MxMIndia

Category: NEWS

  • The agency will manage the digital and social media strategy for Eureka Forbes, taking relationship marketing to the next level

    Eureka Forbes partners Digitas for digital

    By A Correspondent

     

    Water purifier manufacturer Eureka Forbes has awarded its digital and social media mandate to Digitas India, digital marketing agency and a member of the Publicis Groupe. Eureka Forbes has been a pioneer in direct selling with marquee brands like Aquaguard and Euroclean for nearly 30 years.

     

    Digitas will be responsible for an integrated and end-to-end solution to strengthen engagement with customers across digital platforms like Electronic Customer Relationship Marketing (e-CRM), e-commerce, Online Relationship Management (ORM), Social media, etc. E-commerce will play an important role in the company’s digital strategy as Eureka Forbes is strengthening its presence not only in direct sales but also retail and B2B space as well.

     

    Speaking on the announcement, Marzin R Shroff, CEO, Direct Sales and Senior Vice President, Marketing, Eureka Forbes Limited, said, “We are happy to partner with Digitas as our digital agency. The core strength of Eureka Forbes is ‘relationships’ with our customers. In this digital age, it is important for us to engage with our customers real-time on the digital platforms as well and cater to their needs. For over 30 years, India has known us for our direct marketing efforts; the vision is to replicate the same on the digital space as well. We believe the integrated approach and rich experience of Digitas will help us to strengthen our customer relationships on a long term basis and wish to build a strong e-commerce channel to supplement our success of direct selling in India.”

     

    Kanika Mathur, President, Digitas India said, “This is an amazing opportunity and we are incredibly excited to be a part of the digital initiative for Eureka Forbes. More of Eureka Forbes customers will be online as the internet explodes in India and we believe that a significant business model can be created online.”

     

  • Come Feb, matters of the heart assume much importance for jewellers, restaurants, chocolatiers and even media companies

    Love makes for good business

     

    By Meghna Sharma

     

    If a price can be put on love, it is put in February. From hoardings on the urban landscape to the countless offers on products and services, everyone is looking to cash in on Valentine’s Day.

     

    Mohit Joshi

    “Valentine’s Day has become an important youth touchpoint over the years. It is almost like a ‘festival of youth’. This is why relevant brands cash on this unique opportunity through various consumer-connect programmes,” says Mohit Joshi, managing director, Havas Media India.

     

    For a brand which caters to various age groups and especially youth, which is usually scattered in their choice and opinion, the day acts as a perfect solution to catch their attention through the message of love.

     

    “The concept of Valentine’s Day mostly revolves around the idea of gifting, and hence we see many consumers opting for gift vouchers for their loved ones. It’s still not as big as New Year’s Day, wedding season, Diwali, etc, but we see a lot of traction towards our ‘beauty-oriented’ services. The demand for such services is much higher in this season and we see a surge of almost 15 percent especially when we run attractive promotions,” says Chhavi Sharma, marketing Manager, Kaya Ltd.

     

    Online shopping websites which cater mostly to youngsters are also reaching out to their TA with attractive offers. A spokesperson for Myntra.com says, “Festive seasons such as Diwali and Christmas have a mass appeal across all age groups, but Valentine’s Day is especially popular with the youth who constitute a large part of Myntra.com’s TG. This Valentine’s Day, Myntra.com is not only looking at giving shoppers great deals but is also trying to engage with them as a brand. With the Love Connection contest, the brand is engaging with its audience in a two-way conversation and giving them a chance to win prizes.”

     

    TimesMobileLtd. (TML) has launched a greetings and gifting mobile app, GreetZAP. The app introduces the concept of voice cards, which enables users to record a message and send it to their loved ones through physical Voice Cards, which are home delivered. Speaking about this new initiative, Ajay Vaishnavi, Director – Telecom, TML, said, “With Voice Cards, we have brought a new way to express feelings which today’s youth, who are very connected and tech-savvy, will love to use. With the GreetZAP app, they can do a lot more than sending plain text messages while greeting their near and dear ones.”

     

    However, many brands feel that age has nothing to do with it and are leaving no stone unturned to reach out to various age groups, as the Idea Valentine’s Day ad shows. SBI Life has launched a marketing campaign riding on the Valentine’s Day mood through their latest ad – Valentine Gift at 60 – across national and regional channels.

