Author: mxmadmin

  • Himalayan Natives rolls out new campaign

    By Our Staff

     

    Himalayan Natives, an all-natural food brand, has launched a brand new video campaign outlining the strength and freshness right from the land of Himalayas. An advocate of a healthy and nutritious diet, the brand displays its commitment via the video campaign, encouraging its viewers to be strong and steady like the mighty range itself. The campaign is created by Ittisa, a Bengaluru based Digital Marketing Agency.

     

    Said Bhupendra Khanal, Founder, Himalayan Natives: “I hail from the land of the Himalayas and have been lucky to have had the most delicious and healthiest of food. Now I want to extend the goodness of my homeland to the world and make access to healthy food easier via Himalayan Natives. The campaign, the messaging and the product line on the platform is something I resonate with. I truly believe that a healthy food source is what makes or breaks the mind and body.”

     

  • Eno goes live with new TVC

    By Our Staff

     

    Eno, the OTC Antacid brand by GSK Consumer Healthcare, has gone live with its new TV campaign.

     

    Commenting on the new launch, Anurita Chopra, Head of Marketing, India Sub Continent, GSK Consumer Healthcare said: “As a leading brand, we have always ensured to stay ahead by creating innovative campaigns. With each year, we create brand stories that connect with audiences. Through this campaign, we’re rekindling the joyous moments of friends and family together, with food and Eno playing a central part in their fun times together. A simple selfie moment typifies a pop culture phenomenon that unifies social and age stratas.

     

  • Arjuna Gaur is CCO Webchutney & DentsuM

    By Our Staff

     

    Dentsu India has announced the appointment of Arjuna Gaur as Chief Creative Officer (CCO), Dentsu Webchutney & DentsuMB.

     

    In his new role, Gaur will work towards expanding the creative mandate for both the agencies. He will lead creative thought leadership across the network and combine the expertise of Dentsu Webchutney and dentsuMB to deliver future-forward creative solutions for clients. Gaur will report into Ajay Gahlaut, Group Chief Creative Officer India (GCCO), Dentsu Creative India.

     

    Commenting on the appointment, Gahlaut said: “It is a privilege to have yet another brilliant creative onboard as part of the team. Arjuna is a rare creative person who is equally adept at traditional and new age media. Apart from being an advertising creative, he is a musician skilled at playing multiple musical instruments. He also restores old computer systems. He has added great value to the brands that he has been associated with. We are looking forward to him significantly raising the creative quality of our output and adding even more value to the solutions that we provide to our clients.”

     

  • IAA Olive Crown Awards on April 28

    By Our Staff

     

    Aaditya Thackeray, Minister for Environment and Tourism, Government of Maharashtra will be the Chief Guest at the IAA Olive Crown Awards scheduled on April 28.

     

    Announcing this Megha Tata, President of the India Chapter of the International Advertising Association (IAA) said: “Shri Thackeray is not just the Minister for Environment but is also passionate about many environmental causes. His contribution to the eco-space has been significant. Something that had prompted the IAA to present its prestigious Olive Crown-Green Crusader Award to him last year. We are privileged that he will grace this event.”

     

    Said Olive Crown Committee Chairperson Pradeep Dwivedi: “The Olive Crown awards salute excellence in communicating sustainability. They are arguably the most meaningful awards from the marcom industry. The event will see top industry leaders presenting and accepting these awards.”

     

    Added Neeraj Roy, Co,-Chair Olive Crown Committee: “These awards, now in their 12th year, have grown in stature over the years. We are very pleased that the scope of these awards has been growing as well. This year we have announced that we will be supporting the SaveSoil movement with an awareness program. The winning entries will be showcased at this event.”

     

  • Candere by Kalyan Jewellers launches new campaign

    By Our Staff

     

    Candere by Kalyan Jewellers has launched a campaign, #TaiyariPooriHai, that talks about their customisation feature.

