MxMIndia

Author: mxmadmin

  • To step up new, challenging responsibilities

    Ipsos India announces key leadership changes

    By Our Staff

     

    Ipsos India has rejigged roles and announced key leadership changes effective April 1st, 2023.

     

    Vincy Jathanna
    Vincy Jathanna

    Vincy Jathanna, Country Service Line Leader, Observer (Ipsos’ field and tab vertical) Ipsos India, is moving to the Ipsos Data Service Centre (DSC), in a new role of VP Operations. He will report to Haribabu Rajendran, MD, Ipsos DSC, India.

     

    Haribabu Rajendran
    Haribabu Rajendran

    Speaking on the development, Haribabu Rajendran, MD, Ipsos DSC India said: “Ipsos Data Service Centre was set up in April 2022, in Thane, for offshore data services, to cater to the Ipsos global teams on production work started with Ipsos North America and Canada business. The centre in Thane, has now gone up to about 400 employees since its opening last year and the quantum of work has increased, and given the scale and the ambitious growth targets, Jathanna with his vast experience spanning 2 decades, is best placed for this senior, critical role.”

     

    Shailesh Tiwari
    Shailesh Tiwari

    Meanwhile, Shailesh Tiwari, Research Director, Observer is being elevated to lead the Observer service line in India. He will report to Vivek Gupta, managing director, Research. Tiwari has spent over a decade in Observer, handling and executing large scale, complex projects, across sectors, with exemplary client satisfaction levels across sectors.

     

    Karthik Kankanhalli
    Karthik Kankanhalli

    Further, Ipsos India has roped in Karthik Kankanhalli, Research Director, Observer, for driving business development for CX, Channel Performance (CHP), Automotive and BFSI. He’s held key roles in Kantar, Nielsen, and JD Power. Kankanhalli will also report Vivek Gupta.

     

    Amit Adarkar
    Amit Adarkar

    Amit Adarkar, CEO, Ipsos India said: “India is a key priority market for Ipsos. And we are happy to harness the potential of our highly capable staff to step up in taking up new, challenging responsibilities for personal growth and leapfrogging and leveraging the business potential in our high growth market.”

     

  • Use Multiple Creatives to Re-enforce Message Effectiveness, recommends Sanjeev Kotnala

    The More The Merrier

     

     

    By Sanjeev Kotnala

     

    Sanjeev KotnalaI believe in using multiple creatives to reiterate the message. It not only keeps the interest alive but also strongly makes the point. Multiple creatives are more effective when there is continuity, they are linked with a character or strong slogan, take the story forward or are humour based.

     

    In my last week’s article, I suggested using multiple creatives by banks and payment platforms to collectively address the issue of safe digital payments – an industry problem.

     

    Many brands have used multiple creatives to their advantage. A few examples are Rajasthan Tourism – Musicsthan, Janesthan and other series, Coca-Cola- Thanda Matlab Coca Cola, Amazon- Chonkpur ke cheetah, Aapni Dukhaan, Dinshaw’s- Wakao series, Voltas AC- Murthy series, Cred – celebrity series, Policy Bazar – 1 cr ka life insurance, AajTak-  the black and white series- Sabse Tez, Tata Sky – Chota recharge.

     

    In recent times, with the attention span of the audience dropping fast and the brands focussing on digital media more and more, the need for such linked multiple creatives (the shorter the better) reiterating the same message gets enhanced. As they depict different scenarios, the chances of them hitting home with relevant audience sub-segments are much higher. One finds humour-based multiple creatives to work better. As they are more engaging and involving.

     

    Amazon – Aaj kya Khareeda? #aajkyakhareeda

    Amazon uses Multiple Creatives in the campaign Toh Aaj Kya Khareeda. There are different product categories and relationships under play.

    Brother-sister– where the sister buys a deo for the brother and asks him to stop using her personal care product. Grandfather and Grandson– where the grandfather has purchased just batteries at Amazon. The neighbour – where the housewife shares the everyday items she ordered and even states the everyday things expected in the next delivery. Husband-wife – where the wife playfully suggests that she had ordered stuff for her husband.

