Carat, the media agency from Dentsu India, has launched a festive reckoner, ‘Reimagining India’s Festive Landscape 2023’. The report offers insights into the varied phases of an individual’s journey to becoming a festive consumer.
Said Sanchayeeta Verma, CEO, Carat India: “I am super excited to launch this study. Carat has always been a front-runner in bringing to life some core in-depth industry insights. This festive report further exemplifies our expertise in the domain. It has been created on the key pillars of our DFP framework and incorporates the learnings from our attention economy and Lumen studies. The intrinsic details captured in the report will allow brands to develop a renewed sense of purpose, better understand their TG, and tweak strategies to swiftly navigate through their journeys.”
Added Anita Kotwani, CEO Media, South Asia, Dentsu: “Dentsu inherits a futuristic forward-looking approach, finely driven by thought leadership. We take utmost pride in launching this first-of-its-kind festive report, a certain go-to for every marketer. In India, advertisers spend a massive 30-35% of their annual budget during the 45-day festive period. Thus, being distinctive in their media strategy can be a complete festive game changer. The report offers some deeply rooted cultural insights from across geographies to enable brands to creatively customize their media approach and maximize their attentive reach.”
Audio series platform Pocket FM has appointed Vivek Bhutyani as the Vice President of Content Marketing
At Pocket FM, Bhutyani will work closely with Rohan Nayak, Cofounder & CEO and Lalit Gangwar, VP – International growth to drive the international growth charter.
Commenting on his appointment, Gangwar said: “Vivek’s experience and vision are expected to be instrumental in elevating Pocket FM’s position in the audio entertainment space. His passion for results, inclination to challenge the status quo, and proven ability to lead high-performing teams will be driving forces that align perfectly with Pocket FM’s mission to deliver high-quality, engaging audio content to audiences worldwide.”
Lotte India has unveiled its latest marketing campaign title Love & Lotte. The campaign, conceived by Mumbai-based Cut the Crap creative agency and features a series of four versatile TV commercials.
Commenting on the occasion, Milan Wahi, Managing Director, Lotte India said: “We are delighted to be rolling out our new marketing campaign for our beloved flagship brand, Lotte Choco Pie. Our everyday life is filled with fleeting moments of love and care that make life beautiful. We wanted the essence of this to be captured and celebrated with the sweetness of Lotte Choco Pie. As category creators, we continue to enjoy a strong market leadership and through this campaign we want to connect emotionally with our target audience and become a part of their small, joyful moments. This brand campaign creates a truly novel language for Lotte Choco-Pie with a new world of lingo filled with emotions and emojis that will uniquely connect with our targeted customers.”
Bisk Farm, a biscuit brand, has launched a high-decibel 360-degree campaign for its Rich Marie range of products – ‘Me Time, Marie Time’, celebrating the diehard Indian cricket fans’ passion.
Featuring Sourav Ganguly, the brand ambassador for Bisk Farm Rich Marie biscuits, the campaign has been conceptualised by SoS Ideas.
Commenting on the campaign, Vijay Singh, Managing Director, Bisk Farm said: “India is a cricket crazy nation. We feel, there’s a huge contribution of the Indian fans who for their passion for the sport, have transformed the game into a religion in India. Sourav Ganguly is a celebrated personality in India for his immense contribution to Indian cricket and we feel this campaign with Sourav Ganguly in the lead touches all the right chords to create excitement amongst the Indian cricket fans. Cricket is celebrated across all spectrum of life, and biscuit is consumed by everyone and hence it offers a great opportunity for us to promote the brand. We are confident that the campaign will perform well and contribute to our over growth in this cricket season.”
Added Souvik Misra, Director, SoS Ideas: “We are extremely excited to be part of this Sourav Ganguly Cheer for India campaign which is very quirky, over the top and plays deep into the Indian psyche of Sports! Let us all cheer for India.”
Coca-Cola has announced its new festive campaign title ‘Coke-er Shaathe Roj, Pujo’r Mahabhoj’.
