Center fruit, the largest gum brand from the house of Perfetti Van Melle India (PVMI) has announced the launch of the all-new Center fruit Tennis ball-shaped gum.
Speaking on the communication campaign, Rohit Kapoor – Director, Marketing, Perfetti Van Melle India said: “Perfetti holds nearly 70% market share in the gum category. We are delighted to extend the portfolio of our loved brand Center fruit with the launch of our all-new Tennis Ball-shaped gum. Center fruit as a brand has been a growth driver and we hope to optimize and add to this momentum with this new product introduction. The communication positions this product as an enabler of mood upliftment while catering to the brand’s core audience.”
Added Nasar Husami, Group Creative Director – Ogilvy: “Being a teenager today is not easy – it’s a full-time job. Boredom can strike at any given time, and it’s essential to have a pick-me-up. With the new Center Fruit tennis ball-shaped gum, we have showcased a quirky and spontaneous way of playing tennis, the ‘ting tong’ way, and defeating boredom.”
This is an exciting new launch by Perfetti Van Melle India, that is a visual treat as well as a treat for the taste buds! It is likely to create a popular category for itself among the consumers.
Vedantu, an online learning player, has launched a brand campaign to launch its Ai-Live augmented interactive technology, featuring actor Aamir Khan.
Speaking about the campaign, Nikhil Rungta, Chief Growth Officer, Vedantu, said: “Vedantu has always been a student first and has created products that will help provide quality education and access to top teachers to every student across India. The objective of our latest campaign is to showcase how every child can now learn from the most inspiring Master Teachers and best-in-class live interactive features like real-time doubt solving, quizzes, leaderboards, and many more at an extremely affordable price point of just Rs 5000 per annum. We believe that this will be an important step towards bridging the learning gap and thereby creating impact
at scale.”
Celebration wear brand Manyavar has launched a new ad film under the ‘Naye Rishte Naye Vaade’ campaign featuring actor Kartik Aaryan. The
Said Vedant Modi, CMO, Vedant Fashions Limited: “At Manyavar, we have always believed in progressive communication. Through this new film, our aim is to send across the message of embracing new relationships. With Kartik Aaryan, we are confident that he will have an impeccable connect with our audiences.”
Added Shreyansh Baid, Director at Shreyansh Innovations: “This ad embodies the fresh new spirit of relationships in today’s times, which are based on an equal footing and unconditional support. Portrayed through 4 different situations that one encounters in a wedding ceremony, here is the Manyavar groom taking care of his life partner in beautifully surprising ways and standing by her through thick and thin. Naye Rishte Naye Vaade- as the ad slogan sums up, is what our Manyavar groom is all about.”
Bathware brand Hindware has announced the launch of its new campaign ‘Swag Se Refresh’. The campaign features cricketers Shikhar Dhawan, Mayank Agarwal and Liam Livingstone, all part of the Punjab Kings squad 2022.
Said Sudhanshu Pokhriyal, Chief Executive Officer, Bath and Tiles Business, Brilloca: “Cricket transcends all boundaries and brings India together. Over the years, IPL has emerged as a celebration of the sport and one of the biggest cultural moments for cricket fans in the country. To further our marketing strategies, we are excited to launch the new campaign, ‘#SwagSeRefresh’ along with Punjab Kings to build an engaging connect with our audience during the IPL season 2022.”
Shoppers Stop has roped in Sanya Malhotra as brand ambassador for select private brands to further emphasise on the continued focus on their private brands as an important strategic pillar.
Speaking on the association, Venu Nair, Customer Care Associate, MD & CEO at Shoppers Stop said: “Private brands continue to be a strategic pillar for Shoppers Stop. We maintain significant emphasis on increasing our private brands share. We are confident that having Sanya Malhotra for our private brands will help create a better resonance with our consumers. She beautifully fits in with the brand’s ethos and has a great persona to connect with the customers across geographies.”
Technology day, Valentine’s Day, Armed Forces Day, Day of the Underprivileged, Language Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Women’s Day and many more. There are too many special days. The brands keep trying to discover or create a higher-order purpose to engage the audience. Many of them are just lip service.
As a brand and marketing consultant, I advise clients to comment on special days if they have done something substantial in that area. Otherwise, if they insist, just wishes would do.
For some categories, these days are a perfect fit. The brands have to say or do something different. Find an unexploited nuance that they can associate and better are seen aligned to. This communication may be for a short duration, but the communication is serious. The efforts put into the communication are at par with any other communication. All aiming for digital preview and viral shareability on social media. Nothing wrong with it. Brands and their strategic creative associates are expected to do this.
Mahindra: Acts mean a lot more than ads
We have seen many Mothers’ Day communication without brand association or heavy brand plugins this year. Some work, some don’t. But the one that worked for me is significantly simpler. It is an act, not an ad. It is not merely words but deeds. And because of the way it has been done with subtle simplicity, it is far more authentic and emotional. That is Anand Mahindra’s tweet sharing the company fulfilling the promise of providing a new home to Idle Amma.