    The creative strongly drives home the message: Whatever you need, from personal care to stationery, groceries to utensils, you get everything on Amazon! Roz ka samaan Amazon par. And there is a subliminal message that people use Amazon for the most minor things. Moreover, people are buying something daily that simultaneously speaks of trust and ease.

    I wish the brand went a bit quirkier and even showed things people don’t think they will get and buy on Amazon or things that amazon has now made easier to buy.

     

    CADBURY- KISI AUR KI KHUSHI

    As a brand, Cadbury has used Multiple Creatives to powerfully deliver a message and establish the brand’s Goodness, sharing, caring, and love elements. It even stands for saying Thank you – and now in participating in someone else’s happiness. The brand has multiple creatives exploring various situations. The newspaper Hawker and his client in house 302 test riding his new cycle. The employee gets an increment, and everyone celebrates. The lady opening a new parlour and the madam of the parlour where she used to work comes in as her first client to mark the occasion. And the one that I liked the most- the liftman video getting 10,000 views making him a social media star– and so the residents of the building comes to congratulate him. And the brand has also taken it to ground activation- celebrating the house help birthdays. The creatives are simple, dubbed into regional languages, and work equally well.

     

    TATA CAPITAL – QUICK PERSONAL HOME/BUSINESS AND LOANS AGAINST SECURITIES

    Tata, across brands, seems to acknowledge that you need to press a different nerve to tap different segments. To create relevance and impact, the segment must have a slice-of-life situation to relate to. And with the added touch of humour, the message could be delivered efficiently. Be it Tata Sky or Tata Tea, or Tata Capital, the format of a relatable problem is resolved efficiently and with a smile. In the case of Tata capital – QUICK LOAN is the message, and the promise of quickness is delivered digitally in situations with a smile. Be it for marriage, home, personal, education or business loan against securities.

     

     

     

     

    PIRAMAL FINANCE. HUM KAGAZ SE JYADA NEYAT DEKTEY HAI.

    An unbelievable promise in the loan market, but it had to be communicated well. Here are the two decent attempts- but I think they need to explore more and show different scenarios- strata- a business that can benefit from it. Including the family members and the actual situations is a nice touch for the Lohaar and the Home Loan ads. Though in this case, the ads are not that short but are short enough to keep the interest alive and engaged.

     

     

    NET-NET

    In the era of a short attention span, a series of Multiple creatives (the shorter, the better) reiterating the message can be more effective. It allows one to address different nuances of the same issue, thus making it more relevant to a broader audience. Try it out.

    It does not in any way suggest that a single communication exposed with the desired frequency will not work. As the choice will always be determined by the message and the category. I always suggest investing more in the creative process, even at the cost of compromising a bit of media weight. And in the current media scenario and audience interaction with media, I think multiple short creatives can deliver better results.

    …………….……………………………….

  • If you are unsure about paying Rs 6800 for the blue tick, let's read what Dr Bhaskar Das says in response to our question in the March 1 edition of Das ka Dum. Read on…

    Das ka Dum with Dr Bhaskar Das | Twitter Blue has taken off in India. Do you think it’s worthwhile to pay Rs 6800 per year to get the blue tick?

    Bhaskar DasIf you are unsure about paying Rs 6800 for the blue tick, let’s read what Dr Bhaskar Das says in response to our question in the March 1 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. Twitter Blue has taken off in India. Do you think it’s worthwhile to pay Rs 6800 per year to get the blue tick?

     

    A. According to me, I am sure no one is being forced to pay unless the VFM is in sync with consumer’s value perception. Secondly, a lot has been written and talked about the advantages and disadvantages of the verification process, its possible credibility tag and badge value, specially for elites in various fields. Thirdly, if Twitter Blue gains traction/ acceptance in India (at least at a reasonable critical mass level), it could potentially be a source for organisations in targeting prospects in a cost-effective way (I can’t help thinking about business model for any media platform). This might, in turn, result in various innovative collaborative alliances, as it happens in case of other social media platforms, for shoring up the sagging financial fortune of Twitter globally. Having said that, it is needless to say that the advertisers would also evaluate the ROI of such partnerships/ alliances.

