Cricket all-rounder Hardik Pandya unveiled his brand identity and a premium range of performance wear, that will be available exclusively on FanCode Shop.
Said Yannick Colaco, co-founder, FanCode: “We are thrilled to bring the Hardik Pandya brand to everyone. As one of the fittest athletes and an inspiring national icon, Hardik’s journey resonates with people from all walks of life. His personal involvement in developing this performance wear range shows its significance to him. We believe the collection will appeal not only to fitness enthusiasts, athletes but also to young fans and admirers who look up to Hardik.”
Times Network has partnered with Britannia The Laughing Cow Cheese and Mindshare to launch ‘Cheeseitup.in’, a content destination to enhance cheese awareness in India and provide culinary inspiration.
Said Abhishek Sinha, CEO Britannia Bel Foods, and CBO Britannia Dairy: “CheeseItUp.in is Britannia The Laughing Cow Cheese’s effort for all cheese enthusiasts and novices who are constantly looking for gathering knowledge about the product category. After the joint venture between Britannia and Bel group, we began the journey of creating awareness about the category benefits, with borrowed learnings and expertise from the French conglomerate. We realised that as a nascent category in India, the awareness about cheese, its benefits, and usage is still limited and fragmented. We took up this challenge with our partners – Times Network and Mindshare to build an inclusive platform which could cater to this gap for all Indians.”
Commenting on the partnership, Rohit Gopakumar, CEO- ZENL & BCCL(TV Division) added: “Our endeavour is always to provide a balanced platform for both our audience and clients. The satisfaction of achieving brand objectives through targeted content offerings excites our team. Britannia has consistently led the way in creating cutting-edge communication ideas for its various products. This partnership between Britannia The Laughing Cow Cheese and Times Network Digital platforms will undoubtedly break new ground in the cheese category. Collaborating with Britannia and Mindshare to introduce a new and innovative concept that marries content with brand thought leadership is the way forward for deep audience engagement. It’s time to CHEESEITUP!”
Speaking on the partnership, Rohit Chadda, President & COO – Digital, Times Network said: “Content-driven commerce strategically integrates content into the shopping process to provide customers with the highest quality experience. Times Network Digital has the largest base of premium, influential audience in the country across news & lifestyle categories. Our brand TimesFoodie.com, an industry-leading platform in food content, is the perfect partner to create such a food destination for Britannia. The idea of ‘CheeseItUp.in’ is to instil product knowledge and usage, while also taking an innovative approach to ecommerce that directly drives revenue for the brand.”
Said Amin Lakhani, CEO, Mindshare: “CheeseItUp.in isn’t just a platform, it’s your fun and flavourful culinary playground! We want to make cheese a delicious and healthy part of everyday meal planning. We use real consumer data to craft healthy and inspiring recipes with Britannia The Laughing Cow cheese. It’s connected commerce powered by content. Mindshare has architected a partnership between Britannia Bel Foods and Times News Network. Get ready to experience a whole new world of cheese-based creations! We are excited to see how this platform will revolutionise the way people enjoy Britannia The Laughing Cow cheese in their daily lives.”
Adani Wilmar has gone in for a 3D twist to the newly launched #MonsoonWithFortune campaign.
Said Mukesh Mishra, Senior Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Adani Wilmar: “This innovative campaign is our way of celebrating the joy of monsoon and connecting with our consumers on a deeper level. We believe this creative approach will resonate with our audience and reinforce Fortune’s position as a brand that understands and embraces the traditions and flavours of Indian households.”
Adobe, computer software company, announced a set innovations in popular professional design apps Adobe Illustrator and Adobe Photoshop. From ideation to production, the new release of Illustrator unlocks new ways for pro designers and illustrators to more easily and quickly bring their vision to life across brand graphics, logos and icons, product packaging, marketing deliverables, pattern creation and beyond. The latest release of Photoshop delivers new ways for creative professionals to iterate design concepts and jumpstart asset creation to achieve complex, custom outputs with differentiated colour and style more efficiently.
To accelerate creative workflows, Illustrator is introducing new tools including all-new Generative Shape Fill (beta) to empower designers to quickly add detailed vectors to shapes by entering text prompts directly in the Contextual Taskbar. Generative Shape Fill is powered by the latest Firefly Vector Model (beta) which is designed to support creators with additional speed, power and precision. Additional innovations in Illustrator including the Dimension Tool, Mockup (beta), Contextual Taskbar, Retype, enhanced selection tools, Text to Pattern (beta),
“The most creative people across illustration, design, photography and beyond trust Adobe’s tools to deliver the most innovative features to maximize productivity and accelerate workflows across ideation, design and production,” said Ashley Still, senior vice president, digital media at Adobe. “Adobe’s new innovations in Illustrator and Photoshop are built directly into designers’ existing workflows, offering new ways to create and helping them to work faster and focus on what they do best – drawing, designing and bringing their creative visions to life.”
It may be noted that MxMIndia hasn’t reviewed the new introductions in the platforms and the information published in this report is based on a communique received. We urge readers to familiarise (and satisfy) themselves with the features before taking a purchase/subscription decision.
