MxMIndia

Category: NEWS

  • Gap, the largest casual wear retailer in the United States, readies plans to open stores in India next year

    Now Gap to enter India, mulls strategy

    By Rasul Bailay & Chaitali Chakravarty

     

    Gap Inc, the largest casual wear retailer in the United States, is readying plans to open stores in India sometime next year, making it one of the highest profile global brands to set up shop in the country after it threw open the single-brand sector to foreign firms.

     

    News of San Francisco, California-based Gap’s entry into India, a country that it has used as a sourcing destination for the past 14 years, comes at a time its Swedish rival H&M is in the process of filing for government approval next month to start a fully-owned subsidiary in the country. The two, however, trail Spain’s Zara, which has been operating in the country since 2010 and has, according to industry insiders, built up a strong albeit small franchise.

     

    The company, which owns global brands such as Gap, Old Navy, Banana Republic, Piperlime and Athleta and reported sales of $14.5 billion in 2011, has put in place a team headed by its US veteran Rajiv Malik to give shape to its entry strategy for India. Gap entered China more than two years ago through a fully-owned subsidiary.

     

    Mr Malik has said that India is among the large major countries where Gap was not present. “We will probably be here next year. India is a market for us in the future,” said Mr Malik, who is the general manager for sourcing for Gap in India. Formerly a vice-president for global production for Gap in the US, Mr Malik was despatched to India eight months ago with the aim to open its stores in the country.

     

    Asked whether Gap, which began life with a single store in 1969 in San Francisco and now has more than 3,000 outlets in 90 countries, would choose to go solo or have a local partner, Mr Malik said the company was yet to make up its mind. “We are not decided and we are in the process of getting to that point,” he said. Gap presently sources more than $500 million worth of products out of India each year.

     

    However, another person familiar with Gap’s India plans said it will go solo in the country, where the $58 billion annual textile and apparel market is set to explode to $141 billion by 2021, according to a study by consulting firm Technopak Advisors. Of this, the apparel market is valued at around $40 billion, of which modern retailers control just 17%, according to Technopak.

     

    After six years of restricting foreign ownership in single-brand retail companies to 51%, India removed this sectoral cap in January 2012 and allowed global firms such as IKEA and Zara, which sell a variety of products under a single label, to set up fully-owned companies in India. The original policy change came with a requirement of 30% local sourcing, but the government last September diluted that condition after overseas firms raised concerns that it was not feasible.

     

    More than one dozen single brand retailers are said to be sizing up the Indian market for entry, many of them in various stages of researching, partner scouting or filing for government approvals. Some of these include shoemaker Sketchers, French apparel retailer Celio, luxury brand Prada and Japanese fashion brand Uniqlo.

     

    French sportswear retailer Decathlon SA and Thailand-based designer Lotus Arts de Virve have also applied under the single-brand retailing window, while Sweden-based H&M, one of Europe’s largest apparels and accessories retailer, is in the process of applying for a fully-owned local venture.

     

    A recent approval for Sweden’s IKEA Group, widely viewed as a test case of government intentions, will encourage more single-brand retailers to India’s promising retail market, analysts say. IKEA’s proposal involves a plan to invest Rs 10,500 crore in India over the next 25 years.

     

    Global brands such as Zara, Mango and Tommy Hilfiger, some of them already present in the country as joint ventures or franchisee with local partners, have been quite successful in India.

     

    Overwhelming response to Zara in India had prompted its parent Inditex Group to bring its upmarket brand Massimo Dutti to India, but that proposal has now gone into cold storage due to regulatory issues. Tommy Hilfiger has sought permission to open 500 stores in India in the next five years, hoping to capitalise on its growing popularity in the country. Germany’s Esprit, which late last year decided to exit India after failing to crack the market, is “evaluating various options” to relaunch in India, a spokesperson for Esprit said.

     

    Source:The Economic Times

    Copyright © 2013, Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. All Rights Reserved

     

  • Experiential marketing company RC&M bagged seven awards at the RMAI awards for rural marketing held in Delhi – a gold, 3 silver and 3 bronze

    RC&M nets 7 awards at RMAI Corporate Awards 2012

    By A Correspondent

     

    Rural Marketing Association of India (RMAI) held the fourth edition of the RMAI Corporate Awards in association with Sahaj being the main sponsor and Tata Steel and Reliance Broadcast as the associate sponsors.

