Category: MARKETING

  • Utterly Butterly Amulicious

     

    Over the last 50 years, the Gujarat Cooperation Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF) which owns the brand name Amul, has been presenting some memorable advertising in the form of topical hoardings. These have turned markers of contemporary issues and events.  A few years back, daCunha Communications and DYWorks came up with a book titled ‘Amul’s India’ capturing the best of the outdoor creatives. Last week, a revised and updated edition was released celebrating the topicals with comments from Amitabh Bachchan, Alyque Padamsee, Harsha Bhogle, Rahul daCunha, Rahul Dravid, Rajdeep Sardesai, Sania Mirza, Santosh Desai, Siddharth Kak, Shobhaa De, Shyam Benegal, Suhel Seth and Sylvester daCunha.

     

    Meanwhile, Amul has also launched a new app “Amul World” which has all the Amul topicals created over the last 50 years. This app will soon be available for download on Android and Apple devices.

     

    At the release last week, R. S. Sodhi, Managing Director, Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF) said, that “We had promised to release the updated edition at the time of launch of the first edition. It is an honour for us to have published the revised and updated edition of this book after the phenomenal print run of 1.2 lakh copies of the first edition. The Amul topical advertising campaign and our consistent advertising strategy has played a very pivotal role in the growth of brand Amul and we shall endeavor to continue our efforts.”

     

     

    Give us this day our daily ad!

     

    By Rahul daCunha

     

    Every day is a new day in the life of the Amul hoarding (or meme as it is now referred to on social media). My job is two-fold — to shepherd the brand, and to spoof the many events that emerge from this Pandora’s Box called India. Seven thousand billboards and twenty-one years later, I have never been tired of saluting and spoofing the numerous facets and faces of our colourful country.

     

    For 50 years, our little Amul moppet, or the Amul girl with her polka-dotted dress and bow, has commented on all things amusing, annoying, absurd and alarming. And unfailingly, India waits for what she has to say with expectation and excitement.

     

    The human race, certainly the Indian human race, has a newly-acquired, collective case of Attention Deficit Disorder. What holds good as a piece of news one day, is irrelevant the next morning. Plus everything is chatworthy news today – take male chauvinist politicians, mass hysteria Bollywood, multi-crore scams, messy scandals, Mamata Banerjee’s diatribes or M.S. Dhoni’s decisions, both follicular and on-field.

     

    In the ’60s and ’70s, daCunha Associates created one hoarding a month. By the ’90s, it had increased to one a week. This year, we went daily.

     

    One new Amul ‘topical’ goes online and outdoor every day. Every morning my creative team — comprising Manish Jhaveri, Jayant Rane and I, connect on what’s on the Amul menu for the day. Is it an upmarket issue that will tickle the fancy of snot-nosed south Bombay? Or a Bollywoodised titbit that will satisfy celebrity-obsessed north Bombay? Or is it a Laloo Prasad witticism that will amuse the Hindi belt? Or has Rajnikanth’s new movie galvanised the south of India? Or has TV show Game of Thrones thunderstruck the Twitter generation?

     

    There are five Indias today – Mumbai, the Hindi belt, the East, the South and social media. Mumbai is a country by itself. The East is passionate about Durga Puja, Dada, Mishti Doi and Didi. The North is political and paparazzi-obsessed. The Hindi belt is focused on Yadav Senior and Junior’s shenanigans. And Facebookers and Twitterers are just obsessed with the flavour of the moment.

     

    In the 21 years that I’ve been campaign custodian, we’ve poked fun and parodied, but never viciously. Our spoofs and satirical messages have been welcomed sportingly by both politicians and popular figures, actors and anarchists. Just occasionally, lampooning has led us to the doorstep of the legal process.

     

    Rahul daCunha is Managing Director and Creative Head of da Cunha Communications, the ad agency that creates the Amul outdoor billboards.

     

     

     

    A For Awesome

     

    By Suhel Seth

     

    Very few brands across the world speak a borderless,  timeless and ageless language. Amul is one of them. Very few brands across the world create both a sense of entitlement and waiting. Amul is one of them. Very few brands touch the soul of consumers in an enduringly consistent manner: reflecting the pathos of an evolving society: Amul is one of them.

