MxMIndia

Category: NEWS

  • Strengthening initiatives for a sustainable future

    Cartoon Network and Pogo roll out 17th Edition of School Contact Programme

    Cartoon Network and Pogo are set to engage with one million children across nearly 1400 schools across 17 cities as part of the 17th edition of the School Contact Programme (SCP).

    Said Uttam Pal Singh, Head of Kids Cluster, South Asia, Warner Bros. Discovery: “We are excited to launch the 17th edition of the School Contact Programme and continue with our commitment to foster a sustainable and compassionate society. With the 2023 themes ‘Titans of Tomorrow’ and ‘Heroes of Kindness’, SCP became one of our most successful programs and we aim to continue building on the success by inspiring students to embody values that will contribute to a kind and future-forward world. This program has been a cornerstone of our outreach efforts, and we look forward to its continued success in nurturing the next generation of leaders and changemakers.”

    Talking about the 17th Edition of the School Contact Programme, Tanaz Mehta, Head of Advertising Sales, South Asia, Warner Bros. Discovery, added: “We are thrilled to reintroduce the 17th Edition of the School Contact Program. For 16 years, this initiative has been a powerful tool for our partner brands, enabling them to connect with children through beloved cartoon characters and make a significant impact with their new launches and initiatives. Thank you to our partners for their ongoing support and collaboration; we look forward to the opportunities ahead and another year of impactful engagement and inspiration.”

  • Unveils a year-long celebration with Artist Collaborations

    Viacom18 Consumer Products celebrates 25 years of SpongeBob SquarePants

    To mark the 25th anniversary of the Nickelodeon animated series, SpongeBob SquarePants, Viacom18 Consumer Products is readyng a year-long celebration.

    Said Sachin Puntambekar, Head – Viacom18 Consumer Products: “SpongeBob SquarePants is an iconic global franchise that has captured the imagination of fans for 25 years. As we celebrate this milestone, we’re excited to tap into the creator and artist economy for unique designs and exclusive merchandise. This campaign is a testament to our commitment towards immersive experiences that extend beyond the screen, transcending into the lives of our audiences.”

  • Marketing Luxury to Indian Millennials

    Marketing Luxury to Indian Millennials

    Ashoke AgarrwalIndia’s early millennials, those between the ages of 44 and 34, are roughly 220 million strong. Given this group’s educational profile, rising incomes in the tech and knowledge work sectors, the booming start-up sector, and the increasing prevalence of double-income households, the estimate is that at least 5% of the early millennial age cohort live in households with annual incomes above INR 6 million, which in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms–INR 25 to a USD–is equivalent to a USD 2,40,000 yearly income.

    Indian millennials, like their global counterparts, exhibit a lower inclination towards saving than earlier generations. This trait and increasing affluence position the 11 million affluent Indian millennials as a growth market for luxury and bridge-to-luxury products and services.

    Millennials place experiential richness above material wealth. This shift has significant implications for the luxury market. While luxury brands have traditionally marketed themselves based on exclusivity and prestige, these factors hold less sway with millennials.

    Studies worldwide have revealed four factors enabling brands to market luxury and bridge-to-luxury products to millennials successfully.

    The first of these factors is that millennials value experience over possession.

    Further, millennials prefer customization and personalization.

    Millennials prefer brands with authenticity and brand purpose.

    And finally, they gravitate towards digitally integrated brands that engage them seamlessly from online to offline.

    Many global luxury brands have tailored their marketing to millennials in the rich world. Burberry’s is a digital innovator pioneering interactive campaigns integrated across their showrooms and online spaces. Gucci builds on the authenticity dimension by leveraging social issues and cultural narratives in its campaign and content marketing. Rolex delivers customization, offering personalized engravings on its watches. Louis Vuitton has added an experiential dimension to the brand with pop-up experiences and collaborations with artists.

    There is a massive gap between the nominal and PPP values of USD (the dollar is overvalued vis-av-vis the Indian rupee by nearly 3.5 times), which leads to global luxury brands losing out on the domestic Indian market.