     

    The monetisation model managed through steps like charging like Twitter Blue appears to me a step towards a hybrid model, where SVOD and AVOD would co- exist simultaneously, albeit at differential ratios, depending on how the platform delivers experience to various stakeholders. From the above (seeing the impact of Twitter Blue in India) , it seems the initiative would be a success in India.

     

    These are early days of Twitter’s new avatar and I am sure the picture would be clearer in the coming days in terms cost- benefit ratio of Twitter Blue in Indian market.

     

  • Is the brand ambassador of the Company

    Manoj Bajpayee partners with ManipalCigna Health Insurance

    By Our Staff

     

    Manoj Bajpayee features in a promotional ad campaign for ManipalCigna Health Insurance. The actor is also a brand ambassador of the Company and aims to spread the message about the value of health insurance. He mentioned that ManipalCigna’s rich expertise lies in offering several innovative features and fully loaded health insurance products to take care of medical emergencies and accidents. It is always a great approach to be prepared for unforeseen circumstances in life.

     

    ManipalCigna Health Insurance has launched a series of humorous new brand films featuring how he is mixing up his dialogue. His passion towards the expert health insurance brand does seem justified though, as when you get superior benefits with ManipalCigna Health Insurance you wouldn’t remember anything else. Because “Isse accha Health Insurance Expert aur Kahan!”

     

  • The teenpreneur duo that took home INR 1 crore in Shark Tank India Season 2 partnered with Django Digital for their media and content creation mandate

    Django Digital bags Zillionaire mandate

    By Our Staff

     

    Django Digital has added Zillionaire, a high-end fashion jewellery brand, to its clientele. The agency will now manage the brand’s performance marketing and content creation mandate.

     

    The jewellery brand, supported by entrepreneur Anupam Mittal, targets millennials and Gen-Z customers along with having a strong client base consisting of renowned rappers like Divine, MC Stan and celebrities like Ranveer Singh and Karan Johar.

     

    On collaborating with the agency, Aditya Fatehpuria, Co-founder at Zillionaire, said: “We’re elated to associate with Django Digital for leading our media mandate, especially because of the synergy that we build together as one team trying to provide high-end fashion jewellery to its target consumers. An amalgamation of product expertise from us combined with the marketing expertise from the agency is surely going to bring something fruitful to the table.”

     

    Vivek Shah
    Vivek Shah

    Added Vivek Shah, Partner and Performance Marketing Lead said, “It has been a delight partnering with the inspiring young duo who’ve created a high-end profitable fashion jewellery business applauded by the viewers pan-India on national television. We’ve thoughtfully devised a media plan helping the brand escalate from here onwards and are super stoked to join hands with them in this exciting journey.”

     

  • No date announced as yet

    Nickelodeon announces Kids’ Choice Awards 2022

    By Our Staff

     

    Kids’ entertainment leaders Nickelodeon has announced the 2022 edition of the Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards 2022. Although the dates are not revealed so far, some new categories have been added, in keeping with current consumption patterns of kids.

     

    Speaking on KCA 2022, Nina Elavia Jaipuria, Head – Hindi Mass Entertainment and Kids TV Network, Viacom18 said, “Over the years, Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards has not just carved a space for itself with kids but also with the A-listers of Bollywood, TV, Sports and several other spaces as they aspire to be the kid’s favourites. The nominees look forward to winning the coveted Nickelodeon Blimp and the heart of their young fans. It is truly a precious award for many, just like it is truly a special initiative for us. We are confident of presenting yet another power-packed edition of KCA that truly collaborates, creates, and celebrates with our young viewers.”

     

    Added Sonali Bhattacharya, Head – Marketing, Kids TV Network, Viacom18:  “Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards has always been about putting the power in the hands of kids. With the proposition of #It’sAllAboutYou, we have remained true to that promise and reimagined KCA to meaningfully connect with this generation of screenagers. This year’s edition is completely platform and format agnostic and will reach out to kids with innovative experience across screens. We are looking forward to this year’s edition and are certain that it will strike the right chord with our young audience.”