     

    The history of India can be told in a three-part voluminous tome or can be absorbed simply by going over the advertising that Amul has created. It is however, as much the history of Amul. Just like the India we see today, ever-evolving; ever brushing aside challenges which may seem insurmountable and yet holding a place of pride in the comity of nations, Amul too has had a story of inspirational zeal. One which is more than about a brand that delights us on dining tables. It is a brand that we never seem detached from.

     

    Over the years, Amul has represented not just innate quality and the vision and coming together of millions of dairy farmers but equally, through its advertising, Amul as a brand has both been a chronicler and a mirror to each one of us. In our lives of drudgery, Amul helps us smile; it helps us laugh away the worries and at times it helps us celebrate the enormity of Indian achievement. It also, at times, very poignantly shows us the way.

     

    For me personally, Brand Amul has been a part of my growing up: not in terms of chronology but equally in an insightful way, capturing the trials and tribulations of a nation that India is. It has always been something that I have looked up to. The advertising that Amul has unleashed over decades is not something that is designed to sell butter. It is indeed designed to help reflect on who we are. I have always believed that Amul’s advertising is not about selling more butter or more milk: it is about helping the young and the old understand the India we are creating: either wilfully or as mere spectators. I have often said to those who care to listen: the biggest civilian honour one can hope to attain in India is to be on an Amul hoarding or in an Amul press advertisement.

     

    Because in a strange way, Amul speaks for every Indian. Amul is infact, many a time, the voice of a multitude of voiceless Indians and herein lies its eternal charm and its enduring appeal. The reason is not because of what it says. But equally about how and why it says it. There are moments in time when silence is not a virtue. That is when Amul’s advertising speaks for millions. There are equally times when in the din we fail to separate the good from the not-so-good. It is at that time that the advertising of Amul helps us set the right course.

     

    Amul’s advertising is a barometer for what India has been, what India is and what India is likely to be. Which is why Amul the brand has morphed into Amul the being.

     

    Suhel Seth is a former Amul baby and now the Managing Partner of Counselage India

     

     

     

    Footnote:

    Excerpted with permission of the authors from:

    Amul’s India

    Based on 50 Years of Amul Advertising

    by daCunha Communications

    (Revised & Updated Edition)

    HarperCollins India

    Rs 299

     

  • DDB Mudra North wins the creative mandate for McVitie’s Biscuits

    By A Correspondent

     

    DDB Mudra North has won the creative mandate for McVitie’s Biscuits, the flagship brand of United Biscuits in India.

     

    McVitie’s is a global brand present in over 100 countries with a strong heritage in the UK. McVitie’s Digestive is the flagship product of the parent brand in India.

     

    The agency was chosen following a multi-agency pitch involving major Indian advertising players such as Dentsu Marcom and McVitie’s India’s incumbent agency Publicis Capital.

     

    Sonal Dabral
    Vandana Das

    Commenting on the account win, Sonal Dabral, Chairman & Chief Creative Officer, DDB Mudra Group said, “McVities is a much loved brand across the world. Having been a fan for the last 14 years, it’s my favourite brand of biscuits and cookies too. We are looking forward to creating some fresh and exciting work on this brand.”

     

    Vandana Das, President, DDB Mudra North said, “We are delighted to be associated with McVitie’s, an interesting brand in the FMCG Sector. We look forward to take this brand on a growth path with a communication package that would certainly grab a lot of attention.”

     

  • Tanishq celebrates mother-daughter relationship in latest ad film

    By A Correspondent

     

    Tanishq has always been at the forefront of crafting superior jewellery over the years. In its first television commercial with Bollywood diva Deepika Padukone, the brand tells a powerful story, where the actress is seen sharing screen space with her mother. Narrating the emotional bond of the mother-daughter duo, Tanishq celebrates the timeless relationship they share.

     

    The films, crafted by Lowe Lintas, opens with Deepika Padukone narrating the nuances that remind her of her mother. She narrates the little moments they share together and brings to life the beautiful message of how a mother is the most unique and special woman in one’s life. The film closes with Deepika thanking her mother for everything she is today and gifting her a jewellery piece which brings out the message – No matter how grown up you are, you will always be a little child to your mother.