     

    Chandramohan Mehra, VP and Head – Brand and Cross Sell, SBI Life Insurance, says “High on emotional engagement, the campaign reinforces our promise of enabling customers to ‘Celebrate Life’. The idea is to trigger the thought of planning for post-retirement needs. Consistently, we continue to anchor our brand communication on positive emotions, to drive across the point that customers need to plan today so that they can continue to live life to the fullest.”

     

    Not only brands, but media too isn’t shying away from making the most of the opportunity. This Valentine’s Day, 92.7 BIG FM has announced the launch of a special campaign to rekindle romance among married couples. The campaign, named ‘Phir Pyaar Ho Gaya’, celebrates the season of love dedicated to married couples.

     

    Nikhil Gandhi

    “Given its place in the lives of our viewers, the day is an important one for us at Bindass since we are a 360-degree youth entertainment brand,” says Nikhil Gandhi, executive director, youth channels, media networks, DisneyUTV. The channel has partnered with Close-Up for their ‘Bindass Come Fall In Love’ initiative to give 10 couples a chance to go skydiving with their partners at Amby Valley.

     

     

     

    Arunabh Das

    Notwithstanding all the hype, the general feeling is that though the day has come up tremendously and is an interesting advertising opportunity for many, it’s still a small event. “If we compare the event with others like Diwali, it has a long way to go. Newspapers do get advertisements related to the day, but since not major economic activities take place around it, brands don’t take it that seriously,” says Arunabh Das Sharma, president, BCCL.

     

     

    Neel Kamal Sharma

    “Diwali and New Year have much more mass appeal and a larger opportunity for business as compared to Valentine’s Day which is still limited. So, by figuring out the relevance of these days for a product/ service, we work out suitable customized communication which will be more effective,” adds Neel Kamal Sharma, COO – Buying, Madison Group.

     

     

  • Hero MotoCorp goes off cricket pitch, leaves game poorer by around Rs 1,200 crore per year

    Hero exits cricket, game poorer by approx 1.2k cr a year

    By K Shriniwas Rao

     

    Cricket seems to have lost its Hero. The leading two-wheeler manufacturer, led by the Munjal family, has consciously decided to move out of all cricket sponsorships. After exiting as global sponsors of the International Cricket Council (ICC), and also from the Indian Premier League’s (IPL’s) central pool of sponsors, Hero Moto Corp, last week, called it quits with IPL’s Mukesh Ambani-owned franchise Mumbai Indians too.

     

    But the $4.5-billion automobile giant will stay associated with other sports. Earlier this year, Hero had signed a multi-year title sponsorship deal with the recently floated Hockey India League. Recently, Hero also entered into a new four-year sponsorship agreement with the International Hockey Federation (FIH) to sponsor all their events scheduled to be held in India, including the 2013 men’s junior world cup, the 2013 men’s World League Final, 2013 Champions Trophy and the 2015 Hockey World League Final. Hero has been associated with the FIH for three years now.

     

    Hero is also associated with two of golf’s premier events in India – the professional women’s tour and the Indian open – as title sponsors. However, where cricket is concerned, the New Delhi-based company has decided to stay away.

     

    Their exit leaves Indian and world cricket poorer by a collective approximate sponsorship of Rs 1,200 crore. Along with LG, Vodafone and Pepsi, Hero had renewed its contract with the ICC as one of its global sponsors – learnt to be for $25-30 million a year for three years – and were associated with cricket’s world governing body until last year.

     

    Hero was also part of the IPL’s central pool of sponsors until last year. In 2007, it had signed up with the BCCI-run Twenty20 league as associate sponsors for $22.5 million a year for a five-year period that ended in 2012. Hero was also associated with Mumbai Indians (MI) for the last two years as lead sponsors, coughing up approximately Rs 65 crore a year. MI confirmed Hero’s exit but refused to divulge details of a new sponsor. “Many national and international brands are interested but it’s not right for us to divulge details now because we’re still in talks,” an MI spokesperson said. The ICC, it is learnt, is already looking for a replacement for Hero.

     

    When contacted, a statement from Hero Moto Corp said: “We have been associated with cricket for over two decades and it is not correct to say we are moving away from cricket. Our decision to not renew IPL contracts does not dilute our commitment to cricket. We will continue to remain engaged with cricket along with other sports.”

     

    Source:The Economic Times

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

     

  • Discovery Networks Asia-Pacific & the India Today Group have partnered to launch Discovery Channel Magazine in India in mid-2013

    Discovery partners India Today to launch channel mag

    By A Correspondent

     

    Discovery Networks Asia-Pacific and the India Today Group have announced their partnership to launch the Discovery Channel Magazine in India. The magazine to be initially launched in English, will be launched towards the middle of the year. Mirroring the different genres featured on the Discovery Channel, the Discovery Channel Magazine will cover a wide spectrum of topics including nature, adventure, marvels, sci-tech, history, the universe, forensics, seekers, survival, info-tech, psychology and the environment.

