MxMIndia

Category: NEWS

  • Chairperson News Broadcasting Standards Authority and former Chief Justice of India & Former Chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission passed away late yesterday after a brief illness

    News broadcasters condole Justice Verma’s demise

    By A Correspondent

     

    Justice (Retd) J S Verma, Chairperson News Broadcasting Standards Authority and former Chief Justice of India and Former Chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission passed away late yesterday after a brief illness.

     

    He is survived by his wife and two daughters who along with their families were with him at the time of his demise.

     

    Justice Verma was appointed the first Chairperson of the News Broadcasting Standards Authority (NBSA), a self-regulatory body set up by News Broadcasters Association (NBA) on October 2, 2008. He believed that self-regulation in the broadcast media is the best way forward in achieving a balance between the media’s duty to empower the participatory role of the people in governance. In his frequent interaction with members of NBA he would tell them that in a democracy, it was the media’s duty to inform the people of everything of significance; but the right to inform did not include the right to misinform as the media’s right is no greater than an individual’s right, which was again subject to reasonable restrictions. He advised members that self-regulation was the best way so that there was no occasion for any outside intervention to regulate. During the last four years of his association with NBSA, he took proactive steps to ensure that broadcasting standards improve.

     

    The NBA issued a statement echoing the electronic news broadcasting fraternity’s sentiments in mourning the passing away of the “extraordinary person who lived by his principles and convictions until the very end”.

     

  • When Justice JS Verma's name was suggested for the NBSA, I remember hinting that that he won't just torpedo the government's designs of regulation, he'll set us right too, reminisces Rohit Bansal

    JS Verma, Illustrious Allahabadi and a Standard By Himself. Tribute by Rohit Bansal

    By Rohit Bansal

     

    In the middle of 2008, the chase for ratings had forced yet another low in the quality of television news stories. Correspondingly, there was the fear that government may slam a content regulator. To stay a step ahead, the then triumvirate of News Broadcasters Association (NBA), G Krishnan of TV Today, Samir Manchanda of TV18, and KVL Narayana Rao of NDTV, proposed that we should have a regulator of our own.

     

    The board latched on to their idea immediately.

    ‘Who’ was the next question.

     

    The required credentials were simple enough. The man – actually, Justice (Ms) Ruma Pal’s name came up too! – was expected to carry the kind of credibility that government would have no option but to slam the brakes on its own plans.

     

    I remember the short discussion on who the first call should go to. Rao, if I remember correctly, suggested Justice JS Verma.

     

    I do remember hinting to the triumvirate and the others – Chintamani Rao of Times, Barun Das of Zee News, Shazi Zaman of Star (Ashok Venkatramani replaced him in the coming weeks) – that Justice Verma won’t just torpedo the government’s designs. He’ll set us right too!

     

    Everyone laughed, but that’s what happened.

     

    When the draft of the News Broadcasting Standards, rules by which NBA channels would agree to regulate themselves, authored by Arnab Goswami and fine-tuned by legal eagle Harish Salve, and his own terms and conditions were delivered to Justice Verma for consent, he made only two corrections: a salary of Rs 1 per month instead of Rs 1.5 lakh that was being offered, and the power to issue notices ‘suo motu.’

     

    Delighted that we’ll be saving Rs 18 lakh per year, we saw the other condition as a non-issue. But it is these two ‘corrections’ that gave the News Broadcasting Standards Authority (NBSA) its social contract. The chairman could walk away any day; and he needn’t wait for someone to make a complaint after paying Rs 1000, the amount prescribed under the rules. A walk in the park could be a sufficient trigger.

     

    Justice Rajinder Sachar did that to us in India TV. He mentioned to Justice Verma that Farzana Ali, a US-based researcher known to him had been wronged by the channel; linking her to the CIA, when she, in fact, was with Rand Foundation. Also, that the comment made by Ali on the 9/11 attacks was to the Associated Press, but India TV had para-dubbed the quote and, allegedly, passed it off as their own.

