MxMIndia

Author: mxmadmin

  • Focuses peaceful sleep for infants

    New TVC for Goodknight

    By Our Staff

     

    Goodknight, the Godrej Consumer Products mosquito repellent brand, has launched a new TVC campaign ‘Neendon ko nazar na lage’. Conceptualised by Wunderman Thompson, Mumbai, this film captures the love of a father in taking care of their child’s needs and comfort.

     

    Sharing her thoughts on the TVC, Somasree Bose Awasthi, Chief Marketing Officer, Godrej Consumer Products Limited (India), said:  “Through the new TVC campaign, Goodknight celebrates the unique bond between fathers and their children. Fathers are very much concerned about their little ones and want to offer them the best of care, comfort and protection. The TVC conveys the importance of an uninterrupted sleep for an infant’s overall health and well-being and how even a single mosquito can disrupt the same. As the market leader in household insecticides, we focus on creating this awareness amongst parents and empower them with relevant pest solutions.”

     

    Added Priya Pardiwalla and Steve Mathias, Executive Creative Directors and VPs, Wunderman Thompson, Mumbai: “Parents know that babies need their sleep to be happy and healthy.From   to swaddling, parents do everything to make sure their babies fall asleep. Sleep so hard won needs to be protected in the best way possible, that’s why Goodknight. ‘Neendon ko nazar na lage’ isn’t just a campaign line. It’s a wish, a blessing that all parents have for their children.It captures the anxieties, efforts and emotions that parents go through every night. The film makes a clear shift for the brand and is also a reflection of dads playing an active role in parenting today. Dads eagerly welcome this new life stage and are more involved than ever before in bringing up their babies.”

     

     

  • The youth is on boiling point. The popularity of a Pushpa or a KGF is a signal of the mood of the nation, writes Avik Chattopadhyay

    Brand Vijay is back!

     

     

    By Avik Chattopadhyay

     

    Avik ChattopadhyayWhen Salim Khan’s Inspector Vijay Khanna appeared on the screen on May 11, 1973, a new brand was born in Indian social fabric from the least expected of places…celluloid. The brand of the ‘angry young man’.

     

    Depicted par excellence by Mr Bachchan, ‘Vijay’ was more than just an upright police inspector out for revenge. The character stood for the young Indian in the early 1970s, disappointed and frustrated. Gone were the days of utopian simplicity of a Raj Kapoor in the 1950s or the romantic optimism of a Rajesh Khanna in the 1960s. The new India was not shaping up as predicted and promised by Nehru and Patel.

     

    Corruption had seeped into every nook and cranny of life. Politics was not clean and noble anymore. Scandals broke periodically. The rich got richer at the expense of the poor. The mouths to feed were going up exponentially. Questioning was not encouraged, and freedom of speech was at a premium. The grand vision and promises lay torn asunder on the sidewalk. Nation building had given way to nepotism. The white sahib had given way to the brown one!

     

    In this context rose Vijay Khanna… sceptical, sneering and sardonic. He was symbolic of the state of mind of the young Indian. He was the young Indian. He was tired of the way things were around him. He wanted to change things. He did not necessarily have a clear idea of how to but definitely had a greater goal in mind of finally getting up to take the proverbial bull by the horns. Vijay Khanna was a character that every young Indian could relate to and saw a reflection of self. The angst and explosive action were relevant to all parts of India, urban, rural and villages. ‘Vijay’ became a brand.

     

    The establishment then thought that Vijay was more of an aberration than the harbinger of the future. The nationwide popularity of the character should have been a clear signal of the mood of the nation wanting correction or change. And change it was!

     

    The brand kept evolving over the years, manifesting itself in various celluloid roles played by Mr Bachchan right till Vijay Dinanath Chauhan in 1990. Many other celluloid characters were created in various languages mirroring the same purpose, persona and value system of Vijay. Importantly, the parallel or art cinema movement played the perfect foil in creating equally compelling manifestations of the angry young man, right from Gopalakrishnan’s ‘Vishwam’ to Nihalani’s ‘Anant Velankar’.