     

    Said Rupesh Jain, Founder & CEO of Candere: “It is our constant endeavour to provide our customers with an enhanced jewellery shopping experience. The customization feature is not something new that we have come up with; in fact, Candere was started with the intent of providing its customers with a piece of jewellery that resonates with them. The percentage contribution of customized orders is around 50-60% of our total order share. We have integrated advanced technologies to ease their shopping experience. Although the market has multiple jewellery designs to offer, every customer wants their design to be unique and stand out, and that’s where our customisation feature comes in handy. They can get the jewellery of their choice with just one tap within the comfort of their own home.”

     

    Added Akshay Matkar, Head of Marketing at Candere: “Jewellery is just not a fashion accessory; it is more than that. We Indians have sentiments attached to our fine jewellery, and when it comes to shopping for one, it is a decision that is very well thought of. So this Akshaya Tritiya, we are ready to help our customers fulfil their Khwaishein with our customisation option. All they need to do is select the design and leave the rest to us!”

     

    Akshay Trittiya falls on May 3 this year. While it is regarded as an auspicious date by many, in recent years, marketers have been promoting it to sell their wares (Please refer to this article from our archives: https://www.mxmindia.com/2012/04/mediaah-the-business-of-akshaya-tritiya-the-plot-to-shift-mothers-day-to-make-money/).

     

  • Nielsen releases 2022 Annual Marketing Report

    By Our Staff

     

    Nielsen released its 2022 Annual Marketing Report and, for the first time, expanded it to a global audience, uncovering marketers have key priorities for the year ahead, but also where marketers have struggled over the past two years due to consumers’ changing media habits. Titled ‘Era of Alignment’ the report illustrates how marketers must gain confidence in their data to focus equally on brand building and customer acquisition, doing so through both upper-funnel and lower-funnel planning and execution.

     

    The report, which surveyed nearly 2,000 global marketers between December 2021 and January 2022, both revealed a digital dominance in how dollars are being spent and exposed marketers’ lack of confidence in the data behind those decisions. With continued digital fragmentation, marketers report data accuracy, measurement, and ROI are paramount. While 69% of marketers believe first-party data is essential for their strategies and campaigns, and 72% of marketers believe they have access to quality data, only 26% of global marketers are fully confident in their audience data.

     

    The Era of Alignment found marketers around the world are experiencing similar areas of success and challenges, as shown by:

     

    Brand awareness is marketers’ top objective. To reach this goal, brands need to leverage an array of channels to reach the widest audience. Nearly two-thirds (64%) of respondents stated that social media is the most effective paid channel with TikTok and Instagram dominating spend. Comparatively, TV and radio spend is significantly less with an aggregate increase of 53% across global marketers. Customer acquisition is their second objective, showing that marketers must focus efforts on the entire customer journey.

     

    Increased media fragmentation amplifies the need for holistic measurement. Marketers’ confidence in measuring ROI of the full-funnel is only 54%. Remove online and mobile video and confidence in measuring ROI across all other channels is under 50% globally, and while nearly half of marketers plan to increase their spending on podcasts, their confidence in measuring the ROI of that investment is 44%.

     

    It’s vital for marketers to use data to champion personalized marketing strategies. The increasing proliferation of channels produces an abundance of unique data sets. However, 36% of marketers still claim that data access, identity resolution, and deriving actionable insights from data is either extremely or very difficult. With the rise of connected TV (CTV) this presents new challenges to traditional targeting solutions. CTV is a growing focus for global marketers, with 51% planning to increase their over-the-top/CTV spending in the coming year. To wit, Americans streamed almost 15 million years’ worth of content across subscription- and ad-supported platforms.

     

    By placing a greater emphasis on purpose-driven initiatives, marketers can better connect with consumers. Nielsen Research shows over half of U.S. consumers (52%) purchase from brands that support causes they care about; similarly, more than 36% expect the brands they buy to support social causes. While global marketers say their brands are emphasizing purpose, Nielsen data shows that 55% of consumers aren’t convinced that brands are fostering true progress.

     

    Said Jamie Moldafsky, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer, Nielsen: “Our work at Nielsen is to provide the most complete view of consumer behaviour regardless of industry, and our long-time experience in measurement and comprehensive view of the media universe gives brands a 360-degree view that can’t be found anywhere else. This research showcased that marketers want to put money into channels to deliver immediate ROI, however we also see that they must be agile in the year ahead and work across the entire marketing funnel to reinforce brand awareness and acquire more customers. With the upcoming elimination of third-party cookies, it’s understandable to see marketers prioritizing personalisation and aligning their brand with causes their customers care about. Through our solutions – and this report – we’re continuing to help brands and marketers get actionable insights to make more informed, and quicker decisions.”