     

    Sharing her views on the campaign, Deepika Tewari, General Manager – Marketing, Jewellery Division, Titan Company Limited, said, “Tanishq has always been synonymous with celebrating beautiful relationships. In all our communication, we have constantly aimed to move beyond boundaries and redefine the progressive Tanishq woman. A Tanishq woman is a woman of today who knows what she wants and makes her own choices, and most importantly, time values relationships. In our latest television commercial, we celebrate the beautiful bond of a mother and her daughter by narrating the love that they share. Deepika has stunningly encapsulated her timeless feelings for her mother along with our timeless jewellery.”

     

    Rajesh Ramaswamy

    Rajesh Ramaswamy, Executive Creative Director, Lowe Lintas, said,  “Apart from the many other aspects about Deepika Padukone, one thing that really sets her apart is the relationship she shares with her family. What was charming was that despite all her popularity and stardom, there was this side to her which is so normal and rooted. We found this beautiful relationship she shares with her mother very endearing and something everyone will connect with deeply.”

     

  • VML India wins Wendy’s mandate in India

    By A Correspondent

     

    VML India has been awarded the Digital AoR responsibilities by Wendy’s India, after a multi-agency pitch.

     

    Wendy’s, an iconic American brand of burger restaurants, made its debut in India on 6th May, with its first restaurant in Gurgaon. Wendy’s has chosen to launch in India, with a restaurant experience and India customized menu, in keeping with its brand philosophy of always being “A Cut Above”. Digital is a key component of Wendy’s marketing leading upto launch and as it grows its business across India.

     

    Jasper Reid, Director, Sierra Nevada Restaurants Pvt. Ltd. – the holding company for Wendy’s in India,said, “We chose to work with VML because we liked their fresh thinking and their sole focus on digital. And we liked their team – young, smart, willing to think differently and with an innate understanding of the online community. True digital natives. Wendy’s and VML have formed a productive partnership and one where everyone is able to challenge, debate and interact…which is precisely what our customers do online.”

     

    Wendy’s tasked VML with bringing alive the brand on digital and create anticipation for the launch, through social channels. Facebook is a lead channel, as a large part of the Wendy’s core target audience is actively engaging with content and already discussing food related topics on this platform.

     

    As a lead up to the launch, VML &Wendy’s decided to go out on the streets of Delhi 7 Gurgaon and make new friends. In a series of teaser videos, it asked Delhi-ites if they know Wendy’s. The answers ranged from funny to clueless. This campaign created curiosity about Wendy’s which opened to enthusiastic crowds earlier this month.

     

  • Sushant Singh matches his moves with Nissan Terrano in new TVC

    By A Correspondent

     

    Nissan India will be launching the new TVC of its flagship SUV brand Terrano. The ad film features actor Sushant Singh Rajput in a b-boying face-off with the new Terrano Groove edition. Nissan Terrano is a compact SUV with looks that can mesmerize.

     

    The film is an exciting visual story that revolves around a dance battle between the lead character (Sushant Singh Rajput) and the Nissan Terrano. At the surface this is the story of how a car visually mesmerizes and draws Sushant into a dance-off, or one that he believes happened.But below the surface, this is a story about how a person and a car connect with each other, and how they play off each other… Ultimately, it’s not about how the car reacts or mimics; it’s about how the car attains a personality, and how it embodies the culture of the young protagonist.

     

    Not only is this a great way to connect man to machine, it’s also a clever way to show off the many details of the Nissan Terrano as it spins and rotates through frame, each dance move highlighting the lines, bold curves and muscular stance of the vehicle.

     

  • Isobar bags IndiaFirst Life Insurance’s digital mandate

    By A Correspondent

     

    IndiaFirst Life Insurance has roped in Isobar India, the full service digital agency from the Dentsu Aegis Network, to lead the revamp of their website Indiafirstlife.com.IndiaFirst life Insurance is a joint venture between two of India’s public sector banks – Bank of Baroda (44%) and Andhra Bank (30%), and UK’s financial and investment company Legal & General (26%).