     

  • To be led by RJ Mallishka

    Red FM collaborates with Acko to #WelcomeChange in Mumbai

    By Our Staff

     

    93.5 Red FM has collaborated with Acko India to celebrate a ‘Welcome Change’ in Mumbai. The campaign is aimed to acknowledge changes that have made Mumbaikars’ life easier, better, simplified, richer in experience, and added value to the overall quality of life.

     

    Led by RJ Malishka on her show Morning No.1, the campaign will run in three phases to praise the spirit of Mumbai.  Speaking on the collaboration, Nisha Narayanan, Director & COO, Red FM & Magic FM, said, “Collaborations are ruling out the unilateral approach to businesses. Therefore, in the current ecosystem, partnerships are going to be a determining factor for overall business growth. We are delighted to join forces with ACKO Insurance to upscale the impact of business and get higher visibility to their pragmatic vision. We look forward to being the platform for the sovereign good of the Mumbai city.”

     

    Commenting on the association with Red FM as a part of the larger campaign, Varun Dua, Founder, Acko, said, “Mumbai holds a special place in our hearts as Acko was born here. We chose Mumbai to launch our new brand proposition of ‘Welcome Change’ not only because Mumbai is a strategic market for ACKO but also for the fact that the city has undergone a transformation and has become an example of positive change. We are honored to pay homage to the city and are excited to partner with Red FM, a channel that embodies the spirit of Mumbai. With its exciting and innovative content, we’re sure to strike a chord with the listeners and highlight our proposition of welcome change among them.”

     

     

  • The Thums Up ad very beautifully captures the essence of the film and establishes Shah Rukh as an action hero, writes Vikas Mehta in 'With apologies to none at all'

    Vikas Mehta: Thums Up, Kya Shah Rukh hai right choice?

    With apologies to none at all

    By Vikas Mehta

     

    Vikas MehtaThe Pathan tsunami swept the nation with record-breaking box-office collections. The film. while being a shot in the arm for Bollywood and theatres, with OTT breathing down its neck, also resurrected the career of Shah Rukh Khan. Some of Khan’s previous films had not delivered as expected and with age not being on his side, the romantic hero desperately needed a hit. With calls for boycott of the film by the Hindutva brigade and the impact of a similar boycott call having affected the release of Aamir Khan’s Lal Singh Chaddha, the huge success of the film caught everyone by surprise.

     

    To me, the interesting part about the film was that though it was a typical Bollywood potboiler replete with songs, dance, action, nationalism, Khan had taken a calculated risk by playing an out and out action hero. As against his popular image of a loveable, romantic, heart throb of females, Pathan was a spy thriller in the action genre.

     

    In all this brouhaha, Thums up released a new advertisement as part of its extreme action-oriented, Taste the Thunder campaign. With a pedigree of action heroes like Akshay Kumar, Mahesh Babu, Salman Khan, the last person one expected to be spearheading this campaign was Shah Rukh. And yet the new campaign was almost a replica of the Pathan movie with Shah Rukh being the action hero. See the ad here.

     

    To understand the significance of the move, it’s also important to understand the persona of Shah Rukh as a superstar. Ever since he burst onto the big screen almost three decades ago, Shah Rukh has captivated more than two generations of Indian women. And, yes, I have deliberately said women. Shah Rukh has thrived because he is adored by women across the country and the Indian diaspora. I don’t think he was as much liked by men as he has been the darling of women. My contention actually is not that many men did not like him, but that many actually disliked him because their wives or girlfriends or even daughters adored him. Yours truly is one such example.

     

    And this craze was contagious. Today, in a family, grandmother, mother and daughters are all his fans. They will see his old videos where he is schmoozing Kajol or Rani or Preity millions of times. They will repeat his dialogues. They will swoon over his songs. And they will even copy his mannerisms.

     

    Shah Rukh ruled the hearts of Indian women for almost three generations. He was not the typical chocalatey hero, neither was he the typical action hero. He was unconventional. He could make you laugh, cry, sing along, dance and engage with traits that were unimaginable. His first few roles were negative and even in those negative roles he became the darling of women. How many remember the hero of Darr? His K-K-K-Kiran stammering caught the fancy of his fans. His intensity came through not just in serious roles but also in romantic roles or in comic scenes.

