MxMIndia

Category: NEWS

  • The man who created properties as 'Paani Ka Doctor' and many more has decided to call it a day

    Renton D’Sousa bids adieu to Triton

    By a correspondent

     

    “Paani Ka Doctor” is synonymous with the leading water purifier brand. But for everyone at Triton and some outside it, the man who created such properties and many more has decided to call it a day.

     

    Commenting the development, Ali Merchant, Director Triton said “Renton has been with us for over a decade and contributed to some solid and memorable brand building creative work for our clients. At the same time he has been responsible in the professional development of Triton especially for the people that have worked with him. His ‘never say die’ spirit will always be remembered. I will miss him at work and will remain his friend for all time to come. I wish him the very best in his next endeavour. I am sure he will do us proud.”

     

    Echoing Ali’s sentiments, Munawar Syed, Director Triton said, “Renton, a multi talented individual has been a key contributor to Triton’s rise and stability over many years. Such talent feeds on new challenges, new experiences and Renton’s stepping out from the warmth of Triton is in keeping with his desire to explore new horizons. I wish him a smooth journey.”

     

    Prior to joining Triton over ten years ago, Renton was the creative head of a few units at Lintas Mumbai. He has also been associated with Contract and Mudra. His next destination was not known as yet.

     

  • The series will seek to fill the gap between understanding the value of PR measurement and doing something about it

    PRCAI partners AMEC for Measurement Week

    By a correspondent

     

    The International Association for Measurement and Evaluation of Communication (AMEC), has announced plans to hold Measurement Week in September to fill the gap between understanding the value of PR measurement and doing something about it.

     

    David Rockland, a Ketchum Partner and Chairman of AMEC, said: “The “how” of PR measurement has long been solidified. What is lacking, however, is the widespread adoption of these techniques which in turn devalues PR as a business discipline.”

     

    “AMEC’s Measurement Week is being established to help fill that gap. This could be the most exciting initiative from AMEC since we founded the Barcelona Principles framework. Our aim is to get not only AMEC members but the communications and marketing industries behind it.”

     

    “Already the PRCAI, CIPR, ICCO and PRCA have pledged their support for Measurement Week. AMEC hopes other member trade bodies throughout the world will also sign up.”

     

    Sharif Rangnekar, President, Public Relations Consultants Association of India (PRCAI), said: “This is significant. It brings to the fore the industry’s continuing focus to showcase the positive and result- orientation that PR as an industry has when it comes to both creating campaigns and seeing them through. We at PRCAI are firmly behind this initiative of AMEC.”

     

    Francis Ingham, PRCA Director General and ICCO Chief Executive, said: “This is a brilliant idea and we are very proud to support Measurement Week. The success of the PR Guide to Measurement, which the PRCA and ICCO launched with AMEC, proves that measurement is firmly on the agenda for PR practitioners.”

     

    As part of Measurement Week (15-19th September), AMEC members throughout the world will hold a series of events in their countries with employees, clients and press to create better understanding around the latest thinking in measurement and analytics.

     

    Measurement Week will be led by AMEC’s three International Chapters in North America, Asia Pacific and Europe, representing AMEC members in over 40 countries. AMEC also hopes to gain the support of PR member trade associations internationally.

     

  • As a call to action, Durex is releasing a short film which follows the stories of several couples who have become distracted by the lure of a screen

    Durex opts to ‘reconnect’ during Earth Hour

    By a correspondent

     

    Leading sexual wellbeing brand, Durex, will be celebrating Earth Hour this March by encouraging people to take the opportunity to reconnect with each other whilst the lights are out.

     

    The wonders of technology help to bring people together, but is it also a key factor in keeping them apart? With today’s couples interacting with their devices more than each other, could gadgets and gizmos be the main reason behind the fact that people are having 20 per cent less sex than in 2000?

     

    As a call to action, Durex is releasing a short film which follows the stories of several couples who, like most of us, have become distracted by the lure of a screen.