Commenting on the exciting new campaign, Arnab Roy, Vice President, Marketing Coca‑Cola India and South-West Asia, said: “Coca-Cola has always endeavoured to become a part of India’s cultural fabric. Our Durga Puja campaign is a passionate attempt to blend into the rich canvas of the ethnic traditions of Bengal. The heartening reception of our film has left us humbled and more committed than ever to continue celebrating and becoming an integral part of such diverse and vibrant cultural experiences.”
Added Sujoy Roy, Executive Creative Director, Ogilvy: “Pujo is so much more than kaash phool, kolakuli and a customary Durga Puja jingle. It is a melting pot of flavours, characters and quirks. We didn’t just want to make a piece of communication that celebrates the generally accepted cliches of Pujo. For us, the real magic of Pujo lies in the minute brush strokes, the intricate moments of love and camaraderie. This film offers an unconventional perspective to Durga Puja celebrations. Seen yet unseen.”
Schwarzkopf, the hair colour and styling brand, has launched its campaign ‘Break the rules and not your hair’, for its colour specialist range.
Said Shama Dalal, Head of Marketing at Henkel Beauty Care India: “Since our entry in the Indian market in 2001, we have stayed true to our brand DNA of consistently bringing in superlative products, benchmark-setting innovations, and complete focus on customer-centricity, while, at the same time, challenging norms and embracing change. We are excited to launch our first-ever digital campaign for Colour Specialist which highlights the importance of breaking the rules and choosing to not compromise with colour. This is a great starting point for us to create more engaging narratives in the at-home hair colour space through multiple touchpoints such as social channels, influencers, on-ground activations and more.”
Mak Lubricants features Rahul Dravid as brand ambassador in its latest TVC.
Said P Sudhahar, Executive Director (Lubes), said: “These TVCs exemplify our unwavering dedication to dependability. They embody our core values of reliability and quality, reinforcing our commitment to delivering exceptional products that our customers can rely on.”
Added S Abbas Akhtar, Chief General Manager (Public Relations & Brand), who played a pivotal role in conceiving, scripting, and positioning these films, added: “By interweaving relatable, real-life situations with the significance of choosing the right engine oil, we’ve crafted narratives that resonate deeply with our audience. Through this creative approach, we aim not only to entertain but also to educate our customers about the importance of making informed decisions regarding their choice of engine oils.”
Is this the final death of advertising as we know it? The last nail on the coffin? Or is it that the communications conglomerate that started it all has forgotten what is branding in their quest for “interconnectivity of brand experience, commerce and customer experiences” words that Jon Cook, Global CEO of VML used to the announce the death of Thomspon, previously J Walter Thompson and Y & R, previously Young & Rubicam.
Not to speak of Wunderman.
Although I don’t think Wunderman was nearly as great a brand as either J Walter Thompson or Y & R, it had certainly gained a reputation starting from its origins as a direct marketing agency.Somehow I am unable to shed tears for Wunderman but to think that both J Walter Thompson and Y & R do not exist even as the initials depresses me. To me, it is the death of creativity and strategy more than the death of advertising. The fact that they had been reduced to initials itself was depressing but I had just begun to accept it.
Strangely, the erstwhile JWT which was named after its founder J Walter Thompson had sold the business at the turn of the early twentieth century because he thought that advertising had no future.While it did well in the intervening 100 years or so it is strange that his spooky prediction about the future of JWT should finally turn out to be true.
So what is VML?
Do those 3 letters conjure up any images in my mind? I am afraid not. Who do those initials belong to and what do they mean to the rest of us? To me, I am sorry to say, it sounds like a company producing scooters at best. Maybe that classifies me as an advertising dinosaur. But even dinosaurs must have their say on history.
John Valentine, Scott McCormick and Craig Legible started VML in 1992 in Kansas City.I never thought that a great communications company would emerge out of Kansas City. Kansas city is known only for BBQ and a mighty good time!