     

    Bang came Justice Verma’s notice! I wrote an elaborate defence, but the judge refused to grant us a hearing. Everyone, including those who didn’t quite like us or the story, confessed that Justice Verma was wrong. That the ‘right to be heard’ was, well, our right! But Justice Verma was unrelenting. Not only did he fine us Rs 1 lakh, in my book his way of asserting the freshly-minted NBSA’s writ, he also issued a long clarification citing case law that if a judge is convinced, he doesn’t necessarily have to hear a defendant!

     

    India TV resigned from the NBA. The press splashed the story. Is this the opportunity that government had been waiting for? I remember the stormy exit meeting where Annie Joseph, our faithful secretary-general who also serviced the NBSA, confided how she had taken my petition to Justice Verma’s rented home in Noida. But the judge virtually shut the door on her, saying there was no need for him to read anything more!

     

    A brouhaha followed. India TV went public on questioning the judge. Krishnan didn’t want the government to take advantage of NBA’s shattered unity. He and Rao organized a ‘peace meeting’ at The Chambers in the Taj. Justice Verma showed up. He was respectfully briefed that the channel had remitted the fine and deferred to the apology prescribed by the NBSA. Would he hereon close the chapter? I was advised not to say anything, much less state that we should’ve been heard! I didn’t have to. For I was privy to what was perhaps the only weak spot this judge ever had! In one word, it was “Allahabad.”

     

    “Allahabad,” said with a deep sigh, is a synonym for large-heartedness and camaraderie of an innocent India that’s past us by. It binds those of us associated with the university town, me via my father.What nobody in our Board knew was that Justice Verma and he were classmates! Both would talk a few times in the year of circa 1950-1953 when they had both immigrated to study under the feet of the masters. In one such nostalgia meeting, when it fell upon me to go and pick up my father from the judge’s residence, Justice Verma shared, “the meaning of Allahabad.” As the incoming chief justice (CJ) of Madhya Pradesh, his relations with the then chief minister of Madhya Pradesh were frosty. “So much so that in the swearing in, I didn’t even plan to smile! This was bad news for the prosecution! But just as I was walking, the wily CM got the better of me. He had a group of students organized to meet me. I was breezing past them, when one of them shouted, ‘Sir, we are from Allahabad!’ I couldn’t help but stop…and I did for a long time…and I smiled a lot at the CM thereafter!”  So, at The Chambers meeting, the right hand came on my shoulder fleetingly, a glint in the eye reserved for fellow Allahabad is followed, and the ghost of the Farzana Ali episode was buried!

     

    Large-heartedness following a sharp rebuke were Justice Verma’s middle name. So was the narrative that he never had money to buy himself a home. The image got Manish Tewari, the minister for information and broadcasting, to come calling at the judge’s rented quarters within a few days after swearing in. It gave Uday Verma, the MIB secretary, an experience of a lifetime, following someone bright idea during the Raj Path protests after the Nirbhaya rape that NBSA must caution member channels not to criticize the government. “Pray, why?” the learned judge is believed to have asked the secretary. “Sir, they are at Raj Path, wanting to enter Rashrapati Bhavan. What would you do if you were the President?”

     

    “I would open my door and step out to meet the children protesting on my door,” Justice Verma replied. It is this no-nonsense approach that got Sonia Gandhi to telephone him to apologize for the late-night knock on the door by a messenger carrying the Congress’s suggestions on rape laws. RIP, Justice Verma. May your tribe increase.

     

    The writer is a former editor and NBA Board member. He is CEO & Co-Founder, India Strategy Group, Hammurabi & Solomon Consulting. Email: rohitbansal@post.harvard.edu.

     

  • The news media fraternity will remember the former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court as its conscience-keeper

    1 Minute View: RIP, Justice JS Verma

    It was sad to learn of the passing of J S Verma, the retired former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of India, the former chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission and Chairperson News Broadcasting Standards Authority. In recent times, he is of course better known for the speed in which the three-member committee chaired by him made suggestions for amendments to the law on sexual assault against women.