    Further, the space for “luxury” as defined by millennials—products and services that offer rich, customized, and personalized experiences seamlessly across online and offline spaces—is expanding the remit of luxury offerings beyond the traditional areas of fashion and accessories, decor, cars, hotels and high-end liquor- to a whole host of categories.

    In today’s India, brands from financial services to bespoke travel to fitness can aspire to tap into the market defined by affluent millennials with luxury and bridge-to-luxury offerings.

    The fact that global biggies find it challenging to match price expectations in India is an opportunity for Indian brands to leverage domestic demand to, in time, build global markets.

    Across all potential categories, the most essential way to build a luxury or bridge-to-luxury brand is to create a relationship with the client. In other words, as I wrote in my MxM India column dated March 17th 2022, titled ‘Like Saas is BaaS the Future’, creating a new brand paradigm with the Brand-as-a-Service (BaaS) model. In the case of marketing luxury products to millennials, a BaaS model will be crucial to the success because BaaS will deliver on three of the four factors listed above directly:

    • It delivers a subscription-like experiential relationship with the brand – think of a subscription service to a luxury car brand where one can change models as frequently as one wants
    • BaaS implies a continuing relationship that makes delivering customization and personalisation easier.
    • And integrating communication and interaction across online and offline channels

    The fourth factor of authenticity and brand purpose will determine the more successful BaaS brand in the luxury market.

    In conclusion, Indian marketers should see a luxury product and service market emerging among affluent Indian millennials as an excellent opportunity to build businesses and brands that can eventually go global.

  • As its Brand & Communications Agency on Record

    Century Pulp and Paper appoints Vector Brand Solutions

    Century Pulp & Paper (CPP), part of the Aditya Birla Group and a major player in the domestic and the export market for paper, board, tissue and pulp, has appointed Vector Brand Solutions as its brand and communications agency on record, for their portfolio.

    Said Mahuya Chaturvedi, Marketing and Consumer Product Head, Century Pulp and Paper: “We are thrilled to welcome Vector as our agency partners, as we enter the next phase of our growth journey. The Vector team brings a potent combination of deep strategic thinking and a sharp creative approach, and together we hope to engage with consumers in new and meaningful ways. We are super-excited about this partnership and look forward to shaping the future of this category.”

    Added Hari Krishnan, Group Chief Business Officer, Quotient Ventures: “We are excited to partner Century Pulp & Paper for their ambitious growth plans. We are grateful to them for placing their faith in us to disrupt the market and expand their reach and footprint across the nation. Working alongside not just one of the pioneers in this industry, but also such a passionate team, is both exciting and fulfilling. We look forward to building a new brand narrative for Century.”

  • To enhance brand recognition and drive business growth

    SW Network lands digital mandate for Haier Appliances

    SW Network, an integrated advertising agency, has secured the digital mandate for Haier Appliances India. This will include integrated social media marketing, content marketing, and website development services to elevate Haier’s presence in the Indian consumer market. The mandate was secured following a multi-agency pitch and will be managed by SW Network’s Delhi headquarters.

    Said Pranav Agarwal, co-founder of SW Network: “With the increasing importance of digital engagement, it becomes imperative for brands to establish a solid image across digital platforms. At SW Network, we aim to create compelling and effective social media strategies that will enhance the brand’s visibility and drive business impact. By harnessing our expertise in social media marketing, content marketing, and website creative services, we aim to consolidate the position of Haier Appliances as a household name across India.”

    Added Priyanka Sethi, Head of Marketing, Haier Appliances India: “At Haier, we believe in the power of innovation and building meaningful connections with our audience. Partnering with SW Network will allow us to leverage their creative expertise and strategic insights to strengthen our digital presence. This collaboration is pivotal for effectively reaching our target consumers and expanding our digital footprint in the Indian consumer market. We believe that SW Network’s innovative and creative approach will play a crucial role in helping us achieve our business objectives in the years to come.”

