MxMIndia

Author: mxmadmin

  • To amplify its core beliefs

    OmTV unveils new campaign

    By Our Staff

     

    OmTV, the spiritual OTT platform, has announced the launch of the new campaign #AppSahiSochSahi.

     

    Said Nitin Jai Shukla, Founder & MD of OmTV: “Right from the inception, OmTV’s aim has been to inspire individuals to adopt a positive mindset by focusing on solutions, growth, and gratitude. We believe that by encouraging positive thoughts, individuals can overcome challenges, foster resilience, and lead happier and more fulfilling lives. With this thought, we are kickstarting this campaign and will be leveraging the power of technology and social media to spread this message.”

     

  • Flaws and trolls notwithstanding, Twitter is easy to use and -share while Meta is adept at invisible manipulation of users, writes Ranjona Banerji

    Can ‘little boy’ Musk match ‘devious’ Meta?

     

     

    By Ranjona Banerji

     

    Ranjona BanerjiA thread is a series of connected tweets on Twitter.

    (Okay, a thread is many other things but in this social media universe we live in, this is one definition.)

    Threads is also the new Twitter-ish app/platform launched by Meta.

    For a while now, users of the world’s most popular and yet largely unprofitable social media platform (which is not about influencers and short videos) have tried to find a suitable alternative.

    The reasons were many, and that’s even before maverick billionaire Elon Musk bid for and was forced to buy Twitter because his tantrum was taken seriously in the world of grownups.

    Twitter’s policies regarding fascist governments, regarding trolls, regarding bigotry led to much unhappiness. Often algorithms would misunderstand sarcasm or anger, which would lead to people being suspended. Redressal methods were not always clear. And the refusal to let users edit simple mistakes was irksome.

    The first big move was a Mastodon, a community-run platform. In the beginning it was great. The trolls did not find it comfortable. So it appeared to be less toxic. The community-monitoring –whatever the technical term is — made it feel safer and friendlier. But in the end, it became a bit boring.

    The tragedy for the newsperson and the news seeker is, no matter the loud protestations to the contrary, good news is not exciting. People’s eyes glaze over and they move on. Many “good news” pages have tried and failed in newspapers. We are creatures of gossip, excitement and most of all, schadenfreude. That is why gossip magazines, or now websites, or Insta accounts about celebrity wrongdoings outstrip more serious journals in popularity. Spice and crime, that’s the base. Gossip runs the human race.

    So maybe the goodie-goodies stayed with Mastodon. The rest moved out.

    The big problem with Twitter, and this has nothing to do with Musk, is that it created an easy to use and share platform. Flaws notwithstanding. You could catch the news from a large variety of global sources. You could open discussions with people from everywhere, famous, infamous, unknown, like-minded and diverse.

    Yes, the trolls could be toxic and difficult. Yes, reporting them was not always successful. But for the person interested in world events and commentary, Twitter is invaluable. Even after Musk removed the safeguards and sacked the staff that attempted to keep Twitter safer, it is still easier to use.

    Threads as of now, has its possibilities. Although it belongs to Meta, which owns Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp and thus has an enormous captive base, Threads is not the best designed. As of now, it is not easily negotiable. Even if it is a Twitter copy, it is not a clone. Its attempt to be different has not made it any better.

    Perhaps these are minor glitches. Meta has been largely successful in bringing in users – the massive shift to Threads is a case in point – and keeping them sweet. The problem of course is that Meta’s track record shows that it is even worse than Musk when it comes to promoting rightwing bigotry. Meta is also far more adept at invisible manipulation of users.

    Musk is like a little boy with his new toy which he didn’t really want, doesn’t understand and is now uncertain whether to destroy or make it work his way. Meta is devious and has far more experience with social media.

    As of now, Twitter runs on its own steam, on the legacy left behind by its founders. One of whom, Jack Dorsey, has now formulated his own Twitter alternative, Blue Sky, still being tested.

    So if you lose the thread, perhaps you can still fly?