     

    RC&M won gold for their campaign Mahindra Samriddhi India Agri Awards in the category of Best integrated initiative using ATL/BTL – Durables.

     

    Mahindra Khiladi No. 1 in the category of Best integrated initiative using ATL/BTL – Durables, Mahindra Technology in the category of Using never before used media – Innovative way of Communication – Durables and Mahindra Samriddhi in the category of New concepts in Agriculture and Dairy – Durables bagged the Silver.

     

    Bronze were taken by Mahindra Samriddhi (Best Long Term Rural Communication Initiative for more than two years – Durables), M&M International Door Delivery (On ground / Event Marketing – Service) and Mahindra Khiladi No. 1 (Sports Initiatives – Durables).

     

    Priya Monga, Business head, RC&M, on this achievement said, “RC&M has marked innumerable milestones in these 22 years in terms of developments, achievements and successful endeavors. We have established a pan-India presence which is not only a matter of pride but also a constant source of motivation. It’s a matter of immense pride and honour to keep receiving these awards as a token of recognition and appreciation. RMAI awards have provided the entire industry with a great platform to showcase their work. We hope we continue to deliver innovative and result oriented results.”

     

  • Underlining Publicis/MSLGROUP's's global capabilities in the strategic communications field, the group's various consultancies when combined ranked third in the Mergermarket's 2012 global M&A league table for PR Advisors

    Publicis/MSLGROUP consultancies ranked 3rd globally in Mergermarket’s PR advisors M&A league tables

    By A Correspondent

     

    Underlining Publicis/MSLGROUP’s’s global capabilities in the strategic communications field, the group’s various consultancies when combined ranked third in the Mergermarket’s 2012 global M&A league table for PR Advisors.

     

    Globally, Publicis/MSLGROUP teams at Kekst and Company and CNC Communications and Network Consulting accounted for USD 144.61bn of combined transaction value in 2012, and a combined transaction volume of 151 deals, ranking them in 3rd place on both measures.

     

    In the US, Publicis/MSLGROUP ranked 3rd in terms of value. The group includes Kekst, CNC, Capital MSL and MSL Germany. Combined, the group accounted for USD 144.47bn in transaction value in 2012. Kekst itself ranked #2 in terms of deal volume in the US in 2012 advising on 115 transactions.

     

    Within Europe, Kekst, CNC, and Capital MSL accounted for USD 78.71bn in value, putting them in 5th place. By volume, Kekst and CNC accounted for 59 transactions, putting them in 7th place.

     

    In Germany, CNC, Kekst, and JKL accounted for USD 39.46bn in value, while CNC and Kekst had a combined deal volume of 32. That puts the Publicis/MSLGROUP companies in 2nd place by value.

     

    In France, Publicis Consultants, CNC, and Kekst accounted for USD 10.67bn in value, putting then in 4th place. By volume, Publicis and Kekst accounted for 28 transactions, putting them in 2nd place.

     

    Following Mergermarket’s own methodology, Publicis/MSLGROUP’s analysis only takes into account companies that make the top 20 on a global or regional basis, and the top 15 on a country basis. Whilst providing a useful snapshot of Publicis/MSLGROUP’s performance, the results will however therefore underestimate the true market position of the combined business value and volume at MSLGROUP.

     

    Entities at Publicis/MSLGROUP working in the Financial Communications space, and who submit data to Mergermarket, include Kekst, CNC, JKL, Publicis Consultants, Capital MSL, MSL Germany, MSL Italia, Ciszewski MSL and MSL India.

     

  • The global study validates four key attributes to measuring and building corporate brand strength

    Hero Motors, IOC on APCO ‘Champion Brands’ list

    By A Correspondent

     

    Global communication, stakeholder engagement and business strategy firm APCO Worldwide has announced the 50 companies that top its Champion Brand Index, a first-of-its-kind global study that measures the brand strength of nearly 600 of the world’s largest public and private companies. The groundbreaking study identifies those brands that are performing best against a new proprietary approach for evaluating and building corporate brands.

