MxMIndia

Category: ADVERTISING

  • MuveAcoustics have now entered the Indian market with the aim of establishing their brand’s high performance audio equipment range

    MuveAcoustics begins ops in India

     

     

    MuveAcoustics, part of the Zeeva group, has released a multimedia campaign created by TBWA\India in association with ViratKohli to launch a range of personal audio equipment.

     

    The campaign created by TBWA\India is inspired by Kohli’s life and the film is a celebration of what’s inside him.  Said NitinButani, Vice President MuveAcoustics, says, “TBWA\India’s strategy backed by relevant insights and superlative creativity has allowed us to make an impactful entry in the Indian market.”

     

    The film has been directed by ShujaatSaudagar of Boot Polissh and shot by TassaduqHussain, while the stills have been shot by Suresh Natarajan. The film targets everyone from audiophiles to casual music lovers.

  • The FIFA U-17 World Cup India 2017 is the first global football event that will take place in India

    DDB Mudramax executes the FIFA U-17 World Cup mascot launch event

    By A Correspondent

     

    With just over 200 days  to go until the start of the FIFA U-17 World Cup India 2017, the official mascot of the tournament was revealed at New Delhi’s Jawahar Lal Nehru Stadium recently. The mascot launch event was conceptualised and executed by DDB MudraMax- Experiential.

    The FIFA U-17 World Cup India 2017 is the first global football event that will take place in India (from October 6 to 28). Following a multi- agency pitch win, DDB Mudra Max was entrusted the task of conceptualising and executing the launch event which resonated with this idea. The objective was to create a remarkable recall value for the FIFA U-17 and set the ball rolling for the sporting revolution this event will trigger.

    In a ceremony attended by Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Vijay Goel and the Chairman of the Local Organising Committee, Praful Patel,  a Clouded Leopard nicknamed ‘Kheleo’ was introduced to hundreds of fans and media representatives. The Clouded Leopard is a wild cat that has descended from the Himalayan foothills through mainland Southeast Asia with a total population suspected to be fewer than 10,000 individuals. The character represents the agility, vigour, uniqueness and potential for the game.

    Following a high spirited event, the seven-foot tall mascot ‘Kheleo’ was introduced to the global football community; as it emerged through two splitting LED screens on stage. The mascot interacted with the young football fans and was cheered on enthusiastically by huge crowd turnout and the media at the unveiling event.

    Quoting on the brand’s experience of working with DDB MudraMax, Joy Bhattacharya, Project Director, FIFA U-17 World Cup India 2017 said, “The show that DDB MudraMax has pulled off cannot be the easiest thing. It is a launch that involves World Football Association, Local Football Association, Ministers making it simply difficult to put a timeline in place.”

    Quoting on the agency’s association with FIFA U-17 World Cup India 2017, Sanjay Shukla, President- DDB Mudra Max said, “2016 was a great year for DDB MudraMax. We gained a lot of momentum and it is great to see the momentum carrying forward 2017 as well where the first marquee event we are pulling off is a part of Indian sporting history. It is a matter of pride and honor for us to be associated with the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup India 2017 Mascot launch. The local organising committee are client partners in every sense of the word. I am extremely proud of the team that won this business and pulled off the event.”

     

  • According to a recent study on one-upmanship in relationships, when a person begins to play with a mobile phone, their partner tend to spend even more time on his or hers

    Durex unveils the ‘Love Bug’ this Valentine’s Day

    By A Correspondent

     

    On occasion of Valentine’s Day, Durex takes on the bold move to ignite the passion among lovers with ‘Look Up For Love’. In an era where technology has become an addiction, where lovers are too immersed in their virtual world on mobile and miss their real love,Durex has come up with a new campaign that when utilised properly, technology can rekindle the romance.

     

    According to a recent study on one-upmanship in relationships, when a person begins to play with a mobile phone, their partner tend to spend even more time on his or hers. Where 71.4 per cent of people admitted using mobile phone very often and 61per cent agreed that their partner uses a mobile phone frequently, the figure shows how relationships are affected because of the technology and importance of creating a ‘technology-free’ zone with your loved one.

     

    The campaign aims to bring together couples who are estranged because of the frequent usage of technology and encourage them to have a more real conversation with each other. To enhance the relationship and build true connection, Durex has launched the Love Bug – A reminder for your partner that you want to be #TrulyConnected.

