MxMIndia

Category: MARKETING

  • Mahapatra is located at NMIPL's office in Gurgaon (near New Delhi) that was opened in July 2016

    Nissan India appoints Abhishek Mahapatra Head of Communications & CSR

     

     

    Nissan Motor India Private Ltd has announced the appointment of Abhishek Mahapatra as Head of Communications & CSR, effective immediately. Mahapatra will lead all of Nissan’s communications in India, including product, corporate and plant communications, and CSR activities, as the company continues to strengthen its business operations toward further growth.Mahapatrawill reports to Guillaume Sicard, President, Nissan India Operations.

     

    “I am delighted to announce that Abhishek Mahapatra has joined Nissan India as the Head of Communications and CSR. Abhishek will be responsible for directing the company’s public relations efforts for the Nissan and Datsun brands, our CSR and plant communications, and for leading the communications team. A proven integrated marketing and communications professional, his wide-ranging global experience in the automotive sector will enrich our Communications function and help advance our business growth here in India,” said Sicard.

     

    Mahapatra brings over 14 years of experience gained at major automotive-sector communications functions and public relations agencies with communications activities in India, the Middle East, China, and Asia-Pacific. Before joining Nissan, most recently he was Head of Communications at Uber India. Prior to that, he held several key positions at Ford Motor Company Asia Pacific, leading Ford Smart Mobility, passenger car and technology communications.

     

  • Vodafone has launched a 360-degree campaign to support SuperHour with an objective to create a value proposition in the data segment

    Vodafone pushes data with SuperHour

    By A Correspondent

     

     

    Vodafone India has gone aggressive on data and launched a new Super Hour offer that offers free voice and data on hourly basis for customised tariffs and recharges with data packs starting at Rs 16 (for 3G/4G) for an hour but may vary from given the region (circle)..

     

    When asked about the about the thought behind the campaign, Siddharth Banerjee, SVP – Marketing, Vodafone India said: “Data consumption is on the increase in India and consumers are using internet in different ways for different kind of education, different kind of entertainment options and we see explosion in the use of data. Within that there are an array of plans that people have, there are wide variety of mobile internet plans, data packs, etc. We wanted to make the lives of our consumers simple with a dramatic revolutionary product that did not talk the language of MB and GB but talk the language of something that consumers are familiar with, as a construct which is minutes and hours which is why the thought of SuperHour came in or the thought of an hour came in and because we have had an association with SuperNet. So how can you best enjoy while internet on SuperNet with a product like Super Hour making lives of consumers easy by liberating them from any concerns of data usage through a small denomination product called the Super Hour. That was really the thinking behind SuperHour.”

     

    Vodafone has launched a 360-degree campaign to support SuperHour with an objective to create a value proposition in the data segment with TVC ‘More fun to you’ that will help create rapid awareness for ‘SuperHour – unlimited internet entertainment in an hour’ offering. This will be followed by the second TVC which will go on air on January 16, 2017.

     

    Speaking on how much does advertising play a role when the focus for most is around price, Banerjee said: “The most important part is to truly find out the relevant consumer need and if therefore that need can be addressed in a relevant manner, thats when you know you are on to something as a marketer. So, its less about the noise, the clutter, the price, that all comes afterwards but the most important is relevant consumer need – Is there an insight that you can therefore unearth out of that and can you develop something which will be useful and serve that need? We believe that there is a need for worry free mobile internet solution, we believe that it has to be at a smaller denomination rather than a higher price plan and therefore we constructed the SuperHour and we are now advertising it with an attractive price point and of course communication that we believe consumers would love and if our consumer research is anything to go by, they love the two commercials.”

     

    While expressing his thoughts on Vodafone’s distinctive TVCs and campaigns, he said, “Vodafone has always been a brand which has been built on customer needs through various different brand icons. So, when consumers needed a network we had the pug and a network that followed hem. We continue to use the pug, so when we launched Vodafone SuperNet we brought back the pug. Then when we wanted to launch our VAS (Value Added Services) during IPL of 2008, we had ZooZoos and they are much loved and we have continued to use the ZooZoos in different ways on twitter, we continue to do various things with the ZooZoos but I think the core of Vodafone is instances where we are able to empower consumers to be the personal best that they can be and you would have seen that in the Be Super Campaign  – Be a super dad, Be a super sister, Be a super friend and that I believe is something that consumers love. Vodafone continues to build the brand lovingly that we have built over so many years and products like these continue to make us relevant to a large part of the customers that we serve.”

