MxMIndia

Category: MEDIA

  • These mobility solutions have specially been designed to bring the power of internet job search on mobile

    Naukri.com launches job search apps for iPhone, Blackberry and Android devices and HTML5 site

    By A Correspondent

     

    Naukri.com, India’s no 1 job site introduces free job search apps on mobile for all smart phone users. This includes special apps for Iphone, Blackberry and android devices and an exclusive HTML5 site. In today’s world, where everyone is competing to be ahead of time, these applications will provide jobseekers an efficient and customized way to search and apply for jobs even on the move. These mobility solutions have specially been designed to bring the power of internet job search on mobile, thus ensuring that their users never miss out on any opportunity.

     

    Both the mobile app and the site are enriched with features which allow jobseekers to filter job openings by location, keywords, functional area, experience bracket and minimum expected salary. Also, users can create up to 5 custom job alerts on the basis of the search criterion defined by them. These job alerts are directly sent to the users’ inbox 3 times a week. To make job search further convenient and mobile friendly, as soon as the user logs into the site it will automatically recommend jobs on the basis of the information provided during the profile creation process. Jobseekers can view the detailed job descriptions and apply in a secure and confidential environment – directly from their mobile devices.

     

    It will be an added boon for employers as well because it acts as an additional platform to reach to their target audience. With the introduction of this mobile site, the response time for jobs posted will be reduced considerably and thus recruiters will be able to cater to a larger audience within a short span of time. This site has specially been designed keeping in mind the need and convenience of a mobile user.

     

    Commenting on the same, Vibhore Sharma, EVP, Technology, Naukri.com said: “Mobile devices are bringing about a revolution in the way people use internet and consume content from the web and smartphones are the new basic phones that would eventually engage users more than a PC. With the launch of our apps and (re-purposed) website for mobile devices, we aim to offer our users the ability to continue their job search on the go and never miss out on a career opportunity.”

     

    This HTML5 site has been optimized to work with all popular smart phones. Further, through this platform jobseekers can also manage and update their Naukri profile effortlessly and conveniently. Users can keep a track on how many times their CV has been viewed by an employer and also which companies have they applied for jobs earlier. Thus, this bouquet of mobile solutions will make job search simpler, productive and much more efficient.

     

    Naukri.com, India’s No. 1 job site and the flagship brand of Info Edge revolutionized the concept of recruitment in India. The site enjoys a traffic share of around 61% as per the Aug Comscore data.

     

    Naukri.com is a recruitment platform that provides hiring-related services to corporates/recruiters, placement agencies and to job seekers in India and overseas.

     

  • To communicate the message of 'TV Off, Mumbai On', Mudra Max-OOH planned and executed an effective OOH media campaign for No TV Day, beginning January 13.

    Mudra Max OOH drives home HT’s No TV Day message

     

    By A Correspondent

     

    Hindustan Times returned with its popular and inclusive initiative on January 28 this year, following its success on January 29, 2011.

     

    What started as an HT initiative became a people’s movement in Mumbai, making it the only city in the world to have its own special day. Hindustan Times called upon Mumbai to switch off TV and be open to the immense possibilities that their relationships and the city had to offer.

     

    To drive home the message – TV Off, Mumbai On, Mudra Max-OOH planned and executed an effective OOH media campaign for No TV Day, beginning January 13.

     

    The agency deployed a wide mix of OOH media, namely billboards, gantries, BQS, DBQS, pole kiosks, in-train branding, bus back/side panels, station branding & domestic airport branding.

     

    Considering the growing population which prefers air travel these days, a few interesting media vehicles such as cutouts on conveyer belts & standees were deployed at strategic locations inside domestic terminals.

     

    To break through the clutter, Mudra Max-OOH executed a couple of innovations at marquee sites in Mumbai (Juhu Koliwada & Mahim Causeway).

     

    Innovation 1: At Mahim Causeway (one of the important congregation points for vehicular traffic in Mumbai), the idea was to create the NTD Facebook homepage on a billboard. There was a daily change in the status, just the way one updates their statuses and the number of growing Facebook fans on the billboard. The status updated continued was for 5 days as a build up towards No TV Day.

     

    Innovation 2: This was executed at Juhu Koliwada / Juhu Tara Road (one of main arterial roads of Mumbai), since the core essence of NTD is TV Off, Mumbai On, this execution tried to bring that alive on a billboard by showing a father-son having fun on the swings in a park and the copy read ‘TV Off, Fun On’. The swinging movement on the billboard caught a lot of attention and was really talked about.

