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  • Amsterdam-based SocialMedia8's founder Igor Beuker will be Mindshare's first Global Chief Social Officer, whilst M80's managing director, Mark Evans will be Mindshare North America's new social lead

    Mindshare expands global social media footprint with senior hires

    Igor Beuker

    By A Correspondent

     

    Mindshare, the global media network, has expanded its social media footprint around the world, integrating Amsterdam-based SocialMedia8 into the agency and hiring its founder Igor Beuker as Mindshare’s first Global Chief Social Officer, whilst simultaneously hiring social agency M80’s managing director, Mark Evans as Mindshare North America’s new social lead.

     

    Nick Emery, CEO, Mindshare Worldwide said:  “There is a lot of talk in this space and few experts, even fewer who can translate what they do into integrated business plans for progressive clients. We are putting our money where our mouth is when it comes to social media. Both Igor and Mark bring with them a wealth of experience in actioning both effective and creative solutions.”

     

    SocialMedia8, which specialises in acquiring, managing and extracting value from social fans and followers, will add social commerce, social TV, social gaming, social search and social CRM capabilities to Mindshare’s growing portfolio of social media services.

     

    Igor Beuker, Global Chief Social Officer, Mindshare said: “In this new role as c-level officer I look forward to helping drive the broad social agenda for Mindshare clients. I am very excited to oversee Mindshare’s social media marketing strategy and services at both global and local levels.”

     

    Mr Beuker will take up the newly created role with immediate effect, reporting to Norm Johnston, Global Digital Leader at Mindshare Worldwide. He was previously chief marketing officer at Scoot, TeliaSonera and Telefonica O2. He also founded community agency LaComunidad and social video metrics firm ViralTracker, before setting up SocialMedia8.

     

    In North America Mark Evans, managing director at M80 has been appointed as Managing Director, Social Team at Mindshare North America. Mr Evans will head social media campaigns for the agency’s North American-based clients. He comes to Mindshare with deep digital and social media experience, including serving as Vice President, Digital, at Catapult Marketing and Digital Brand Director at Euro RSCG prior to joining M80.

     

    Mark Evans, Managing Director, Social Team at Mindshare North America said: “”Incorporating social expertise within our scope of services allows us to deliver smarter, digital communication solutions. From insights to strategies, activation and analysis, this approach will allow us to deliver greater value for our clients. And, this will lead to better user experiences for their audiences.”

     

  • The new identity will be backed with programming that reflects and reinforces the brand philosophy to further deepen its bond with the viewers

    Star Jalsha unveils new identity

    By A Correspondent

     

    Nearly four years after launch, Star Jalsha unveiled a refreshed identity on Sunday. The channel featured a new logo - the ‘Diamond Star’, amidst a fictionalized event show titled “Chalo Paltai”. This new identity is to be backed with programming that reflects and reinforces the brand philosophy to further deepen its bond with viewers.

     

    Star Jalsha was launched as a Bengali GEC from Star Entertainment Media Pvt Ltd stable in September 2008. Iconic shows like Ekhane Aakash Neel, Durga and Bandhan, to name a few, created magic and presented viewers with a myriad range of emotions, living up to the brand philosophy – “Chalo Paltai” (Let’s bring a change).

     

    On this occasion, Kevin Vaz, President – Ad Sales, Star India Pvt Ltd and GM, Star Jalsha said: “It gives me great pleasure to announce the brand refresh for STAR Jalsha. This is the first time in the history of regional television brands in India that a refresh has happened in such depth of detail. STAR Jalsha has become synonymous to Bengal with every step taken since its inception. “Chalo Paltai” brings about another beginning, of reinventing concepts, stories treatment and packaging, to keep up with changing emotions, societal changes and a fresh take on life and relationships.”

     

    Keeping up to the Chalo Paltai tag line, significant turning points have been incorporated in the storylines of several of their most popular shows. In addition to this, two new shows are being launched- Aanchal and Care Kori Na.

     

    This brand refresh is being brought alive though a disruptive marketing strategy, both in terms of creativity and scale, covering a mix of electronic, OOH, Print, Activation and Digital.