     

    Come 1991, India entered a new phase of optimism. The economy opened up. Liberalisation happened and with it came a new form of romanticism. There were things to look forward to in terms of opportunities, prosperity, and social wellbeing. A bit of utopianism creeped back into the mainstream mindset. Just like the first phase of feeling good lasted around two decades, so did the second. Corruption, nepotism and brazen capitalism again raised their ugly heads to overshadow the progress we made.

     

    2014 was a consolidated and conscious change of course. The old order was overthrown, and new hope was given a chance. Fresh dreams were woven and shared. Awe-inspiring targets were set. Promises galore were made about development for all and with all. Then year after year, initiatives were taken that took a toll on the enthusiasm of the average Indian. Demonetisation. GSR roll-out. CAA and NRC. Farm Laws. Agnipath. The promises of 2014 were nowhere to be seen in 2020 when Covid struck as the proverbial last straw. The young Indian, grudgingly, is angry once more. Yet again, the enthusiasm, energy and optimism has given way to bitterness, frustration, and a feeling of helplessness.

     

    Paving the way for ‘Brand Vijay’ to come back. In the forms of Pushparaj, Rocky, Advocate Chandru and Komaran Bheem. They are all Vijay in different avatars, in different contexts, fighting different battles. Whether for villagers smuggling timber or social outcastes asserting their right to equal existence. They are full of angst. They have none of the refinements of urban life. In fact, they are caustic about the lives of comfort of a privileged few.

     

    The sheer popularity of a Pushpa or a KGF is once again a clear signal of the mood of the nation, 50 years later. The youth is on boiling point right now, once again looking for correction or change.

     

    A brand need not be only a product, service or solution. It can very well be the outcome and a reflection of society. It can be an amplification of a state of mind or the prevailing mood, in the form of a literary or creative character. Vito Corleone is a brand. So is Hannibal Lecter. As well as Forrest Gump.

     

    As Pushpa tells Shekhawat at the fag end of the movie that a brand is not merely the label on a shirt. The brand is Pushpa himself.

     

    Just like ‘Vijay”!

     

  • We often quiz our Wizard with Words on international developments, as they could have some learnings for us in India. Like this one we asked Dr Bhaskar Das for the June 30 edition of Das ka Dum. Read on…

    Das ka Dum with Dr Bhaskar Das | Given Softdrink brand Robinsons ending its 86-yr Wimbledon sponsorship, would you say brands could lose out by exiting long-standing sporting ties?

    Bhaskar DasWe often quiz our Wizard with Words on international developments, as they could have some learnings for us in India. Like this one we asked Dr Bhaskar Das for the June 30 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. British softdrink brand Robinsons ended its Wimbledon sponsorship of 86 years as it is  “broadening its summertime reach”. It doesn’t really concern us in India, but would you say brands could lose out by exiting associations with long-standing sporting ties?

     

    A. To take a call to discontinue a 86-year-old  association with a marquee sporting event like Wimbledon must be critical decision for the  company. I don’t have visibility to the factors that led to this decision, but in view of rising interest in other forms of experiential sporting events, it may be prudent to not to keep all eggs in one basket. So the cumulative TOM of the brand over multiple high octane sporting  events would ensure better salience . After all, every sporting event needs a refreshing and hydrating drink to energise it.

     

  • Finds Native Videos ads boost brand awareness by 26% as part of larger media mixes

    Kantar Multichannel Brand Impact study released

    By Our Staff

     

    Taboola, the recommendations engine, has announced the results of an independent Multichannel Brand Impact study from Kantar, data, insights and consulting company.  The Kantar Multichannel Brand Impact study measured the effectiveness of video advertising within native environments against other environments, as it relates to helping reach brand impact goals. Key findings include:

     

    Native video ads in the open web have a stronger impact on brand favorability and consideration than social or video platforms.