     

    Like last year, Hindustan Times organized a plethora of activities on January 28, encouraging Mumbaiites to step out of their homes and explore the city with their family and friends.

     

    The activities ranged from school painting competition attended by around 34,000 children with their parents, helicopter rides, and exclusive discount deals at more than 400 outlets in the city, heritage rides, dance workshops and many others.

     

    Across the city, around 250 housing societies registered for the No TV Day Best Society contest. A city specific treasure hunt was organized across three zones in Mumbai (western suburbs, Navi Mumbai andSouth Mumbai). While 1,300 participants raced against time to reach the finishing point, 3 winners were selected in each zone.

     

    The engagement with Mumbai was sustained in the social media space as well with the HT Mumbai No TV Day Facebook page and a special microsite. In just 3 weeks, 1.5 lakh new fans were added to the No TV Day Facebook community, taking the total strength to 2.5 lakh fans. The Facebook page also generated 6.5 million unique impressions and was the among the top branded Facebook pages inIndiain terms of engagement. On January 28, the strong buzz about the initiative resulted in No TV Day featuring among the top trending topics nationally on Twitter.

     

    There were various partners, such as Railways, Prince of Wales museum and MTDC, and brands like Surf Excel,Toyota, Lays, Micro Technologies and Scrabble who joined in this initiative.

     

    Ajay Dang

    Mandeep Malhotra, President, Mudra Max (OOH, Retail, Experiential) said: “NO TV DAY is an annual property built by HT and we were required to create a history connecting the brand with Mumbaikars. Our aim was to establish a property better and louder than the last year’s campaign. In a city dominated by competitors, it was an indispensable task to keep Mumbai ‘On’ for a quality life. We, along with HT, delivered the message effectively and took OOH from the position of a reminder medium to a call for action platform.”

     

    Ajay Dang, Marketing Head (West and South),HindustanTimes said: “Very few times does an initiative by a brand/ newspaper becomes a people’s movement. Hindustan Times has added an important day in the calendar of Mumbai when the city takes time to reconnect to important relationships be it family and friends or the city that we call home.”

     

  • The channel delivered 306 GRPs this week, clearly underscoring its leadership position across channels and categories

    STAR Plus the undisputed leader in 9 primetime slots

    By A Correspondent

     

    STAR Plus scaled a new high in the popularity charts, with four of its prime-time shows cornering the top honours across general entertainment channels in this week’s ratings, TAM data show.

     

    ‘Saath Nibhana Saathiya’ and ‘Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hain’ brought in the highest ratings for the Star franchise, with a 5.3 TVR each, while ‘Diya Aur Baati Hum’, the channel’s gender-stereotype breaker, had a strong 5.2 TVR. ‘Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon’ (4.2 TVR) completed the top 4 sweep. The crowning glory was that nine of Star Plus’ shows were declared slot leaders.

     

    The channel delivered 306 GRPs this week, clearly underscoring its leadership position across channels and categories.

     

    Nitin Vaidya, Business Head, Hindi Channels, STAR India, said: “The consistent performance and popularity of our shows reiterate STAR Plus’ commitment to quality entertainment and world-class programming. Our constant endeavour is to re-invent the ‘nayi soch’ in the society with every show we conceive, design and offer.”

     

    Star India is a leading media and entertainment company, broadcasting 33 channels in eight languages to more than 400 million people every week across India and more than 100 countries across the globe. Its channel portfolio includes household brands Star Plus, Life Ok, Star Gold, Channel [V], Star Jalsha, Star Pravah, Star World, Star Movies, Star Utsav and joint venture channels Asianet, Asianet Plus, Star Vijay, Suvarna, Star News, ESPN and Star Sports.

     

  • Brand Ambassador Yuvraj Singh's real-life story to inspire India on the need for Wealth with Protection Solutions.

    Yuvraj continues to tell Birla Sun Life story – with added confidence

    Birla Sun Life Insurance (BSLI) continues on its committed strategy to provoke massIndiainto realizing and appreciating the many critical and relevant roles that insurance can play in their life.

     

    With a new campaign for their Wealth with Protection Solutions, BSLI and Yuvraj have come together, once again, to play the role of agent provocateur for massIndia, by provoking them to insure their lives through the highs and lows that life can have in store for them.

     

    The TV commercial has the ace cricketer not only discuss his personal triumphs, but also his trials and tribulations, candidly, by taking a recent leaf from his own life.

