), Mr Raymond Bickson (CEO, IHCL and Taj Hotels Group Worldwide), Mr Adel El Masry (Director of the Egypt Tourism Authority, Asia), Ms Catherine Oden (Director of Atout France), Mr Michael Maedar (MD of Switzerland Tourism), Mr Sriram Narayan (Deputy Commercial Manager, South Asia, British Airways), Mr Randall Tan (Regional Director of Singapore Tourism Board), Mr Miguel Nieto-Sandoval (Former Tourism Counselor of Spain Tourism) and many more stalwarts from the travel ecosystem.

    The show airs on Saturdays at 10pm on Explore Travel Channel.

  • Publicis Groupe is among the leaders in third-quarter mergers and acquisitions rankings, with agencies from the group’s public relations network advised on approximately US$155 billion value of deals worldwide.

    Publicis among leaders in Q3 M&A rankings

    By A Correspondent

    Publicis Groupe’s global financial communications consultancies – operating as part of the MSLGROUP network – have ranked third worldwide in deal value for companies advising on mergers and acquisitions through September 30, 2011, Q1-Q3, according to Mergermarket, a  leading M&A intelligence service.  MSLGROUP is Publicis Groupe’s flagship PR, speciality communications, and engagement network.

    Consultancies within MSLGROUP that contributed to the global performance were led by Kekst and Company (“Kekst”) who took the top spot overall for the number of deals handled in the US.

    Mr Olivier Fleurot, CEO of MSLGROUP, said, “Two years after we created the global network MSLGROUP, we’re proud to see our world-class agencies perform so well in the highly competitive mergers and acquisitions speciality sector.  Financial communications is an area we intend to invest in further.”

    MSLGROUP’s financial communications expertise is housed within six key agencies around the world:  Kekst, based in New York; Capital MSL based in London and Dubai; Hanmer MSL based in Mumbai; Paris-based Publicis Consultants; MSL Italia based in Milan and Stockholm-based JKL Group.

  • Star Plus named ‘Best Entertainment Channel’ at CNBC Story Board Awaaz Awards 2011.

    Star Plus gets CNBC award

    By A Correspondent

    STAR Plus, India’s No 1 Hindi Entertainment Channel, has been adjudged the best in its class at the prestigious CNBC Story Board Awaaz Awards 2011.

    STAR Plus topped viewers’ choice in a pan-India survey of over 5,500 viewers in the country. According to the survey conducted by CNBC Awaaz and AC Nielsen in the run up to the awards, STAR Plus emerged a clear leader with maximum viewership in the country and was voted as “The Most Recommended Television Channel of the Year” in the Entertainment Category.

    “Viewers are at the core of STAR Plus’s content. They are the force that drives us to constantly raise benchmarks with shows that set a social agenda, while simultaneously improving on the viewing experience through HD channels and Apps that make content available on-the-move,” Mr Nitin Vaidya, Business Head, Hindi Channels, STAR India said, thrilled by the recognition. He added: “To be voted as the most favorite channel is a huge compliment and an honor. We, at STAR, are humbled at receiving the CNBC Story Board Awaaz Awards 2011.”

    The channels refreshed brand philosophy “Rishta Wahi, Soch Nayi” is not just a tag line but the operating brand philosophy which is best expressed through the actions of its progressive protagonists. These iconic women characters, reflects India, what’s changing and what’s reassuringly remaining the same.

  • Lavie releases its first ever TV campaign, capturing the essence of the brand, ‘Handbags for the Many Moods of Women’.

    First TVC from Lavie

    By A Correspondent

    [youtube width=”350″ height=”250″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LI7X1r-42OE[/youtube]

    Conceptualized by TBWA, the new television commercial of Lavie featuring the brand ambassador Kareena Kapoor, hits across various  TV channels this season. The new television commercial for Lavie captures the dilemma of the sales person who attends to innumerable women, with varied demands. It also highlights the perplexity of a woman who has a picture of requirement in mind but is unable to convey the same and is trying various options to come to a conclusion of what to shop for. The new television commercial for Lavie is created based on the notion of women with various moods.