     

    Speaking about the new campaign, Rohit Jindal, Marketing Director – RB India said “The campaign is an attempt to inspire couples to ditch the technology, have a more real conversation and connect with each other this Valentine’s Day. We believe that key to a healthy relationship is staying engaged and appreciating every moment with each other.”

     

  • Leo Burnett's new campaign for McDonald's breaks out of the TVC format as they launch the Junior version of their iconic burger, the Maharaja Mac

    McDonald’s unveils Junior Maharaja Mac with an unconventional campaign

    By A Correspondent

     

    McDonald’s India is bringing in a brand new attraction to its menu. For the first time, the Junior Maharaja Mac – a mini version of its famous Maharaja Mac, makes its debut across McDonald’s restaurants in the West and South of India.

     

    McDonald’s has always been about celebrating the everyday moments over delicious food. With the Junior Maharaja Mac innovation, the brand now ensures that people can enjoy these everyday moments even with the taste of a Maharaja Mac, as a value meal offering.

     

    With a focus on providing taste and quality in a value format, the Junior Maharaja Mac has been introduced as a limited time offer on McDonald’s menu. The Veg Maharaja Mac Junior is prepared in a rich and crusty cheesy corn patty, served with a vegetable-cocktail sauce and consists of premium ingredients such as jalapeño slices, red onion slices, cheddar cheese slice & fresh crispy iceberg lettuce.

     

    The Chicken Junior Maharaja Mac patty is flame-grilled and consists of whole meat sourced from the leg, breast and thigh of the chicken. The delicious patties are served in a bun, topped with sesame seeds, fresh salad dressed with Habanero sauce. The Junior Maharaja Mac-Veg is priced at Rs 95 and Junior Maharaja Mac-Chicken is priced at Rs 99.

     

    To launch the Junior Maharaja Mac, McDonald’s has unveiled a new integrated campaign conceptualised by Leo Burnett Mumbai, in partnership with their Chicago office.The new series is a fun mix of everyday life’s moments and viral social media trends, to tell you that whether you’re celebrating a big moment or a small one, McDonald’s has got the perfect Maharaja Mac for you.

     

  • The campaign promotes the brand new concept of gifting lingerie to your besties

    amante redefines the art of gifting with their #GiftLingerie campaign

    By A Correspondent

     

    amanté, the premium lingerie brand launched its #GiftLingerie campaign.The campaign celebrates a unique and unabashed relationship that women share as friends with each other today. amanté is breaking the status quo and introduces women to the concept of gifting lingerie to their best friend. The insight is based on a recent survey that women perceive lingerie as personal and intimate, making it a unique gifting option for the person they share life’s best moments with – ones’ best friend.

     

    To bring alive the spirit of the idea, the campaign film portrays best friends who share a memorable lingerie gifting experience. The campaign celebrates confident, vibrant, everyday women and their attitude, aspirations and emotions, which make them multi-faceted, and unique.

     

    The best part about choosing to #GiftLingerie is that it doesn’t restrict itself to an occasion. The campaign also aims at paving the way for self-love- gifting to oneself, a philosophy that the brand strongly believes in. “When you’re partnering a brand whose tagline reads “Dare to Be”, a bold idea like this isn’t really an option”, say Neel &Vinod, the Executive Creative Directors at Leo Burnett Orchard, Bengaluru.

     

    “It’s always exciting to tap into a consumer trend and build brand relevance around it. Girlfriends have never been openly celebrated for how much fun and lack of inhibition they bring into each other’s lives as they are today. The brand takes this insight and weaves a story while creating a never before opportunity that’ll make you see intimate as well as fun gifting in a completely new light”, says Ganga Ganapathi, VP & Branch Head, Leo Burnett Orchard, Bengaluru.

     

    “We believe that the new brand campaign will definitely keep people intrigued, excited, informed and involved. amanté was built on an ethos of doing things differently, of challenging the norm and because of this we’ve had many firsts including being the first to introduce the lingerie gifting experience”, says Smita Murarka, Head, Marketing , MAS Brands-India

     

    “We want to reach out to a larger number of consumers in the country and spread awareness of the brand via the campaign”, she adds.

     

  • Watch select Oscar winning & nominated movies of previous years 24×7 on Tata Sky

    Tata Sky capitalises on awards season with new offering

    By A Correspondent

     

    With the Oscars just around the corner, it is that time of the year when viewers wish they could watch that Oscar nominated movie today.  Tata Sky has just made that thought a little easier with the new Showcase service called Tata Sky Hollywood Winners.

