MxMIndia

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  • Future Group, Lifestyle and Woodland clock record sales as Republic Day discounts help retailers bounce back

    R-Day discounts see shoppers flock to malls

    By Sarah Jacob & Ratna Bhushan

     

    Indian shoppers are back in malls, buying everything from food and furnishings to crockery and winter wear to make the most of the Republic Day discounts and end-of-season sales, raising hopes among retailers that demand will pick up over the next six months.

     

    India’s largest retailer Future Group posted its highest weekly sales last week while others such as department store chain Lifestyle and footwear maker Woodland reported high sales growth as heavy discounts helped retailers bounce back after a sales slump in the past two months.

     

    “This has been the biggest week ever,” Future Group Chairman Mr Kishore Biyani said. “It has set the pace for the rest of the year and we are changing our outlook for the year to positive,” he added.

     

    Future Group reported national combined retail sales of Rs 650 crore between Monday and Sunday (January 23-29), 25-30% higher than last year, as its 210 Big Bazaar and Food Bazaar outlets ran the ‘Sabse Saste 5 Din’ promotion offer and apparel and home products chain Central offered a flat 50% discount on 100 brands. Mr Kabir Lumba, MD of Lifestyle International, which operates Lifestyle and Max department chains, said sales have grown both year-on-year and sequentially.

     

    “A large chunk of sales in the second half (of the financial year) has come from discounted merchandise because of the depressed trading conditions in November,” he said. Lifestyle increased discounts to 50% on the Republic Day weekend from 40% end-of-season sales.

     

    But analysts warn the jump in sales does not necessarily indicate a revival in consumer sentiment because it is driven by discounts. “The increase in sales is not yet an indicator of whether consumer sentiment is back. The right picture would emerge after the Budget and state elections,” Mr Purnendu Kumar, senior VP (retail) at management consultancy Technopak Advisors, said.

     

    He, however, added that retailers can continue to offer discounts as long as there is high demand. “Markdowns in margins are budgeted by retailers as they expect to balance it out with higher volumes,” Mr Kumar said. Retailers such as Future Group, Reliance Retail and Shoppers Stop have seen a slump of up to 30% in November and December.

     

    Retailers Ride on Discounts

     

    Slowing economic growth, high inflation of more than 9% until December and consistent increase in interest rates for almost two years have affected consumer sentiment.

     

    Republic Day sales are part of the end-of-season sales, and usually extend across four weekends starting from mid-January. This year, several retailers, including Lifestyle and Spencer’s Retail, advanced the sale to liquidate stocks.

     

    Food Bazaar and Big Bazaar stores contributed the largest chunk of 65% to the record sales of Future Group during the Republic Day week, whose clothing store Pantaloon and furniture and home furnishings chain Home Town too ran regular price-off schemes during the week. “Food sales exceeded our expectations; followed by sales of crockery, furnishings and luggage. Sales of durables were marginally lower than our expectations,” Mr Biyani said.

     

    He attributed the sales to aggressive prices and promotional offers by the retailer. While Big Bazaar and Food Bazaar did not extend the discount period compared to the previous years, Central, Home Town and Pantaloon have been running promotions for a week extra compared to last year. Footwear and adventure gear maker Woodland posted 22-25% growth in the end-of-season sales period.

     

    “Although winter started later, the cold got more severe this year, resulting in even high-value jackets and sweaters flying off shelves in the discount period,” Woodland VP (strategy & planning) Mr Amol Dhillon said. The company intends to derisk from seasonal changes next fiscal by breaking down its autumn winter range with lighter sweaters in November and heavy-duty jackets in January, he said. Organised retail accounts for close to 5% of the overall $450-billion market.

     

    Tough times

     

    Mr Thomas Varghese, MD and CEO of Aditya Birla Retail and chairman of the CII National Committee on Retail, last week told reporters that the retail sector was facing challenging times and the past two months had been very bad for the industry.

     

    He attributed the slowdown to inadequate funding, lack of sufficient space for expansion and talent crunch. The sector grew 25-30% last year. “If we are to look at the current trend, we are in a challenging situation and 2012-13 also does not look like a great period as of now. It is going to be a period of cautious optimism,” he had said. With the economy slowing down, several companies are expected to temper hiring and lower increment handouts, which could add to the caution.

