MxMIndia

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  • Features 100 bitesize predictions

    Wunderman Thompson unveils annual trend almanac

    By Our Staff

     

    Wunderman Thompson unveils annual trend almanac ‘The Future 100: 2023’. It features 100 bitesize predictions that offer a splash of colour, inspiration, and an insightful glimpse into 2023.

     

    The outlook, from the 9th edition of the annual essential trend almanac which offers a snapshot of the most compelling trends to keep on the radar for the year ahead, says that despite on-going economic and environmental crisis, people are choosing joy.

     

    Coined by Wunderman Thompson Intelligence as the ‘Joyconomy’, the rise of trends such as ‘Elevated Expressionism’, ‘Feel-Good Feeds’, and ‘Ageless Play’, demonstrates the opportunities for brands who lean into consumers’ desire for inspiration and optimism, as people become are determined to show resilience, innovation, and joy in the face of continued hardship.

     

    Emma Chiu, Global Director of Wunderman Thompson Intelligence says: “In a year when all signs should point towards a bleak and chaotic outlook as a rocky economy, political instability, and environmental deterioration persist, we’ve found that there are endless opportunities for brands to tap into this consumer mindset as last year’s unbounded optimism shifts to an exuberant need for uplift and play.

     

    “Community, creativity, and colour vibrantly paint 2023. The stress of the past years has put an emphasis on optimizing both the mind and body to empower an elevated self; the lightning pace of technology sees the evolution from building to living the metaverse (with every aspect of our lives being explored in this new frontier of customer experience); and people are demanding that brands use their influence to better society by putting accessibility and inclusion at the fore,” she continued.

     

    In addition to the rise of the ‘Joyconomy’, highlights include:

    :: Culture – Indigenous Innovation: Indigenous Techniques are forming regenerative approaches to managing the environment

    :: Tech & Metaverse – Techcessibility: Companies are redesigning their digital environments for greater accessibility

    :: Travel & Hospitality – Temperate Travel: Rising temperatures will prompt travellers to seek out cooler destinations

    :: Brands & Marketing – Amplifying Diverse Creators: Growing calls for authentic representation in advertising are driving a wave of brand collaborations with marginalized creative talents

    :: Food & Drink – Cell-cultured Dishes: As cell-cultured food moves from lab to grocery store, luxury dining may be the first beneficiary

    :: Beauty – Resurrected Ingredients: Brands are bringing back extinct and forgotten sensory ingredients

    :: Retail & Commerce – Crisis Retail: As the financial crisis bites, brands are stepping up to help their most vulnerable consumers

    :: Luxury – Residence at Sea: The next-gen digital nomad is taking to the sea—in style

    :: Health – Menopause Retreats: From HRT education to nutritional advice, retreats designed specifically for the menopause journey are on the rise

    :: Work – Generation Flex: Employee expectations are rising. Despite economic woes, could the balance of power be tipping in their favour?

     

    Naomi Troni, Global Chief Marketing & Growth Officer at Wunderman Thompson said: “The world is on the brink of recession, and it has never been more important for brands to be on top of the latest trends that will define consumer spending in the year ahead. With competition for share of mind and pocket becoming increasingly tough, The Future 100: 2023 reveals the essential, unexpected, and occasionally jaw-dropping insights that will help forward-thinking brands stay ahead.”

     

    ‘The Future 100: 2023’ from Wunderman Thompson’s futurism, research, and innovation unit, Wunderman Thompson Intelligence, has been compiled by a leading team of trend analysts, bringing together exclusive expert interviews and proprietary research.

     

  • To lead all branded content work across all businesses at OML

    OML appoints Manav Parekh as the Creative Head

    By Our Staff

     

    OML Entertainment, content studio and creator management company, appoints Manav Parekh as its Creative Head for its Branded Practice. His role at OML will see him as head creative, leading all branded content work across all businesses at OML.

