MxMIndia

Category: ADVERTISING

  • Here's my vishesh tippani on some of Chiduji's outstanding proposals, all based on street logic. Which is actually the best way to analyze a budget

    Anil Thakraney: Budget: The Hard Ground Realities

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    I am no Nani Palkhivala. Therefore, if you are looking for insights on fiscal deficit and other such financial jargon, you are at the wrong place. Regardless, here’s my vishesh tippani on some of Chiduji’s outstanding proposals, all based on street logic. Which is actually the best way to analyze a budget.

     

    10 percent super tax on the super rich: Good. As I said in an earlier post, if our bada seths won’t be generous voluntarily, they have to be compelled. The sad reality, of course, is that this will be a super tax on the super rich on their ‘white’ income. So you can well imagine what the fat cats’ POA will be to counter this new menace.

     

    Cigarettes will cost more. Wow, that’s a new one! How imaginative, Chiduji! I think time has come to thank our smoker pals. Year after year they help to narrow India’s fiscal deficit. And we keep kicking them out of public places. Unfair!

     

    India’s first All-Women Bank: Well, I can already see the bank robbers smiling. Jokes apart, this is not what India’s aam aurat needs. What she needs is things like public toilets, especially ladies from the lower strata.

     

    Nirbhaya Fund of Rs 1000 crore for women’s safety: Firstly, it’s injustice to the dead girl that this is not being drafted in her own name, but in a pseudonym coined by a newspaper sub. Secondly, I don’t know if the fund will go into keeping our women safe, but it does sound like a lottery win for some netas and babus. Both, male and female.

     

    TDS of 1 percent on property sales exceeding Rs 50 lakh: This will take us right back to the ‘B&W’ era. Even high end apartments will go for 49.5 lakh rupees.

     

    Service tax in air-conditioned restaurants: You are all welcome home. And please invite me too.

     

    My dream of owning an SUV now looks more unreal than ever. Nano, here I come!

     

    One last thing: My maid was swabbing the floor when Chiduji was busy delivering his address to the nation. She asked how the budget will change her life. I said she’ll now have her own bank, so no need to mingle with us lecherous men. Her swift response (which I have politely translated from her Marathi): “But where’s the money to deposit, sahib? I am okay with lecherous men, give me some money instead. That’s more important.”

     

    Good luck to the UPA for the 2014 elections.

     

    ***

     

    PS: While on the subject of budgets, I have just one thing to say on the railway one: The mantri forgot an easy revenue source. He should find a way to penalize passengers who litter the compartments and dirty the loos. This will result in many of us ditching air travel and returning to the trains. Make no mistake about this: Railway is the most beautiful way to travel in this country. Unless you own an SUV, which, thanks to Chiduji, is now way out of my league.

     

  • When social media commentators reacted to an anomaly in a digitally released version of the Mahindra SUV TVC, the company was quick to rectify the error and gained brownie points among the online community

    Fast company: Mahindra acts on digital feedback

    By A Correspondent

     

    Social media is quick on the draw, and companies have to be on the ball to respond equally fast. A good case in point is that of the Mahindra SUV TVC.

     

    Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) recently launched its new television commercial for its premium SUV model, the XUV500. The television commercial reinforces its brand positioning of ‘May your life be full of stories’. Based on the experiences of three young friends who embark on a journey, together, the ad is set in South Africa. A two-minute uncut version of the television commercial was first premiered on the digital platform for fans & digital communities. When it first premiered on the digital platform, the XUV500 was shown with an Indian number plate against a South African backdrop. Among conversations in social media, this was seen as an anomaly. Mahindra made a conscious effort to listen & act on the feedback swiftly by changing the license plates to a South African number through a very specialized process. The change and acceptance of customer feedback was appreciated by the digital community and fans.

     

    It struck the right chord with Facebook fans and the YouTube community, already crossing more than 2.6 million views on YouTube.

     

    Vivek Nayer, Chief Marketing Officer, Automotive Division, Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd said, “This new communication is based on the consumer insight that, new experiences are the new wealth in today’s world. Being rich is not about money alone, with ‘ memorable experiences ‘ becoming the new currency. The idea was to create an aspiration among consumers to go on exciting road trips where the XUV500 can play an enabling role in the fulfillment of its brand promise of “May your life be full of stories”. The new television commercial of the XUV500 has been successful in creating a connect and aspiration for the next generation of car & SUV buyers who are seeking new experiences in their lives.”

