MxMIndia

Category: NEWS

  • Percept H has won the creative duties for a new brand, Ditto TV, from the Zee Group. The account size is pegged to be at Rs10 crore.

    Ditto TV aligns with Percept H

    By Shubhangi Mehta

     

    Percept H has won the creative mandates for the recently launched Ditto TV, the OTT (over the top) television offering from Zee. The win comes after a multi-agency pitch. The account size is pegged to be at Rs10 crore.

     

    Commenting on the selection, Manoj Padmanabhan, Head of Marketing, Zee Digital said: “Since this is a new category inIndia, we were looking for an intrinsic understanding of new technologies and media consumption trends. Percept H was a winner in terms of understanding of the business and also in terms of crafting impactful creative.”

     

    Ayan Chakraborty, Chief Growth Officer, Percept H said: “The team is excited to be working on this brand, which is surely going to set a new trend in terms of media consumption in this country.”

     

    While this is the first time any of the media majors have invested in this technology inIndia, OTT TV is a proven and very successful format globally, for on-the-go consumption of media and entertainment. Some of the leading players like Sky generate a significant amount of revenues through this channel format.

     

  • Birla Tyres has awarded its creative mandates to Grey Singapore; the account size is pegged to be Rs10 crore.

    Birla Tyres to roll with Grey Singapore

    By Shubhangi Mehta

     

    After assigning its creative duties to Dentsu in May 2011, Birla Tyres has now awarded the creative mandate to Grey Singapore. Industry sources close to the development have confirmed the news to MxMIndia.

     

    The account size of the business is estimated to be 10 crore.

     

    The incumbent on the account, DentsuIndia, was the first agency to work on the creative business of the account.

     

    Ever since its inception in 1991, Birla Tyres, a division of the BK Birla flagship Kesoram Industries Ltd, has seen a jump in its turnover from Rs1,947.22 crore in 2008-09 to Rs2,849.61 crore in 2009-10. The company is now looking to reach a target of Rs5,500 crore.

     

  • Times Internet Limited has announced that Satyan Gajwani will be its CEO with immediate effect. Rishi Khiani, currently CEO, has stepped down to pursue opportunities outside of the company.

    Satyan Gajwani is Times Internet CEO as Rishi Khiani moves on

    From the MxM Infodesk

     

     Moving Out: Rishi Khiani Moving In: Satyan Gajwani

    Times Internet Limited has announced that Satyan Gajwani will be its CEO with immediate effect. Rishi Khiani, currently CEO, has stepped down to pursue opportunities outside of the company.

     

    In an internal circular, managing director Vineet Jain said: Under Rishi’s leadership, TIL has grown its userbase by 150% to 28M visitors, has seen significant growth in revenues and launched strategic properties such as Gaana.com and the new indiatimes.com.

     

    We thank Rishi for his contributions to the growth and  success of TIL and wish him all success in his entrepreneurial endeavors.” Said Mr Gajwani, “We’re sad to see Rishi move on, but excited for his future ahead. Indiatimes has made great progress under his leadership, and I’m excited to take it forward to new and bigger heights. These are big shoes to fill but with such a strong team in place, I’m sure we’ll succeed.”

     

    Mr Gajwani will report to Mr Vineet Jain. Mr Khiani will stay on till August 17 to help in the transition.

     

  • The three media giants have come together to leverage their specific content strengths and collectively provide rich and relevant world class content to the readers

    Dainik Bhaskar group ties up with Time & HBR

    By A Correspondent

     

    Dainik Bhaskar Group has become the first newspaper to provide exclusive content from Time, the current affairs magazine and Harvard Business Review to its readers on a regular basis. The exclusive content will feature in the Sunday edition of the newspaper.

     

    The three media giants have come together to leverage their specific content strengths and collectively provide rich and relevant world class content to the readers. Dainik Bhaskar Group isIndia’s largest newspaper group with 1.9 million readers in 13 states. Time is the world’s largest circulation weekly news magazine with a readership of 25 million, of which 20 million are in theUS. It is widely regarded as one of the most popular magazines. Harvard Business Review delivers the latest techniques, best practices and the most thoughtful advice from the world’s leading management experts.