Immense gratitude to our team for completing the construction of the house in time to gift it to Idli Amma on #MothersDay She’s the embodiment of a Mother’s virtues: nurturing, caring & selfless. A privilege to be able to support her & her work. Happy Mother’s Day to you all! pic.twitter.com/LgfR2UIfnm
Compare it to the heavily (not heavenly) emotional ad from ID full of product placement. At times intrusive product placement. The communication could have been equally or far more effective if the packs were not so forcefully integrated. They are still stuck with #KHANNAKAYA and in-the-face brand placement. But this time, the emotional content is high.
Remember, when the message is completed in mind, it leaves a far more substantial impact- than when the brands try to spoon-feed their association. The thought is excellent, but the execution could have been far better.
BANDHAN BANK: Mother – the biggest banking inspiration
If you must integrate the product or the brand, it can be done subtly. Bandhan Bank has done this nicely and in a way that most households would relate to. It is lovely the way banking products are positioned and explained. A similar thought is voiced by Aavas Funanciers but due to different visualisation and all centred within the classroom lacks lot more impact.
PANASONIC: Good cause, weak brand link
Meanwhile, Panasonic takes on a good cause- making Mother-care part of Childcare. And it should be – because healthier moms make healthier families. But the brand product and the thought seem too distant and unrelated. What’s happening here?
DSM GROUP: Good connect, focussed approach
DSM group operates in the area of animal and human Nutrition and Health. It original name is Dutch State Mines, but now it would want DSM to read as Do Something Meaningful. They have been focused on Immunity development. Hence their communication in past has talked of #InvestInIron#InvestInYourImmunity and now again pushing #InvestInIron. The communication though created around #WorldAnaemiaDay (Nov 26) is relevant on Mother’s Day too. A case of clearly identified relevant purpose and objective under #ProjectStreeDhan
PREGA NEWS: Connecting with imperfect mother
Then there is Mankind Pharma which keeps surprising you with their communication. The brand in the past has demonstrated strong insight-oriented work with Women’s Day– so there is consistency in approach and tonality. This time, they do it brilliantly for Prega News with #SheIsImperfectlyPerfect and something that will touch each mother. Why should perfection be demanded from every mother? Why the mother should always be under pressure to be perfect? Perfection is, in fact, a myth and imperfection a part of life.
NET-NET
And yes, if the brand really focuses on the special days, they can make an impact, thus creating or at least initiating a solid relationship with the audience. Yet, one has seen more ads than acts. The audience wants proof of preaching and questions the degree of involvement with the cause. Something that the brands must reconsider in the changing media and market scenario.
In that space, the Cadbury dairy milk digital campaigns like the , promoting local businesses, and the recent IPL behind the scenes are far more effective and relevant. There is something for the other brands to learn.
MOM of a different nature
Meanwhile MOM ( Methods of Madness by Scarecrow M&C Saatchi) sends a heartfelt video message for sons and daughters of India’s creative families. If you have anything to do with creative communication, you must watch these sessions that MOM has carefully recorded for you. You will get to hear Prashant Godbole, Agnello Dias, Bobby Pawar, Kalpesh Patankar, Ashish Khazanchi, Sajan Raj Kurup, Arun Iyer, Emmanuel Upputuru, Josy Paul, Viral Pandya, Vikram Gaikwad And Dave Dye, Definitely a motherly moment.
Nasal decongestant spray brand Otrivin has launched a new campaign that highlights the impact of a blocked nose on everyday life moments. The campaign is a series of four films that emphasis on everyday struggles when breathing is impacted due to a blocked nose.
Said Anurita Chopra, Marketing Head, GSK Consumer Healthcare: “A blocked nose may seem trivial, however, it not only impacts breathing but also the key moments in a consumer’s life. Otrivin’s purpose is to enable consumers to breathe their best and Otrivin Oxy Fast Relief provides a quick solution to unblock nose and therefore end the consumer’s discomfort. Through this campaign, Otrivin is trying to empathize with the consumer and urge them to opt for a fast relief solution from blocked nose. It is simple, effective and non-messy!”
Parle Magix cream biscuit brand from Parle Products has rolled out three TV commercials. The campaign has been created by Thought Blurb Communications.
Said Mayank Shah, Senior Category Head, Parle Products: “A child’s imagination does not follow a pattern that is logical. They give a comical and bizarre twist to everyday situations that are often invisible to adults. This is the insight on which this campaign is built. It seeks to be relatable to a child and to entertain them.”,
Added Vinod Kunj, Partner & CCO, thought blurb Communications: “The client’s brief was to establish a connection with children. So we decided not to tell them how good our product is, just tell them that their world is fantastic. The creative team took a hike into the world of children and came back with this really whacky campaign.”
