MxMIndia

Category: NEWS

  • Cadbury India, a part of Mondelez International, has announced the launch of a new TVC campaign for Oreo Choco Creme

    Cadbury India launches Oreo Choco Creme’s new TVC

    By A Correspondent

     

    Cadbury India, a part of Mondelez International, has announced the launch of a new TVC campaign for Oreo Choco Creme. Showing the playful relationship shared by two brothers, the ad campaign captures the essence of the brand – a complete chocolaty treat.

     

    Developed by Interface Communications, the ad is based on the insight that consumers love Oreo for its delicious chocolaty sandwich experience. It shows two young boys, a teenager and his inquisitive little brother, enjoying Oreo Choco Creme and getting confused as to which is more chocolaty – the cream or the cookie. As there is cocoa in both the cream and the cookie, that’s one debate that they find impossible to win, and end up switching sides multiple times.

     

    Speaking on the campaign, Chella Pandyan, Associate Vice President – Marketing, Biscuits,  Mondelez International, said, “It’s well-established that chocolate is India’s favourite cream flavour. The TVC highlights the delightful dilemma the two brothers face.”

     

    Robby Mathew, National Creative Director, Interface Communications, added, “The campaign idea banks on the unique relationship that siblings share. What starts off as a coach-student relationship turns into one of equals, as they together discover Oreo Choco Creme’s double chocolaty delight.”

     

  • Lenovo India has released its latest television commercial that showcases a new range of smartphones for the Indian market

    Lenovo launches TVC on new range of smartphones

    By A Correspondent

     

    Lenovo India has released its latest television commercial that showcases a new range of smartphones for the Indian market.

     

    The premise of the new advertisement revolves around the fact that smartphones are one of the most personal devices, and are an extension of one’s personality. The focus is on ‘Hands’ of different sets of ‘Doers’ – a base jumper, a guitarist, a chef, a painter, a surfer girl, a young traveller, a ballerina, group of bikers, and a group of youngsters partying. These are the same ‘Hands that hold a Lenovo’ and ‘Do More’ with their phones, tying in with Lenovo’s brand campaign ‘For Those Who Do’.

     

    Speaking on the new commercial release, Shailendra Katyal, Director – Consumer Business, Lenovo India, said, “With this launch Lenovo continues its drive to leadership in the PC plus era and takes forward the ‘For Those Who Do’ platform. Our smartphones are synonymous with style, performance and quality, making them an ideal choice for the youth. As a brand, we are focused on empowering the youth with ‘tools’ that allow them to follow their passion, and succeed and transform their lives.”

     

    Rajiv Rao, Creative Director, Ogilvy India said, “In a market that is cluttered with various smartphone brands, the idea was to highlight Lenovo as a brand that has not only aspirational value, but also a strong connect with the youth. In short, it is an ode to what is the most personal and capable tool of ‘Doers’.”

     

  • Winning the exclusive broadcast rights across the Indian subcontinent, the channel will telecast live all 51 matches of the tournament.

    Sony Six wins UEFA Euro 2016 broadcast rights

    By A Correspondent

     

    Sony Six has added the UEFA Euro 2016 football tournament to its kitty, winning the exclusive broadcast rights for it across the Indian subcontinent. The channel will telecast live all 51 matches of the tournament.

     

    Man Jit Singh

    Expressing his joy at the acquisition, Man Jit Singh CEO, MSM, said, “Football has grown immensely in India over the past few years and has found great interest amongst the youth. With the successful acquisition of the UEFA Euro 2016 tournament broadcasting rights, we look forward to attracting viewership to Sony Six by leveraging on the growing popularity of European football in the country.”

     

    European football’s premier international competition will be Sony Six’s first entry into international football. Having broadcast the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, this will be the first successful acquisition of a major professional football competition by the channel.

     

    NP Singh

    N P Singh COO, MSM, said, “We are delighted to bring one of football’s elite tournaments to the Indian viewers exclusively on Sony Six. As a broadcaster we are always in pursuit of the best of International Sport and through our latest acquisition we will take the fans closer to the high impact action that the UEFA Euro 2016 promises to deliver.

     

    Guy-Laurent Epstein, UEFA’s Marketing Director, said, “We are pleased to welcome Sony Six to the family of broadcasters for the UEFA Euro 2016. UEFA believes that the Sony Six channel and its commitment to high quality programming and sport is an excellent home for UEFA’s flagship national team competition.”

     

    The 2016 UEFA European Football Championship will be held in France with provisional dates of June 10 to July 10 2016.