     

    While sales of packaged consumer goods have not been hit, food and grocery retailers said sales had slowed around 5-10% since November. One such retailer, who did not wish to be named, said consumers had even started substituting pulses with vegetables, which have become cheaper. Also, several food and grocery chains broke off ties with meal coupon companies such as Sodexo, which hit sales as several companies offer their employees meal coupons as part of salaries.

     

    Better days ahead?

     

    The sector is banking on foreign investment in multi-brand retail and private equity funding to fuel growth. Ratings agency Fitch, meanwhile, has assigned a stable outlook to the retail sector for this year, riding on sales growth-driven expansion and efficient working capital management.

     

    “Retailers could be exposed to economic headwinds, leading to a decline in consumers’ discretionary spending because of higher inflation and interest rates… However, sales growth, stable margins, efficient working capital management and flexibility to defer or tone down expansion plans are expected to result in a stable credit profile for Fitchrated retail companies,” it said.

     

    Fitch said margin pressures created by extended discounting periods to push volumes growth could be mitigated by price hikes and lower prices of raw materials such as cotton.

     

    Source:The Economic Times

    Copyright © 2012, Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. All Rights Reserved

     

  • The agency will focus on improving communications across the health & wellness community, with a strong eHealth and information technology focus

    Publicis Healthware launches India presence at Health 2.0

    By A Correspondent

     

    Publicis Healthware International (PHI), part of Publicis Healthcare Communications Group (PHCG) – the largest healthcare communications network in the world, has launched Health 2.0 inIndia.

     

    PHI is an integrated agency focused on improving communications across the health & wellness community, with a strong eHealth and information technology focus. As one of the largest global digital agencies, PHI has developed a strategy which focuses on three key service offerings: consulting (innovation planning, change management and e-business strategy), communications (digital marketing, web development, e-detailing, e-CRM, e-learning, e-science, health 2.0 and KOL management) and eBusiness solutions (software platforms, business solutions and proprietary tools to increase the deployment of the digital tactics).

     

    Publicis Healthware International (PHI) will be based in Mumbai and would be spearheaded by Abhijit Shitut, Jt. Managing Director and Kiran Pai, Jt. Managing Director at Publicis Life Brands Watermelon.

     

    Roberto Ascione, President of PHI is currently in India to launch the new PHI presence, as well as, to promote its most recent product, Videum.com, a global health video portal able to globalize video assets leveraging an exclusive subtitling technology and featuring unparalleled search engine optimization.

     

    Ascione spoke on his plans for the Indian market at the Health 2.0 conference inDelhi: “Indiais an emerging information superpower. The digital medium is catching on fast with more and more people becoming web-savvy.Indiahas the largest population of new users after theUSandChina. Healthcare needs are growing and so are awareness levels. People are demanding better and more effective healthcare solutions. In fact, ‘healthcare’ is one of the most searched and Googled words inIndia. Launching PHI will help us widen our reach and aid us in getting a strong foothold inIndia.”

     

    Ashley Kuchel, President of PHCG, APAC, further elaborated: “With a growing focus on providing clients an enhanced digital experience, the launch of PHI inIndiastrengthens our position in this sector. With this initiative, we hope to increase our APAC footprint and become a formidable digital entity inIndia.”

     

    Abhijit Shitut echoed the sentiments: “Today, every healthcare client inIndiahas digital ambitions. Our clients for a long time have been demanding a keener expertise in digital solutions.”

     

    Kiran Pai added: “With PHI’s products and capabilities now added to the Publicis Life Brands portfolio, we can now call ourselves a full-service healthcare agency that would enable us to provide more focused and integrated campaigns; empowering client businesses to grow manifold.”

     

  • Starbucks in equal jv joint venture with Tata Global; to open cafe in India soon

    Soon you’ll be able to get your favourite Starbucks Espresso in India

    Starbucks Corp, the world’s largest coffee shop company, will open its first cafe in India in August through an equal joint venture with Tata Global Beverages, the two partners said on Monday.