     

    To be published monthly, Discovery Channel Magazine will have a contemporary design and feel and will stay true to the DNA of the Discovery brand. The editorial will deliver a compelling read, with strong injections of humour and emotion.

     

    Rahul Johri

    Rahul Johri, Senior Vice-President & General Manager – South Asia, Discovery Networks Asia-Pacific, said, “Discovery Channel Magazine will provide additional touch points for our viewers and will serve as an extension of Discovery Channel’s ability to satisfy their curiosity on a broad range of subjects. We are delighted to launch the magazine in partnership with the India Today Group – one of India’s leading and most respected media companies.”

     

     

    India Today Group’s CEO, Ashish Bagga, commented, “India’s growth and the exposure of the average Indian to the world have created a market for globally acclaimed quality knowledge products. Discovery Channel Magazine with its high quality content will fill the void in this space in the Indian market. We are excited to launch this magazine and feel strongly that this will add to the vast portfolio of diversified, market leading products of the India Today Group and will add to the depth of our relationship with our customers.”

     

    Discovery Channel Magazine is currently sold in Australia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Taiwan, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand at newsstands, and is also available for subscription sales in Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Japan, Korea, Laos, Macau, Nepal, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Thailand, Taiwan and Vietnam.

     

    Discovery Channel Magazine recently won the Award for Excellence in Magazine Design, at the Society of Publishers in Asia (SOPA) 2012 Awards for Editorial Excellence.

     

  • EduMedia's vertical Krayon conducted 'Horlicks Mission Exams 2013' in Mumbai recently, a campaign aimed at combating exam stress

    Krayon executes Horlicks Mission Exams 2013

    By A Correspondent

     

    EduMedia’s vertical Krayon conducted ‘Horlicks Mission Exams 2013’ in Mumbai recently. GlaxoSmithKline’s Horlicks brand has consistently emphasised the importance of a healthy body and a healthy mind during examinations not only to children but also their teachers and parents. Various facts on the importance of good nutrition, health, effective study skills & stress management during exam times were highlighted while the audience was in admiration of the speaker and his knowledge on kids.

     

    The campaign was organized across 21 cities this year through workshops aimed at students, principals, teachers and parents that propagated the message of ‘Brain Ready, Body Ready.’ The initiative reached out across Chennai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Bhubaneswar for parents and teachers to appropriately assist the children during this stressful time.

     

    Highlights of the Campaign:

    Workshops: Interactive workshops were conducted for principals and teachers in 7 cities to help handle the stress and fears of students in a better way.

     

    Parent Workshops: A Nutritionist addressed parents on Healthy Body and Healthy Mind. She answered various issues and concerns that their children face during exams.

     

    School Contact Programme: An interactive session was planned for students and teachers on the importance of nutrition and stress management related to examinations.

     

    Shadow Campaign: Distribution of booklets in 21 cities containing tips to perform better, stress management and nutrition & Exam Planners.

     

    The interactive session for teachers equipped them with knowledge regarding a child’s good mental health. The special workshop for parents dealt with nutrition and food during exams. An expert nutritionist offered advice on food and exams in select schools during this programme.

     

    EduMedia’s Managing Director, Syed Sultan Ahmed, said, “Exams are a stressful period for students, teachers as well as parents. It is important for students to maintain a right balance of mind and body to be able to perform well and cope with the stress during these crucial days. The program explored study methods which are quicker and easier to follow.”

     

  • The 80-page Tinkle Special Digest in Hindi will debut in March

    Tinkle Special Digest for Hindi hinterland

    By A Correspondent

     

    Tinkle toons have learnt a new language – Hindi. Tinkle, from the house of ACK Media, is set to launch the latest extension of its massive franchise: Tinkle Special Digest in Hindi. 

     

    “One of children’s favourite comic brands for decades, Tinkle includes monthly magazines, digests, double digests and holiday specials. We are now extending its reach into the Hindi heartland by launching its latest offering, Tinkle Special Digest, in Hindi,” said Manas Mohan, COO, ACK Media, adding, “Tinkle has been in the market for more than 30 years and has gained a deep understanding of what it takes to educate children in the most entertaining manner. We decided to widen our reach, using this knowledge and expertise to leverage our entry into the world of Hindi comics – reaching out to more number of children all over the country.”