Medimix, the Ayurvedic personal care brand, has announced its newest campaign “Skinfit Raho, Manmarziyaan Karo” with Katrina Kaif. The campaign has been conceptualised and executed by Mullen Lintas.
Said Pradeep Cholayil, Chairman and Managing Director, Cholayil Private Limited: “Medimix is one of the most popular brands in India. With its Ayurvedic credentials Medimix has stood tall with the testing times and proven to be a quality product for decades. Katrina Kaif has a similar stature, and she is a self-made Bollywood celebrity. With this campaign we aim to establish the synergy between the two and appeal to a younger lot of audience to truly live your life without the skin worries as Medimix is always there.”
Commenting on the campaign, Garima Khandelwal, Chief Creative Officer – Mullen Lintas, ML Corporate added: “Medimix with its legacy of Ayurveda has stood for skin that’s skinfit, with this new campaign we wanted to launch the newest positioning “SkinFit raho, Manmarziyaan karo”, liberating today’s woman of any fear of skin damage and follow her heart to pursue whatever it is she wishes for. Whether societal or self-imposed, there should never be any constraint on what she thinks she can achieve. With natural cues that are the brand codes, we reimagined the brand world with a visual scale and this fresh new attitude with the fresh new brand ambassador and a high energy hummable track.”
McDowell’s No. 1 has launched a new campaign for IPL season. The campaign, conceptualised by DDB Mudra, features IPL players such as Virat Kohli from Royal Challengers Bangalore, Yuzvendra Chahal from Rajasthan Royals, Kieron Pollard from Mumbai Indians and many more, to bring alive the stadium action on the screen.
Speaking about this association, Ruchira Jaitly, Executive Vice President and Portfolio Head, Marketing, Diageo India, said: “Cricket is a sporting extravaganza that brings the entire country together with inspiring sporting action that’s a feast for Indians across the length and breadth of the country. So naturally, we are delighted to be associated with these six iconic teams. Moreover, this cricket season is the perfect platform to bring alive the special moments when yaars connect and make magic happen, whether while playing or while watching this tournament. To further add to the fun and entertainment, we are excited to give fans a chance to cheer for their teams with inspiring and playful language like never before. McDowell’s No.1 Soda is proud to share the spirit of Yaari with these amazing teams and build a meaningful new partnership.”
Added Neeraj Kanitkar, Executive Creative Director – West, DDB Mudra: “No.1 Yaari, six of the biggest IPL teams and 18 superstars deserve a grand platform. #No1YaariCheers is just that. A new language of Yaari that fuses what yaars do – from showing support to inspiring to teasing to provoking to badgering and everything in between – support, inspire, tease, provoke, badger – with the language of cricket. With the cricketers not having to so much act but simply express their Yaari for each other, they brought their own style to the cheering/ chanting. Making for entertaining shoots and an exuberant bunch of films.”
Ninety One active lifestyle brand has announced the launch of its new campaign ‘Engineered for More’. Millennial and Gen Z consumers today are adopting cycling as a lifestyle choice and are looking for differentiated and well-engineered products.
Ninety One’s newly launched campaign – ‘Engineered for More’ has been conceptualized in partnership with Sideways Consulting and will be promoted across TV, Digital and OTT mediums.
Talking about the flagship launch of Ninety One, Vishal Chopra, Co-founder and Managing Director said: “Ninety One represents the aspirations, dreams and vision of a modern, young, confident India that is looking to claim its rightful place in the world order. As we look to scale higher peaks, we are excited to bring alive our brand vision through the “Engineered for More” campaign. To new age India, a cycle represents more of an active lifestyle choice than just a means to travel; this helps make life’s small moments worth cherishing.”
Added Abhijit Avasthi from Sideways Consulting: “Cycling is one of those simple pleasures of life that offers so much more than just going from point A to point B. Each ride is never just a ride. Ninety One understands this connection that cycling enthusiasts have with their bikes and through our film we hope to bring alive this emotion in a refreshing manner. And of course, we will continue to build on this in our efforts further.”
Nippon Paint India has launched ‘Rangon Ke Badshah’, a pan-India programme to uplift, reward and recognise the garage painter community and identify India’s top car painters.
Announcing the Initiative, Shae Toh Hock, Senior Vice President, Nipsea Group and Managing Director, Nippon Paint India said: “It would be fair to say that the painter community has played an integral part in our growth in India. They have appreciated our products and our bond with the painter community is sacred. So, it is my pleasure to launch ‘Rangon Ke Badshah’ which is the search for India’s top car painters.”
Technology day, Valentine’s Day, Armed Forces Day, Day of the Underprivileged, Language Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Women’s Day and many more. There are too many special days. The brands keep trying to discover or create a higher-order purpose to engage the audience. Many of them are just lip service.