     

    59% of study participants that received a native video ad exposure expressed brand favorability, compared to 50% for social platform exposures and 51% for video platform exposures.

     

    Brand awareness improved by 26% when adding native video ads in the open web to a marketing mix.

     

    When study participants were shown native video ads, 33% displayed top-of-mind awareness – compared to just 14% of the control group. When native video ads were combined with social platform video ads, top-of-mind awareness rose to 49%.

     

    Said Adam Singolda, CEO and founder, Taboola: “Video ads continue to prove valuable to brands, especially as TV dollars are moving to digital,” “With industry estimates indicating that video advertising in the U.S. will reach nearly $50B this year, brands have a lot of opportunities to influence customers, as long as they’re choosing the right platforms and mix of platforms to relay their messages. What the Kantar study and our client work spotlight is that native video ads on Taboola High Impact Placements (HIP) are an essential part of a successful media mix. We provide the editorial environments that people trust, on a massive scale, so brands can amplify their efforts with Taboola.”

     

  • Tamagna Ghosh appointed MD + Gina Grosso as SVP of Global Production

    Trailer unveils expansion strategy

    By Our Staff

     

    Trailer Park Group, the entertainment marketing and content production company, revealed the next stage in its APAC expansion strategy, which includes the appointment of Tamagna Ghosh as Managing Director of APAC, and Gina Grosso as SVP of Global Production, as well as an investment in state-of-the-art technology.

     

    Ghosh is based in Mumbai and Grosso is based in Los Angeles; both will report to Trailer Park Group CEO, Rick Eiserman. The appointment of Ghosh and Grosso follows the recent acquisition of Mumbai-based creative boutique, White Turtle Studios, which is said to have established Trailer Park Group’s in-market presence in India. White Turtle Studios’ co-founders, Ankit Bhatia and Avinash Rajan, who co-lead White Turtle Studios’ 140-person Mumbai office, will report to Ghosh.

     

    Said Trailer Park Group CEO, Rick Eiserman: “We could not be more excited to announce this next phase in our growth plan for the APAC region, and to welcome Tamagna and Gina to the Trailer Park Group leadership team,” “APAC is one of the world’s largest growth markets and our investments in this region are crucial to meet our clients’ global demands. Both Tamagna and Gina’s impressive backgrounds and deep industry experience make them exceptionally well-qualified to help us grow our business throughout the region.”

     

  • You are as guilty of promoting stereotypes, if you mindlessly promote them, writes Shruti Pushkarna

    Shruti Pushkarna: Busted: 10 Myths & Clichés about Disability

    Shruti PushkarnaBy Shruti Pushkarna

     

    Have you mindlessly indulged in stereotyping because that’s what you have seen or heard thus far? Let me tell you, this oversight is equivalent to promoting those clichés. You are just as guilty.

     

    Here are 10 myths that have grown into commonly accepted facts over the years.

     

    1. Disabled people have a sixth sense

    No, this is no M Night Shyamalan movie. God doesn’t compensate for the loss of one sense, by giving the disabled a superpower. There is no ‘divine ability’, really. There are abilities and talents which are cultivated by the person, nothing ‘divyaang’ about them. Sorry, Modi ji.

     

    2. Disability is a result of bad karma

    ‘Pichchle janam ke karam’! Honestly, why are we so dramatic about a condition that can be explained easily in clinical terms? Someone born with a locomotor disability is ridiculed and excluded because of a supposedly bad karmic connection. Only yesterday I heard the latest mandate on radio, by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, for carmakers to provide six air bags in eight-seater vehicles. If you haven’t already made the connection: there are around 1.5 lakh people killed in five lakh accidents across the country. A sizeable number gets injured, some even left disabled. Is this tragedy attributed to past life or this one, how does it work? Because if it’s past karma, then let’s not hold automobile manufacturers or the government responsible for anything.