     

  • Tilt & Vector join Swirl

    By Our Staff

     

    Tilt and Vector brand and communication consultancies have joined forces with Swirl, the live commerce solutions platform company.

     

    Said Joseph ( Joe ) George, Founder & CMD, Tilt and Vector: “We are continuously looking to help our clients innovate and redefine their customer experiences. With the explosion of lesser known but ambitious D2C brands, live commerce is a rapid and cost effective way to drive shopper engagement and confidence. We are excited to partner with Swirl and design solutions that give these marketers this advantage.”

     

    Added Kaizad Hansotia, Founder & C.E.O, Swirl: “Swirl provides a plug-and-play Video Commerce SaaS platform with abilities for one-to-many and one-to-one live shopping. In addition, brands can easily create video conversion workflows, notify customers with a single-click link that requires no app downloads, and engage with customers through an immersive shopping experience. Tilt and Vector make for formidable brand and communication partners for us to collaborate with, given their stellar record on several top brands in India in such quick time.”

     

  • Roposo & Rana Daggubati launch Dcraf

    By Our Staff

     

    Actor Rana Daggubati and entertainment commerce firm Roposo announced the launch of their co-created men’s grooming brand Dcraf. The label is to be launched by Roposo through Glance Collective, a joint venture between Roposo’s parent company Glance and talent management firm Collective Artists Network.  Dcraf is derived from ‘D’ for Daggubati, and ‘Craf’, short for Hair Craft.

     

    Said Mansi Jain, Vice President and General Manager, Roposo: “Our intention has been to partner with celebrities and creators to launch brands that reflect their unique persona and become an extension of who they are. Rana is one of the most fashionable contemporary male celebrities and is followed by many for his sense of style and grooming. We are delighted to be partnering with him to launch Dcraf. With the live commerce technology and the scale of our platforms, we expect Dcraf to be discovered by millions of users across India.”

     

  • Das ka Dum with Dr Bhaskar Das | Why is it that health of talent is not really a focus in A&M? Stressful, unhealthy hours, high pressure, low staffing, etc

    Bhaskar DasWe have very strong views on the subject and hence asked Dr Bhaskar Das for his views for the April 13 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. Further to the question on World Health Day, why is it that health of talent is not really a focus in the A&M sector? Stressful, unhealthy hours, high pressure, low staffing, etc.

     

    A. I instinctively feel that no one ignores health consciously. Yes, in today’s workspace pressure and daily commuting compulsions, personal imperatives get the better of appropriate health consciousness. Technology-led work, WFH etc have forced people to opt for a sedentary lifestyle. At a young age, one tends to be oblivious of the need for following a conscious health regime. Pressures of balancing work-life drives one to escapism through celebration of life. All the above cumulatively push health awareness to the backburner. It has nothing to do with A&M industry only. It’s true for all sectors, even if in varying degrees.

     

    It ultimately depends on the individual’s desire to remain healthy. One has to push oneself on the belief that health is wealth. No amount of obsession with work can justify ignoring health as only when one is healthy (body, mind and soul) one can contribute effectively. Intoxication cannot lead to automatic detoxification.

     

  • Should I attend Goafest…

     

     

    By Sanjeev Kotnala

     

    Sanjeev KotnalaI wish Goafest 2022, the flagship Industry celebration of advertising excellence and networking all the best. But will Goafest 2022 be different this time? Only time will tell. Goafest  has given birth to many stories. Reunion of friends. A cold, arrogant walk-by competition. Too many drinks and loosening of the tongue. Awards appreciated and criticised. A simple meeting of eyes and a friendship of decades. Expectations and imaginations play havoc with the sense of direction at Goafest. Everyone wants closure, even if Netflix insists on a script with a sequel possibility. So, here is one.