     

    Tusharr Kumar – Chief Operating Officer – OML Entertainment said: “At OML, we’re always looking for people who want to work at the cutting edge of the digital content evolution. In fact, we’re attracting talent from traditional advertising agencies and businesses as they want to work in a collaborative space that gives them a canvas to express on in newer, unconventional ways, a space that’s the future in the creator and creative ecosystems. Manav’s ability for brand storytelling and understanding of the new media space will help us drive a big impact for our brand partners – old and new. We’re looking forward to working with Manav and continue building the creative teams at OML”

     

  • The anthem is written by Gulzar and sung by Armaan Malik

    Nickelodeon rolls out new anthem and campaign

    By Our Staff

     

    Nickelodeon rolls out brand-new anthem and campaign ‘#DoTheNickNick’ to usher in 2023. The campaign features India’s favourite Nicktoons, celebrates kids, and encourages them to look forward to 2023 with a positive and exciting outlook. The anthem is written by Gulzar and sung by Armaan Malik.

     

    Speaking on what the franchise has in store for the year, Viacom18 Hindi Mass Entertainment & Kids TV Network Head, Nina Elavia Jaipuria said: “2022 was a year of milestones. We entertained, engaged, and empathized with our young audiences through the highs and lows in new and innovative ways. As we begin the new year, we once again reiterate our promise to our viewers of bringing the best stories and characters. Our new anthem champions exactly what Nickelodeon stands for = ‘Nick for Kids and Kids for Nick.’ We are excited on presenting a power-packed year, further reinforcing our bond with kids.”

     

  • To introduce its paneer as the new fun protein

    Freshey’s unveils new TVC

    By Our Staff

     

    Freshey’s, ready-to-cook brand from the house of WayCool, food and Agri-tech platform, unveiled a new TVC campaign.

     

    Commenting on the new campaign, BP Ravindran, Chief Business Officer, WayCool said: “We are delighted to roll out this campaign celebrating the daily banter and relationship between the mother and the child while showcasing Freshey’s Paneer as a delicious accompaniment or treat. The film will be very relatable to children and young mothers while communicating the product’s attributes – convenient, fresh and fun.  We are certain that this campaign will accelerate our journey to become the preferred choice of Paneer and will nudge consumers to include protein (Paneer) in their regular meal regimes, more often.”

     

  • To implement its strategies effectively for the brand

    Elite Marque bags PR mandate of UnlistedKart

    By Our Staff

     

    Elite Marque, Corporate PR and Influencer Marketing Agency, has bagged the PR mandate of UnlistedKart, a tech-enabled and equity market-making platform. The agency will be in charge of the company’s media responsibilities, advocacy and strategic brand positioning, influencer engagement initiatives, and reputation management in India. The agency will service the account from its New Delhi office.

     

    Speaking about the strategic agreement’s announcement Rajat Grover, Founder and CEO, of Elite Marque Public Relations said: “With new-age startups, unlisted shares have also been trending in the markets, and for investors, it has become more intriguing to invest in Pre-IPO companies. Many investors are determined to invest in Pre-IPO companies due to their higher returns. But currently, in the market, the IPOs are delayed for a couple of reasons becoming a hindrance to selling their profits. But UnlistedKart is the ultimate solution for buying/selling private blocks/unlisted shares and provides liquidity solutions in the secondary marketplace.”

     

    Added Krishna Raghavan, Dy CEO of UnlistedKart: “We are pleased to have Elite Marque onboard and we are hopeful that their efforts will help us expand our reach and achieve our corporate communication goals. We look forward to a fruitful and long-lasting partnership with them.”

     

  • It's a Friday and we thought we would provoke our Wizard with Words with this question. And were we successful in our plan? Well, find out for yourself. Here's Dr Bhaskar Das in the January 20 edition of Das ka Dum. Read on…

    Das ka Dum with Dr Bhaskar Das | There are many who find ‘Naatu Naatu’ from RRR no great shakes. But it’s won several awards for the Golden Globe. What’s your view? Did it deserve to win?

    Bhaskar DasIt’s a Friday and we thought we would provoke our Wizard with Words with this question. And were we successful in our plan? Well, find out for yourself. Here’s Dr Bhaskar Das in the January 20 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 or click here: https://www.mxmindia.com/category/columns/das-ka-dum/

     

    Q. There are many who find ‘Naatu Naatu’ from RRR no great shakes. But it’s won several awards for the Golden Globe. What’s your view? Did it deserve to win?