     

    3. Visually impaired people are hard of hearing too

    Often, I have seen people talk loudly to a blind person, almost yelling at them. Even better, they address the person accompanying them, assuming the person is not only blind but deaf also. What’s worse is that sometimes people question the overall ability of blind people to decide for themselves. Huh. I was once on a flight with my ex-boss who is visually impaired, and the airhostess refused to give him coffee, stating that serving a hot beverage mid-air is dangerous for him. Not only was I appalled at the supposition, but irked because she won’t communicate it directly to him! Is it really so hard to accept the loss of one sense without doubting the remaining four?

     

    4. Disabled people are asexual

    The inability to have sex in the usual style as we understand it, does not make disabled folk bereft of human desire or biological needs. There are tools and aids available to help them enjoy coitus in their own adaptive way. Doesn’t sex help release stress, allowing you to let go et cetera? Who needs it more than somebody confined and underestimated because of the lack of access and imagination of the so-called normal society? There’s a market for accessible sex toys for persons with disabilities, clearly someone worked out the economics of demand and supply.

     

    5. Persons with hearing impairment can read lips

    If this were true, what was the need for sign language? Also, every time a hearing impaired person needs to be included in a conversation, they have to be in visible distance from the person ‘talking’. Do you really want me to spell out the numerous times that is not possible? And what about during the pandemic or in the post-Covid world, when masking is common practice? Yes, there are transparent or clear masks available, but there are also a lot of hearing disabled individuals who cannot read lips. And those who gain proficiency with practice, lose out on chunks of conversations due to the variations in the pace and manner of speaking.

     

    6. Persons with disability are anti-social

    I mean even it were true, it would seem logical. Years of isolation and stigmatisation is bound to make them feel unwanted. Socializing is again a function of access to people and environments. Whether a person is introvert or not, can be determined only after giving them a fair chance to engage. A lot of disabled people who manage to step out, go from special schools to vocational programmes. They follow set routines because of limited access to physical spaces and dependency on the caregiver. I know some gregarious folk who have the ability and choice to navigate the physical or digital space independently.

     

    7. God will help us if we help a person with disability

    Charity done with the supreme objective of self-gratification. Ugh. We all know of people who donate items on their birth anniversaries, don’t we? An annual ritual to help acquire some good karma so you are not born with a disability in the next life. I’ve seen people insist on feeding 13 blind children at 10.17 am on Monday just to placate the angry ‘nakshatras’. Interesting how we never think of the receiver of these offerings, however sacred they may be.

     

    8. Disabled people only feel pain or sorrow

    Emotions are not simplistic. Neither are human beings. And disabled folk are also people who experience varied emotions at different times. Some of them may be in pain a lot, so frustrated easily. But they are equally capable of laughing at a joke, experiencing joy and don’t always dwell on their disability. Life is as colourful or complicated for them as it might be for you and me.

     

    9. Disabled people don’t like venturing out

    If you have enough money, you can plan trips and adventures. I know foodies who eat up their entire salary, savouring sumptuous meals. Not that you always need money to indulge in excursions, but it helps. Persons with disability in addition need access to the physical environment they want to explore and help with communication in that setup. There are several solutions available for that, some at a price, some not so much. The only reason you don’t imagine them to take off on a holiday at the drop of a hat, is because they are limited by the surrounding ecosystem. Not by their disability, always.

     

    10. Persons with mental illness are violent

    Yes, we have all seen many Hollywood and Bollywood depictions. Characters with mental health disorders have tangled hair, beady eyes and shabby clothes. They are dressed up to frighten and shock the audience. My all-time favourite is the 1980 classic ‘The Shining’, one of the many psychological thrillers that exaggerate and misrepresent ‘madness’.

