MxMIndia

Author: mxmadmin

  • Lockupp Game, for its reality show Lock Upp

    ALTBalaji launches metaverse game

    By Our Staff

     

    ALTBalaji has announced a first-of-its-kind metaverse-based game based around its reality show Lock Upp. With this game, players can join the celebrity contestants on the show, explore the captive world of the Lock Upp metaverse and take an active role in the real ecosystem and win prizes.

     

    Lock Upp: Badass Jail Atyaachaari Khel will be streamed live on ALTBalaji and MX Player. There will be 13 popular celebrity contestants locked up in Kangana Ranaut’s jail. They will compete for the most basic amenities as they fight for the winner’s title. The remaining super-controversial celebrity contestants will soon be revealed to the viewers who, as a first, can also interact with them and be a unique part of the show and even experience the show in the Lock Upp Metaverse!

     

  • The Counter Speech Fellowship program is to nurture crucial conversations online

    Instagram launches new edition of youth program

    By Our Staff

     

    Instagram, in association with the Young Leaders for Active Citizenship (YLAC), has announced a new edition of their flagship youth program – the Counter Speech Fellowship. In its sixth year now, the program will engage young people on topics that matter to them, and encourage them to lead conversations about them online.

     

    Natasha Jog, Public Policy Manager, Instagram, Facebook India, said: “Instagram is a place where people express themselves creatively. The catalyst for such creativity is a positive environment and that’s the reason why we’re investing in the fellowship for the sixth year now. Young people across India have been part of this fellowship and have gone on to create communities that voice youth opinions and advocate for societal change. We’re thankful for the continued partnership with YLAC, and the ecosystem consisting of parents and young people, who invest their time and energy to make this fellowship a critical part of a young person’s digital upbringing.”

     

    Rohit Kumar, Co-Founder, YLAC, added: “Since we first launched the Counter Speech Fellowship, nearly 1,100 very talented and passionate fellows have leveraged the power of social media to create a world that embraces differences and provides support to those who need it the most. Many fellows have also taken it upon themselves to take the learnings from the fellowship outside the program, by initiating conversations in their family, their schools and community through their writing, webinars, outreach to influencers and policymakers, and collaboration with prominent civil society organizations. We are very excited about the continued partnership with Instagram to take this very important initiative to more young changemakers in India.”

     

  • Will feature in 360-degree brand communication for the next two years

    Rishabh Pant joins D2H as its Brand Ambassador

    By Our Staff

     

    D2H, the DTH brand of Dish TV, has announced the signing of Indian cricketer Rishabh Pant as the new brand ambassador. Rishabh Pant will feature in 360-degree brand communication for the next two years.

     

    Commenting on the association, Anil Dua, Executive Director & Group CEO, Dish TV India Ltd said: “We are delighted to have Rishabh Pant as brand ambassador for our D2H brand. Our brands are our biggest strength. This investment in the D2H brand is going to make it even stronger. The close affinity between D2H brand and Rishabh Pant as brand ambassador will enable deeper engagement of D2H with its TG.”

     

    Speaking on the partnership, Rishabh Pant said, “D2H is a large DTH brand with a long record of disruptive innovation in the industry. It is wonderful to be associated with D2H and looking forward to working closely with the team to take it to greater heights. ”

     

    Added Sugato Banerji, Corporate Head – Marketing, D2H, Dish TV India Ltd: “Rishabh has quickly developed into a distinctive entertainer on the cricket field, with his boundless energy behind the stumps and innovation in shot-making. He brings a spark each time he enters the field and appeals to the huge 18-35 age group across the country, our core audience. We see him as a strong fit with D2H Brand values. We are confident that this association with Rishabh will take the brand D2H to a stronger, more defined position within a short time through continuous investment in creating awareness and affinity.”

     

  • Providing users with live, in-depth hyperlocal updates from all constituencies

    PublicVibe launches campaign for UP elections

    By Our Staff

     

    PublicVibe, the hyperlocal video news platform, has launched its first TV + digital campaign to cover the ongoing Uttar Pradesh elections. It will provide latest election coverage. A 15-second TV spot conceptualised by WYP Worldwide kickstarted the campaign.

     

    Said Samir Vora, Chief Marketing Officer, VerSe Innovation: “PublicVibe is powered by thousands of users who are passionate about the news and issues concerning their immediate areas. Leveraging the power of hyperlocal journalism, we are striving to capture and inform our users of the public sentiment that prevails in the Uttar Pradesh elections through live, in-depth updates directly from the ground.”