     

    Nitish Kapoor, General Manager – RB India said, “Technology is helping us stay connected with friends and events across the world, but it is also eating into our personal time. This year on Earth Hour, when the lights go off for an hour, Durex is encouraging couples to turn off their gadgets and rekindle the spark in their relationships by turning off to turn on.”

     

    Ukonwa Ojo, who leads Global Brand Equity Marketing for Durex says: “Earth Hour provides the perfect opportunity for couples to switch off for an hour and focus exclusively on reconnecting with each other. What else is as much fun to do in the dark that is as energy efficient as it is energetic?!”

     

    Earth Hour will be celebrated on 29 March 2014 between 8:30 – 9:30pm.

     

  • Volini launched the pat on the back campaign wherein people applauded the special women in their life

    Volini’s digital campaign draws good response

    By a correspondent

     

    Pain-relieving brand Volini’s nine-day long digital campaign – ‘Volini Pat On The Back’ received a good response from the consumers. Conceptualized and conceived by Volini, the idea was executed by WATConsult and managed to receive 51,000 entries through ‘pats’.

     

    With the core idea of acknowledging and appreciating the efforts made by women to give us a pain-free life, Volini launched the pat on the back campaign wherein people applauded the special women in their life. This was done through several digital medium viz. Facebook, a microsite, through the IVR by sending a SMS or making a call on the toll-free number. Best messages were gratified by sending a special gift to both the pat sender and the receiver.

     

    Subodh Marwah, Vice President and Head Consumer HealthCare Business, noted: “Volini believes that today’s women seamlessly carry on with so many roles in their daily lives, effectively multitasking between work and home and are a source of strength and support for all the loved ones around them. Women’s Day and ‘Volini Pat On The Back’ create one such opportunity of thanking them for all the efforts that they take for us.”

     

    A specially designed microsite and Facebook were prime sources of engagement. Besides IVR integrations through which the pats were sent, SMS and call on toll-free numbers were also introduced. The campaign was supported through Zoom TV with integrations, print with Times of India in key metro editions and radio tags and RJ mentions on Oye and Big FM. Apart from this, there were on-ground activations created in corporate hubs and malls in key cities to encourage people to participate in the campaign.

     

  • The TVC shows an empowered, smart, and vivacious woman protagonist, and reinforces the ease and simplicity of the OLX Mobile App

    OLX says SELLphone, as it launches mobile app

    By a correspondent

     

    A new TVC by OLX.in celebrates the exuberance, individuality, and the confidence of the women-of-today, highlighting their independence, and freedom to express themselves. The TVC shows an empowered, smart, and vivacious woman protagonist, and reinforces the ease and simplicity of the OLX Mobile App.

     

    Amarjit Singh Batra, CEO, OLX India, commented, “Selling is a joyous experience on OLX as it is simple, and leaves you with more money in your pocket, and more space in your home for things that really matter. It is this joy of selling that is captured by our new TVC. The OLX Mobile App is the easiest way of selling either from home or on-the-go, and is ranked as the top shopping App on Google Play Store India. Approximately 70 per cent of the traffic on OLX is coming from mobile users, which is why we are urging people to use the ‘Cellphone as a SELLphone‘ and enjoy the experience of selling on OLX.”

     

    The new TVC, shot to the catchy tunes of the popular Bollywood number ‘Womaniya’, aptly captures the aspirations of the women of India to make their lives more manageable, to not feel financially dependent on others, and to have some fun in the process.

     

    Conceived by advertising agency Lowe Lintas, the TVC captures a quintessential conversation between a husband and wife, with the wife expressing her desire to buy new household products, and the husband procrastinating and rejecting the idea for lack of money, and space in the house. The wife, who is left a little stumped by his response, decides to take matters in her own hand by downloading the OLX mobile App to sell things the family has no use for. The idea of selling, ridding her home of clutter, and earning money without anyone’s help is so enjoyable that she is seen dancing and skipping around her home, merrily clicking used items from her ‘SELLphone’to post Ads for free on OLX. So infectious is her energy that her mother-in-law soon joins the selling frenzy, breaking into a jig to the beats of the Womaniya song. When the husband returns in the evening, he is left puzzled by the uncluttered apartment and his wife and mother dancing with a wad of cash in their hands. When he asks where all the stuff went, the two ladies hold up the cellphone and proudly tell him that they sold all the goods they didn’t have use for on the ‘SELLphone’, referring to the OLX mobile App.