     

    The venture, Tata Starbucks Ltd, will spend 400 crore initially and open 50 Starbucks cafe across the country by the end of the calendar year. The initial stores planned in Delhi and Mumbai in August. The move is part of the $10-billion-plus US firm’s strategy to focus on emerging markets such as India and China to drive future growth rates.

     

    “India is a unique market and we have gone through big transformation since the last four years,” said Mr John Culver, president at Starbucks China and Asia Pacific.

     

    While the core deal would be between Starbucks and Tata Global Beverages, it will work with other Tata Group firms such as Tata Coffee and Taj Catering. For instance, Tata plans to sell its mineral water brand Himalayan at Starbucks outlets in markets outside India. And the venture will leverage group firms’ properties for setting up Starbucks outlets.

    The deal comes a year after the Seattle-based firm signed an deal to buy green coffee beans from Tata Coffee’s Coorg facility and explore opening retail shops in the country. Starbucks manages over 17,000 stores in more than 57 countries and sells a wide variety of coffee and tea products along with food items, primarily through retail stores.

    The coffee cafe industry is on an expansion spree, led by market leader Cafe Coffee Day, to cash in on their increasing popularity among young consumers who have more disposable income than their previous generations.

     

    Source:The Economic Times

    Copyright © 2012, Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. All Rights Reserved

  • Rajesh Gangwani lists what is absolutely crucial before, during and after making a pitch to the client

    The Anchor: 5 things to follow when pitching for a new biz

    1. Getting all the facts right

    The more you know about the client and the key stakeholders involved, the context in which the pitch is being called for, with due diligence regarding client business fundamentals, the marketing issues facing the brand in question, the competitive agencies you are up against, the more it will help in channelizing the agency’s efforts in the limited time frame that is available to do justice.

     

    1. Getting the Brief right

    From a detailed RFP to providing a website link, client briefs can pose different challenges! Irrespective of the format, it is crucial that complete clarity on pitch expectations, deliverables and evaluation criteria is obtained before starting work. Government pitches are a totally different experience altogether …from the tendering process to the voluminous documentation required. Making sure that there is no ‘technical’ slip up is a critical part of the protocol.

     

    1. Getting the ‘pitch strategy’ right

    Even before formulating a brand strategy, it helps to have agreement on the broad pitch strategy. Are you going to lead through a strategic recommendation or do you spend more time on beefing up the creative idea? What’s the budget on the pitch…Do you need to spend money on conducting research to back the strategic approach or make a cheap and cheerful audio visual to amplify the idea?

    Do you need a simple brainstorm session or a war room kind of set up to get everyone aligned? Do you present one idea or more than one (different schools of thought here!)?

    What level of integration are you aiming at in the pitch with the number of specialists on hand…Media, PR, Digital, Activation etc.? Should the pitch be in the client conference room or an out-of-box location to create the desired impact?

     

    1. Getting the Team right

    Pitches can range from a small local proposal to a large global one. Getting the right team composition is vital to bettering your chances to make it a pitch winning effort. While some clients insist on strong local teams and people who will eventually lead the brand post the business being assigned, many clients are not averse to seeing what the agency has to offer in terms of national and global resources. Big global pitches, therefore, increasingly involve multi-country teams and specialized skill sets from across the world as part of the pitch offering.

     

    1. Getting the client engagement right

    Pitches nowadays tend to be long drawn affairs with multiple agencies and many rounds involved. It is important, therefore, to be completely engaged with the client- pre, during and post the pitch process. There can be many a slip between the cup and the lip at any of these stages! The pitch outcome in many cases may not have anything to do with the pitch, ironical as it may sound. The final act could well be enacted far away from the scene of the pitch…so all ears to the ground as they say!

     

    Rajesh Gangwani is the Senior Vice President-South, JWT India

  • 'We are thrilled to welcome a truly exceptional talent, an excellent creative leader and a wonderful person like Sonal to the DDB Mudra Group,' said Group CEO and MD Madhukar Kamath.