     

  • He discussed various aspects of news and gave his valuable guidance to the resident editors across the editions. He showed keen interest in the various aspects of the news papers and gave his suggestions

    Dr Kalam is the guest ed @ Prabhat Khabar

    By A Correspondent

     

    “If you only do what you know you can do – you never do very much.” That’s why Prabhat Khabar, the leading Hindi daily of eastern India, always seeks inspiration from personalities of eminence.

     

    On June 15, Prabhat Khabar was honoured to have Bharat Ratna Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, former President of India as the guest editor.

     

    When invited Dr. Kalam wanted to know, if Prabhat Khabar was owned by any political party or owed allegiance to any political group. After going through some of our issues he was convinced that Prabhat Khabar is an independent publication and attempts to raise issues of the ‘common man’ and be their voice to the government.

     

    After this assurance, Dr. Kalam agreed to be the guest editor for the day. Articles like children bypassing a vital educative link of their childhood and being burdened with the worries of the adulthood and the loneliness of senior citizen were appreciated by Dr. Kalam.

     

    He discussed various aspects of news and gave his valuable guidance to the resident editors across the editions. He showed keen interest in the various aspects of the news papers and gave his suggestions.

     

    Dr. Kalam is the founder of PURA (Provision of Urban Amenities in Rural Areas) and he was glad to know about Prabhat Khabar’s rural newspaper – Panchayinama. He called it a big step towards rural development.

     

    While leaving he gave his blessings to the Prabhat Khabar family for a bright future ahead. This is the first time Dr. Kalam had agreed to be a guest editor of any newspaper in Bihar, Jharkhand or West Bengal.

     

  • Cheil 2012 Seminar on "Korean wave through digital wave" scheduled for June 18

    Cheil Worldwide partners with a K-pop star for Cannes Lions 2012

    By A Correspondent

     

    Cheil Worldwide Inc. has teamed up with one of the K-pop (Korean pop) stars to speak at a seminar at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. Cheil will speak about “Korean wave through digital wave”; how K-pop is taking over the world through digital and social media; and what does it mean for advertising. The topic comes from the K-pop phenomenon being at the forefront of Korean wave, the global spread of the Korean culture.

     

    It is nothing new that K-pop is increasingly popular in many parts of the world. But it’s neither attributed to huge marketing spend nor to the interest in Korean culture. The single most decisive factor is the digital environment, which enables K-pop fans to circulate their favorite contents trans-culturally.

     

    SJ Kimm, Regional President of Cheil Worldwide Southeast Asia, will address how K-pop presents a new potential for global contents marketing. “K-pop has already established itself as one of the most sought-after marketing properties in Asia. The implication for the rest of the world is that it will provide marketers with a unique and differentiated marketing platform”, said Kimm.

     

    The seminar will also feature 2NE1, a four-member group, who will tell their own story about how they have emerged on the global stage with the help of digital media.

     

    This is the fifth year in a row that Cheil speaks at the Cannes Lions.

     

    Cheil Worldwide Inc, is Korea’s largest and one of the world’s leading advertising groups. Established in 1973 with headquarters in Seoul, South Korea, Cheil operates 49 offices in 27 countries with about 3,000 employees. Cheil offers a full portfolio of marketing communications services including advertising, PR, sports marketing, exhibition and display production, and production of large-scale performance events.

     

  • The International Festival of Creativity – Cannes Lions – has announced that Mobile will be added as a new awards section, launching at the 2012 Festival. Tom Eslinger, Digital Creative Director of Saatchi & Saatchi Worldwide, will preside over the Mobile Lions jury in its inaugural year.

    Cannes Lions launch Mobile category; Tom Eslinger appointed first jury chair

     

    By A Correspondent

     

    The International Festival of Creativity – Cannes Lions – has announced that Mobile will be added as a new awards section, launching at the 2012 Festival. Tom Eslinger, Digital Creative Director of Saatchi & Saatchi Worldwide, will preside over the Mobile Lions jury in its inaugural year.