     

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

     

  • Vaz will also lead regional and marketing for Viacom18's digital entertainment business, across geographies.

    Kevin Vaz joins Viacom18 as CEO-Broadcast Ent

    By Our Staff

     

    Kevin Vaz

    Senior media professional and long-time Disney Star CxO Kevin Vaz has joined  Viacom18 as CEO-Broadcast Entertainment. Vaz will also lead regional and marketing for Viacom18’s digital entertainment business, across geographies. This announcement was made by Akash Ambani and Uday Shankar at a leadership townhall held at the company headquarters on Monday (July 10).

    Vaz will operate out of the Viacom18 headquarters in Mumbai.

     

  • The scope of the mandate will include creating cornerstone campaigns for the brand, including ATL, BTL and digital

    Mamaearth onboards Havas as AoR

    By Our Staff 

     

    Mamaearth, the beauty and personal care brand, has named Havas Worldwide India, the creative arm of Havas India, as its agency on record (AOR), following a multi-agency pitch. The scope of the mandate will include creating cornerstone campaigns for the brand, including ATL, BTL and digital.

     

    Anuja Mishra
    Anuja Mishra

    Speaking of the association, Anuja Mishra, Chief Marketing Officer at Honasa Consumer Ltd, said, “Mamaearth is a brand built on millennial beliefs and choices. In a short period of 6 years, the brand has emerged as an innovative and disruptive new-age beauty and personal care brand. We believe that in our next wave of growth, it would be imperative to further drive scale by exploring and disrupting different categories across cohorts, geographies, and channels. In this endeavor of driving growth anchored on brand love, we are stoked to welcome Havas Worldwide India (the creative arm of Havas India) as our creative agency partner. The team at Havas has the advantaged mix of strong planning and creative credentials and experience in servicing legacy and new-age brands. Havas Worldwide India’s appointment comes at the back of an exciting and rigorous creative pitch process. The agency has demonstrated a strong understanding of fundamental consumer insights and an appreciation of the pivotal shifts in consumer beliefs coupled with a compelling storytelling ability.”

     

    Jaibeer Ahmad
    Jaibeer Ahmad

    Added Jaibeer Ahmad, Managing Partner, North, Havas Worldwide India: “In a world where the beauty industry is under constant scrutiny and the pressure to constantly evolve at a rapid pace, Mamaearth is a clutter-breaking brand. Their dedication to developing innovative solutions and pushing boundaries aligns well with our creative vision. We are excited to work with a forward-thinking brand like Mamaearth, where we will effectively leverage our knowledge and passion to enhance their message and engage their audience in a meaningful way. We look forward to partnering with them on their growth journey and collaborating to shape a compelling brand presence in the hearts of consumers.”

     

  • Everyone loves the Brooke Bond Red Label film. It  does bring a smile, but that’s where the problem starts, writes Sanjeev Kotnala

    The OG Social Network

     

     

    By Sanjeev Kotnala

     

    Sanjeev KotnalaOn World Social media Day, Brooke Bond Red Label  tea film toasted tea as the Original Social Network of the country. The advertisement went viral over current social media platforms. The timing was just right.

    Naturally, films like this had varied reactions. The public quickly recognised the insight and smiled at the contextual placing of the social media terms with relevant visuals of people consuming tea. The people associated with advertising, marketing and communication had polarised reactions. Some liked and appreciated it, and many questioned the strategy behind it, the purpose it aimed to solve and what it can achieve for the brand.

     

    The Red Label Original Social Network Of India.

    The film is a kaleidoscopic collage of slice-of-life situations where tea is the conversation facilitator. The Brooke Bond Red label film is well-made, and the voice-over is excellent. It is only a smart contextual justification of the social media terms with making and sharing of tea.

    Now, the brand presenting ‘Tea as India’s Favourite Social Network’ seems an obvious statement and not an insight. But any brand could have explored it. The truth is, no one did it before Red Label. Some regions in the country may debate and suggest coffee or hard drinks as the favourite social network or platform, but that is a story yet to be explored.

