Madison Media announced last Thursday that it has strengthened its Kolkata operations. Apart from her ongoing duties in Mumbai, Vandana Ramkrishna, Vice President, will also oversee the Kolkata office. Her key role for Kolkata will be to focus on strategy, digital, business development and ensuring access to Madison World practices of Trading, Analytics, Activation, Retail, OOH, Sports and Content.
In Kolkata, the agency has clients like Bandhan Bank, Joy Personal Care and Ganesh grains, amongst others. With this new role, Ramkrishna will directly report to Partner and Group CEO Madison Media & OOH, Vikram Sakhuja.
Speaking about her role in the Kolkata operations, Sakhuja said: “Vandana is one of our strongest Business leaders and I am delighted to give her the additional charge of Kolkata office as we make plans to strengthen our presence in the East.”
Added Ramkrishna: “I’m delighted to be given the additional responsibility of overseeing the Kolkata operations over and above my current Mumbai portfolio, and look forward to creating a strong foothold for Madison in the Kolkata market.”
TAM AdEx has released the first of its report on 2020 for television advertising.
Highlights of the report are Advertising Trend during Lockdown versus Unlockdown, Covid Prevention categories, Celebrity Endorsement, Social Ads by Govt. etc.
According to the report, advertising volumes in 2020 saw a marginal rise versus what it was the previous year (2019). Average ad volumes in the all-important fourth quarter of the year rose 39% over the average ad volumes in the first three quarters of the year. There was 90% growth in Average Ad Volumes/Day witnessed during Post Lockdown period.
FMCG players ruled the list of Top 10 advertisers with HUL leading the list. Four of the Top 10 brands advertised were from Hindustan Unilever and three were from RB. Personal Care/Personal Hygiene sector had 20% share of Ad Volumes followed by F&B with 18% share.
Please click on this link for the report: TAM AdEx-Mirroring Y 2020 for Television Advertising
Highlighting the thought behind the campaign, Rohit Kapoor – Director Marketing – Perfetti Van Melle India (PVMI) said: “Chupa Chups has always stood for keeping the inner kid and childlike fun alive in our protagonists. Tapping into insights relevant to today’s teens, Chupa Chups #FunKaBooster campaign urges teens to let-go of the pressure of adulting by instilling some irreverent fun into their lives. We believe that this campaign will increase the brand relevance of Chupa Chups and help take the brand to greater heights.”
Commenting on the campaign, Ritu Sharda, Chief Creative Officer, Ogilvy-North, added: “The age of social media has put pressure on teens today. On top of their grades, extracurriculars, schoolwork… they also have to think about how popular they are, how many followers they have, how many stories they’re putting on their channels. Here is where we found space as a brand to tell these teens to just have fun and take the load off. The brand of fun we endorse is irreverent – not taking away from the great impact that teens today will have on the world of tomorrow, but asking them to fully enjoy whatever they are doing with a “Chupa Chups” twist.”
After a multi-agency pitch, Prestige Group has entrusted Lintas Live, the digital-first creative PR agency (eka GolinOpinion) with a mandate to drive its PR and communications.
Irfan Razack
Said Irfan Razack, CMD, Prestige Group: “We are happy to partner with Lintas Live, an agency that demonstrated a deep understanding of modern consumer needs and has similar values to ours. As we embark on our new vision of expansion in India, we believe collaborating with best-in-class agency like Lintas Live was the right decision taken at the right time. At Prestige Group, we are very passionate about our brand and our projects and a partner that shares our passion was an important contributor to this decision.”
Ameer Ismail
Added Ameer Ismail, President, Lintas Live: “We are delighted that Prestige Group has placed its confidence in Lintas Live. The real estate sector is evolving and this promises to be an exciting journey. In Prestige Group, we have found a partner that believes in our capability and our new offering. We aim to do some path-breaking work that will stand apart.”
Dr. Fixit, from the house of Pidilite, has unveiled its new TV campaign featuring actor Amitabh Bachchan. The TVC urges consumers to prefer technically correct solutions like Dr. Fixit Roofseal as a remedy for roof repairs and waterproofing, over temporary solutions like paint and patch repair
Said Vivek Sharma, Chief Marketing Officer, Pidilite Industries: “Waterproofing is a category where often a consumer is not fully educated about correct products and solutions. Therefore, people often resort to quick-fix solutions and end up making the mistake of choosing a wrong waterproofing method. This campaign aims to make people aware about the correct way of waterproofing roofs with Dr. Fixit Roofseal, an elastomeric coating with nano fibres, that protects roofs from water and heat.”
Commenting on the campaign, Talha Bin Mohsin, Executive Creative director, Ogilvy & Mather added: “Dr Fixit offers a range of products for different types of expert waterproofing. This time, we wanted to convey that when it comes to roof one requires an expert product as well, that protects it from heat, rain and moisture for a long time. It is Dr Fixit’s Roofseal that offers expert waterproofing that no one else can match. The ad featuring our brand ambassador Mr Amitabh.