     

    Added Amit Akali, Chief Content Officer & Cofounder, WYP Worldwide: “It is not often when a product is so strong that a simple narrative brings to life the impact it has on people’s lives. The story weaved around a local chair maker, who will in his way, impact the hot seat everyone is fighting for, demonstrates the power of PublicVibe. It is also a testament of the effort the platform has taken to become truly hyperlocal. While only time will tell the election results but with PublicVibe people are being updated straight from the districts and by lanes of UP.”

     

  • A Canadian specialist in Mystery Shopping solutions

    Ipsos research firm acquires We Check

    By Our Staff

     

    Ipsos, the global market research and consulting firm,  is pleased to announce the acquisition of We Check, a Canadian specialist in Mystery Shopping solutions.

     

    Said Tracey Conners, We Check CEO: “We Check is proud to join Ipsos. Our complementary skills and expertise in the mystery shopping industry will allow both the business and the experts to excel. Having partnered with Ipsos since 2013, it is the right time in the Canadian market to join forces.”

     

    Amit Adarkar
    Amit Adarkar

    Added Amit Adarkar, CEO, Ipsos India: “The acquisition of We Check, bolsters our mystery shopping offering in India and provides our clients with a more updated and enhanced channel performance measurement toolkit. As Covid threat wanes and physical retail opens up, we see an increasing need to monitor retail processes and retail execution. As consumers step out more and more, they would expect better experiences at physical retail. Our enhanced channel performance offer will help marketers and retailers as they gear up to welcome consumers in the past pandemic world.”

     

  • The Social media completely destroyed whatever tatters of credibility some sections of the media pretend they have, writes Ranjona Banerji

    Ranjona Banerji: So whose side is Indian media on?

    Ranjona BanerjiBy Ranjona Banerji

     

    The Indian news media finds itself at an odd spot.

    Or does it?

    The last few years after all have been consistently odd from a media point of view.

    I know, I know, odd is not the word that describes the collapse of the Indian media’s independence and ability to think.

    But let’s go with it for now.

    The invasion of Ukraine by Russia has fully upset the thali, katoris flying everywhere. Whose side are we on?

    Vladimir Putin is Narendra Modi’s good friend. Or so we’ve been led to believe by India’s subservient media anyway. But maybe it’s just Modi who admires Putin’s dictatorial chutzpah and Putin doesn’t care.

    So maybe India is on Putin’s side. Certainly, we abstained from condemning Russia in the UN, in the august company of China and the UAE.

    Then we suddenly discovered that thousands of Indian students are trapped in Ukraine.

    The media and the Bhaktgan first flexed their Modi muscles: The students were stupid and irresponsible; they were told to leave ages ago and so on. But as distress videos flooded social media, journalists could not ignore them completely. Which is where we get odd.

    The Modi establishment and its large collection of media patsies carried on with their support of the Indian government’s response, even as the government changed its tune. From do your own think to yes, we will help to no one in the history of the world has ever helped like us. Some TV anchors attacked the students for daring not to praise the government and even worse, daring to criticize it (Aak Tak covered itself in Modi glory here I gather). Other carried on with their campaign against students for daring to study in the Ukraine. They amplified Modi’s sly dig that Indians should not go to “small” countries to study and the general BJP line that only students who are not good enough go to Ukraine and so on. The implication being, presumably, that bad students deserve to die in war.  That this narrative continued after a student was killed in Ukraine shows the extent of our depravity.

    By this time however some sections of the media, even News18 which normally loves to toe the Modi line, decided to see for itself how students in Ukraine were suffering.

    Social media completely destroyed whatever tatters of credibility these sections of the media pretend they have.

    Then we have the “geopolitics” of the situation, something which TV anchors love because it allows them to chest thump and bump at Modi’s greatness on the world stage, but of which they understand little. Anchors were hard-pressed to tell us how important Modi is on the world stage, perhaps as a way to up their salaries or get selfies.

    Add to that the problem of being extreme right wing but having to support the extreme left wing. Are we on the side of the invader Russia because Putin is Modi’s friend? How about being on the same side as China, which has mauled us a bit in Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh? How about the tall claims from these media houses that Modi was going to sort out the war in 24 hours? Or that Putin had given Modi the lowdown on his inner compulsions? Arnab Goswami of the BJP propaganda channel Republic TV found himself being lectured by the left about how this war was good for India, thus temporarily ending his fulminations about India not getting its due with regard to China.

