MxMIndia

Category: NEWS

  • Titan Watches' 'Giftology' research reveals 55% of Indians find gift-buying for their partner (spouse, boyfriend and girlfriend) the hardest choice of all

    Oh dear! Indians find gifting to partners a pain

    By A Correspondent

     

    Over half of Indians find their partner the hardest person to buy gifts for, with men being particularly perplexed by the prospect; 59 percent of them find their partner’s gift the toughest choice of present to buy compared to 46 percent of women, according to new ‘Giftology’ research by Titan Watches.

     

    The research also reveals a pronounced difference in ‘gift perplexity’ levels between age groups; a staggering two thirds of Indian 35-44 year-olds find selecting their partner’s gift the toughest choice of all, compared to just 32% of 18-24 year olds who appear far more comfortable with the process.

     

    When it comes to receiving gifts, however, Indians do overcome this particular confusion with ease; with 60% revealing that their spouses and partners still give them the best presents each season. They have a far better track record than Indians’ friends, who systematically buy their worst gifts for each other during the festive season; according to the research, 38% of Indians receive their worst gifts from their friends.

     

    Rajan Amba, Titan’s Global Marketing & Product Head, describes the Giftology research as an insightful look at the trends in gifting that the Indian customers will face this festive season.

     

    “Some of the findings will certainly strike a chord on both sides of the gifting process. While Indians find it hardest of all to select the right gift for those closest to them; in practice, the majority still rise to the challenge – 60% of respondents still cite their partner’s gift as the best of all. Giftology is a science which – like a good wine – gets better with age; while only 20% of 18-24 year olds find it easiest to buy gifts for their partner, that figure more than doubles (46%) amongst gift givers aged 55 or over,” said Mr Rajan highlighting another of the survey’s key findings; the fact that friends seem to receive the worst presents from each other.

     

    “Friends are consistently the worst gift buyers; it’s also notable that they are – however – rarely cited as being difficult to buy gifts for (just 9% consider them the hardest gifts to purchase). In light of this, it appears that Indian’s consider friends’ gifts a pretty straightforward purchase; perhaps they don’t dedicate as much care and attention to the selection as they could. The result; the least satisfying gifts all round,” Rajan asserted.

     

    “In short, the more care and attention we apply to the gift process – i.e. the higher the level of ‘gift perplexity’ – the better the result for both giver and recipient. Now, there is a valuable insight this festive season!”

     

  • ECD Kapil Mishra has been elevated to the position of Creative Head at Contract's Mumbai office.

    Kapil Mishra elevated to Creative Head, Mumbai @ Contract

    Contract has elevated Kapil Mishra to the position of Creative Head at its Mumbai office. Mr Mishra, who is currently the Executive Creative Director – Projects, will now have the additional responsibility of overseeing all the creative work churned out of Mumbai as its Creative Head. In his new role, he will work closely with Ashish Chakravarty to ensure creative excellence for all of Contract’s Mumbai clients.

     

    Commenting on his elevation, Mr Chakravarty, National Creative Director, Contract Advertising said: “Kapil has really impressed us with his clarity of thought, his ability to work on multiple projects, his keen eye for good ideas, and his sheer tenacity to see things through. But what marked him out for a bigger role was the way he led people across departments, and levels of seniority, through some very tough but ultimately successful projects. Plus he is a fabulously fun guy to work with”.

     

    Mr Mishra joined Contract from Law & Kenneth in April this year. During his short stint with Contract so far, he has been involved in Cadbury Halls, Celebrations, Eclairs, Star Plus Junior Master Chef, Asian Paints Aspira and many new business pitches.

     

  • The Laqshya group's Outdoor Media Integrated (OMI) divisision is being rechristened Laqshya Solutions

    OMI is now Laqshya Solutions

    By A Correspondent

     

    The Laqshya Media Group has announced that its agency division Outdoor Media Integrated (OMI) will now be called Laqshya Solutions. The decision is effective today (Nov 1, 2013).