     

    Elaborating on the collaboration, Kalpesh Yagnik, National editor, Dainik Bhaskar Group said: “We at Dainik Bhaskar focus at generating the best and most relevant content for our readers. Time and HBR are relied upon by the policymakers, the world over. We will thus, bring to our readers, the latest trends in international politics, strategy, diplomacy, environment, entertainment, science or economy.”

     

    The content for the Sunday edition has been completely revamped. The edition will focus on management lessons to be applied in day to day life along with wide spectrum of topics like Health, Fitness, Career, Self Help, Money management, Politics, education, Music, Lifestyle, Environment, Good reads through columns by eminent experts of the respective fields.

     

    Dainik Bhaskar, in reflection to the changing times and women empowerment, will also provide a separate segment devoted to women. Fashion, Food, Travel, Health, Life, Career and money management besides this, there will be a Sunday Jacket, above the regular front page of the newspaper. This will carry exclusive news analysis, ground reports and so on.

     

    Speaking of the change, Sanjeev Kotnala, VP Dainik Bhaskar group said: “Content is always the king for any media brand. And we are loved by our readers as we focus on them. Our strategy revolves around being ahead of the curve.”

     

  • She is the first female to win the Title in wedding photography

    Sanika Jahagirdar is Wedding Photog of the Year

    By A Correspondent

     

    After a record breaking 20,954 entries from all overIndia, Sanika Jahagirdar from Mumbai won the third edition of Kodak Better Photography Wedding Photographer Of the Year. A professional photographer, Ms Jahagirdar is the first female to win this title since the awards were first started in 2009.

     

    Better Photography, a photography magazine, declared the winners at a grand awards ceremony hosted at The Westin Mumbai. Ms Jahagirdar, who was also the category winner for Photo Series on a Single Wedding, was judged the title winner by the final judge, the renowned wedding photojournalist and documentary photographer Sephi Bergerson.

     

    A freelance professional photographer, Ms Jahagirdar was extremely excited after the win: “I am highly thankful to Better Photography for providing such a platform and opportunity to the wedding photographers. Achieving a title as the ‘wedding photographer of the year’ is completely priceless. It is difficult to explain in words how excited and honoured I am feeling.”

     

    Apart from earning the title of Kodak-Better Photography Photographer of the Year 2011, she has won a cash prize of Rs1 lakh, including a D-LITE IT One standard kit from Associate Partner Photoquip and two photobooks from Associate Partner Canvera.com which were also given to each of the other category winners.

     

    As a special surprise, Ms Jahagirdar also won a photography workshop by Sephi Bergerson that costs Rs60 thousand.

     

    According to Sephi Bergerson, “I see the Wedding Photographer of the Year awards as a way of rewarding outstanding achievements, as well as a tool for supporting and promoting emerging new talents. There will always a call to be made. Two of the six finalists had a close fight and I eventually chose Sanika as the winner.”

     

    Every year Better Photography Wedding Photographer of the Year invites entries fromIndiaunder six different categories. These entries are judged by eminent photographers to select the six category winners who compete at the final face-off which decides the title winner for the year. This year a special leg on album making was included as part of the evaluation criteria and the six finalists were given six hours each to design their albums on the designing stations provided to them at theKodakDesigningCenter.

     

    Better Photography editor, K Madhavan Pillai said: “The Kodak-Better Photography Wedding photographer of the Year Awards are the only national level awards inIndiato recognize and laud the artistry and vision of the country’s finest talent in wedding photography.”

     

    The competition was organized by Better Photography, in sponsorship with title partner Kodak along with Associate Partner Photoquip and Canvera.com, Television Partner CNBC TV18, online Partner Wedding Sutra.com and blogging Partner Miss Malini.

     

    According to Mr. Srinivasu Saraswatula, Country Business Manager-Consumer Digital Group, KodakIndia: “Into its third year, this event has grown in stature, scale and above all has become an industry benchmark. It’s served all stake holders well beyond their imagination when this was set up couple of years back.”