     

    A. I wonder why we can’t celebrate success of our own work, even when an international award like Golden Globe has acknowledged the RRR song?  Obviously one can differ with any accolade as this is an individual choice. But that conclusion can’t be thrusted on the universe. I feel it’s a great accomplishment of our music composition fraternity and it’s great that the same has been appreciated on a global platform. Period.

     

  • Despite no box-office presence of note for almost a decade, Shah Rukh Khan’s is a case study in what true superstardom is, writes Shailesh Kapoor

    SRK: The Last Superstar Standing

     

     

    By Shailesh Kapoor

     

    Shailesh KapoorFive days hence, Shah Rukh Khan’s Pathaan will release worldwide. The film marks the return of SRK to the cinemas after an unusually long gap of more than four years since his last release Zero in December 2018. During this period, the actor has featured in some cameos, most recently in Laal Singh Chaddha and Brahamstra. But it’s been quite some wait to see him in a lead role again.

     

    The wait seems even longer because his last few releases have ranged from being unremarkable to disappointing. The search for an SRK film that did well at the box-office and found audience appreciation too would take us back to 2013, when Chennai Express released, and then further back to 2008 and 2007, when Rab Na Bana Di Jodi and Om Shanti Om released, respectively.

     

    It’s been a decade, then, since we saw SRK deliver a film worthy of his superstar status. But 2023 is the year where he seems to be in a hurry to correct that. Pathaan will be followed by Atlee’s Jawan and Rajkumar Hirani’s Dunki. All three films have an anticipatory vibe to them. Pathaan is set to open huge, on the right side of Rs 40 crore, and its second day is likely to cross the 50 cr mark, with the Republic Day national holiday push.

     

    How SRK has managed to maintain his stardom, despite no box-office presence of note for almost a decade can be a mystery to many. But it’s also a case study in what true superstardom is, and how it manifests itself.

     

    The tag ‘superstar’ is used so loosely by the media today, that it has lost its real meaning. When I was growing up in the 80s, Amitabh Bachchan was the only reigning superstar. None of the other stars of the time, such as Mithun Chakraborty, Rishi Kapoor and Anil Kapoor, carried that tag. Only in the early 90s did Shah Rukh Khan get associated with that word. Sunny Deol, who had some huge box-office successes in the 90s, was not called a superstar either. In fact, Madhuri Dixit was the only other star in the first half of the 90s to enjoy that status.

     

    Somewhere from the mid-90s, the media started using the word more liberally. Today, it is used almost interchangeably with the lesser version “star”, which itself is used to describe almost every other actor, including those who do not carry any box office pull at all.

     

    SRK’s stardom was built in the 90s, through a spate of successful love stories, some conventional and others experimental for their time. His romantic persona continues to be his dominant pop culture imagery, a tribute to which is the one of the brighter spots in Laal Singh Chaddha. But the actor has been keener on exploring the action genre in recent years, because of his age and also his personal preference for it. But he’s still looking for a big action blockbuster that gets the box office going beyond just the opening weekend. Pathaan hopes to be that film.

     

    In an era of excessive content and media options, including OTT, short videos and social media, building a superstar persona seems next to impossible. The aura of superstardom came with an idea of inaccessibility and scarcity, which today’s media ecosystem does not support. It’s safe to say that we have already seen the last of our true-blue superstars. And Shah Rukh Khan could be the last man standing from that list, if 2023 is any indication.

     

  • "We have been threatened as journalists consistently over the past eight years, more than ever before, including the Emergency," writes Ranjona Banerji

    Ranjona Banerji: How many of us crave PIB control?

    By Ranjona Banerji

     

    Ranjona BanerjiHow far before we become a completely authoritarian fascist state? Well, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology’s new proposal to monitor and remove journalistic content on the pretext of fake news is a chilling reminder of what this government wants to do to the media. The law, should it come into effect, will make the Press Information Bureau – a government department – the final arbiter of what is fake and what is not. If the PIB deems a piece of news to be fake, the news has to be removed from all digital platforms.

    No clever argument can disguise what this is – a blatant attempt to destroy whatever remnants we have left in India of a free press. The first duty of the press in a democracy is to speak truth to power and that means the government of the day, the establishment. This barely happens in India anyway, especially since 2014. If the government now decides what is news and what is not, then that is the effective end of a free press.