     

    This announcement has been made in the wake of the restructuring made at Laqshya Media Group, adds a communique, adding: “The new name has been created to bring about a better synergy among the various group divisions and OMI too will be able to get inherent advantage of Brand Laqshya, which has emerged as a leading, credible brand name in OOH Industry. The division will continue to work with and service its several clients across different verticals.”

     

    Talking about the change in name and logo, Alok Jalan, Managing Director, The Laqshya Group, said: “We’ve identified OOH, Activation and Advertising as the verticals for our growth agenda. While our Solutions division is the largest vertical, its identity has been different from other divisions. This needed to be changed and that’s what we’ve done. The new name and logo also are more in sync with the rest of the Laqshya Group verticals.”

     

    Atul Shrivastava, COO of the Laqshya Group, said, “There was a need for OMI to get directly identified as Laqshya group outfit. We are pleased that the decision has been taken in this regard.  Over the next few years, we hope to work with some of the best Indian and international brands, offering them cutting-edge, innovative OOH media campaigns through the Laqshya Solutions division. We are excited about the new look and name the division now has.”

     

  • MxMIndia will have no edition on November 4 and 5 (that's next Monday and Tuesday) for Diwali.

    Happy Diwali. See you on Wed, Nov 6

    MxMIndia wishes you a delightful Dhanteras, Diwali, New Year and Bhau Beej/Bhai Dooj.

     

    Our offices are closed on Monday, Nov 4 and Tuesday, Nov 5 and consequently we will not have any editorial update on the website and our editorial newsletters and viewsletters will not be sent out on those days. Except of course if there’s something major that happens. We may be on holiday, but will bring you an update if there’s a development that we believe you should be updated about.

     

    Email us at editor@mxmindia.com for editorial queries and to send us intimations and at sales@mxmindia.com for business requests and enquiries.

     

    See you on Wednesday, November 6.

     

  • The former Contract India chairman and CCO has set up Whyness Worldwide with offices in Mumbai, Paris and Boston and two strategic offshore alliance – the Boston-based big data tech firm called Findability Sciences and a branding and design company called Seenk from France

    Ravi Deshpande sets up Whyness

    By A Correspondent

     

    (left to right): Anand Mahurkar (Founder and CEO of Findability sciences, Boston), Clement Derock ( Founder and Creative Director, Seenk, Paris ), Ravi Deshpande ( Founder, Chairman and CCO, Whyness) and Frederic Lalande ( Founder and Creative Director, Seenk, Paris)

    As he made the rounds of various industry events over the last few months, Ravi Deshpande would assure us to hang in there for the big news. The design school was functional and the trade was abuzz with the news that the former chairman and and chief creative officer of Contract India was up to something new.

     

    Enter Whyness Worldwide with three offices: Mumbai, Paris and Boston. Mr Deshpande has chosen two strong strategic offshore alliance as it has tied up with Boston-based big data tech firm called Findability Sciences and a branding and design company called Seenk from France.

     

    Said Mr Deshpande, who is designated founder, chairman and CCO of Whyness: “We are an integrated communications agency for the new world. We address brand challenges with solutions that combine human insights, creativity, design and technology. In a sense it is an agency that bridges the gap between traditional agencies and digital agencies.”

     

    So why Whyness? How will it different from the others? “Whyness was to take the next big step in seeking answers on how to communicate to the people of the new world. We redesigned the way we work, right from our structure and alliances to our talent strategy. We were convinced about the kind of work we want to do. And it matches with the kind of work our clients and marketers are asking for. We wanted to mix up things and produce surprising results that actually work for brands and companies. Design and Strategy combined with technology, Creativity mixed with Algorithms.”

     

    Whyness will work with Findability Sciences and Paris-based Seenk closely and ’employ’ graduates from the ‘Ecole Intuit Lab’ school of design set by Mr Deshpande to add fresh perspective to design.

