MxMIndia

Category: NEWS

  • The Creative Head at Draft FCB Ulka, Kochi, has released his first book 'The Vicks Mango Tree'

    Adman Anees Salim turns author

    By Ananya Saha

     

    Anees Salim, Creative Head at Draft FCB Ulka, Kochi, has released his first book about the Emergency. Called The Vicks Mango Tree, it has been published by HarperCollins. With a canon of Indian literature about Emergency, Mr Salim said, “Yes, the Emergency has been widely written about. But, for a writer, the darkest period in India’s history never loses its charm as a subject. The Emergency had captured my imagination very early in life, even as a schoolboy, and let me add that The Vicks Mango Tree is not just about the elements of the Emergency that should be criticized, it is also about the elements that should be laughed at.” However, he is hopeful that readers will find a different take on the topic through his authored fiction.

     

    When asked about his passion for writing, “To me, working on a creative brief and writing a book are two entirely different processes. I don’t think one process makes the other any simpler, unless you want to write a book on advertising or a novel set in the ad industry. But I do think advertising could be the ideal day job for a writer. This is the only day job I would do, and I am qualified to do. I would be a big misfit in any other industry,” said Mr Salim.

     

    Mr Salim, a dropout and proud of the fact, joined advertising in the late 1990s. He started his career as a trainee copywriter with Draft FCB Ulka.

     

    The adman is also authoring three other books. ‘The Blind Lady’s Descendants’ will be out in January 2013. Published by Amaryllis, the book tells story of a Muslim family living in a little known town. The book is in fact the suicide note of a young man named Amar Hamsa, who witnesses the slow decadence of his family. ‘Tales from A Vending Machine’, published by Harper Collins, will be a funny account of Hasina Mansoor, a 20-year-old girl running a tea vending machine at an airport lounge. A huge Bin Laden-fan and a fierce critic of America, Hasina is a keen observer of the sweeping changes in the Indian aviation industry. The book will come out in April-May 2013.

     

    The fourth book – Vanity Bagh – will be published by Picador. It would sketch the picture of a tiny Pakistan inside a big Indian city against the backdrop of a serial bomb blast. The book should be in stores by the second half of 2013.

     

    With a full-time advertising job, which in itself translates into whacky hours; how does he find the time to write? “In both the publishing and the advertising industries there are strict deadlines. I don’t claim to be an expert in managing time. But I sleep less, and start my day very early,” he quipped.

     

    While Mr Salim hopes that the book does well and readers find a different take on Emergency through The Vicks Mango Tree, we are enamoured by the name.

     

     

     

    From the Blurbs:

    A few months after a state of Emergency has been clamped onIndia, Raj Iyer, a fledgling journalist living in the alley of the Vicks mango tree, goes underground, to resurface some years later in a corner of theMunicipalParkas a bronze statue. No ones sure exactly why he has become so famous, though there is talk of a book being written on him, which hails him as a modern hero of Mangobaag.

     

    The Vicks Mango Tree is the story of the tiny fictional region of Mangobaag andIndiaas she limps through twenty- one months of suspended civil liberties, half-hearted revolts and stern censorships. It is also the tale of Teacher Bhatt, Rabia Sheik and Shankar Iyer, ordinary people in pursuit of their middle-class dreams, and local legends like Maharaja Muneer Shah, Miss Myna and Dr Abid Ali, who live and die in the dying light of a glorious past.

     

    Full of odd characters and piquant situations, and alive with the politics and possibilities of a not-so-long-ago time inIndiashistory, The Vicks Mango Tree is a compelling first novel.

     

     

  • Tata Tea Jaago Re has announced the launch of its renewed website, which provides information on a gamut of social issues to empower all Indians to act on issues relevant to every citizen

    Tata Tea’s Jaago Re site empowers people to make a diff

    By A Correspondent

     

    Tata Tea Jaago Re has announced the launch of its renewed website, www.jaagore.com, which provides information on a gamut of social issues, at the click of a button, to empower all Indians to act on issues relevant to every citizen. The new website reflects the company’s continued efforts to awaken individuals and inspire them to be the change that they wish to see around them.

     

    Commenting on the renewed portal, Vikram Grover, Vice President & Head Marketing – South Asia, Tata Global Beverages Limited said, “Tata Tea’s Jaago Re campaign has been an agent of social awakening. It has been ahead of the curve in bringing burning issues like corruption into national consciousness. Today we are entering a new phase in the life of jaagore.com – this phase is born out of a belief that information is the lifeblood of a democracy. Very often information and the tools of democracy are not understood well and therefore not utilized. While we at Tata Tea do realize the importance of awakening to issues that the nation is facing, we feel that it is equally important to have easy access to information in order to empower people to make a difference.” He further added, “With the new initiatives on our website we are looking at leveraging the strength of the online medium to take our campaign to the next level and to provide information to help citizens to act and make a difference.”

     

    Vineet Gupta, Managing Partner, 22feet said, “Jaago Re is one of the most recognized initiatives undertaken by any brand in this country. This year, the initiative takes another step forward towards awakening and empowering people by simplifying complex issues that affect our day to day lives. We, at 22feet are privileged to be the Digital partner for this initiative and look forward to delivering relevant content across all digital touch points.”

     

    Providing simplified information endorsed by topical experts, the portal allows young, tech savvy India an interface to navigate complex, time consuming steps and enables them to act and solve the issue. Starting with ‘Know Your Police’ in the first cycle; the portal will focus on new topics every quarter and touch upon various subjects such as steps to filing an RTI, registering to vote and women’s empowerment.