     

    With respect to regional corporate brands, the companies in India that are identified as best achieving Champion Brand status include Hero Motors and Indian Oil Corporation.

     

    “Champion Brands are those companies that have best aligned their business strategy, vision and values with the shared interests of their stakeholders,” said Margery Kraus, founder and CEO of APCO Worldwide. “It’s clear that having quality products or services is no longer enough. Today’s most successful brands – Champion Brands – are creating enduring relationships with their stakeholders by creating societal value while also delivering corporate value.”

     

    The study, conducted by APCO Insight, surveyed more than 70,000 people in 15 countries. The study measures how companies perform against a new model, the four As that make up Champion Brand, which provides a 21st-century framework for building corporate brands:

     

    • Alignment: meeting stakeholders’ most important expectations
    • Authenticity: acting in a way that is consistent with what a company says
    • Attachment: the extent to which stakeholders connect emotionally with a company
    • Advocacy: advocating on behalf of stakeholders’ interests, applying unique expertise and assets to add value to society

     

     

     

     

    “The study demonstrated that excellence on each attribute is increasingly difficult to achieve, but as companies advance through each dimension they do more than simply build product brand value,” said Bryan Dumont, president of APCO Insight. “Companies that perform well against all of the 4As move from being good corporate brands to becoming Champion Brands, and Champion Brands are winning in this new environment.”

     

    More information about Champion Brand, along with detailed results of APCO’s Champion Brand Index, is available at www.apcoworldwide.com/champion

     

     

  • The agency has devised a crowdsourcing campaign using Shah Rukh Khan, where existing owners and prospective buyers of the i10 can write a script for the next i10 TVC

    Crowdsourcing is Innocean’s theme for Hyundai i10

    By A Correspondent

     

    With growing competitiveness and a need to refresh the communication for Hyundai i10 Hyundai mandated its agency Innocean Worldwide India to conceptualize a new campaign for the brand in line with its dominant presence in the compact segment. For 2013, Innocean thought about energizing the entire targeted base with a bait to get them thinking about the car. Not only was the intent about creating an energy field around the brand Hyundai i10 but also to make the entire universe of prospective car buyers a part of the communication engagement. The agency has devised the a crowd sourcing campaign using Shah Rukh Khan, where all prospective buyers of i10 and its existing owners get to write a script for the next i10 TVC. If selected the contestant gets to act with SRK in the TVC for i10.

     

    Saurabh Dasgupta ECD at Innocean Worldwide India said, “The challenge for us lay in the defining the contours of this campaign to elicit a high level of response and stay true to the brand values of Hyundai i10. Yet at the heart of it all the communication intent is simple: imbibe the brand’s virtues, craft a script and full your acting dreams with SRK!”

     

    The TVC in the first phase of the campaign has an agitated SRK asking the fumbling director for his lines and then turning to the audience asking them to write in with their scripts. This campaign utilises the digital platform extensively to close the participation loop. In the words of B Sridhar Group Director, Media & Digital Services at Innocean, “The campaign has given us a rather good sized canvas to draw a digitally integrated communication effort that’s all pervasive.” A micro-site enables all participants to upload their scripts as text, video or even audio files. There is the regular snail mail too. A single response number with ‘missed call’ facility enables an IVR driven interaction wherein the scripts can be recorded by the contestants.

     

    “It’s a rather exciting idea we have thought of and it’s a composite one which looks at all aspects of communication and engagement touchpoints,” said Vivek Srivastava, Jt MD of Innocean. “The integration of diverse media apertures is one of the strengths of this endeavour and showcases our team’s technological capabilities alongside the dexterity with the advertising craft,” he added.

     

    The campaign in this phase will run for six weeks seeking the consumers’ participation and thereafter return with the crowd-sourced id featuring the Hyundai i10, SRK and the winner.

     

  • Brandlogist, a brand consultancy specializing in digital media, has won the marketing mandate for officeyes.com which sells office stationery and office supplies

    Brandlogist wins the marketing mandate for officeyes.com

    By A Correspondent

     

    Brandlogist , a brand consultancy specializing in digital media, has won the marketing mandate for officeyes.com which sells office stationery and office supplies.