     

    “We chose to tell the story of ease of usage of the OLX mobile App through a commercial dedicated to women. ‘Phone Ko Banaao ‘SELLPhone‘ as an idea captures the proposition of the OLX mobile App and caps the effortlessness with which a woman goes about selling things in her house in a fun manner,” says Shriram Iyer, Executive Creative Director, Lowe Lintas India.

     

    The campaign has gone live from March 26, 2014 and will be broadcast in seven different languages.

     

  • Hill+Knowlton Strategies has announced changes to the leadership in two of its offices in India

    IPAN H+K Strategies announces new leadership

    By a correspondent

     

    Hill+Knowlton Strategies has announced changes to the leadership in two of its offices in India, reflecting a period of sustained and robust growth across its largest operations. Vinod Moorthy, a member of the H+K Strategies team since 2007, has been appointed as Senior Vice President, North India and APAC regional Corporate Practice Leader. Vinod will be based in the H+K Strategies Gurgaon office and takes on this new role after a successful tenure as Senior Vice President, West. While Devasis Chattopadhay, who joined H+K Strategies in early 2013, has been promoted to VP, West India with responsibility for the Mumbai operations and the continued growth of the finance practice across India. He most recently served as Senior Client Services Director in Mumbai.

     

    Radhika Shapoorjee, President, South Asia & India, H+K Strategies commented: “The opportunity in a market like India is that we are in transformative times where we are seeing a political and social change that will have a huge impact on business. This rapid pace of change and growth needs leaders who are flexible and quick to adapt new environments with ease. We inherently believe in giving our senior people the opportunity to experience new markets and take on new roles both in India and internationally. Vinod has been an instrumental part of the Mumbai business for over seven years, and in that time has grown our footprint into diverse sectors including infrastructure, entertainment, FMCG and finance and we’re looking forward to seeing more of that expansion in North India. Devasis has exactly the right level of experience and passion to take the Mumbai business forward to even greater heights. These are exciting times for us here in India.”

     

    Vinod has been associated with the Indian communications industry for over two decades, and has exposure spanning diverse sectors & disciplines. He is a crisis communications expert and has advised CEOs across a wide range of industries on issues including managing policy & regulatory challenges, factory closure & industrial relations, consumer crisis, NGO activism, tax litigation, aircraft crash landing, and environment & health issues.

     

    Devasis brings nearly three decades of senior experience in the corporate and financial communications sector to H+K Strategies. His special expertise is in identifying and resolving the highest priority communication challenges of diversified corporate entities and organizations operating across sectors. Before joining H+K Strategies he held senior positions in companies in the finance and various industrial sectors.

     

  • The Board has appointed Lachlan Murdoch Non-Executive Co-Chairman and James Murdoch has been elevated to the position of Co-Chief Operating Officer

    21st Century Fox announces Board & Executive leadership changes

    By a correspondent

     

    21st Century Fox has announced that the Board has appointed Lachlan Murdoch Non-Executive Co-Chairman and James Murdoch has been elevated to the position of Co-Chief Operating Officer. The announcement was jointly made by Rupert Murdoch, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer; Chase Carey, President and Chief Operating Officer; and the 21st Century Fox Board of Directors.

     

    Rupert Murdoch said, “Lachlan is a strategic and talented executive with a rich knowledge of our businesses. From 1994 to 2007, Lachlan’s executive career at the company spanned the globe, culminating as Deputy Chief Operating Officer responsible for the group’s most important publishing businesses in addition to its vast U.S. television station holdings. I’m very pleased he is returning to a leadership role at the Company, where he will work closely with me, Chase, James, and the rest of the Board of Directors to drive continued growth for years to come.”