     

    Ajay Kakar, Chief Marketing Officer – Financial Services, Aditya Birla Group said: “Today’s Indians have tasted never-before success in the early years of their working life. This unprecedented material success gives them the confidence and belief that the good times will continue, uninterrupted, and they will live and enjoy all their ambitious dreams, one by one.”

     

    He adds: “We have used Yuvraj Singh as our Philosophy Ambassador to share his personal belief and experience – also a reality of life – that ‘Jab tak balla chaltha hai, thaat hain. Jab balla nahin chalega to…’  (‘You rule, only till your bat rules’). We aim to provoke and inspire massIndia with the personal triumphs, trials and tribulations of Yuvraj, who just keeps working to combat the challenges that life and cricket have thrown his way, to bounce back.”

     

    The campaign is inspired by an actual conversation that Yuvraj had with the senior team of BSLI, soon after India’s momentous win at the World Cup. Yuvraj had shared his regret that despiteIndiawinning the World Cup, the nation’s dream for 28 years, and him being declared the man of the series, he didn’t even have the time to sit back and enjoy this enviable success. He was back on the training grounds, with the IPL round the corner. And then, due to unforeseen and totally unexpected health reasons, he had to sit outside the team. All of this within a span of few months – but rather than sitting back and becoming prisoner of an ailment, he is prepared to once again fight against all odds.

     

    There is a lesson in Yuvraj’s story for all of us. Even the “Gods” have reason to feel insecure. The message provokes us to take action against our fears and ensure our dreams. It reminds us that life is uncertain and we should be financially prepared at all times for any eventuality.

     

    Speaking on the new communication campaign, Nandita Chalam, Vice President & Executive Creative Director, JWT said: “Over the years people have started associating the BSLI brand strongly with the concept of “Balla”.  The ad is set within a stadium, with Yuvraj sharing his story, talking to massIndiathrough the camera, conversing in a real, true, down-to-earth manner. The tonality of the ad is candid, honest and more importantly, it connects.”

     

    The campaign’s TVC features Yuvraj in a fresh avatar while he shares his story which will instantly strike a chord with audience reminding them that even the stars are vulnerable to the vagaries of life and environment.

     

    The TVC will go on air by January, 30th and will be seen across all leading television channels. One will witness a surround effect that will reflect a collective effort of integration and innovation leveraged through communication platforms. BSLI aims to provoke, surprise and delight the customer and eventually persuade them to take action with the power of sheer creative chemistry.

     

    Creative Agency: JWT (Mumbai)

     

    Production House: Chrome Productions

     

    Birla Sun Life Insurance Company Limited (BSLI) is a joint venture between the Aditya Birla Group, a well known Indian conglomerate and Sun Life Financial Inc, one of the leading international financial services organizations fromCanada. With an experience of over a decade, BSLI has an extensive distribution reach over 500 cities through its network of around 600 branches, over 139,057 empanelled advisors and over 200 partnerships with Corporate Agents, Brokers and Banks.

     

  • The CASBAA study measures the benefits of allocating variable percentages of a US$1.75m TV budget on multi-channel TV and Free-to-Air (FTA).

    Advertising on multi-channel TV can double reach

    By A Correspondent

     

    CASBAA, the association for digital multi-channel TV, content, platforms, advertising and video delivery acrossAsia, has released a first-of-its-kind reach and frequency analysis of the definable returns on media investment in multi-channel TV advertising.

     

    Commissioned by CASBAA and executed by global media agency Universal McCann, the study measures the benefits of allocating variable percentages of a US$1.75m TV budget on multi-channel TV and Free-to-Air (FTA) in seven key Asia-Pacific markets:Australia, Hong Kong, thePhilippines,India,Malaysia,SingaporeandTaiwan.

     

    “The clear advantage of advertising on multi-channel TV becomes evident when simulating real-life budgeting scenarios via robust Peoplemeter data. The numbers demonstrate that multi-channel TV makes undeniable fiscal sense when reach and return on investment are optimized,” said Simon Twiston Davies, CEO, CASBAA.

     

    “This powerful new look at TV data allows us to better understand that for a regional campaign, switching a portion of the budget onto regional multi-channel TV channels means we can deliver higher reach at a lower cost-per-thousand for our clients,” said Chris Skinner, Managing Director, Universal McCann Hong Kong.