In 2014, our marketing professor in my first year MBA showed us a Dary Milk case study. And I was blown away. Brilliant idea.
Probably every marketing person has heard of this transformation idea brought along by Ogilvy in those times that changed the fortunes of the brand in India.
What’s that? Dairy Milk’s Kuch Meetha Ho Jaaye.
Cadbury Dairy Milk had gone through a similar change a few years ago when a lady ran across a cricket match savouring the chocolate in her hand. That shifted the brand’s target out from children to all adults who have a childlike side to them (which is everyone, I believe).
So now the brand was falling short of its business- Children- done, adults- done. But the frequency of having chocolates was apparently low.
Cometh ‘Kuch Meetha Ho Jaye’ from Pappu Pass Ho Gaya with Amitabh Bachchan to an assorted box for Rakshabandhan to Diwali.
The idea: position Diary Milk as a replacement for your Mithai.
And once TVs were flooded with ads, streets stamped with hard-to-miss hoardings, the idea caught on. I remember buying a Dairy Milk gift box for Raksha Bandhan. It became a lazy gift choice. Don’t break your head trying to find something useful, just thump a box as gift. Much like an earlier version of Sonpapdi.
And the marketing bards composed songs elevating the heroism of the idea.
Cut to June 2024.
A CNBC-TV 18 anchor, Shibani Gharat. posted this video on Twitter
I was running peacefully in rain this morning till I saw this hoarding!! Why??? Why? It is my petition to save 🙏🏽 #puranpoli pic.twitter.com/7bHE7WAjNs— Shibani Gharat (@ShibaniGharat) July 7, 2024
First, puranpoli is not the breakfast of Maharashtra. Second, it is not to be had with Nutella as supporting dish.
They wish to position it as a cheese spread or tomato ketchup. Put it on everything. It’s the same trick. To position Nutella as a regular sweet spread or as an ally. And how can you do it?
Cadbury Dairy Milk showed the way. In this case, the suggestion is to have a traditional Marathi special sweet dish that’s eaten with ghee or milk or both with chocolatey Nutella.
I am not being a disappointed food culture activist.
But before another professor shows this up as a case study and bards compose new songs on how Nutella penetrated India as a LinkedIn post, here’s something about Nutella all of us should know.
Nutella has 56gm of sugar in per 100gm of its serving.
Net weight of a Nutella is 825 gm. Do the math. Sugar is 462gm.
Which is 110 teaspoons of sugar
20-30% of Palm Oil to add fat
And it is positioned as a breakfast item. A sugar-heavy dish for breakfast item!
A chocolate spread that’s only positioned as a spread because some great category manager in India said: “Let’s continue to the spread global idea of pushing Nutella for breakfast with non-breakfast items.”
In October 2023, the read-label educator and influencer Food Pharmer educated what Nutella always stood for. By reading the label.
The read-label idea is now being spread by not only influencers but brands like The Whole Truth and Yogabar. Influencers care more about being true and honest to their followers. They are perfectly fine to reject the paid collab and promote anything they see as misguiding. Or marketing tactic.
Brands are being built and legacy brands are running in the wrong direction. In times like these, there will be roar and not cheers for being dishonest with positioning and marketing. You cannot distract the customer with distraction positioning. Social media is not controlled unlike TV where just because you advertised, nothing negative can be published. Per Statista, India has 350+ Million (close to United States population) monthly active users. Any such attempt by cool sounding concepts or agencies will be called out and will gain traction.
And we as marketers need to wake up. Do we stop selling then? No, but find another way to position or sell. There are many food guilty-pleasures. Or get your agency to be creative.
Aniruddh Naik usually attempts to follow First Principles in digital and brand marketing with experience in creating visibility and consideration for brands. Currently works with a global engine oil and lubricants company. His views here are personal.
Kotak Mahindra Bank has unveiled its nationwide multimedia campaign, #SalaryKoJagao featuring actor Ranveer Singh. The campaign centres around Kotak’s flagship offering, ActivMoney, and spans TV commercials, digital platforms, outdoor displays, and social media channels.
Said Rohit Bhasin, Head of Retail Liabilities Product & Chief Marketing Officer, Kotak Mahindra Bank: “ActivMoney is a versatile product tailored to help customers monetise idle funds while ensuring liquidity and returns. Through this campaign, we aim to raise awareness amongst salaried individuals, a dynamic and fast growing segment of customers. These individuals are driven, aspirational and always seeking ways to grow their wealth. ActivMoney offers the convenience of fixed deposit-like interest without compromising liquidity, a much desired value addition for customers in this segment.”
Innisfree, a Korean skincare brand, has roped in actress Wamiqa Gabbi as its first brand ambassador in India.
Commenting on the endorsement, Managing Director and Country Head of Amorepacific India, Paul Lee, said: “Innisfree is the first brand that entered India with 100% FDI and has been growing rapidly since then. We have recently been certified with PETA certification, and by welcoming Wamiqa as a brand ambassador, we remain committed to our philosophy of environment-conscious and vegan skincare.”