  • 2024 Ascenders Competition

    Two in India Win in TDC

    Two India-based creatives are among the select group of winners from 11 countries in the 2024 Ascenders competition from the Type Directors Club (TDC), the world’s leading typography organisation.

    Ascenders, which celebrates typographers, lettering artists, and type designers ages 35 and under, is the world’s premier portfolio-based competition dedicated to type in all its versatile forms, and the inspiring designers — individuals or duos — who are elevating the medium.

    Winners for 2024 based in India are Namrata Goyal, a type designer in Alwar, and Maithili Shingre, a type designer at Ek Type Mumbai.

    Notes a communique: “This year’s Ascenders, selected by an esteemed jury of typography and type design professionals, join prominent past winners including Au Chon Hin (2022), Kevin Cantrell (2018), Roxane Gataud (2022), Gemma O’Brien (2022), Juan Carlos Pagan (2018), Tré Seals (2018), and others.”

    TDC, part of The One Club for Creativity, will host a reception for the 2024 Ascenders and scholarship  winners on August 14, 2024, at the club’s gallery space in New York.

  • A ‘Certificate Program in Indian Media Business’

    Ormax launches online course in Indian Media Business

    Entering its 17th year of providing insights to the Indian media and entertainment industry, media consulting firm Ormax Media has announced its foray into the learning and education domain, with the launch of the ‘Certificate Program in Indian Media Business’, an online certification course, available separately for students and executives.

    The courses, available at ₹24,500 for students and ₹44,500 for executives, will be held over 10 online sessions of one hour each, and will be conducted by senior Ormax Media team members. The first batch is scheduled to begin on August 27.

    Speaking about the launch of its new education initiative, Shailesh Kapoor, Founder & CEO, Ormax Media, said: “Over the last decade, the interest in building a career in the Indian M&E industry has grown significantly. Media companies are now engaging actively with many business schools for placements and internships, and at the same time, we are seeing many young executives make lateral shifts from their marketing, finance or consulting industry jobs to M&E. Despite this growing interest, the amount of credible information on the Indian M&E industry available in the public domain is alarmingly low. This program is our effort to enable such aspirants take more informed decisions related to their career. At the same time, the program is equally relevant for those who have just entered the industry, as it can fast-track their industry knowledge considerably.”

  • In the third part of our series on Digital Transformation, Sanjay Mehta writes that it’s not true that mid-sized companies don’t have ambition or would be hesitant to spend larger sums on say technology

    Digital Transformation 1-2-3 with Sanjay Mehta: Part 3

    Few people in the advertising and marketing ecosystem are better equipped than Sanjay Mehta to lead this online Masterclass on Digital Transformation. In our discussions with him, we were inspired to ask Sanjay Mehta to formulate a three-part series aimed at motivating founders and owners of mid-sized businesses in India to embrace digital transformation. 

     

    While Digital Transformation is a much-touted (and often incorrectly used) buzzword in Indian business circles, Sanjay Mehta’s series highlights the real growth potential that comes with the right retooling. This insightful series, ‘Digital Transformation 1-2-3 with Sanjay Mehta’, will culminate in a Zoom-based webinar on Wednesday, August 7, at 3 pm IST. The webinar is exclusive to 40 professionals on a first-come, first-served basis.

     

    Masterclass #1: July 17, 2024 – Boards and Founders need to see “outside the box” for the multiplier effect (published last week. Link: https://www.mxmindia.com/advertising/digital-transformation-1-2-3-with-sanjay-mehta-part-1/)

    Masterclass #2: July 24, 2024 – Exploiting Opportunities, Overcoming Challenges (published last week. Link: https://www.mxmindia.com/marketing/digital-transformation-1-2-3-with-sanjay-mehta-part-2/)

    Masterclass #3: Today, July 31, 2024 – The Specific Nature of the Beast

    Masterclass #4: August 7, 2024 – Live webinar (Registration will open tomorrow, August 2) 

     

    The Specific Nature of the Beast 

    Over the previous two articles of this series, we have understood that there are many growth multiplier opportunities in business. Several of these are revenue and profit growth related, and where, due to various reasons, it may be imperative to look beyond the current Board and team and reach out to the right experts outside.