     

  • Through Flipkart Fashion, the online player is providing a method to the madness of spotting the right trend by making trends – handpicked by top fashion experts, accessible to its consumers

    Flipkart Fashion asserts its uniqueness in campaign by Lowe Lintas Bangalore

    By A Correspondent

     

    Leading online e-commerce playerFlipkart seeks to assist shoppers on all issues related to fashion. By launching Flipkart Fashion, it seeks to establish Flipkart as a destination for “affordable trendy fashion” by landing the proposition of being a one-stop solution to all fashion related confusions. Through Flipkart Fashion, the online player is providing a method to the madness of spotting the right trend by making trends – handpicked by top fashion experts, accessible to its consumers.

     

    To communicate this new offering, Flipkart has unveiled a high decibel integrated marketing campaign across India. The marketing campaign would span the online and offline platforms and reach out to a cross section of the populace in various regional languages. The communication has been flagged off by the launch of two video films on both the online and offline platforms.

     

    Conceptualised by Lowe Lintas Bangalore, the films promote Flipkart as the one stop shop for all needs around fashion. The films have been devised based on the insight that even though fashion as a category has scale and accessibility on Flipkart, it is still not a go-to platform for trendy fashion in the minds of consumers. Flipkart Fashion aims to change this perception and position itself as a trendy yet affordable destination for its consumers.

     

    Commenting on the marketing objective, Shoumyan Biswas – Head, Marketing, Commerce Platform, Flipkart said, “Flipkart is the market leader when it comes to fashion amongst e-commerce portals. Being a market leader, it is our responsibility to grow penetration of fashion across all consumer segments and need states. Also, fashion being a profitable segment with high growth, it is one of our top priorities. Our scale and depth in this category have helped us decode some key consumer truths. One of the biggest consumer aspirations is the desire to be “trendy”. We realized that this desire often goes hand in hand with “confusion” of finding out what is “in trend”. Basis this knowledge, we created a campaign around the proposition of “Being Trendy made Easy” by curating trendy selection by top fashion experts and offering them at affordable price points.”

     

    The films highlight the confusions related to trends surrounding fashion and how Flipkart Fashion is an assured solution that one can rely on. Be it about the ever-changing fashion trends to conflicting advices on trends and having to choose between too many trends…there are many confusions that confound and disorient the consumer. But with Flipkart Fashion that has over 100 stylists highlight emerging trends on the platform, users are to find only the best of the latest fashion. The films sign off with the line that ‘If it’s trendy, it’s on Flipkart’, which establishes the point that Flipkart Fashion offers users with only the latest trends.

     

    Highlighting the creative idea behind the films, Rajesh Ramaswamy, Executive Director, Lowe Lintas Bangalore said, “Fashion is something so relative, that it’s near impossible to wrap your head around it. The confusion about ever changing trends and the fashion world in general is something that everyone experiences. And yet, we are all conscious about what we wear and also about all the judgement that will be passed by our peers in the case we get it wrong. In the film, we have captured this very confusion and fear and provided a solution for it. With over 100 top stylists picking the latest trends for you, Flipkart fashion clears all confusion and lets you simply choose.”

     

     

  • Conceptualized by SoCheersInfotech, the campaign focuses on real people emotions while steering away from the conventional bold & product focused ads

    EyetexDazller takes emotional route to connect with its consumers

    By A Correspondent

     

    Cosmetic brand EyetexDazller has unveiled its latest digital campaign conceptualized by SoCheersInfotech. EyetexDazller has consciously steered away from doing an advertisement which focuses on their products or colorsand have chosen to go with an emotional connect.

     

    Released to coincide with the wedding season, the TVC starts off with a mother helping her daughter get dressed for her big day. A beautiful bond shared between a mother and daughter is showcased with the mother finding it extremely difficult to accept that it’s time to bid her goodbye. Enter the bridegroom who walks in to comfort the anxious mother and promises to take care of her daughter, no matter what.

