MxMIndia

Author: mxmadmin

  • With popular 'Pammi Aunty' unleashing her desi wrath for diabetes control

    BeatO glucometer launches brand campaign

    By Our Staff

     

    BeatO glucometer has launched a new brand campaign featuring the humorous and influential – Pammi Aunty (aka Ssumier Pasricha).

     

    Said Devika Chopra, Director- Branding and Communications, BeatO app: “While diabetes and its complications affect a large population in India, there is still not enough awareness around it. People often rely on home-remedies rather than seeking expert advice at the right time. As a brand we wanted to use a fun and relatable character to get this message across in a light-hearted way and therefore chose the famous and much-loved ‘Pammi aunty’. Her fun, story-telling style was an easy way to tell people to rely on experts rather than ‘desi totkas’. BeatO’s experts include coaches, nutritionists & top doctors and our coaches have provided over 100,000 consultations on the BeatO App to help them control diabetes.”

     

  • Thisisn't a typical weekend question, but we had to ask it after we read a report on this on an international news website. So here's Dr Bhaskar Das's response in our January 28 edition of Das ka Dum. Read on…

    Das ka Dum with Dr Bhaskar Das | A leading fund manager recently has said that Unilever may have ‘lost the plot’ with too much of brand purpose focus. Like Ben & Jerry not supplying to the Israel-occupied West Bank. Agree?

    Bhaskar DasThis isn’t a typical weekend question, but we had to ask it after we read a report on this on an international news website. So here’s Dr Bhaskar Das’s response in our January 28 edition of Das ka Dum. Read on…

     

    If you wish to access the archives, please go to the Das Ka Dum tab on the website’s top navigation bar.

     

    Q. A leading fund manager recently has said that Unilever may have ‘lost the plot’ with too much of brand purpose focus. Like Ben & Jerry not supplying to the Israel-occupied West Bank. Agree

     

    A. I must admit that this question is beyond my intelligence grade: eg what is the connection between a BDS movement and HUL ‘losing the plot’ due to obsessive focus on brand. Incidentally, the latest quarterly performance of HUL isn’t confirming the apprehension to a layman like me. In fact the company’s consistency in progressing towards a Net Positive company is directionally praiseworthy. Various brands from the HUL portfolio of brand are deeply engaged in cause-related marketing and are very ESG-compliant. I presume that non-participation in a BDS movement has triggered the observation about HUL. I am just guessing that the above may be the linkage in your question. Or is it not?

     

  • 'To reward those going over and above their responsibilities.'

    Asianet News rolls out ESOPs

    By Our Staff

     

    Asianet News Media and Entertainment Pvt Ltd (AMEL) has rolled out an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP). The group has multimedia presence across the country in multiple languages via its digital platform (asianetnews.com, indigomusic.com), TV channels (Asianet News and Asianet Suvarna News), print publication (Kannada Prabha) and radio channels (Radio Indigo).

     

    Commenting on the thought process behind this initiative, Ruchir Khanna, Chief Operating Officer at Asianet News, said, “ESOPS form a critical part of employee value proposition and we want to reward those going over and above their responsibilities. The policy has already been initiated and the ESOPS have been granted to the employees who have been an important part of Asianet’s growth. This shall remain open to other employees falling in the eligibility criteria in the future as well.”

     

    Added Samarth Sharma, Chief Business Officer at Asianet News: “It is a matter of great privilege and pride that we are able to recognize our team-members, who have been a part of our business growth story, as shareholders. This initiative should provide a fillip to our employees to work towards a common goal. We’d also like to thank our client and agency partners besides our strategic partners for their support in our growth. Besides strengthening its Indian language footprint across the country, Asianet News has also made significant investments in English and Hindi to extend its dominance pan-India and the newly releasedin ESOP plan should act as a potent force to attract and retain talent for the organization.”

     

  • Launches digital campaign to acknowledge valour of Defence personnel

    Canara HSBC OBC Life Insurance honours soldiers

    By Our Staff

     

    Reinforcing its commitment to address the insurance needs of the Defence personnel , Canara HSBC OBC Life Insurance has kicked off a digital campaign #GarvSeJeeyo starting Republic Day.

     

    Commenting on the GarvSeJeeyo digital campaign launch, Anuj Mathur, MD and CEO, Canara HSBC OBC Life Insurance, said: “Security is a comforting feeling and if the providers are doing a good job that alone is a source of pride. Inspired by the unparalleled contribution by our soldiers and their families for holding the nation’s head high, we took it upon ourselves to provide relevant solutions for protecting the pride of our heroes. Our digital campaign #GarvSeJeeyo is launched in honour of our brave officers and aims to draw their attention towards the requirement for an appropriate protective financial net creation for themselves and their kin. We are confident that our efforts in collaboration with Garv (our dedicated defence channel network) will certainly help us in driving awareness and deeper engagement with our heroes around our latest offering – Guaranteed Suraksha Kavach – a tailor made insurance plan which is dedicated to fulfill their financial security needs.”