     

    In the crazy world of news channels trying to outwit each other for better ratings and revenues, it’s thanks to the retired justice’s rocksolid views and no-nonsense approach that the government did not interfere in the affairs of the news channels.

     

    In the wake of November 26, 2008 terror attack, the pressure to regulate news TV was mounting from Members of Parliament of all political hues on the then I&B Minsiter Ambika Soni. In their attempt to gain numbers, news channels often compromised content quality. Remember, the folks who run the news business have their huge egos, and it required a Justice Verma to ensure that they saw reason and help him ward off any government intervention.

     

    As we look back, it can be now said that it’s thanks only to someone with a reputation as impeccable as that of J S Verma at the helm of the News Broadcasting Standards Authority of India that the regulation-proponents were kept at bay.

     

    The News TV community have much to thank the late J S Verma for the happy state they are in.

     

    RIP.

     

  • The Goafest 2013 Creative Abby superjury met on Tuesday afternoon on the plagiarism issue and the Awards Governing Council will announce its verdict tomorrow

    Abby superjury meets, AGC to announce verdict tomorrow

    By A Correspondent

    The Creative Abby superjury,  comprising the chairpersons of the 12 categories that are part of the Creative Abby, were scheduled to meet today (Tuesday, April 23) in Mumbai to decide on the fate of the seven-odd complaints of plagiarism that came.

    They did meet… the 10 or 11 of the brightest and most creative minds in the business. Note they are not just the most creative minds, but also the most responsible amongst them as they are leaders of their individual agencies or firms.

    The task was not easy. Some of the work belonged to the members of the superjury. The decision would have a huge impact on not just the agency, but also the client and the international network. And, mind you, internationally the networks are listed and hence answerable to shareholders.

    But there is a fear that along with the creativity, some craftiness may also be at play and some or all members of the superjury may well have decided to vote not to vote. The fear is also that a section of the superjurors may get influenced by hectic lobbying to save the face of the fraternity.

    However, even as there were naysayers who said the meeting would be a sham, thousands of those watching the developments believe that the superjury will in fact vote without any biases and any personal stake.

    The official word we have received is that the superjury has voted and their decision is now with the 10-member Awards Governing Council who will now announce their verdict.

    Even though rumours of the superjury voting not to vote will be counted as mere speculation until the official word is out, the ball now lies with the AGC. There is also a view that in case the superjury has decided not to vote, the AGC is well within its rights to scrap the entire Creative Abby awards in order to ensure that the international ad and marketing fraternity does not believe that plagiarism (and plagiarists) rule in India.

    Tough times require tough measures.

  • The affable Editor-in-Chief and Publisher believes that with increasing literacy levels, magazines will grow

    Times aren’t good, but print media should not give up: Paresh Nath, Delhi Press

     

    By Ananya Saha

     

    Delhi Press has been on a growth path and much in the news lately: whether it was the acquisition of two-decade-old BS Motoring for an undisclosed amount or tie-up with US-based Highlights to launch two new children’s magazines. Delhi Press has been around since 1939, and has grown steadily from one magazine in 1940 to 35 titles in 2013. According to recent reports, Delhi Press is in talks to buy Man’s World and Rolling Stone magazine, though they prefer not to comment on this.

    MxMIndia interviewed Paresh Nath, Editor-in-Chief and Publisher of Delhi Press to know more.

     

    These are said to be tough times for the media, and magazines (in print) in particular. Why is Delhi Press then on an expansion spree (organic and inorganic)?

    Yes, times are not good for print media but one should not give up. We at Delhi Press think that the literacy rate is growing and with more money in pockets the will to purchase magazines is still there.

    If magazines seem to be in poorer state, it is because the cover prices of other print product, the daily newspapers, thanks to government advertising subsidy, are low. Magazines are, therefore, not able to distribute free and hence have lower readership. Otherwise interest in magazines will continue to be there and we hope it will grow with increase in literates.