     

    The groom sits down and kisses her hand and that’s when we realise that the bride is visually disabled. But does that stop her from looking beautiful and having the most beautiful day of her life with the man who loves her for what she is? No. Because everyone deserves a happy ending.

     

    “Around 68 per cent of women in India are non-experimentative with make-up. The bold & glamorous ads that make-up brands usually do intimidate the general massy people who find it difficult to feel as glamorous as the celebrities or models used by brands. We’ve seen women fall in that trap of buying make-up just for its aesthetic value & we thought it’s time to take a different approach. Real women wear make-up at important occasions in their life – dates, interviews, family weddings, etc. and we chose to highlight one of the most important days of a girl’s life – her wedding day. A day everyone, young and old, will relate to,” said Mehul Gupta, CoFounder, SoCheersInfotech.

     

    He further added that the idea behind choosing the a visually disabled girl is to pilot away from conventional brides. Disabled people have normal lives too and this ad just goes on to show that.

     

    The campaign was written by JitendraHirawat, directed by Mannish Madhavand produced by Imaginarium Media.

     

     

  • Video ad encapsulates unique proposition of directly sourcing quality products from brand stores

    Fynd unveils new digital campaign

    By A Correspondent

     

    Fynd, the fashion e-commerce portal, has launched its new digital campaign. The campaign brings to the fore the unique offerings and services on Fynd. Through this campaign, Fynd aims to establish how it is different from other e-commerce players in the market and underlines its proposition as the portal which sources products directly from multiple brand stores and offers customers only the latest and authentic products. The video ad captures a common question that fashion savvy people in India are often asked i.e. Kahan se liya (Where did you buy this from?). With Fynd being the answer, the ad drives home the unique appeal of the platform in the most relatable and appealing of ways.

     

    The digital video showcases a young couple walking around the streets and passersby in awe of their fashion sense. Young men and women are curious to know from where did this couple picked up such an enviable collection of outfits, whether it is from online or retail outlets. Customers are made to realize that online fashion offers collections from the previous year, which maybe outdated. But with Fynd, a person can easily shop from the brand new collections that are available in stores. Conceptualized by the Mumbai team of Option Designs, the ad campaigns are directed by Roop Naik and produced by Red Arrow Productions, Mumbai.

     

    Fynd Co-founder, Harsh Shah, expressed his enthusiasm about the digital campaign launch, and commented, “What makes Fynd unique is that it helps to connect customers with precisely the kind of fashion they are looking for. The USP of Fynd is that it sources all its products via the brand store itself. This is a strength which is currently unchallenged by any competing fashion brand. Through our campaign, we want to make customers understand this differentiation and how it works in their favour. Customers can lay their hands on anything from clothing, footwear, jewellery to accessories, whatever their heart desires. We have tried to make this ad as entertaining, engaging and relatable as possible.”

     

    Unlike its competitors, Fynd has neither taken an emotional route nor is showcasing people dressed in high fashion to try and create an aspiration amongst customers. The attempt is to establish that one character whom everyone can relate to in his/her life; someone who is smart and has a good dressing sense which everyone wishes to ape. The video ad campaign will be released on digital platforms such as YouTube, Hotstar and Facebook. It has been fashioned keeping in mind the target audience aged 18-30, especially those who are new to corporate life and are always looking to make smart style choices.

     

  • The TVC features brand ambassador Shah Rukh Khan and has been created by Sapient Nitro

    DHFL urges customers to own their dream home

    By A Correspondent

     

    Leading housing finance company Dewan Housing Finance Corporation Limited (DHFL) will be launching its latest TV campaign which is an extension of the earlier ‘Ghar Jaisa Loan’ Campaign on January 14. Featuring brand ambassador Shah Rukh Khan, the new campaign comprises TVCs which will be on air across leading channels and is directed by Nitesh Tiwari and created by Sapient Nitro.

     

    Said Sevantika Bhandari, Senior VP and Head Marketing at DHFL: “Housing is a basic human need and home buying is an important long term life decision. So with this new campaign, we are trying to build conviction among our segment for owning a home. Shah Rukh Khan with his universal appeal connects well with the audience urging to them to take their first step towards home ownership thereby complementing our vision to transform the lives of Indian households by enabling access to home ownership.”