     

    It maybe remembered that this is Ravi Deshpande’s second attempt at being entrepreneur. In 2001, he quit Contract to start Lemon. In April this year, he quit Contract as chairman and chief creative officer.

     

  • Star India announces commitment of more than Rs 20,000 crore in the sports business with non-cricketing games given fair importance

    Star junks ESPN brand, launches Star Sports with 6 channels and website

    By A Correspondent

     

    Premier media and entertainment conglomerate Star India has unveiled a new brand for Star Sports across six TV channels — Star Sports 1,2,3,4, HD1 and HD2 and starsports.com. All the offerings will be under the ‘Star Sports’ brand and with ‘Believe’ as the credo. The two channels bearing the ESPN brand and Star Cricket are being suspended to create this bouquet.

     

     

    Uday Shankar

    Speaking on the occasion, Uday Shankar, CEO, Star India, said, “Cricket is too big to be confined to just one channel. Today, we are redoubling our efforts to showcase the best of Indian and international cricket to the sports fan. We will cover more of it, have wider coverage, go deeper, use multiple languages and take it beyond television. The new brand is also about showcasing our commitment to other sports. While cricket will be central to our approach, we will also be faithful to our role as a sports broadcaster and bring in the best of local and world sports to India, whether in soccer, hockey, badminton, tennis, F1 or the many other sports that fans in India are deeply passionate about.”

     

    In a communique, Star has disclosed that it has made a commitment of more than Rs 20,000 crore in the sports business. The investment is being used to fuel expansion of sports coverage in the country as well as in building exciting new leagues including the Indian Super League in football, the Hockey India League and the Indian Badminton League. The network will also showcase new non-live programming and new shows and formats, all of which will create more choice for the Indian sports fan. Post the brand refresh, the network will carry over 5,000 hours of premium live sports content, including around 200 days of live cricket in a year.

     

    The broadcaster also announced the launch of India’s first 24×7 Hindi sports channel – Star Sports 3, with content, graphics and shows in Hindi – a giant step forward to dramatically increase the reach of sports in the country.

     

    The network has been launched with a campaign that urges India to “Believe” and as if underscoring the importance of cricket to the network even though Mr Shankar says it will be faithful to other sports too, Indian cricket team captain M S Dhoni has been signed on as its first ambassador.

     

    What’s Out, What’s In

    Sr. No.

    Old Name

    New Name

    1

    		 STAR Sports STAR Sports 1

    2

    		 STAR Sports 2 STAR Sports 2

    3

    		 STAR Cricket STAR Sports 3

    4

    		 ESPN STAR Sports 4

    5

    		 STAR Cricket HD STAR Sports HD 1

    6

    		 ESPN HD STAR Sports HD 2

     

     

  • The McCann Erickson ECD will take charge of the creative duties at DDB Mudra for North India

    DDB Mudra ropes in Sambit Mohanty as Creative Head, North

    By A Correspondent

     

    DDB Mudra has appointed Sambit Mohanty as Creative Head, North. Sam, as Mr Mohanty is better known, will be based out of Delhi and will report in to Sonal Dabral, Chairman and Chief Creative Officer, DDB Mudra Group.

     

    Sam joins DDB Mudra from McCann Erickson where he was Executive Creative Director, New Delhi, instrumental in creating memorable work for Coca-Cola (Haan, Haan, Mein Crazy Hoon) and Aircel (Thoda Extra Milta Hai Toh Achcha Lagta Hai).

     

    With over 14 years in advertising and design, Mr Mohanty has worked with Leo Burnett, Publicis, Lowe and Elephant Design and worked on clients such as Coca-Cola, GM, Nestle, HP, Pernod-Ricard, Virgin Mobile, Hitachi, Max Bupa, Godfrey Philips, The Indian Express, BBC World, Tanishq, Britannia, Reckitt-Benckiser and more.