Added Mini Sood Banerjee, Assistant Director and Head of Marketing & Training, Amorepacific India: “We’re thrilled to have Wamiqa onboard with us. She is a perfect blend of natural charm, talent, and authenticity. Her commitment to inspiring others to embrace their unique individuality, self-expression, and radiate confidence from within makes her the ideal partner for us. Her role will not only strengthen our brand presence but also resonate deeply with our customers across India who value authenticity and quality.”
Cadbury Fuse, the Mondelez India brand, launched its latest campaign ‘Bhookhe Pet Na Ho Payega’ with a film ‘Fuse Doli’.
Said Nitin Saini, Vice President Marketing, Mondelez India: “Nourishing a tradition of combining goodness with an irresistible taste, Cadbury Fuse has been a steadfast companion for satisfying those little hunger pangs on-the-go. Our latest TVC campaign portrays how choosing Cadbury Fuse ensures you’re always fully present and takes a humorous spin on India’s cultural belief: ‘Pehle pet pooja, baaki kaam duja.”
Added Kainaz Karmakar and Harshad Rajadhyaksha, Chief Creative Officers, Ogilvy India: “Fuse has always been about exploring different insights around hunger. This film taps into a very cool insight – Bhooke Pet Na Ho Paayega. The story endearingly exaggerates this by showing a young guy dragging a Doli procession into a supermarket to satisfy his hunger. The humour in the story is brought to life beautifully by the director, Abhinav Pratiman, Early Man Films. If exaggerations have their roots in an undeniable truth, they end up making the point very well. According to us, this film does that. The little touches in the detailing of the screenplay will make it watchable again and again. The ECD, Ram Hariharan and his team have conceived this campaign and we hope people enjoy it as much as we do.”
Fujifilm, a subsidiary of Fujifilm Holdings Corporation, has onboarded film stars Kriti Sanon and Kartik Aaryan as brand ambassadors for its Instax business.
Said Koji Wada, Managing Director of Fujifilm India: “We are delighted to welcome Kriti Sanon and Kartik Aaryan to the Instax family. Their energy and enthusiasm perfectly align with our group philosophy of “Giving our World More Smiles”. As influential youth icons, they embody the creativity and joy Instax stands for. We are confident their association will inspire more people to experience the unique charm of instant photography, creating and sharing lasting memories. We look forward to a wonderful collaboration that brings even More Smiles to our customers across India.”
Added Arun Babu, Associate Director & Head of Digital Camera, Instax and Optical Devices Business at FUJIFILM India: “With Kriti and Kartik on board, we aim to enhance our brand reach and connect with the youth. Instax is a celebration of life’s moments, and our new ambassadors perfectly aligns with this spirit. Leveraging their popularity, we intend to broaden the Instax brand across India, promoting a vibrant ‘culture of photography’ where capturing and sharing moments is a joyful part of everyday life.”
HDFC Life’s latest campaign seeks to expand its brand presence and reach deeper into the southern states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana.
Notes a communique: “As consumers continue to evolve, localised marketing strategies are crucial for driving stronger connections and affinity among audiences. The campaign has been tailored to capture cultural nuances and regional references that resonate locally. Aligning with the organisational strategy to extend its presence, the campaign aims to engage audiences in Tier 2 and Tier 3 markets through regional language communication, fostering affinity in these markets.”
HSBC has unveiled a new campaign featuring superstar Priyanka Chopra Jonas to reinforce a sense of belonging among Indian expats.
Commenting on HSBC’s new campaign, Sandeep Batra, Head of Wealth and Personal Banking, HSBC India, said: “Our campaign celebrates the unique journey of Indians moving to another country. Just as familiar flavours can create a sense of home anywhere in the world, HSBC’s unrivalled international proposition – including digital onboarding, overseas education, access to global wealth solutions and our “Beyond Banking” partners and network – are designed to ease the transition for those embarking on global opportunities. We understand that moving abroad is more than just a change of address—it’s a life-changing transition. This is why we’re committed to being more than just a bank; we’re a trusted partner in our customers’ global journeys.”
Biopharma company GSK has launched its new multichannel campaign ‘Ab India Banega 7-Star’. The campaign shows parents that the future of India is in their hands. It encourages them to secure their children’s future with seven essential vaccinations against 14 diseases, which include chickenpox, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, meningitis, measles, mumps, rubella, pneumonia, influenza, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, HiB infection, and polio.
Said Dr Shalini Menon, Medical Director, GSK, said: “After a child’s first birthday, it is critical to build robust immunity against serious vaccine-preventable diseases. The immunity granted by the vaccination can extend to the community thereby preventing the spread of disease and could help address threat of increasing antimicrobial resistance by reducing the need for antibiotics. The seven essential vaccinations given at this age protect them from 14 dangerous diseases and help them grow into healthy adults. Through this campaign, we want to communicate to parents the critical need to give their children the recommended vaccinations between the ages of one and two years.”
Times Network has partnered with Britannia The Laughing Cow Cheese and Mindshare to launch ‘Cheeseitup.in’, a content destination to enhance cheese awareness in India and provide culinary inspiration.