     

    Highlights from the study (audience: 4+):

     

    In the seven markets measured, a 100 per cent allocation of a $1.75m budget to FTA results in a campaign viewed by just 33 per cent of the TV population.

     

    Campaign reach increases from 33 per cent to 56 per cent when half of the TV budget is redistributed to multi-channel TV from FTA only TV allocation.

     

    A 50/50 combination of FTA and multichannel TV sees total impressions (gross number of times a commercial is viewed) multiplied by 2.5 times from an FTA only schedule: increasing from 537 million to 1.4 billion.

     

    Using multichannel TV lowers cost per thousand (CPT) by up to 60 per cent in a 50/50 multichannel TV/FTA combination versus an FTA only schedule.

     

    “Campaigns that allocate part of their terrestrial TV budget to multi-channel TV reap the rewards,” added Twiston Davies. “The research tells us that you can effectively double your reach, increase the viewing frequency of ads, and lower your CPT – all with no extra investment.”

     

    A similar trend was also monitored when the demographics data was analyzed to reflect key age, gender and socio-economic groups.

     

    In the coming months CASBAA will release more data from two other global media agencies supporting the case for multi-channel TV advertising.

     

    The complete study is available at http://www.casbaa.com/atac/features.

     

    Established in 1991, CASBAA is the Association for digital multichannel TV, content, platforms, advertising and video delivery acrossAsiafor the past two decades. Spanning 17 geographic markets, CASBAA and its Members reach over 420 million connections through a footprint ranging fromChinatoAustralasia,JapantoPakistan.

     

  • Colors and The Global Indian Music Academy (GIMA) will celebrate the 71st birth anniversary of the 'Ghazal King' on February 8 in Mumbai.

    Colors’ tribute concert for Ghazal maestro Jagjit Singh

    By A Correspondent

     

    In a unique initiative, the Global Indian Music Academy (GIMA) in partnership with Colors and Wizcraft International Entertainment will bring together the Indian music & film fraternity for a tribute concert in the fond memory of the late ‘Ghazal King’, Jagjit Singh.

     

    The musical evening titled ‘Jagjit Singh -Yaadon Ka Safar’, which also marks his 71st birth anniversary, is a special tribute to celebrate his musical legacy.

     

    Jagjit Singh was an artist with many dimensions – singer, writer, composer, music director, activist and a philanthropist. An active member of GIMA, he also mentored most of its music initiatives. Jagjit Singh always supported and inspired new talent. This intimate tribute concert is an effort to celebrate his ‘musical journey’ – his iconic legacy and unmatched contribution to music, through performances dedicated to him by friends and colleagues.

     

    Renowned poet & lyricist Nida Fazli along with well-known celebrities like Javed Akhtar, Shabana Azmi,Mahesh Bhatt and Dia Mirza, who shared a special bond with Mr Singh will share their personal anecdotes.

     

    Speaking on the occasion, Chitra Singh said: “I am filled with a deep sense of pride and joy that the music fraternity is coming together to remember and honour my husband on his 71st birth anniversary. The tribute concert has my blessings and support. My family and I look forward to a nostalgic night embracing his memory.”

     

    The expected artistes at the tribute concert are Ghulam Ali, Ustad Rashid Khan, Anup Jalota, Bhupinder & Mitali Singh, Talat Aziz, Suresh Wadkar, Hariharan, Dr. L Subramanium & Kavita Krishnamurthy, Kailash Kher, Hans Raj Hans, Shafqat Amanat Ali, Shaan, Kunal Ganjawala and Richa Sharma, to name a few.

     

    Sharing his thoughts on the initiative on the same, Mr. Raj Nayak, CEO – Colors said: “­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­Colors is proud to present a peek into the life and times of the musical maestro Jagjit Singh. Our association with GIMA and Wizcraft opens up avenues into several unchartered territories in this space. This event is a mark of respect and love for the Jagjitji, and will surely touch an emotional chord with the music lovers and Colors viewers”

     

    “We are very honoured and excited that our initiative has received an overwhelming support from the industry. Through GIMA, it is our endeavour to contribute to the Indian music industry by providing a platform where such legends can be celebrated, honoured and fondly remembered. This intimate tribute concert will feature memorable performances by renowned artistes as we bring alive the memories and anecdotes about the maestro,” said Wiz. Sabbas Joesph, Director – Wizcraft International Entertainment Ltd.