     

    The scope involves marketing Office Yes across communication channels and consulting them on brand strategy & direction. Brandlogist  plans to use a mix of communication including OOH, DM, Events tightly integrated via the digital platforms.

     

    Commenting on the win Siddharth Nambiar,CEO Office Yes said, “We are very pleased to be working with the team at Brandologist in our efforts to develop the OfficeYes.com brand. They quickly understood the key business challenges we face, and have helped us to develop a vision for our brand that we are excited about, and that we are confident will drive real business results.”

     

    Saurabh Parmar, CEO Brandlogist Communications said, “It’s an interesting win for us. Rather than coming back with the usual communication matrix of mediums – approach and spends, we came back with strategies driving certain ideas which cut across communication channels. Officeyes has appreciated us for it and in fact they wanted to get down to work as soon as possible.”

     

    This is the second win for Brandlogist this month, after they bagged the social media account of the menswear brand Blackberrys.

     

  • The campaign consisting of 5 TVCs will be broadcast for six weeks

    Dentsu creates madness for Chingles

    By A Correspondent

     

    DS Group has marked its entry into the Rs 1,600 cr gum category with ‘Chingles’ mini-gums. Launched under its flagship brand ‘Pass Pass’, Chingles is positioned as an antidote to the seriousness of adult life.

     

    The campaign ‘Aaj Lee Kya’, conceived by Dentsu Marcom, is a call to the audience to break the monotony of their daily rut and infuse a little laughter and light heartedness in their lives with some harmless pranks on friends, family and colleagues. The tagline also works as a reminder to use the brand almost on a daily basis. In the communication the product can be seen as a prank enabler.

     

    The communication is presented in a series of TV commercials. The first one introduces the ‘Lee’ family. A crazy household with triplet brothers, who are always busy taking each other’s case through harmless tricks and gags. Their names, UngLee, KhujLee and GoogLee, each represent an expression commonly used to refer to taking someone’s trip.

     

    The five TVCs are anecdotes of the three brothers playing pranks on each other. Another character that’s a part of this crazy set-up is JuLee, the neighbourhood damsel and the object of desire for all the three brothers. Apart from pulling pranks on each other, the three brothers are constantly trying to oust one another to get JuLee’s attention and to destroy the chances of the other if any.

     

    The commercials are fast paced to almost give a Charlie Chaplinish feel; the retro execution, unique outfits and voices and innocently hilarious plots add to the frenzy of the films and make the campaign more memorable.

     

    The Lee brothers return with yet another hilarious prank of theirs. This time the brothers KhujLee and GoogLee depict the proverb ‘Idle mind is a devil’s workshop’ in their classic style. The film opens on an ordinary day in the Lee household with UngLee lazing around with a book in his hands. But the peace doesn’t last long, as KhujLee and GoogLee exploit sibling rivalry to trick UngLee.

     

    Credits:

    Campaign elements: TVC/ Print/ Digital/ Cinema/ Outdoor

    Client: Dharampal Satyapal Ltd

    Creative Agency: Dentsu Marcom Pvt Ltd

    Account management: Sunita Prakash, Dhruv Lavania

    Planning: Narayan Devanathan, Rabia Sooch

    National Creative Director: Titus Upputuru

    Creative Director: Abhinav Karwal

    Art Director: Sumit Vashisht

    Copywriter: Titus Upputuru, Anish Nath, Kapil Rana

    Director (of the film): Amit Sharma

    Production House: Chrome Films

     

  • Divya Radhakrishnan's Helios Media has been awarded the mandate to manage the revenue monetization of Chef Sanjeev Kapoor's FoodFood channel

    Helios bags sales mandate for FoodFood

    By A Correspondent

     

    Leading food channel has awarded its revenue monetization mandate to Helios Media, the Divya Radhakrishnan-led speciality services company for broadcasters with verticals in sales, marketing, content advisory, content syndication and research and traffic management. The mandate was earlier held by Media Agnos.