     

  • The Mumbai Press Club's RedInk Awards will also recognize over 20 journalists across various categories

    Press Club Mumbai to honour Kuldip Nayar and N Ram with Lifetime Achievement Awards

    By A Correspondent

     

    The Press Club Mumbai has announced it will honour veteran journalists Kuldip Nayar and N.Ram with the RedInk Lifetime Achievement Awards for 2013 for a career dedicated to good journalism. The awards will be handed over by the Governor of Maharashtra, K Sankaranarayanan, on Saturday, May 25, at the Tata Theatre in Mumbai. More than 20 other journalists will receive awards in various categories for excellence in journalism at the Awards event.

     

    The Lifetime Achievement Awards were selected by the managing committee of the Press Club based on a survey of leading and senior journalists from across the country.

     

    “It’s a privilege to honour such distinguished journalists at the RedInk 2013 Awards. Their contribution to the media and professional achievements speak volumes and serve as motivations to us all. We are pleased to felicitate such inspirational personalities,” said Gurbir Singh, President, The Press Club, Mumbai.

     

    This year, The RedInk Awards received over 900 entries from journalists all across India. Winners have been chosen in nine competitive categories including Sports, Media & Entertainment, Health & Environment, Crime, Business, Politics, Television Story, Science & Innovation and PhotoJournalism. Some of the eminent judges included Ravi Shastri, Rahul Bose, Kumar Ketkar, Pritish Nandy, Minhaz Merchant, Shirish Inamdar, Hussain Zaidi, Khalid Mohammad and Colvyn Harris. The media partners of the event are Star India, Podar Enterprise, Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Ltd., Eros International, Yes Bank, Magarpatta City, and Zee Entertainment.

     

  • The second edition of HT Printworks, the advertising expo organized by the HT Media Group in Mumbai last week, attracted more than 1,000 people and registered a sale of close to 300 discounted advertising packages

    HT conducts 2nd edition of Printworks

    By A Correspondent

     

    The second edition of HT Printworks, the advertising expo organized by the HT Media Group in Mumbai last week, ended on a high note with the six-day event attracting more than a thousand people and registering a sale of close to 300 discounted advertising packages.

     

    The expo, held at the Sofitel Hotel in Bandra-Kurla Complex, aimed to offer small and medium enterprises (SMEs) the advantages of highly discounted advertising deals for various supplements of Hindustan Times. It was a one-stop shop for first-time advertisers and retail advertisers to take advantage of a year-round, discounted advertising along with tips on media planning and creative for the advertisements.

     

    Several clients from small and medium enterprises across the city, both first-timers and repeaters, attended the various 90-minute sessions held every day, where they interacted with executives on the best deals for advertising.

     

    For the organizers, the response was encouraging. “HT Printworks received a tremendous response and we were overwhelmed with the number of businesses that showed interest in our packages. We saw serious decision-makers who bought the packages on the spot,” said Nitin Chaudhry, business head (West and South), HT Media Group. “The biggest benefit of HT Printworks is the simplicity of this programme which helps advertisers plan their advertising across the audiences that we offer,” he said.

     

    The event was conducted in partnership with Australian media consultancy firm ‘Boost’.

     

  • Select links of stories handpicked by MxMIndia editors

    Links of the day (23 May)

    Twitter tightens security after high-profile breaches

    http://www.livemint.com/Consumer/Pr63ETrDWd7nxyZ6BW9fwJ/Twitter-tightens-security-after-highprofile-breaches.html

    Livemint.com/AFP

    Twitter says it would implement a new login verification system, which is ‘a form of two-factor authentication’, says report

     

    New channel InSync to focus on classical music

    http://www.afaqs.com/news/story/37573_New-channel-InSync-to-focus-on-classical-music

    Afaqs.com

    Musical events management company Perfect Octave has announced the launch of a pay channel that will focus on classical music content, notes the report

     

    Viacom18 expands mobile footprint to engage youth & kids

    http://www.exchange4media.com/51086_viacom18-expands-mobile-footprint-to-engage-youth-kids.html

    Exchange4media.com/Synjini Nandi

    Viacom18 is all set to launch three new mobile products under three of its kids and youth-oriented brands in the country i.e. MTV, Vh1 and Teen Nick, informs this report.

     

  • We believe that all other segments in Media & Entertainment must also have their own version of Portfolio Nights

    1 Minute View: Can we have Portfolio Night-like events for all of M&E?

    What according to us was the take-out from the Portfolio Night 11 held in Mumbai (and Delhi) on Wednesday? Good food, drinks, nicely organized, great to see all the creative gurus under one roof, etc etc?

     

    All that’s a given, what we would like to underscore and it’s a sentiment we express after every Portfolio Night is the fantastic service that the big boys do for the younger talent. The event is like a speed-dating platform for the ‘best of the present’ to meet the ‘best of the years to come’.

     

    We believe that all other segments in Media & Entertainment must also have their own version of Portfolio Nights. The media agency folks, the account management guys, PR practitioners, journalists, television and radio folk, filmwallahs… every part of M&E.