     

    A recipient of the ‘Padma Bhushan Award’, Jagjit Singh won hearts world over with his soulful voice, inimitable rendition and timeless music. Credited for the revival and popularity of Ghazals, he was responsible for single-handedly changing the course of music by infusing the age-old genre of classical Ghazals with modern instrumentation while preserving its soul and purity.

     

    Wizcraft International Entertainment,India’s leading Event and Entertainment Company is dedicated to showcasing its expertise on the world stage. The Global Indian Music Academy (GIMA) and The International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) are some of its initiatives.

     

    The Global Indian Music Academy Awards (GIMA) is a unique initiative in Indian music with a vision to honour artistic achievement, technical proficiency and overall excellence in Indian music.

     

    Colors is Viacom18’s flagship brand in the entertainment space inIndia. From Fiction shows to Format shows to Reality shows to Blockbuster movies – the basket contains all ‘Jasbaat Ke Rang’.

     

  • This deal will make available select blockbuster UTV titles to BigFlix plus subscribers to help them further expand their personal movie collection

    BigFlix inks deal with UTV Motion Pictures for popular titles

    By A Correspondent

     

    BigFlix, a part of Reliance Group’s digital entertainment business, on Tuesday announced a license deal between India’s first online movie-on-demand service – BigFlix plus and Studio UTV Motion Pictures to bring the best of UTV’s titles to movie buffs across India.

     

    This deal will make available select blockbuster UTV titles to BigFlix plus subscribers to help them further expand their personal movie collection whilst simultaneously adding popular titles to their personal blockbuster theatre.

     

    Jodhaa Akbar, Wake up Sid, Raajneeti, I Hate Luv Storys, No One Killed Jessica, Dev D, Udaan, Fashion, Race, and Kaminey amongst several others will now be available on BigFlix.

     

    BigFlix plus subscribers can now enjoy these, and many more, movies from the UTV banner via a high quality movie viewing experience at their preferred time, sans advertisements, across all internet connected devices such as desktop, tablets, smartphones and connected TVs.

     

    This deal gives audience access to their favourite films at their convenience and provides them with an ever-increasing bouquet of High Definition (HD) blockbuster movies.

     

    “Pay per View (PPV) and Subscription Video on Demand (SVOD) options on internet platforms like BigFlix is a great way for audience to watch movies at their convenience. This is the one of our first internet deals inIndia. BigFlix is one of the first players in this space inIndiaand we are happy to have our movies available for their vast subscriber base,” said Amrita Pandey – Senior Vice President, International Distribution and Syndication, UTV Motion Pictures.

     

    Commenting on the deal, Mr Pankaj Chandra, Chief Operating Officer(COO) – BigFlixs Pvt Ltd, said: “BigFlix plus is India’s first movie-on-demand subscription service, which offers an exhaustive choice of HD quality movies to the net savvy movie buffs in India, at their convenience, across all internet connected devices. It is our constant endeavour to equip consumers with latest blockbuster movies and our partnership with UTV is a step closer to enhance, strengthen and expand the VOD (Video on Demand) service inIndia. We are confident this partnership with UTV Motion pictures will add significantly to our movie offering.”

     

     

  • It is Number one in TV news segment and the entire TV category and has climbed up 22 ranks from last year

    Aaj Tak, the most trusted TV channel says Brand Trust Report

    By A Correspondent

     

    Aaj Tak, part of the TV Today Network, has once again emerged as the most trusted news TV channel according to the Brand Trust Report released recently. Not just news segment, Aaj Tak also stands undisputed as the most trusted brand across the entire television category.

     

    The Brand Trust Report, India Study is a scientific study carried out by Brand Trust of based on a proprietary 61 primary components matrix, developed over three years of research.

     

    The report stated that Aaj Tak is the most trusted TV channel acrossIndia. It is Number one in TV news segment and the entire TV category and has climbed up 22 ranks from last year.

     

    Mr. Joy Chakraborthy, CEO TV Today Network said: “It’s a proud moment to see Aaj Tak continuing its journey to set new benchmarks. What’s the most heartening is that it’s not just numbers that make Aaj Tak the undisputed leader but also the unshakeable trust ofIndiabehind these numbers.”

     

    It’s interesting to note that Aaj Tak has been the most preferred news channel on almost all important news events this year. The viewership numbers slotted Aaj Tak on the top across Lok Pal Bill presentation in Lok Sabha, Anna Hazare’s protest, Baba Ramdev’s agitation at Ram Lila ground, Mumbai blasts,India’s win at the ICC World Cup, and Gadaffi’s killing. Also it was the leader on the counting day of the 5 key state elections.