     

    Talking about the insight behind the creative idea, Mr Rahul Sengupta, National Creative Director, TBWA India states, “Probably the most complex machine is the mind of a woman. It means one thing while it says something else. The statement is truest of all when a woman is shopping. If you have ever been a brother, suitor, husband or salesman, you will know. Watching this can be bemusing and amusing at the same time.”

     

    The TVC captures the essence of Lavie which has bags for all the moods of today’s jet-setting women.

     

    Mr Sandeep Goenka, Business Head of Lavie says, “Kareena very well resembles the personality of Lavie and the association with her is synonymous with our brand. And with this ad, Kareena captures the essence of shopping, for every woman with her proficient expressions. The Lavie collection offers stylish and accessible handbags for today’s jet-setting women which are now readily available all over India.”

     

    Talking about the objective of the campaign, Mr Nirmalya Sen, Managing Director, TBWA India says, “We aren’t the only brand that claims it has a wide range of styles and colours. But then, that truly is the competitive advantage of this brand – the widest range of colours, styles, genres of handbags. The challenge was to communicate range in a manner that is distinctive and endears the brand to its audience – confident, young, style-conscious women.”

     

    Credits:

    National Creative Director: Rahul Sengupta, (NCD TBWA India)

    Creative team: Rahul Sengupta, Rahul Ghosh, Siddharth Deo, Shagun Seda & Kimberley Flanagan.

    Account Management: Nirmalya Sen, Anand Narayan, Priya Chandni & Geetanjali Sharma

    Planning: Rajesh Sharma & Reny Thomas

    Production house: 30 Secs of Fame

    Director: Uzair Khan

  • The Times of India and The Cardiological Society of India are organizing an India Heart Conclave to engage relevant stakeholders from the healthcare fraternity in a discussion on necessary actions for managing cardiological disorders.

    TOI holds ‘heart conclave’

    By A Correspondent

    The Times of India and The Cardiological Society of India are organizing an India Heart Conclave to engage relevant stakeholders from the healthcare fraternity in a discussion on necessary actions for managing cardiological disorders.

     

    India is undergoing a transition and is on the threshold of an epidemic of cardiovascular disease. It ranks extremely high amongst the nations struck by the rising wave of premature deaths caused by non-communicable diseases, mainly heart and blood ailments. The country of 1 billion plus was estimated to account for 60 percent of the world’s heart disease cases in 2010. And a recent study found that people in India and other South Asian countries suffer their first heart attack at age 53, on average – six years earlier than the rest of the world.

     

    India Heart Conclave, a daylong conclave is being held on October 20, 2011, 2 pm onwards at The Oberoi Hotel, New Delhi.

  • HT Media’s Shine.com has partnered with The Indian Air force (IAF) to help their retired and retiring personnel find a second career in the corporate world.

    Placement fair by IAF with HT Media’s Shine.com

    By A Correspondent

    HT Media’s Shine.com partnered with the Indian Air force (IAF) to help their retired and retiring personnel find a second career in the corporate world.  On the October 15 weekend, the IAF inaugurated a two-day placement fair in New Delhi in collaboration with Shine.com.

    Mr Rajiv Verma, CEO, Hindustan Times Media Limited said, “The contribution of the IAF is invaluable and the officers’ skills are unmatched. We will provide our expertise in getting them to the corporates. We have 40,000 potential jobs at our portal Shine.com and we are willing to help the former officers to get the jobs they deserve.”

    The fair, held for ex-warriors of the IAF saw a huge turnout both from recruiters as well as those seeking jobs. Many IAF personnel retire at around the age of 40, with a productive span of nearly 15-20 years ahead of them.  Because of their long, technology-intensive training and discipline, post retirement, ex-Servicemen and women are invaluable to the corporate sector.