     

    About Jaago Re

    Tata Tea’s award winning Jaago Re campaigns have time and again awakened individuals and inspired them to be the change they wish to see around them. Making its debut in 2007, the campaign began with a television commercial (TVC) which showed a young man enquiring about the credentials and credibility of a local politician campaigning for votes before offering him a cup of tea. Striking a chord with the youth, the campaign launched a series of advertisements over the last four years that wove in the themes of awakening, enlightening and civic consciousness. For more information please visit our website www.jaagore.com

     

     

    About Tata Tea and Tata Global Beverages

    Tata Tea is a leading brand in India and is owned by Tata Global Beverages, a company whose brands have presence in over 40 countries. Tata Global Beverages has significant interests in tea, coffee and water and is the world’s second largest tea company. 250 million servings of its brands are consumed everyday around the world.  Tata Global Beverages’ annual turnover is US$1.4bn, it employs around 3,000 people across the world.  The company focuses on ‘good for you’ beverages and has a stable of innovative regional and global beverage brands, including: Tata Tea, Tetley, Himalayan natural mineral water, Tata Water Plus and Tata Gluco+, Good Earth tea, Grand Coffee and Eight O’clock coffee. For more information please visit www.tataglobalbeverages.com

     

     

  • While chocolates undoubtedly remain a popular distress gift purchase for those short of time or ideas, the growth of the artisan chocolatier sector is breathing new life into the gifting of chocolate

    The Anchor: 5 reasons why chocolates are the sweetest things to gift this Diwali

    By Deepa D’Souza

     

    India has woken up to the fad of chocolate being considered as a gift proposition. While even till few years ago sweets were the only option in delicacy gifting, overt media exposure and smart marketing techniques have positioned chocolates as an alternative.

     

    Mintel’s new research shows that seasonal launches have proved to be particularly dynamic across the market, with 300% increase between 2008 and 2011, accounting for 7% of total new product launches in 2011 vs. 2% in 2008.

     

    Given the importance that gifting has in Indian culture especially during seasonal festivities, it is not surprising that chocolate gifting is a significant market. Indian people usually are seen spending more on gifting to others than they do on self-consumption in this category. Chocolates is soon replacing tradition sweets as option for gifting occasions such as Diwali, Rakhi, Christmas, Eid, Valentines celebrations etc.

     

    According to leading retailers in India last year, 40-45% of all chocolate sales in India were during the festive season, up from 30% the previous year. Influx of International brands selling at affordable ranges especially in Gift packs adding an Indian touch to the pack has helped this sudden surge.

     

    Five key reasons that could be driving this change in consumerism are:

     

    01. Convenience

    While chocolates undoubtedly remain a popular distress gift purchase for those short of time or ideas, the growth of the artisan chocolatier sector is breathing new life into the gifting of chocolate.

     

    Chocolate gift options are now available across the stores, be it a supermarket or a mom and pop store as against traditional sweets, available in specific stores and may be limited to the neighborhood of a consumer.

     

    Apart from this there are plenty of stores that offer Gift Wrapping and free home deliveries so the burden of carrying the huge bulk of purchase for the festive occasion is further reduced by offering more convenience to the consumer.

     

    We’ve seen how packaging motivates purchasing, offering both convenience and Premiumness with Ferrero offering bespoke gold packaging and Mars’ Galaxy rebranding its range as “Shubh Avasar” (auspicious occasion).

     

    02. Hygiene/ Longer Shelf Life

    Many Indians consider chocolate assortment boxes to be more hygienic and longer-lasting than traditional Indian sweets. This mindset has contributed to an increase in volume sales as the popularity of seasonal gifting of chocolate, particularly during Diwali, has grown over the last decade. According to Mintel’s research chocolate volume has grown strongly in the past few years, to reach 88 thousand tonnes in 2011 – up from 50 thousand tonnes in 2008. This equates to a per capita consumption of 70 grams in 2011 up from 40 grams in 2008.

     

    With the increasing incidence of adulteration in traditional sweets and a media uproar which may have dented the likeness of consumer to traditional sweet. On the contrary chocolates are perceived to offer hygiene and quality standards that make them a safer option.

     

    03. Premium Appeal

    Indians have always had a fascination for international brands perceiving the Quality and taste to give a more premium feel to it. People want to be seen gifting imported chocolates because they connote premiumness.

     

    Premiumisation as a claim has seen a 100% growth over last three years, from 4% of launches in 2008 to 6% in 2011 of the total New Product launches in the chocolate confectionery as shown by Mintel’s new research.

     

    Last couple of years Lindt, a premium chocolate confectionery brand entered India, with prices range from Rs 90 for a 35 gm pack of dark chocolate to Rs 195-Rs 235 for a 100 gm bar, going up to Rs 2,500 for a gift pack. Besides Mars, Snickers and Bounty bars and other imported chocolate brands are found in India also including those of Cadbury, Ferrero Rocher and Hershey’s.

     

    Chocolates in the corporate gifting segment are the new trend, with variety of gift-packaging and customization in branding. Chocolates have become a premium gifting option.

     

    Personalization as a key trend is growing strong in the Western markets whilst personalization or customization is a gap to be explored for the Indian chocolate Market. Gourmets, handmade and personalizing are some features that could entice the Niche segments. Traditional Sweets do offer customization which can be a cue for the chocolate manufacturers to explore this opportunity.

     

    Aspirational buying is a key trend seen across food and non-food categories in India. There is an opportunity for foreign brands to revamp their products to better suit Indian tastes while offering a Premium promise.

     

    04. Adults buying in

    Until a few years ago, chocolate was more of a child’s goody but today it’s every brand’s challenge to extend it to cater to the nouveau targets – The Adults, by attaching an occasion for its consumption or playing on the nostalgia.