     

  • Marriott International's signature lifestyle brand inspires guests to "live life to discover"

    Renaissance Hotels launches first global advertising campaign

    By A Correspondent

     

    Renaissance Hotels has announced its first global advertising campaign – Live Life to Discover. The new multi-faceted campaign, which comes to life through print, digital and on property experiences, provokes today’s lifestyle-oriented business traveller to explore a hotel or destination’s hidden gems through recommendations from on-site Renaissance Hotels ‘Navigators’ (the brand’s hospitality lifestyle concierge service).

     

    The campaign was created in partnership with Anomaly, a global marketing and communications agency with an extensive list of impressive clients including Nike, Budweiser, Diageo and Converse. The campaign aspires to ask today’s modern business traveler the question, “If you are traveling to a destination for business, why not make the most of your free time and discover something exceptional and unique?”

     

    The visually stunning print advertisements depict off-the-beaten path recommendations from various hotel navigators who curate unforgettable moments for guests around the world.

     

    The global print campaign will run in 32 countries and be featured in lifestyle, business and travel print media, as well as key out-of-home sites in the US and China. The wide-ranging lifestyle campaign was photographed by award-winning photographer David Black across four countries and three continents.

     

    In addition to the print flight, Renaissance Hotels will bring the campaign to life through a full scale digital re-invention of the brand, including a re-launch of the website, enhancements to the brand’s social media channels, and a powerful digital advertising campaign; all inspired by unique discoveries from around the world.

     

    “There is a discoverer in all of us, and we challenged ourselves to create a powerful campaign that speaks to our guests in a meaningful way and reflects the brand today,” said Tina Edmundson, senior vice president of lifestyle brands for Marriott International, Inc.  “Live Life to Discover embodies the global spirit of Renaissance Hotels and today’s lifestyle-business traveller and their eagerness to explore the world beyond their everyday routine.”

     

  • Award constituted by MedscapeIndia, India’s largest community of doctors and healthcare professionals.

    Complete Wellbeing bags Medscape award

    By A Correspondent

     

    Complete Wellbeing emerged as India’s first ever magazine to win the Medscape India Award 2012 for its commitment and contribution to the field of holistic wellness. Medscape is India’s largest community of doctors and healthcare professionals. The award was presented at a gala ceremony presided over by the honourable Health Minister, Suresh Shetty and was attended by India’s leading doctors and healthcare professionals.

     

    The awards were hosted by Founder President of Medscape India, Dr Sunita Dube. Also present at the event were Dr Kishore Taori, President – Maharashtra Medical Council; Dr Lekha Pathak Hon. physician and cardiologist to the president of India and Governor of Maharashtra; eminent orthopaedic surgeon Dr HR Jhunjhunwala, renowned ophthalmologist Dr Hemanshu Mehta, and Padma Bhushan Dr Sancheti.

     

    The award was one of the 21 awards won by distinguished individuals from the medical, pharmaceutical and paramedical fraternity. Accepting the award, Manoj Khatri, editor-publisher of the magazine said: “We launched Complete Wellbeing with a vision to go beyond the narrow confines of physical health to create a collective mind, body and soul experience that would help our readers live richer, fuller and more gratifying lives. This award is a testament to the commitment and support of our team and our readers.”

     

    Commenting on the award, Founder President of Medscape India, Dr Dube said: “Complete Wellbeing effectively encapsulates our vision of catering to the holistic welfare of all individuals. We at Medscape are delighted to take this opportunity to honour this contribution.”

     

    The fraternity including the team of Complete Wellbeing also took a pledge to spread awareness about gender neutrality through the “save the girl child campaign.”

     

    The awards celebrate excellence and integrity in wellbeing and were voted by a high-profile judging panel of doctors and healthcare professionals, including Dr Niranjan Agarwal President, Association of Medical Consultants, Mumbai.