     

    Said KV Sridhar: “The new ad campaign has been brilliantly written, acted and directed to address the dilemma faced by a consumer with regards to identifying the right time to purchase his/her own home. The campaign further complements the previous campaigns launched by the company in the last two years. Shah Rukh Khan has immensely contributed in transforming the brand by creating further awareness and making it relatable to the common man who looks to partner or avail a home loan from a company he/she can trust.”

     

    Added Nitesh Tiwari: “I have been associated with DHFL from the launch of the Ghar Jaisa Loan Campaign. DHFL understands the customer and has captured the emotional moments in the life of people when they actually consider buying a house. Shah Rukh Khan is portrayed as an approachable and friendly person in this campaign. We have conceptualised the campaign with great detail basis the indepth insights gathered from the brand over the years. Taking this route has worked for the campaign as people can relate to him as a friend and as an advisor for helping them take the home buying  decision.”

     

  • The campaign aims to increase awareness around Credit Score in India

    Paisabazaar.com highlights credit report in latest campaign

    By A Correspondent

     

    Paisabazaar.com has launched a campaign around its ‘Free Credit Report’ feature. Said Naveen Kukreja, CEO and co-founder, Paisabazaar.com: “Ignorance around Credit Score and the relevance it holds in the lending process often leads people to approaching wrong banks and financial institutions for loans. Not only are the loan applications rejected, but their credit score worsens further. An individual’s Credit Score not only determines whether his loan application will be approved or not, but also decides the pricing of the loan. We, at Paisabazaar.com, want to drive home the point that every individual should be aware of his credit score and constantly strive to improve it. Even if one doesn’t require a loan right now, doesn’t mean he will never have a lending need. Medical emergencies or future needs like buying a house, child’s education and marriage force people to look for loans. A poor credit score in times like these can lead to a crisis.”

     

    The free Credit Score feature is a part ofPaisabazaar.com’s consumer awareness programme that has been built in line with its brand promise to make lending easier for India.

     

    “Being the biggest disburser of unsecured loans and credit cards in India, it is extremely important to us that customers, who choose our platform, are able to meet their lending needs. The free credit score feature has empowered our customers to lend betterand take steps to build their score over time for future needs,” Kukreja added.

     

    Sai Narayan, Group VP and Head of Marketing, Paisabazaar.com, said, “One of the biggest ailments in the Indian financial market is the lack of awareness around Credit Score. The key messaging around our campaign was born from this problem statement – Your chances of getting any type of loan depends on your Credit Score. On Paisabazaar.com, finding out your Credit Score is easy, instantaneous and free.”

     

    The campaign will include a TVC with actor-anchor and Paisabazaar.com brand advocate Kapil Sharma would be aired across various channels.

     

     

  • The TVCs created by Global Team Blue (GTB) will target key sports, news and GEC channel along with significant digital and social presence

    Ford attempts to break stereotypes with latest TVC

    By A Correspondent

     

    Ford India attempts to break the myth and stereotypes around its cost of service feature in its latest TVC.The genesis of the campaign finds its roots in research that shows how consumers tend to believe others and blindly follow perceptions without knowing the truth.

     

    Taking a unique and fresh creative route to expose the trend, Ford’s latest campaign on the cost of service features well-known on-screen ‘villains’ – Singham fame Prakash Raj, Bad Man Gulshan Grover, and small screen vamp Sudha Chandran. All antagonists in the campaign highlighting how they get stereotyped as bad in real life too due to their evil appearances in cinema/ television.

     

    The narrative seamlessly builds connect with Ford’s continuing efforts in breaking the myth of being high on cost of service with hard hitting facts like the 5th year cost of service for Ford EcoSport being Rs 3,662.

     

    “Ford in India is transforming, and a key part of this success lies in winning the trust of the customer by passing the control back to them. Be it 800+ Sub Assembly Levels of Parts where we have broken big assemblies into sub-component or Longer Service Intervals, we are enabling substantial savings for customers,” said Rahul Gautam, vice president, marketing, Ford India. “With our new campaign, we want to break the myth and establish that Ford cars are surprisingly affordable using an interesting and creative way of storytelling.”