    The Editors Guild of India and other media organisations have objected to proposal. Lawyers have pointed out that the law is unconstitutional.

    https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/centre-alone-cannot-determine-fake-news-says-editors-guild/article66398004.ece

    https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/business/govts-proposal-to-remove-content-that-pib-marks-fake-leaves-scope-for-misuse-is-unconstitutional-experts-9895811.html

    What difference this makes to the government depends on how seriously journalists take this. So many have already capitulated, some even willingly, to government control that solidarity as we have seen is almost impossible. We have been threatened as journalists consistently over the past eight years, more than ever before, including the Emergency of 1975 to 1977. And yet, we have been unable to bring ourselves together as one voice. This proposed draft amendment to the IT rules, giving the final decision of what is fake and what is not to a Central government employee is one more straw. Is this the one that will break the camel’s back? Is this the one which will get us to stand up and say “no more”?

    I’m not even joking.

    But take a look at this week. Several pro-Modi, pro-BJP and pro-Central government editors and TN anchors took to social media this week, full of outrage, to point out that India’s top wrestlers, including medal winners, were on a protest against a Wrestling Federation office-bearer and no one was paying attention to them. The allegations are of sexual assault. Yet, not one of these editors and anchors made it clear that the accused was a member of the ruling BJP. Not one called the ruling party and its functionaries to account. And these are all big names in the media. Who could not even name an accused because he belonged to the BJP.

    Should we laugh now?

    The first response of the Government of India to a BBC documentary on Narendra Modi and his role in the Gujarat riots of 2002, and his relationship with Muslims, is to get the BBC, Youtube and so on to take the documentary off air in India.

    There is nothing in India: The Modi Question which was not said at the time, that has not been seen before, that has not been talked about since. Part of the documentary is based on an internal report by the then British foreign secretary Jack Straw, who is quoted as saying that the riots were a “stain” on Modi. And yet the government has not only tried to stop Indians from watching the programme, but also called it a “propaganda piece”.

    https://www.telegraphindia.com/world/riots-a-stain-on-narendra-modi-says-former-british-foreign-secretary-jack-straw/cid/1910953

    This is intriguing. Is the BBC running some propaganda campaign against Modi? What is this propaganda? Pro Indian democracy and secularism. The programme includes interviews with people like Swapan Dasgupta, a former journalist who contested elections on a BJP ticket and is a vociferous admirer of Modi and a defender of the RSS’s non-democratic views including Hindutva.

    India is high up on the list of countries which shuts down the internet when it does not suit the government. We sit on this list with dictatorships. And yet, our best-known journalists say nothing when Modi and his ilk call India the “mother of democracy”.

    Given this situation, we can only hang on to our shreds of dignity and democracy, and hope against hope this attempt to muzzle the freedom of the press in India will fail.

     

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

     

  • Pays tribute to farmers and soldiers on Republic Day

    BKT Tires unveils brand campaign

    By Our Staff

     

    Balkrishna Industries Ltd., (BKT), tire manufacturing company, has released a brand campaign. The anthem, titled ‘Muskurayega India’, which salutes the unmatchable contribution of farmers and soldiers, is produced by JJust Music, for the occasion of Republic Day.

     

    Said Rajiv Poddar, Joint Managing Director, Balkrishna Industries: “While it is easy to get caught up in our everyday life activities, we desired to do something special this Republic Day and honor the true unsung heroes of our nation – the farmers and soldiers. ‘Muskurayega India’ is a tribute from our entire company to these individuals who are the backbone of our economy. They play an integral part in building unity in our nation and celebrate diversity in the most unique manner.”

     

  • The Indian consumer is not just price conscious but value conscious too, writes Vikas Mehta

    Are you barking up the right tree?

     

     

    With apologies to none at all

    By Vikas Mehta

     

    Vikas MehtaIndians want free programming. Indians will not pay more for data. Indians buy the cheapest option.

    Jio succeeded because it gave free data for more than six months. Netflix is not doing well because it is not cheap.

    Sometimes, I am amused at such cliches which are used to define success or hide failures. Sure, price is important. Definitely, everyone loves free. But it would be imprudent to define failure or success due to such unidimensional thinking. And, no, Indians are not some out of the world consumers who live by a different paradigm.