     

    Delhi Press currently has 34 magazines under its fold. How are the magazines doing?

    Magazines are stable despite cover price increase. We think that the magazines are medium of choice and one has to make an effort to get one and that is why it is read and taken more seriously than other media. That is our strength. We have no plan to shut any magazine as of now.

     

    Delhi Press has had a rich past… right from the days it was set up pre-Independence, in 1939. How has it been since you’ve taken charge?

    Delhi Press had been steadily growing ever since inception. From one magazine in 1940 to 35 magazines now it had been a long and fulfilling journey and members of family and others have contributed to its growth.

     

    How has the magazine reader changed over the years?

    Like the society, the readers have also changed. Delhi Press has however been a step ahead. We had started opposing orthodox believes right from beginning and have even faced numerous cases because of our rational and modern approach. For us the change in readers has not been a shock as we had been urging him/her to change all the time. We welcome the change.

     

    Delhi Press already has two titles in its fold that are aimed at kids and young adolescents. Highlights Champ and Highlights Genies were also recently added. Would the magazines not compete with each other (more so, in terms of advertisers)?

    It is true that there will be some duplication and overlapping but Champak is in an Indian product and Highlights are foreign magazines. Those with more international outlook might prefer an International brand. In Champak, characters are Indian in Indian background but in Highlights these are more Western. We are sure that the two can survive simultaneously.

     

    For the titles that have regional as well as national language presence, which language is witnessing more growth?

    All languages are growing more or less uniformly. As far as our case is concerned we are doing better in Gujarati, Marathi, Kannada, Telugu and Bangla.

     

    The recent IRS does not show much promise when it comes to magazines. Grihshobha and Champak have shown degrowth as well. Are Indian magazines facing tough times?

    We do not have trust in the readership methodology. A Rs 3 publication is being equated with a Rs 30 or Rs 60 publication with no weight being given to the fact that the dailies are thrown around free all over while magazines cannot be as they do not get government money in the form of advertising. Not only that dailies that seem to have grown in recent years, actually grew because these entered into newer geographical territories. Methodology of readership survey is kept secret like nuclear technology. Yes as the magazines do not get government support, these find more difficult to fund money for promotion to retain and gain readers. There is pressure to improve paper and print quality in case of magazines while newspapers continue to be printed on the same newsprint. Indian magazines will continue to suffer as long as there is widespread discrimination.

     

    How is Delhi Press preparing itself for the online reader?

    Online readers have not started paying for content as yet and we do not know how to handle this. Content is king but kings do not come free and that seems to be the mantra of on line content. Now new technology is being developed where the content creator is making money and as soon as it is perfected we will jump into it.

     

    Tell us about the the strategy behind the BS Motoring acquisition?

    We did not have a lifestyle magazine in our group and this may be a good start.

     

    What are the changes that one would see in this magazine?

    Changes will happen but gradually and according to the need. The magazine as it is is well produced and Delhi Press will give it wider spread.

     

    Apart from acquiring, which categories is Delhi Press looking at to launch its own titles?

    We are likely to launch language editions of some of our magazines.

     

    When entering into new categories or new titles, what are the challenges that even an established player such as Delhi Press faces?

    Challenges are plenty. The advertising is now dispersed and pie has to be shared with dailies and electronic medium. It is not easy to convince the generation used to SMS and Facebook that the real reading is not from screen but from paper where you can pay more attention and do real serious thinking.

     

    How is Caravan doing? In terms of impact and mindspace it has picked up a fair bit… but we don’t see too many ads in it?

    We are very satisfied with the progress The Caravan has made. Its editorial team works very hard and has given a good challenge to established players. We miss some ads because of our editorial ethics that we will not promote alcohol, cigarette and pan masala at any cost. Ours is a highly independent group and has no industrial or political connections or financing. Commercial ads will take some time as the advertisers realise that this is no coffee-table magazine and that the reader returns to it again and again.