     

    Mobile Lions will reward the best work which lives on or is activated by a mobile device, app or mobile web. The judging criteria will be based on creativity and the idea, execution (usability, user experience, craft and design), relevance to the mobile platform and results (level of user engagement and any quantifiable outcomes). The categories for the new Mobile Lions will include Creative Use of Technology, Mobile Websites and Web Apps, Mobile Apps, Tablet Apps, Games, Rich Media Mobile Advertising and Integrated Campaigns led by Mobile.

     

    The jury will be made up of experts in mobile from digital agencies and applications development, and will award Lions to the best use of mobile in marketing campaigns with the winners being announced alongside the Press, Cyber and Design Awards Ceremony taking place on Wednesday 20 June in Cannes, France.

     

    Philip Thomas, CEO of Cannes Lions, commented, “Mobile has been part of the Lions for some years, within other sections such as Cyber and Film, and a large number of winning campaigns in sections like Media, Design, Direct and Outdoor have made significant use of mobile technology. By carving it out of the other sections, we are simply reflecting the importance of mobile in the media mix, and we are delighted that Tom Eslinger has agreed to step up and lead as jury president. The category could not be in better hands in its launch year.”

     

    Joining Saatchi & Saatchi New Zealand as a Creative Director in 1998, Mr Eslinger began creating mobile ideas launching projects for Rugby Super 12, the New Zealand All Blacks, Telecom, NZ Dairy Foods and the NZ Retirement Commission. More recently, Mr Eslinger has worked across applications, augmented reality and games for Toyota, 3M, Burton Snowboards, Coca-Cola, T-Mobile and Visa. Now based in London, he works across Saatchi & Saatchi’s worldwide digital capability and in 2002 was appointed to the Worldwide Creative Board where he leads the creative growth of Saatchi & Saatchi’s worldwide digital team, adding new teams and capabilities. He is a multiple Cannes Lion winner and has previously served on the Cyber and Titanium and Integrated juries before presiding over the Cyber Lions jury in 2007.

     

    Commenting on his appointment, Mr Eslinger said, “It’s always an honour to be asked to join a jury and awesome to be asked to be president for a new category, especially one I have a deep passion for. I’ve been creating mobile ideas for over a decade and I’m stoked that Cannes Lions has chosen this particularly exciting time to start recognizing the best ideas created for mobile devices, apps, sites and other new and wonderful permutations. I’m keen to get started!”

     

    The new look Cannes Lions 2012 website (www.canneslions.com) has been launched, with up-to-date information on the Festival and awards, interviews with key industry members, video content and much more in the lead up to the Festival.

     

     

  • The new TVC for Tiger Balm shows how the product is a household name worldwide

    Quadrant creates Tiger Balm’s new TVC

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”200″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gA4LTXqDMos[/youtube]

    By Shubhangi Mehta

     

    The latest Tiger Balm campaign created by Quadrant Communications portrays that Tiger Balm is so popular that most people across the world recall the balm brand and not the animal. The setting of a language class has been used to accentuate this. It’s a 30-second commercial in Hindi, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu and Marathi.

     

    The Indian balm market is dominated by heritage brands like Zandu and Amrutanjan. Tiger Balm too enjoys good brand recall in minds of the consumers, however it is more back of mind memory than top of mind memory. The brand has been away from media hence the motive of the campaign is to let the consumers recall the brand.

     

    On the TVC, Rajan Narayan, President, Quadrant Communications said, “During the researches conducted, following things clearly came across, Strong awareness of Tiger Balm as an international brand association of Tiger Balm as a strong balm, its unique packaging and logo. Recent communication by competitors within the category had not communicated anything new to grow the category. The fallout are new formats like gels and creams eating into the balm market share. Hence we devised this campaign which can be regarded as clutter breaking due to its approach”.

     

    The strategy was to leverage the fact that Tiger Balm is the trusted pain relieving balm in most countries across the world.