     

    It’s been a rather successful effort put in by chocolate manufacturers to extend its offering to the adult segments all of it supported by media campaigns which hovers around creating an indulgence platform. Dark Chocolate has been a key step towards the adult positioning; today every brand has or wants to have a range that exclusively is with dark chocolate – Cocoa 60% and more.

     

    According to Mintel’s Analysis Dark Chocolates have grown 160% in 2011 vs. 2009, a positive for marketing the category to the adults.

     

    05. Accessibility – value and variety

    Thanks to rise in organized retail, this has benefited the chocolate manufacturers to offer value in gift packs. The Indian consumer is clearly enjoying the modern trade formats, because of simple reasons of value, range and ambience that these stores offer.

     

    To enhance the potential for increased gifting sales, most brands are putting efforts into in-store display, banners or leaflet to stimulate consumer purchase not just during festive occasions but other holidays such as Children Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, and newer occasions to choose a gift pack.

     

    The other face to what possibly could be driving pick up of chocolates as a gift option is that consumers are considering an investment in chocolate to be justifiable in the current economy where inflationary prices to basic raw materials such as sugar, nuts and fat have put a pressure on the traditional sweet market. The chocolate manufacturers have launched chocolate gift boxes at various price points, starting as low as INR. 20/- onwards catering to both mass as well as premium segments.

     

    Festive holidays are celebrated differently, and at different times, limited edition products can be designed for the traditions in each region to drive the festive sales.

     

    The writer is Ms. Deepa D’Souza Trend and Innovation Consultant – India at Mintel

     

  • Publicitas Digital in India has signed an exclusive representation with Qunar.com, a leading mainland China online travel information website where it will exclusively sell the digital advertising space of Qunar.com on a domestic and international level

    Publicitas Digital signs exclusive representation with Qunar.com

    By A Correspondent

     

    Publicitas Digital in India has signed an exclusive representation with Qunar.com, a leading mainland China online travel information website where it will exclusively sell the digital advertising space of Qunar.com on a domestic and international level.

     

    Qunar (www.qunar.com), which means “where to go” in Mandarin, is a search engine designed to help travelers compare air ticket and hotel room prices, and to provide other travel-related information. Users are able to access travel products provided by airlines, hotels and travel agents, and choose the best deals for themselves.

     

    With immediate effect Publicitas Digital in India will exclusively sell the digital advertising space of Qunar.com on a domestic and international level. Michelle Ong, Senior Sales Director, Qunar.com, said,”Qunar being the largest travel site in China, we have seen tremendous interest from travel brands globally to market themselves on our site. India being one of the fastest growing travel destinations for Chinese travelers, we were seeking to appoint an India based partner with strong local presence, history, resources and recognition by brands /media agencies within India. After in-depth evaluations, we came to a conclusion that Publicitas excelled in all the criteria that we’re looking for with impeccable sales house qualities. We’re incredibly excited to see what Publicitas can bring to us in the near future. Together, we’re confident our synergy will surely bring to the table the best tailored-made solutions for each client’s needs in India that aims to reach out to the most digital-savvy, affluent, Chinese travelers.”

     

    Marzban Patel, CEO Publicitas India & Asia, said, “The media landscape in China is not easy to navigate. Publicitas has over a decade invested in building competencies to assist its clients reach their audiences in China. We now have fully trained multilingual staff in Beijing and Shanghai that work with our offices around the world to deliver the right target audience across media platforms. Our partnership with Qunar in India is important as it will enable Indian companies, tourism boards and tour operators reach the Chinese travel market with ease.”

     

  • Star CJ Alive, the 24×7 home shopping channel from the Star Group, has announced the appointment of Kenny Shin as the new CEO for India

    Star CJ Alive appoints Kenny Shin as CEO for India

    By A Correspondent

     

    Star CJ Alive, the 24×7 home shopping channel from the Star Group, has announced the appointment of Kenny Shin as the new CEO for India.

     

    Taking charge of his role at Star CJ Alive this year, Mr Shin joins from CJ O Shopping, the Korean conglomerate, where he was in a key leadership role, having been with the company since 2002. Based out of the Mumbai office, his key mandate is to provide strategic direction for Star CJ’s long term India growth plans.

     

    Mr Shin started his career at Dong-Suh Research Institute before moving on to complete his MBA from the University of Rochester. Post that he held various senior leadership positions in his stellar career at reputed companies such as Eastman Kodak Company, Rochester, NY; Hansol M.com, Seoul, Korea and HansoliGlobe, Seoul, Korea.

     

    Under his able guidance at CJ O Shopping (world second biggest home shopping company in terms of revenue), the company went to the No 1. position in the TV home shopping segment in Korea in a span of two years. He successfully managed various divisions within the company including Merchandising, Digital, Quality Assurance, call center amongst others. Not only that, he also launched the mobile phone vertical and successfully built it into a highly profitable category as a result winning the CJ O Shopping Best Award in 2009. He was also responsible for creating many path breaking TV programmes such as Shopping Star Living King, the Greatest Beauty Show, Digital Pak Pak Show where he created record sales history. At HansoliGlobe, he led the Business Development function in addition to spearheading Strategic Alliances and overall strategic direction for the Company.

     

    Commenting on his appointment, Mr Shin said, “I am delighted to have the opportunity to spearhead the India operations. The challenge is very exciting given the complexity and diversity of the Indian market. I want to make STAR CJ as ‘Shopping Himalaya’ of India in future.”

     

  • Neo Prime has sealed the broadcast rights for the West Indies tour of Bangladesh which began on November 13

    Neo Prime to air Windies tour of Bangladesh

    By A Correspondent

     

    Neo Prime has sealed the broadcast rights for the West Indies tour of Bangladesh beginning November 13.

     

    The series is expected to produce some exhilarating cricket as the West Indies, fresh from winning the recent World Twenty20 Championship – their first major title in eight years, aim to continue their ascent in the world rankings as they tour Bangladesh for 2 Tests, 5 One Day Internationals and 1 T20.

