MxMIndia

Category: NEWS

  • In this role, he will assume overall responsibility of strategic and operational management of the ITV Network and will oversee the group's diverse portfolio of assets spanning news broadcasting

    R K Arora elevated to Group CEO, ITV Network (From Yesterday)

    By A Correspondent

     

    R K Arora has been elevated to Group CEO, ITV Network where he will continue to lead and drive the organization and take it to the next level.  In this role, he will assume overall responsibility of strategic and operational management of the ITV Network and will oversee the group’s diverse portfolio of assets spanning news broadcasting.

     

    A chartered accountant by profession, Mr Arora joined the ITV Network in 2012 as CEO Broadcasting. Mr Arora has extensive experience spanning over 20 years in the field of distribution, finance and profitability of companies. Prior to ITV Network, he was the Chief Executive Officer with BAG Network (News 24, E24 and Darshan 24). He was also associated with Independent News Service Pvt. Ltd. (India TV) since its inception.

     

    “I’m delighted to announce Mr. Arora’s well-deserved promotion,” said Kartikeya Sharma, Managing Director, ITV Network. “I am confident that with his deep industry knowledge and collegial working style, he’ll continue to strengthen ITV Network’s position in the marketplace. He has been instrumental to the highly positive momentum which ITV Network enjoys today and has in the past two years, in his capacity as CEO Broadcasting, worked towards attaining leadership position for ITV network and taking it to greater heights. His astute business acumen and expertise has helped ITV Network solidify its position in the news genre. Under Mr Arora’s tenure all our products have become market leaders and as a group we have worked hard to deliver value for our advertisers. Not only have we fulfilled our commitments, but have also delivered more than what we had targeted. With this thought process, I am sure Mr. Arora will achieve many more milestones. Our company’s objective is to become India’s largest TV news network and the most profitable one as well. I am sure that ITV network will definitely achieve its objectives under his leadership.”

     

    “I am humbled to lead ITV Network as Group CEO,” said Mr Arora. “In spite of challenging and demanding environment both our brands NewsX and India News have been able to carve a niche for themselves. I firmly believe that with Kartikeya’s support and ITV Network’s formidable talent, we are well poised to continue to deliver superior results in today’s increasingly competitive market and take the Network to greater heights. India News and NewsX is now a preferred choice for advertisers as they are delivering strong performance week on week. In a short span of time, NewsX and India News have carved a value proposition in the mind of the advertisers and have been consistently over delivering”

     

  • The mandate with the Raymond Group includes brand building, reputation management, influencer outreach, and crisis and issues management

    Raymond appoints MSLGROUP as communications partner

    By A Correspondent

     

    The Raymond Group has appointed MSLGROUP as their partner for strategic advisory, creative unbound communications and engagement solutions in the country.

     

    Jaideep Shergill

    Commenting on the new business win, Jaideep Shergill, CEO India, MSLGROUP, said, “Partnering with The Raymond Group is a very exciting opportunity for us to lead the next level of engagement and innovation in this ever-changing consumer landscape. With the emergence of new media tools, we are committed towards adding value that provides real impact on business and helps brands stay ahead and stay relevant against the competitive backdrop. For Raymond, our attempt is to create channel agnostic programs that excite and inspire.”

     

    The mandate with the Raymond Group includes brand building, reputation management, influencer outreach, and crisis and issues management.

     

    “The strength of MSLGROUP pan India network coupled with the team’s ability to understand our business and recommend creative ideas were pivotal in our decision to appoint them as our communications partner. In this cluttered marketplace, it is essential not just to connect with our consumers but also to engage them in a meaningful dialogue. We look forward to working with MSLGROUP to reach out to our ever growing consumer base spread across product categories, thus reinforcing our strong brand equity,” said Rohit Khanna, Head – Corporate Communications, Raymond Limited.

     

    The Raymond Group offers end-to-end solutions for fabrics and garmenting in India. Some of the leading brands within its portfolio include Raymond, Park Avenue, Color Plus, Parx and Raymond Premium Apparel amongst others. Raymond also has one of the largest exclusive retail networks in the textile and fashion space in India through its exclusive chain of outlets – ‘The Raymond Shop’.

