MxMIndia

Author: mxmadmin

  • He will report to Pallavi Chakravarti, Creative Head – West, DDB Mudra

    DDB Mudra appoints Manish Darji as Head of Art – West

    By Our Staff

     

    Manish Darji
    Manish Darji

    DDB Mudra Group has announced the appointment of Manish Darji as Head of Art – West. In his new role, Darji will lead the design mandate for the agency’s west office and will report to Pallavi Chakravarti, Creative Head – West, DDB Mudra.

     

    Pallavi Chakravarti

    Speaking on his appointment, Chakravarti said: “It is impossible to look at a piece Manish has worked on and not be wowed. His passion for craft and grasp of distinctive visual languages are skills sorely needed in this day and age. We’re delighted to have him on board to further the creative vision for DDB Mudra West.”

     

    Added Darji: “Bill Bernbach was the first to put Art and Copy on the same floor, back in the 60s, and that’s been the model for all agencies ever since. With it comes the opportunity to let craft shine as we pursue our promise of Unexpected Works. I am truly excited to be on this ride,” A celebrated name in the creative sphere, Darji’s work has been recognised at some of the biggest creative forums including Cannes Lions, Spikes Asia, One Show, D&AD, LIA, and Kyoorius.

     

  • Develops a multi-lingual Brand Anthem campaign

    Law & Kenneth Saatchi & Saatchi promotes Somany Ceramics

    By Our Staff

     

    Somany Ceramics Limited has launched a new campaign to celebrate its 50th anniversary. To mark the occasion, a multi-lingual brand anthem has been developed with company’s advertising agency Law & Kenneth Saatchi & Saatchi (LKSS).

     

    Noted  a communique: “The ‘anthem’ Zameen se Judey has been released for deeper connect with audience. It has been sung and performed by Indian Idol winners Pawandeep Rajan, Arunita Kanjilal and Shanmukha Priya.”

     

     

  • Because we have bought so totally into the debatt format, the bulwark of journalism has gone, writes Ranjona Banerji

    Vendetta Unlimited

     

     

    By Ranjona Banerji

     

    Ranjona BanerjiThe rate at which cases are being filed against Mohammed Zubair, it is a clear vendetta.

    Against him for being a Muslim who dared.

    Against him being a fact-checker for exposing propaganda and mainstream media outlets which are actually propaganda sites.

    And for having an opinion.

    If Zubair is being targeted by the BJP, we now have the unfortunate example of a Congress coalition state – Jharkhand trying similar tactics. Journalist Rupesh Kumar Singh has been arrested under the Unlawful Activities Protection Act. UAPA is supposed to make it easier for the state to deal with terrorists. Instead, it is used against anyone who counters government claims or assesses political promises or just tries to hold politicians and officials to account. That is, if you work as a journalist, you are under threat.

    https://thewire.in/government/independent-journalist-rupesh-kumar-singh-arrested

    Singh has been working on Adivasi rights. He has been on the Pegasus list of targets by the government, in the explosive Forbidden Stories investigation on Israeli-made military-grade spyware apparently used by the Indian government to spy on journalists, activists and any citizen they wanted to.

    This investigation by Article 14 examines how the state misuses laws to incarcerate and harass its own “inconvenient” citizens:

    https://article-14.com/post/jailed-or-punished-with-or-without-trial-how-the-state-misuses-the-law-against-india-s-inconvenient-citizens-62d615129ab71

    Everywhere you will see that mainstream television plays almost no role in either investigating government actions.

    Actually to be honest, in investigating anything at all.

    Years ago, I believe there was a popular show on a Hindi “news” channel that investigated ghosts.

    I have no idea if they had any success or if they have progressed beyond.

    I do know that they are happy to do a macabre death dance on the ghosts of journalism every night on their primetime shows.

    Most people in India, shows a survey, know nothing about the Pegasus case. But when they do learn about it, they are angry.

    Most people in India, according to the same survey also get their news from television.

    This explains a lot.

    It explains why we are today.

    Who has failed us.

    Who within the journalistic community wants to fan sectarian and casteist flames and increase hatred in society.

    Who is happier with government and party propaganda.

    Who provides excuses for a vindictive and arrogant government.

    And who has decided that they will not speak for the underprivileged and the under-served.

    An industrialist gets a massive loan written off by a public sector bank.

    A decade ago, TV would have been frothing at the mouth.

    Today?

    Nothing.

    When popular movements begin, they need some media support.

    Compare once again the hysterical media support when it came to the fraudulent India Against Corruption movement to the anger heaped on Indian farmers last year.