    DDB Mudra confirms Sonal Dabral entry as Chairman & CCO; will also be on global & regional creative councils

    By A Correspondent

     

    Madhukar Kamath, the Group CEO and MD of the DDB Mudra Group, has announced the appointment of Sonal Dabral as the Chairman and Chief Creative Officer of the DDB Mudra Group. On Mr Dabral’s appointment, Mr Kamath said, “Coming on the back of an excellent 2011, both in terms of business and recognition, the DDB Mudra Group is poised for explosive growth. As the most awarded Indian agency at Cannes, Spikes, Abbys etc, to name a few, we are thrilled to welcome a truly exceptional talent, an excellent creative leader and a wonderful person like Sonal to the DDB Mudra Group. His mandate will encompass the entire spectrum of agencies that work across what is certainly the most integrated marketing and communications services network in the country. Agencies like DDB Mudra, Mudra, DDB Mudra Max (OOH, Media, Experiential and Retail), Rapp, Tribal DDB, DDB Health & Lifestyle, Water, Maatra etc. which constitute the DDB Mudra Group will now have their creative teams reporting in to Sonal.”

     

    He added, “I am personally thrilled to welcome Sonal Dabral. I have known him for two decades now. We worked together in Delhi years ago, on the iconic ‘Humko Binnies Mangta’ campaign. He will partner me on the exciting agenda that we have ahead of us for the DDB Mudra Group. The legendary Bernbach legacy, the much admired creative business solutions of the DDB Worldwide network, the Social Creativity agenda, the entrepreneurial zeal and track record of building several successful national brands that Mudra brings to the table, the extensive and certainly unique multi-faceted offerings in the DDB Mudra Group will all form an excellent platform for Sonal.”

     

    Mr Dabral has over two exciting decades of experience on brands like Audi, Fiat, Tata Safari, Dove, Le Sancy, Unilever Foods, Ponds, Lakme, Panadol, Cadburys, Asian Paints, Fevicol, Virgin Mobile, Tata AIG, Prudential, GE, Nestle’s Maggi and Milo, DBS, Remy Martin, Colgate, Pizza Hut, Sony, Coca Cola and DHL.

     

    A graduate of the National School of Design (NID), Mr Dabral began his career in Lintas, Delhi. After a brief stint in Mudra Delhi, he went on to have an extremely successful stint at  Ogilvy Mumbai before moving to Kuala Lumpur to head Ogilvy in Malaysia and make it one of the top creative offices in the region. Next, as the Chairman and ECD of Ogilvy Singapore, he led the agency to become not just the hottest agency in the region and the No 1 creative office in the whole of Ogilvy Worldwide but also in the entire WPP global network. His last assignment was in a dual role, as the Regional Creative Head and Chairman-India of Bates operating out of Singapore and Mumbai.

    Apart from being a prolific winner in most of the Regional and International Award shows like Cannes, Clio, D & AD, One Show, LIA, Andy Awards, AdFest, Spikes etc., Sonal has served on most of the juries globally.

    Said Mr Kamath, “Apart from partnering me in India, Sonal Dabral has also been invited by Amir Kassei, the Global Chief Creative Officer of DDB WW, to serve on the Global Creative Council of DDB. In the Asia-Pacific region, he will Co-Chair the Regional Creative Council with Amir Kassei. With the vast array of clients, brands, services and offerings in the DDB Mudra Group, an exciting ‘Growth Agenda’, an unparalleled creative manifesto in the Bernbach legacy, I eagerly await Sonal’s arrival.”

  • I think The Hindu is on the right track. And the ads have quickly gone viral because the content is super fun. Great work.

    Debrief: Repositioning The Times

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    The action’s really hotting up in Chennai. Great stuff from The Hindu. Rival Times of India had run a hard-hitting campaign which showed people dozing off while reading their regular newspaper (read The Hindu). And The Hindu has hit back even harder, and in their campaign they reposition the challenger (read The Times) as a newspaper for the dimwits. For people who lack general knowledge but are totally clued in on Bollywood masala.

     

    ‘Stay ahead of the times’ is the tongue-in-cheek slogan. The commercials feature youngsters being asked questions on current affairs/general knowledge, and they fail miserably. But the moment a question is put to them on filmi issues, they get excited and answer correctly.