     

    It is an old story. One where I tried hard to find the closure. It all started in Goafest 2016 and remained unfished till 2021. There was no Goafest in 2020 and 2021. It’s a long story but maybe worth a read. Even if I say so.

     

    EPISODE 1. THE BEGINNING. GOAFEST 2016.

    It is 2am, late last night at Goafest 2016. The after-hours party is in full swing at Grand Hyatt, Goa. I am tipsy and am having meaningless conversations with friends in the reception area. Soon by tomorrow afternoon, you won’t find signs of Goafest here. I can’t dance to save my life, so I am outside the after-party arena where youngsters are busy outperforming each other. While I think, what the hell I am doing here, something magical happens.

    I find a young lady politely asking me if I have cigarettes to spare.

    Me, young at heart, who was lonely in the group of friends and colleagues, obliges. I have enough. And even if it was the last one, I would have still given it to her.

    She seems alone, and maybe her friends are inside. She lingers on smoking expertly, and we start a conversation that meanders across topics that I have no memory of. The after-hours Vodka must be confusing the beer foundation laid through the day.

    We talked for some two hours, or so it seemed. I never asked her for her name, and I don’t remember if she told me her name. I am sure she would never remember me. She had no reason to do so; what if she had borrowed and smoked 3-4 cigarettes with me. I remember she was working in digital space and planning to pursue an MBA from one of the IIMs. Like every IIM alumnus, I let her know I was from IIMA.

     

     

    ALL THAT I REMEMBER.

    I have a faint memory of the slightly tipsy lady in her mid-20s. She was wearing a light pastel dress and smoking. She had a dimple on her left cheek; maybe it was the right cheek. She wore a silver ring with Neelam. I remember telling her Neelam and Saturn. Even said that she could not be Taurus because she was wearing Neelam. And, she said something about her sting harder than the bite- and so I thought she was scorpion- this was a late realisation.

    Few of my friends tell me that they left us together and moved on, as it seemed we were on a different trip. I sat on the ground, looking up at her. She stood stylishly in her pastel dress, playing and ruffling my hair. That’s all I remember…

     

     

    EPISODE 2. UNFINISHED STORY. Woh Nahi Aai

    For one whole year, the memory lingered, and I tried many ways to search for us. So, nearer the Goafest 2017, overestimating the power of Twitter and my reach in a moment of desperation, I twitted, ‘Dear young lady, if you are attending the Goafest, do connect. And yes, you can find me around 1230, you know where. I did not mention A.M or PM. Forgot even to ask my limited industry followers to RT for reach. However, few well-wishers still re-tweeted. I even declared my intent on my blog and the weekly column on mxmindia.com. Clearly, I was hoping for a miracle, for my message to reach her, and it was ‘Mission Impossible’.

    Here was a complex situation. My identity was out in the open. My tweets, as well as the article, carried my not so exciting mugshot. I, on the other side, had no way to tag her. All I had was a faint memory of an overtly tipsy lady smoking with me and having a purposeless conversation.

    At Goafest 2017, Night #1, I left the awards function early. Took a luxurious bath and made my way to the bait area, and I waited for the full three beer bottles and four cigarettes. Someone must have been laughing at my cost. I questioned my expectation while taking a long walk back to the room. And I tweeted an update ‘Woh Nahi Aayi’.

     

     

    MESSAGES KEEP THE HOPE ALIVE.

    Goafest 2017, Day 2, two emails landed in my inbox late in the afternoon. Both suggest a meeting and are full of cryptic clues. The e-mails came within two hours of each other from two different IDs. The writing style clearly indicated they were from two different people. Men will be men, and I am no different. I happily accepted the challenging invite.

    I had no option but to wait at the designated area. I lazily smoked and slowly sipped on my Kingfisher. My eyes scanned the site, and nothing happened. So, after a long sluggish wait, I give up. Dejected, I dragged myself to the room.

    As I was swiping my room key, my phone beeped with an SMS notification. It read, ‘Sorry could not meet. There were friends who she could not shake. Another follow-up message instructed me to Meet tomorrow at the same place but not to call or reply to the message. She had already left the venue.

    I checked on Truecaller, and it showed the caller’s name as Priyanka*. It was tempting to send her a funny reply, but I stopped myself. She was clear, and I was not supposed to send her a message. Why spoil my chances!