     

    It is against this backdrop that one must look at Pathan. Shah Rukh had again made an unconventional move.

     

    This article though is not about Shah Rukh, the actor, but Shah Rukh, the marketing genius. In his heydays, Shah Rukh became the face of Pepsi. His unconventionality fit the brand personality of Pepsi being unconventional, rebel and in sync with the times, perfectly. Shah Rukh and Pepsi produced some iconic commercials which like his films are etched into our collective memories. You can watch some of them here and here and here.

     

    The timing of the new Thums Up advertisement therefore makes me believe that this was a calculated move, more likely by Shah Rukh, than by the brand. Shah Rukh was taking a risk with Pathan. He was now an action hero. And he needed to compliment the same. What better than a new ad for a soft drink brand? The ad very beautifully captures the essence of the film and establishes Shah Rukh as an action hero. The fact that the ad is not just a rip-off of the film but has been thought through, has a detailed storyline, has some very good production values, and, most importantly, has not been done in a hurry goes to show that it is a win-win for both the brand and the star. The brand was taking minimal risk. Even if the movie had not done well, the ad would have stood out. And with the movie now being a smashing hit, the brand is basking in its glory. The star’s new avatar fit into the personality of the brand.

     

    Incidentally, the other Khan, Aamir too did something similar. Though it was not as calculative or obvious as this one. When Aamir came into films he was a typical teenybopper hero who was dancing around the trees, playing pranks and had the image of a carefree youngster. Pepsi capitalised on the same and used him in a path-breaking Indian version of the Michael J Fox Pepsi ad. Incidentally, the same ad also launched Aishwarya Ray and Mahima Chaudhry. You can watch it here

     

    More than two decades later, when Aamir’s persona as an actor had changed with Lagaan, he was now seen as a mature, thinking, non-formulaic, yet an actor who could deliver big hits, Aamir did some very interesting ads with Coke, fitting the brand personality of Coke being fun but mature and more family oriented. See the ads here and here.

     

    The interesting thing to note here with Shah Rukh Khan is that this new persona of his is not to stay. It will not erase Shah Rukh’s image as an unconventional romantic at heart hero. His action avatar will just add to his unconventionality.

     

    So, does that mean that the brand will also be using Shah Rukh temporarily? We live in an age where a film is forgotten in a few weeks. Pathan, I think has already had its run. Sure, its effect will linger and it will be talked about for some time, but a brand has a consistent and enduring personality. Can it afford to use Shahrukh long term, much after the Pathan episode has been forgotten?

     

    Has it made the right choice for a brand ambassador?

     

  • He moves to TBWA from Adfactors PR where he led digital-first integrated creative mandates with the company and helped scale up its digital practice

    TBWA appoinst Ranjeev Vij as MD

    By Our Staff

     

    TBWA\India has appointed Ranjeev Vij to the role of managing director, Nissan United 3.0 and Executive Director north, with immediate effect. In his new role, Vij will be tasked with further elevating the impact of the Nissan United team, along with “driving an ambitious growth strategy for the agency”. He moves to TBWA from Adfactors PR where he led digital-first integrated creative mandates with the company and helped scale up its digital practice.

     

    Speaking on Vij’s appointment, Govind Pandey, chief executive officer at TBWA\India said: “Having someone with Ranjeev’s unique blend of expertise in the intersection of consumer experience, technology, data, and design will only further accelerate our ambition to be the leader in total brand experience and disruptive thinking. We look forward to what will be a very exciting year for the team and the business.”

     

  • He joins BBH from TBWA\ India where he was Managing Partner – creative

    BBH India appoints Parixit Bhattacharya as CCO

    By Our Staff

     

    BBH India, part of the Publicis Group, has announced the appointment of Parixit Bhattacharya as Chief Creative Officer. He joins BBH from TBWA\ India where he was Managing Partner – creative.