     

    “In Tinkle Special Digest, we have placed emphasis on the purity of language and content, making it a unique introduction to the Hindi comic genre. At the same time, we have stuck to the motto followed by our parent brand Tinkle – ‘Where Learning Meets Fun’. We are quite sure the Tinkle Special Digest will cater to the needs of our young readers, giving them education with entertainment,” said Priyamvada Rastogi, Editor, Tinkle Special Digest.

     

    The 80-page Tinkle Special Digest in Hindi will debut in March.

     

  • After a sluggish spell, ad spends in the M&E sector are likely to pick up, says India Ratings' report on the 2013 outlook

    Media & Entertainment adspend to pick up in 2H13: India Ratings

    By A Correspondent

     

    India Ratings has a negative outlook for the media & entertainment (M&E) sector for 1H13, as moderate economic growth and cost reduction initiatives by corporates are leading to sluggish growth in advertising spending (adspend). The outlook is stable for 2H13, as the Indian economy is likely to start picking up thus driving higher adspend by corporates.

     

    Overall, the financial performance of TV broadcasters is likely to be moderate in 1H13 before improving in 2H13. India Ratings expects TV broadcasters and multi-system operators (MSOs) to benefit due to mandatory digitization as local cable operators (LCOs) will not be able to underreport subscriber numbers. Mandatory digitization will also be highly positive for DTH operators, as the overall market expands. TV broadcasters are also likely to benefit from the government’s decision to increase foreign direct investment limit in the sector to 74% from 49% earlier. However, digitization process is highly capital extensive as cable and DTH operators sell set-top boxes at subsidized rates.

     

    The agency expects margin pressure on the print media industry to remain for most of the year. The industry is hurt from both revenue and cost sides as adspend growth is low and newsprint prices have remained firm. Over the last one year, there has not been any volatility in newsprint prices, but publishers using imported newsprint have suffered due to INR depreciation.

     

    India Ratings expects that online advertising will be the fastest growing segment over the medium to long term, but its contribution to the M&E industry may remain smaller than that of TV and print.

     

    Improved corporate revenue and margins leading to higher adspend would be a positive for the industry. Also, a significant fall in domestic and international newsprint prices and/or rupee appreciation against the US dollar would help improve margins for newspaper publishers and thus may resulting in a stable outlook for the print media sector.

     

    However, a continuation of the current economic slowdown, muted corporate growth and stressed margins may put pressure on adspend growth, thus further aggravating problems for the industry.

     

    India Ratings-rated M&E companies include: Hathway Cable & Datacom Ltd. (‘IND A-‘/Stable), Prime Focus Limited (‘IND A-‘/Stable), Rajasthan Patrika Private Limited (‘IND BBB+’/Stable) and Stargaze Entertainment Private Limited (‘IND BB-‘/Negative).

     

    The full report, 2013 Outlook: Indian Media & Entertainment, is available at www.indiaratings.co.in.

     

  • The second Comic Con India Awards honoured and felicitated the best Indian comics and comics creators of 2012 on February 7 in New Delhi. Comic Con India Awards is an initiative of Comic Con India, which was established in 2011

    Comics are serious business at 2nd Comic Con India awards

    By A Correspondent

     

    The second Comic Con India Awards honoured and felicitated the best Indian comics and comics creators of 2012 on February 7 in New Delhi. Comic Con India Awards is an initiative of Comic Con India, which was established in 2011.

     

    The CCI Awards aim to recognize the work of the professionals in India’s comics industry, bring into focus the novelty of this art form and acknowledge the efforts of numerous writers, artists and publishers in this field.

     

    Jatin Varma, Founder, Comic Con India, said, “CCI Awards is where we honour and felicitate the best Indian comics and comics’ creators, and give them the recognition they deserve, among their peers.”

     

    Harsho Mohan Chattoraj is the winner of the Comic Con India grant for best unpublished work. He received a grant of Rs 75,000 and a publishing deal with Comic Con India.

     

    This year’s Lifetime Achievement Award was a posthumous award given to an iconic Indian cartoonist, the late Mario Miranda. Last year at the 1st CCI Awards, the lifetime award was given to R K Laxman.

     

    The jury consisting of Neelabh Banerjee (Author & Artist), Vaibhav Kumaresh (Artist Animator) and Abhishek Sharma (Writer & Filmmaker) went through the entries submitted, shortlisted them and eventually announced the winners.