The Challenge for WPP
The question really is how WPP is going to transfer the legacy of JWT and Y & R into a Johnny-come-lately company such as VML. What happens to 100 years of thinking about advertising and branding that made JWT famous?Thanks to stalwarts like Stephen King, Jeremy Bullmore and many others.People who laid down the foundation of the advertising business and built interesting theories about how communication worked. Or the creativity of Y & R who is known to have produced the first colour television commercial in advertising history? Or the theory of Archetypes and how that could be brought to hear on advertising which first emerged from writers that worked at Y & R?
What happens to the legacy of proprietary knowledge, analytical rigour and creative solutionsthese two great advertising agencies brought to bear on the rest of the communications industry?
Or are 100 years of history and knowledge going to dissolve in the vacuous nothingness of AI, technology, customer experience and commerce? That is a lot of words that somehowdon’t convey much to me but are found in the press releases of the new age communications companies.
In retrospect, Wunderman-Thompson was a good example of bad branding from the world’s largest communications conglomerate. Why would they havedelegated Thompson to second place in the first instance? More people surely knew Thompson rather than Wunderman. And in process kill an over 130 year old brand with much higher equity.
Wunderman was a small entity. Thompson was a big entity.Wunderman-Thompson was a non-entity. So I am not even sure I should be shedding any tears now that both of them are dead.
I am sure“Commodore”J Walter Thompson as he was lovingly called must have flipped a few times sadly in his grave last evening when he saw the VML press release.
Goodbye, J Walter Thompson, Young & Rubicam and Wunderman.
Hello, VML, whoever you are!
And Sir Martin what do you think of what your successor is doing?
PS: Meanwhile, Sir Martin’s successor has just got himself another five-year contract from the Board. Share price is trending at a third of its 2015 peak and lagging behind Publicis and Omnicom to No 3.
WPP has announced the merger of Wunderman Thompson and VMLY&R. The combined entity will be known as VML and will be the industry’s largest creative company, notes a communique. VML – in the new avatar – will be operational from January 1, 2024.
VML unites the two creative agencies each with commerce, customer experience and marketing technology capabilities. VML will be equipped to support clients on creative brand growth strategy and transformation initiatives, all powered by data operations, technology platforms and partnerships with leading technology companies. It will also provide an exceptional offer for healthcare companies and B2B marketers.
“Respective client bases, functional expertise and geographic strengths mean the agencies are highly complementary and the combined company will have more than 30,000 people in 64 markets,” noted a communique, adding: “Jon Cook becomes VML Global CEO and Mel Edwards VML Global President, with the broader management team bringing together strong leaders from across both companies. “
Said Mark Read, CEO of WPP: “Scale matters in today’s world as AI and technology transform marketing and global clients look to simplify their relationships. VML will combine world-class creativity with deep expertise in data, marketing technology and platforms to deliver competitive advantage for ambitious brands. It’s another important step forward for WPP as we continue to reshape our offer for the future, simplify our business and unlock further benefits of scale. Separately, Wunderman Thompson and VMLY&R are two of WPP’s strongest and best-performing agencies. Together, they will deliver an even wider, fully integrated suite of capabilities to our clients in every market. Marketers today expect seamless links between their brand advertising and technology solutions and platforms. VML provides an immediate solution to this business imperative.”
Added Jon Cook, Global CEO: “The future of building strong brands and businesses requires the interconnectivity of brand experience, commerce and customer experiences. We recognised the immediate opportunity to create what every consultancy and advertising agency aspires to build with the formation of VML. We’re especially excited to present our new offering to the industry as we don’t believe there is another company as creatively awarded with our depth in customer experience and commerce.”
Sid Mel Edwards, Global President: “This is the right suite of capabilities, offered at just the right moment, at unprecedented scale. It’s incredibly exciting because with this new agency we have the chance to shape the future of modern marketing in every key market around the world. The opportunities it affords our people and the growth we can deliver for our clients at a global scale make this a real game-changer for each business and the wider industry.”
mmediate leadership appointments include Debbi Vandeven, Global Chief Creative Officer; Eric Campbell, Global Chief Client Officer; Juan Pablo Jurado, CEO LATAM; Ewen Sturgeon, CEO EMEA; and Audrey Kuah and Yi-Chung Tay, Co-CEOs APAC.