    Rahul Shivshanker of Times Now called this the “Age of Bharat”. Unfortunately, he also called the wrong people on his show, and when he blustered about the US not supporting India when it came to China, he was informed by a former US ambassador to India that India had asked the US not to!

    Odd and downright disgusting.

     

    Ranjona Banerji is a senior journalist and commentator. She writes on MxMIndia every Tuesday and Friday, and often on other days as well. Her views here are personal

     

  • Aims to provide innovative food content to food enthusiasts

    Travelxp launches food channel Foodxp in India

    By Our Staff

     

    Travelxp, the travel channel and OTT platform, has announced the launch of its food channel Foodxp. Travelxp Foodxp was first launched in the UK on Sky.

     

    Foodxp comes from the house of Travelxp, the travel channel. In a statement, Nisha Chothani, Director of Travelxp said: “With Foodxp, we bring what we are recognized globally for world class 100% original programming which is relevant, experiential and informative for the viewers. We aim to make Foodxp the default destination for food just like Travelxp did with Travel”

     

    Added Geetika Jain, Creative Director of Fooxp: “Food is the only thing that connects people from different cultures. We launched Foodxp with a vision to promote the Indian food and talent globally. The channel successfully provides an international platform to the brilliant upcoming Indian chefs. Each of the recipe is distinctive and curated by bringing together innovative recipes from across cultures. ”

     

  • For Phoenix United, DSL Virtue Group, and Media 247

    Two Pyramids bags three creative mandates

    By Our Staff

     

    Two Pyramids, the creative division of Umbrella Aegis Private Limited, has won the creative media marketing mandate for the three brands – Phoenix United, DSL Virtue Group, and Media 247.

     

    Said Suresh Kurapaty of Two Pyramids: “The the digital ecosystem is vast and is continuously evolving and hence it becomes essential to adapt to the changes accordingly to remain relevant to our audience.”

     

    Added Urvi Vira of Two Pyramids: “Effective marketing strategies have become extremely crucial for brands. Our team at Two pyramids will ensure a customer-centric approach that will help them win, retain and engage their customers.”

     

     

  • Starring top Indian players like Ramkumar Ramanathan and Yuki Bhambri

    SPN bags India-Denmark Davis Cup rights

    By Our Staff

     

    Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN) has acquired the exclusive media rights to broadcast Davis Cup tie between India and Denmark. As part of the deal signed with the All India Tennis Association, SPN will broadcast the tournament on Sony TEN 2 channels across India and the subcontinent, including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Maldives, Pakistan and Sri Lanka as well as live-stream the tournament on their premium OTT platform, SonyLIV.

     

    The Davis Cup matches are scheduled to start from Friday, March 4, with a 15-minute opening ceremony, followed by the final day of the Indian Leg on Saturday, March 5.

     

    Said Rajesh Kaul, Chief Revenue Officer, Distribution and Head – Sports Business, Sony Pictures Networks India: “We are pleased to acquire the media rights of the highly anticipated Davis Cup Tie between India & Denmark. With India being the host for the tournament, tennis fans in India are looking forward to watching Team India serve up Denmark with the home ground advantage. Our viewers will get to cheer on top Indian players like Rohit Rajpal, Ramkumar Ramanathan, Yuki Bhambri, Prajnesh Gunneswaran, Rohan Bopanna and Divij Sharan who will be playing for their country.”

     

  • Flipkart and Amazon most preferred shopping apps

    Media consumption up for 22% of families: Axis My India

    By Our Staff

     

    Axis My India, the consumer data intelligence company better known for its exit polls (coming soon!), released its latest findings of the India Consumer Sentiment Index (CSI), a monthly analysis of consumer perception on a wide range of issues. The month of February encapsulates that while almost 46% views ads on the internet, only a little more than half of it shops online with the most preferred apps being Flipkart, Amazon and Meesho. In addition, while this month’s media consumption has increased for 22% of the families, a second majority of 29% reveal that online TV streaming services have changed the way one watches television.

     

    Commenting on the CSI report, Pradeep Gupta, CMD, Axis My India, said: “With greater relaxation from the government in terms of mobility and increased encouragement from corporates to return to physical setting, we can witness the country’s effort to go back to the ‘old normal’. Consumers are spending where necessary and exercising ‘very mild’ caution on discretionary expenditures or mobility habits. Attracting consumers’ interest is also the five state elections, as they are expected to have an overall impact on the country’s economy. In addition, positive outlook towards RBI’s proposed digital currency also reflect the nations wider acceptance towards this change. PM Narendra Modi being voted as the leader best suited to guide India’s internal & external security in the wake of the current Russia-Ukraine crisis is not a surprise. Finally, increased online ad consumption & online purchase behaviour reflect the gradual dominance of digital in a consumer’s life and the need for marketers to develop an omni-channel marketing strategy.”