     

    While this looks perfect in theory, when it comes to implementation, is where an extent of challenge comes in, due to the ground realities that we cannot ignore.

     

    The focus at this time, when we speak of companies, is on the very large middle of Indian businesses – which may collectively be referred to as mid-sized companies, for the sake of understanding. Let’s think of these as companies with revenues ranging from 1,000 to 10,000 cr, and mostly family-owned businesses. These are often based out of Tier 1, Tier 2 centres all around the country, and often these are multi-generational in terms of ownership within the respective family. Most of these may be in traditional areas of manufacturing and trading activity, and several of them could be listed companies as well.

     

    With a lot going in their favor, considering the extremely large Indian consumption space, they may not always have the advantages that larger MNCs or bigger industrial houses based in urban metros of India, have.

     

    On the one hand, global consulting firms and other similar service providers are keener to work with larger MNC and Indian corporates. If they do pick up engagements from mid-sized companies, they often do not put their best teams on those accounts. Likewise, larger system integrators and other tech companies are also keener to go after larger MNC and Indian corporate accounts, and mid-sized companies need to find their best partners from smaller tech companies.

     

    While these may be the situation when it comes to the supply side of service providers, as founders and owners, there is often an issue of finding the right trusted resources that they can work with. Trust is a big factor when it comes to working with founders, as they want to be sure that their money is in good and safe hands, with high levels of integrity, with people who will value the company’s resources as their own, and who will seek value for money solutions.

     

    This is not to say that mid-sized companies don’t have ambition or would be hesitant to spend larger sums on say technology. They just need a higher level of comfort and assurance that the money is being spent wisely and that they are getting the required value for money.

     

    These being the constraints or the lay of the land, if I may call it that, what is needed in terms of external experts who can open newer growth opportunities for these companies, is for them to have a good “dhandha” attitude! The agility to get things moving fast, valuing the cost of time, but at the same time, ensuring that the ROI is clear and measurable.

     

    It is indeed a tough combination to find. When you look for subject matter experts, say, people with a good technology background, these folks could easily have been techies who have worked in corporate world, done a lot of good work, but who would have been earning salaries and using corporate budgets that got allocated for their requirements.

     

    What is really needed is someone having those same skills, but who might have run his / her own business, potentially bootstrapped it, so as to get a really good value of money, and yet delivered on ambitious goals using technology.

     

    So, what becomes a clear ask is to find not just the right kind of external experts to enhance growth opportunities for the business and for the founders and the Board, but also find those kinds of experts who have been-there-done-that when it comes to running and growing businesses of their own.

     

    The ideal insider go-to person then, who can join the Board as a director or be a strategic advisor to the Board, will then need to ideally come from founders who have created successful ventures and maybe exited those, and during the time that they were running their shows, they were becoming experts in their respective areas of focus, be it technology or whichever.

     

    Inviting such people to help the company and the Board to make the most of the immense opportunities and creating the growth multipliers, would then be the perfect answer. Whether these folks are invited to join the Board as experts in their respective fields, or brought in as strategic advisors, or asked to join expert committees constituted by the Boards for specific purposes, such would be the ideal utilization of their expertise.

     

    And which will set up the company well, for astronomical growth, going forward!

     

    Three-part text series concluded

    Next week (August 7, 2024): Masterclass #4: Live Webinar

     

    Sanjay Mehta is one of the pioneers in the digital world in India, having founded and spearheaded several companies: HomeIndia, Mirum (earlier SocialWavelength before WPP took it over) to name a few. He is also an author and commentator on all things digital, and beyond. He is an investor, mentor and also helps organisations – large and small – in their process of digital transformation.

