MxMIndia

Category: PRODUCTS

  • for its Activ One Product Campaign

    Aditya Birla Health ropes in actor Vikrant Massey…

    Aditya Birla Health Insurance Co Limited (ABHICL), the health insurance arm of Aditya Birla Capital, has teamed up with actor Vikrant Massey to unveil a campaign for its recently launched product, Activ One.

    Commenting on the campaign,  Mayank Bathwal, Chief Executive Officer, Aditya Birla Health Insurance, said: “As a brand, ABHI has consistently led the way in incentivized wellness, offering a ‘Health-First’ approach that sets us apart in the market. With this campaign, we are emphasizing how Activ One not only addresses health insurance needs but also empowers policyholders to achieve their healthiest self. We’re delighted to have Vikrant Massey as the face of the Active One. His relatable persona resonates with diverse audiences, aligning seamlessly with ABHI’s vision of providing accessible health insurance to customers from all backgrounds.”

    Added Darshana Shah, Marketing Head, Aditya Birla Capital: “At ABHI, promoting a healthy lifestyle and holistic well-being has always been our priority. Activ One is thoughtfully crafted to cater to the diverse needs of consumers across different health and life stages. We’re excited to have Vikrant Massey as the brand ambassador for this new campaign. It will further strengthen Activ One’s compelling narrative and reach and inspire customers to embrace a healthy lifestyle.”

  • To deepening the mango drink's connect amongst consumers

    Nayanthara is new brand ambassador for Slice

    Slice, the mango drink, has appointed actor Nayanthara as its latest brand ambassador. This association for Slice has been facilitated by Frameworks Entertainment.

    Speaking on the association, Anuj Goyal, Associate Director, Slice and Tropicana, PepsiCo India said: “We are delighted to welcome Nayanthara to the Slice family and are positive that her wide appeal that cuts through masses will further help build the brands connect with our core consumers. Both Slice and Nayanthara have entertained families and brought people together in an endearing manner. We hope this magic continues with new film as well and it will be loved by everyone.”

  • To extend its legacy of technical excellence to home-builders, notes a communique

    Dalmia Cement gets Ranveer Singh as Brand Ambassador!

    Dalmia Cement has unveiled a new campaign titled ‘RCF Strong toh Ghar Strong’ and onboarded actor Ranveer Singh as its brand ambassador.

    Said Puneet Dalmia, MD & CEO, Dalmia Bharat Limited: “During our illustrious journey over the last eight decades, Dalmia Cement has stood shoulder to shoulder to build our nation from its roots, contributing to create iconic national landmarks as well as happy homes for millions….

    Our new brand campaign manifests not just an eminent legacy, but also a commitment to consumer centricity – it conveys a core message that building a home with due care means building it for generations to come,” he said.

  • Says its pioneered QR and Soundbox will keep working

    Paytm launches new ad campaign

    One97 Communications Limited (OCL) that owns the brand Paytm which has been in the eye of a storm has launched a new print advertising campaign to reassure users and merchants that its QR, Soundbox and card machine will continue to work “today, tomorrow, and always”. Said a Paytm spokesperson: “As pioneers of QR code, soundbox and mobile payments in India, we have always been at the forefront of the digital revolution in India. With this ‘India’s every Paytm QR and Soundbox will keep working Today, Tomorrow, Always’ campaign, we aim to dispel any rumours, and confirm that our innovative devices will continue to empower merchant partners with seamless payments.”

  • The campaign is named 'World On My Watch'

    Cheil launches campaign for Galaxy Watch6 series

    Cheil India has launched a new campaign for Samsung Galaxy Watch6 series.

    Said Aditya Babbar, Vice President, MX Business, Samsung India: “Galaxy Watch6 series offers unparalleled convenience and connectivity like never before. Through the latest campaign, we decided to do something different and adopted a benefit-first approach. With LTE integration, users break free from the confines of their smartphones, embracing the liberty to manage essential features directly from their wrists.”

    Added Vikash Chemjong, Chief Creative Officer at Cheil India: “The film elegantly demonstrates how technology can seamlessly become part of our everyday lives, enhancing convenience, productivity, and well-being. This blend of connectivity, health tracking, and entertainment makes it a perfect pick.”