     

    Prasana Krishnan, COO, Neo Sports said: “West Indies cricket is on a high after their World T20 victory and we are thrilled to have stalwarts like Chris Gayle, Marlon Samuels and Shivnarine Chanderpaul playing on Neo for our viewers in the Indian Sub-continent and the US to enjoy.

     

    Neo has been home to many memorable moments in international cricket, and a winning West Indies side is great news for cricket fans as they are compelling to watch. They took the honours the last time these two sides played a series in Bangladesh, but the hosts have always battled hard on home turf, and this has all the makings of an entertaining series.”

     

    Fans can look forward to some explosive batting performances as Gayle will be playing Tests against Bangladesh after 7 years and with an average of nearly 70 against them, he will be the player to watch out for.

     

    Bangladesh have never beaten West Indies in a Test match at home and they will want to correct the record this time around.

     

    The action is live on Neo Prime.

     

  • India TV has come up with a campaign, "Bharat Se India Tak", which talks about India TV's ability to crossover to the right audiences across the length and breadth of the nation

    India TV’s new trade campaign

    By A Correspondent

     

    India TV has come up with a unique communication to further reinforce its leadership position in the Hindi News genre. The campaign, which is constructed to communicate countrywide reach and varied viewership of India TV, is unique in more ways than one.

     

    “Bharat Se India Tak”, as the name suggests, will talk about India TV’s ability to crossover to the right audiences across length and breadth of the nation; audiences that are worthy target groups for a wide array of national & international brands trying to reach out to the vast and rapidly evolving Indian market. India TV has planned a highly innovative execution to communicate this proposition and it is sure to catch the attention of the entire industry.

     

    India & Bharat, the two words are usually used to emphasize the rural-urban divide in our great nation – where India cues genteel, urbane and upwardly mobile even as Bharat connotes the rustic and perhaps backward hinterland. Of course, reality is scarcely that simple and beneath the superficial contrasts, there are strong linkages that bind the two together. India TV, as this campaign reveals, is one such common denominator. Looking forward, it is critical that this exaggerated segregation be retired and this campaign takes a step in the in the direction of unequivocally asserting, “Bharat or India – We are one people.”

     

    The campaign reminds stakeholders of India TV’s history of consistent leadership, in the towering skylines of metropolitan India – the great cities of Delhi and Mumbai that are home to a vast consumer base with high disposable incomes. At the same time, it talks about channel’s loyal and committed viewership in the rapidly transforming prosperous interiors of the country where burgeoning incomes are creating millions of first generation consumers eager to embrace new lifestyles and experiences.

     

  • August saw a significant increase in complaints against ads because of the pickup by the National Advertising Monitoring Service (NAMS)

    Pro-active monitoring sees more complaints being registered with ASCI

    By A Correspondent

     

    During the month of August 2012, the Consumer Complaints Council (CCC) of the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) upheld complaints made against 23 advertisements out of 30 from various sectors like Education, Healthcare and FMCG with media houses. During the same period it did not uphold complaints against 7 such advertisements. The sharp increase in complaints is largely due to the National Advertising Monitoring Service (NAMS) which sand picks up a large number of misleading advertisements across sectors.

     

    HINDUSTAN UNILEVER LTD (*) – Rin detergent powder: As per the complaint, the TVC claimed that “only Rin has yellow fighters that brighten dull yellow clothes”. The advertiser needs to provide scientific proof in substantiation of these claims. The CCC considered the technical data provided by the Advertiser. The CCC concluded that the use of patent used by the Advertiser did not mean that the same benefit of brightening dull yellow clothes could not be claimed by using any other technology. The claim that “Only Rin brightens dull yellow clothes” is false and misleading as it is not the only detergent to do so. The advertisement contravened Chapters I.1 and I.4 of the Code. The complaint was UPHELD.

     

    HINDUSTAN UNILEVER LTD (*) – Pepsodent Germicheck Magnet: As per the complainant, the Pepsodent Germicheck pack that he brought which was 200g for Rs. 64/- had an offer of Pepsodent G 40g free. The free 40g toothpaste is not Pepsodent G, which is better quality toothpaste, but the free 40g toothpaste is also Pepsodent Germicheck. This is a promotion gimmick. This offer is false and grossly misleading the consumers. The CCC concluded that whilst an offer of Pepsodent G 40 gms free was made, what was given along with the pack was Pepsodent Germicheck. The promotion message on the pack was misleading and contravened Chapter I.4 of the Code. The complaint was UPHELD.

     

    HT MEDIA LTD (*) – Hindustan ki Lehar: As per the complaint, the advertiser claimed that Hindustan ki Lehar “has a circulation of 12 Lakh copies”. The truth is that, as per the ABC (Audit Bureau of Circulations) Jul-Dec 2011, their circulation figures were 6.9 Lakh copies across 9 editions while the other 3 editions were not reported by the ABC. The CCC concluded that the claim, “Hindustan has a circulation of 12 Lakh copies”, was not substantiated by an independent research organization. The advertisement contravened Chapter I.1 of the Code. The complaint was UPHELD.

     

    DIVYA BHASKAR GROUP – Divya Marathi: As per the complaint, the promotional material of the advertiser claimed that Divya Marathi has 5 editions (in Aurangabad, Nashik, Jalgaon, Ahmednagar, and Solapur) which are the “No.1 dailies by circulation”. This claim has no reference to source; the figures given are completely different from the circulation figures given by the ABC (Audit Bureau of Circulations) and are misleading. Apart from that, they also quoted baseless and incorrect circulation figures for Lokmat publication. The CCC concluded that the claim of Divya Marathi being “the No. 1 daily” was not substantiated by an independent research organization. The publicity material contravened Chapter I.1 of the Code. The complaint was UPHELD.