     

  • Scheduled from Sep 10-25, 2022, in Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China and five co-host cities

    SPN bags exclusive rights to broadcast Asian Games

    By Our Staff

     

    Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN) has acquired the exclusive media rights for 2022 Asian Games. This association will give SPN exclusive rights to broadcast the 19th edition of the Asian Games on its sports channels across India and the subcontinent including Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, Afghanistan, Bhutan and Maldives and will also be available on their premium OTT platform, SonyLIV.

     

    Said Rajesh Kaul, Chief Revenue Officer, Distribution and Head – Sports Business, Sony Pictures Networks India: “The 2022 Asian Games is expected to be one of the biggest multi-sporting events in Asia this year and we are pleased to bag the exclusive media rights for India and the subcontinent. The outstanding performance of Indian athletes at Olympics Games Tokyo 2020 has laid a strong foundation and we are happy to bring to our viewers another marquee multi-sporting event that will see participation from the top Indian athletes. With the addition of E-sports and breakdancing, we expect a bigger audience and the introduction of T20 Cricket format at the Asian Games will undoubtedly add to the excitement of the nation.”

     

  • Only a small group of media houses, usually independent and digital, stand firm in their commitment to journalism, writes Ranjona Banerji

    Not News, Capitulation

     

     

    By Ranjona Banerji

     

    Ranjona BanerjiWith election season upon us, India’s media has happily settled into the usual routine of pitting this politician against the next. This is fine, as far as it goes. Part and parcel of the general job.

     

    However, what you will not get a sense of is how much else is happening around us that drastically affects these state elections, or, conversely, how these state elections may well affect our political future as a republic.

     

    The top of that list has to be the Covid-19 pandemic. That election rallies are on hold because of the extent of the spread of the third wave underlines our topmost crisis. For the media to get Covid fatigue would be disastrous. This must be our priority, whether the extent of the infectiousness or government policy. Over and over again, we find the media falling in with the government line of the number of vaccinations given without taking into consideration India’s population of 1.3 billion. This would be obvious to a Class X student but apparently not to the bulk of the Indian media.

     

    Although vaccinations are being done, the number of options pending approval and the international variations which have to jump through innumerable hoops which Indian vaccines were not made to do has to be kept under close observation.

     

    Allied to the pandemic are its effects, the economy being the main one. And in spite of high inflation rates, low manufacturing rates, increasing joblessness, some because of government incompetence and others because of the pandemic, we still seem happy to parrot and repeat government publicity without adequately countering it.

     

    There is anger in India and frustration: https://www.livemint.com/news/india/huge-protests-over-railways-exam-train-vandalised-bogie-set-on-fire-10-updates-11643207686896.html

     

    How has the media handled this? With more Modi government propaganda, of course.

     

     

    The enormous hoopla around Republic Day this year, the removal of Mahatma Gandhi’s favourite hymn Abide with Me, the extinguishing of the Amar Jawan Jyoti, the appropriation of Netaji Subhas Bose point to the second enormous crisis facing India now. The RSS-led Modi government is clearly relentless in its plan to bulldoze India’s history, both contemporary and old, and replace it with an imaginary Hindu-centric fantasy tale.

     

    That the media should be culpable in this will be our biggest shame; and yet.

     

    Rather than question the government, media outlets are full of RSS-BJP stooges from “historians”, former Armed Forces personnel, and right-wing propagandists supporting and applauding every Modi government move.

     

    It remains a small group of media houses, usually independent and digital, which stand firm in their commitment to journalism:

    https://thewire.in/government/bose-hologram-rajpat-projects-modi-high-tech

     

    This explains why the constant attack on religious minorities and the socially and developmentally vulnerable remains under-reported in the Indian media. And even worse, some media outlets have no qualms about increasing hatred through their programmes. A section of journalists and prominent people took on the channel News18, owned by Mukesh Ambani and still in partnership with CNN, for its Islamophobia:

    “Sponsoring hate is business for Mukesh Ambani”: India’s richest man faces backlash after News18 TV found promoting Islamophobia

     

    This is nothing new for News18 or indeed for most Indian news channels. It is by such means that the fact of being Muslim will become anathema to Hindus in India. The upsurge in attacks on Christians and the constant attacks on Sikhs as the farmers’ protest against Modi’s farm laws began all point to a very frightening direction.