     

    Isobar bagged the digital mandate for IndiaFirst Life Insurance in a multi-agency pitch.

     

    Commenting on appointing Isobar as the digital agency, Mohit Rochlani, Chief Marketing Officer, IndiaFirst Life Insurance said,  “At IndiaFirst Life Insurance, we always try and keep customers ‘First’ in everything we do.  The revamp of our existing website is part of our endeavour to help our consumers make an informed decision.”

     

    Shamsuddin Jasani, Managing Director, Isobar India added, “IndiaFirst Life Insurance is on the verge of revamping their online presence, and that too in a big way. It is always exciting to be associated with a project of this magnitude. I’m sure it’s going to be a mutually enriching experience and we’re looking forward to cementing a long term relationship.”

     

  • Havells raises awareness via #WINDSOFCHANGE

    By A Correspondent

     

    Havells is known not just for quality products but also for their communication, which plays an important role in spreading the right social message. In its latest communication, Havells Fans has extended their campaign thought through ‘HawaBadlegi’ (Winds of Change).

     

    The campaign showcases the range of Havells Fans and confirms how the brand is aligned with a new and progressive way of thinking when it comes to our society at large. This year Havells has taken its communication pan India, focusing on the south markets as well.

     

    The subject taken in the TVC for southern markets is delicate and something every girl in south India will relate to. Havells has gone a step ahead and shown how a change in the mindset of a family can help a girl child feel as a part of the family.

     

    The communication developed by Lowe Lintas has four TVCs all catering to one issue each that still exists in the society. It subtly states the issues and how they are slowly being rejected by progressive thinking, by people of the modern India.

     

    The media objective of the campaign is to create awareness and amplify the #WINDSOFCHANGE proposition. Media agency Motivator is currently running the campaign on TV and it is gaining high visibility through mass reach platforms like IPL and sponsorship of celeb dance show Nach Baliye on Star Plus. The brand proposition of “HawaBadlegi” is brought alive through content integrations on Nach Baliye. Buzz is also being created on digital platforms like Twitter, Youtube and Scoopwhoop.

     

    The campaign urges viewers to change their attitude towards the women in their lives. For e.g. a take on the way women are perceived and portrayed in Bollywood, through the lens of jury members of the censor board – in the communication developed by Lowe Lintas, the film has attempted to keep it light and still get the message across. The other TVCs take one issue at a time and show “how the winds of change” are blowing issues away from society. One of the TVC’s picks a controversial topic like ‘conversion’ and still manages to keep it within the realm of our everyday lives, so everyone can relate to it. The last TVC focusses on austerity and is a take on the kind of charity that is truly valuable and that which has a lasting impression. Each TVC builds on an issue seen in society today and how simple changes in the mindset by people can solve these issues.

     

  • Sonata celebrates marriage in an unconventional way

    By A Correspondent

     

    Taking the brand’s message Karo, Toh Shaan Se to a new level, the wedding campaign from Sonata lauds the ever-growing spirit of the aspirational Indian. Centered around the Shagun watch, the brand stays true to its character, of doing everything with pride. In the spirit of the wedding season, the brand celebrates marriage in an unconventional way in their latest television commercial.

     

    The wedding TVC opens outside a marriage court, where a young couple has just taken their vows. Their friends’ wish them luck and leave, making the newly-wed bride realize the absence of a fairy tale wedding and feels a pang of disappointment. Her husband taps her shoulder and gestures to ask her if she is alright. She shrugs away the feeling and smiles at him. He pulls out a box and presents her the Shagun watch from the latest collection of wedding watches by Sonata, to mark the beginning of their new journey. As he puts on the truly unique time piece on his wife, he surprises her with an orchestrated fairy tale wedding party.

     

    Commenting on the significance of the Shagun campaign, Shalini Gupta – Head Marketing, Sonata, Titan Company Ltd says, “The wedding season is an important time for Sonata and we want to celebrate the spirit of our young audience who are looking to live their life to the fullest. With the wedding campaign we recognize that not all marriages are conventional and celebrating a moment of ‘togetherness’ is what matters the most. As an ode to this very spirit, we are telling the story of the newly weds who have done exactly that, shaan se.”