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”200″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXLsi_Vmtw4[/youtube]
    [youtube width=”400″ height=”200″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ckzsh9SpUAQ[/youtube]

    I think The Hindu is on the right track. For three reasons: One, they have played to their own core strength, which is the brand’s serious, no-nonsense image. This would make their current readers very happy. Two, the campaign attempts to reposition The Times as a newspaper for the floozies. And this hits the Times where it hurts, because the latter is renowned for its filmi coverage. Truth is that The Times also does serious journalism, but in an all-out ad war, these considerations don’t count. And three, The Hindu has been able to pull off a power campaign that must have cost peanuts to produce. And the ads have quickly gone viral because the content is super fun. Great work.

     

    The ball is now in The Times’s court. All eyes on Chennai!

     

    Rating: (On a scale of 1 to 5): 4. Powerful, funny and happening!

     

  • Yatra.com finalises McCann as its creative partner; estimated account size INR 15-20 cr

    Yatra.com to partner with McCann for their creative business

    By Shubhangi Mehta

     

    Travel company Yatra Online has gone ahead and announced the appointment of McCann as its creative agency. McCann takes over from TBWA who handled the account for the agency until recently. On the appointment of McCann, a senior official from Yatra Online Pvt Ltd said, “Yatra and TBWA have decided to part ways. Though they helped us present ourselves as a ticketing brand and position us rightly in the online travel space, we felt the need to engage the services of a bigger agency and hence we called in for a pitch.” The official confirmed that the agencies that took part included Ogilvy, Percept H, McCann and TBWA.

     

    Sources close to the development have confirmed to MxM India that there is also a media pitch happening for the online travel company.

     

    Before TBWA, Yatra.com had appointed Rediffusion Y&R as its creative agency in 2009; while Leo Burnett was the official agency in 2007.

     

    The online travel company entered the market in August 2006. It had initially appointed Everest Brand Solutions as its creative agency, and Mudra’s media agency, Optimum Media Solutions (which was re-christened Mudra Connext), handled its media duties.

     

    Yatra Online is a travel company providing information, pricing, availability and booking facility for air travel, hotels, buses and car rentals across 5,000 large cities and small rural areas around the globe. It acts as a complete tour planner for travellers and is a one-stop shop for every travel need.

     

  • "100 reasons why…"? Or, "100 reasons what…"? Damn! Where do I start? says Ajay Kakar

    The ‘Special’ Anchor: Ajay Kakar offers ‘100’ pointers MxM must remember in its journey ahead

    By Ajay Kakar

     

    How time flies!

     

    It seems like just ‘yesterday’, that I was invited by MxM to contribute to its first ‘issue’ to hit the net. I was asked to write on a potentially controversial subject; “8 indications when you know it’s time to bid adieu to your agency”.  While I clicked away on the computer late at night, I was afraid of the potential backlash that I could receive, from the industry that had given me an alternate career and an identity, two decades ago, and till as recently as 2005.

     

    But I was fortunate to receive very warm and encouraging feedback from friends and till-then unknown names, alike, from both the advertising and marketing fraternities. Phew! That was a relief.

     

    And today, once again, it’s late in the night/early in the morning. And I am clicking away on my computer for the 100th issue of MxM. While I feel honoured to have the opportunity to contribute to these two key milestones in the life of this ‘new entrant’, what frightens me this time is that I have an open mandate to write on whatever topic that I like. But with a request that the piece should cover a 100 points! “100 reasons why…”? Or, “100 reasons what…”? Damn! Where do I start?

     

    Having been at the client and agency end, I know the importance of a ‘client brief’.  So here goes…

     

    100 pointers (in no particular order) for MxM to remember, as it continues on its journey towards the next many centuries…

     

    1. The Indian advertising, media and marketing fraternity is a small family. It’s as if we know everybody and all that there is to know.

    The opportunity is to widen our horizons. Introduce a fresh perspective. And increase/improve our learnings by making us realise that there is still a whole new world out there, waiting to be tapped

     

    2. Advertising. Advertising. Advertising. Our world seems skewed towards the visible and glamorous world of advertising, and more specifically the 30 seconder

    The opportunity is to make us realise that there are many powerful weapons in the communication armoury that remain untapped or inadequately used

     

    3. The same few names. All the time.

    The opportunity is to also bring to light the news and views related to the     yet unsung heroes, be they brands, agencies or people, who are blazing new trails, but are still below the radar.