    He tweets @sm63. Linkedin.com/in/spmehta

  • Dipti Kalwani will lead the business vertical for the production house

    Juggernaut Productions enters TV production business

    Juggernaut Productions, IN10 Media Network’s production house, has announced its expansion into television production. The strategic move marks a significant milestone in the company’s growth journey, reflecting its commitment to delivering diverse and high-quality entertainment to a broader audience.

    Dipti Kalwani PHOTOGRAPH
    Dipti Kalwani

    Dipti Kalwani, a seasoned professional with over 20 years of experience in the media industry, has been appointed to lead the new television production vertical. As Senior Vice President – TV & AVOD, she will oversee the development and production of innovative television content, leveraging her extensive expertise as a TV producer, content creator, and writer.

    “We are thrilled to have Dipti lead our television production business,” said Samar Khan, CEO of Juggernaut Productions. “Her vision, creativity, and deep understanding of the television landscape will be invaluable as we embark on this new venture. We are confident that under her leadership, our television content will set new standards for quality and innovation.”

    On the new role, Kalwani said, “I am excited to join Juggernaut Productions and lead this exciting new chapter in the company’s journey. Television production offers unique opportunities and challenges, and I look forward to creating content that resonates with audiences and continues the Juggernaut legacy of excellence. Our goal is to produce shows that not only entertain but also leave a lasting impact.”

  • Different rules for Different Governments

    Different rules for Different Governments

    Ranjona Banerji PhotographMonsoon related disasters continue across India. The landslide in Wayanad is undoubtedly the worst with at least 300 people dead, homes and livelihoods destroyed. Torrential rain, a river changing course and the human lack of respect for nature are all possible reasons for the landslide and subsequent damage.

     

    The media, or sections of it, would rather concentrate on the political dynamics – since Kerala is ruled by the CPI (M) and like all non-BJP states, the government must be severely castigated – than on aspects of the disaster itself. Or, discussions on why opposition politician Rahul Gandhi who is still the MP from Wayanad has not visited yet, with implications that he is somehow to blame.

     

    And yet, as we have one more train accident – three on passenger trains in the last six weeks – in Jharkhand, the legacy media is unable to find any politician to blame for the sad state of the Railways. The excellent article from The Economic Times linked below provides all the details, has a stentorian tone about safety and protocol failures and yet, if you were new to India, you would be excused for believing that India has no railways minister. Is Ashwini Vaishnaw’s name there? Is he blamed or asked to take responsibility? O no. The rules are different for Kerala and the BJP-ruled Central government. Of course. What’s new here, eh?

     

    https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/transportation/railways/howrah-mumbai-mail-accident-india-rail-joy-ride-or-fatal-ride-15-lives-lost-in-6-weeks/articleshow/112123228.cms?from=mdr

     

    August 1 and India saw the unedifying spectacle of the new Parliament building leaking like a sieve. Not metaphorically, as in politicians sharing juicy details of government gossip with journalists. But actually physically leaking rainwater into the fancy new entrance hall. Journalists who cover Parliament are kept in a cage and possibly some are quite used to be being treated like lapdogs, so they don’t mind. And ruling party politicians mainly share gossip about opposition parties.

     

    If not, there would be have massive fisticuffs about the BJP’s Nitin Gadkari writing to the BJP’s Nirmala Sitharaman requesting her to cut GST on health insurance. O no, we are so circumspect about turmoil within Narendra Modi’s ship, even when there is turmoil, so you would be forgiven for thinking that this media is stuck in the 1970s. Polite news articles are matter of fact: “Gadkari writes to Sitharaman”.

     

    But obviously not with other political parties: “Cracks in India Alliance!!! Is this the end! One party member did not smile at a member of another party! Who is to blame??? Is it Nehru???” and so on is the media response.

     

    But that Parliament building. Now this is a real shame in terms of India’s glory and Modi’s ambitions. But we must be circumspect with blame here. Rahul Gandhi may have caused the Wayanad landslide, or done nothing about it, Nehru has caused the rest of the problems. But our friends in the Central government? No way. So let’s cover the embarrassment of this prime ministerial project being shoddy – not the first time – by shooting from the shoulders of the Opposition:

     

    https://www.business-standard.com/india-news/rs-971-crore-parliament-building-faces-leaks-due-to-heavy-rains-in-delhi-124080100457_1.html

    (heavy rain to blame, Congress mentioned in intro, Akhilesh Yadav mentioned early in the article, Prime Minister Modi mentioned lower down as someone who merely inaugurated a building which perhaps mysteriously manifested.)