     

  • The three media giants have come together to leverage their specific content strengths and collectively provide rich and relevant world class content to the readers

    Dainik Bhaskar group ties up with Time & HBR

    By A Correspondent

     

    Dainik Bhaskar Group has become the first newspaper to provide exclusive content from Time, the current affairs magazine and Harvard Business Review to its readers on a regular basis. The exclusive content will feature in the Sunday edition of the newspaper.

     

    The three media giants have come together to leverage their specific content strengths and collectively provide rich and relevant world class content to the readers. Dainik Bhaskar Group isIndia’s largest newspaper group with 1.9 million readers in 13 states. Time is the world’s largest circulation weekly news magazine with a readership of 25 million, of which 20 million are in theUS. It is widely regarded as one of the most popular magazines. Harvard Business Review delivers the latest techniques, best practices and the most thoughtful advice from the world’s leading management experts.

     

    Elaborating on the collaboration, Kalpesh Yagnik, National editor, Dainik Bhaskar Group said: “We at Dainik Bhaskar focus at generating the best and most relevant content for our readers. Time and HBR are relied upon by the policymakers, the world over. We will thus, bring to our readers, the latest trends in international politics, strategy, diplomacy, environment, entertainment, science or economy.”

     

    The content for the Sunday edition has been completely revamped. The edition will focus on management lessons to be applied in day to day life along with wide spectrum of topics like Health, Fitness, Career, Self Help, Money management, Politics, education, Music, Lifestyle, Environment, Good reads through columns by eminent experts of the respective fields.

     

    Dainik Bhaskar, in reflection to the changing times and women empowerment, will also provide a separate segment devoted to women. Fashion, Food, Travel, Health, Life, Career and money management besides this, there will be a Sunday Jacket, above the regular front page of the newspaper. This will carry exclusive news analysis, ground reports and so on.

     

    Speaking of the change, Sanjeev Kotnala, VP Dainik Bhaskar group said: “Content is always the king for any media brand. And we are loved by our readers as we focus on them. Our strategy revolves around being ahead of the curve.”

     

  • She is the first female to win the Title in wedding photography

    Sanika Jahagirdar is Wedding Photog of the Year

    By A Correspondent

     

    After a record breaking 20,954 entries from all overIndia, Sanika Jahagirdar from Mumbai won the third edition of Kodak Better Photography Wedding Photographer Of the Year. A professional photographer, Ms Jahagirdar is the first female to win this title since the awards were first started in 2009.

     

    Better Photography, a photography magazine, declared the winners at a grand awards ceremony hosted at The Westin Mumbai. Ms Jahagirdar, who was also the category winner for Photo Series on a Single Wedding, was judged the title winner by the final judge, the renowned wedding photojournalist and documentary photographer Sephi Bergerson.

     

    A freelance professional photographer, Ms Jahagirdar was extremely excited after the win: “I am highly thankful to Better Photography for providing such a platform and opportunity to the wedding photographers. Achieving a title as the ‘wedding photographer of the year’ is completely priceless. It is difficult to explain in words how excited and honoured I am feeling.”

     

    Apart from earning the title of Kodak-Better Photography Photographer of the Year 2011, she has won a cash prize of Rs1 lakh, including a D-LITE IT One standard kit from Associate Partner Photoquip and two photobooks from Associate Partner Canvera.com which were also given to each of the other category winners.

     

    As a special surprise, Ms Jahagirdar also won a photography workshop by Sephi Bergerson that costs Rs60 thousand.

     

    According to Sephi Bergerson, “I see the Wedding Photographer of the Year awards as a way of rewarding outstanding achievements, as well as a tool for supporting and promoting emerging new talents. There will always a call to be made. Two of the six finalists had a close fight and I eventually chose Sanika as the winner.”

     

    Every year Better Photography Wedding Photographer of the Year invites entries fromIndiaunder six different categories. These entries are judged by eminent photographers to select the six category winners who compete at the final face-off which decides the title winner for the year. This year a special leg on album making was included as part of the evaluation criteria and the six finalists were given six hours each to design their albums on the designing stations provided to them at theKodakDesigningCenter.