     

  • He will oversee all digital marketing initiatives of the Star TV network properties in India

    CVS ‘Venke’ Sharma joins Star to oversee digital marketing

    By A Correspondent

     

    Digital media specialist CVS Sharma has joined Star India as vice-president, network digital marketing. He joined Star last week, soon after returning from Indonesia where he worked with Leo Burnett.

     

    Since as a policy Star India does not issue communiqués on recruits and exits, MxMIndia had to rely on the changes that Mr Sharma (better known as ‘Venke’ in the fraternity) made in his LinkedIn profile. “My mandate is to build and optimise digital marketing opportunities for all the channels and digital initatives of the Star TV network in India,” he notes.

     

    April 12 was the last day at Leo Burnett for this former Indian navy marine engineering officer and an MBA gold medallist. With over 16 years of experience in shaping digital future of brands across categories, he also built Tribal DDB in India his stint with Mudra (2000-06).

     

    Mr Sharma joins Star India as Lalit Bhagia, who championed the digital media foray, quit to get into an entrepreneurial mode.

     

  • The mandate will include print in the first go, followed by digital media and television

    VivaKi bags media mandate for Lovely Prof Univ

    By A Correspondent

     

    VivaKi Partnerships Unit (VPU) has won the media mandate for North India’s Lovely Professional University, in a multi-agency pitch. The mandate will include print in the first go, followed by digital media and television.

     

    Lovely Professional University, a venture of the Lovely Group, has grown from strength to strength since its inception.

     

    Talking about the association with VPU, Aman Mittal, Deputy Director, Lovely Professional University said, “VivaKi Partnerships Unit understood our business and the sector thoroughly. They also have some of the best practices in offline as well as online media strategy and thus, suited our needs the best. We are sure that this alliance will help us achieve our brand objectives.”

     

    Mona Jain

    Commenting on the win, Mona Jain, CEO, Vivaki Exchange and VivaKi Partnerships Unit said, “The education category is in a growth path especially in the emerging markets in India. With the perspective of VPU focussing on emerging markets, and working with Lovely Professional University, the largest university in this sector is surely going to be an exciting journey”.

     

    Adding to the achievement, Tarun Nigam, COO, VivaKi Partnerships Unit said, “We are excited and thrilled to handle Lovely Professional University. Our combination of insight led media planning coupled with scale & skill in media buying will help LPU in accelerating their visibility with increased accountability.”

     

     

  • Sameer Ganapathy who was earlier handling the distribution for the media networks business of Disney UTV will now take on the business function for the digital arm of Disney UTV

    Vishal Gondal, founder of Indiagames, moves on

    By A Correspondent

     

    Vishal Gondal

    Vishal Gondal, Founder and CEO of Indiagames and Managing Director – Digital of Disney UTV, will be moving on from the company. His last working day will be June 30. Sameer Ganapathy, who was earlier handling the distribution for the media networks business of Disney UTV, will now take on the business function for the digital arm of Disney UTV.

     

    Ronnie Screwvala, MD, Disney UTV, said, “Vishal has been a great founder and CEO for Indiagames. As we consolidate the digital, mobile and web play for Disney UTV in India, we plan to build on our creative prowess and transform the digital business to be a direct to consumer, yet working closely with all our partners, telecom operators, OEMs and others. This is similar to our approach in our other verticals of movies, broadcasting and consumer products. Sameer Ganapathy brings an astute business sense and high resourcefulness to this position, which is key to meet the ever growing trajectory of the digital business in India.”

     

    Ronnie Screwvala

    Mr Gondal said, “Indiagames had small beginnings but a big dream. I cannot help but look back with a tremendous sense of fulfilment and pride, upon the long, eventful & exciting journey. I am really proud of what the team has accomplished. Excellent support from our early investors Infinity, IL&FS, TOM Online, Adobe, Cisco & UTV & the subsequent acquisition by Walt Disney provided us the opportunity to work towards our vision of making gaming big in India. Over last 18 months, we have spent time integrating the teams and set a platform for continued growth. Consequently, I’ve decided to move on to pursue my passion for being an entrepreneur,” said Mr Gondal.