     

    DIVYA BHASKAR GROUP – Twice the readership in Bhatinda: As per the complaint, Dainik Bhaskar has claimed that “their readership is twice that of competition in Bhatinda city”. However, the truth is that – a) the only existing currency to measure readership in India is the IRS. b) The IRS does not report figures for Bhatinda separately. c) There is no basis on which this claim can be made in Bhatinda. The advertisement is false and is likely to mislead the public. The CCC concluded that the claim that, “Dainik Bhaskar’s readership is twice the readership of the competition in Bhatinda city”, was not substantiated by an independent research organization. The advertisement contravened Chapter.I.1 of the Code. The complaint was UPHELD.

     

    DIVYA BHASKAR GROUP – Ahead in readership in Patiala: As per the complaint, Dainik Bhaskar has claimed that “their readership is 20% more than that of the competition in Patiala city”. However, the truth is that – a) the only existing currency to measure readership in India is the IRS. b) The IRS does not report figures for Patiala separately. c) There is no basis on which this claim can be made in Patiala. The advertisement is false and is likely to mislead the public. The CCC concluded that the claim that, “Dainik Bhaskar’s readership is 20% more than that of the competition in Patiala city”, was not substantiated by an independent research organization. The advertisement contravened Chapter I.1 of the Code. The complaint was UPHELD.

     

    CAVINKARE PVT LTD – Fairever Fairness Cream: As per the complaint, the advertiser claimed that Fairever Fairness has a natural fairness system with saffron, milk and wheat germ oil that prevents skin from darkening and gives clear smooth skin. The advertiser needs to give scientific proof in substantiation of these claims. In the absence of scientific proof, the CCC concluded that the claim, “the cream prevents the skin from darkening”, was not substantiated. The advertisement contravened Chapter I.1of the Code. The complaint was UPHELD.

     

    ULTRATECH INDIA LTD: 18 Again – Vaginal Tightening and Rejuvenation Cream – As per the complaint, ”18 Again” claims vaginal tightening and rejuvenation of the vagina and it says “Feels like a virgin”. The TVC also shows an old lady ordering the product. The entire TVC represents vulgarity, in light of the generally prevailing standards of decency and propriety, which would cause widespread offence particularly among women. The advertisement contravened Chapter II of the Code. The complaint was UPHELD.

     

    EMDI INSTITUTE OF MEDIA & COMMUNICATION – The print ad claimed that EMDI is “India’s Largest Media Institute”. The advertiser failed to provide comparative data of other leading brands and other necessary data as proof. The CCC concluded that the claim that EMDI is “India’s Largest Media Institute” was not substantiated. The advertisement contravened Chapter I.1 of the Code. The complaint was UPHELD.

     

    TVC SKY SHOP LTD – Dr. Slim Tea – The print advertisement claimed that Slim Tea being an herbal tea can help lose weight effectively. It can improve your immune system”, “Shed kilos of extra fat, weight and inches”. Herbal Tea or any other type of tea cannot deliver weight reduction. The CCC concluded that the claims made in the advertisement and cited in the complaint were not substantiated with clinical trials. The advertisement contravened Chapter I.1 of the Code. The complaint was UPHELD.

     

    TVC SKYSHOP LTD – Full Gliding LG Touch Screen: As per the complaint, the Complainant ordered an LG mobile phone from TVC Skyshop Ltd. in May 2012 for a special offer price of Rs.5890/- plus Rs.250/- for delivery charges. The phone was delivered two weeks later but the phone supplied was not an LG phone but some other brand. The touch screen was not working properly and the QWERTY key pad numbers were not functional. The pouch supplied did not fit the phone. The CCC concluded that the mention of the LG logo contravened Chapter IV.2 of the Code – “Advertisements should not make unjustifiable use of the name or initials of any other firm, company or institution, nor take unfair advantage of the goodwill attached to the trademark, or symbol of another firm”. The complaint was UPHELD.

     

    LIDA BIOTECH PVT LTD – Lida Slimming Pills: The print advertisement conveys that one pill a day, with no need of exercise and diet can help lose 8-15 kg and 30 inches all over the body without any side effects. The CCC concluded that the claims made in the advertisement and cited in the complaint were not substantiated. The advertisement contravened Chapter I.1 of the Code. The complaint was UPHELD.

     

    NIFE INSTITUTE OF ENGINEERING – As per the complaint, the advertiser claims that NIFE (Institute of Fire Engineering) have provided jobs for 3000 to 4000 students per year. This claim needs to be supported with necessary data. . The CCC concluded that the claim mentioned in the advertisement was substantiated to the extent of around 3000 students employed whereas the range of students mentioned was a wide range of 3000 to 4000 students per year, which is misleading. The advertisement contravened Chapter I.4 of the Code. The complaint was UPHELD.

     

    GLOBAL HEART FOUNDATION – As per the complaint, the advertiser claims treatment within 35 hours without Angiography, Bypass or stent Angioplasty. Enhanced External counter pulsation therapy (EECP) and Natural Bypass is done without operation, and diagnosis. The CCC concluded that the claims mentioned in the advertisement and cited in the complaint were not substantiated adequately. The advertisement contravened Chapter I.1 of the Code. The complaint was UPHELD.

     

    SIGMA INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT & TECHNOLOGY – Diploma in Hotel Management: As per the complaint, the advertiser claims that Sigma Institute of Management & Technology gives 100% Job Placement in 5 Star Hotels or 200% Money Back Guarantee. The CCC concluded that the claim of “100% Job Placement in 5 Star Hotels or 200% Money Back Guarantee” was not substantiated. The advertisement contravened Chapter I.1 of the Code. The complaint was UPHELD.