     

    Key findings:

    • Consumption of media has increased for 22% of the families reflecting an decrease of 2% from the last month. Consumption remains the same for a majority of 57% of families same as last month. The overall, net score of this month is at +1 as compared to +2 for the previous month

    • Overall household spending has increased for 54% of families which reflects a 1% increase from the last month. The net score which was at +39 last month has increased by +5 to +44 this month.

    • Spends on essentials like personal care & household items has increased for 43% of the families which has maintained compared to last month. Spends however remain the same for 38% of the families. The net score which was +20 last month has increased to +24.

    • Spends on non-essential and discretionary products like AC, Car, Refrigerator has increased for 8% of families. Expenditure nevertheless remains the same for 87% of the families. The net score is at to +3 remaining the same as last month.

    • Consumption on health-related items more or less remains the same for 49% of the families, while a surge is witnessed among 35%. The health score which has a negative connotation i.e., the lesser the spends on health items the better the sentiments, has a net score value of -19 as compared to -20 last month. This signifies persisted apprehension for overall health and well-being of the consumers.

    • 90% families said that they are going out the same for short vacations, mall and restaurant. Increased travel is reflected only among 5% of families while 5% reported reduced mobility. The overall mobility score which was at -3 last month has remained the same.

    On topics of current national interest:

    • Axis My India further evaluated consumer’s views on the impact of streaming services on television viewing. A majority of 57% said that online streaming services has not impacted their television viewing habits, signifying that TV is still the dominant medium in India. 29% however is of the view that online TV streaming services have changed the way one watches television, this insight unravels a surging need for video on demand services that provides flexibility in content viewing

    • To gauge advertisement attention in the mind space of consumers, the survey discovered that a huge 46% notice ads on internet. This behaviour is higher in the younger age groups as expected.

    • Assessing consumer’s views on online shopping preferences, Axis My India’s survey found out that only 29% indulge in online shopping. In addition a majority of 46% prefer to shop via Flipkart, while 33% prefer to shop from Amazon. Meesho, Myntra, Snapdeal, Ajio and Paytm Mall are other preferred choices.

    • The CSI – Survey furthermore captured consumer’s views on upcoming five state elections of Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Manipur and Goa. A huge majority of 50% strongly believe that the results of these 5 state elections will have a considerable impact on the 2024 National Elections. These are the views of people residing across the nation & not just the election states.

    • In an attempt to understand consumers view on a series of Budget announcement, Axis My India discovered that 68% believe that RBI’s proposed Digital currency/Digital Rupee will encourage safer and secure mode of online transaction/ transfer of funds. This positive outlook could mean a wider acceptance of the proposed digital currency upon its introduction. A minority of 13% and 6% believes that the digital rupee will ensure reduced dependency on cash/physical notes; and stimulate increased global as well as rural transaction respectively.

    • Exploring consumer’s views on the start-up ecosystem, the survey discovered that 85% believes that start-ups are going to be the backbone of ‘New India’.

    • Finally, 41% of respondents believe that PM Narendra Modi is best suited to handle India’s internal & external security, a factor which gains prominence considering the current Russia-Ukraine crisis.

     

    INDIA CONSUMER SENTIMENT SCORE

    * Health score has a negative connotation i.e., the lesser the spends on health items the better the sentiments.

    * The Overall Consumer Sentiment Score is an average of the mentioned sub-indices

     

  • Being well-prepared to defend their decision and creative helped Adidas save itself from a backlash, writes Sanjeev Kotnala

    A Campaign Well-Handled

     

     

     

    By Sanjeev Kotnala

     

    Sanjeev KotnalaAdidas showed a 5×5 grid of 25 different pairs of the breast to promote its New Sports Bra. And it vigorously defended the same.

     

    I remember how an NGO demonstrated self-check for female breast cancer using male breasts – as the female picture was not considered safe.

     

    I cannot be faulted for recalling the Laawaris film song “Aapka To Yeh Pasina Khoon Se Bhi Kheemti / Aur Apne Khoon Ki Keemat Yahan Kuch Bhi Nahi“. And for a pleasant surprise, I saw limited and comparatively mild social media angst around brand communication.