     

    On joining DDB Mudra, Delhi, he said, “It’s a privilege to be part of DDB’s creative culture that’s guided by play books not rule books. With Sonal’s help, I’m keen on creating a place where one looks forward to coming to work – even on a Monday morning. And also producing some glorious work along the way!

     

    Said Sonal Dabral, Chairman and Chief Creative Officer, DDB Mudra Group said, “New Delhi is an extremely important market for us so I’m really happy that a talent like Sambit will lead our creative offering there. Sambit is among the rare breed of creative professionals in India who are equally comfortable with Hindi or English, with paper and pen or mouse and computer screen. I’m certain Sambit will play a big role in helping shape an exciting creative future for DDB Mudra Group.”

     

    Said Vandana Das, President, DDB Mudra Delhi, “We have got to dot our “I”s in the creative business. I am looking at ushering, welcoming, embracing creative leadership in DDB Mudra Delhi through Sambit. He is a phenomenal talent and he has got the three Is – Inspiration, Imagination and Involvement. Many “I”s put together becomes “We” and I look forward to generating some more incredible work from our office.

     

  • Mumbai with 12 million internet users has emerged as the topmost city in internet penetration, followed by Delhi with 8.1 million and Hyderabad with 4.7 million internet users.

    Mumbai tops Net penetration, Cal is fastest growing: IAMAI

    By A Correspondent

     

    Mumbai with 12 million internet users has emerged as the topmost city in terms of internet penetration, followed by Delhi with 8.1 million internet users and Hyderabad with 4.7 million internet users. Chennai with 4.5 million internet users and Kolkata with 4.4 million internet users are fourth and fifth respectively. These are figures put out by the Internet and Mobile Association of India [IAMAI]. In 2012, Mumbai had 8.3 million internet users, while Delhi had 6 million internet users. There were 3.6 million internet users in Hyderabad in 2012, while Chennai had 3.4 million internet users and Kolkata had 3 million internet users.

     

    With 47% year-on-year growth, Kolkata, however, registered the highest growth of internet users among all the top cities in India. Mumbai with 45% y-o-y growth is second while Bangalore with a growth y-o-y of 43% is third. Pune, with a growth of 37% is fourth while Delhi with a y-o-y growth of 35% is fifth.

     

    Source: IAMAI-IMRB I-Cube 2013 Findings

     

    Ahmedabad, with y-o-y 26%, registered the lowest growth rate among the top eight cities. Overall, the the top 4 metros have a 37% penetration of active internet users. Among the other 4 Metros, Hyderabad leads the charge with a penetration of 37% active internet users. Coimbatore with a 40% penetration leads in the small metros category.

     

  • NDTV 24×7 and Good Times launched on Singapore's StarHub TV platform

    NDTV can now be watched in Singapore, la

    By A Correspondent

     

    Leading news broadcaster New Delhi Television (NDTV) has announced it entered Singapore on October 18 with NDTV 24×7 and NDTV Good Times on StarHub TV

     

    Speaking on the occasion, Rohit Jaiswal, Associate Vice President, Network Distribution and Affiliate Sales, NDTV, said, “We are very pleased to announce the launch of our channels on StarHub TV. Like in other parts of the world, our channels, which are now available in over 78 countries, will aid Indian expatriates and everyone else who has an interest in India keep abreast with a constantly evolving India.”

     

    “We are pleased that New Delhi Television has chosen StarHub TV as its preferred platform to showcase their premium channels to the Singapore audience. The addition of NDTV 24×7 and NDTV Good Times will strengthen StarHub TV’s Indian content line-up by offering more entertainment choices for our customers,” said Lee Soo Hui, Head of Media Business Unit, StarHub.

     

    The channels are also available on StarHub TV Anywhere via www.starhubtvanywhere.com. TV Anywhere is StarHub’s multiscreen solution which allows StarHub TV customers to watch their favorite TV channels on their subscription plan using their personal devices.