  • Lokmat facilitates Aurangabadkars' commemoration of 100 years of Jana Gana Mana, creating a new Guinness World Record for 'the most people singing a national anthem simultaneously'.

    Lokmat’s initiative puts Indian Guinness Book

    By A Correspondent

     

    In a rousing display of patriotism and unity, the voices of thousands of Aurangabadkars singing Jana Gana Mana created history. With a tally of 15,243 people singing the national anthem, they landed India into the Guinness Book of World Records for ‘the most people singing a national anthem simultaneously’, erasing the previous record held by Pakistan with 5,800 individuals.

     

    Andrea Banfi, Head of Adjudicators, Guinness World Records Limited, who had flown in from London, handed over the certificate to Rajya Sabha MP and Chairman of Lokmat Media Limited, Vijay Babu Darda, who accepted it on behalf of each and every Aurangabadkar who created the world record for India.

     

    Other Guinness World Records Limited officials present on the occasion were Lucia Sinigagliesi, Adjudications Manager, and Nikhil Shukla, Adjudicator - India.

     

    Commenting on the achievement, Rishi Darda, Editorial Director – Lokmat Media Ltd, said: “This is our gift, as a responsible media house, not just to Aurangabadkars, but to every Indian. We are delighted that Aurangabadkars responded so splendidly to our initiative for the world record attempt to commemorate the completion of 100 years of Jana Gana Mana, since it was first sung.”

     

    It will be recalled that Jana Gana Mana was first sung at the Calcutta Session of the Indian National Congress on December 27, 1911. It was declared the Indian National Anthem by the Constituent Assembly on January 24, 1950.

     

    Lokmat Media had pulled out all stops to inform every Aurangabadkar of the world record attempt. While Radio Mirchi was the radio partner, MCN Hathway, IBN7, IBN Lokmat and CNN-IBN were the TV partners, and Abhishek Advertisers was the outdoor media partner. The sponsors were WS Developers, while the Phadnis Group was the co-sponsor. “I would like to thank our sponsors and media partners who ably supported us in the initiative,” said Mr Darda.

     

    As early as 7 am, all roads leading to the District Sports Complex in Garkheda witnessed traffic jams, with students, working people, housewives and families making their way purposefully to take part in the historic world record attempt. The entire stadium, with an official capacity of 45,000 was jam-packed, with no standing room, and the gates had to be shut on thousands of eager locals waiting to get in and be part of the world record attempt. The final tally of 15,243 people came as a surprise to everyone.

     

    GWR head adjudicator Andrea Banfi said: “We were not able to include all the people present at the stadium in the count, as it was physically impossible since they were so closely packed. And after the first singing, many people left. But, for us to do a proper count as per the stringent GWR standards, we had to request Lokmat Media to ask the people to assemble once again, in a particular, countable order, and to sing the national anthem again. The figure of 15,243 is what we arrived at after the second singing.”

     

    Leading the swelling crowd in the chorus on stage were Shankar Mahadevan, Mahatma Gandhi’s grandson Tushar Gandhi, Prashant Damle, Roopkumar and Sonali Rathod, Vaishali Samant, Swapnil Bandodkar, Pramod Sarkate, Mrs Salaskar (widow of 26/11 martyr Vijay Salaskar) and others, who sang with Aurangabadkars to create the world record.

     

    “Our National Anthem is a wonderfully inspiring composition, and is a part of everyone’s psyche. I am truly excited to have been a small part of this gigantic experience,” said Shankar Mahadevan.

     

    Tushar Gandhi, grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, said: “I am very happy to be among the enthusiastic people of Aurangabad, who have given such a wonderful response to this initiative by the Lokmat group. It reinforces the magic of those 55 words written a hundred years ago by Rabindranath Tagore.”

     

    Prashant Damle, actor and singer said: “It is moving to see the surge of patriotic sentiment at the grassroots, as I have witnessed here in Aurangabad.” Singer Vaishali Samant said: “It has been a great experience to mingle with thousands of Aurangabadkars on this momentous occasion. I am happy to have paid my tribute to the Nation by singing with one and all.”

     

    The Fictitious Group, winners of talent reality show India’s Got Talent mesmerised one and all with their power-packed acrobatic dance routines.Vernonfrom Fictitious said: “It’s exciting to dance in the service of our Nation! We salute those who laid down their lives for the country.”