     

    BRAD ENTERPRISES – Brad Eye Glass Remover: As per the complaint, the advertisement claims, “Remove eyeglass with 100% Ayurvedic eye drops”, “Helps reduce eyeglass 0.5 per month”, “Helps remove cataract without operation”, “Helps diabetes patients, darkness”, “No side effect”. The Website claims “Cure various eye problems with 100% Ayurvedic eye drops by reducing eyeglass number” and “Improve eye vision”. The advertisement misleads eye patients into not using eyeglasses and to rely on the eye drops. The advertisement also misleads diabetics into rely on this product. The print advertisement claims and the website claims need to be substantiated with data from independent research. The CCC concluded that the claims made in the advertisement and cited in the complaint were not substantiated. The advertisement contravened Chapter I.1 of the Code. The complaint was UPHELD.

     

    SISTEMA SHYAM TELESERVICES LTD – MTS Mblaze: As per the complaint, the advertiser claims to be India’s Fastest Internet service provider. The advertiser needs to substantiate the claim with comparative data in relation to other leading brands as proof of being the fastest internet service provider in India. The CCC concluded that in the absence of comparative data, the claim “India’s Fastest Internet service provider” was not substantiated. The advertisement contravened Chapter I.1 of the Code. The complaint was UPHELD.

     

    TELEBRANDS INDIA – Chimaxx Daily Walke: As per the complaint, the advertisement claims that with Chimaxx Daily Walker one can “lose weight lying down without exercise, diet, jog or taking pills”, “Fights Diabetes, Blood Pressure and helps lose weight”. The CCC concluded that in the absence of scientific proof the claim that, “with Chimaxx Daily Walker, one can lose weight lying down without exercise and that it fights diabetes & blood pressure” was not substantiated. The advertisement contravened Chapter I.1 of the Code. The complaint was UPHELD.

     

    NIRMEETI HEALTH CARE PVT LTD – Obecu Capsule: As per the complaint, the advertisement claims that Obecu capsule helps “Tummy Tuck and reduce weight”, “No dieting, No exercise, No side effect”. The CCC concluded that the claims made in the advertisement and cited in the complaint were not substantiated. The advertisement contravened Chapter I.1 of the Code. The complaint was UPHELD.

     

    M S RAMAIAH INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY – 100% Placement in 2011-12: As per the complaint, the claim, “100% Placement in 2011-12”, seems exaggerated. The advertiser should prove this by providing details of employment of every student who passed out from MSRIT in 2012. The CCC concluded that the claims made in the advertisement and cited in the complaint were not substantiated. The advertisement contravened Chapter 4 (e) of ASCI Guidelines for Advertising of Educational Institutions & Programs and Chapter I.1 of the ASCI Code. The complaint was UPHELD.

     

    ESCORTS LIMITED – Farmtrac 40 Tractor: As per the complaint, there is a wrong interpretation of the concerned product feature. The advertisement compares wheel base of the 2 tractors, and claims that Farmtrac 40’s slightly longer wheel base provides better stability in haulage work. The CCC concluded that the comparison of the two tractors on only a few factors is likely to mislead consumers that the Advertiser’s product is better than the complainant’s. The advertisement was misleading by omission and contravened Chapter I.4 of the Code. The complaint was UPHELD.

     

    BHOPAL SAHAKARI DUGDH SANGH MARYADIT – Sanchi Namkin & Sada Matta: The print ad claims that Sanchi Namkin and Sada Matta “improves immunity power”, “decreases heat”, “improves digestive System”, “provides minerals”, “helps to reduce weight”, “prevents you from bacteria of cancer”. The CCC concluded that the claims made in the advertisement and cited in the complaint were not substantiated with clinical proof. The advertisement contravened Chapter I.1 of the Code. The complaint was UPHELD.

     

    MANGALAYATAN UNIVERSITY: The advertisement claims that Mangalayatan University is “The Best Emerging University in India”, ” Over 85 of India’s leading companies have already made over 450 offers to MU students”, ” Highest offer of rupees 5, 68000/- and overall placements of 85% & MBA 96%.” The Advertiser should provide statistical and comparative proof to substantiate the claims. The CCC concluded that the claims made in the advertisement and cited in the complaint were not substantiated. The advertisement contravened Chapter I.1 of the Code. The complaint was UPHELD.

     

    During the month of August, the CCC also received complaints against 7 print advertisements. The complaints were received against the advertisements of “Whirlpool Cooking Appliances”, “Massey Ferguson Tractors”, “Hemor Rite”, “Metro Group of Hospitals”, “Graphic Era University”, Best Brown Rice, Mohak Hi-tech Speciality Hospital. However, as these advertisements did not contravene ASCI’s codes or guidelines, the complaints were NOT UPHELD.

     

     

     

  • The month-long safety campaign 'Total Quartz Safety Month' – a joint initiative from 92.7 Big FM and Total Oil India, comes to a close with the very successful Total Quartz Safety Run across 21 citiesStory

    BIG FM’s Total Quartz Safety Month concludes

    By A Correspondent

     

    The month-long safety campaign ‘Total Quartz Safety Month’ – a joint initiative from 92.7 Big FM and Total Oil India, comes to a close with the very successful Total Quartz Safety Run across 21 cities of India. Garnering an outstanding response, the campaign reached out to 2 crore+ audiences across the 21 station powerful radio network of 92.7 Big FM. For the run itself, each city saw excellent local support from local traffic authorities, celebrities, NGOs and the local populace seeing over 30,000 people from across the country taking to the streets in support of this campaign. With an appropriate cause, superlative reach and mammoth support, the Total Quartz Safety Run is by far one of the most successful radio campaigns.