     

    FoodFood is a joint venture between well-known Chef Sanjeev Kapoor and Malaysia-based media conglomerate Astro Media. Chef Kapoor is well-known for his popular shows like ‘Khana Khazana’ on Zee TV and his recent association with ‘Masterchef’ on Star Plus. Confirming the news, Chef Sanjeev Kapoor, Co-founder & Director of FoodFood, said, “Our decision to partner with Helios Media is based on our assessment of its team’s strength and ability. In a unique offering and destination such as FoodFood, it is imperative that the team has deep understanding of aspirational needs of brands and viewers alike. The passion displayed by Helios reassures me that it would not only meet FoodFood’s expectation but also exceed it.”

     

    The channel has just celebrated its second anniversary and has been popular among the core segment of women for its programming, like the most recent ‘Secret Recipe’ and other popular shows like ‘Sanjeev Kapoor’s Kitchen’, ‘Turban Tadka’, ‘Mummy Ka Magic’ and ‘Style Chef’.

     

    Divya Radhakrishnan

    Commenting on the win, Divya Radhakrishnan, MD, Helios Media, said, “We are extremely honoured for the faith instilled by Sanjeev and team on Helios Media and for awarding us the business. With a dedicated food channel and even the GECs going the food route with primetime reality shows, we know that the food space is just beginning to simmer. ”

     

    Adds Bala Iyengar, Business Director of Helios Media: “Helios Media has the ability to not just sell space, but sell brand perceptions as well, and that is extremely critical in the niche channel scenario. We are confident about synergizing the FoodFood brand values with the clients’ marketing objectives to give solutions working for both the channel and the advertisers. With our strong infrastructure of teams across the country and evolved process, we are all set to take FoodFood to glorious heights.”

     

    Meanwhile, Media Agnos – set up by seasoned broadcast professionals Abraham (Abe) Thomas and Sumit  Gupta – will continue to handle the mandate for NDTV Good Times and Explore TV amongst others.

     

  • World Editors Forum president Eric Bjerager on the way forward in a world where barriers between print and broadcast are shrinking

    17 trends for newspaper journalism

     

    At the Newsroom Summit at the WAN-IFRA Conference 2012 in Pune, Eric Bjerager, president, World Editors Forum, Denmark, spoke about 17 trends to watch out for in journalism. While stressing that the forum aimed to work for press freedom, editorial excellence and quality journalism, he quoted Mahatma Gandhi: …man should understand the dignity of labour, and his work should be such that it advances interest in the community to which he belongs. “This is the heart of our profession,” Mr Bjerager said. Sashi Nair, Editor, Vidura picks highlights from the speech.

     

    Eric Bjerager

    1. Newsrooms are increasingly outsourced. This includes editorial functions considered journalism’s core. Australia’s Fairfax has moved subbing operations to New Zealand, as have several British newspapers (to Australia). Editors are looking for faster and flexible freelancers, journalists are finding it more effective to work in teams and make concerted efforts.

     

    2. Two-speed journalism is now a reality. Yes, social networks matter; to be first is no longer as important as to be relevant.

     

    3. Long-form journalism is now on the rise. It is making a comeback (the success of The Caravan is an example in India) and people are using iPads and mobile phones to access long-form journalism.

     

    4. Newsrooms come in many organizational models. The change has been faster in the past ten years than the previous 90 years combined. Keeping up with the pace of change is a huge challenge for editors all over the world. Newsrooms are organized in a variety of ways, there is no one single form as such. The creators report stories, the curators select, decide and produce the stories for every platform, and the team ensures that news reaches as many people as possible via social media. The challenge is to get readers interested in stories.

     

    5. Breaking news is digital. News lives on the Internet, on Twitter, on Facebook; breaking news on Twitter is faster than what radio or television can do. It makes the TV station look antiquated, but yes, speed prevails over accuracy.

     

    6. Data journalism is accepted as a discipline. People are increasingly getting interested in analysing data.

     

    7. Infographics dominate the web. From pictures to maps and illustrations, there’s an explosion of infographics on the web and that is driving the change in newspapers

     

    8. Barriers between print and broadcast are shrinking. Multimedia journalism is becoming the rule. However, it remains to be seen whether videos produced by newspapers and print journalists will dominate the living rooms in the future.

     

    9. Video is becoming a social affair. High-quality videos, live streaming of debates are attracting more people online. They are invited to give comments, expert comments are also invited via Skype, live, and thus, there is great interactivity.