     

    The TVCs created by Global Team Blue (GTB) will target key sports, news and GEC channel along with significant digital and social presence.

     

     

  • Ace cricketers unveil the brand’s new identity and latest collection of luggage and backpacks

    Aristocrat appoints Rohit Sharma & R Ashwin as brand ambassadors

    By A Correspondent

     

    Luggage-maker Aristocrat has appointed Indian cricketers Rohit Sharma and R Ashwin as its ambassadors to endorse the brand’s new identity and stylish product line. Repositioning the brand with a fresh outlook, Aristocrat will now have a newlogo with a tagline that says, ‘Unpack Your Dreams’ which is aimed towards individuals who are ambitious and constantly pursue their passion.

     

    Speaking about his association with the brand, Rohit Sharma said: “I really relate to Aristocrat’s philosophy of ‘Unpack Your Dreams’. All of us dream of achieving something great in our lives but very few of us live the dream. Somewhere along the way we lose sight of our vision and pack our dreams and tuck them away. Ever since I was a young kid it was my dream to play cricket for the country. Now when I look back, I know that it wouldn’t have been possible had I not given it my all. It was only through self-discipline and practice that I managed to achieve this.”

     

    Talking about the new collection, R Ashwin said: “As a cricketer, I am always travelling, be it for practice sessions or for a series and having reliable travel gear is of utmost importance. I am really happy to be representing Aristocrat and must say I am thoroughly impressed with the new designs and the quality of the products.”

     

    Expressing her views on the partnership, Radhika Piramal, Managing Director of VIP Industries Ltd said: “We are delighted to have two powerful players from the Indian cricket team to endorse Aristocrat. R Ashwin and Rohit Sharma have passionately followed their dreams and have managed to become one of the best cricketers in the world. With ‘Unpack Your Dreams’ we wish to reach out to the younger audience who are passionate and want to urge them to pursue their dreams.”

     

    Speaking about the brand ideology, Sudip Ghose, Vice President Sales and Marketing at VIP said: “We have seen a growth in the demand for Aristocrat products over the last year and have also witnessed a surge in sales online. With the repositioning we wanted to extend our product offering with a new collection and create a fresh appeal for the brand, keeping in mind the evolving consumer and industry trends. We believe our new brand ideology and ambassadors will resonate with a younger audience who are passionate about their dreams and follow them no matter what.”

     

  • Designed for the burgeoning millennial generation, this car is truly unique and unconventional

    Hakhuhodo Percept executes inaugural campaign for Maruti’s Ignis

    By A Correspondent

     

    Maruti Suzuki recently launched its premium urban compact – Ignis, and also expanded the portfolio for NEXA, its premium automotive retail channel.

     

    Designed for the burgeoning millennial generation, this car is truly unique and unconventional. Every part of Ignis, from the captivating front to distinct proportions, to its cockpit styled interiors, has been designed to be different. This difference is what forms the foundation of the entire communication. At every step of the way, this None of a Kind car has inspired None of a Kind communication.

     

    Pre-campaign research by Hakuhodo Percept revealed that EDM or Electronic Dance and Music is an intrinsic part of the Millennials’ culture, and what better way to connect with them, than to speak in their own language and attract this particular segment through a launch concert.

     

    Commenting on the campaign, Vinay Pant, AVP – Marketing, Maruti Suzuki, said “Ignis has been created to stand out with its unconventional design. It comes with never seen before features and gives its owners a chance to personalise. Everything about it is unique and this is what we intended to highlight with our communication. The campaign is completely in sync with the car’s philosophy. It successfully differentiates itself from the regular automobile advertising and speaks to our audience in a language they can all relate to.”

     

    Throughout the Ignis campaign, the philosophy of being different is clearly defined. The TVC, shows a mix of varied art installations and unconventional people, laying down the base for Ignis. Its unconventional imagery has an element of surprise and a voice over explains what is different.

     

    According to Sabuj Sengupta, National Creative Director, Hakuhodo Percept, “The moment we saw the Ignis, we knew that it’s no ordinary car. Our objective was clear- we wanted to tell the millennial that it’s a premium urban compact born with the same mindset as theirs. And all our communication is designed to be different.”