  • Created in partnership with by Leo Burnett – South Asia

    Whisper launches fifth edition of Keep Girls In School programme

    Feminine-care brand Whisper, from the house of Procter & Gamble, is raising awareness about– the early onset of menstruation among young girls — as part of the fifth edition of its #KeepGirlsInSchool (KGIS) movement.

    Said Rajdeepak Das, Chief Creative Officer, Publicis Groupe – South Asia and Chairman Leo Burnett – South Asia: “Our ongoing research about the changing conversations around menstruation identified a glaring anomaly – girls today are getting their periods much earlier than before. However, they are being educated about periods at a much later stage or oftentimes not at all. Whisper and Leo Burnett have been on a journey to keep girls in school for a long time and we wanted to bridge this gap. Our latest work talks to the 8-year-olds in a language they can understand, with a heartwarming song that teaches them that getting periods means they are healthy. The goal is to not just teach the little girls but also use the song as a tool to equip her ecosystem- parents and educators, enabling them to teach periods in an empowering manner.”

    Added Girish Kalyanaraman, Vice President & Category Leader – India Feminine Care at Procter & Gamble: “There is a seismic shift happening in period biology. This heightens the need to educate girls early on and to prepare them to embrace this biological process. Through this initiative, we strive to educate them about how periods are healthy and how they can take care of themselves on their period days. Every year, Whisper goes to more than 60,000 schools to create period education programmes and we are now also going to younger standards. Consumers too can do their bit buying a Whisper Ultra pack which will help us educate and donate pads to one girl to keep her in school.”

  • The new brand positioning leverages consumer desire for adventure and exploration

    Ceat unveils new Strategic Timeout board in IPL

    As part of the newly launched campaign, Cat, the tyres company, has leveraged its decade-long association with Tata IPL Strategic Timeout to deliver its brand message. It has been transformed in line with the new positioning, notes a communique.

    Said Arnab Banerjee, MD & CEO of Ceat Limited: “Ceat’s transformation underscores our dedication to staying in tune with the aspirations of our consumers. Our new brand communication emphasizes our support for the explorer mindset of discovering hidden gems which are accessible during their travels. This move represents our ongoing commitment to exceeding consumer expectations and delivering high-quality products that inspire confidence in every journey, whether on road or off road.”

    Added Lakshmi Narayanan B, CMO of Ceat Limited: “Our new approach incorporates partnerships with prominent travel influencers to showcase the versatility and durability of our tyres in various unexplored yet accessible locales. This series of two-part campaigns is not just a visual treat, but also ignites intrigue and curiosity among our consumers through the novel interactive QR element embedded in the ads. Our high-performance products have been crafted for the curious enabling their passion for adventure and discovery.”

  • The service provider's ads have proved me wrong that Indian advertising has lost its humour, writes Prabhakar Mundkur

    Truecaller – Jamming the Scam Calls

     

     

    By Prabhakar Mundkur

     

    Prabhakar MundkurPerhaps in any other country, Truecaller would not exist. Because other countries respect the privacy of their citizens. I recently spent a month in the UK and my family did not get even one unsolicited call.

     

    Unfortunately, in our country, all our details are an open book. We all no doubt get at least a few scam calls a day. If they are not scam, they are at least greedy marketers who are aggressively calling you to sell their wares. I have noticed a new trend now. Some of calls are mechanised and as soon as I pick up the odd unknown caller, a pre-recorded voice is trying to sell me something. These recorded calls in many ways are the most irritating because you can’t be rude and insult the mechanical voice as you can do with a real person at the other end.

     

    It is not only our phone numbers that are available freely. Our car registration numbers are available not only on the official Government app Parivahan but on a score of other private apps. At least the government app tries to hide the complete details of your name, but the private apps don’t even bother to do that.

     

    If that were not enough, our car insurance details are also an open book. I get a score of emails from various insurance companies every time my car insurance is nearing its expiry date. Recently, I read about a well-known person who got scammed on life insurance. The victim had an insurance policy that had lapsed in 2014. The scam caller called the victim and offered to not only reinstate his policy but offered to redeem the policy, trapping the victim who could naturally do with a little more money. It is only when he reached the end of the call and the scammer started asking for his bank details and offered him an OTP did the victim realise that it was a scam call. These activities are being done openly in our country in spite of the fact that both telephone calls and insurance have government entities supervising the industry – IRDA for Insurance and the TRAI on telecom. It is strange that these government bodies are doing nothing to protect the privacy of the Indian citizen.