     

    With over 50 NGOs ranging Lions Club, Rotaract Clubs, Alert, SoS Care India, Yuva, CareForYou Foundation, Humanitarian Welfare and Research Foundation and NCC, and some of society’s well known faces like singers Sophie Choudhary and Shilajit, actors Hrishita Bhatt, Payal Rohatgi, Ramya Barna, Chirag Patil, Shekhar Singh and Sufi Sayyed, wrestler Sangram Singh, and sportsmen Raju Ganguly and Shanku Guha, along with the top notches in traffic authorities, the month long event has managed to successfully create awareness for the extremely serious cause of safe driving habits. With topics which ranged from dangers of drunken driving to talking on the cell phone when driving, to wearing the seat belts, safe driving tips and more, the response on air was overwhelming, with opinions pouring in from celebrities, experts, people who have been involved in drunk driving cases to just people who had a story to tell.

     

    Speaking about the Total Quartz Safety Run, a 92.7 Big FM spokesperson said, “This is yet another step in our endeavour of positively impacting the lives of listeners. We are extremely happy with the results of this mammoth exercise, across 21 cities of India and the difference which we have been able to create along with our partners Total Oil India. The response from authorities, NGOs, dignitaries, celebrities and the local populace in each of the cities has been overwhelming and extremely encouraging. Through this and each of our other initiatives, we continue to live our brand line Suno Sunao Life Banao.”

     

    Elaborating further, Mr B Vijay Kumar, Chairman & Managing Director, Total Oil India Pvt. Ltd. said, “Being in the business of manufacturing products which help keep your vehicle safe, we emphasise o the importance of road safety. Driving or riding a vehicle on the road is a responsibility and should be taken very seriously. We are happy with the results of the campaign and are happy to have partnered 92.7 BIG FM in this cause.”

     

  • Khumaar, a musical event organized in his personal capacity by Bipin Pandit, Chief Operating Officer of The Advertising Club, will be held in the first week of February 2013

    Bipin Pandit’s Khumaar show in Feb ’13

    Bipin Pandit

    By A Correspondent

     

    Khumaar, a musical event organized in his personal capacity by Bipin Pandit, Chief Operating Officer of The Advertising Club, will be held in the first week of February 2013.

     

    Billed as a quality show for corporates, Khumaar is backed by a team of 18 pprofessionals who meticulously select and present songs and music that aim to stay as close to the original as possible. So far the shows that have been held have attracted well-known names such as Suresh Wadkar and Roopkumar Rathod, and have been well received by audiences which have seen participation from the advertising, media and marketing fraternity.

     

    The thought of starting Khumaar came to Mr Pandit following his career over 20 years as a professional Hindi compere, combined with his command over Urdu and skill in mimicry. Khumaar presents old Hindi musical hits from great films of yesteryear, with ghazals, Sufi songs and a qawwali interspersed for variety. A selected few new songs are also presented.

     

    Khumaar also serves a social purpose by supporting the activities of an NGO, Light of Life Trust, and the CPAA (Cancer Patients Aid Association). The Light of Life Trust does a variety of good work that includes reinstating dropout girls to school, providing help to people with terminal illnesses, and free medical attention.

     

    At February’s Khumaar, the first half will be themed around Romance, and will salute three romantic superstars – Dev Anand, Shammi Kapoor and Rajesh Khanna, as also the legendary Yash Chopra. The show will also pay homage to actor Joy Mukherjee with some great Rafi numbers. The show will be webcast live on www.bipinpandit.com.

     

  • Will it be a cracker or a damp squib? Advertisers are optimistic and observers pin hopes on the men in blue as they take on England in cricket until end-Jan

    Enough backers for payback series?

     

    By Johnson Napier

     

    The India-England cricket series that kicks off from November 15, 2012 is being billed as a revenge or payback series by most scribes who follow the sport closely. Be it the media, analysts, critics or even players/commentators, virtually all are going gaga about how the current series would be the one to watch out for as India will be fighting to prove its mettle as being the best in the business. The fact that the men in blue were thrashed badly by the Englishmen the last time they played each other makes the cause even more compelling. But is the prevailing sentiment as positive as is being made out to be, or will it be a tough ask for the channel as it begins its quest to draw in more audiences? And, more importantly, what is the response that can be solicited from the advertisers who of late are opting to stay aloof from their association with the sport?

     

    To begin with, the good news is that the tournament begins at a time when most of India is in the mood for celebration what with the festival season already underway. So while partying, visiting relatives and relaxing would be top of mind for most it would also mean being able to sit at home and watch Sachin Tendulkar or Virendra Sehwag get India off to a roaring start. And that’s what is leading everybody to believe that the Series will at least kick off on a high note.

     

    Ayaz Memon

    Anticipating a huge response, senior journalist, sportswriter and now commentator Ayaz Memon is hopeful that the current series will be a success. As Hindi commentator for the current series, Mr Memon sounded positive: “I feel the pressure is more on India as they have to prove a point on the home turf. The fact is that India hasn’t lost a home series since 2004, and also the record since the last 12 months hasn’t been good so the pressure is squarely on the Indian team. Also the team is not in peak form as can be inferred from their recent performances across other tournaments. So one can expect the Indian team to put up a compelling fight, to say the least.”

     

    Backing up his claim, Mr Memon said that the channel has been doing a good job promoting the series. “I will be doing commentary for Star in Hindi and I can tell you that they have done a good job in building up the tournament and promotion-led activities. Even on the print platform the exposure has been pretty good. But we will have to wait and see how it pans out over the next few weeks. But I am sure that the viewership will be higher than the previous Test matches. The fact that you have Sachin Tendulkar playing in the series along with Yuvraj, Harbhajan and also Kevin Pietersen from England etc, I think it will be a marquee series.”