     

    Imagine journalists doing their own version of Portfolio Night… may not happen on a single evening, but over a few days. Ditto with media agency professionals. Or radio programmers. Marketers… the list is endless.

     

    Someone out there thought of the Portfolio Night idea. Perhaps there exist similar efforts elsewhere. But the seniors in the businesses need to dream up similarly winning ideas.

     

    That’s the only way in which we will ensure that there is a great future for our businesses.

     

  • The crorepati show is getting set to enter living rooms for a seventh season, and the consensus is that it is Amitabh's charisma which keeps viewers watching. Will it work for this season too?

    KBC7: Hit or Miss?

    By Meghna Sharma

     

    The registration promos for the seventh season of Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC) have begun, and Indians from all over the country are queueing up in the hope of hearing the magic words “Aur aap jeet gaye hain!”

     

    The question however is whether KBC this year will be able to garner the same amount of interest amongst its audience and receive ratings on par with previous years’ or will it show signs of the seven-year itch. “It will open below last year’s rating, more close to 4.5 to 5.0 TVR. In any case fragmentation is happening which will cause a drop in viewership. For instance, the IPL may reach more people, but there has been a drop in actual TVRs. Also, there is some amount of boredom that has set in on KBC, which will be the main reason for a drop in viewership,” feels Hariharan Vishwanath, National Trading Director, MEC.

     

    Mohit Joshi

    However, others feel that host Amitabh Bachchan’s charisma is enough to draw people to the show, apart from being a format which everyone – young or old, male or female – can relate to.

     

    “This year will be similar too. Amitabh Bachchan is the key reason for these ratings and his charisma will continue this year as well,” says Mohit Joshi, MD, Havas Media.

     

     

    Neel Kamal Sharma

    Agreeing with Mr Joshi, Neel Kamal Sharma, COO – Buying, Madison Group adds, “KBC continues to be the channel driver and I am confident that it will be the channel driver this year as well. The real challenge for channel will be to bring some element of freshness for viewers so that it continues to attract them in an engaging manner.”

     

    Media planners feel that the format captures the viewers’ imagination by letting them be in the contestant’s shoes as they try to answer the questions. It is this that keeps them hooked to the show. And that is the reason for the show’s adaptation in various regional languages, too. After Kannada, Tamil and Malayalam, KBC was recently launched in Marathi as well.

     

    “Regional is the next big national. Let’s draw a parallel regional daily print titles (Tamil, Marathi, etc) have more readers in the regional markets than English (or even Hindi in these markets ) which clearly tell that there is an audience who will watch and they want to see content in their local language. Therefore, KBC does make sense in regional languages,” explains Mr Vishwanath.

     

    On the other hand, Mr Joshi feels that nobody can match AB’s magnetic personality. “The effort is always to get the regional celebrity to host it which is good. “I would say they do moderately well.”

     

  • Ogilvy and Mather dishes up something new for Vodafone every year, and this year the agency lived up to its reputation with the ultra-cute Minions

    Minions music video Zumi Zumi to end Zoozoo campaign

    By Meghna Sharma

     

    An added attraction of the IPL is the season’s Vodafone campaign featuring the Zoozoos, which have been a hit ever since they first appeared on TV four years ago.

     

    Ogilvy and Mather dishes up something new for Vodafone every year, and this year the agency lived up to its reputation with the ultra-cute Minions. The miniature versions of the Zoozoos quickly became popular, and as the IPL season concludes, the campaign ends with a new twist – a music video.

     

    A music video is a first for the Zoozoo campaign. So why now? “When the campaign started it began with a teaser wherein these Minions were getting ready for ‘something’. They got internet, gossip, jobs etc for the Zoozoos so we thought it would be apt for us to end them with an anthem of their own,” says O&M’s Rajiv Rao.

     

    Like the Zoozoos, will we have to say goodbye to the Minions as well when the IPL season ends? “We don’t know yet. Who knows, maybe after three or six months or maybe only next year will we be able to see them,” Mr Rao says.

     

    Rajiv Rao

    And what can we expect from him and his team next year? “Every year, it’s a new challenge and we will see what brief and challenges are thrown at us,” says Mr Rao. He was interrupted by Piyush Pandey who jokingly said, “The future of the campaign is me working as Rajiv’s assistant.”

     

  • The Hindustan Times has renewed its Gurgaon focus with increased local coverage for residents of Gurgaon.

    Hindustan Times launches Gurgaon Special

    By A Correspondent

     

    The Hindustan Times (IRS 21.83 lakh till 2012, Q4) has renewed its Gurgaon focus with increased local coverage for residents of Gurgaon. The special product for Gurgaon, which greeted residents last Friday morning, started off with a massive survey of Gurgaon’s residents, asking them about their opinion on all the issues that count to them. The responses highlight the problems that beg to be addressed- safety, sewage, power, water, roads and traffic in their city. And that is where Hindustan Times’ Gurgaon special intends to contribute – by doing in-depth stories on the various issues that affect the lives of the citizens, and helping take them to their natural conclusion.