     

    https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/new-parliament-roof-leaking-delhi-rains-akhilesh-yadav-built-with-billions-opposition-jabs-bjp-over-parliament-roof-leak-video-6238329

    (Opposition)

     

    https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/opposition-highlights-new-parliament-buildings-leaking-roof-government-says-small-issue-addressed/articleshow/112209481.cms

    (Opposition)

     

    Luckily, they do tell us that this badly made structure cost Rs 971 crore to make.

     

    Don’t worry yourselves. It’s just our money getting washed away.

     

    Ranjona Banerji is a senior journalist and commentator. She writes on MxMIndia on Tuesdays and Fridays. Her views here are personal.

  • Raghavan will be President, APAC

    Landor elevates Lulu Raghavan for APAC role

    Lulu Raghavan Photograph
    Lulu Raghavan

    Landor has announced the promotion of Lulu Raghavan to the role of President, APAC.

    Raghavan has been with Landor for 23 years and has held various roles across several geographies (San Francisco, New York, London and Mumbai). She will remain based in Mumbai and report to Christian Schroeder, Global President of Landor.

    Said Raghavan: “I am honoured to take on the role of President for the APAC region. This is an exciting time for Landor, and I am eager to build on our strong foundation and continue to drive innovation and growth. I look forward to working closely with our talented teams across APAC to deliver exceptional value to our clients.”

    Added Schroeder: “We are very excited to see Lulu step into the APAC President role. Her extensive experience, dedication, and innovative approach make her the perfect fit to lead the region. I am personally delighted for Lulu, and confident that she will continue to drive growth and excellence across our APAC offices.”

  • Campaign created by Ogilvy

    Mondelez launches Cadbury Silk Desserts range

    Mondelez India, the creators of snacking brands, have announced the launch of their new dessert range ‘Cadbury Silk Desserts’.  Marking a significant leap into premium indulgence, the range has two offerings, ‘Cadbury Silk Dessert Brownie’ and ‘Cadbury Silk Dessert Plum Cake’.

    Commenting on the launch, Nitin Saini- Vice President Marketing at Mondelez India, said: “We’re thrilled to unveil our latest innovation, ‘Cadbury Silk Desserts’ from the house of Mondelez India. Our Global State of Snacking Report 2023 highlights a growing consumer preference for indulgent eat experiences. This novel eat format, which is also a first in chocolates, aligns perfectly with the evolving consumer palates, especially the Dessert lovers. By combining the beloved taste of Cadbury Silk with the satisfaction of a decadent dessert, we aim to make Cadbury Silk Brownie and Plum Cake a household favorite for those seeking an easy ultimate indulgence, wrapped in a bar.”

    Added Kainaz Karmakar and Harshad Rajadhyaksha, Chief Creative Officers, Ogilvy India: “The idea of the film is to bring out the surprise of a brownie inside a bar of Silk. This is not just a variant but the launch of Silk Desserts, an even more premium offering from Silk. The film is a sweet story of how a guy creates a dessert experience for a girl using nothing but a bar of Silk Brownie. The idea of plating it is intentional as it is special enough to be plated. The film was led by our ECD, Akshay Seth and directed by Aarti Desai from Caffine films.”

    Said Shekhar Banerjee, Chief Client Officer & Office Head, West, North & East, Wavemaker Indi: “Our strategy for the Cadbury Silk Dessert launch is to emphasize on the dessert indulgence. Through AI-driven innovations on content platforms like YouTube, unique partnerships with cafes, quick commerce platforms, cinemas, and airports, we are ensuring Cadbury Silk Dessert addresses the dessert cravings wherever they arise.”