     

    10. There is more momentum from mobile. You can reach your audiences no matter where they are. The challenge is of course to make the investment in the mobile platform viable.

     

    11. Social media enriches journalism. But there are many questions such as should the reporter use social media merely as a tool for research. And there are no easy answers.

     

    12. Social media talent will invigorate our editorial staff. A new team (breed) of reporters and editors are entering our newsrooms, using Twitter and Facebook. It helps you know where to move.

     

    13. Digital training is a necessity. Digital journalism is constantly developing; tools and methods are changing every day. Today’s reporters have only a fraction of the skills needed to survive in the modern newsroom. Digital storytelling is a must to survive in the long-run.

     

    14. Reporters are better curators than bloggers or aggregators. As the world gets bigger, people need more curation (selecting and summarising content, adding value). Newspaper reporters are good curators, they have professional insight and access to the right sources. We need curation to be aggregators.

     

    15. Journalism must be found. Headlines and lead paragraphs must be optimised for search engines. Finding a relevant article has become as important as writing a story.

     

    16. All-round newspapers are challenged online by big tabloids. The Daily Mail has become the most visited news site; it focuses on tabloid journalism. Indeed, the classic newspaper struggles for advertising.

     

    17. Ethics is all about going back to the basics. We must ensure readers trust us, we live on trust, this is our main asset, if our readers don’t trust us we don’t have a chance to survive. We must constantly remind ourselves that getting the story right is important.

     

    Eric Bjerager is editor-in-chief of Danish national newspaper Kristeligt Dagblad and president of the World Editors Forum. He spoke at the Newsroom Summit conducted at the WAN-IFRA Conference 2012 in Pune. This article was published in the January-March 2013 edition of Vidura. Published here  with permission of the Editor, Mr Sashi Nair

     

  • Nick India, Viacom18's kids brand, in association with one of India's leading retailers, Mahindra Retail, have introduced a new range of adventure toys

    Nick India & Mahindra Retail partner for kids’ adventure toys range

    By A Correspondent

     

    Nick India, Viacom18’s kids brand, in association with leading retailer Mahindra Retail, have introduced a new range of adventure toys – Play Nation ‘Royal Express & Play Nation Speed Racing’. This collection of toys will help kids experience a combination of thrill and excitement, plus enable them to build their own racing paths right from scratch.

     

    Powered by Nickelodeon, the range of DIY toys consists of a train set called Play Nation Royal Express and a car set called Play Nation Speed Racing. The sets are available in three versions and are priced between Rs 1,499 and Rs 4,999. Available in over 1000 retail outlets in the country, kids can buy their sets at all prominent stores.

     

    Multiple players can compete against each other, thus adding to the interactivity and play value. The Play Nation Speed Racing range of toys have special features like speed control, changeable routes, working red lights and magnetic base amongst others, whereas the Play Nation Royal Express boasts of features like backward action, infrared control, auto hinge and working headlights.

     

    Sandeep Dahiya, Senior Vice President, Consumer Products & Communications, Viacom18 Media Pvt Ltd, said, “We’re happy to partner with Mahindra Retail to extend our brand to ‘Royal Express’ and ‘Speed Racing’. Given their unique features, the range is sure to excite our young consumers with its action, speed and engineering aspects.” He further added, “This partnership is in line with our plan to extend brand ‘Nickelodeon’ to categories that are relevant as well as exciting, through interesting collaboration like this.”

     

    Deepinder Kapany, Executive Vice President, Distribution Business & Beanstalk, Mahindra Retail, added, “We are extremely delighted with this new association with Nickelodeon. The launch of the Play Nation Royal Express and the Play Nation Speed Racing is only the beginning to excite kids to make their very own railway and racing tracks! It’s more than just fun, as these products can help build teamwork abilities, develop the kids motor and coordination skills while the child has fun and is being entertained in a healthy manner. Our association with Nickelodeon is a perfect platform to launch these toys that are synonymous to fun, entertainment, development and adventure, just like Nickelodeon.”

     

    The association will also include marketing activities like on-air promotion, consumer interactivity, digital and radio that will help in engagement with kids.