Wunderman Thompson and VMLY&R have also partnered globally across clients such as Colgate-Palmolive, Dell, Ford, Microsoft, Nestlé, The Coca-Cola Company and more.
Omnicom Chairman and CEO John Wren has named Aditya Kanthy as CEO of the newly formed Omnicom Advertising Services group in India. Kanthy will oversee Omnicom’s creative agencies in the region, focusing on talent, cross agency collaboration, and innovation to drive growth in one of the company’s fastest growing markets. The respective creative agencies within the group – DDB, BBDO and TBWA – will maintain their current branding in the Indian market.
Noted a communique: “Omnicom Advertising Services will bring together the power of Omnicom to provide exceptional integrated solutions to meet the needs of clients in India. The group will capitalize on the top talent housed within its leading networks and work in partnership with other Omnicom agencies, such as Omnicom Media Group, to further strengthen Omnicom’s comprehensive offering in India. Omnicom recently announced the creation of large global capability centers with four campuses out of Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai and Gururam.
Said John Wren, Chairman and CEO, Omnicom: “This year India will become the most populous nation on the planet. It is an important growth engine for Omnicom. By centralising the leadership of three creative powerhouses under Aditya, we will continue to build on our agencies’ strong foundations to deliver a wider breadth of capability and scale for our clients. Aditya brings deep experience to the newly created Omnicom Advertising Services, and our India operations is primed to thrive under his leadership.”
Qyou Media India, in an endeavour to further strengthen its presence in the Connected TV space, has partnered with Bollywood Hungama to launch a new Connected TV channel in Q4 of 2023 called BH Live TV Powered by Qyou Media.
Speaking on the launch of BH Live TV Powered by Qyou Media, Krishna Menon, COO, Qyou Media India said: “In an era where Connected TV is becoming an integral part of entertainment, we at Qyou Media India, continue to recognize the importance of innovation in the FAST category. We aim to curate channels that cater to the varied interests of our audiences, and the collaboration with Bollywood Hungama is a fantastic addition to our portfolio. With this new channel, we aim to further solidify our position in the CTV space and continue providing unparalleled entertainment experiences.”
Added Siddhartha Roy, CEO, Hungama Digital Entertainment: “This partnership of Bollywood Hungama and QYOU Media is poised to introduce an exciting new dimension of entertainment for viewers. In today’s landscape, where Connected TV is a vital part of the experience, we recognize the need for innovation in the FAST category. Our goal is to curate channels that cater to our viewers’ diverse interests, and this collaboration is a significant addition to our content offerings. We look forward to strengthening our presence in this arena and providing our audience with exceptional content tailored to their preferences.”
Tata AIA Life Insurance has launched its new brand positioning theme, ‘Har Waqt Ke Liye Taiyaar’. The campaign was created by Ogilvy India and centres around Tata AIA’s brand ambassador, Neeraj Chopra.
Commenting on the new brand philosophy/theme, Girish Kalra, Chief Marketing Officer, Tata AIA said: “‘Har Waqt Ke Liye Taiyaar’ is a clear, impactful and inspiring theme that effectively communicates our focus on partnering our consumers, enabling them to lead a fikar-free life. It resonates with our endeavor to offer innovative insurance, wealth creation, wellness and retirement solutions coupled with ‘best in class’ service to our consumers, always.”
Added Sukesh Nayak, CCO, Ogilvy India: “Tata AIA’s unique offerings are designed to keep people ‘Har Waqt Ke Liye Taiyaar’. Building on this platform, the campaign takes a tongue-in-cheek view of how fortune-tellers would react to a world in which everyone is fikar-free for their future – thanks to TATA AIA’s life insurance plans. And who better to bring this alive than an elite athlete like Neeraj Chopra for whom being prepared makes all the difference. The country has time and again seen Neeraj’s talent with the javelin, but in this campaign, we hope his masterful acting – pulling off 4 different avatars, will wow audiences.”
By Prabhakar Mundkur
The question really is how WPP is going to transfer the legacy of JWT and Y & R into a Johnny-come-lately company such as VML. What happens to 100 years of thinking about advertising and branding that made JWT famous?