     

  • Big Bazaar celebrates ‘Crazy Weekends’ with new campaign by DDB Mudra West

    By A Correspondent

     

    Big Bazaar, the largest hypermarket chain in India keeps its consumers attracted by offering them timely deals and discounts. What further adds value to their exciting offers is the engaging way in which they are communicated to the audience.

     

    Staying true to the tradition, DDB Mudra West has crafted a campaign ‘Shuru Kisne Kiya’ to announce the Big Bazaar Crazy Weekends offer.

     

    Campaign brief

    The brand wanted to capitalize on the entertainment seeking behaviour of consumers during weekends and showcase Big Bazaar as an ultimate weekend shopping destination.

     

    Objective

    The objective was to build anticipation and excitement towards ‘Crazy Weekends’ at Big Bazaar

     

    Idea

    The baseline to the idea was drawn from the offers itself. These ‘too good to be true’ offers are so unbelievable that when described, they sound like a lie. This thought paved way for ‘Shuru Kisne Kiya.’

     

    Execution

    The idea was translated in two ad films with a central storyline of one character talking about the deal he gets at the ‘Big Bazaar Crazy Weekend’. So good is the offer that the other character assumes it to be a fabricated story and retorts with a crazier, imaginary tale. When he first character opposes, the films end with the second character saying- ‘Shuru Kisne Kiya.’

     

    Both the films show bizarre and unbelievable tales like a plane getting stuck in a kite and a cow giving orange juice instead of milk as the response to the friend telling them about the incredible deal he got over the weekend at Big Bazaar.

     

    Client quote:

    Akshay Mehrotra, Chief Marketing Officer, Big Bazaar said, “Owning the weekend is the most important for successful retail operations. Big Bazaar promises to be the most exciting destination to visit over weekend and we are all excited to get more consumers palpitating with exciting offers in our stores every weekend. This campaign is not only built on offers to fire the market but also built around many building blocks which make shopping fun at big bazaar during weekends.”

     

    Agency quote:

    Rahul Mathew, Creative Head, DDB Mudra West said, “The campaign idea was literally our first reaction to the offers that Big Bazaar proposed for Crazy Weekends. After that, we just had to think up of executions that brought the incredulity to life in an engaging manner.”

     

    Agency Credits

    Agency Name: DDB Mudra West

    Chairman & Chief Creative Officer: Sonal Dabral

    President: Rajiv Sabnis

    Creative Team: Rahul Mathew, Manish Darji, Mayuresh Wagle, Pankaj Nihalani, Amol Annaldas, Rahul Gate, Syed Hussain

    Account Management Team: Sanjay Panday, Luv Chaturvedi, Makarand Gholba, Abhay Bhonsle, Amit Arora, Pulin Parekh

    Planning Team: Amit Kekre, Subash Franklin, Neha Kulkarni

    Films Team: Vishal Sane, Riddhi Mehta

     

  • Faasos targets youth with ‘We got your food. You got our app?’ ad campaign

    By A Correspondent

     

    Food technology company Faasos, is pulling all stops to promote its brand new upgraded mobile application through the campaign, ‘We got your food. You got our app?’ The ad campaign was recently launched and is being promoted expansively across social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook, Print media and Radio to intensify its reach across multiple cities.

     

    Faasos ad campaign highlights ground-breaking features of the mobile app that enable patrons to track their orders in real-time, do cashless payments, order meals anytime and relish the delectable varieties daily. The crux of the communication is based on the idea that it satiates their hunger in the least possible time and in the best possible way. The campaign also brings to light the feature of Faasos wallet that can help foodies in storing cash, which can be utilised for doing cashless payments, during a money crunch. On downloading the mobile app of Faasos, patrons can avail Rs 100 in their wallet.