    Try and recall how many TV investigations were carried out about the fate of migrant workers who had walked for miles in the summer heat during a pandemic only to be bathed in corrosive disinfectants. Where are those workers now? How did they suffer since? What relief and compensation did they get?

    Because we have bought so totally into this “debate” format, the bulwark of journalism has gone.

    An investigation does not mean chasing after a postman at actress Rhea Chakravarty’s apartment block. That is cheap sensationalism.

    An investigation is looking into why certain journalists are being targeted by governments for exposing lies and standing up for the rights of those without voice or agency.

    But you know and I know why.

    Meanwhile, the assault on journalists continue, by an all-powerful unstoppable State.

    Democracy did you say? Why? Because you can still read this?

    That’s a very low standard you have there.

     

    Ranjona Banerji is a senior journalist and commentator. She writes on MxMIndia on Tuesdays and Fridays. Her views here are personal

     

  • We were wondering if there is a trend, when perhaps there isn't one right now. But we asked Dr Bhaskar Das the question nevertheless for the July 19 edition of Das ka Dum. Read on…

    Das ka Dum with Dr Bhaskar Das | After 75 years, Everest Advertising has moved its HQ from Mumbai to Bengaluru. Do we see a larger shift in creative agencies to the Garden City?

    Bhaskar DasWe were wondering if there is a trend, when perhaps there isn’t one right now. But we asked Dr Bhaskar Das the question nevertheless for the July 19 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. After 75 years and seven months, Everest Advertising has moved headquarters from Mumbai to Bengaluru. Do we see a larger shift in creative agencies to the Garden City (the many, many Cannes Lions winning metals were also from Dentsu Creative BLR)

     

    A. I feel happy when a legacy organisation gets out of its comfort zone and embrace discontinuity (even if it is a geographical relocation). I am more than confident that this relocation represents a strategic intent that is in sync with the emergent realities of business-scape. Incidentally, Bengaluru weather (metaphorically for business too) is better than Europe now. So, here’s wishing Everest advertising Godspeed.

     

  • To provide local users with global content in engaging short-video format

    Josh collaborates with Germany’s international broadcaster

    By Our Staff

     

    Josh, short videos maker app, has entered into a one-year strategic partnership with Deutsche Welle, popularly known as DW, Germany’s international broadcaster to provide high-quality content to users on Josh in engaging short-video format. Through this partnership, DW aims to bolster its reach across Bharat with news and informational content.

     

    Speaking on the partnership, Sunder Venketraman, Head of Creator and Content Ecosystem at Josh, said: “We are looking forward to our partnership with DW TV, as we strive to leverage Josh’s reach and deep engagement with Bharat to bring to the users of Bharat news and infotainment from a global perspective. Through this partnership, we aim at empowering our users with knowledge and global awareness using engaging formats and narratives while also ensuring to meet the local language content needs of our audience.”

     

    Commenting on the collaboration, Daniel Schulz, Distribution Manager for DW in Asia, and Jaya Oberoi, DW Distribution Representative for India, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and Bangladesh added: “At Deutsche Welle, we aim to produce versatile content which is not only entertaining and educative but a conversation starter. Our partnership with Josh presents us with a unique opportunity to connect to a much younger and vibrant audience in India. The timing couldn’t be better as we are planning to expand our bouquet on regional languages with DW’s flagship programs in the coming months. We are excited to be joining hands with Josh, in our journey to distribute DW videos to the heart of India.”

     

  • Created by 82.5 Communications, Bengaluru

    Himalaya launches new TVC campaign

    By Our Staff

     

    Himalaya Wellness Company has launched a new campaign for its neem facewash explaining the science behind pimples and how to solve them.

     

    Commenting on the campaign, Rahul Panchal, General Manager – Skin Care, Himalaya Wellness Company, said: “Himalaya has been a pioneer in offering safe, effective, and trusted skin care solutions for decades. “Every Himalaya product aims at solving consumers’ day-to-day personal care problems, and this vision embodies the brand’s mission of bringing Wellness in every Home and Happiness in every Heart. Himalaya Purifying Neem Face Wash is one of our flagship skin care products that has gained trust of crores of Indians to discover ‘pimple-free healthy skin’. With this new campaign, our aim is to educate the consumers and bring to forefront the scientific proof of our efficacy-superiority over the regular face-cleansers.”

     

    Added Sumanto ‘The English Nut’ Chattopadhyay, Chairman and Chief Creative officer, 82.5 Communications India: “The story of Didi advising Chhutki on how to get rid of her pehla pimple works so well for the brand, we want to stay true to it, gently evolving it over executions—just as gently as the brand works on skin to heal pimples. The petal test is the latest edition of our communication. It’s fresh. And it’s convincing.”