     

    But we are in election mode. Therefore, BJP candidates being chased out of villages and the constituencies with get minimal media coverage. And the various arms of the government’s harassment tools like the Enforcement Directorate, Central Bureau of Investigation and so on being let loose on opposition politicians will get constant exposure.

     

    This is not news. This is capitulation.

     

    Ranjona Banerji is a senior journalist and commentator. She writes on MxMIndia every Tuesday and Friday. Her views here are personal.

     

  • Will include digitised versions of original historic creatives

    HT launches NFTs on historic events

    By Our Staff

     

    With the advent of technology and the constant-evolving digital space, Hindustan Times is foraying into web 3.0 by launching NFTs (Non-fungible tokens) that will include digitised versions of original historic creatives which were published in Hindustan Times through the decades under the banner of ‘HT Timeless Tokens’.

     

    To begin with, HT has launched NFTs that celebrate India’s Republic Day on January 26, 2022, which are available on Beyond Life, an NFT marketplace and platform that facilitates the creation, sale, and purchase of ownership rights to digital works of art via NFTs.

     

    Said Kamesh Elangovan, COO & Co-Founder, GuardianLink.io: “With industries like tech, finance, lifestyle, music and media advertising companies moving into the crypto/NFT ecosystem, new opportunities are set to be unlocked in the space of Web3. The secondary marketplace for NFTs at GuardianLink.io will see more and more collectors investing with knowledge on the future monetization of their NFTs. The partnership with Hindustan Times, opens yet another avenue to explore the world of NFTs in the media and marketing industry.”

     

  • The launch of #NotForTheSaintHearted campaign targets new generation

    Lintas Live rolls out campaign for Yezdi mobiks

    By Our Staff

     

    Yezdi motorcycles by Classic Legends launched a new brand ampaign to unveil its positioning of #NotForTheSaintHearted. The campaign is conceived by Lintas Live, the group’s PR-led creative agency.

     

    Commenting on the campaign, Anupam Thareja, Co-founder, Classic Legends said: “Yezdi has transcended many dimensions to offer meaningful and distinctive stories to motorcycling enthusiasts. All motorcycles run on roads, but the Yezdi runs in the blood, and I have always wanted to go after rekindling that feeling. Our campaign showcases an attitude that gives a youthful heart a sense of direction, allowing it to test its limits with ‘Yezdi, #NotForTheSaintHearted’.”

     

    Speaking on the campaign idea, Sarvesh Raikar, Creative Head, Lintas Live, added: “Rebuilding this fearless and fun-loving brand was quite a journey, it’s like picking up a Shakespearean classic and rewriting the narrative for today. Especially because we decided not to dwell too much into the past imagery, but to recreate the timeless Yezdi state-of-mind.  The goal was to reflect the mindset of Yezdi Mad-Men who seek out challenges and adventures and strive to achieve them in a way that pushes them to challenge their limits.”

     

  • Stalwarts Kiran Anthony and Mahesh Gharat move on

    Ogilvy (South) announces changes in creative leadership

    By Our Staff

     

    Puneet Kapoor will be incharge of creative at Ogilvy Bangalore and across all the southern markets. This will be effective March 2022.

     

    He takes the place occupied by Kiran Anthony and Mahesh Gharat, two Ogilvy stalwarts. While Gharat will be moving into full-time direction, Anthony will continue to lead Vi in a consultant’s role while he also pursues directing.

     

    Said Piyush Pandey, Chairman Global Creative & Executive Chairman India, Ogilvy: “I salute and thank Mahesh Gharat and Kiran Anthony for their stellar contribution to Ogilvy for a very long time.  It’s never easy to see your bright stars leave. However, when they step out to actualise their dreams, you can only cheerlead and wish them fulfilment in what they have chosen as their next journey and destination.”

     

    Added Kainaz Karmakar, Harshad Rajadhyaksha & Sukesh Nayak, Chief Creative Officers, Ogilvy India: “Kiran Anthony and Mahesh Gharat have led some of the most memorable campaigns this industry has seen.  They have won critical pitches, built terrific teams, and put Ogilvy on the world stage more than once.  They were always helpful, always putting their people first. Always there for Ogilvy.  Having contributed a great deal to Ogilvy, they now want to go after their dream of becoming film directors.  This means we still get to keep them close, just in a different role.”