     

    He continued, “We are pleased to elevate James into this important role alongside my partner and trusted advisor Chase Carey. I’m confident James and Chase will continue to make a great team during this time of immense opportunity. James has done an outstanding job driving our global television businesses and our shareholders, customers, and colleagues will benefit greatly from his many talents. This Company has never been better positioned to capitalize on the increased global demand for quality storytelling and news, and our collective future has never been brighter.”

     

    As Non-Executive Co-Chairman, Lachlan Murdoch will work closely with senior management and the rest of the 21st Century Fox Board in developing global strategies and guiding the overall corporate agenda.  Lachlan will divide his time between Sydney and New York.

     

    As Co-Chief Operating Officer, James Murdoch will partner with Chase Carey to set the strategic direction and drive momentum across the Company’s global portfolio of assets. In this capacity, James will have direct responsibility for Fox Networks Group, which will now report to him.  James will also have direct responsibility for the strategic and operational development of the Company’s owned and controlled interests in the pay-television Sky and Star services in Europe and Asia, respectively. James will continue to report to Chase Carey.

     

    In addition to these appointments, the Company also announced that Peter Rice, Chairman and CEO Fox Networks Group, has agreed to extend his employment agreement.

     

    James Murdoch said, “Under Peter Rice’s leadership Fox Networks Group has continued to push creative boundaries across the Company, and has grown tremendously with successful channel launches including Fox Sports 1 and FXX, an increased international footprint and enhanced sports offerings across the world.  Chase and I are delighted Peter is committed to continuing to grow this incredible business and look forward to even more success in the years to come.”

     

     

  • OneIndia, available by invitation to select display advertisers only, offers the unique benefit of a single-platform reach comparable and incremental to television

    HT, Hindu & ABP groups get together to offer single-platform reach to advertisers

    By A Correspondent

     

    Six leading publications of the country – Hindustan Times, Hindustan, The Hindu, The Hindu Tamil, The Telegraph and Ananda Bazar Patrika have come together and formed the OneIndia group as a platform to facilitate reach to the largest print audience with a single advertisement.

     

    OneIndia, available by invitation to select display advertisers only, offers the unique benefit of a single-platform reach comparable and incremental to television, along with the many clear benefits of print, such as immediacy, impact, comprehension, credibility, and a clutter-free environment, to name a few.

     

    Talking about the key idea behind this alliance, Benoy Roychowdhury, Executive Director, HT Media Ltd., said, “The idea behind OneIndia is to provide an unduplicated reach like never before, along with a single-window service, in order to invite non-print and infrequent print advertisers to experience and profit from the significant benefits of print advertising.”

     

    Apart from the fact that print media readership is significantly more upmarket than television, several research studies globally have also demonstrated that print plus TV has driven more than 20 per cent incremental push-through in brand equity compared to TV alone. Further, some recent media multiplier research studies by leading international research agencies have demonstrated that print advertising in Asia-Pacific indexes three times more than TV on RoI, and five times more on brand impact.

     

     

  • Uncertainty about IPL's future freezes ad sales

    Freeze! Media agencies put on hold IPL-7 buys given uncertainty over tourney

    By A Correspondent

     

    Media-buying firms have frozen all ad sales of the Indian Premier League for the next 48 hours as they await clarity on the future of the tournament, two top officials of leading media buying firms said.

     

    They said advertisers are considering either re-negotiating ad rates for the IPL, or considering pulling out of the twenty20 tournament and putting their money on elections instead, after the Supreme Court on Thursday recommended suspension of two teams – Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals.

     

    Gautam Kiyawat

    Gautam Kiyawat, CEO at media buying firm Madison Media group, said the development will hit the sentiments of marketers. “There was a bit of scepticism from the beginning with some matches being moved out of the country and now with the potential disappearance of two star teams, advertiser sentiments are going to tank even further,” he said. Media buyers, which represent some of the country’s biggest advertisers, are of the opinion that if 20-30 per cent of the IPL matches are scrapped, it would bring down the overall revenues of the popular twenty20 tournament by half.