     

    Shruti Pushkarna is a former journalist who now works as Director, EnAble India where she heads North India operations as well as media and communications outreach. Shruti writes for MxMIndia every other Thursday. Her views here are personal. She can be reached via Twitter at @shrutipushkarna

     

     

  • He will lead the creative operations for the agency's South clientele

    FoxyMoron appoints Aditya Mehra as Creative Director – South

    By Our Staff

     

    Aditya Mehra
    Aditya Mehra

    Ccreative and performance digital agency FoxyMoron (part of the Zoo Media network) has appointed Aditya Mehra as Creative Director – South. In this role, Mehra will lead the creative operations for the agency’s South clientele. He will report to Dhruv Warrior, FoxyMoron’s National Creative Director.

     

    Prachi Bali
    Prachi Bali

    Commenting on this, Prachi Bali, National Head Partnerships and Business Head, North, FoxyMoron (Zoo Media) said: “Aditya is a powerful force in the workplace and uses his vast experience and tireless energy to raise the creative standards of our teams in the south, and produce work that exceeds the expectations of clients. We look forward to working alongside him and creating some wonderful work.”

     

     

  • To build brand and public profile

    Rhiti Group partners with Stanvee

    By Our Staff

     

    Rhiti Group, the integrated marketing and brand experience company, has announced a partnership with Mumbai-based Stanvee, a convenience services provider, to help elevate its brand experience and public profile.

     

    Arun Pandey
    Arun Pandey

    Said Arun Pandey Chairman & Managing Director (CMD), Rhiti Group: “Stanvee is an organisation positioned perfectly to succeed in the Digital Economy of today and more so in the future. Consumers of the post-pandemic world are today willing to pay a premium for convenience and Stanvee’s offerings we believe have caught the pulse of the new age consumer. With Rhiti’s strengths in marketing and brand elevation, we are extremely confident of the roaring success of this partnership and look forward to exciting times together.”

     

    Suraj Kumar Behera
    Suraj Kumar Behera

    Added Suraj Kumar Behera Chairman & Managing Director (CMD) of Stanvee: “We are glad to have Rhiti as our partners in our journey to become the most trusted and valued brand in consumer convenience services. Stanvee has just the right mix of easy to access services for consumers across the value-chain, in a post-pandemic Digital Economy. With the proven credentials of Rhiti, we believe our messaging and brand experience will reach the next level in what we believe, will be a mutually fulfilling partnership for years to come.”

     

  • To oversee the existing team, day-to-day affairs, and its productions

    Rishi Negi is Endemol Big Boss

    By Our Staff

     

    Rishi Negi
    Rishi Negi

    Banijay, the independent content producer/ distributor, has announced the appointment of Rishi Negi as its new CEO for Endemol Shine India. He will oversee the existing team, day-to-day affairs, and its productions.

     

    Negi joins from Banijay Asia, where, until now, he has served as Chief Operating Officer. There, he supported CEO, Deepak Dhar, and the wider business, with all operational, commercial, financial, and general business-driven strategic matters. He joined the group with over two decades of experience in hospitality, entertainment, and retail, having worked for the likes of the Taj Group of hotels, and Emerald Asia Media Fame India limited among others.

     

    In the new role, he will report to Banijay’s COO, Peter Langengerg, who oversees the region.

     

    Added Langenberg: “Banijay prides itself on the development and retention of its talent, and with that in mind, it is great to be supporting Rishi in his next role as CEO, Endemol Shine India. Since he began in his post with Banijay Asia, he has been a strong backbone for the business and partner for Deepak Dhar in maintaining the entity’s growth trajectory, particularly through the pandemic. We look forward to seeing him continue to flourish in this new position.”

     

  • Celebrates the insurer’s robust growth

    Kohli jigs in Go Digit Insurance film

    By Our Staff

     

    Go Digit General Insurance announced the launch of its new brand campaign with brand ambassador Virat Kohli.