     

    Better Photography editor, K Madhavan Pillai said: “The Kodak-Better Photography Wedding photographer of the Year Awards are the only national level awards inIndiato recognize and laud the artistry and vision of the country’s finest talent in wedding photography.”

     

    The competition was organized by Better Photography, in sponsorship with title partner Kodak along with Associate Partner Photoquip and Canvera.com, Television Partner CNBC TV18, online Partner Wedding Sutra.com and blogging Partner Miss Malini.

     

    According to Mr. Srinivasu Saraswatula, Country Business Manager-Consumer Digital Group, KodakIndia: “Into its third year, this event has grown in stature, scale and above all has become an industry benchmark. It’s served all stake holders well beyond their imagination when this was set up couple of years back.”

     

  • Marriott International's signature lifestyle brand inspires guests to "live life to discover"

    Renaissance Hotels launches first global advertising campaign

    By A Correspondent

     

    Renaissance Hotels has announced its first global advertising campaign – Live Life to Discover. The new multi-faceted campaign, which comes to life through print, digital and on property experiences, provokes today’s lifestyle-oriented business traveller to explore a hotel or destination’s hidden gems through recommendations from on-site Renaissance Hotels ‘Navigators’ (the brand’s hospitality lifestyle concierge service).

     

    The campaign was created in partnership with Anomaly, a global marketing and communications agency with an extensive list of impressive clients including Nike, Budweiser, Diageo and Converse. The campaign aspires to ask today’s modern business traveler the question, “If you are traveling to a destination for business, why not make the most of your free time and discover something exceptional and unique?”

     

    The visually stunning print advertisements depict off-the-beaten path recommendations from various hotel navigators who curate unforgettable moments for guests around the world.

     

    The global print campaign will run in 32 countries and be featured in lifestyle, business and travel print media, as well as key out-of-home sites in the US and China. The wide-ranging lifestyle campaign was photographed by award-winning photographer David Black across four countries and three continents.

     

    In addition to the print flight, Renaissance Hotels will bring the campaign to life through a full scale digital re-invention of the brand, including a re-launch of the website, enhancements to the brand’s social media channels, and a powerful digital advertising campaign; all inspired by unique discoveries from around the world.

     

    “There is a discoverer in all of us, and we challenged ourselves to create a powerful campaign that speaks to our guests in a meaningful way and reflects the brand today,” said Tina Edmundson, senior vice president of lifestyle brands for Marriott International, Inc.  “Live Life to Discover embodies the global spirit of Renaissance Hotels and today’s lifestyle-business traveller and their eagerness to explore the world beyond their everyday routine.”

     

  • Award constituted by MedscapeIndia, India’s largest community of doctors and healthcare professionals.

    Complete Wellbeing bags Medscape award

    By A Correspondent

     

    Complete Wellbeing emerged as India’s first ever magazine to win the Medscape India Award 2012 for its commitment and contribution to the field of holistic wellness. Medscape is India’s largest community of doctors and healthcare professionals. The award was presented at a gala ceremony presided over by the honourable Health Minister, Suresh Shetty and was attended by India’s leading doctors and healthcare professionals.

     

    The awards were hosted by Founder President of Medscape India, Dr Sunita Dube. Also present at the event were Dr Kishore Taori, President – Maharashtra Medical Council; Dr Lekha Pathak Hon. physician and cardiologist to the president of India and Governor of Maharashtra; eminent orthopaedic surgeon Dr HR Jhunjhunwala, renowned ophthalmologist Dr Hemanshu Mehta, and Padma Bhushan Dr Sancheti.

     

    The award was one of the 21 awards won by distinguished individuals from the medical, pharmaceutical and paramedical fraternity. Accepting the award, Manoj Khatri, editor-publisher of the magazine said: “We launched Complete Wellbeing with a vision to go beyond the narrow confines of physical health to create a collective mind, body and soul experience that would help our readers live richer, fuller and more gratifying lives. This award is a testament to the commitment and support of our team and our readers.”

     

    Commenting on the award, Founder President of Medscape India, Dr Dube said: “Complete Wellbeing effectively encapsulates our vision of catering to the holistic welfare of all individuals. We at Medscape are delighted to take this opportunity to honour this contribution.”