     

  • The youth-based education programme won 'Best On-Ground/Event Marketing of the Year' and 'Best Initiative Around Youth' awards from the Rural Marketing Association of India

    92.7 Big FM’s ‘Big Disha’ campaign wins 2 rural marketing awards

    By A Correspondent

     

    FM radio network 92.7 Big FM has garnered two awards for ‘Big Disha’, its youth-based education programme focusing on rural markets, at the Rural Marketing Awards, for the ‘Best On-Ground/Event Marketing Campaign of the Year’ and the ‘Best Initiative around Youth’. Organized by the Rural Marketing Association of India (RMAI) which promotes the cause of rural marketing, the Rural Marketing Awards applaud the best campaigns in marketing, branding, innovation and CSR.

     

    Big Disha won for its campaign designed to provide career counseling to small-town youth while preparing them for professional challenges that they might face. As a part of the campaign ‘Helping Men Look, Feel and Be at their Best’, Big Disha along with partner Gillette Guard tied up with multiple colleges and vocational outlets across Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Gujarat. The initiative reached out to over 6 lakh youth across 325 towns through career and grooming workshops giving the youth the right kind of training and guidance towards choosing a career and shaping their personalities.

     

    Commenting on receiving the Rural Marketing Awards for Big Disha, Vineet Mittal, Business Head, Big Rural said, “It is an extremely proud moment for us to win the Rural Marketing Awards for our IP, Big Disha. It is extremely motivating for us to receive appreciation for the rural youth education campaign we conducted in partnership with the Gillette team. We started it as an ambitious venture and are very happy to see the support it has received all along. We look forward to creating more landmark concepts which will help towards the education of more youth in rural India and creating a better life for them.”

     

  • Experian CheetahMail, the world's largest permission-based email marketing platform, has expanded its portfolio of clients by signing up with Cafe Coffee Day, Apnapaisa and Yepme.com

    Experian Marketing Services bags Cafe Coffee Day, Apnapaisa and Yepme

    By A Correspondent

     

    Experian CheetahMail, the world’s largest permission-based email marketing platform, has expanded its portfolio of clients by signing up with Cafe Coffee Day, Apnapaisa and Yepme.com. Experian Marketing Services will partner with these prestigious brands to help them engage with their audience through advanced email marketing strategies. These new clients join an existing roster of brands such as Makemytrip, Lemon Tree Hotels and Flipkart, helping Experian CheetahMail strengthen its position in the Indian market.

     

    On securing these new signups Naveen Bachwani, Head of Experian Marketing Services, said, “Experian CheetahMail is pleased to partner with Cafe Coffee Day, Apnapaisa and Yepme.com, to help improve the RoI on their digital marketing programs by deploying sophisticated Email Marketing strategies on the foundation of an industry-leading permission-based platform.” “Every marketer’s need is to get the right message delivered to the right consumer at the right time. The Experian CheetahMail platform and its team of highly experienced professionals, enables customers to tailor their marketing strategies to suit their consumer preferences, define an appropriate segmentation approach and maximize Inbox deliverability with measurable results.”

     

    K Ramakrishnan, President, Cafe Coffee Day, said, “CheetahMail is an email marketing platform that has helped us communicate effectively with our customers. With a robust reporting platform and hands-on help from the team, I’m confident we will be able to tailor our communication much better.”

     

    Hemang Desai, COO of Apnapaisa, said, “CheetahMail brings to ApnaPaisa a product that delivers great flexibility, combined with some of the best practices of contemporary email marketing. Today, subscriber engagement not only impacts performance but also future deliverability. Hence, working with a partner who can track and report up-to-the-minute metrics, as also advise you with real, implementable solutions to improve these metrics, is invaluable. We are delighted with our partnership with Cheetahmail.”

     

    Sandeep Sharma, Co-Founder, COO & CTO of Yepme, added, “Experian is a very dynamic company and has put in efforts to understand our business. The solution is designed to better understand our customers and help in ROI improvement through targeted marketing. The team understands the challenges of our business model, and tries to provide help in operational aspects. I think Experian’s greatest strength is their people – they are not just trying to sell you a product, but are also able to look beyond to forge a long-term partnership.”