     

    Said Tanya Marwah, Vice President, and Head – Brand Marketing, Digit Insurance: “Over the last 4.5 years, we have stuck to our mission of making insurance simple and accessible. Our customer base today is a testament to our efforts and the new brand campaign is a celebration of this milestone. The collective trust of our customers and partners has helped Digit scale in a way that the company is now present across most geographies and what better way to commemorate this than a catchy new anthem and hook step by everyone’s favourite, Virat Kohli.”

     

     

  • Digital medium sees overall 62% increase in objectionable ads

    ASCI tables Annual Complaints Report 2021-22

    By Our Staff

     

    The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) released its annual complaints report for the period April 2021 – March 20222, during which it processed 5,532 advertisements across mediums including print, digital, and television. With a sharp focus on the digital domain, ASCI saw an overall compliance rate of 94%.

     

    In 2021-22, ASCI processed 62% more ads compared to the previous year, and 25% more complaints. While television and print ads remained in focus, ASCI broadened its ambit by “proactively” monitoring advertising in the digital landscape. Nearly 48% of the ads processed belonged to the digital medium. With the influencer guidelines coming into force last year, complaints against influencers constituted 29% of the total grievances. Complaints regarding misleading claims in ads featuring celebrities saw a 41% increase out of which a staggering 92% were found to be violating ASCI’s guidelines, notes a communique.

     

    ASCI continued its proactive surveillance and 75% of ads processed were picked up suo motu. This included the AI-based monitoring that ASCI has set up for digital tracking. Complaints from consumers constituted 21% of complaints, followed by intra-industry at 2% and CSO/ Government complaints at 2%. Of the 5,532 total ads processed, 39% were not contested by the advertiser, 55% of them were found to be objectionable after investigation, and complaints against 4% of ads were dismissed as not violating the ASCI code. 94% of ads that ASCI processed needed changes so as not to violate the ASCI code.

     

    Given its focus on digital monitoring, emerging categories included the relatively new categories of virtual digital assets and online real money gaming, contributing significantly to objectionable ads at 8% each. Education (33%), Healthcare (16%), and Personal Care (11%) were the Top 3 violative categories.

     

    Subhash Kamath
    Subhash Kamath

    Talking about the annual report, Subhash Kamath, Chairman, ASCI said: “2021-22 was the year we followed through on our promise of increasingly monitoring the digital media given the way it has been dominating the advertising landscape. We invested heavily in technology and that has worked quite well. We also upgraded our complaints system which has made it very easy for consumers to register their complaints and for advertisers to respond to it. Going ahead, we will continue to be at the forefront in understanding how best to regulate and monitor the digital frontier, even as we keep streamlining our processes to become more responsive, and more proactive.”

     

    Manisha Kapoor
    Manisha Kapoor

    Sharing her thoughts about the annual report, Manisha Kapoor, CEO & Secretary General, ASCI, said: “The ASCI team, the Consumer Complaints Council, the Honorable ex-high court judges on our review panel, and our domain experts have debated the nuances of advertising and scientific evidence of thousands of ads to ensure that the process and outcomes are fair to both consumers as well as advertisers. Simultaneously, the constant update to our code ensures that we constantly offer guidance and transparency to consumers and advertisers on newer and emerging formats and categories. This helps in keeping self-regulation at the frontier of advertising developments.”

     

  • To lead EQ India’s branding push

    Equiniti India Appoints Tom Thomas as Head of Marketing

    By Our Staff

     

    Tom Thomas
    Tom Thomas

    Equiniti (EQ), the UK-headquartered shareholder management Fintech, has appointed Tom Thomas as Head of Marketing and Branding in India.

     

    Commenting on his appointment, Anand Ramakrishnan, MD Equiniti India, said, “Tom is the natural choice to lead our branding initiative in India. His multidisciplinary experience and deep knowledge gives him a unique understanding of how external audiences view and engage with Equiniti. He will play a crucial role in defining our brand as we continue to bring Indian talent to global markets.”