     

  • To use extensive influencer marketing for promotion

    Swiss Traffalgaar Luxury Hotels goes for Prose

    By Our Staff

     

    Prose Integrated and its digital arm – Digital Tribe have been trusted with the mandate for PR and Social media by UK-based Swiss Traffalgaar Luxury Hotels. Digital Tribe is entrusted with end-to-end digital duties including SEO management, online reputation management, and enhancing visibility via social media. The mandate includes brand positioning, creating brand awareness, ease of finding the property online, and driving footfalls.

     

    Said Digesh Singh, Executive Director, Swiss Traffalgaar Luxury Hotels: “We are glad to have Prose Integrated as our Public Relations & Digital marketing partner. Their expertise and integrated approach to PR & Digital outreach have resulted in a successful launch of our first hotel in India. We are confident that our partnership will enable us to reach our business goals. Their ability to understand the offering and translate it into consumer benefit in a record turnaround time is commendable.”

     

    Added Setu Shah, CEO, Prose Integrated: “We are excited to collaborate with Swiss Traffalgaar Luxury Hotels. Our experience of building brands ground up has helped us put together a 360-degree plan for Swiss Traffalgaar Luxury Hotels in India. Our Google-backed dashboard-based approach aims to ensure flawless and swift implementation of this plan. Relying on AI-based decision-making processes powered by Google Analytics 360 suite has helped us deliver over 40 million impressions across PR & Digital touchpoints organically for the launch campaign.”

     

  • Will make Finn one of the world’s largest agencies in health innovation

    Finn Partners acquires SPAG

    By Our Staff

     

    SPAG, the health-sector communications and marketing firm, has joined global independent marketing and communications agency Finn Partners. SPAG serves global bio-pharma companies, health trade associations and health provider systems. Aman Gupta, SPAG founder and managing partner, joins Finn as a managing partner and lead for the Agency’s Health Practice throughout Asia.

     

    The addition of SPAG Asia increases the FINN total staff to more than 1,300 employees with more than 150 based in Asia with 275 professionals worldwide dedicated to the health sector. There are no staff redundancies or client conflicts, notes a communique.

     

    Said Gupta: “Among the hallmarks of SPAG is our recognized passion for our people and clients agencies and Bio-Pharma companies, including Imprimis Life (part of Perfect Relations Group) and Lupin Laboratories and Ranbaxy. “Joining FINN enables us to bring additional cutting-edge services, geographic reach, and health-sector and digital expertise to our clients. During the past year, SPAG and FINN worked side-by-side to support client efforts, and this new relationship – based on shared values – expands our services capabilities and opens doors to wonderful staff opportunities and knowledge-sharing around health developments and best practices.”

     

    Added SPAG Co-Founder Shivani Gupta: “SPAG and the Finn Health Practice share the perspective that clients need access to high-impact creative across media channels to be successful across the health payer, product innovation, and provider sectors,”.  “Collaboration enables people to tap into each other’s knowledge and apply it to the great challenges facing health innovators of all sizes and sectors. We are thrilled to be on this journey together.”

     

  • To focus on developing Integrated Communication Strategy

    Grapes bags mandate for Zee Media

    By Our Staff

     

    Zee Media Limited has appointed Grapes as its integrated creative partner. The account won after following a multi-agency pitch and will be serviced by its Delhi office.  The mandate includes Zee News, one of the leading Hindi news channels in India, and the other channels under the Zee Network realm such as Zee Business, Zee 24 Ghanta, Zee 24 Taas, and Zee Digital which includes brands like Bgr. in, bollywoodlife.com and India.com.

     

    Speaking on the development, Anindya Khare, Marketing Head, Zee Media, said: “It is our pleasure to associate with Grapes. The agency has a strong foothold in the market. We look forward to reaching our consumers effectively. The decision to choose Grapes to handle our Integrated Creative Duties was decided based on the intensive pitch where the agency outshined given to their compelling, creative and engaging plan of action. It was completely in sync and united with our strategically devised creative approach.”

     

    Added Shradha Agarwal, CEO & Co-Founder, of Grapes: “It is a proud moment to have a brand like Zee Media as our client. We are quite pleased to have them on onboard. We look forward to building a strong communication base for the network across platforms. We are quite enthralled with the association and will relentlessly help them in building a strong bond with their audience. Considering that Zee Media is one of the largest news networks in India, we strive to amplify its presence and reach amongst the audience with our holistic communication approach that relates to the ethos of the company.”