     

    Mr Nayer told MxMIndia, “We give our social media communities special privilege for the exclusive preview of the new TV advertisements. Also on TV a two-minute version becomes very costly to air, so we use the digital platform to promote the longer version of the TV ad. In keep with same principle a two-minute uncut version of the television commercial was first premiered on the digital platform for the exclusive viewing of fans & digital communities.”

     

    However, they did not have to reshoot the complete advertisement. The license plates were changed in the advertisement to a South African number plate using a specialized process called rotoscopy. “The task was very challenging as it involved changing of the number plate frame by frame in every shot of the video, synchronizing it with the surroundings and adjusting the colour, ,” said Mr Nayer. The cost of doing this, he said, was less than what a re-shootw would have amounted to.

     

    Credits

    Ad Agency – Interface Communications

    Production House – Chrome Films

     

  • These duels have to be fought on the marketing battlefield, not in courtrooms. That’s where the real action is

    Anil Thakraney: The Dettol/Vim slugfest

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    So, the Vim (Lever) guys have taken the Dettol (Reckitt) guys to court over the dishwasher ad. This sounds like a lot of fun waiting to happen. Because comparative advertising is always entertaining, as we viewers sit back and watch two marketing giants slug it out.

     

    Hit this link for the full story: http://www.mxmindia.com/2013/02/bang-bang-fmcg-majors-slug-it-out-via-ads/

     

    However, I have always believed that involving the courts to sort out ad disputes is a waste of time, energy and money. For two reasons: One, by the time the court order to pull the ‘offending’ ad arrives, the damage is already done. And even after the court order, a canny marketer will find an innovative way to keep the onslaught going.

     

    In this particular case, I know where Dettol is coming from; even though it’s an old, established brand, their dishwasher is a new product, and they had to do desperate things to grab some of the leader’s (Vim’s) market share. Which explains the full and frontal attack. And it makes enormous strategic sense. Vim has always promised tough action on grease (the ‘visible’ problem). Dettol has played to its core strength, they say it will kill the germs (the ‘invisible’ problem). So it’s a strategic move that makers of Vim should have seen coming, they ought not to be surprised. Dettol’s USP across its product range has been the antiseptic value, so they were going to play that card with the dishwasher too. And methinks it’s going to work, nothing better to get the worried mama’s attention than to speak bacteria with her.

     

    So what should Vim do? Well, they have retaliated, but their reactionary ad, while on the right track, is a tad weak. The ad says that an antiseptic is harsh, and that Vim clears germs too, but that’s not powerful enough. That’s like a rap on the knuckles of a person who’s just punched you in the face. I think Vim should launch an all-out counter attack, and hit Dettol where it hurts. They should create hard-hitting ads on how, for example, the residue left behind by an antiseptic agent can be detrimental to the family’s health. In fact, they should create a huge scare around it. That would put their opponent on the back foot.

     

    Net net: These duels have to be fought on the marketing battlefield, not in courtrooms. That’s where the real action is.

     

    ***

     

    PS: How dare they mock the vegans! I am a ghaas phoos khaanewala, and I take serious offence to this Taco Bell ad. Thanks to the pressure exerted by people like me on the social media, they were compelled to pull this commercial. Good riddance, I say! 🙂

     

    Link: http://video.ca.msn.com/watch/video/taco-bells-banned-commercial-offends-vegetarians/2jqa6o5h?cpkey=377f705b-f017-5f96-25ec-65077f4c813b%257c%257c%257c%257c

     

  • It's the season for seminars and conclaves. While a fair bit of time, money and energy is spent on these events, but are they really worth one's while?

    MxM Mondays: How useful are conferences?

     

    By Johnson Napier

     

    It’s that time of the year when honchos and executives across industry domains squeeze out time from their schedules to catch up on trends and events. It’s the season for conferences and all-day seminars, especially for folk from Media. After the Indian Magazine Congress 2013 that was held a fortnight ago, delegates will fill the halls at Hotel Renaissance, Powai for FICCI Frames 2013.

     

    But while conclaves and industry gatherings do serve a purpose, there have been questions about the quality of discussions and relevance of topics, and whether they have brought about any impact or change. The lack of new ideas at these dos also bothers those who attend the events with the hope of getting something more.

     

    MxMIndia asked industrywallahs what they think of conferences and whether more needs to be done in terms of relevance and generation of new ideas.