     

    Speaking about the announcement Dheeraj Sinha, Chairman, BBH India said: “We are very excited to welcome Parixit as part of the BBH India leadership team. Parixit is a modern creative thinker and his work speaks for itself. His passion for delivering transformational work powered by creativity and his leadership skills made him perfect choice to take helm of the agency’s creative product. I look forward to working together and chart the next phase of BBH India’s success story, taking the BBH black sheep and zag philosophy to newer heights.”

     

    Speaking about his appointment, Bhattacharya added “I have pretty much manifested this gig. So, I will do my best and a half to build on the virtues of BBH India and add what’s needed to become a prolific creative company. I look forward to making a place of fun that creates objects of desire in all mediums relevant to our audiences and brands. I am incredibly energised to work with the incisive and purposeful Dheeraj (who also cracks me up every time I speak to him) and the rest of the leadership team made up of astute practitioners of advertising including the immensely wise Himanshu. I begin at BBH with love, reverence, and a sense of magic. Let’s go team!”

     

  • Conceptualised by Havas CX India, the tension-free campaign

    Aegon Life partners Havas CX India for innovation

    By Our Staff

     

    Aegon Life Insurance has launched a campaign for its flagship term product, iTerm Prime. The campaign, dubbed ‘iTerm Toh Tension Khatam’ is a print ad that comes to life on mobile and sings for its audience.

     

    Conceptualised by Havas CX India, the tension-free campaign reinforces the brand’s commitment to making every household financially secure.

     

    Talking about the campaign, Akhil Almeida, Head of Marketing, at Aegon Life Insurance, said: “iTerm Prime makes life insurance accessible to Emerging India – the aspirational class who needs insurance but does not have the documents that are required by legacy insurance companies. It removes a lot of barriers that stand in the way of consumers getting adequate financial protection. iTerm Prime is easy to buy, affordable, requires zero documentation, and can be tailored to suit a consumer’s needs.

     

    With this latest innovation, we’re now resetting expectations for what traditional media can achieve. Not only is it building salience and trust, but it’s showcasing the product in a way that benefits the customer. A person viewing this ad doesn’t need to download an extensive brochure or get spammed by unwanted sales calls. They can make the decision right then and there – and secure their loved ones in a jiffy.”

     

    On the campaign launch, Prashant Tekwani, Managing Partner, Havas CX India, said, “Life Insurance in the mind of the consumer is very confusing, and the brands and the terms and conditions don’t help much. When we partnered with Aegon Life, we fell in love with the approach of being “Easy and Honest”, and this innovation and campaign is an attempt towards the brand’s philosophy. When we first heard about the product and the inspiration behind its design for “Emerging India”, we wanted to go beyond the idea of a simple print ad. Print is an important medium in the consumer journey for the product, and when it is blended with innovative technology, the result makes you sit up and take notice. We created the interactive print ad to talk about the product and give consumers an experience that brings it to life, keeping in mind the product and its benefits for the self-employed segment of India. We are proud to make this idea come to life with Aegon Life.”

     

  • To increase visibility and awareness among potential students

    Born Hi partners with London School of Business Singapore

    By Our Staff

     

    Born Hi Digital, an integrated digital marketing agency, has been awarded the digital mandate for London School of Business Singapore, a renowned global business school in Singapore. The aim of this partnership is to increase London School of Business and Finance( LSBF) Singapore & LSBFx’s visibility and awareness among potential students and other stakeholders.

     

    As part of the digital mandate, Born Hi will develop and execute an integrated digital marketing strategy for LSBF Singapore & LSBFx. This includes social media marketing, email marketing, content marketing, and performance marketing. The primary goal of the partnership is to establish a foothold of LSBFx, an online vertical of LSBF Singapore in India & SEA markets, with courses like online MBA, DBA and other courses in partnership with top universities across the globe.

     

    Said Sandeep Sreekumar, Vice – President, Born Hi: “We are delighted to partner with London School of Business and Finance Singapore on this exciting digital mandate. Our digital marketing expertise, coupled with LSBF’s reputation as a top business school, will help us create and execute a successful digital marketing strategy that meets their unique needs.”