    Red Label film does bring a smile. Everyone loves the film! That’s where the problem starts.

     

    Red Label Film Lacks Strong Branding.

    The branding is not a strong point of the film. In most cases, the audience misses the brand. Few associated it with Tata Tea which keeps doing fresh creatives on relevant subjects like Climate change. However, the brand tonality is different. A lot many associated it with Wagh-Bakri for the film tonality; watch Rishto Ki Garmahat.

    It is unacceptable for any brand unless this is a one-off attempt with low media weights and cost of creative. Maybe it is the ‘Brooke Bond Red Label’ push in category development. However, the film does nothing. It was more like the better-made AV that agencies used to present in Annual Review Board in the 1990s.

     

    Different Take Over ‘Red Label’- The Original Social Network Of India

    A few of the advertising veterans did believe that the Red Label, the Original Social Network Platform of the country, is a brilliant piece of communication. The brand Red label has been all about Desh ka pyala in their communication, like Hospital, Dooriyo Mai aapnapan,  Hindu-Muslim bridge, and Swad Apnepan ka are full of warmth and bringing people together. The social network film is a contemporary representation of the same. It still works under the larger umbrella of ‘Swad Aapnepanka’.

    The brand uses contemporary situations and relevance in life while holding on to the old charm. The earlier advertisement Surprise Visit is one such example after all “kuch gharon ki chai mein apnepan ka swad hota hai.”

     

    Generation Gap In Reactions.

    The newer generation sees nothing much in the film. Exploring and exploiting the emotions linked with drinking tea and layering it with social network terminology. That’s it and they find nothing great in it. Yes, it brings a smile; that is all the brand gets from this interaction.

    The older generation gets a superiority complex of not missing much and enjoying their non-tech social networking over cups of tea.

    Communication can hardly make tea contemporary and increase consumption! However, the new generation objects to advertising, emotionalising every bit of brand interaction. Someone said it best; why should it always be about ‘bleed the heart, bring out the tears’? Why can’t it be more playful and happy?

     

    Net-Net

    It is an excellent AV, something one could be proud of presenting at the annual review boards, press meets and maybe at the tea drinker club. It merely stops at raising a toast to tea on World Social Media Day- attempting to contemporise and present tea as the original social network platform. Nothing more, nothing less. The audience expects more from Red Label and the agency.

    Thank god the brand is not preachy and has moved from its past folly of Kumbh – where elders can get lost- intentionally or unintentionally.

     

  • To drive home the need for Term Insurance

    Rishabh Pant features in HDFC Life campaign

    By Our Staff

     

    HDFC Life insurers has collaborated with Rishabh Pant to create a campaign aimed at driving the need for term insurance. The objective of the campaign is to encourage individuals to financially secure their loved ones against unforeseen circumstances.

     

    The film showcases the real-life story of Rishabh Pant and his journey of realisation. Through the film we see glimpses of his numerous accomplishments, moments of happiness and the experience that taught him the biggest lesson of his life.

     

    Said Vishal Subharwal, Chief Marketing Officer and Group Head – Strategy, HDFC Life: “The film captures the true essence of life while bringing the spotlight on the core benefit of term life insurance. We hope that the powerful real-life story of Rishabh Pant, a role model for many and a world-class athlete, serves as a pertinent example to make one realise the uncertainties of life and the need for financial protection. Most Indian households find it hard to sustain their living standards in the absence of adequate life insurance cover. We sincerely hope that this campaign will educate and inspire more individuals to secure their families with Term Insurance.”

     

    Rajdeepak Das, CEO & Chief Creative Officer, Leo Burnett, South Asia said, “The pandemic has left us with a false sense of invincibility. With this campaign we wanted to reiterate that not everyone gets a second chance at life. The biggest mistake we can make is to not learn from our mistakes and to bring home the message of unpredictability. We drew inspiration from the real-life incident of cricketer Rishabh Pant where he survived a near-fatal road accident. Our campaign breaks the illusion of invincibility and reiterates the importance of financial planning.”