     

    Anwesh Bose, Senior VP, DDB Mudra Max

    “Well, the ideas are there but the discussions are not well thought of. What happens at most conferences is that things get left at the discussion stage and it doesn’t go any further. There is no effort seen where it comes to implementing solutions. Also, most of the events are sponsor-driven and are not taken seriously. Even something like Goafest is more of a celebration thing than something that is followed at Cannes. So when organisers send out invites they should be serious about whom they are calling and what they intend to achieve by hosting such seminars.”

     

    Sanjeev Gupta, MD, Global Advertisers

    “The Indian media industry is at a nascent stage in comparison to western countries. We need to continuously improve our methods, approach and strategy. And for that, we need to have common platforms to discuss our challenges and difficulties with industry experts more often. Trade shows, exhibitions of new technology, conferences, workshops all have various topics to discuss including new trends and growth pattern of the industry. We would like to suggest that these conferences should be more interactive, touch new subjects and discuss data from an Indian perspective.

     

    “The numbers of media conferences in India are still very less, we need to organize more such events in future for the betterment of the industry. We would also like to suggest that we need to organize these shows in Tier II & Tier III cities to understand the needs of rural India.”

     

    Nisha Narayanan, Senior VP – Projects and Programming, 93.5 Red FM

    “Conferences are good platforms for germination of ideas and are good conversation builders. When industry leaders from media sit at a forum together, conversations that get built give fresher and newer perspective to issues being discussed. However it has a fair chance of being repetitive if the topics are the same and the policy has not changed.

     

    “For instance since 2006 of phase 2 of FM radio, the radio players have the same issues and regardless of the event, the same issues become rather boring to the audience. Now with phase 3, we hope to engage people with fresh concerns and celebrations.”

     

    Krishna Prasad, Editor-in-chief, Outlook

    “Trade conferences provide a legitimate forum for networking and schmoozing. But individuals and institutions which organize and take part in them need to jump out of the box of cliches if they have to fulfil their core mandate, which is presumably to inspire and throw new light. In other words, there needs to be more ‘disruption’, rather than everybody nodding their heads sagely between checking their phones and yawning. And there needs to be more intense questioning of the holy cows, rather than blind acceptance of their received and perceived wisdom.”

     

    Prema Sagar, Principal and Founder, Genesis Burson-Marsteller

    “Conferences in India, trade or otherwise, were deeply boring in the years gone by. In recent times, the subjects are more global in scope with local focus. Every expert, speaker and academician is happy to be part of conferences in India…. there are now better speakers with good content and articulation, there is more learning on new subjects, and networking is always a great takeaway. What needs to improve is better planning and execution of events, follow-up papers on subjects that provide further value to those attendees who value the ongoing engagement.”

     

     

    Srinivasan K Swamy, CMD, RK Swamy BBDO

    “Good conferences with a timely and focused theme and a set of good speakers are always relevant. Unfortunately we have too many of these undifferentiated ones. They all have the same topics discussed, the same speakers and more often the same audience! Also in many conferences there is too much selling by the speaker about his company, and that is a put-off for audiences.

     

    “Some introspection is needed before embarking on the next conference on three dimensions: Is the theme addressing the current and the immediate needs of the intended audience? Can we divide this theme into topics that can be looked at closely, multi-dimensionally? Can we get engaging speakers to address the chosen subjects – not something they can repackage from their earlier presentations?”

     

  • Conceived by O&M, the campaign is using various platforms including social media, microsites, mobile, internet, radio and electronic media

    Mentos’ new Batti Jalao Campaign

    By A Correspondent

     

    Mentos, from Perfetti Van Melle India, was first positioned on the fresh thinking platform with ‘Aam Zindagi, Mentos Zindagi’ campaign. Mentos then evolved, literally, with the ‘Evolution’ campaign which portrayed an alternative theory of evolution where a monkey ate a Mentos and evolved into a man. Now Mentos has been positioned on the smart thinking platform with the tagline ‘Dimaag ki batti jala de’.

     

    ‘Batti Jalao’, the latest campaign by Mentos, is based on the insight that people have a natural fascination for puzzles and mysteries. The campaign uses a riddle with a twist and urges the audience to use their brain laterally. To make the campaign substantial and credible, there is a cash prize of Rs 25 lakh for solving the riddle.