     

    The nomination list and winners in each category:

    1. Best Web/Digital Comic:

    Sufi comics (www.suficomics.com), by Sufi Studios

    The Beast Legion Issue 6 Onwards (www.thebeastlegion.com), by Jazyl Homavazir.

    Old School (digital.level10comics.com), by Level 10 Comics. – (Winner)

     

    2. Best Graphic Novel/Comic Book of the Year:

    Jim Corbett – Friend Of The Wild, by ACK Media.

    Sudershan (Chimpanzee), by Hachette India.

    Tina’s Mouth, by Harper Collins India.

    Steve Jobs: Genius By Design, by Campfire Graphic Novels. (Winner)

    Draupadi: The Fire-Born Princess, by Campfire Graphic Novels.

    Agent Vinod: The Jungfrau Encounter, by Westland Ltd.

     

    3. Best Penciller/Inker/Penciller-Inker Team:

    Abhijeet Kini, for Angry Maushi. Published by Abhijeet Kini.

    Saumin Patel, for Agent Vinod: The Jungfrau Encounter. Published by Westland Ltd. (Winner)

    Meren Imchen, for Sudershan (Chimpanzee). Published by Hachette India.

    Abhishek Malsuni (Pencils), Sunil Paswan (Inks), for The Legends Of Aveon 9: The Train To Vexadus. Published by Rovolt Comics.

    Abhishek Malsuni (Pencils), Sunil Paswan & Jagdish Kumar (Inks) for The Legends Of Aveon 9: The Race To Revelations. Published by Rovolt Comics.

    Manu for Draupadi: The Fire-Born Princess. Published by Campfire Graphic Novels.

    Rajesh Nagulakonda for Krishna: Defender Of Dharma. Published by Campfire Graphic Novels.

    Naresh Kumar for Martin Luther King: Let Freedom Ring. Published by Campfire Graphic Novels.

    Deepak Sharma for Odayan – Issue 1-5. Published by Level 10 Comics.

     

    4. Best Colourist:

    Yogesh Pugaonkar for Ravanayan 06. Published by Holy Cow Entertainment.

    Neeraj Menon, Vikrant Shitole, Jignesh Gajjar for Jungfrau Encounter. Published by Westland Ltd.

    Balram Bannerjee for Batu Gaiden. Published by Level 10 Comics.

    Shashank Mishra for Legends of Aveon 9, Book 1 & 2. Published by Rovolt Comics.

    Sachin Nagar for Sundarkaand: Triumph Of Hanuman. Published by Campfire Graphic Novels. (Winner)

    Vijay Sharma & Pradeep Sherawat for Martin Luther King: Let Freedom Ring. Published by Campfire Graphic Novels.

    Anil C K for Abraham Lincoln: From The Log Cabin To The White House. Published by Campfire Graphic Novels.

    Kavita Singh Kale for My Facebook Friends. Published by Tulika Publishers.

     

    5. Best Cover:

    Aghori, Book 1, cover art by Vivek Goel. Published by Holy Cow Entertainment.

    This Book Makes No Sense, cover art by Priya Kurien. Published by Scholastic India.

    When Crows Are White, cover art by Garima Gupta. Published by Scholastic India. (Winner)

    Mad Maladies (Vol. 1, Issue 11), cover art by Somesh Kumar. Brainwave Magazine

    Tinkle Digest #247, cover art by Somnath Pal.

    Black Bread White Bear, cover art by PRABHA Mallya. Published by Harper Collins India.

    The Legends Of Aveon 9: The Train To Vexadus, cover art by Yin Yuming (Imaginary Friends Studios, Singapore). Published by Rovolt Comics.

    Steve Jobs: Genius By Design, cover art by Amit Tayal. Published by Campfire Graphic Novels.

    Draupadi: The Fire-Born Princess, cover art by Manu (Pencil/Ink), Anil C K (Color), Rajesh Nagulakonda (Design). Published by Campfire Graphic Novels.

    Shiva – The Legends Of The Immortal (Book ll), cover art by Amit Tayal. Published by Vimanika Comics.

    I am Kalki – The Red Book (Vol 2), cover art by Amit Tayal. Published by Vimanica Comics.

     

    6. Best Writer:

    Yogesh Chandekar for Agent Vinod: The Jungfrau Encounter. Published by Westland Ltd.

    Tripti Sah for Jim Cobett – Friend Of The Wild. Published by ACK Media.

    Rajesh Devraj for Sudershan (Chimpanzee). Published by Hachette India.