     

  • To drive brand reach across Connected TV audiences

    Max Life partners with Samsung Ads

    By Our Staff

     

    Samsung Ads India, the advertising division of Samsung Electronics India Private Limited, and Max Life Insurance Co. Ltd (“Max Life”/ “Company”) have unveiled the first of its Connected-TV (CTV) advertising campaigns on Samsung Smart TVs across India.

     

    The digital ad features Indian Cricket Captain Rohit Sharma and his entrepreneur wife, Ritika Sajdeh. The objective of the partnership is to expand the reach of this digital ad that talks about the importance of financial protection for loved ones, rooted in Max Life’s brand philosophy, ‘You are the Difference’. The ad film also captures ‘India Ke Bharose Ka Number’ to highlight the company’s industry leading claims paid ratio of 99.51% as a representation of trust.

     

    With this approach, Samsung Ads India has helped Max Life to develop a comprehensive understanding of audience segmentation and viewer preferences on Samsung Smart TVs via automatic content recognition (ACR) technology.

     

    Leveraging Samsung Ads India’s leading ACR data, Max Life gets access to unique audiences and develops a comprehensive understanding of audience segmentation along with preferences.

     

    Rahul Talwar, EVP & Chief Marketing Officer at Max Life said: “We are excited to launch our first-of-its-kind Connected TV campaign with Samsung Ads India and enter an exciting customer outreach territory. Connected TV provides triple benefits to our brand– the ability to reach a large and growing audience, the ability to target ads to specific demographics, and the ability to measure the effectiveness of ads in real time. We will continue to harness this platform to drive our narrative of ‘You are the Difference.”

     

    Added Prabhvir Sahmey, Senior Director India at Samsung Ads India: “As the pioneers in CTV advertising, we’re seeing more results driven marketers lean in and take advantage of CTV. CTV can open up a whole new world of advertising opportunities such as driving incremental reach, improving brand salience or driving frequency amongst more affluent audiences. We’re excited to work with Max Life to see what valuable insights and results we can drive together with this campaign and in the future.”

     

  • Mature Consumers are an overlooked multi-trillion-dollar opportunity

    BCG tables new report on Customer Insight

    By Our Staff

     

    Boston Consulting Group (BCG) Center tables new report  on Customer Insight. The report details Why Companies Should Not Ignore Their Mature Consumers.

     

    Brands that underestimate mature consumers—the nearly one billion people worldwide who are 50 to 70 years old—are missing out on a multi-trillion-dollar market in today’s challenging economic environment. Mature consumers constitute a large and growing segment that is currently responsible for 27% of spending (around $7 trillion) each year across nine product categories in 12 key markets. Mature consumers are relatively resilient to economic shocks, buy high-quality products that they value, and exert considerable influence on younger consumers’ purchasing decisions. Nevertheless, brand marketeers often ignore them. These consumers are the focus of a new report being released today by Boston Consulting Group (BCG) Center for Customer Insight.

     

    Titled Don’t Overlook Your Mature Consumers, the report looks at the 870 million consumers in the 50- to 70-year-old age bracket across 12 markets—Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Spain, Sweden, Thailand, the UK, and the US—that collectively account for almost half of the world’s population. The size of this consumer demographic will continue to increase over the next several decades, reaching almost 1.1 billion in 2050 across these countries.

     

    Said Aparna Bharadwaj, a BCG managing director and partner who leads the firm’s Center for Customer Insight globally, and is a coauthor of the report: “Mature consumers are often ignored by brand marketing, largely because of a number of lingering misconceptions. They are perceived as being price sensitive and reliant on brick-and-mortar stores for their purchases. Nothing could be further from the truth. But marketers fail to recognize their role as trend setters, and they struggle to engage them through conventional marketing techniques.”