     

    The marketing campaign aims to initiate conversations among consumers. To reach its target audience, Mentos will be using various platforms including social media, microsites, mobile, internet, radio and electronic media. The voice-over has been provided by Piyush Pandey, Ogilvy & Mather’s Executive Chairman and Creative Director, South Asia.

     

    Commenting on the campaign, Nikhil Sharma, Director – Marketing, Perfetti Van Melle India said, “The hope with this campaign is that can engage our consumers in an interesting and never-done-before way. With this communication, we have taken a leap and thrown a challenge to the consumers to solve a bizarre mystery. The entire look and feel for this is witty and humorous.”

     

    Abhijit Avasthi
    Piyush Pandey

    Abhijit Avasthi, NCD, Ogilvy India, added, “With a brand as fun and iconic as Mentos, there’s always this huge question: what next? It’s not easy to catch people by surprise and leave them with a laugh time after time, but we’ve done it yet one more time. And with the ‘Riddle’ campaign we’ve gone a step ahead by giving them something that will play on their minds even after they find out the answer.”

     

    Piyush Pandey, Executive Chairman and Creative Director, South Asia Ogilvy & Mather, added, “There comes a time in a brand’s journey where it must do something startling, something radical, even if what it has been doing before has worked really well. The new Mentos ‘Riddle’ campaign does exactly that. It takes a new leap without letting go of the essence of the brand.”

     

  • It's superb because it strikes at the heart of the tournament; the IPL is more fun than games, it's an outdoor party where everyone is legally allowed to make a complete fool of themselves

    Debrief: IPL: Tamasha full-on!

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Good fun campaign from Sony MAX for IPL 2013, I love it. And I say this despite the fact that I abhor this format of ‘cricket’, if it can be called that. That’s because the campaign is tailor made for this pyjama sport.

     

    The punchline sets the tone straightaway: ‘Sirf Dekhneka Nahin’. It’s superb because it strikes at the heart of the tournament; the IPL is more fun than games, it’s an outdoor party where everyone is legally allowed to make a complete fool of themselves. And for a change, a celebrity has been cast intelligently: Choreographer Farah Khan.

     

    Khan visits people’s homes/offices, and encourages them to not just watch the IPL, but dance wildly as well. She, along with her equally peppy ‘live band’ companions, shows people the right moves, and this makes the ads entertaining. In one commercial, Khan demonstrates to some serious officers how to celebrate when a player hits a boundary. This leads to madness in the boardroom. In another ad she gets some rather ‘healthy’ kitty party ladies to let off steam, causing an earth shaking situation, quite literally.

     

    Haanji, lots of masti, naatak and mazaa, which is the correct route for IPL. Khan does a fab job as the loud, energetic dance master, she is like this in real life too, and therefore she performs effortlessly. Her madness rubs off on all the others. Also, must say the script is well crafted, the junta will enjoy this comic stuff.

     

    Rating: (On a scale of 1-5): 3.5. Perfect approach for tamasha cricket

     

  • The Asian Federation of Advertising Associations recently conducted the inaugural Fast Track Professional Excellence Programme for 25 young professionals from Asia Pacific

    AFAA training inspires young professionals in Asia Pacific

    By A Correspondent

     

    The Asian Federation of Advertising Associations (AFAA) recently conducted the inaugural Fast Track Professional Excellence Programme for 25 young professionals from Asia Pacific.

     

    Originally conceived and announced in 2012, the Fast Track programme was held from February 22 to 24 at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The three-day training covered both personal and professional development to nurture the 25 participants to become extraordinary professionals and leaders in the advertising and marketing industry.

     

    The training included participants from India, Taiwan, Indonesia, Korea, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Malaysia. When asked about the programme, all 25 participants said that they were satisfied with the programme, with 18 participants saying they were “totally satisfied”.

     

    “It was an honour to spend so much time with such truly wonderful people,” said Dorab Ghadiali, Account Manager at Madison India.

     

    The next Fast Track edition is scheduled for the third quarter of 2014 in Bali. It will be held over three and a half days, and will accommodate up to 40 participants across Asia Pacific.

     

  • Draftfcb Ulka has created two new TVCs for Tata Docomo, taking the network's story further into the domain of social networking

    Draftfcb Ulka creates two TVCs for Tata Docomo

    By A Correspondent

     

    Draftfcb Ulka has created two new TVCs for Tata Docomo, taking the network’s story further into the domain of social networking. Having embarked on a journey for driving data connectivity through “Network everywhere. Always”, the new TVCs highlight the advantage of being on the network for those whom social networking is the means to have an on-going conversation with their world.