     

  • Reliance Communications is the first telecom operator in the country to partner with Twitter in India on the new 'Twitter Access' program

    Reliance Communications partners with Twitter in India

    By A Correspondent

     

    Reliance Communications has announced a partnership with Twitter in India to launch a first-of-its-kind bundled prepaid plan ‘Reliance Twitter Access Pack’ for all Reliance GSM subscribers in the country. Through this partnership, Reliance Communications becomes the first telecom operator in the country to partner with Twitter in India on the new ‘Twitter Access’ program. Reliance GSM prepaid customers across the country can now follow friends, family, news, cricket, entertainment and all their interests with unlimited Twitter access without paying any extra data consumption charges.

     

    Reliance GSM prepaid subscribers can now receive live updates and express their reactions on every ball bowled through their tweets during this T20 cricketing season with unlimited Twitter access across the country. ‘Reliance Twitter Access Pack’ is a promotional offer for a period of 90 days during this T20 cricketing season which comes bundled for all new Reliance GSM prepaid subscribers with unlimited Twitter access without paying any extra data consumption charges. Subscribers may connect to “Twitter Access” by simply visiting twitter.com or mobile.twitter.com on their Reliance GSM prepaid device.

     

    As part of the new “Twitter Access” program, Twitter has customized the Twitter app wherein every customer who has subscribed to the ‘Reliance Twitter Access Pack’ will be able to view a message on the header and footer of the app mentioning Twitter is free of charge with Reliance Mobile. This Twitter app will pop up a message of additional data consumption charges only if any Reliance GSM prepaid subscriber chooses to visit an external link while browsing updates on Twitter.

     

    Commenting on the launch of ‘Reliance Twitter Access Pack,’ Nilanjan Mukherjee, Wireless – Chief Revenue Officer, Reliance Communications Limited said, “We are delighted to be the first operator to partner with Twitter in India on Twitter Access and offer the first of its kind unlimited Twitter access on our superior network. Our partnership with Twitter in India further strengthens our offering on the social media platform and is in line with our continuous efforts to offer innovative products with incredible affordability for our customers. We are confident that the launch of ‘Reliance Twitter Access Pack’ with unlimited usage of Twitter without any extra data consumption charges is set to provide a compelling new experience to our customers using Smartphones for accessing social media across the country on our network. We are hoping this offer to trigger a significant shift of cricket enthusiasts using Smartphones to our superior network.”

     

    “We are pleased to partner with Reliance Communications to offer its subscribers a unique opportunity to use Twitter to follow the people and organizations they care about. Whether it’s hearing the latest news, connecting with cricket stars in real time, or laughing at the day’s best jokes, it’s all possible on Twitter in India,” said Jana Messerschmidt, Vice President, Business Development and Platform, Twitter Inc.

     

  • Edutainment brand KidZania is widening its umbrella in a significant partnership with Birla Sun Life Insurance for its Employment Centre to be set up in Mumbai

    Kidzania associates with Birla Sun Life Insurance

    By A Correspondent

     

    Edutainment brand KidZania is widening its umbrella in a significant partnership with Birla Sun Life Insurance (BSLI) for the Employment Centre establishment in the soon-to-open KidZania facility at R City Mall, Mumbai.

     

    The facility at Kidzania has various establishments with specific role-playing activities which kids can take up in the form of jobs. The Birla Sun Life Insurance Employment Centre establishment provides career development guidance and assistance to children looking for role-playing opportunities at KidZania. Supervisors will help the children identify their aptitude and also help make their first resume based on their passion and interests to identify activities for them. The centre will also encourage curiosity as it allows kids to understand better the 60+ activities available for them to experience. This exercise helps kids in their cognitive development by focusing their attention and thinking in their activity.