    There was also an e-mail. Similar message but signed with a different name. I was confused but decided to play along. Now, all I could do was wait. Tomorrow would be my last chance to meet them, and there was nothing to lose.

     

     

    EPISODE 3. SIDETRACKS.

    My friend from Engineering, Shailendra Singh, posted at GOA with the Indian Navy, came to meet me with his lovely wife. I was worried he may ask me for dinner, and I would have no way to duck. Fortunately, as they had another function to attend, they left by 6 pm.

    Another friend Satinder Pal Singh (IIM Ahmedabad 87 batch), working with Nestle in Goa, came over. He was more than an hour late from his scheduled time. I met him in the room and, without any delay, opened the beer. Sometime later, he suggested going out for dinner as he had driven some 20km to meet me, I could not refuse.  The only condition I was to be back by 1130 p.m. I knew nothing much will happen. However, how could I leave it to chance. With pregnant possibilities of ‘What-if’. While I went with Satinder to ‘Junction’ at the Mall in Dona Paula, my heart and mind were at the Goafest. The beer and food took their time between two friends. Satinder dropped me at the hotel a few minutes past midnight. I was short on my appointment.

    Time was of the essence. I changed, splashed some perfume, redid my ponytail, checked my stock of cigarettes, and hurriedly made my way to the reception area.

     

    EPISODE 4. PARTIAL CLOSURE. KOI TOH AAYA.

    Night 2 of Goafest 2017. At the designated hour, I reached the reception area. There is a PYT sitting in one corner. She walks up to me, and she wants to borrow a cigarette, and a code has been broken. I smile, and she smiles back. I know Meeta* is not my MissGoafest2016. We talk, and I feel it is a waste of time.

    Meeta is standing with her back to the after-party arena. There is no dimple on her cheeks. I see another girl scanning the area, our eyes meet for a second, and she walks up to me. She speaks slowly but with confidence. ‘Finally, you have a smoke to spare’. I smile and offer her the pack. I have enough to spare today.

    Priyanka, Meeta and I are meeting for the first time. They agreed they wanted to play a prank. If I was to ask my mathematician friends to calculate the probability of two girls independently deciding to play a trick on a guy like me at Goafest! He would answer without calculation. Zilch.

    They had observed me last night and were touched by my harmless dedication that they decided to meet. Thanks, Pratap Bose, for that single re-tweet.

    The girls were bored at the after-party. They have been with the same colleagues for the last two days. Both of them had independently sent me cryptic messages. It seems my focus and dedication to the cause impressed them. They have seen me waiting, smoking and drinking at the registration area. ‘Aapki Talash Ke Fan Ho Gaye Hum’ Priyanka joked. ‘They don’t make a man like you anymore’. Meeta joined in. Surprisingly, I believed them. I smile. There is not much to do.

    We end up in my room, and I have enough stock of cigarettes and beer. We finally call it a night at 3:30 A.M. they have an early flight to Mumbai. No promises are exchanged to remain in touch. And none is needed or expected.

    I believe Miss2016, with the dimple on her left cheek, did not attend Goafest 2017.

     

     

    EPISODE 5 THE UNFINISHED STORY. GOAFEST 2018- 2019.

    Hope is a silly thing. The gap between expectation and experience is the reason for all problems. Once again, in 2018, I thought I would be lucky. I shared my story and expectations in 2018 to meet Miss 2016. But neither MissGoafest2016 nor Priyanka or Meeta showed up. I gave up the hunt. There is a limit to being optimistic. But, I still wanted to meet MissGoafest2016 to finally know if she had the dimple on the left or the right cheek.

     

     

    EPISODE 6. LIFE IS FULL OF SURPRISES.  

    In 2021, I was looking for Brand managers for one of my consulting clients. There is a resume that impresses me, and a zoom call is scheduled in November 2021 with the lady candidate. I noticed that she had a dimple on her left cheek. She is a young MBA with three years of experience. She kept smiling and was very confident.