     

    Available in both SD and HD, Tata Sky Hollywood Winners will be complimentary for all Tata Sky subscribers. Catering to the trend of watching movies on the move the service will also be available on the Tata Sky Mobile App. Starting this week, the service will run for a period of one month, up to first week of March. This service will showcase select movies that were winners or nominated for ‘Best Picture’, ‘Best Director’, ‘Best Actor/Actress in a lead role’ in the previous years’ Academy Awards.

     

    On the launch of Tata Sky Hollywood Winners, Paolo Agostinelli, Chief Content and Business Development Officer at Tata Sky said, “The last Oscars was watched over 200 countries with a viewership of over 30 mn. Apart from viewership the demand for Oscar nominated or winning movies also goes up during this time of the year. True to our objective of providing world-class quality content, Tata Sky hence went about collating a bunch of acclaimed Oscar movies that would appeal to viewers across age groups and genres. We have in the past seen a positive sentiment and higher loyalty with HD subscribers whenever we launch such unique and differentiated services. We look forward to many more subscribers enjoying our offerings.”

     

    This service becomes a one stop destination for Oscar movies that will run all day throughout the week. Some of the best films on offer are The Wolf of Wall Street, The Hurt Locker, Crash, The Reader, American Hustle and many more.

     

    The service comes as a prelude to the Oscar Awards on 27th Feb.

     

  • Tata Tea is encouraging 'Preactivism', a behavior of timely activism which happens before, to prevent unfortunate things

    Tata Tea’s new JaagoRe campaign urges India to pre-act, not react

    By A Correspondent

     

    Tata Tea brand is back again with its iconic Jaago Re campaign – Jaago Re Version 2.0.The new campaign ‘Alarm Bajne se Pehle Jaago Re’ is urging people to stop reacting after tragedies hitand instead start ‘Pre-acting’, and prevent these issues from happening. Tata Tea is encouraging ‘Preactivism’, a behavior of timely activism which happens before, to prevent unfortunate things.

     

    The film brings alive the need for ‘Preactivism’ in a hard-hitting, pertinent manner. The female protagonist drives this conversation with a compelling storyline that showcases the current reactive nature of people – rallying for an issue once it has happened or taking to on-ground and social media after something bad has happened. Why do we get comfortable with reacting and not pre-acting on issues?

     

    The Jaago Re 2.0 ad film highlights how we, as a country, need to change our behavior towards social issues. We are living in a time where people gather in huge numbers on-ground and online when outraged by an incident. However, to push our consciousness further, we need to create a new behavior within activism. We need to ignite the spirit of prevention so that our society can evolve into a new reality; where it takes measures to intercept warning signs and prevent disasters. We need to wake up before the ring of the alarm – Alarm Bajne Se Pehle Jaago Re!

     

    Overall, the Jaago Re 2.0 campaign will draw attention to the need to pre-act. This campaign is not about the issues. Issues are only familiar examples; this campaign is focused onlanding the thought of ‘Preactivism’ and facilitating a change in current behavior. The campaign will have multiple phases with the current phase focusing on seeding this new thought and making ‘Preactivism’ a mainstream conversation. In the subsequent phases, Tata Tea will continue to drive ‘Preactivism’ through on-ground initiatives, walking-the-talk as a brand that is rallying for change.

     

    The first edition of the Jaago Re campaign focused on various topics ranging from corruption and bribery to voting and women empowerment. Over the years, the campaigns have been instrumental in igniting a social revolution of sorts by provoking an entire generation of Indians to wake up to socio-cultural issues affecting them. Jaago Re campaigns have always questioned people’s apathy towards social issues.

     

    Commenting on the new Jaago Re campaign, Sushant Dash, Regional President – India, Tata Global Beverages, said, “Jaago Re has been a path breaker in many ways. It set the way for brands embracing social change as part of their DNA. However, over the years, as with any innovation or new thinking, the space has become crowded. Hence, we needed to break the mould again and showcase our thought leadership. So we went back to the consumer, to the youth. We realised Jaago Re has helped move the needle. From complete apathy, as a nation we have become reactive. However, the need now was to move from being reactive to instilling a sense of ‘Preactivism’ in people. We wanted to create a new paradigm shift that would be relevant to people of all age groups and demographics, to continue this journey of social change in India. ‘Preactivism’ is a new dimension – not reflecting on culture but creating one. This is hopefully the start to another new wave of social uprising that India will see.”