     

    Capturing the very innate need of today’s youth to share their experiences real-time through photographs, videos and posts on social networking sites of their choice. Not having access to a data connection creates a vacuum in their life and this is where Tata Docomo ubiquitous network and data plans come in.

     

    Vasudha Misra, Sr Creative Director, Draftfcb Ulka says, “We took the age old idea of sharing and gave it a facelift. The idea here was to express the impulse to share our experiences and stories as we live them.”

     

    The creative idea takes the leap from this very need of today’s youth, the need to stay connected from anywhere, anytime. This is being driven through the plot in the TVC that of a guy sharing his experience on a hill top with his friends and family.

     

    Ritesh Ghosal, Head – Brand Marketing, Tata Docomo, says, “Tata Docomo has long been the preferred choice of the internet using audiences because of its flexible plans and superior data experience. The new campaign brings to life the advantages of being on a robust data network for people who can be struck with the impulse to share anywhere, anytime.”

     

    The campaign has two TVCs, which went on air in February.

     

    Credits

    National Creative Director – KS Chakravarthy

    Sr. Creative Director – Vasudha Misra

    Creative team – Deepika Chauhan, Robin Thomas, S Srinath, Sandeep Kalra

    Account Management – Sridhar Iyer, Sudipto Poddar, Kanika Rawal, Anuraag Shrivastav &

    Dyuti Biswas

    Agency Producers – Alpa Jobalia, Mazhar Khan

    Production House – Footcandles Production

    Director – Ayyappa

    Producer – Amarjeet Phukan

     

  • For the 2013 Frooti campaign film, Creativeland roped in Indian cinema superstar Shahrukh Khan, who transforms innocent onlookers into drooling, gulping, longing, lip-smacking children

    Creativeland drools for Frooti

    By A Correspondent

     

    For the 2013 Frooti campaign film, Creativeland roped in Indian cinema superstar Shahrukh Khan, who transforms innocent onlookers into drooling, gulping, longing, lip-smacking children with the ‘Magic of fresh and juicy mangoes’.

     

    The film, shot after a game practice, intercuts between Shahrukh gulping Frooti and a bunch of little soccer players yearning for the mango drink. The little kids drool uncontrollably and their thirst for the bottle of Frooti seems unabashed. When Shahrukh is done with his Frooti and looks around, he is taken aback to see the players (who were actually adults) staring at him in child-like innocence. He says ‘what?’ and breaks them out of the spell. The embarrassed players smile sheepishly and get back to what they were doing. And, in the background two little players, who saw the whole thing unfold, break into laughter. What makes the ad even more enchanting is the beautiful, soulful track that holds the film together. The ad is sure to appeal to the fun-loving, excitable youth with its promise of ‘fresh n juicy mangoes’.

     

    “This year one of the key aims was to capture the feel of relishing a bottle of Mango Frooti and up the appetite quotient. I am particularly glad to have been able to do it notably and still retain the quirk and edge that we have consistently aimed at with Mango Frooti communication. I have personally enjoyed the challenge of bringing it alive”, said Sajan RaJ Kurup, Founder and Creative Chairman, Creativeland Asia.

     

    Nadia Chauhan Kurup, MD and CMO, Parle Agro, explained, “Fresh ‘n’ Juicy is an integral proposition to brand Frooti. This year we decided to take it to level higher and treated it as the essence of our new campaign positioning. And in this way, The Magic of Fresh ‘n’ Juicy Mangoes was created.” She adds, “For the first time in the history of Frooti, we have associated a celebrity as large as Shahrukh Khan to endorse the brand. We believe that merging with brand King Khan, will further enhance magic of the brand and fuel our growth plans.”

     

    The film is backed by a holistic marketing plan which includes innovative outdoor, BTL, mall activation, visibility at retail outlets (POP) and strong digital presence. Social media will be the focus of the communication plan, with activities on Twitter and Facebook.

     

    The film is directed by Prakash Varma of Nirvana Films.

     

  • Why doesn’t a smart TV news channel offer Justice Katju his very own daily show? For half an hour every evening, our all-round expert vents on national television, gifting us with his gems for the day in his inimitable style

    Anil Thakraney: Wanted: Justice Katju Unplugged!