     

     

  • In a career spanning more than 15 years at ITC, Kumar has been a part of the senior leadership team across its apparel retail, stationery and FMCG businesses

    Karan Kumar joins Fabindia as Head of Brand &Marketing

    By A Correspondent

     

    Fabindia has appointed Karan Kumar as its Head of Brand and Marketing. Kumar, a management committee member at ITC, till recently was heading consumer and retail brand marketing, digital initiatives and omni-channel technology innovations at ITC’s lifestyle retailing business. He was promoted to this role in September 2015.

     

    In a career spanning more than 15 years at ITC, Kumar has been a part of the senior leadership team across its apparel retail, stationery and FMCG businesses. His work led to creation of strong and successful business brands across a diverse set of categories across ITC businesses. Kumar has worked in ITC Food’s export function, while also working on key ITC brands like Aashirvaad, Classmate, Wills Lifestyle, John Players, mint-o, Candyman and Kitchens of India, driving most of these brands to leadership positions.

     

    In 2015, Kumar co-authored a research paper “Shedding the Chastity Belt”, highlighting attitudes towards women in Indian marketing and advertising. The paper was short-listed for presentation at ESOMAR Asia Pacific Conference in Singapore, where is subsequently went on to win the “Best Presentation” award. He has also been an active role on discussions relating to “Responsible Marketing to Children”.

     

  • Showcases the unique value proposition of its SUVs which enable lifestyle enhancing experiences

    Mahindra launches sequel to ‘Live Young Live Free’ campaign

    By A Correspondent

     

    Mahindra &Mahindra Ltd (M&M), recently launched a sequel to its popular television commercial, ‘Live Young, Live Free’ to showcase its complete portfolio of SUVs, including all the recently launched SUVs. Targeted at those who seek varied experiences, the new umbrella communication embodies the emotions of freedom and adventure, and propagates the core value proposition of Mahindra SUVs to enable lifestyle enhancing experiences.

     

    Inspired by the original ‘Live Young Live Free’ score from the first campaign, the sequel uses a melange of tunes such as Hard-rock, Dub-step, Carnatic, Hindustani & Folk, elevating it from a song to an anthem running across the nation. As the leader in the SUV segment in India, over the years Mahindra has built a strong portfolio of vehicle brands with differentiated positioning and brand values.

     

    The Live Young Live Free 2.0 film brings alive the unique proposition that Mahindra’s sports utility vehicles offer and the film underlines the common Mahindra DNA, a thread that binds the entire portfolio of SUVs. This film showcases different people, from different walks of life enjoying their own adventures in a Mahindra vehicle across the breath-taking landscapes of Ladakh, the serene lakes of Shillong, the dense forests of Assam and enigmatic dunes of Jaisalmer. With its stunning visuals, the film aptly showcases the go anywhere capability of Mahindra vehicles.

     

    Speaking about the campaign, VivekNayer, Chief Marketing Officer, Automotive Division, Mahindra & MahindraLtd. said, “The sequel to our already popular TVC ‘Live Young Live Free’ celebrates the emotions of freedom and adventure among our SUV owners, and propagates the capability of Mahindra SUVs to enable lifestyle enhancing experiences. Mahindra vehicles with their unique DNA are best suited to offer a fun filled adventurous lifestyle to our customers, and the film reflects this in a very aspirational but relatable way. The Live Young Live Free anthem further enhances the strong emotional connect and exhorts people to join this movement. Essentially this TVC further builds on the earlier one and dwells on the fundamental nature of the human spirit which aspires for the freedom to pursue one’s passions.”

     

    Said Robby Mathew, Chief Creative Officer, FCB Interface: “This film celebrates the sheer joy of breaking free. Breaking free from the limitations of the road, and by extension, the limitations that we have set for ourselves. It is also a subtle reminder that we have but one life, and there is no excuse whatsoever to not live it to the fullest. Like they say, sequels always have it hard. We evaluate them much more ruthlessly than the original. Happily for us Amit Sharma (Chrome Films) has done a phenomenal job with the film, and Mikey’s music score is truly a breakthrough – an eclectic mix of genres and voices and styles.”