     

  • Marketers have hit the rewind button. From Rolls-Royce and Bacardi to Louis Vuitton and Fuji, top brands are touting their roots to be on the ball this season.

    Brands rewind to move fast forward

    By John Sarkar

     

    Marketers have hit the rewind button. From Rolls-Royce and Bacardi to Louis Vuitton and Fuji, top brands are touting their roots to be on the ball this season.

     

    Take Louis Vuitton for instance. After flirting with fashion, the world’s most counterfeited brand has gone back to what it does best, make high-end luxury luggage. It is also pitching to its well-heeled Indian clients a new book, which is the first comprehensive taxonomy of its women’s handbags that date back to the turn of the 20th century.

     

    In the meanwhile, Indian bike maker Royal Enfield has launched the Continental GT, a modern take on its popular cafe racer from the ’60s. And following a disastrous first innings, Italian scooter maker Piaggio is riding back into reckoning in India on its new Vespa, whose classic lines hark back to the times when baby boomers took over the roads.

     

    “Top brands are flaunting their heritage to stand out from the crowd. New generation Indians are more connected and well travelled. They want to know what a brand stands for,” says V Sunil , executive creative director at Wieden+Kennedy India , the advertising agency behind the popular Royal Enfield Continental GT campaign . That’s what Triumph Motorcycles, the 111-year-old British brand known for its retro-modern bikes, will be counting on when it enters the premium end of the domestic motorcycle market in the next few days. Along with Royal Enfield, Norton and the now defunct BSA, Triumph enjoyed a loyal fan following in India before the Japanese came in with their cheaper and more efficient machines.

     

    To automobile connoisseurs , Rolls-Royce Motor Cars is best known for the ‘waftability’ of its cars. However, a couple of months ago in Mumbai, the British luxury carmaker introduced the Wraith, a powerful fastback inspired by its vintage grand tourers. “Wraith revives one of the most famous Rolls-Royce names first used for a production model in 1938,” Herfried Hasenoehrl, Rolls-Royce’s GM for emerging markets-Asia , told TOI. “The name expresses the character of the new car by alluding to a powerful force, something agile and potent.” Industry experts feel that this bold move will allow younger and more adventurous buyers in India to warm up to the iconic 109-year-old automobile marquee.

     

    Well, maybe. But brand guru Santosh Desai has a theory about the business of buying and selling nostalgia. “It’s fuelled by an overdose of digitisation ,” he says. “Technology has left Indian consumers very jaded. They crave for the human touch — the roughness, feel and texture of handmade products of the eras gone by. So now, if you want to experience the scarcity of an era, you have to fork out a premium.”

     

    This may have resonated within the ranks of Japanese companies too, hailed by many as the true torchbearers of digital technology . Four decades after launching its original mass produced superbike, Honda is reviving the lineage of the hugely popular CB750 with the retro-modern CB1100. And in a booming domestic market ruled by digital SLRs and point and shoots, Tokyo-based photography and imaging company Fujifilm is capturing the big picture with its slightly expensive X1 series of cameras, reminiscent of photography’s early days with metal-milled analog dials and leather clad bodies. “We were a little slow off the blocks to make the transition into digital technology. And the X1 series helped us overcome that lag,” says Rahul Pandit, executive VP, Fujifilm India. “It got us instant attention in India since it looks so retro and it showcased our rich heritage in film at the same time.”

     

    The trend has moved on to other sectors as well. While liquor brands like Belvedere Vodka, Grey Goose, Jim Beam and Bacardi are focusing on showcasing their traditions in new campaigns, a significant number of fashion brands are increasingly finding out new ways to connect with their roots.