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    I like Justice Markandey Katju. Not necessarily as the chief of the Press Council, but as an ever-green television personality. He is like a breath of fresh air on the news channels that otherwise saddle us viewers with the same bunch of bores and jokers. Katju won my heart when he famously declared that 90 percent of Indians are fools. Though I would have loved him even more if he had pegged that figure at 99 percent. That would be a more accurate description.

     

    That apart, Justice Katju is a highly entertaining man. He speaks his mind ferociously, doesn’t shy away from television pow-wows, and revels in controversial situations. Although the man denies he makes such sensational remarks to court controversies, I am quite certain Katju enjoys being on prime time. It’s perhaps an unfulfilled desire being satisfied. This explains why he frequently provokes powerful people/groups, and gets into television skirmishes. His more recent targets of ire were BJP’s Arun Jaitley and Narendra Modi. Previously, he’s taken on the media, movie stars, cricketers, Mamata Banerji, Pakistan… the list is long. Shri Katju has an opinion on everything under the sun and the moon, and his kickass views are always captivating. When he’s not invited to the TV studios, our man lets off steam on his Twitter page.

     

    And this gave me an idea: Why doesn’t a smart TV news channel offer Justice Katju his very own daily show? A ‘Justice Katju Unplugged’ sort of a thingy. For half an hour every evening, our all-round expert vents on national television, gifting us with his gems for the day in his inimitable style. That Katju is totally entertaining we already know, but having served as a judge, he carries enormous credibility (which is why Suhel Seth and Shobhaa De, who too have an opinion on everything, don’t qualify). I think the show will score heavy on the TRP charts. And it will be a welcome break from the same dull bores we watch on television debates every evening.

     

    So here’s hoping one of our TV honchos makes this offer. I am quite positive Justice Katju will lap it up. Even though the first target of his vitriolic attack could be that very channel, you can never rule anything out with His Honour. See, that’s why the man is such a hit.  🙂

     

    ***

     

    PS: Haha. Any ad person will tell you these posters are an agency creative’s nightmare. A couple of Irish designers have turned the worst comments from clients into hilarious posters. They are funny, provided you read them after a few large pegs.

     

    Link: http://www.demilked.com/sharp-suits-posters/

     

  • Mindshare India wins 13 shortlists at the Fest of Media Asia in Singapore as the media major is Network of the Year

    Mindshare India flag flies high at FOMA

     

    By A Correspondent

     

    Ever since he took charge in late 2011, Mindshare India boss Ravi Rao has been living out of his suitcase and smartphones. The back-to-back meeting with clients and pitches leaves him little time for much else. While we don’t think these cruel hours at work are healthy, the hard work is paying off. Mr Rao is delighted by the “good, all-round show – right from the effectiveness award for Slice, Pepsico to HUL winning on the back of strong entries”.

     

    The competition was indeed tough, including that coming from within the Group M stable. At the Festival of Media Asia, the premier destination for media agencies and professionals, Mindshare was the Network of the Year.

     

    Other than Mindshare, the top honours went to Million Reasons to Believe in Thailand (Campaign of the Year) submitted by Initiative Thailand for Coca-Cola, OMD Hong Kong (Agency of the Year). The winners in these categories were determined by a points system based on entries appearing in the shortlist and the list of highly commended and winning entries.

     

    Winners were selected from a shortlist of 117 campaigns, presented to an expert panel of 27 industry judges, led by Leonardo O’Grady, ASEAN Integrated Marketing and Communications Director, Coca-Cola. The gruelling two-day judging process saw much deliberation and debate, resulting in the final list of winners.

     

    The 2013 Festival of Media Asia Awards were presented at a gala event at the Sentosa Cove in Singapore last night (March 5). Awards were presented to winners vying across 15 open categories, with an additional three grand prix awards. There were over 400 submissions from over 10 markets across the region.

     

    “We held every entry to the highest standard,” said Leonardo O’Grady, ASEAN Integrated Marketing and Communications Director, Coca-Cola. “We had to make some difficult decisions. Many of the entries were of such a high quality that we struggled to find a clear winner, and one of the things that emerged was that the lines between content and communication have become blurred.”

     

    Mr O’Grady continued, “The Best Communications and Mobile categories were hotly contested and we have also seen some great wins from Thailand, Australia and India.”