  • Lintas Initiative Media CEO Sudha Natrajan and COO Raghav Subramanian join hands to launch TMC

    Sudha Natrajan & Raghav Subramanian to launch ‘The Media Cafe’

    By A Correspondent

     

    Sudha Natrajan

    Soon after the announcement came in of Lintas Initiative CEO Sudha Natrajan moving on, she announced joining hands with COO Raghav Subramanian to launch TMC Corporation Pvt. Ltd. The venture will have a gamut of offerings under its banner. Having a combined experience of more than 40 years, the two founding directors of the company believe that the media industry has a strong sense of community without a sense of belonging.  With this thought, The Media Cafe is born which will seat the belonging of the community. It is a place where the media world will see every sunset and where walls among agencies and among media owners are rubbled. Gurgaon will host the first ‘edition’ of the Cafe which is under work and will see an opening middle of August.

     

    The Media Cafe holds the right side of TMC while on the left side are all key areas of expertise covered. The Media Consultants – A strategic consultancy offering, The Media Consumer – Research offering on both media and consumer, The Media Calibrators – Applying brand/business analytics, The Media Content – Merging brand messaging and content.

     

    Raghav Subramanian

    On the new venture, Mr Subramanian said, “It has been a long wait after various stints. This just feels right. TMC is here and will bind the industry in more than a couple of ways. Sudha is someone I have known for a while now and what can be a better combination. We complement each other well; this is a new start not just for us, but also for a lot of people around us.”

     

    “After 20 years of working in a tight system, it’s a great feeling to break free, and evolve afresh. We’re so excited to launch our own company, which involves both work and play. We’re both extremely grounded, simple people, who form tight bonds with everyone we interact with. We want to deliver a realism that forms a halo over all our offerings,” added Ms Natrajan.

     

    Ms Natrajan has spent the last 20 years in a career spanning Product Management, at Parle Products, Account Planning and Client Servicing at Lintas, and then the last 11years in Media, and leave Lintas Initiative Media, as its CEO.

     

    Mr Subramanian’s career spans across all facets of the industry – Research, Media, Analytics and Business. Has spent 10 years in GroupM New York which makes him complete by adding the global facet. He has the uniqueness of having worked at all the top conglomerates – WPP, Publicis and IPG. He leaves Lintas Initiative Media as its COO.

     

  • The awards will honour creativity which has shown a measurable and proven impact on a client’s business – creativity that affects consumer behaviour, brand equity, sales, and so on

    India@Cannes: Creativeland looks to repeat 2011 story in effectiveness

     
    By A Correspondent

     

    Having bagged the inaugural Creative Effectiveness Lions last year, India may find the going tough this year as it has received just a single shortlist nomination. This is good considering that India has sent only two entries this year. Last year the number was 7.

     

    At a total of 92, the total number of entries too have seen a sharp decline this year by 35 per cent. Last year, the number was 142. Leading the tally is USA that has sent 27 entries, Australia has sent 9 while Germany has sent 7 entries.

     

    With just a single shortlist, Creativeland Asia looks to recreate the magic it created last year with its entry Plan-T for Parle Agro.

     

    Just to recap, the awards will honour creativity which has shown a measurable and proven impact on a client’s business – creativity that affects consumer behaviour, brand equity, sales, and so on. Only entries that were either shortlisted or Lion winners, across all categories at Cannes Lions 2011 are eligible to enter into this category as these will have already been judged and established as being creatively world-class. PricewaterhouseCoopers have reviewed each entry for the Cannes Creative Effectiveness Lions and checked that claims made therein are supported by appropriate data and that entries are internally consistent and mathematically accurate. Entries will be rewarded for strategy (25 per cent), Idea (25per cent) and Results and Effectiveness (50per cent).

     

    The entries will be judged as one with no categories. Representing India at the jury will be Nadia Chauhan, Joint Managing Director & Chief Marketing Officer, Parle Agro. The awards will be held on Tuesday evening in the Grand Auditorium, Palais des Festivals.

     

  • Over the years, India's winning tally from 2007-2011 in Press Lions read thus: 4, 7, 2, 6, and 4

    India@Cannes: DDB Mudra with 10 & Leo Burnett with 8 shortlists raise India’s hopes for Press Lions

     

    By A Correspondent

     

    Largely the same as the number of entries sent last year,India’s tally in Press Lions stands at 266 – compared to 267 last year. Overall the category has seen a rise of 12 per cent, recording 6,056 entries from 72 countries. Leading from the front once again is Brazil that has sent a record 948 entries. It is followed by UK & USA that have sent 399 and 390 entries respectively,Germany that has sent 385 entries and France that has sent 325 entries.