     

    Was it because it was Adidas? Or was it that they were not only well-prepared to defend their decision and creative, but had logic, patience and perseverance?

     

    The original tweet read: ‘We believe women’s breasts in all shapes and sizes deserve support and comfort. This is why our new sports bra range contains 43 styles, so everyone can find the right fit for them’.

     

    Later, the hashtag #SupportIsEverything was added to the post under the rational support to promote body positivity. And that, in my view, pulled the plug from future protests or complaints.

     

    Objections:

    Yes, there were complaints of people suggesting that the communication was ‘Not Safe For Work- Not Suitable for Work’ and, more so, not fit for young adults. There were comments, and people questioned the new thing that Adidas was suggesting. Everyone knows breasts look different and are different. That the social platform is hugely public forums and hence such nudity is a No-No. Some even going to the extent of questioning will Adidas now show the male organ for shapes and sizes for the male support garments.

     

    Support:

    On the other side, one person said: “My wife is one of the women who volunteered to be photographed for this new Adidas campaign. At first, I was very uncomfortable with it, but my wife and her sisters sat me down and taught me the importance of body positivity & female autonomy. I now understand and support Adidas.” Kudos to the person and the woman participating.

     

    Another tweet read: ‘Why does this need to be considered borderline soft porn but men’s bare chest is not. It is time to get over it. The more we see things like this, the less sensational it is.’ It does make sense.

     

    Women were supporting it. Some of the reactions were, ‘This is beyond great! I’m excited to try and fully support this’, and ‘Amazing on normalising the female body all the way and providing the support that our body actually asks for’.

     

     

    Adidas Reaction:

    Now, anyone can predict that there will be polarised reactions. But interesting is how the brand reacted.

     

    Seems Adidas anticipated the possible objections and was ready with the answers. They knew how to defuse the situation.

     

    One interesting detail; the brand’s re-engineered product line was developed by an all-female team. They worked on it after learning that 90% of the sportswomen don’t wear the right size bra.

     

    Adidas did take down the communication from social media but continued with it on their website and outdoor.

     

    Reacting to the mild protest, Adidas went on the offensive to defend the action.

     

     

    Rationalisting the Argument:

    Adidas said: ‘It’s perfectly natural to have breasts. We are happy to celebrate that and won’t be taking this down so we can keep doing so. We want future generations to feel body confident, which is why this gallery is so important to share’.

     

    Now, this is so tough to object to this inclusive approach.

     

    Additionally, pledging their support to sportspersons, Adidas further added, ‘A sports bra is the single most important piece of workout apparel for those with breasts. The confidence and support it gives can significantly impact someone’s performance and ability to stick with the sport. That is, Adidas has re-engineered its entire portfolio, catering to more bodies and workouts than ever before. The images were designed to show just how diverse breasts are, featuring different shapes and sizes that highlight why tailored support is paramount.”

     

     

    Net-Net:

    Whenever brands try to live at the edge and go test the boundaries, there will always be two audience types. Polarisation is expected. All it takes is pre-indexing the communication on the SMEAR index, anticipating the possibilities, being ready with counterpoints and having conviction and patience to bear the storm.

     

  • Sorry, we are also allowed to ask useless questions once in a while. So, let's hear it from Dr Bhaskar Das in Das ka Dum dated March 1. Read on…

    Das ka Dum with Dr Bhaskar Das | In some parts of the world, it’ll be Appreciation Day tomorrow. In the pandemic, we sadly saw, even the more cash-rich organisations being unfair with their staff. Comments?

    Bhaskar DasSorry, we are also allowed to ask useless questions once in a while. So, let’s hear it from Dr Bhaskar Das in Das ka Dum dated March 1. 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. In some parts of the world, it’ll be Appreciation Day tomorrow. In the pandemic, we sadly saw, even the more cash-rich organisations being unfair with their staff. Comments?

     

    A. I must admit that I have never heard of Appreciation day. I heard about World Gratitude Day which is  observed on September 21 every year. As the name suggests, the day is expected to reinforce pro-social behavioir that engenders appropriate demeanour for harmonious engagement in every aspect of human interaction and engagement.

     

    But the moot point is am I answering a question that is meant for September. Come to think of it, everyday I feel a day of gratitude and appreciation. Now, if some organisations or individuals are behaving to the contrary, there might be some genuine reason (not known to the outside world). But they can at best be exceptions but the quintessential truth is that an attitude of expressed gratitude always yield positive dividend.