     

  • Since he's quite a cricket enthusiast, we thought it would be good to provoke him into an answer. But knowing him, we know he'll never get provoked. So here's Dr Bhaskar Das in the July 19 edition of Das ka Dum. Read on…

    Das ka Dum with Dr Bhaskar Das | Everyone and their uncle seem to have commented on Virat Kohli’s form and continuance in the Indian men’s cricket team. So it would be good to also have your views in Das ka Dum…

    Bhaskar DasSince he’s quite a cricket enthusiast, we thought it would be good to provoke him into an answer. But knowing him, we know he’ll never get provoked. So here’s Dr Bhaskar Das in the July 19 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. Everyone and their uncles seem to have commented on Virat Kohli’s form and continuance in the Indian men’s cricket team. So it would be good to also have your views in Das ka Dum

     

    A. There is no doubt that Virat Kohli is going through a bad patch in his career. In fact it can happen to any super-successful sportsman too. India Inc perhaps would have less tolerance to such sustained drought in delivering results. But the concerned player may take some break on his own and decode the reasons for his sustained sub-optimal performance. This can help him introspect and he can come back stronger. After all, his craftsmanship can’t be doubted. May be the pressure of audience expectations has burnt him out. Look how after a hiatus, Hardik Pandya and Yuzvendra Chahal have regained their form and are playing with renewed vigour. Hence, instead of criticising the player, he needs mentoring to solve the root cause of his run drought.

     

  • To de-jargonise, de-clutter and democratise financial wisdom

    Money9 unveils multilingual app

    By Our Staff

     

    TV9 Network has announced the launch of Money9, a multilingual personal finance OTT Channel. The app is now live on Android and IOS platforms with seven language options. “Money9 will be committed to de-jargonise, de-clutter and democratise financial wisdom leading to financial inclusion, wealth creation and financial freedom, targeting audience especially in the hinterland,” notes a communique.

     

    Said TV9 Network MD & CEO Barun Das, “The Money9 app aims to fill a huge gap in the Indian consumer market by offering an unrivalled product that truly makes a positive difference to the lives of 130 crore citizens of this country.”

     

    Talking about the launch, Editor, Money9, Anshuman Tiwari added: “Money9 App offers unique shows for the entire gamut of personal finance categories i.e. Savings, Insurance, Loans, Gold, Property, Mutual Funds, Stocks, Spending, Fintech, Crypto and Policy analysis in short videos, audio formats, including comics and stories from history.”

     

  • Billed as India's first sport, culture and entertainment agency

    It’s Cake-time for Havas India

    By Our Staff

     

    Havas Group India has announced the launch of UK-based creative agency, Cake, in the country. Cake India is billed as the country’s first creative agency specialising in sport, culture, and entertainment. It will be part of Havas Creative Group India.

     

    Cake will be seamlessly integrated with Havas Village India, and work closely with Shobiz Havas and the recently renewed Havas Sports & Entertainment vertical of Havas Media Group India. Cake will further augment the expertise brought forth by Shobiz Havas in the space of activation and deals, and partnerships by Havas Sports and Entertainment.

     

    To lead Cake in India, Havas Group India has appointed Rajika Mittra as Managing Partner. Mitra is better known for bringing in Promax and the India Radio Forum for many years.

     

    Said Rana Barua, Group CEO, Havas Group India: “Over the last few years, we have been strengthening our offerings in India through Meaningful Conversations, launching new expertise, strategic tie-ups, acquisitions, and joint ventures. As a result, in a very short span of time, we grew from 3 to 15 companies and specialist verticals, which has led to unparalleled growth for us,” adding: “As we race back to normalcy, our endeavour is to become the most future-ready network in the country, focusing on introducing first-in-India expertise, products, and innovations. Bringing Cake to India is a resolute step towards that goal. Moreover, there has been a steady increase in India’s young affluent class that wants to be part of new, innovative experiences. Cake will collaborate seamlessly with Havas Village India to drive these reimagined ideas.”

     

    Added Rosie Holden, Chief Executive Officer, Cake: “Cake’s expertise in sport & culture, our channel-agnostic creativity, and boundless passion and energy have always delivered best-in-class work for our clients. We felt that there simply wasn’t a better moment in time than now to bring Cake to India, as it is the most exciting sports & entertainment market in the world right now. And we feel privileged that our partnership with Havas Group India has enabled us to do that.”

     

    Said Rajika Mittra, Managing Partner, Cake India: “What really excited me about Cake was the novelty of the idea. Through my career, I have realised that there is an untapped land of opportunity for a structured ecosystem like Cake in the space of sport, culture, and entertainment. Cake India will help marketers connect with affluent consumers by tapping into their passion-points of sports, culture and entertainment. I’m delighted to lead the agency and confident that we will make a meaningful difference in India.”