     

    The fraternity including the team of Complete Wellbeing also took a pledge to spread awareness about gender neutrality through the “save the girl child campaign.”

     

    The awards celebrate excellence and integrity in wellbeing and were voted by a high-profile judging panel of doctors and healthcare professionals, including Dr Niranjan Agarwal President, Association of Medical Consultants, Mumbai.

  • The survey was conducted to gauge the growing popularity of the social networking sites and its impact on the matrimonial sector

    Singles spend more time on matrimonial than social networking sites: Shaadi.com survey

    By A Correspondent

     

    In a survey conducted by the matrimonial portal, Shaadi.com, it has been found that 63 per cent singles searching for a match tend to spend more time on matrimonial sites than the social networking sites.

     

    The survey was conducted to gauge the growing popularity of the social networking sites and its impact on the matrimonial sector. The findings of the survey clearly showcase that even though the social networking sites are gaining momentum, when it comes to partner search matrimonial sites are considered reliable and trustworthy by singles and hence they tend to visit these sites more often through the day.

     

    The survey also highlights the importance singles give to the social networking sites during partner search. The survey findings reveal that 31 per cent singles agreed to be searching for the profile of their potential partner immediately after they receive Expression of Interest (EOI). While, 27 per cent have denied checking the potential/ short listed partner’s profile till they finalizes someone. 25 per cent singles add each other on social networking sites post their chat on the Shaadi.com instant Messenger and the rest 17 per cent do so after their first meeting.

     

    This trend of visiting the potential partner’s profile on social networking sites like Facebook is mostly noticed amongst the male respondents (74 per cent) as opposed to women respondents (63 per cent). Women respondents have said that they mostly feel the social networking sites are meant for their friends and hence they refrain from adding potential partners to their social network.

     

    Commenting on the survey results, Gourav Rakshit, Business Head, Shaadi.com, said: “The survey findings clearly confirms the fact that people consider matrimonial sites like Shaadi.com more reliable while searching for a partner outside their social circle and hence singles log in more often to these sites as compared to social networking sites which are meant mainly to be in contact with their social circle. These sites are also meant for individuals who can connect with others from a relevant community or having common interests. Members who initially meet through Shaadi.com tend to check potential partners profile on social networking sites to know the common interests, friends, hobbies they might have but certainly do not look for a match through these sites.”

     

  • The report details how the industry's growth on the back of a fast-multiplying internet population is changing the way many Indians are shopping and impacting how businesses function

    MSLGroup India releases e-com report

    By A Correspondent

     

    On June 8, MSLGroup India, Publicis Groupe’s flagship strategic communications and engagement company announced its latest executive report on ‘E-commerce inIndia: Evolution, Growth and Challenges.’

     

    The Internet and Mobile Association of India (IMAI) estimated that India’s e-commerce market is growing 70per cent every year. The report unravels and shares insights on this e-commerce story in India, detailing how the industry’s growth on the back of a fast-multiplying internet population is changing the way many Indians are shopping and impacting how businesses function.

     

    ‘E-commerce in India: Evolution, Growth and Challenges’ highlights the opportunities for companies operating or looking to operate withinIndia’s e-commerce market including:

    • Global trade: How e-commerce has changed the way businesses approach globalisation
    • Lower search costs: How the internet has changed pricing strategies
    • The rise of facilitators: How internet banking has created new opportunities

     

    It also flags potential hurdles for businesses. The challenges explored by the report cover:

    • Payments: Cash remains king, forcing inefficient options such as payment on delivery
    • Logistics: Courier costs and shipping
    • Cyber crime and online security

     

    Commenting on the report, Jaideep Shergill, CEO, Hanmer MSL, said: “Today, in India, the e-commerce landscape provides opportunities for companies, but also potential hot spots.  E-commerce in India: Evolution, Growth and Challenges shines a light on this growth market, provides insights on how to negotiate the challenges that arise within this category so that brands can effectively use e-commerce to make a difference to their business.”