     

    Multi Screen Media-run Sony Entertainment, which holds broadcasts rights for the tournament, would also face a similar quantum of losses because advertising airtime would also shrink with less number of matches, said the CEO of a top media buying firm.

     

    Multi Screen Media (MSM), which is charging Rs4.5-5 lakh for 10 seconds, was expected to better its last year’s IPL earnings of around Rs900 crore that was helped by 30 per cent – 40 per cent jump in advertising revenues. Rohit Gupta, president at MSM, said: “Since the final order has not come yet, it is too early for us to comment on the matter. Let the order come.”

     

    If Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals are banned, then it would have a direct negative rub-off on advertisers. Title sponsor PepsiCo, which had has committedRs400 crore for five years, stands to lose the most, as it has hinged its entire annual plans on the tournament that falls in peak summer season for the soft drinks sector. PepsiCo declined comment on the matter.

     

    CVL Srinivas

    CVL Srinivas, CEO at GroupM, the country’s largest media conglomerate that also represents PepsiCo, said, “It is too early to take any decision (on whether or not we should advice our clients to stay away from the IPL) as we don’t know which way the scenario will pan out. We will get more clarity in days to come and then we will weigh the options for our clients.”

     

    Some matches of the IPL will be played in the UAE, which is not a market for many brands, and with the Supreme Court banning two teams, advertisers stand to accrue huge losses if the tournament is scrapped. Navin Khemka, managing partner at media buying firm ZenithOptimedia, said absence of two key teams will bring down the value of IPL as a property.

     

    IPL’s brand value grew 4per cent, from $2.92 billion in 2012 to $3.03 billion in 2013. The total brand value of the nine franchises last year reached $325.8 million from $321.12 million in 2012, according to consulting firm Brand Finance.

     

    Nandini Dias

    Mr Khemka said that big advertisers may choose to be on elections over IPL, while likely lower ad rates may open IPL doors to smaller companies. “The sense is that overall ad rates could come down in the IPL. The flip side is that many small advertisers, who otherwise were not able to afford IPL as the entry costs were very high, may get a chance to be a part of it this time,” he said. Nandini Dias, CEO at media-buying firm Lodestar UM, said the agency was not advising clients to pull out of the tournament.

     

    “Controversies in cricket seem to have become a regular occurrence. Advertisers like PepsiCo have paid unprecedented amount of money despite all the controversies and uncertainties,” she said. “There are enough clients who want to ride on the higher viewership likely due to controversies. In fact, there are clients who change their media plans and skew their media plans to news channels when the channel is breaking news regarding controversies and scams.” The hospitality industry too could take a hit if some matches are cancelled.

     

    Source:The Economic Times

    Copyright © 2014, Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. All Rights Reserved

    Licensed to republish

     

  • The film – part of the #Pledgetovote series – hopes to inspire both – seasoned, as well as first-time voters

    Google ‘Pledge to Vote’ film with India’s first voter

    By A Correspondent

     

    Independent India’s first general elections may have happened in early 1952, but an exception was made for Kinnaur in Himachal Pradesh as snowfall was expected. Hence the polls were held in October 1951 and there lies the story of Shyam Saran Negi, India’s very first voter, and a 97-year-old retired schoolteacher. This is the theme of the new Google commercial in the crafted by leading ad agency Ogilvy.

     

    Since 1951, Negi has voted in every single election, including each of the 15 Lok Sabha polls held thus far. The years haven’t diminished his belief in democracy and the power of elections. He also continues to be an inspiration to his family, friends and community in Kalpa.

     

    The film was shot in Mr Negi’s hometown, Kalpa, over several days in early March. The team worked closely with the village folk and Negi.

     

    Says Sandeep Menon – Director, Marketing, Google India: “Perhaps more than any other election in the past, these elections are about capturing the imagination of millions of both first-time as well as experienced voters. This video has been developed to inspire Indian voters to vote this election. The story of Mr Negi is a testimony of Indian voters’ belief in the power of democracy.”