    ‘Midway through the call, she randomly asked me- ‘So, do you have a cigarette to spare’. It took me a moment to realise, and then she confirmed she was my Miss Goafest2016. The interview derailed immediately. We started talking about my chase and hunt and how she had enjoyed it from the sidelines, knowing it was her but could tell no one. In the end, she told me, she was not in for the job – but wanted to end my agony and let me put a face and name to it.

     

     

    EPISODE 7. I DECIDED.

    Recently Shalini* once again called me in March. She was all bubbly and confident like ever. She told me she had registered for Goafest 2022, and maybe we could share a smoke and more in May. I was all smiles for a moment, and then I told her NO- maybe this year I will give Goafest a pass.

    She was a bit irritated and asked if she was the reason for my decision, and I could not tell her the truth. I am still not sure if I should attend Goafest 2022. Or should I break my record of attending every edition of Goafest – an industry event that I love and have  always written about. And I heard her mumble ‘Coward’.

    What would you do? Tell me should I attend Goafest 2022?

    The question that haunts me is, What if she is telling the truth and what if she is lying? And what are the possibilities if I did attend Goafest 2022?

    Netflix Interested?

     

     

    DISCLAIMER: *The names have been changed to disguise the identity. This is a true story. Ture but not necessarily the complete truth. My desire to meet her again has been sincere and innocent, and I know to differentiate between fantasy and realistic fantasy

     

  • Tata Capital launches digital campaign to promote Flexi Plus Loans

    By Our Staff

     

    Tata Capital, the flagship financial services company of the Tata Group, has announced its latest cricket-themed digital campaign to promote its Flexi Plus Loan Offerings. The campaign aims to connect with fervent cricket fans across the country.

     

    Speaking about the campaign, Abonty Banerjee, Chief Digital and Marketing Officer, Tata Capital said: “Our latest campaign which is centered around cricket is a great opportunity for us to connect and engage with our customers. The campaign aims to promote our latest Flexi Plus Loans which come with exclusive features and benefits. We are sure our films will be enjoyed by ardent cricket fans across the country.”

  • ASCI takes cognisance of gaming ad violations in IPL

    By Our Staff

     

    The Indian Premier League (IPL), the latest edition of which kicked off on March 26, has witnessed high-decibel advertising from the online real-money gaming industry. Unfortunately, many of the commercials do not pass scrutiny when it comes to the guidelines prescribed by the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI).

     

    In the first week of the IPL alone, March 26 to April 3, ASCI screened 35 ads from the category and identified 14 as being in potential violation of its code. ASCI is keeping a tab on TV as well as OTT ads.  In addition, in March alone, 285 social media ads of online real-money gaming companies were identified as being in violation of the ASCI code.

     

    ASCI noted that in some instances dubious claims such as ‘India’s biggest 1st prize’ were being made, and in many cases the disclaimer informing consumers of the risks was flashed very quickly rather than at a normal speaking pace. In some cases, the advertisements had celebrities acting while the disclaimer was being spoken, distracting consumers from important information about risks. Some advertisements had disclaimers that were smaller than what has been prescribed.

     

    These attempts at glossing over the disclaimers required to be carried in the prescribed manner, informing about the risks of financial loss or game addiction, can severely compromise consumer interest. ASCI has urged gaming industry bodies to take up this issue with their members.

     

    ASCI guidelines on real-money gaming came into effect on December 15, 2020. The guidelines require advertisements to not be aimed at minors, not present gaming as a source of livelihood or link it to success. In addition, the guidelines require all advertisements to carry a prominent disclaimer regarding the risk of financial loss and the addictive nature of such games. These guidelines were backed by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, which issued an advisory asking that advertisements adhere to the guidelines.

     

    Manisha Kapoor
    Manisha Kapoor

    Said Manisha Kapoor, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) & Secretary General (SG), ASCI: “ASCI is concerned to note that, despite clear guidelines, some online real-money gaming firms are attempting a shortcut. For an industry that is under significant regulatory scrutiny, such acts by some companies paint the entire industry as irresponsible. IPL, being a massive platform, requires responsible behaviour from all parties – including gaming firms, broadcasters, celebrities and ad creators. We hope that all parties play their roles to ensure that consumers are not exposed to misleading advertising.”