     

  • The anthem, titled 'AaoShorMachao', spreads awareness about the T20 World Cup for the Blind

    Leo Burnett India’s Sachin Das Burma creates anthem for T20 World Cup for the Blind

    By A Correspondent

     

    Sachin Das Burma

    Leo Burnett India’s Sachin Das Burma, has created a new anthem for the 2017 edition of the T20 World Cup for the Blind. Burma is the Group Executive Creative Director with the agency and has independently taken up the task of creating the campaign. The tournament, that began on January 30, 2017, is in its second year, with India having won the inaugural edition last year. Eight other nations apart from India are participating in 2017, including Pakistan, England, New Zealand and Australia.

     

    The anthem, titled ‘AaoShorMachao’, spreads awareness about the T20 World Cup for the Blind. Apart from Burma, SavitaHiremath of Tandav Films has co-created the campaign, while Shiladitya Moulik has directed the film. The anthem has gone viral over the last week, and even caught Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s attention! The PMO’s Office tweeted the anthem out at the start of the tournament, adding mileage to the popularity of the anthem.

     

    Speaking about the new campaign, Burma said, “The entire campaign happened in a discussion about what we can do to promote the 2nd edition of the t20 world cup for the blind. Though India was the champion team of the 1st edition, there was very little awareness about it. We felt it is time that the other man in blue also getshis much deserved place under the sun.”

     

    For Burma, the idea of doing his bit for the cause of promoting the tournament made him take it up independently, with Hiremath. He feels that as a creative, this is one way to do his bit. “The huge task that we set to achieve in terms of creating something that will touch the hearts of people, and at the same time, not doing something that begs for support, was the biggest challenge,” he said.

     

    The tournament, so far, has seen top Indian cricketers including Virat Kohli being very vocal about their support.

     

    Said SavitaHiremath, “The T20 World Cup for the Blind is not very popular among those who love the cricket. However, the new campaign has already done its bit to change this mindset. Roping in top cricketers of the Indian team, the advertising fraternity came together to create a campaign that intends to generate interest and support for the cause.”

     

  • Neeraa is a post graduate in English Literature from Mumbai University

    Salt Brand Solutions appoints Neeraa Maini Srivastava & Rishi Chanana as ECDs

    By A Correspondent

     

    Salt Brand Solutions announced Neeraa Maini Srivastava & Rishi Chanana as their new Executive Creative Directors to strengthen their creative team.

     

    Neeraa is a post graduate in English Literature from Mumbai University. She began her career as a creative professional in advertising. In the past she has worked with Lowe, Saatchi and Saatchi, the Times Group, Percept and has also had international experience. Having pioneered the creative start-up cell there, she moved on to assume the role of Creative Head in a renowned film production house. She has won several awards for her creativity and is known for her strong diversity of creative expressions. Earning accolades and awards for her work, she continued to hone her creative talents and gain academic and practical knowledge in screenwriting and creative writing.

     

    Rishi’s past experience includes various agencies like O&M Delhi, TBWA\Raad, Dubai, TBWA\Delhi, O&M Mumbai and TBWA\India. He is a winner of Golds, Silvers, and Bronzes in various international award shows like D&AD, Cannes, One Show, Art Directors Club, Spikes Asia, Asia-pac, Clios, London International, New York Festivals, and various prestigious national awards like Kyoorius D&AD. He has also judged various Indian awards.

     

    Elaborating on her new role Neeraa says, “I am delighted to be a part of this exciting venture, Salt Brand Solutions. I personally love a change story, be it a brand or an agency and I can safely say that my journey has largely been driven by such opportunities. The timing is right with a new wave of change to create the highest levels of collaboration and organizational agility across all brands.”

     

    Commenting on this Rishi says, “I am pleased to have been chosen by Salt Brand Solutions and I am looking forward to create a fresh culture at Salt andto bring about changesthat can impact the industry.”

     

    Mahesh Chauhan, founder, Salt Brand Solutions, says, “It’s great to have Neeraa and Rishi onboard. They both havea rare combination of creative flair and maturity. Their track record of scaling businesses and brands speaks for itself. I look forward to them creating some truly memorable work, thus driving Salt’s agenda of being the best new age business partners to our clients.”