     

    “Each and every one of these winners deserves the recognition they have received from the jury.” said Charlie Crowe, Founder of the Festival and CEO of C-Squared, the organizers of the event. “We have seen some exemplary campaigns that have been able to change minds and move people. They represent the best work coming out of Asia, and demonstrate the sheer creative energy and calibre of the industry in this region.”

     

    The Awards ceremony was the grand finale for the three-day Festival of Media Asia 2013, held in Singapore for the second time. This year’s event brought together over 600 influential delegates and over 40 speakers from across Asia and the globe.

     

    The Festival included case studies, panel discussions, and presentations focused around the theme of Mobility. The Festival’s day programme ended with M.A.P, a speed round of presentations from innovative companies looking to be named Hot Company of the Year (according to audience votes) which saw Future Ad Labs emerging on top, as well as the Rising Star Award for promising young talent which went to Stella Su (Yen-Wen Su) from Starcom Taiwan.

     

    Ravi Rao

    As for Ravi Rao, he’s sitting back, delighted. At the shortlists revealed for the Media Abby at Goafest, his agency leads with 20 shortlists. Back to the FOMA wins, he told MxMIndia: “I am extremely proud of the teams including those that made it and got shortlisted.” And what’s next: “Another year and now Goafest beckons.” Well said.

     

    The full list of Festival of Media Asia Award winners is available online at www.festivalofmedia.com/asia/awards.

     

     

     

  • To be held on May 22 in Mumbai, the task of organizing the fourth edition of Portfolio Night 11 in India has been rested with JWT India. The event is a platform to nurture young talent in the industry

    JWT to drive fourth edition of Portfolio Night in India

    By A Correspondent

     

    The annual event where aspiring young advertising copywriters, art directors and designers meet with several renowned advertising creative directors in a fast-paced evening of advice, networking and recruitment is ready for its fourth innings in Mumbai.

     

    To be held on May 22 in Mumbai, the task of organizing the fourth edition of Portfolio Night 11 in India has been rested with JWT India. The event is a platform to nurture young talent in the industry by giving them an opportunity to showcase their ideas to the most creative minds of the country. Scheduled to take place simultaneously in over 20 cities on this date across the world, including Athens, Austin, Beijing, Boston, Costa Rica, Johannesburg, Los Angeles, Montreal, New York, Paris, Sao Paulo, Stockholm, Tokyo and Toronto amongst others, Portfolio Night is an annual property of ‘IHAVEANIDEA’, the creative founders and the world’s first and largest community of the international advertising industry.

     

    Colvyn Harris

    Colvyn Harris, CEO, JWT South Asia said, “Portfolio Night is an ideal platform that identifies and recognizes fresh creative talent and offers them a unique opportunity of getting mentored and nurtured by the best in the advertising fraternity. This is also the perfect opportunity for industry experts to give back to the industry, by guiding aspiring young creatives and helping them carve a niche for themselves.”

     

    Representing the industry at the press briefing were creative heads such as Ashish Khazanchi of Publicis Ambience, Ravi Deshpande of Contract Advertising, Colvyn Harris of JWT, Russell Barrett of BBH, Sagar Mahabaleshwarkar of Bates Chi & Partners, Bobby Pawar of JWT, KV Sridhar of Leo Burnett & KS Chakravarthy of FCB Draft Ulka.

     

    On the global platform, the event is keenly sought after by young creatives who want to make it big in the advertising world and seasoned creative directors who scout for great talent. Portfolio Night 10 took place in 18 cities around the world and over the past ten years the platform has seen a bee-line of young copywriters, art directors and designers eager to participate and meet the Ad gurus they revere and hold in high esteem.

     

    The JWT India Portfolio Night 11 is expecting over 20 senior creative directors to attend and review the budding freshers. It is a fantastic opportunity for creative directors to spot the ‘next big thing’ in the advertising world and to hire and mentor fresh talent. It is also a chance for industry leaders to give back to the industry by guiding the young talent.

     

    Portfolio Night 11 is open to young creative professionals from advertising, digital and design agencies and also senior students of art colleges. JWT India will viral the promotional campaign through broadcast and digital medium. Participants will need to register on their respective city’s page on the Portfolio Night website http://portfolionight.com/11/ and click on the “Buy Tickets” button for a registration. This will take them to that city’s online ticket purchasing system. Tickets are scheduled to go on sale on April 15, 2013. An e-ticket will be issued to the participant as a permit to enter the event in Mumbai on May 22, 2013.