     

    British designer label Burberry, best known in recent years for women’s handbags and fashion, witnessed a huge spike in sales this year by re-establishing itself as a menswear retailer. Similarly, fashion house Fendi is funding the restoration of the iconic Trevi Fountain in Rome to bolster its Italian connection. Says Pietro Beccari, chairman and CEO of Fendi: “This project allows us to once again reinforce our geographical and cultural Roman roots, which we are very proud of.”

     

    What’s next? Watch out for a qwerty tablet!

     

    Source:The Economic Times

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

    Licensed to republish

     

  • In this tribute written exclusively for MxMIndia, Sanjeev Kapoor, well-known chef, cookery book writer, television show host and co-promoter of Food Food channel, talks of how Tarla Dalal was his inspiration to write cookbooks.

    Sanjeev Kapoor on Tarla Dalal: She was my inspiration to write cookbooks…

    The Queen of Indian Cookery Books Tarla Dalal passed away on Wednesday, November 6. Having written over a hundred cookbooks and several thousand recipes, Ms Dalal’s recipes have helped transform lakhs of first-timers into accomplished cooks. Generations of men and women found in her recipe books a companion they could depend on for pure vegetarian fare – from the traditional Indian cuisine to a variety of international fare.

     

    In this tribute written exclusively for MxMIndia, Sanjeev Kapoor, well-known chef, cookery book writer and television show host as also co-promoter of Food Food channel, talks of how Ms Dalal has been his inspiration to write cookbooks.

     

    Read on…

     

    Tarla Dalal
    Sanjeev Kapoor

    Tarla Dalal was a pioneer who bought homecooking into forefront and spread it across avenues to make it glamorous. She made this routine, monotonous, chore turn 180 degrees and made it interesting. She did it when nobody else was in this space. Whether it was cookery classes or cookbooks, she led the way.

     

    Her roots were in vegetarianism and the credit goes entirely to her, that despite temptations and demand of this commercial world, she stuck to her roots and remained wedded only to vegetarian recipes. Known for her business acumen, she   kept adapting to the demands of the new world – be it TV shows, websites, videos or more recently the Tarla Dalal App on mobiles.

     

    She’s the first person, from the culinary field, in the country, to be honored with the Padma Shri by the Government of India. It speaks volumes of her contribution in this field. I was fortunate to meet her on a few occasions and I always came back impressed with her humility and grounded approach.

     

    She was widely travelled and loved to discuss food from across the globe. All kinds of food excited her and there was nothing which she could not convert into vegetarian option, for the pre-dominantly vegetarian public of India.

     

    She was my inspiration to write cookbooks and will always be a special person in my life. Her contribution to the Indian culinary world will always be written in golden words and she will be remembered as a small, sweet, smiling, motherly, next-door lady, always ready to dish-out something new, especially for you. There’s an adage: There’s no love more sincere than love of food… and that’s synonymous with Tarla Dalal.

     

  • Season 2 of 'Jai Ma Vindhyavasini' will air as 'Love Dosti Dua' on Big Magic, the Reliance Broadcast Network GEC

    Magic! Season 2 of ‘Jai Ma Vindhyavasini’ is romcom ‘Love Dosti Dua!’

    By A Correspondent

     

    Reliance Broadcast Network’s GEC Big Magic is living up to its name. The popular show ‘Jai Ma Vindhyavasini’ has gone in for a new season as ‘Love Dosti Dua’, a romcom set against the backdrop of showbiz, glitz and glamour. It premiers today (Nov 11) and will air Monday through Friday at 8.30pm.

     

    Sunil Kumaran

    Commenting on the show’s new season, Sunil Kumaran, Business Head, BIG Magic said: “Love Dosti Dua! is our offering basis audience feedback and our positioning of a light family entertainment channel. It is our constant endeavour to offer an eclectic programming mix that is inclusive of a larger audience base. I am sure viewers will love the new avatar of the show and will relate even better. The introductions of new characters and their quirks will undoubtedly up the entertainment quotient of the show.”

     

    The channel is planning a high blitz marketing activity across radio, television and digital.