    Jason Quinn for Steve Jobs: Genius By Design. Published by Campfire Graphic Novels. (Winner)

    Mechael Teitelbaum &Lewis Helfand for Martin Luther King: Let Freedom Ring. Published by Campfire Graphic Novels.

     

    7. Best Continuing Graphic Series:

    Aghori by Holy Cow Entertainment.

    The Watchbearer, Tinkle Digest #248, 249.

    Those Mongol Barbarians! – Tinkle Digest #242, 243, 244 .

    The Legends Of Aveon 9: The Train To Vexadus – Book 1 of 7 by Rovolt Comics. (Winner)

    The Legends Of Aveon 9: The Race To Revelations Book 2 of 7 by Rovolt Comics. (Winner)

     

    8. Best Graphic Anthology:

    Sufi Comic: The Wise Fool Of Baghdad by Sufi Studios.

    The Obliterary Journal Vol. 1 by Westland/Blaft Publications.

    Tinkle Digest #250 .

    Tinkle #600 .

    PAO: The Anthology Of Comics 1 by Penguin Books India. (Winner)

     

    9. Best Children’s Illustrated Book (Ages 13 & below):

    Just Like A Bug, written by Anushka Ravishankar, illustrated by Shilo Shiv Suleman. Published by Scholastic India.

    Let’s Go Time Travelling, Life In India Through The Ages, written by Subhadra Sengupta, illustrated by Tapas Guha. Published by Puffin Books India. (Winner)

    Getting Granny’s Glasses, written by Ruskin Bond, illustrated by Sayantan Halder. Published by Puffin Books India.

     

    10. Best Publication for Children:

    The Blue Umbrella by Amar Chitra Katha Pvt Ltd. (Winner)

    Brainwave, Doomsday Alert (Vol. 1 Issue 12).

    Tinkle Digest #252 .

    Tinkle #600.

    The Deadly Royal Recipe, written by Ranjit Lal. Published by Duckbill Books.

    Oops the Mighty Gurgle, written by Ram G Vallath. Published by Duckbill Books.

    Sundarkaand: Triumph Of Hanuman by Campfire Graphic Novels.

    Martin Luther King: Let Freedom Ring by Campfire Graphic Novels.

    Tinkle Holiday Special #39.

     

    11. Best Children’s Writer:

    Anushka Ravishankar for Just Like A Bug. Published by Scholastic India.

    Jerry Pinto for When Crows Are White. Published by Scholastic India.

    Subhadra Sengupta for Lets Go Time Travelling, Life In India Through The Ages. Published by Penguin Books India. (Winner)

    Anoushka Ravishankar for Moin The Monster Songster. Published by Duckbill Books.

    Shyam Prakash for Sundarkaand: Triumph Of Hanuman. Published by Campfire Graphic Novels.

     

  • Lowe Lintas Chennai has started 2013 by winning the national mandate for Apollo Hospitals, covering all of Apollo's health-care verticals (barring insurance)

    Lowe Lintas Chennai bags Apollo Hospitals

    By A Correspondent

     

    Lowe Lintas, Chennai has started 2013 by winning the mandate for Apollo Hospitals. This is a national mandate, covering all of Apollo’s health-care verticals (barring insurance). Lowe Lintas will be responsible for integrating national initiatives with regional initiatives, so that Brand Apollo is able to present a unified front in terms of communication.

     

    The challenge for the agency will be to build on the healthcare group’s significant equity and help make the brand ready for a new era of competition. The agency has already executed a campaign for Oncology-related robotic surgery; this campaign is currently running in key markets.

     

    Apollo Hospitals was a hard-fought pitch with national agencies of repute in the fray, said G V Krishnan, Executive Director Lowe Lintas. He added, “We are delighted to manage the mandate of this prestigious institution a pioneer in health care and wish to make brand Apollo a preferred choice in this category.”

     

  • A part of Ankh Media, Cira Media will launch four English music TV channels with Aidem as its exclusive partner for media sales

    CIRA Media to launch 4 Eng music channels, appoints Aidem for sales

    By A Correspondent

     

    Cira Media has announced the launch of four channels in the English music space – Clubbing TV, Juke Box, ROCK TV & Dancetrippin. The four channels will run unique, tailor-made and extremely niche content targeted to the youth. Aidem Ventures will be its exclusive media sales partner, informs a communique. Cira is part of Ankh Media Pvt Ltd which currently serves international markets across Asia Pacific, Middle East, Europe, Americas and Africa and is a consulting company in the media space.