     

    The number of shortlists from India stands at a commendable 30. This is led by DDB Mudra that has 10 of its entries being shortlisted, Leo Burnett which has 8, Ogilvy & Mather that has 6, BBD0 that has 4 and Publicis that has 2.

     

    In the category Art Direction, DDB Mudra has three of its entries – Great Fire of London, New York Blackout and Armenian Internet Shutdown that have been shortlisted for its client Geebees Beverages. Three other shortlists of DDB Mudra include Elvis, JFK and Roswel lfor its client Stedfast in the Business Equipment & Services category. Leo Burnett once again finds four mentions for its Cigarette, Socks, Fish and Egg entries for its client Bajaj Electricals in the Photography category while Ogilvy bags three shortlists for its client Mattel Toys in the entertainment & Leisure category. Publicis has two shortlists for its client Bookstalk Audiobooks in the Retail Stores category.

     

    Representing the jury from India is Raj Kamble Former Chief Creative Officer, BBH.  Over the years,India’s winning tally from 2007-2011 in Press Lions read thus: 4, 7, 2, 6, and 4.

     

    The awards will be distributed at a glittering ceremony at Palais des Festivals on Wednesday evening.

     

     

  • It is even more disheartening as India has sent fewer entries despite the overall number of entries in the category seeing an 8 per cent rise compared to the previous year

    India@Cannes: Shortlist tally in Outdoor at its lowest

     

    By A Correspondent

     

    Having amazed the jury members in the initial stages, Leo Burnett and Brand David Communications showed why they were one of the worthy contenders at Cannes as they both bagged the highest number of (shortlist) entries in Outdoor Lions category. With four nominations, both agencies stand a good chance of winning big at the awards.

     

    Leo Burnett was nominated for its entries – Cigarette, Socks, Fish and Eggs for Bajaj Electricals exhaust fans in the Home Appliances, Furnishings, Electronics & Audio Visuals category while Brand David Communications was nominated for their entries – Pig Attack, Buffalo Attack, Deer Attack and Goose Attack for Peptocid Antacid under the Cosmetics & Beauty, Toiletries & Pharmacy category.

     

    Other contenders include Ogilvy & Mather with three shortlists, McCann Worldgroup India that has three shortlists for Western Union & DDB Mudra Group which has three shortlists for Stedfast.

     

    But what is a bit discouraging is the decline that has been witnessed in the overall number of entries from India which has been its lowest ever at 219. For the record, the entries in 2011 stood at 252. It is even more disheartening as India has sent fewer entries despite the overall number of entries in the category seeing an 8 per cent rise compared to the previous year. There are a total of 4,843 entries that have been entered in this category which is led by entries from countries like Brazil which has sent 766, USA that has sent 404, Germany that has sent 322 and UK & Spain that have sent 191 entries each.

     

    Leading the Jury from India is Vikram Gaikwad, Partner & Executive Creative Director, Creativeland Asia. The Outdoor awards too will be held on Tuesday evening at Palais des Festivals.

     

     


  • India hasn't received a single shortlist nomination having submitted only 5 entries in the category

    India@Cannes: Zero shortlists in Mobile Lions

     

    By A Correspondent

     

    New for 2012, the mobile category will reward the best creative work which lives on or is activated by a mobile device, app or mobile web. The judging criteria will be based on creativity and the idea, execution (usability, user experience, craft and design), relevance to the mobile platform and results (level of user engagement and any quantifiable outcomes).

     

    In its first year, the category has received a total of 965 entries from 47 countries. As disappointing as it sounds,India hasn’t received a single shortlist nomination having submitted only 5 entries in the category. This is starkly different from what other countries have submitted including 84 by UK, 83 by Sweden, 63 by Brazil and 62 by Germany.

     

    There is no Indian in the jury for this category which is being headed by Tom Eslinger, Digital Creative Director, Saatchi & Saatchi. The award ceremony for Mobile Lions will be held on Tuesday evening in the Grand Auditorium, Palais des Festivals.