     

    But coming back to Truecaller. I was in the UK and I must have received at least 30 scam calls. Thank you Truecaller because I would immediately get the notification that they were scam calls and I could safely leave them alone.

     

     

     

     

    Though no one is writing much about it, I also like the Truecaller advertising. For one, it is entertaining. And they seem to have proved me wrong that Indian advertising has lost its humour. Truecaller uses humour to show how the app can frustrate the scammer. It also demonstrates the stages of the scam and makes fun of the account numbers and OTPs that scammers normally demand as the call progresses. Some of you may remember how Netflix exposed the entire process that scamsters employ in their movie on Jamtara – Sab Ka Number Ayega. 

     

    Truecaller has in some ways also exposed the process of the seamster but with a humorous twist. I particularly liked their Diwali ads. I believe scam calls are at their highest during the festival seasons because this is when most people are looking for deals and are therefore most vulnerable.

     

    I also thought that their sign-off line is quite interesting Scam ka Jam is quite appropriate.

    Well done, Truecaller. Here is wishing you the best in protecting Indian citizens from scams.

     

     

  • If Gen Z does think like this (as in the commercial), maybe we can hope for World Peace, writes Prabhakar Mundkur

    Coke’s ‘Real Magic’ casts a new spell!

     

    By Prabhakar Mundkur

     

    Prabhakar MundkurCoke and Pepsi have been at it for half a century, trying to outsmart each other both for marketing share and advertising that makes the brand relevant to the youth. Real Magic, the new commercial by Coke, I think has taken a giant leap and  does manage to outsmart Pepsi.

     

    Firstly, it is rooted in Gen Z passions by basing the idea on gaming. The gaming market is expected to reach USD 398,950 million by 2026 growing at an annual rate of 11%.  Secondly, the Coke commercial is based on a philosophy that makes more sense than ever before.

     

    Says Manolo Arroyo, marketing lead at Coca-Cola: “The ‘Real Magic’ philosophy is rooted in the belief that dichotomies can make the world a more interesting place-a world of extraordinary people, unexpected opportunities and wonderful moments.”  The philosophy itself is not new – the hippie revolution believed in this more than anyone else right since the 60s.  The world is growing more apart as we celebrate our differences rather than our similarities. The real idea behind the wave of globalisation was to embrace our dichotomies.

     

     

    ” ‘Real Magic’ is not simply a tagline or a one-off campaign,” says Arroyo. “It is a long-term brand philosophy and belief that will drive and guide marketing and communications across the Coca-Cola trademark.” Maybe it was about time for Coke to try something new given its sluggish sales in the recent past.  Real Magic then succeeds ‘ Taste the feeling’ which was first introduced in 2016. BETC London, along with director Daniel Wolfe made the film.

     

    The campaign also uses the Coca-Cola logo to wrap around the campaign images.  I thought this was a pretty unique treatment of the logo given that the curvature of the Coke bottle or can always makes the logo seen this way.

     

     

    Also the tagline ‘We are one Coke away from each other’ is reminiscent of the six degrees of separation theory first propounded in 1929 which said that we are on an average six or fewer social connections away from each other. With the expansion of the internet and social media to cover people around the world has often meant that we might very often be just one connection away from each other.  Or one coke away from each other.  Clever!

     

    The commercial shows a World of Warcraft type of battle in progress until one of the contestants opens a can of Coke. After the contestants first sip, Orc in the game is overcome with feeling and throws away his battle axe, picks up his opponent and there is suddenly peace in the gaming universe. A metaphor for World Peace?

     

    There is a lesson to be learnt here for the world. After all we if we all threw out our weapons nuclear or otherwise, one of the principles of nuclear disarmament, we might be all less threatening to each other.

     

    Having grown up as a teenager in the 60s, all these little nuggets of philosophy make great sense to me, although it is supposed to appeal to Gen Z.  And if Gen Z does think like this maybe we can hope for World Peace as eulogised by John Lennon in his immortal song Imagine!

     

  • I firmly believe that Art must do its bit to change society so that Life can start to imitate Art, writes Prabhakar Mundkur in an all-new season of his weekly column, Ad Buzz

    Cadbury ad. Overdependent on Nostalgia?