Dentsu International APAC today announces the promotion of Prerna Mehrotra into the role of CEO, Media, APAC reporting into Ashish Bhasin, CEO, Dentsu APAC and Peter Huijboom, Global CEO, Media & Global Clients. This is in addition to her current role as Managing Director, Media Group, Singapore reporting into Prakash Kamdar, CEO, Dentsu Singapore.
Said Bhasin: “Prerna was a clear candidate for the role; having joined the business in 2016, she has gone from strength to strength excelling in roles across investment and media. This integrated view across our media portfolio and her acumen of over 20+ years sets her apart from the rest – I am looking forward to working with Prerna and driving growth for our clients together.”
Added Huijboom: “I am delighted to have Prerna join my leadership team and drive dentsu’s Media strategy in this critical region. Her experience in key markets including India and China and her long-standing client relationships will ensure we continue to drive value – and excellence in everything we do.”
And finally this is what Mehrotra commented: “The media landscape in this region has never been more complex. Over the past eight months, consumers expectations of what brands produce and how they behave has changed rapidly, and it will only continue. I am excited to be working with top talents from across our markets to create growth opportunities and long-term value for our clients.”
Spicetree Design Agency (SDA), a Mumbai-based integrated digital marketing agency, has won the mandate for designing and implementing a digital marketing strategy for Infiniti Mall, the mall and entertainment hub. This includes the the complete digital marketing portfolio for Infiniti Mall, which includes engaging prospects on social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube. The mandate also includes e-mail marketing and managing the search and social media promotion through Google Ads and Facebook Ads and Search Engine Marketing.
Shiraz Khan
Said Shiraz Khan, Founder Director, SDA: “While Covid-19 was a pandemic that turned everything on its head this year, for us at SDA it as an opportunity to expand into new horizons. We have charted new frontiers, made our presence felt outside India, and recently secured the mandate for Infiniti Malls across Mumbai and have also got some other prestigious brands on board. Our objective for Infiniti Mall is to maximize engagement, increase visibility and footfall on digital platforms, keep the TG completely informed and aware of all mall events and activities, among other things. Through its integrated digital strategy, effective communication, and creative sensibilities, SDA intends to make Infiniti Mall, the ‘go-to’ place for all shopping, entertainment, food, and fun requirements. The agency also aims to create a buzz around the place for people from out of Mumbai and nearby areas to visit the mall.
An unnamed spokesperson from Infiniti Mall was quoted to have said: “We have been exploring partnership with various agencies and have been looking for a strong partner who would understand us and give us innovative perspective to reach our end consumer. The team at SDA understood our brief and also brought in interesting thoughts for the brand. We are really excited about this partnership”
The India Chapter of the International Advertising Association (IAA) has announced the call for entries for the 11th IAA Olive Crown Awards. The URL Link for submission of entries is: https://oca2021.awardor.com/. Last date of submission of Entries: 31st Jan 2021
Megha Tata
Said IAA India President Megha Tata: “These are very special awards. They remain the only one of their kind that salutes excellence in communicating sustainability. And as someone who has personally been involved in its journey it gives me a great sense of satisfaction to see its growth and acceptance all over India and Asia. The pandemic focused attention on the environment and I am sure we will get to see some significant work.”
Neeraj Roy
Added Neeraj Roy, Chairperson of the Olive Crown Awards Committee and Past President of IAA India: “these awards are run as a cause. There is no entry fee. And the new categories like Green NGO of the Year, International Green Campaign of the Year and New Age Green Initiatives got an immediate traction when they were launched last year. Of course the Green Crusader of the year and the Corporate Crusader of the Year are awards that have gained in respect with every passing year.”
The Asian Federation of Advertising Associations (AFAA) launches a quarterly newsletter called AFAAConnect.
Said Raymond So, Chairman AFAA: “There was a need expressed by our members from across the Asian continent to have a medium to keep abreast with the many activities and initiatives AFAA is associated with. This prompted us to launch AFAA Connect. We believe it will not just highlight news about our activities but also foster a feeling of oneness among our members who represent various Marcom associations in Asia”.
Added Srinivasan K Swamy, Vice-Chairman AFAA: “ From well-known properties like AdAsia, and DigiAsia to involvement in creative awards like AdStars and our investment in the young professionals with the FastTrack program, to name a few, AFAA’s activities have been growing. AFAAConnect will not just chronicle these events and initiatives but also focus on the key people who help run this vibrant Association.
Havas Group India has announced key elevations in its senior management team for Havas Media and Havas Creative.
Uday Mohan, Managing Partner North & West, Havas Media will now be President, North & West. R Venkatasubramanian, National Head Buying, Havas Media will be President & National Head Investments. And Manas Lahiri, Managing Partner – North, Havas Creative has been elevated to President, North.