     

    Revant Bhate, Co-founder and Head of Marketing, Faasos commented, “We are receiving tremendous response from all media verticals for our unique campaign. It is encouraging to know that the mobile application has garnered great attention from scores of people, who love the app, its unmatched convenience and hassle-free food-ordering procedure. What lured our patrons even more was the wallet feature of the app that lets them go cashless while placing orders. We are enthused with the response and have high hopes that the campaign will elevate our brand salience and help us fortify our footprint in the food-technology landscape of the country.”

     

    As part of the campaign, Faasos ran a #WeGotYourFood contest, wherein, tweeps who downloaded the mobile app were asked to replace their Twitter display picture with that of Faasos and tweet #WeGotYourFood. 27 lucky winners will be gifted movie vouchers for their tweet-support.

     

  • Quikr Nxt’s new campaign introduces Voice Chat

    By A Correspondent

     

    Quikr has released a new multi-film campaign to create added momentum for its fast growing feature, Quikr Nxt. The campaign has been conceptualised by Scarecrow Communications.

     

    The first film, for Voice Chat, dramatises the ease of use. It features Samir Khakhar who played the iconic character ‘Khopdi’ from the landmark TV serial, Nukkad. He plays a grandfather who has sold his car to buy a bike for his grandson using the phone. While the grandson is overjoyed, his father is surprised and exclaims how this happened, as he doesn’t even sms! The grandfather retorts – why would he sms when he can use the voice chat thanks to Quikr Nxt! The rest of the film shows how Quikr Nxt helps the grandfather sell off the car easily while enjoying a cup of tea with his wife.

     

    Says Vineet Sehgal, CMO, Quikr, “Quikr continues to bring meaningful  innovations to the market by simplifying the process of online  buying and selling. The new voice chat feature on Quikr Nxt is an easy to use and  convenient feature that would help drive the mass adoption of online classifieds. With direct chat, photo & video sharing, location sharing, number privacy , voice chat and ability to keep multiple records, Quikr Nxt is the most comprehensive communication suite for buyers and sellers to connect per their convenience.”

     

    Raghu Bhat
    Manish Bhatt

    Raghu Bhat, Founder Director, Scarecrow Communications, said, “Quikr has always opted for disruptive casting which increases the eyeballs. In this case, using Samir Khakhar was an inspired choice. He lights up the film with his terrific screen presence and effortlessly brings alive the ease of transacting through Voice Chat, which is another big innovation.”

     

    Manish Bhatt, Founder Director, Scarecrow Communications said, “Quikr Nxt is already popular. We are confident that this beautiful and warm film that demonstrates the ease of usage will not just differentiate Quikr but also increase the usage.”

     

    The second film in the Quikr Nxt campaign utilises another consumer pain point while selling cars – The consumer has to talk to each and every potential buyer and answer the same questions, repeatedly. The film uses a humorous creative device of a man holding his phone in front of a pre-recorded message on his tape recorder each time a buyer calls.

     

     

  • ‘What are you Numero Uno at?’, asks jeanswear brand in new campaign

     

     

    Jeanswear brand Numero Uno has launched a new campaign “What are you Numero Uno at?” The brand has been delivering fashion for over 25 years and the new campaign is part of its repositioning strategy to reach out to today’s fun, intelligent and fashionable youth.

     

    Conceptualized and created by Hakuhodo Percept, the campaign “What are you Numero Uno at?” evolved from the brand name and its core philosophy. Through a dramatic yet insightful approach, it elaborates on the fact that there is a Numero Uno quality in everyone and encourages each one to celebrate that uniqueness about you. Whether it is quirky, practical, interesting, funny or uncanny, celebrate and flaunt it boldly and fashionably. With this, Numero Uno aims to put the spotlight on the common man by appreciating his un-celebrated Numero Uno qualities in a very stylish way. The exciting campaign will be executed through a complete 360 degree approach with a focus on Print, OOH (hoardings and mall branding) and Cinema branding.

     

    Commenting on the new and exciting campaign, Narinder Singh, MD, Numero Uno Clothing Ltd. said, “Through this realistic and edgy concept and brand communication, we are creating a distinct identity and hope to set a new trend amongst the youth. The treatment complements the idea by capturing ‘the New-Age Numero Uno achievements’ by presenting them in a vibrant, lively and youthful manner”.