     

    Smita Salaskar, widow of Vijay Salaskar, who laid down his life defending his countrymen on November 26 2008, said: “I am overwhelmed by the patriotism of the people inAurangabad.” She urged the young students to study hard and serve with the defence forces, which need good officers.

     

  • The website launches 7-Day Shopping Extravaganza to celebrate the 'Republic week offer' with huge discounts and gift offers

    HomeShop18 commemorates 63rd Republic Day Celebrations

    By A Correspondent

     

    HomeShop18 has launched a special 7-Day shopping extravaganza from January 24. It is an effort to celebrate Republic Day with the customers of HomeShop18. On offer are huge discounts and gifts to the brand loyal customers. It is an initiative to add excitement over the 63rd Republic Day celebrations. The promotions also ran on HomeShop18, the shopping channel, from January 24 to 26.

     

    HomesShop18 also offers ‘26 deals’ on multiple categories like apparels, appliances, cameras, computers, electronics, health, beauty, jewellery, mobiles and toys during the Republic Day week on all purchases made from the official website,  www.homeshop18.com.

     

    Shopaholics will benefit from heavy discounts, ranging from 69 per cent off on traditional clothing and 72 per cent off on jewellery and watches along with an 81 per cent off on health & beauty products.

     

    HomeShop18 has always endeavoured to offer customers world-class products and provide benefits that enable them to make the best use of on going offers. All these initiatives enable customers to shop at leisure from home during Republic Day.

     

    The Republic Day 2012 shopping extravaganza will offer an array of products including home appliances, jewellery, home decor, kitchen appliances, mobiles, digital cameras, laptops, apparel, furniture, gift items, bags and many more from world’s well known brands. The brand stores something valuable for everyone who shops from HomeShop18.

     

    In addition to the above offers, HomeShop18 is holding a Facebook Contest from January 25 to 27, where participants will get a chance to win three products from any category. Participants will have to answer two questions, one on Freedom and the other, a clue-based question. The customer has to search the answer (which will be a product from www.homeshop18.com). There will be a lucky draw of all the correct answers and winners get a chance to bag surprise gifts.

     

    HomeShop18 is Network18 group’s online and television retail marketing and distribution venture. It isIndia’s fastest growing e-commerce website. Adding a new customer every 6 seconds, HomeShop18’s robust distribution set-up helps it reach out to over 3000 locations in the country.

  • Earns top ratings in customer service, global footprint, market presence, management team, executive vision, mobile, social and more, finds Forrester Research

    Experian CheetahMail achieves a leader status

    By A Correspondent

     

    Experian CheetahMail, the leading global technology services provider of integrated email, social, mobile and display marketing, on Thursday announced that Forrester Research has deemed it among the leaders in its January 2012 report, “The Forrester Wave: Email Marketing Vendors, Q1 2012”; most notably recognizing CheetahMail’s customer satisfaction scores and rave client reviews

     

    As reported by Forrester: “We count on high services and customer satisfaction scores from Experian CheetahMail and it did not disappoint. Its large support teams – which are staffed and operated independently of the larger Experian organization – win customer kudos, particularly for their availability, operational expertise, collaboration and practical, proactive advice. Retailers love this firm because of its experience managing promotional emails although it suits any marketer who needs some extra hands on his email program.”

     

    The report continues: “Experian CheetahMail shines on services. Experian CheetahMail, the study’s largest vendor, lands as our third leader because of its well-staffed, capable professional services teams, tenured management, 14-country international footprint, and near-perfect customer satisfaction scores. Rave client reviews of this vendor’s social and data security solutions…”

     

    “I was gladly a reference for Experian CheetahMail for this year’s Forrester Wave and gave them top marks across the board. I’ve worked with a number of email service providers referenced in the report and have never worked with an email services provider who has made as significant of an impact on our business,” remarked Jenn McClain, vice president of online marketing for Chico’s.

     

    “We are truly obsessed with our clients, and it’s always great to receive recognition for the service, expertise and technology we provide them with every day. Our continued global growth; 97 per cent client retention rate; and investment in emerging mobile, social and display technologies are just some of the things that illustrate our dedication to our clients’ success. We were thrilled to not only be recognized for our customer service, but also for our technology. We received the highest scores for ‘Market Presence,’ highlighting the fact that we continue to be the largest email services provider in the world,” said Navin Chandani, Managing Director, Experian Marketing Services inIndia.