     

    Every child who fills out a profile and creates a resume will be provided with a printed copy of their resume to take home with them. At the end of an entire experience at KidZania, kids also get handed a Report Card that showcases all the activities that they have partaken at KidZania. Through the exercise of the resume and the report card the Birla Sun Life Insurance Employment Centre also acts as a facilitator for parents to discover, understand and eventually support their child’s true passion.

     

    Sanjeev Kumar, Director and CEO, KidZania India, said, “The association with Birla Sun Life Insurance is instrumental as it is in tandem with our philosophy of empowering kids to discover and fulfill their true potential. We at KidZania facilitate that belief and provide the platform for kids through interesting activities to identify their passions and interests just like adults identify their career options. KidZania gives them access to a powerful yet inspiring experience, to identify their tomorrow.”

     

    Ajay Kakar

    Ajay Kakar, Chief Marketing Officer, Financial Services Aditya Birla Group, said, “At Birla Sun Life Insurance we recognize that the children, today, have many career options to choose from and so it becomes difficult for them to recognize their real passion. KidZania gives the children an opportunity to explore and experience many a career options, in a fun way. We support this platform because it helps the children and parents recognize their real passion and talent.”

     

  • He joined Zee Learn in 2008 and has worked across various functions in the organisation

    Navneet Anhal promoted as CEO of Zee Learn

    By A Correspondent

     

    Zee Learn has announced the appointment of Navneet Anhal as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Prior to this appointment, Mr Anhal was the Chief Operating Officer at Zee Learn. He joined Zee Learn in 2008 and has worked across various functions in the organisation. He was nominated as the COO in July 2012.

     

    The leadership team at Zee Learn was further strengthened with the appointment of Pradeep Pillai as the Chief Operating Officer. Mr. Pillai was earlier the Business Head for K12 unit at Zee Learn which includes Kidzee preschools and Mount Litera Zee Schools.

     

    On being promoted as CEO of Zee Learn Limited, Navneet Anhal said, “At Zee Learn we are focussed on improving Human Capital. We are optimistic about the future opportunities in the education sector in India and gearing up to meet expectations of all stakeholders associated with the sector.”

     

    Expressing his views on the new appointments, Aman Pal Singh, Head – HR said: “The demand for quality education is an important social reality today and Zee Learn is well poised to cater to this growing aspiration. We are confident that the new leadership team will drive the organisation to set new benchmarks in education in India.”

     

  • Cheil says its challenge is to leverage all available brand touchpoints and convert 'brand lovers' into 'brand buyers'

    Cheil bags Walt Disney Co, L’Oreal’s Casting Creme Gloss

    By A Correspondent

     

    Cheil Worldwide SW Asia is charting a new course with new business wins – The Walt Disney Company and L’Oreal Paris Casting Creme Gloss.

     

    Cheil’s Shopper Marketing and Digital capability clearly demonstrated next level thinking required for consumer engagement for both these brands. For L’Oreal Paris Casting Creme Gloss, Cheil will be creating unique Social + Shopper experiences around the L’Oreal My Girls Go Glam with Sonam campaign. As regards The Walt Disney Company, Cheil will be working across Disney brands including Disney Marvel, Disney Fashion Stations/Stores, Planes and the Disney Princess Academy.

     

    Hari Krishnan

    Confirming the news Hari Krishnan, COO Cheil Worldwide SW Asia, said, “These wins are testimony to Cheil’s integrated expertise which clearly demonstrates our palette which is far beyond advertising. The challenge is to leverage all available brand touchpoints and convert ‘brand lovers’ into ‘brand buyers’. Our approach is clearly positioned around engaging, interacting, understanding and delivering to the consumer. We believe that brands gain greater traction and loyalty from engagement and not just advertising.”

     

    Commenting on the win, John Koo, Managing Director, Cheil Worldwide SW Asia, said, “This a great start to 2013. Cheil has tremendous experience consumer and shopper engagement and I am delighted that we will be seen in a new avataar.”