     

    4. India is now being recognised as a strong potential, in the world of brands.  And still, there are miles to go, before we can be acknowledged as an undisputed force to reckon with.

    The opportunity is to bring the best of thinkers and doers from around the world to our doorstep, so that we can speeden up our learning curve.

     

    5. The media always has a pov on our industry.

    The opportunity is to not only have a pov, but to also partner the industry, actively, rather than be a mere bystander and observer.  To become a platform for transformational thinking.

     

    ….As all the loyal visitors of MxM will say, in unison, what is the purpose of my Pointers! MxM not only believes in all the opportunities listed by me, but it has been practising the same for the last 100 issues.

     

    I am a repeat and regular visitor to the site. I know that the site already believes in and practices all the Pointers that I have highlighted, above. I know that the site is addictive. And I join the site’s loyal base of visitors to salute the efforts of team MxM to remain an independent voice of the industry.

     

    The purpose of my piece is not to ‘preach to the converted’ ie. MxM. But to remind them of the path they have chosen. And successfully stuck to, so far. My aim is to remind them of the opportunity. And the need to stay with this path for the many centuries ahead.

     

    So today, let’s celebrate the century gone by, while looking forward to their journey ahead.  For, if you have set off on a path to perfection, the journey never ends. As they say, the match has just begun.

     

    PS: What happened to the brief (100 points)? I have exercised my right as a “client”, to change the brief.

     

    The client (and columnist) is always right! Lol – Ed

    Ajay Kakar is Chief Marketing Officer – Financial Services, Aditya Birla Group

     

  • Ecselis will complement Havas Media's existing brands MPG, Media Contacts, Mobext and HS&E by providing specialised services

    Havas expands Ecselis in APAC with Rajeev Bala at helm

    By A Correspondent

     

    Havas Media announces the expansion of its specialist Performance and Quantitative marketing arm, Ecselis to Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Sydney.

     

    Launched in India in 2009, Ecselis currently has a team of 55 performance experts based in the country with clients across SEA, India, Europe and Australia. Ecselis will complement Havas Media’s existing brands MPG, Media Contacts, Mobext and HS&E by providing specialised services including Conversion Rate Optimisation, Attribution Modelling, Quality Score Management in addition to data, search and analytics.

     

    To be headquartered in Singapore, Ecselis will be led by Rajeev Bala, who takes charge as Managing Director for Asia Pacific, reporting in to Vishnu Mohan, CEO of Havas Media Asia Pacific. Rajeev joined Media Contacts in 2008 to lead the Singapore operations and was subsequently promoted to the role of Regional Director of Media Contacts for Southeast Asia. In the last four years, Rajeev has been credited with infusing exceptional talent at the agency along with building an impressive client roster.

     

    Commenting on the expansion, Vishnu Mohan, said: “The need for advanced quantitative and performance orientated skill sets is growing rapidly. Rajeev has done a great job of building Media Contacts in the region, and has the deep domain and consultative expertise to grow Ecselis, as we expand our digital footprint across the region.”

     

    On his new role, Rajeev Bala, Regional Director of Media Contacts said “Ecselis is already an established organisation with very niche skills. I am excited by the opportunities and see Ecselis evolving into a deeply specialized company. We have aggressive plans for growing this across APAC over the next four quarters.”

     

    The agency is in the process of hiring senior executives for Kuala Lumpur and Sydney offices. The offices are likely to be fully functional by the end of second quarter.

     

  • His key responsibility will be to strengthen and grow existing client businesses and look to grow Orchard Bangalore in the South market says Kaushik Mitra, Sr Vice President, Orchard India

    Orchard ropes in Anish Daryani as VP

    By A Correspondent

     

    Anish Daryani, who was General Manager at Ogilvy Africa, has joined Orchard Advertising as Vice President and Branch Head at the agency’s headquarters in Bangalore.

     

    Commenting on his appointment, Mr Daryani said: “I have always admired the Leo Burnett Group, since I started my advertising career, for the thinking agency they’ve been. So when I got an opportunity to join Orchard, one of the three agency brands from Leo Burnett’s stable, taking it came very naturally to me.”