    There are two factors here. One is the definition of value and the second is the role of other marketing factors which accentuate the free or cheap story.

    Let’s look at some examples. Netflix which became a household name globally worked on a simple premise. Great programming which is ad-free. The OTT channel invested a huge amount of money into producing independent programme content and dished it out on the back of subscription fees. It was lapped up globally and even in India its numbers initially were impressive. But then after it had reaped the low hanging fruit of urban, English-speaking affluent Indians, it stuttered and spluttered. The reason trotted out was its premiumness. Its subscription cost was Rs 799 per month. Compare that to Amazon Prime which then was Rs 999 a year and Hotstar which was around the same. Netflix was almost 10 times more expensive. To woo the Indian audience, the channel put out a Rs 199 a month mobile phone offer and then reduced that to Rs 149. Other rates were also slashed by around 20-60%. It seems, that barely moved the needle and Netflix subscription in India languishes at around 6 mllion subscribers.

    So, the above statements about Indians and cheap or free etc.

    But that’s barking up the wrong tree. Let’s look at the Netflix product. It has very little programming in Indian languages and the subtitles option relevant for India are only in Hindi and English. According to the 2011 census 46% of Indians claim Hindi to be the first language and 11% claim English to be the same. So, even if we ignore that some percentage of such Hindi speakers may not be comfortable reading Hindi, this means that more than 55% of Indians have a problem with Netflix as a product. And mind you, subtitles is always a compromised product. The bare minimum that Netflix needs to do in India is start dishing out subtitles in at least six-seven more languages.

    This brings me to the second point. There is not much value to pay for a channel whose product to a big majority of Indians is not suitable. Specially, when compared to local competition like Hotstar or Amazon Prime or Sony Liv. Because these, offer something extra too. Some sports like cricket or football or free online delivery which Amazon Prime offers. And of course a deluge of Indian language programmes.

    Indian consumer is not just price conscious but value conscious too.

    What about Jio, you say. Of course, Jio gave free services for about 9 months after launch. But do not forget, it had a great product. Not only was it 4G but Jio was giving it out in spades. Till Jio came on the tariff of all telecom service providers was call centric. So many calls, so many SMSs and a miniscule amount of data per month. A typical post-paid plan which cost around Rs 400 per month would give 2-3 GB a month data. Jio turned it around on its head. It’s launch plan for Rs 149 for 28 days included 1.5 GB a day data and unlimited free calls and SMSs. The price was down by 80% and data had increased by almost 20 times. Was that cheap or was it more value?

    Now let’s look at a category like soaps. This is a category where brand loyalty is tested quite often. And enough brands are available which cover not just all price segments but also all imaginable features and benefits. In the plethora of these brands Godrej No.1 was launched with a high TFM Grade 1 claim. Not an easy differentiation to express but they did a decent job. And they did not stop at that. They discovered a new pricing. Actually, pricing in the garb of an offer. Buy 3 get 1 free. And then they made only these packs available. Value? Yes. Indians love more value for the same price.

    But India is not a large pack market. Sachets have revolutionised the Indian market. So, by making only buy 3-get-1 free packs available was Godrej barking up the wrong tree?

    Actually, it was a classic case of right product with the right pricing, right promotion and also right retail push. Retail push because the retailer now had the opportunity to pocket more money. India being a single unit market, the retailer would break open the pack of four and sell each pack individually. Even if he sold it at a lower price than the MRP he was actually selling one extra pack, the whole value of which was his earning. Not just the margin but actually the selling price. And this was being done by the retailer. So, he was not just happy but would actually push the brand, citing TFM, grade1 soap. And currently I see the brand being sold in large packs only. Sometimes even pack of 8 or 9. It’s not being targeted just at the consumer but at the retailer. It’s value for the retailer too.

    Value and price is fast evolving into a challenge for the brands. Traditional discounts are being traded with value. When one is dealing with aspirational products like say 5-star hotels, it hurts them if they have to offer big discounts during off season or when occupancy is low. If an average room costs Rs 25,000 per night and occupancy is low then the standard way of looking at the situation is to cut prices. For a hotel, at midnight the value of an unoccupied room becomes zero. Their thinking is that instead of zero even if I can get Rs 10,000 then it’s a bargain. Therefore late night deals and sites like booking.com give massive discounts to very late bookings. But Hotels now are changing the game. They are trying to attract a different target, those who aspire to stay at 5-star or want the comfort of a great room but till now cannot afford it. The concept being used is less value for less price. So, the room is available at Rs 15,000 or even Rs 12,000 but the resident cannot use the gym and the swimming pool and of course, no free breakfast. Suddenly, a whole new market opens up for the hotel.