     

    Balakrishna

    Backing Mr Memon’s optimism is PM Balakrishna, COO, Allied Media, who said, “From a cricket and sentiment point of view, I feel people are looking forward to the series. It is being touted as the Grudge Series going by the promotional activities that are being carried out by the broadcaster. The audience really wants to see India thrash the English. So based on the hype, I expect to see more crowds at the stadium and also more ratings for the broadcaster.”

     

    But while the initial sentiment seems bright it is definitely not easy predicting results before the start of the tournament. The prediction becomes even more difficult when the series begins with a Test match and not ODIs or T20 that can guarantee some decent TVRs. When asked about the possible ratings that can be expected, Mr Balakrishna said, “Test matches have never been about ratings like ODIs or T20. But maybe because of the fact that this is a long holiday week, one can expect high ratings at least from the initial match itself. While it would be difficult to hazard a guess, I would be happy to go with an average TVR of 2-3.”

     

    Kartik Sharma

    Kartik Sharma, Managing Partner, Maxus India was more forthright, saying, “Any cricket tournament involving India is always unpredictable but exciting. As Indians, we obviously want our country to win but a sport like cricket is always difficult to predict. If you ask me, the sentiments are purely driven by the results of the first few matches. And going by our ability to digest defeat, we Indians don’t really fare well in that department. By that I mean that if we lose a match or two, we tend to divert our attention to other sports or television properties. But then again, this being a festival/holiday season I expect at least the first few matches to have a decent viewership as people will be at home and thus would be able to watch the matches. By nature, Test matches anyway do not draw in more audiences compared to what the T20 or ODI matches do. So I am expecting an average TVR of 2+ for Test matches and an average TVR of 4+ for ODIs.”

     

    Mahesh Ranka

    Presenting another factor that could guarantee ratings or dismiss them, Mahesh Ranka, CEO, Indus Sports asserted that it may even depend on the opponent playing against India: “If it is Australia or even England, there could be some decent ratings expected, as these teams are ranked higher compared to what a Bangladesh or Zimbabwe series would draw. The thing about England is that we lost to them badly when we went there so hopefully, we can look forward to avenging that result through the current series. And if India happens to win the first match, you could expect more audiences (in the range of 20-30 percent more on the base figure) who will come in for the second match, and so on.”

     

    But in the overall analysis, Mr Ranka is of the opinion that the current series will not have anything great to offer in terms of viewership, at least as far as the Test matches go. “The ratings that Test matches have thrown up in the recent past kind of puts everything under the scanner. Though people (particularly media) tend to hype any tournament, Test matches have never really managed to draw in the audience (viewership). That’s because people have their own mindset behind watching any match and advertisers will always have to move along taking into account the risk of losing out on viewership.”

     

    On the interest shown by advertisers, Mr Ranka said, “From an advertiser’s perspective, one has to always look at why cricket is typically watched: it is brought for reach. There are two things to that. Firstly it is the festival season where advertisers have monies to spend and whether it is cricket or no, they will eventually spend at this time of the year. The rates that could be expected for Test matches in the current series would be in the range of Rs 50,000 to 1 lakh for ten seconds.”

     

    Taking a diplomatic stand Mr Sharma said, “The advertiser sentiment depends on the packages that are being offered by the broadcaster and there are various deals in store. But I wouldn’t be able to comment if the rates are more or less compared to the previous tournaments.”

     

    Presenting a bullish outlook, Mr Balakrishna said that from the advertiser’s standpoint, the sentiment seems pretty positive. “Against the backdrop of digitization, one genre that is the least affected always is cricket, as the sport is not always about being CPRP-led but also about hype and other such factors. So I do see a positive resonance to the whole series from an advertiser standpoint. Also, I am sure that the channel would have factored in the tough economic scenario and therefore would have come up with a competitive package for the advertisers, making it a win-win for both of them.”

     

    So whether it will be a winner or a dampener, what the India-England Series is managing to do is turn the spotlight back to cricket. Which is a good move considering that the recently held Champions League tourney didn’t go down too well with audiences. The icing on the cake would be if India manages to whitewash the team from England. TVCs have been saying that India “Angrezon ki band bajaayega” – that is, will thrash the English. Music to our ears or hitting the wrong notes? The game will tell.

     

  • WATConsult has won the social and digital duties of Godrej Nature's Basket, the gourmet retail venture of the Godrej Group

    WATConsult wins Godrej Nature’s Basket’s digital and social mandate

    By A Correspondent

     

    Social media strategy consulting agency WATConsult has won the social and digital duties of Godrej Nature’s Basket, the gourmet retail venture of the Godrej Group.

     

    The account has been won recently and the execution for the same is slated to begin soon. With the addition of Godrej’s Nature Basket, WATConsult extends its current portfolio and takes the total number of clients to 55+.

     

    Commenting on the win, Rajiv Dingra, Founder & CEO, WATConsult said, “I am delighted with the win of the new account. Since our inception in 2007, it has been the constant endeavour of WAT Consult to create path-breaking creative campaigns that not only make an impact digitally but leave a mark across media. Godrej Nature’s Basket is a leader in its respective industry and by providing excellent quality innovation through strategy, technology and quality of management; we hope that we deliver exceptional performance.”

     

    Mohit Khattar, Managing Director, Godrej Nature’s Basket said, “Social media plays a pivotal role in building strong consumer engagement for Godrej Nature’s Basket. Understanding the importance of this platform, it was integral for us to get on board an agency that can help us drive our vision towards being a preferred world food destination. We look forward to a long and sustained association with WAT Consult.”

     

    Currently, WATConsult manages various brands from the Godrej Group. These brands include Godrej Appliances, Godrej Locks and Godrej Security Solutions.