     

     

    By Prabhakar Mundkur [updated]

     

    Prabhakar MundkurAs I write this, I am sure the latest Cadbury’s ad has already gone viral if that is a measure of its success. The latest message I got on WhatsApp went like this:

     

    “In 1994, Ogilvy India made an ad for Cadbury Dairy Milk.

    In 2021, Ogilvy India made the same ad for Cadbury Dairy Milk, with a difference.

    Check both out!!!”

     

    The praise showered on it has had no bounds over the last two days.  One of the comments went like this: “It’s a follow-up to the ad the great Piyush Pandey wrote in 1994 which catapulted him to advertising fame.”  No doubt Piyush is a shining star in the advertising firmament, but I am not sure this criterion can be used to judge an ad, both by commoners or 50-year-old advertising executives. I never thought of an ad as great only because David Droga or Bruno Bertelli wrote it. In any case, I am getting used to the hysteria and adulation India accords its heroes. Just yesterday, we saw a union minister likening our Prime Minister to God.  And later, the Prime Minister’s Report Card handle on Facebook posted the Cadbury ad, giving it record likes and shares. God himself then has endorsed this ad.  So, who am I, a mere mortal to even start evaluating it?

     

    I must admit I am an aberration of the Indian consumer because I spent the better part of the 90s working overseas and could not use the 1994 ad as a reference. It seemed like just another cricket ad to me, or simply put just a typical scene from Indian cricket which we have seen repeatedly, for much longer than the Cadbury ad. After all, didn’t a woman do the same thing to Brijesh Patel when he scored a century in 1975?  She went past the security (India’s disrespect for the law is legendary), right until the pitch and then planted a kiss on Brijesh’s cheek. I know cricket is a hot button in this country, but the 99 runs on the scoreboard with a sixer coming up is both a bit trite and hackneyed.

     

     

    Which brings me back to one basic question: if this ad was trying to capitalise on nostalgia marketing, was it aimed at people who were over 50 years old? We don’t know Cadbury’s strategy, but it could well be that they no longer wanted their brand to be seen as a young person’s brand. If the target audience were expected to have seen the ad in 1994, it does mean that this ad is talking to people who are in the age group of 40-50 years at least or even more.

     

    Of course, while arguing my way through the merits and demerits of the ad, many people stoutly defended the ad saying that it was brilliant, even as a standalone, and even if people had not watched the 1994 version. Maybe, but I would imagine that the people who had seen the 1994 ad would rate it 5x times better than the people who hadn’t seen the 1994 ad. People who first posted the ad on social media were mostly older, but the overall hype was so overcoming that I believe the youth had taken to sharing the ad later, on Instagram. Take this tweet for example which got a rousing response. I don’t know Karthik personally, but I am willing to wager that he is at least 40 years old to have seen and remembered the 1994 ad.

     

     

    But somehow the Cadbury ad seems to have touched a chord and has got accolades for showing a woman in the lead role. Many people have commented that this was a long time coming. Of course, any ad like Cadbury’s is a welcome addition to the tirade against gender discrimination. India for centuries has discriminated against women, and there is still scope to do much more. India ranked 131 in the 189-country survey on the Gender Development Index. So, any commercial or full-length movie that goes towards portraying the importance of women is welcome because it can help to change the status quo. I see advertising and cinema as important influencers in pushing the envelope for social change.

     

    Oscar Wilde in his 1889 essay ‘Decay of Lying’ posed the rhetorical question, whether Art imitates Life or Life imitates Art. I firmly believe that Art must do its bit to change society so that Life can start to imitate Art. The Cadbury ad from that point of view is a step in the right direction.

     

    Except that as I said earlier, the Brijesh Patel incident also raises the question if this is Art Imitating Life?  It could well be!

     

    Oscar Wilde was right in posing this queer and difficult paradox.

     

    Prabhakar Mundkur is a former advertising agency captain and has spent over four decades in marketing services across geographies. He is a prolific writer and was a few years back rated as among the top voices by LinkedIn. Other than advertising and writing, Prabs, as he is known to friends, is a very active musician and a self-taught producer of music. In the pandemic, he has performed and produced nearly 50 songs, including one with the very accomplished Usha Uthup. Mundkur’s views here are personal.

     

     

  • We have a choice now, writes Prabhakar Mundkur. Either conform to the feelings of the new India that has been emerging for the last six years or continue to live in the past

    It’s Mera Bharat Mahaan for Micromax

     

    By Prabhakar Mundkur

     

    In light of the Tanishq controversy, the new Micromax commercial provides an interesting counterpoint.