    “The Air Force is a technology-intensive service and the officers who retire from IAF are skilled, hardworking and have a wide range of skill sets. Since they get early retirement, it is our duty to help them in the transition from a job with the force to that in other sectors,” said Air Marshal Anil Chopra.

    The fair was inaugurated by Defence Minister MrAK Antony. “IAF offers a disciplined, well-trained and elite pool to which the industry should give priority during recruitment,” Mr Antony said during the inauguration. This is the sixth such placement fair being held for retired personnel.

    The association will stretch from assistance in resume building all the way to leveraging Shine.com’s database of employers in order to match the diverse skill sets of ex-IAF personnel with the perfect career option.

  • Creativeland Asia has won the creative mandate for two verticals of Godrej – Godrej hair colour and a new product line to be launched soon.

    Creativeland bags Godrej verticals

    By A Correspondent

     

    Following a multi-agency pitch, Creativeland Asia has won the creative mandate for two verticals of Godrej – Godrej hair colour and a new product line which is soon to be launched.

     

    Commenting on this partnership, Mr Sajan RaJ Kurup, Founder and Creative Chairman, Creativeland Asia said, “Godrej is one of India’s most trusted and prestigious brands, and it gives me great pleasure to see them place immense faith in Creativeland Asia. I am also excited about the opportunity to launch their new product line. We are looking ahead to this partnership and are certain that our work culture and beliefs will match the unsurpassed legacy of brand Godrej.”

     

    Creativeland was founded by  Mr Kurup in the summer of 2007, and since has grown to an over 80-strong team with two full-fledged offices in India and nine strategic offices in Asia. Creativeland’s work has been awarded at the D&Ad, One Show, Adfest and Cannes.  It recently became the first ‘Independent Agency of the Year’ at the Spikes Asia 2011.

  • NDTV to honour excellence in the sixth edition of the Indian of the Year Awards 2011, which salute Icons of Change, on October 18 in New Delhi.

    Indian of the Year awards on Oct 18

    By A Correspondent

    NDTV has announced the Indian of the Year Awards 2011, to honour extraordinary Indians and their achievements. The awards will honour eminent citizens who have made the nation proud.

     

    The most prestigious civilian honour of the country, the Indian of the Year Awards, will salute icons of change for this year in New Delhi on October 18, 2011, at the Taj Palace Hotel. The awards, in its sixth successful year, will be graced with the presence of some of India’s most influential personalities.

     

    Announcing the awards, Dr Prannoy Roy, Chairman, NDTV, said, “NDTV Indian of the Year Awards recognizes eminent visionaries, and personalities who have made the country proud and helped build Brand India. The colossal success of the initiative over the past five years and the presence of some of the most eminent Indian personalities have given tremendous credibility to the awards. We hope to make this year’s NDTV Indian of the Year bigger and involve the entire nation in the celebration.”

  • Listeners of Sunset Samosa on Radio Mirchi Delhi get to play Musical Tambola with Radio Mirchi RJ Naved, and stand to win cash prizes up to Rs 15,000.

    Musical Tambola on Radio Mirchi Delhi

    By A Correspondent

     

    Delhi radio station Radio Mirchi 98.3 FM has announced a Musical Tambola contest for the month of October with RJ Naved on Sunset Samosa Monday to Friday, from 6pm to 7pm, with cash prizes up to Rs 15,000 on offer.

     

    To play, the listener has to SMS Mirchi <space> name to 5676729 to get a Tambola ticket with a unique number consisting of six songs. Listeners have to then tune into Sunset Samosa and tick off the songs from their Tambola ticket while RJ Naved plays super-hit songs on air and engages his fans with witty repartee. As the listeners get a Top 2, Top 4 or a Full House on their tickets, they have to SMS their name and ticket number to Radio Mirchi at 58888 and win.