     

    “Indian youth is becoming increasingly aware of and consuming international trends through platforms like the Internet. This can be seen from the fact the Vevo – the leading online International music destination ranks 7th among the most viewed Youtube Channels in India.

     

    Pallav Nagar

    Besides, we have also seen an upsurge in the number of solo concerts, tours and International music events in India. The crowd attendance at these concerts too has also multiplied over the years. Some of the biggest acts in the world want to perform here.There is, without a doubt, a big resurgence in the demand and consumption of international music in India. On television, however we have just a handful of channels offering International music and there is need for such customized content. Numerous requisite artists are making headway into India. In due course,we intend to offer our niche music channels as a platform to broadcast their events live so they can reach out fans from all across the region.” said Pallav Nagar, Cira Media.

     

    Manish Rach

    Announcing Aidem’s appointment, Manish Rach of Cira Media said, “Aidem has been a specialist in the TV Advertising domain and we are looking at capitalizing on their expertise with this new arrangement”

     

    Speaking on the appointment, Vikas Khanchandani, Director, Aidem Ventures said, ” The association will help Cira Media efficiently and effectively leverage our robust media sales revenue management, while they focus on delivering premium international as well as localized content across the channels.”

     

    Kaushal Dalal

    Kaushal Dalal, EVP, Aidem Ventures said, “This is great news for Aidem and with this deal coming through, we now have a more comprehensive package to offer to our advertisers and agencies.From the marketing perspective, this is a good turn for brands and advertisers targeting the urban youth.”

     

  • Sachin Das Burma has joined the Delhi office of Draftfcb Ulka Advertising as a Group Creative Director

    Sachin Das Burma joins Draftfcb Ulka in Delhi

    By A Correspondent

     

    Sachin Das Burma has joined the Delhi office of Draftfcb Ulka Advertising as a Group Creative Director. He comes to the team having built his credentials across several marquee brands like Hero, Airtel, Nokia, Pepsi, Timex, GSK, Dabur, amongst others, and having earned recognition at all premiere advertising forums like Effies, Goafest and D&AD. He has worked at Contract, Bates & most recently was the Senior Creative Director & VP at JWT Delhi.

     

    Announcing the move, K S Chakravarthy (Chax), National Creative Director, Draftfcb Ulka Advertising, commented, “Sachin is a natural-born big ideas guy who enjoys working on big, challenging brands as much as he enjoys doing fun creative stuff. I am confident he will effortlessly fit into our high quality team in Delhi, and help drive our creative agenda.”

     

    Sanjay Tandon, COO, Draftfcb Ulka Advertising, Delhi, said, “In Sachin, beyond the competence, I see values that are dear to us – stability, team work and desire for excellence. He joins the senior team to push us faster towards where we want to go…creating game changing ideas that Build BrandWealth.”

     

    Mr Das Burma said, “I have always liked the Draftfcb Ulka way of thinking and wanted to become a part of a team that cherishes common values.” Referring to Arvind Wable, Advisor to the Board, he stated, “Arvind’s long term belief in a ‘happy people culture’ and its effect in building a strong business for over 20 years was a convincing factor in my decision. And being hired by Chax was indeed a high.”

     

  • The two-day Indian Magazine Congress which begins in Mumbai today is a must-attend event for stakeholders

    Growth mantras beckon @ IMC 2013

     

    By A Correspondent

     

    By the time you read this, the seventh edition of the Indian Magazine Congress (IMC) would have been be kicked off by AIM president Tarun Rai. The two-day conference has been organised by the Association of Indian Magazines (AIM) and is the most significant gathering of the magazine industry in India. The attendees include people from the Indian magazine fraternity including representatives from the Ministry of Information, Magazine Publishers, Media owners, Marketers and advertisers, Media planners and buyers, Magazine Editors, Brand Managers, Circulation specialists, Magazine Distributors, Researchers, Media and financial consultants and Industry analysts.

     

    Tarun Rai

    According to recent IRS figures, the magazine industry is definitely facing tough times. However, Mr Rai opined, “All media is facing tough times. In fact, as per the latest Madison Media Outlook, magazines have done better than projected by showing a growth of 4.5 percent over 2012. And yes, publishers do recognize that the economic environment of the country is tough and advertising spending will be more conservative.”