     

    “I see myself as someone who brings fresh thinking within the agency, and on our brands. Moreover, we look forward to extend our services to many other brands in diverse categories in Bengaluru, and the rest of southern India,” he added.

     

    Kaushik Mitra, Sr Vice President, Orchard India, said: “Anish is very driven, hungry and passionate about the business. His key responsibility will be to strengthen and grow existing client businesses, cement relationships and look to grow Orchard Bangalore in the South market. Having diverse experience in categories such as FMCG, telecom, durables, Automotive, healthcare, rural, will strengthen Orchard’s position in the market.”

     

    Mr Daryani has a decade’s experience in advertising and has done two stints each with Ogilvy and the Rediffusion-Y&R Group. His work spans diverse categories ranging from automobiles, aviation, telecom, fashion and lifestyle, beverages and media. Some of the brands he’s worked on include TATA Motors, TATA Nano, TATA Steel, Hutch (now Vodafone), Airtel, Kingfisher Airlines, Danone, Brooke Bond Red Label, The Economic Times, The Times of India, Colors, Linc Pens and The Statesman, among others.

     

  • 100 days of MxMIndia in the words of Chief Sub-Editor Archita Wagle.

    Archita Wagle: A force to reckon with

    By Archita Wagle

     

    Before I joined MxM, I worked with a newspaper as a senior sub-editor for more than four years. I wanted a change, I wanted to write. MxM offered me a chance. Yes, it was a newly launched company, but when I was invited to be a part of the “founding team”, I decided to take a chance.

     

    For someone who has spent four years editing ‘journalistic’ copies ( that’s my term) and living with the journalistic timings (we ‘subs’ work in the evening and sleep in the morning) to adapt to the style and timings here (I report to work at 7.30 am most mornings) was intimidating. But I was always encouraged to learn and adapt, I was never yelled at for my mistakes, instead they were explained to me. And alongside my editing duties, I was given stories. My first story went as a BIG story. That was the day I was convinced that maybe I will not fail in this, after all.

     

    Ask any sub, we are the most under-appreciated lot. The people who read the newspaper always read the stories under the reporters’ byline. They never know the hard work that is put in by a sub to clean up a reporter’s copy, to make it an interesting read which will hold the reader’s attention – right from the headline to the last word in the copy.

     

    Therefore if I was asked to name one instance in these 100 days (I have been a part of MxM for less than 60 days till now) that I cherish the most, it would be the day I saw my name up on the website: Archita Wagle – Chief sub editor, acknowledging my contribution to the website.

     

    We are still growing… a lot of people aren’t aware of who or what we are. As we complete 100 days, I wish that soon we become a force to reckon with.

     

  • Yatra.com finalises on its creative partner, mandates will be now handled by McCann. Estimated account size,15-20 crore.

    From y’day: Yatra.com entrusts McCann with creative biz

    By Shubhangi Mehta

     

    On the appointment of McCann, Pratik Mazumder Head Marketing & Strategic Relations at Yatra Online Pvt Ltd said,” Yatra and TBWA have decided to part ways, the helped us present ourselves as a ticketing brand and position us but now we felt the need of a bigger agency hence decided to call for a pitch. There was Ogilvy, Percept H, Maccann and TBWA involved in the process and we decided to get MacCann on board.”

     

    Sources close to the development have confirmed to MxM India have confirmed that there is also a media pitch happening for the online travel company.

     

    Before TBWA, Yatra.com had appointed Rediffusion Y&R as its creative agency in 2009; while Leo Burnett was the official agency in 2007.

     

    The online travel company entered the market in August 2006. It had initially appointed Everest Brand Solutions as its creative agency, and Mudra’s media agency, Optimum Media Solutions (which was re-christened Mudra Connext), handled its media duties.

     

    Yatra Online Pvt Ltd. is a travel company providing information, pricing, availability and booking facility for air travel, hotels, buses and car rentals across 5,000 large cities and small rural areas around the globe. It acts as a complete tour planner for travellers and is a one-stop shop for every travel need.