     

    Puneet Kapoor
    Puneet Kapoor

    Kapoor comes to Ogilvy from Lowe Bengaluru. His advertising career spans 24 years across Lowe, Ogilvy, McCann, BBH and as a founder of Eleven Brandworks. His most celebrated recent work includes campaigns for Unacademy, Swiggy, Fastrack, Titan, Myntra, Udaan, Xiaomi, Redbus, Flipkart, Cleartrip, Britannia, ITC Foods and TVS.

     

    He will join Ogilvy in March 2022 and will work with Ogilvy India’s Chief Creative Officers and the President of Ogilvy India (South), continuing to do stellar work for Ogilvy’s clients across Bengaluru and Chennai.

     

  • A local history buff, he has also co-authored a book and several articles on Mumbai's history and heritage

    Kaevan Umrigar joins Rediffusion as ECD

    By Our Staff

     

    Kaevan Umrigar
    Kaevan Umrigar

    Rediffusion has announced that Kaevan Umrigar has joined its Mumbai office as Executive Creative Director. In a career spanning more than two decades, Umrigar has been both a writer and a filmmaker, and has worked with advertising agencies like Contract, Everest and Dentsu Aegis on brands such as Cadbury, Hidesign, IFB, BPL, Business Standard, Indian Navy and Fair & Lovely.

     

    Kaevan’s documentaries on the Parsi community have been showcased at various international film festivals and won a National Award. A local history buff, he has also co-authored a book and several articles on Mumbai’s history and heritage.

     

    Said Kalyani Srivastava, Executive Vice-President and Head of Rediffusion, Mumbai: “Kaevan is a multi-faceted personality with interests that go beyond just advertising. He is fun to work with. Has a wry sense of humour. And that reflects in his work which most times has a sense of effervescence, joy and well-being that is not easy to describe,”

     

  • With the tagline 'Bano Khud Se Behetar'

    Contract unveils campaign for Lupin’s Be One energy capsules

    By Our Staff

     

    Lupin, global pharmaceutical company, unveiled a campaign to launch ‘Be One’ Ayurvedic Energy and Immunity capsules. Conceptualised by Contract Advertising, a part of the Wunderman Thompson Group and member of the WPP network, the film features Hrithik Roshan. The tagli

     

    This is the thought behind the #BanoKhudSeBehetar campaign launched for Lupin’s Ayurvedic Energy and Immunity capsules.

     

    Speaking on this, Anil Kaushal, Head OTC Business, Lupin, said: “In today’s highly demanding times, a product like Be One is only increasing in relevance. The consumer today, is looking to constantly better themselves and this is where Be One comes in as a motivator to ensure they have the energy and health needed in this journey.”

     

    Added Supratik Sengupta, Head of Marketing, Consumer Healthcare, Lupin: “This campaign was born out of the consumer desire of constant improvement by competing with one’s own self as opposed to others. The film acts as a nudge to the audience to challenge themselves and go beyond their comfort zone, while the product plays the role of the dependable partner.”

     

    Said Sagar Mahabaleshwarkar, Chief Creative Officer, Contract Advertising: “The creative challenge was to tell a story of someone trying to better himself, especially when that someone happened to be Hrithik Roshan. So, we tried to magnify the conflicts that reside within us every day. That was the creative jump off.”

     

  • Fake news continues to be a major concern for 64% news consumers in India

    Fake news still a concern: Ormax Media study

    By Our Staff

     

    Media consulting firm Ormax Media has announced the launch of the third round of its report titled ‘Fact Or Fake?’. The report measures the credibility of various news media, as well as the perception around ‘fake news’, through a survey of 2,000 news consumers across 15 states in India. The first edition of the report was released in September 2020, followed by the second edition in April 2021.

     

    According to the third edition, 64% Indian news consumers see fake news as a major concern. The News Credibility Index is unchanged since last track (65%), highlighting that fake news continues to be a huge concern amongst Indian news consumers.

     

     

    Print media continues to lead, with a Credibility Index of 62%, followed by Television (55%) and Radio (54%). Traditional media have higher news credibility than digital media, though most digital media have seen a marginal improvement in their credibility in this track.

     

    Twitter continues to remain the most credible digital medium for news, albeit with a drop in its Credibility Index over time: 57% (Sep 2020) to 47% (Apr 2021) to 42% (Dec 2021).

     

    Shailesh KapoorCommenting on the findings of the report, Shailesh Kapoor, Founder & CEO – Ormax Media said: “Fake news, and lack of news credibility in general, continues to be a growing concern globally. Almost 2 out of 3 Indians see fake news as a problem, and that should be a major cause of worry for all news companies. We launched this report in 2020 to enable more informed conversations on this topic. In the subsequent editions, we plan to study these indices by languages, to understand if there’s a difference in news credibility between Hindi, English and other major Indian languages”.