     

    The theme ‘Magazines: New Directions. New Opportunities’ will explore the digital opportunities for the magazine industry. Mr Rai said, “Digital is the big opportunity for magazines. We have now more vehicles to take our content to people. More easily. The challenge, though, is to quickly learn to repurpose our content for digital. To equip our people through training to best exploit the digital opportunities. To recruit new talent where needed.”

     

    The line-up of speakers is as impressive as the theme itself.

     

    “Yes, we do have a great line-up of speakers. We have very senior professionals from media, marketing and creative. We also have 15 international speakers who have flown down specially for the IMC. The delegates cannot afford to miss any session starting with the opening address of Nitin Paranjpe,” said Mr Rai.

     

    The speakers include names such as Chris Llewellyn, President and CEO, FIPP, UK; Peter A. Kreisky, Chairman, Kreisky Media Consultancy, USA; Andrew Duck, Managing Director, Audience Media, Vietnam; Fabrizio D’Angelo, MD, Hubert Burda Media, Germany; Mike Lovell, International Director, Meredith Corporation, USA; Sandra Gotelli, International Publisher and Head of Licensing, Mondadori, Italy; Torsten Klein, President, Gruner + Jahr International, Germany.

     

    MxM India brings to you the profile of the not-to-be-missed-speakers.

     

    Chris Llewellyn has been serving as Federation of the Periodical Press (FIPP) president and CEO in the organisation since 2009. He has been a member of the FIPP Management Board since 1999, and served as its chairman between 2005 and 2007. FIPP is the worldwide magazine media association that represents companies and individuals involved in the creation, publishing or distribution of quality content, in whatever form, by whatever channel, and in the most appropriate frequency, to defined audiences of interest.

     

    Peter Kreisky founded Kreisky Media after being at the helm of Mercer Management Consulting’s worldwide media and entertainment practice for 10 years, preceded by a career at McKinsey & Company and CBS Inc. His experience spans Europe and North America, in just about every sector of the media industry. The Kreisky Media Consultancy provides corporate strategy and management advisory services for top management, focused exclusively on the media and entertainment industry: magazine, book, and newspaper publishing, digital media, the Internet, television, music, motion pictures, information, advertising, media retailing.

     

    Audience Media is an innovative company offering the latest multi-media marketing and communication solutions to clients around the world, including Photo Review Australia, BBC Good Food and PrintNZ. The company was founded in 2011 by Andrew Duck, Rolf Rohwer and Mike Coker. Audience Media intends to stay at the forefront of developing technologies.

     

    Fabrizio D’Angelo, head of Hubert Burda International, has also served as FIPP’s Vice-Chairman. In February 2012, Hubert Burda Media pooled its international print activities in a new umbrella organization, Burda International (BI). It was then that Burda CEO Dr. Paul-Bernhard Kallen appointed Fabrizio d’Angelo as Managing Director. However, Mr. d’Angelo has been in charge of BHI since December 2008.

     

    Mike Lovell leads the licensing of Meredith’s leading consumer brands outside the U.S. Meredith is the leading media and marketing company serving American women. It is the industry leader in creating content in key consumer interest areas such as home, family, health and wellness and self-development and uses multiple distribution platforms – including print, television, online, mobile, tablets, and video – to give consumers content they desire and to deliver the messages of its advertising and marketing partners.

     

    Sandra Gotelli of Mondadori, Italy has been managing the International editions of Mondadori Magazines since 2006, which includes: 15 Grazia editions (7 weeklies, 1 fortnighly, 9 monthlies); Casaviva: 7 editions, Interniand Sale & Pepe. Mondadori is one of Europe’s top publishing companies.

     

    European Gruner + Jahr International (G+J) publishes close to 285 print titles and accompanying homepages in over 20 countries, has printing plants in Germany and the United States, and owns professional websites. In 2012, the group bought India-based startup SeventyNine, a mobile media distribution and analytics platform for Rs 38 crore. In January 1998, Torsten-Joern Klein joined G+J AG, where he was named Publishing Director of Berliner Zeitung and Berliner Kurier, published by Berlin Newspaper Publishing Group. From 2000 through the end of 2003, Torsten- Joern Klein was Managing Director of Berlin Newspaper Publishing Group, responsible for all of Gruner + Jahrs newspaper operations in Berlin. He was appointed member of the G+J Executive Board in January 2004. He is President of G+J International and has the responsibility for all magazines and online activities of Gruner + Jahr outside Germany.

     

    On the one hand we have BusinessWorld turning fortnightly, and on the other Discovery Channel Magazine announcing its entry into India. This may be the right time to take home received knowledge, and follow it to grow and progress.