     

    Mature consumers are active online, with 90% using social media platforms daily. Although they appreciate being able to engage live with sales agents, they also value the convenience of using online channels—sometimes even more than their younger counterparts do. In the US, for instance, 46% of mature consumers purchase apparel online, compared with only 36% of the younger demographic.

     

    Contrary to conventional wisdom, the 50- to 70-year-old consumer segment is much more likely to influence younger consumers than the other way around, across all product categories included in the study. This is especially true with regard to large-ticket items. About 36% of younger consumers reported being influenced by mature consumers in their vehicle purchases versus only 15% the other way around, and about 31% of younger consumers were influenced in their investment choices versus 15% the other way around.

     

    Within the 50- to 70-year-old age group, a concentrated 20% of top spenders, termed vibrant mature consumers, account for approximately 55% of the group’s total expenditures across the product categories included in the research. The category-specific numbers range from 50% of spending on vehicles and 54% on travel to 68% on investment products. Vibrant mature consumers tend to be happier, enjoy a more active lifestyle, and worry less about money than other mature consumers.

     

    Added Patrick Witschi, a BCG associate director and a coauthor of the report: “Marketers too often underestimate the value that mature consumers bring to a brand, especially the concentrated vibrant mature consumer segment, and as a result they struggle to engage them using conventional marketing techniques. A nuanced approach is needed to win their trust and loyalty, including tailoring messages to their interests and inclinations, providing factual information via direct, personalized interactions, and designing omnichannel purchasing journeys dedicated to them.”

     

  • Named Social Tweebs

    Ventes Avenues launches influencer marketing vertical

    By Our Staff

     

    Ventes Avenues is a Mobile AdTech Company, ventures into the creator economy with its latest influencer marketing vertical, Social Tweebs. The all-in-one data-driven agency, assisting brands to scale-up their business with authentic creator-led content & optimizing 20%-50% of their influencer marketing spending.

     

    Access to reliable analytics for measuring the effectiveness of campaign performance remains a challenge, with only 40% of brand marketing leaders having easy access to accurate influencer-marketing metrics. Consequently, nearly one-third (29%) face challenges in persuading upper management about the effectiveness of influencer marketing. To address these issues, enhanced search capabilities backed by the power of AI have become a better way for brands to find creators and influencers for partnerships.

     

    Fauzan A Rahim, Co-Founder of Social Tweebs said: “Millions of people are making a living monetizing their passion and creativity, going forward our enhanced search capabilities will make the discovery of creators and their content easier for brands while empowering the flourishing influencer economy.”

     

    Aniket Shah, the Business Head of Social Tweebs, added: “Data-driven decision-making is the key to unlocking the full potential of influencer marketing. With advanced insights and enhanced search capabilities, Social Tweebs empowers brands to navigate the dynamic influencer landscape and shape the future of brand collaborations.”

     

  • First franchisee under the 'Roadies Rostel brand'

    Roadies Rostel & Viacom 18 launch theme resort in Amd

    By Our Staff

     

    Roostels India, in collaboration with Viacom18 Consumer Products, opens one of its kind experiential holiday staycation in India. Roadies Rostel in Ahmedabad in collaboration with Leisure ARC is the first franchisee under the ‘Roadies Rostel brand’.

     

    Through Roadies Rostel in collaboration with Leisure Arc, guests can look forward to an immersive experience and unmatched hospitality. They can also participate in various sports and leisure activities. The Ahmedabad resort also has 17 Roadies-themed rooms that have been specially designed, keeping the needs of today’s travellers in mind.

     

    Commenting on the launch, Amit Shah, Managing Director Leisure ARC, said: “We are delighted to be a franchise partner of Roadies Rostel. Our property has been specially designed to cater to the needs of adventure enthusiasts, and guests can expect comfortable accommodations with modern amenities, delicious local cuisine, and a vibrant community of like-minded travellers and explorers. Roadies Rostel Leisure ARC offers a unique experience and will be a popular weekend destination for people of Ahmedabad and attract backpackers from across the country.”