     

    The Forrester Wave: Email Marketing Vendors, Q1 2012, evaluated six Email Service Providers (ESPs) based on a variety of 37 weighted criteria, including current offering, strategy and market presence. Ratings also were based on Forrester Research’s opinion of each ESP’s corporate strategy, product road map, vertical strategy and revenue. Technology demonstrations and in-depth interviews with a number of customer references and top executives also were included in the evaluation process.

     

  • Mudra Max has exclusively implemented a high decibel campaign in Mumbai and Delhi through a mix of digital, experiential, on ground and OOH execution

    Volkswagen & Mudra Max go 360 on OOH for Think Blue

    By A Correspondent

     

    Volkswagen is not just a brand but a proud bearer of automotive heritage. ‘Think Blue’ is a philosophy of the brand’s ecological and sustainable activities that has been designed to promote it’s key corporate objective of sustainability and environmental protection.

     

    The current initiative aims at strengthening the brand’s ‘Think blue’ philosophy using the opportunity provided by the Delhi Auto expo.

     

    Mudra Max has exclusively implemented a high decibel campaign in Mumbai and Delhithrough a mix of digital, experiential, on ground and OOH execution. The campaign is based on the international template which tells the story of the Volkswagen brand’s evolution as a responsible brand leveraging the ‘Think Blue’ philosophy.

     

    Mudra Max and Volkswagen installed an exceptional art-piece of the iconic Beetle created wholly out of scrap collected from various Think Blue clean-up drives undertaken by Volkswagen at different locations.

     

    The concept has given life to lifeless objects that have been discarded. The team took 15 days to put together a real-sized Beetle, made entirely of scrap ranging from discarded mother boards, keyboards, disposed machinery parts, mobile phones, cans, plastic bottles, cassettes, wires and other such scrap.

     

    To maximize impact and reach, the Delhi T3 terminal served as the venue to exhibit the Beetle art-piece along with a holistic mix of media elements, ranging from a constant running AV on the Think Blue philosophy and the making of the Beetle, a digital set up which connected the location live to Volkswagen’s micro-site and pages on Facebook, cameramen to capture pictures of passersby and giving them away in custom made ‘Think Blue’ photo jackets as mementos, with promoters engaging people to a classic steel-plated information kiosk on the heritage of Volkswagen and Think blue.

     

    At the same time garbage collection drives were initiated where the trash collected were mounted in cases and put on billboards to spread awareness and to have a more responsible behaviour towards the environment.

     

    Taking the display of the art-piece forward, the Beetle was brought back to Mumbai and is now exhibited at Mahim causeway, one of the most significant junctions in the city catering to high decibel traffic and footfalls all day long.

     

    This would further heighten the impact and buzz created by the art-piece and would create talking points around the brand’s philosophy of Think blue and achieving sustainability while creating something beautiful.

     

    A concept of ‘Fence branding’ preceded the entire ‘Think blue’ activity. A global template campaign of Volkswagen was rolled out worldwide on December 15, 2011. The primary requisite was continuous running space which would complement the ‘story telling’ creative of Volkswagen.

     

    Huge fences at Inorbit mall, Travelators at Delhi T3 airport, Fence branding at the T1 Delhi Airport were taken up. The size of the media was enormous running up to 700 square feet at one go.

     

    In addition, an entire Delhi Metro train was wrapped with the ‘Think Blue’ story to create higher impact and interest. This was coupled with a block-out media presence across significant stations of theDelhi metro & DAME.

     

    Speaking on the execution, Vikas Nowal, Vice President, Mudra Max-OOH on behalf of the Mudra Max team said: “We wanted to ensure that the Volkswagen campaign receives equal prominence in the communication across media. Therefore, the need of the hour was to create disruptive opportunities for the message to hit home. The Earth Hour activity was probably the simplest yet most relevant introduction to the brand’s commitment to taking care of the environment. The Beetle installation is something we are all extremely proud of achieving, and is the best embodiment of the iconic brand, and the worthy cause it champions. We continue to look at how we can help spread the brand’s message to a wider audience.”

     

    Bishwajeet Samal, Head of Marketing Communication at Volkswagen India said: “Our aim was to create buzz and drive home the message of ‘Think Blue. Drive Blue.’ With Out of Home activations like the Beetle art piece constructed purely out of scrap, branding of a Delhi Metro with the ‘Think Blue.’ message, creating the ugliest billboard in New Delhi from garbage collected from cleanliness drives in New Delhi; our outdoor agency effectively positioned Brand Volkswagen as a responsible automobile manufacturer.”