Mohan and Venkat will continue to report to Mohit Joshi, CEO, Havas Media Group India and Lahiri will report to Rana Barua, Group CEO, Havas Group India.
Said Rana Barua, Group CEO, Havas Group India: “I am excited to announce well deserved key elevations from our Havas Group Senior Leadership team, that will further accelerate growth and enhance the value proposition of our organisation and take the agency to greater heights. 2020 has been a challenging yet a very satisfactory year for the agency in terms of clients, revenue, awards, and fame. I look forward to Uday, Manas and Venkat to soar higher and take us to even greater achievements, and targets.”
Engineering major Kirloskar has launched a campaign conceived by Lowe Lintas, to showcase how it touches millions of lives, cutting across sectors and geographies.
Speaking about the campaign, Madhav Chandrachud, President, Kirloskar Proprietary Limited said: “Almost all the Kirloskar products are intermediate and hence one might not ever get to see one working. With its wide range of engineering products, it’s critical that communication is humane enough for a wide cross-section to relate to and emotionally connect with the brand. That too without being burdened with the complex product stories. We are happy to have Lowe Lintas, a like-minded agency partner us shoulder the brand custodianship by handling the brand communication seamlessly since the past many years.”
Added Shantanu Sapre, Executive Director, Lowe Lintas: “The idea was to celebrate the millions of smiles Kirloskar has been garnering and cherishing globally since the last many years. The creative and production challenge was to make it human-centric without compromising on creativity in the new normal. Production logistics of curbs on travel, etc also had to be kept in mind. The creative team led by Prathamesh Gharat, Joshua Thomas and Tejas Dangre, with inputs from Charuvi Lokare, and ably supported by Business Head Aniruddha Oka, came up with a simple and elegant solution of setting the film in a photo studio with changing cast members and backdrops, thereby conveying Kirloskar’s global presence without having to travel the globe.”
To align its years of commerce expertise under one umbrella and deliver efficient business outcomes, Dentsu International has launched its global commerce unit ‘Total Commerce’ in India. ‘Total Commerce’ will unite all of Dentsu India’s commerce capabilities under a single umbrella.
Notes a communique: “‘Total Commerce’ is an attempt to find solutions to a world where manufacturers are jumping to consumers directly, where start-ups are disrupting the marketplace, and where branding is playing a significantly unique role. The solution has already, and over time, allowed many brands and retailers to take on various marketplaces and big-box distributors, thereby, enabling several wins. This has been achieved by our helping brands prioritise and succeed anywhere in commerce by mapping their commerce maturity to a strategic road map covering creative, data and ops, experience, and performance and media.”
The end-to-end offering activates a research based success framework that ensures:
Desirability (Brand Equity): Are we loved and sought after by consumers?
Availability (Distribution Strategy): Planning presence and availability priorities by audience and demand
Findability (Position Optimisation): Optimising visibility where audience are
Buyability (Content Effectiveness): Optimising product listings for purchase conversion
Repeatability (Purchase Experience): Auditing reviews and sentiments
Brands, under the four broad groups of Performance and Media, Creative, Interactive, and Data & Ops and through the Total Commerce framework, will now be able to tap onto several proprietary products and solutions designed to support all stages of the commerce journey. These will include:
Total Commerce Analytics
B2B Commerce Transformation
Commerce Intelligence
020 Commerce Framework
E-commerce Enablement
Loyalty & Customer Lifetime Value Optimisation
Dentsu Tracking
Fast Track Commerce
Symphony Product Merchandising
Marketplace Consulting
eRetail & Performance Activation
Marketplace Optimisation
Anand Bhadkamkar
Speaking on the latest integration, Anand Bhadkamkar, CEO India, Dentsu said: “We have always been focused on the changing market scenario and have built capabilities ahead of the market. In line with this, we had built capabilities in Commerce, Performance, Retail design and last-mile and experience design. All these capabilities are now being brought together under one umbrella of dentsu Commerce. In these testing times, we are certain that the capabilities of building on D2C offerings will enable our clients to stay ahead of the market and harness the power of the digitally comfortable consumer.”
To ensure that clients have a specialist in every field, Dentsu Commerce has built a team with Nihal Nambiar (AVP – Strategic Solutions, iProspect) for Performance Media, Krutika Shroff (Senior UX Lead, Fractal Ink Linked by Isobar) and Richa Gupta (Senior UX Lead, Fractal Ink Linked by Isobar) for Design and Experience, Aniket Khare (VP – Business Development, Merkle Sokrati) for Data and Analytics, Deepak Kumar (Director, Hyperspace) for Retail design and experience and Provit Chemmani (Group Tech – Ecommencify, WATConsult) for holistic e-comm design and delivery. It is pertinent to note here that this group will be the lead team. They have been empowered to bring together every capability of the group to build solutions for brands.