     

    Abhijit Avasthi

    The film – part of the #Pledgetovote series – hopes to inspire both – seasoned, as well as first-time voters, said an Ogilvy India spokesperson. Added Abhijit Avasthi, National Creative Director at Ogilvy: “While all of us have cribs about the state of affairs in the country and a cynicism about the government, we forget that the only weapon of change we have in our hands is our vote. Like so many others, Google too wants to motivate people, especially youngsters to exercise their right to vote. But rather than being preachy, it wants to do it the inspirational and emotional way. And who better to inspire us than Mr Negi.” Leading internet services conglomerate Google has been attempting to integrate with the country through ad films that strike a chord. Its film on showing an Indian and Pakistani reuniting for the first time after Partition, has received rave reviews.

     

  • Ballabh will be leading the agency's efforts in digital media planning and strategy for all clients

    Cheil appoints Vivek Ballabh as AVP – Digital Media

    By a correspondent

     

    Cheil Worldwide SW Asia announced the appointment of Vivek Ballabh as Associate Vice President – Digital Media. Ballabh will be leading the agency’s efforts in digital media planning and strategy for all clients. He will be reporting to Rajesh Bhatia, Senior VP & Head Digital, Cheil Worldwide SW Asia.

     

    Ballabh is an accomplished digital media professional with over 12 years of experience and a proven track record of planning and executing numerous integrated digital campaigns that have worked to the advantage of driving client businesses. Known for his out-of-the-box thinking, he is a strong believer in capturing consumer minds through effective deployment of new media strategies.

     

    Hari Krishnan

    Hari Krishnan, COO, Cheil Worldwide, SW Asia said, “Vivek is an accomplished digital media specialist and will add muscle to our strategic firepower in Digital.  His joining enhances our talent pool and will enable us to broaden our scope and augment our offering to a larger market.”

     

    “We are delighted to have Vivek on board. With his knowledge and experience I believe, he will be an invaluable asset to Cheil India’s Interactive team,” said Rajesh Bhatia, Senior VP & Head Digital, Cheil Worldwide, SW Asia.

     

    Ballabh joins from Razorfish [Publicis] where he was Sr. VP Digital Media. Prior to this he was with Solutions | Digitas [Publicis], where he set up the entire Digital Media practice and was responsible for  both operations and P&L. Previously he was with Webchutney as Head of Media Planning, where he led the HP business and was instrumental in launching successful campaigns for PSG. His work on the launch of a new range of notebooks by HP was awarded with a Bronze at Zenith Optimedia’s ROI Excellence Awards in 2008.

     

    Ballabh is an alumnus of The Institute of Public Enterprise (IPE), Hyderabad, from where he obtained his MBA and a Graduate in Science from Osmania University, Hyderabad.

     

  • The retailers represent a wide range of categories including electronics, books, apparel, accessories, footwear, jewellery

    A million retailers sell online, notes IAMAI

    By a correspondent

     

    IAMAI has estimated that nearly 1 million large and small retailers make use of online marketplaces to reach out to their customers. These online retailers represent a wide range of categories including electronics, books, apparel, accessories, footwear, jewellery. The presence of such a large number of online sellers testifies to the efficiencies, disintermediation, lower capital costs and deep outreach that online marketplaces provide to the retailers.

     

    In fact, the association contends that for millions of small sellers who can neither afford an expensive shop front nor has a brand to sell, online marketplaces have come as a boon by giving them a low cost business model, wider market access and as well the support of a well-known brand.

     

    It is for these reasons that many of the “original equipment manufacturers” [OEMs], apparel, jewellery and other brand owners sell their products exclusively through the online channel. In recent months quite a few OEMs have even launched their products exclusively through online marketplaces.

     

    Online marketplace have helped the retailers with a physical store to sell across the country creating an employment opportunities for thousands of educated and uneducated Indians. It also gives buyers even in remote areas of the country a wide choice of products to choose from and facility to do comparison shopping at the click of a button.

     

    Therefore, the future lies in an integrated channel strategy to best benefit the remote consumer and the manufacturer which is a combination of both offline and online retail sales. These two channels do not conflict with each other but complement and amplify each other.