     

    The efforts go beyond the printed newspaper. A special dedicated website has also been launched with the new edition of Gurgaon’s HT – www.htgurgaon.com, which will not only have more stories and information but also be a platform where the residents can share their views, suggestions and comments about this ongoing project to make their city truly world class.

     

    “Hindustan Times has been the voice of Delhi for the last 89 years. With the city’s expansion into Gurgaon and Noida, we’ve gone ahead and expanded our presence in these newer areas to fully cover them and seek to give our readers a flavour of the entire national capital region. The renewed focus on Gurgaon is a step towards helping the city realize its potential,” said Sanjoy Narayan, editor-in-chief, Hindustan Times.

     

    Shantanu Bhanja

    Shantanu Bhanja, Business Head and Vice-President Marketing, HT Media Ltd, said, “Gurgaon, as we all know, is a city of the future. Its breathtaking growth in the past decade has been awe-inspiring. Hindustan Times’ increased Gurgaon focus bears testimony to the growth the city has witnessed. Our Gurgaon-focused approach, in which we will take up news stories and issues that matter to the residents of Gurgaon, will benefit both readers and advertisers.”

     

    The Gurgaon Special has been launched with a multi-media campaign that affirms HT’s positioning to Gurgaon residents through the tagline “Your Gurgaon, Your Voice”.

     

  • As NAMS has started tracking upheld complaints to ensure that these ads don't reappear, ASCI plans to report any reappearance of upheld complaint ads to the statutory authorities for further action, and has increased the frequency of CCC meetings

    ASCI for faster, stronger action against ads violating code

    By A Correspondent

     

    The Adverting Standards Council of India (ASCI), the advertising content self-regulating industry watchdog, has announced three significant initiatives to ensure faster and more stringent action against all advertisements which violate its advertising code and guidelines.

     

    ASCI, through its National Advertising Monitoring Service (NAMS), has now started tracking advertisements in print and TV nationally against which complaints are upheld. If they continue to re-appear without removing or changing objectionable portions of the ad, ASCI will report these advertisements to the relevant statutory authorities for action according to the law of the land.

     

    To speed up the decision-making process and handle multi-fold increase in complaints due to NAMS, ASCI has introduced an additional Consumer Complaint Council (CCC). As a result, CCC meetings will now be held every week instead of every fortnight. This will further reduce the average complaint adjudication time. The self-regulatory body has also appointed Shweta Purandare as Chief Operations Officer (COO) to drive the investigation of complaints, besides heading the complaint redressal and follow-up process.

     

    Arvind Sharma

    Commenting on these initiatives, ASCI Chairman Arvind Sharma said, “ASCI has been continually innovating to protect the interests of the consumers and all these initiatives are steps towards that. The proactive tracking by NAMS, earlier of all newly released ads in print and TV and now of all upheld complaint ads, and reporting non-compliance to statutory bodies, is likely to help substantially in moving towards the goal of eradicating misleading ads. The appointment of a COO and an additional CCC will go a long way in ensuring speedier and more effective complaint redressal process. ”

     

  • Reliance Games has launched the official mobile game of the popular US dance-based reality show Dancing With the Stars, available on the Apple app store

    Reliance Games launches Dancing With the Stars mobile game

    By A Correspondent

     

    Reliance Games, a developer and publisher of mobile games, has set the stage for enthusiasts to groove along with the dance-based TV show, Dancing with the Stars. This rhythm-based mobile game is inspired by the enormously popular television show and lets users prove they are the best dancer on the virtual floor. Dancing With the Stars: On the Move can be played on iPhone, iPad and iTouch (https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/dancing-stars-on-move/id642440504?mt=8).

     

    Manish Agarwal

    “Dancing with the Stars: On the Move mixes the glamour and high-stakes drama of the competitive show with the rhythm-based gameplay people love,” says Manish Agarwal, CEO of Reliance Entertainment Digital. “Both new and seasoned casual gamers will be addicted to the combination of music, colourful costumes and amazing dance floor moves.”

     

    Players can also share their game progress with friends via Facebook Connect, allowing users to share their dancing outfit and show off their winning score.

     

    “It’s an amazing, immersive experience,” said Paul Joffe, VP BBC Worldwide Digital Entertainment and Games. “It puts the excitement and energy of Dancing with the Stars in your hands. Fans get the chance to enjoy first-hand the journey to becoming a champion. They can even team up with their favourite dancers from the show.”

     

    Dancing With the Stars showcases paired celebrities and professional dancers who compete for the trophy.