     

  • India's advertising investment to reach an estimated Rs 61,204 crore in 2017 versus Rs 55671 crore last year

    GroupM estimates 10% AdEx growth in 2017

     

    By A Correspondent

     

    Media services conglomerate GroupM released its biannual advertising expenditure futures report ‘This Year Next Year’ (TYNY) 2017 on Monday forecasting India’s advertising investment to reach an estimated Rs 61,204 crore in 2017. This represents a growth of 10% for the calendar year 2017 over the corresponding period in 2016.

     

    As per GroupM, the adspends in 2016 were Rs 55,671 crore. Even though the year began on a very optimistic note, the overall AdEx took a downturn due to lower than expected adspend growth from sectors like FMCG, traditional retail, telecom and sporadic spending in categories like Ecommerce. In the January-October period itself the Adex was growing at a lower trajectory than forecasted. Furthermore, demonetisation in the last quarter had a negative impact of about 2% on the total Adex in 2016.

     

    Speaking on the TYNY 2017 report, CVL Srinivas, CEO, GroupM South Asia said, “Despite a volatile 2016, we are estimating advertising expenditure growth at 10% in 2017. The first quarter will give a slow start to the year, with the market picking up from March-April, fueled by a stable recovery process post demonetization. Sectors that are contributing to this positive trajectory include Auto, Media and e-Wallets. In addition, Government and Political parties will increase spending with elections in several states this year.” Explaining the media scenario, he added. “Digital is leading the Adex growth with a 30% growth, while TV continues to be the largest medium in the mix. Print continues to grow at a stable rate of 4.5% and is still the second largest medium in the Adex.”

     

    Looking at the advertising industry worldwide, GroupM estimates the global advertising expenditure (AdEx) to grow by 4.4% and Asia-Pacific to grow by 6.3%. With an estimated adex growth of 10%, India remains one of the fastest growing ad markets globally. While 80% of incremental ad spend growth in major markets comes from digital media, in India the numbers are more evenly split betwen traditional and digital media. Digital media accounts for about 40% of the incremental ad spend growth.

     

    GroupM estimates the Digital Adex to grow by 30% in 2017 to Rs. 9,490 crores. The digital Adex is estimated to take a 15.5% share of the total Adex this year. There will be a high emphasis on viewability metrics and outcome based optimization. Ad spends will grow on OTT platforms, as internet speeds improve and catch up TV gains ground.

     

    2017 is estimated to be a modest year for newspapers with 4.5% growth. The increase in ad spends expected from print heavy sectors like Auto, BFSI, e-wallets will contribute to this growth. Vernacular and regional newspapers will see a higher growth rate.

     

    Television continues to be the largest medium contributing to the Adex with close to 45% share. This year, the growth rate for TV is 8%, with ‘Free To Air’ channels adding more inventory, and pure HD content gaining ground. The market will also see a consolidation of niche channels.

     

    While Radio is expected to grow at a little over 10%, there is scope for the medium to pick up as the Phase 3 rollout is completed in 2017. Higher growth is expected as stations will see the supply impact of the full year.

     

    Other media such as OOH will witness good traction from sectors addressing rural audience and premium niche audience. As per the trend in recent years, Cinema advertising will grow at a high double digit rate of 20%. Cinema consolidation has led to investments in infrastructure, this coupled with the growing acceptance of premium Indian and Hollywood content by advertisers augurs well for the medium.

     

  • Observers & insiders say IPG is bigger…

    For Real or Bunkum? Dentsu Aegis Networksays it’s #2 agency group. But industry dismisses claim

     

    By A Correspondent

    For nearly a year Ashish Bhasin, Chairman and CEO of the Dentsu Aegis Network South Asia, has been saying that he is working towards DAN being the #2 agency network in the country. What Bhasin hasn’t spelt out in so many words on record is that he is looking at making DAN as second only to the WPP group, and displacing IPG, short for the Interpublic Group.

    Earlier today (Wednesday, Feb 15), we received a mail from the corporate communications team at DAN with a communique making the claim. On record, via a communique. This is a claim that has been dismissed by many in the industry who MxMIndia spoke with as one without any basis. MxMIndia hasn’t looked at the numbers directly and we weren’t able to get official numbers to prove or reject the claims.