     

    The larger  truth that I am missing in all the marketing discussions on Tanishq is that ‘brand purpose’ came about because Millennials and Gen X in the West were looking for authenticity, honesty and purpose in brands.  In other words, they were looking for brands to mirror their own feelings and their higher purpose.  And this higher purpose took the form of say ‘Real Beauty’ for Dove as a proof of authenticity or the higher purpose took on a higher social responsibility to support some cause: sexism, racism (for us it is casteism), climate change, sustainability, poverty, domestic abuse, climate change and a host of other causes.

     

    I don’t know if the big brands have done a study of what this greater social responsibility might mean for Millennials and Gen X in India. I don’t think it is any of those that I mentioned for the Western audiences above.

     

    But the important point here is a that it is not marketing directors who sit in their ivory tower offices and determine brand purpose or the language a brand speaks. For brand purpose to be real, it must coincide with the people’s aspirations. Just as an example if the higher purpose of our targets in the country is to prevent “love-jihad” they may want to see brands that reflect that higher purpose. And Tanishq’s higher purpose was at odds with the higher purpose of a section of the public that engaged in the destruction of their commercial.

     

    After all, brands are not allowed to have a purpose that excludes the people it is talking to unless it wants to be altruistic or idealistic, which I am sure is not what Tanishq wants to be.

     

    Moving on, I found a useful counterpoint in this Micromax commercial.

     

    https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=aRo69b1wTNg

     

    The commercial essentially announces that they are back in the game after having taken a beating at the hands of the several Chinese mobile handsets in the market.

     

    In its ‘come back’ commercial appropriately titled ‘Micromax is Back’, the brand touches all the hot spots of the new Indian. Look at the various subtle inflections.  The story of an Indian entrepreneur who came from the ‘gullys’  of middle class India after borrowing Rs 3 lakh from his father.  A brand that was the No 1 brand in India and in the top ten brands in the world.  Stirring the new sense of ‘nationalism’ in the Indian.

     

    Then look at the skillful way in which the brand provokes anger against China by saying he was put down by Chinese brands. And that too in his own country? Oh, the injustice of it all!

     

    Then invoking the border conflict with China, invoking the Prime Minister were all briiliant strokes in a campaign that reeks of Made in India.  And to cap it all the new series being marketed by the marketers is ‘IN’. Another stroke of brilliance to use the first two letters of the country name. What could be more Indian, more desi that?

     

    Now go back to the Tanishq commercial and think for yourself whether it invoked the right feelings in the target audience. Or did it provoke mob anger by touching on a raw nerve that people are most sensitive about.

     

    For me this is a case study that brands cannot speak a language that does not strike the right chords among the people. Brands can’t hold beliefs that are in insolation without consulting the people they are talking to. Brands need the permission of the people before they speak.

     

    We have a choice now.  Either conform to the feelings of the new India that has been emerging for the last six years or continue to live in the past.

     

    Lofty ideals for brands must be examined in the light of the current mood of the nation.

     

    Prabhakar Mundkur is a veteran advertising professional and commentator. And also a musician. He has worked across geographies. His views here are personal

     

     

  • To showcase features of Samsung Galaxy A55 5G and A35 5G

    Cheil India unveils campaign

    Cheil India has launched a campaign showcasing features of Galaxy A55 5G and A35 5G. The campaign films featuring the duo of Shanaya Kapoor and Rohan Gurbaxani encapsulate the spirit of Generation Z .

    Commenting on the campaign, Aditya Babbar, Vice President, MX Business, Samsung India, said: “Galaxy A series democratizes innovations by making them accessible to all. With the introduction of Galaxy A55 5G and Galaxy A35 5G, we are democratizing flagship-level features, experiences and affordability. In our new campaign, we are proud to showcase how Galaxy A55 and A35 5G continue to push boundaries, delivering cutting edge technology that empowers creativity and elevates user experience.”

    Talking about the campaign, Vikash Chemjong, CCO, Cheil India, added: “We believe that everyone deserves awesome—whether it’s awesome meetings, awesome memories, awesome ambitions, or simply an awesome life. And, when you finally get an awesome phone, you get one step closer to achieving the rest.”