     

    Added Sachin Puntambekar, Business Head, Consumer Products, Viacom18: “We are thrilled to announce the launch of Roadies Rostel, in Ahmedabad. This is a significant first step in the journey of Roadies Rostel and we look forward to redefining the boundaries of hospitality and bringing the spirit of Roadies to the realm of travel and backpacking.”

     

  • It was a pointless question to ask, given that the choice of Threads over Twitter is purely a personal decision. Be that as it may, we asked the question, and here's Dr Bhaskar Das in the July 13 edition of Das ka Dum. Read on…

    Das ka Dum with Dr Bhaskar Das | Is switching to Threads a wise thing to do?

    Bhaskar DasIt was a pointless question to ask, given that the choice of Threads over Twitter is purely a personal decision. Be that as it may, we asked the question, and here’s Dr Bhaskar Das in the July 13 edition of Das ka Dum. Read on…

     

    If you wish to access the archives, please go to the Das Ka Dum tab on the website’s top navigation bar or click here: https://www.mxmindia.com/category/columns/das-ka-dum/

     

    Q. Is switching to Threads a wise thing to do?

     

    A. It’s too early to give a judgment on the question with certainty. It’s one thing for a big tech company like Instagram (read Meta) with billions of users to introduce a new social network, leveraging its popularity and large user base. It’s another thing to ensure its instant success through fast user adoption in the faddish and fickle social media market.

     

    The strategic intent behind the launch of Thread is not only to leverage Meta’s large user base, but also , I presume, to torpedo/ squash a leading competitor’s brand (unarticulated though but Elon Musk’s tweets reveals such a possibility). It’s a usual marketplace practice. Collateral damages are a normal phenomenon.

     

    What does history says though is that one can’t extrapolate past to future. But, as they say, one who doesn’t learn from history is bound to repeat it. Let’s go back to 2011 when Google (now Alphabet) rolled out a social network app called Google+. It was discussed in the business circle that it was a possible move to destabilise Facebook (now Meta). Come 2018, Google+ was relegated to history though the marketer did everything to win allegiance of its large consumer base. Using scale, especially in case of tech companies, is a standard practice of leveraging built-in advantage. But is size always a competitive advantage in the loyalty fragile social media market? That’s a million or billion dollar question. Would Thread enable its users to find friends and influencers that Twitter has managed to accomplish, so far? How does a tech giant ensure to keep spams and grifters from flooding the new app.

     

    I have no answer to that. You and I can try to be an early adopter and start threading but the real answer to your question is hidden in the wombs of the future.

     

  • A 6-month internship programme and career development opportunities

    Havas India flags off Havas Spark 3.0

    By Our Staff

     

    Havas India has flagged off the third edition of its flagship internship programme, Havas Spark. Launched in 2021, the programme set the bar high in terms of interest from applicants and outcomes as evidenced by the number of interns hired, which was 16 and 22 in 2021 and 2022 respectively. This year, the initiative aims to onboard 20 interns, putting greater emphasis on the specifics and rigour that each role brings, while simultaneously providing more opportunities for interns to work in tandem with the senior leadership team across the network’s various agencies & divisions.

     

    Rana Barua, Group CEO, Havas India, said: “Havas Spark has become a standout program in our network and the industry. It embodies our commitment to making meaningful contributions to the community and advertising world. It has now become the definitive standard for nurturing and introducing new talent nationwide. This ensures that our legacy and future are in capable hands, as we not only build a successful business but also empower these young minds to become tomorrow’s leaders.”

     

    Vandana Tilwani, Group CHRO, Havas India, added: “I am extremely excited to launch Havas Spark 3.0. This year’s edition has been meticulously crafted to provide our interns with the best possible exposure to the industry and familiarity with its working methods. By the time they graduate, we will already have a team capable of showcasing their finest abilities. Our structured and practical approach ensures that the interns will be the best-in-class in the industry. Interns from our previous batches are now firmly rooted in the Havas India ecosystem, and we are looking forward to the new pool of candidates to once again embark on this rewarding journey together.”