     

    List of Companies/Brands within IPG & DAN

    (as per information received from the communications teams of two groups) 

    INTERPUBLIC GROUP (IPG)

    1. Lodestar UM

    2. Initiative

    3. Interactive Avenues

    4. Reprise

    5. Rapport

    6. Ansible

    7. Magna Global

    8. Mullen Lintas

    9 Lowe Lintas

    10. LinOpinion

    11. dCell

    12. LinConsult

    13. LinEngage

    14. GoLinOpnion

    15. LinProdcution

    16. Linteractive

    17. McCann WorldGroup

    18. MRM/McCann

    19. Momentum

    20. McCann Health

    21. Craft

    22. Weber Shandwick

    23. FCB Ulka

    24. FCB Interface

    25. FCB Interactive

    26. FCB Healthcare

    27. FCB Cogito Consulting

    28. FCB Asterii

    29. FCB Aquila

    30. FCB Neon Brand PR

     

    DENTSU AEGIS NETWORK (DAN)

    1. Carat

    2. Vizeum

    3. Dentsu Media

    4. iProspect

    5. Isobar

    6. WAT Consult

    7. Taproot Dentsu

    8. Dentsu Webchutney

    9. Dentsu Impact

    10. Dentsu One

    11. Posterscope

    12. Brandscope

    13. Ambient

    14. Hyperspace

    15. Milestone Brandcom

    16. The Story Lab

    17. Dentsu India

    18. Fountainhead MKTG

    19. Happy mcgarrybowen

    20. Perfect Relations

    21. Fractal

     

    But first let’s look at what DAN is claiming. Here are excerpts from the communique:

    Dentsu Aegis Network has entered the top two bracket of the Indian advertising space to become the # 2 Agency Group in India. With this, Dentsu Aegis Network has now overturned for the first time the existing rankings, which have historically been in place for over 80 years in this country.

    Despite being a late entrant in the Indian advertising space, Dentsu Aegis Network today is the fastest growing agency network for three years in a row. The group has steadfastly helmed some of the industry’s most successful acquisitions in the recent years includingthat of Milestone Brandcom, Dentsu Webchutney, Taproot Dentsu, iProspect (Communicate2), WATConsult, Fountainhead MKTG, Perfect Relations, Happy Mcgarrybowen and Fractal Ink. This has, in turn,not only helped it aggressively scale up its operations organically and inorganically in India but also expand itself to a 3000+ people network. It is pertinent to note here that the latest Fractal acquisition has now brought together a team of over 1,000 digital experts inside DAN, the largest in India, including the combined Isobar team and the existing network digital brands iProspect, WATConsult and Dentsu Webchutney.

    Meanwhile, with Posterscope and Milestone Brandcom under its umbrella, Dentsu Aegis Network is not just the leader but a dominant player in the OOH space in India. It is also home to the most sought-after creative agencies of the country, the biggest social media agency in India and has the most comprehensive marketing communication offerings under its unique One P&L philosophy.

    In the past year, Dentsu Aegis Network India took a huge leap with dramatic improvement in scale, making India a key contributor towards Denstu Aegis Network’s global revenue growth. While the business in India grew 300% of the market growth, the network went on to win some of the largest accounts in India, include Mondelez, Maruti (digital and creative), Carlsberg, Nokia, Microsoft, General Motors, British Airways, Allied Blenders, MasterCard, Sony, Hindustan Times, Panasonic and several other key accounts in the past two years. Digital business grew by 250% (industry average 30%) and OOH advertising by over 150% (industry average 6.1%). The network’s turnover growth stands at a 102% (Industry average 11%) while its revenue growth is over 100%.

    This is what Ashish Bhasin, Chairman and CEO Dentsu Aegis Network South Asia, said in the communique:  “We are delighted to have overturned 80 years of history. I stuck my neck out and publicly announced our ambition and my superb team worked hard and smart to deliver what then looked like an impossible target, well ahead of time. We will use the rest of 2017 to further consolidate our position because from here onwards the top slots of this industry are likely to be, more and more, a two-horse race… We have changed the paradigm in our industry and will continue to strive to ensure that we keep raising the bar to global standards as we march towards a Digital India.”

    The worry is that given that since none of the ad agency majors are listed, the numbers aren’t public. Also, the balance sheets filed with the Registrar of Companies are as of March 2016, and so current numbers aren’t official, but only on the basis of what DAN may present.

    Many observers and senior people in the industry we spoke with in the last few weeks and since this morning are wondering why DAN got into the numbers war, when they don’t really matter in advertising since one is looking at the quality of work. It’s almost like mine’s bigger than yours, said one CEO.