    We Indians are famous for jugaad. But the above sort of thinking where value is redefined, where product is redefined and where new rules are explored is what is redefining jugaad and making  marketing more exciting today. The question that every marketer needs to ask themselves today is “Are we barking up the right tree?”

     

  • For financial education among younger audiences

    Vantage Markets ropes in Supercar Blondie as Brand Ambassador

    By Our Staff

     

    Vantage unveils Supercar Blondie as Brand Ambassador

    Vantage International Group Limited (Vantage or Vantage Markets), multi-asset broker, unveils Alexandra Mary “Alex” Hirschi, known online as Supercar Blondie, an Australian social media celebrity, as its Brand Ambassador.

     

    Marc Despallieres, Chief Strategy and Trading Officer at Vantage, said: “We are truly excited to work with Supercar Blondie once again, in a greater capacity as our brand ambassador. Her adventurous attitude, tech-savvy, and global appeal makes her a perfect fit for us to raise Vantage’s brand awareness among younger and more discerning audiences. I know her unique presentation style will help demystify trading, and make it approachable and relevant for all.”

     

    Alexandra Mary Hirschi says, “I am all for bringing exciting and transformative content to our audience. One of our key goals in 2023 is to empower our audience by providing accessible financial education materials. With that, I’m thrilled to partner with a market leader like Vantage to raise the bar on financial education and strengthen financial literacy for all. Vantage is a company with a big heart, and it’s exciting to see the impact we can make together.”

     

  • Invites every Indian to participate and celebrate the Idea of India in their own way

    Wunderman Thompson partners with The Times of India for campaign

    By Our Staff

     

    The Times of India launches The Idea of India  an epic film to celebrate the invisible thread that binds India. The idea of the seamless thread that has held us all together as one nation over the 75 years of our Independence.

     

    Created by Wunderman Thompson India, the campaign is live across national news media, social media and various digital platforms. #WhatMakesUsOne campaign has a unique hashtag that invites every Indian to participate and celebrate the Idea of India in their own way.

     

    Commenting on the campaign, Kaustuv Chatterjee Brand Director  TOI & Languages, said: “Over the past decades India has made rapid strides in various sectors, and this has fuelled a sense of pride in the nation’s growing stature in the world. In this context, our new initiative from TOI – #WhatMakesUsOne, focuses on the many unifying threads that make up our Idea Of India. Despite our diversity and multiculturism, the threads that unite us also drive our growth in the world today powerfully. Just look at what’s happening in Space-Tech, Defence, IT, Sports or our cultural influence across the world. We hope this initiative will spark conversations and connections around What Makes Us One, as we prepare to celebrate our 74thyear of becoming a Republic.”

     

    Senthil Kumar, Chief Creative & Film Director, Wunderman Thompson India, added: “INDIA WAS AN IDEA LONG BEFORE IT BECAME A FREE NATION. It was the song from a thousand years ago. It was the spirit of thousands of freedom fighters. It was written in blood by the thousands who laid down their lives for our freedom. It was the same thread of unity in diversity and adversity and festivity. It is the same thread that continues to bind us as one nation, in spite of our diverse differences. It is the invisible ektara that stirs our souls and ignites our hearts. This binding thread of tolerance and inclusivity is represented as the thread of light cinematically and metaphorically in the powerful Times Of India narrative form.”

     

    Said Joy Chauhan, Sr. VP & Managing Partner, Wunderman Thompson, Delhi: “The idea of India is a campaign that makes you pause and yet again fall in love with our magical nation. What makes us one is a question with over a billion answers. Its depth is unseen and uncharted. Today with our potential and the will to lead this world the Idea of India has never looked brighter. It was an opportune time to celebrate our diversity and #WhatMakesUsOne We are proud to partner the iconic Times of India in this celebration.”