    We asked Bhasin on whether he needed to do it all. After all, the industry has taken note of the rise and rise of the Dentsu Aegis Network. It has been winning business steadily (at the time of writing, there is news that the group has also bagged the Maruti Media AOR aggregating around Rs 400 crore), and it’s no longer a poor cousin of the various agencies. Agreed it’s not won big in the media awards or the Effies, but in the creative awards, the agencies have been fairing well. So why make this claim, and get into a tu tu-main main?

    Bhasin says it was necessary as it was an impossible target he had set for himself and this was a celebration of the achievement. The big thing, he said as in the official communique, is that it has changed 80 years of ranking… It was exceedingly difficult, Bhasin told us given that DAN has started out late and with no major base.

    However, industry observers say that if you compare the work and revenues, it’s difficult to believe IPG is lagging behind DAN. The agencies of IPG – in the MullenLoweLintas Group, McCann and FCB Ulka still have big clients. And even factoring in the loss of a Maruti, Mediabrands is ahead of Carat and Dentsu Media.

    In terms of staffing DAN may be ahead given that digital typically is employee-intensive, but that we are told is not consequential.

    Our attempts to interact with the IPG group in India were unsuccessful as the group doesn’t have a collective leadership. However, we did speak informally to some senior to mid-level employees in the group as well as well as some independent observers, and they were dismissive of the claim. Not yet, and not for long is what we were told.

    Clearly, we haven’t heard the last of this war of oneupmanship initiated by Dentsu Aegis Network. The worry is whether in the process the agency business – which is already experiencing some rough weather – will be a loser. And will get used by marketers to be beaten down in margins and profits.

     

  • An eminent nine-member Jury, led by Mr. Dilip Shanghvi, selected the 17 finalists

    Uday Shankar among 17 finalists for EY Entrepreneur of the Year Award

    By A Correspondent

     

    EY, the global professional services organisation, announced the selection of 17 of the country’s most exceptional entrepreneurs as finalists for the 18th Entrepreneur of the Yearâ„¢ – India 2016. The finalists have been selected from among 250 outstanding nominations and will be felicitated at a grand celebratory Awards Banquet to be held on 24 February in New Delhi.

     

    Together, these 17 finalists have combined revenues of over INR 154,335 crore (USD 23.38 billion) and are providing employment to over 5.2 lakh people in India and globally.

     

    A distinguished nine-member independent Jury led by Dilip Shanghvi, Managing Director, Sun Pharmaceuticals Industries selected the finalists. Other Jury members include Subodh Bhargava, Chairman, Tata Communications; Sanjeev Bikhchandani, Executive Vice-Chairman, Info Edge (India) Limited; Naina Lal Kidwai, Chairman, Max Financial Services; Uday Kotak, Managing Director, Kotak Mahindra Bank; Kalpana Morparia, Chief Executive Officer, JP Morgan Chase South Asia and India; Rishad Premji, Chief Strategy Officer, Wipro; Renuka Ramnath, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Multiples Alternate Asset Management and A Vellayan, Executive Chairman, Murugappa Group.

     

    Dilip Shanghvi, Jury Chairman and Managing Director, Sun Pharmaceuticals says, “Like previous years, this year’s finalists too represent extremely successful companies that have not only disrupted the industry with a new business model but have disrupted themselves to chart a new growth path. We need more entrepreneurs to propel our country’s growth and it is important to recognize such innovative entrepreneurs.”

     

    The finalists for the EY Entrepreneur Of The Yearâ„¢ 2016 India Awards are:

    – Ram Gopal Agarwal, Chairman, Dhanuka Agritech

    – Vishwavir Ahuja, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, RBL Bank

    – Hari Mohan Bangur, Managing Director, Shree Cement

    – R Dinesh, Managing Director, TVS Logistics Services

    – Dr Abhay Firodia, Chairman, Force Motors

    – Ajit Isaac, Chairman and Managing Director, Quess Corp

    – Girish Mathrubootham, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Freshdesk

    – Ravi Modi, Chairman and Managing Director, Vedant Fashions (Manyavar)

    – Vikas Oberoi, Chairman and Managing Director, Oberoi Realty

    – Darshan Patel, Chairman and Managing Director, Vini Cosmetics

    – M. P. Ramachandran, Chairman and Managing Director, Jyothy Laboratories

    – Vivek Chaand Sehgal, Chairman, Motherson Sumi Systems

    – Rashesh Shah, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Edelweiss Group

    – Uday Shankar, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Star India

    – Samprada Singh, Chairman Emeritus and Basudeo Narain Singh, Executive Chairman, Alkem Laboratories

    – Chandubhai Virani, Whole time Director, Balaji Wafers

     

    Nandan Nilekani will be honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award for his invaluable contribution to the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), which is a pioneering citizen identification program, unparalleled in scope and scale worldwide. As the Honorary Advisor to the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), he has also helped create the ecosystem for digital financial services in India. He has also played a major role in the growth of the Indian Information Technology industry and is a recipient of the Padma Bhushan, India’s third highest civilian honor, in 2009.

     

    Uday Kotak, Managing Director, Kotak Mahindra Bank and winner of the World Entrepreneur Of The Year Award 2014 says, “I was delighted to be part of this Jury and impressed with the robustness of the process. This year’s Finalists truly define the India of today and tomorrow. What is really interesting is that we are seeing real-world businesses adopting digital and transforming themselves. My message to every entrepreneur in India is, “Go out there, build your dream and more importantly, build a business model that is sustainable over time.”

     

    Says Kalpana Morparia, CEO, JP Morgan Chase, South Asia and India, “What made the Jury process truly outstanding is the richness of the candidates. This year’s theme for the Awards – ‘Ideas, Innovation and Inspiration’, are the three ‘I’s that are driving India’s economy and many of the 2016 finalists embody this theme.  Looking beyond the digital services companies, what is phenomenal is that existing established businesses are disrupting their own models to keep pace with the digital economy.”

     

    The selection criterion included the nominee’s entrepreneurial spirit, recent financial performance, strategic direction and global impact, product or service innovation, company leadership including personal integrity and risk-taking, values and key employee initiatives, and involvement with the community.

     

    The winners will be announced across several categories, while the national winner will represent India at the EY World Entrepreneur of the Year (WEOY) awards in Monte Carlo from 8-11 June 2017.

     

    Rajiv Memani, Chairman, EY India, says, “What strikes me about our 2016 Finalists is how they have acquired tremendous scale and size from what were clearly modest beginnings. A strong focus on the customer and a business model based on innovative products and services for niche markets have enabled them to create a lasting impact. Also, reliance on technology and a bold vision for the future has helped them scale up rapidly.”

     

    Says Farokh Balsara, Partner and EOY India Program Leader, “Entrepreneurs have the power to impact our lives. Their unyielding drive to seize the power of transformative ideas creates jobs, energizes markets, builds wealth and spurs economic growth around the world. We salute their passion and insight that make them different and exceptional. Our EOY 2016 India finalists are a rare group of individuals who with their disruptive ideas and incredible innovation are inspiring a whole new generation of entrepreneurs.”

     

    Zarin Daruwala, Chief Executive Officer of Standard Chartered and sponsor of the EOY 2016 India Awards says, “We are delighted to sponsor The EY awards, which captures and celebrates the spirit behind India’s economic resurgence – the Indian entrepreneur.  Never before in our history have we seen ideas and innovation spur on with such zeal, whether it is in the exciting world of start-ups with technology as the centrepiece of business ideas, or conventional business which are reshaping themselves by using technology to unleash the full potential of their products and services.  India, today, has the third highest number of Unicorns globally, with two of them in the top 20, and the IITs rank fourth across all institutes in producing billion dollar start-up entrepreneurs. The lasting impact is in the manifold ways entrepreneurship touches and changes lives: creating employment, raising health and education standards, and ushering in a stable and progressive society.  With the government encouraging new entrepreneurship through ‘StartupIndia’ and the success stories already scripted, India is becoming the crucible of ideas, ambition and entrepreneurial spirit.”

     

    The past winners of the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year India Awards  include Vinita and Nilesh Gupta (Lupin Limited), Dr. Cyrus S. Poonawalla (Serum Institute of India), Uday Kotak (Kotak Mahindra Bank), Adi Godrej (Godrej Group), Rahul Bhatia (Interglobe Enterprises), Dilip Shanghvi (Sun Pharmaceuticals),  Anand G Mahindra (Mahindra Group), Anil Agarwal (Vedanta Resources), Tulsi Tanti (Suzlon Energy), Kumar Mangalam Birla (Aditya Birla Group), Sunil Bharti Mittal (Bharti Group), Ratan Tata (Tata Group), N.R Narayana Murthy (Infosys), Brijmohan Lall Munjal (Hero Group), (Mukesh  Ambani (Reliance Industries), and Subhash Chandra (Zee Telefilms).