     

  • Service sector brands dominate WPP's BrandZ study. Airtel is #2, followed by SBI, ICCI and Bajaj Auto

    HDFC Bank is India’s Most Valuable Brand

     

    By A Correspondent

     

    The combined Brand Value of all the brands in the inaugural BrandZ Top 50 Most Valuable Indian Brands ranking is almost $70bn BrandZ. HDFC Bank is India’s most valuable brand with a value of $9.4bn. Carried out by marketing and brand consultancy Millward Brown in conjunction with WPP, the valuation is the only one in India that takes into account consumers’ opinion of brands to calculate the contribution that product brands make to business success.

     

    The BrandZâ„¢ India study shows that India’s unrestricted ‘right to play’ for businesses has nurtured great diversity amongst brands in the ranking. The Top 50 come from 13 different categories. Seventeen are multinational corporations (MNCs), 26 are private Indian brands and seven are state-owned brands. This indicates that India is an open, fertile market for building valuable brands, irrespective of age, origin, structure, category, ownership or even price range.

     

    HDFC Bank, the No 1 brand, has a network in more than 2,100 cities. It is popular with its 28 million customers for launching mobile apps designed to make banking easier, and running literacy, education and skills training programmes in rural areas. The No 2 brand, Airtel, is the fourth largest mobile operator in the world with nearly 300 million customers, while India’s largest commercial bank, State Bank of India, is at No 3 in the ranking.

     

    Services businesses (Banking, Telecoms and Insurance), which are the nerve centre of today’s Indian economy, are prominent in the ranking. Seven of the Top 10 brands, and 30% of the Top 50 brands, come from the service sector. Financial services stand out, with the 12 banks and insurers in the ranking holding the largest proportion (37%) of total Brand Value. Analysis shows these brands have built value by successfully achieving scale – both in geographical reach and the diversity of their offerings. Telecoms, Personal Care, and the Food and Dairy sectors also feature strongly in the Top 50. The data shows that these brands – along with the other FMCG brands in the ranking – excel at connecting with Indian consumers.

     

    The average Brand Contribution (a measure of the impact brand alone has on value) of the Top 5 brands is far higher than the overall average of the Top 50, illustrating the positive impact that building a strong brand has on the financial valuation of the brand. These brands create powerful connections by being meaningful to consumers, and differentiating themselves from others.

     

    Key findings highlighted in the BrandZ Top 50 Most Valuable Indian Brands include:

    :: Being meaningful and different builds value – India’s most valuable brands are highly relevant to consumers and differentiate themselves through service, new offerings and brand experiences. One such example is personal care brand Colgate (No 28) – even after 70 years in India the brand has successfully remained relevant and continues to differentiate itself from the competition.

     

    :: India has evolved into a brand powerhouse – India’s Top 50 most valuable brands have as much Brand Power (consumers’ predisposition to choose that brand over another) as the global Top 50, and are ahead of the other emerging economies.

     

    :: Private sector players and multinational corporations dominate – together these contribute around 85% of total brand value. They have succeeded by nurturing a strong relationship with Indian consumers.

     

    :: Megabrands lead the game – like other fast growing economies, India is dominated by a handful of big brands or companies that own stables of brands: the Top 5 account for 45% of the ranking’s total value. Their tremendous scale and ability to cater to a wide spectrum of the population has translated into financial gains.

     

    :: ‘Balanced brands’ is the mantra – brands that are able to build both strong connections with consumers and business scale that leads to the creation of financial value are contenders for entering or rising up the BrandZ ranking. Three out of the Top 5 Indian brands demonstrate this balance.

     

    :: Consumer technology is ‘the category waiting to happen’ – there are currently no homegrown consumer technology brands in the Top 50, but this category is on the verge of emergence. The presence of Indians working in the sector globally is high, and consumer-facing technology brands founded by young entrepreneurs have already started to gain ground.

     

    :: ‘Indianizing’ products and services is important – the many successful international brands in the ranking have taken the time to understand Indian needs and tastes and adapt to them. Noodles, food seasoning, soup and sauce brand Maggi (No.18), personal care brand Colgate (No.28) and beverage brand Horlicks (No.20) are masters at this – and are thought of as Indian brands by most consumers as a result.

     

    :: Old and new sit side by side – living with one foot in the ancient world and one in the modern makes consumers equally receptive to heritage brands (Bajaj Auto, No.5, established 1945) and new brands (Airtel, No. 2, established 1995). More than a quarter of the Top 50 brands were created after the economic liberalization in 1991 while Dabur, No.22, was established 130 years ago.

     

    Said Prasun Basu, Millward Brown’s Managing Director – South Asia: “The stronger the relationship a brand can build with consumers in its category, and the more it can leverage that to build scale, the more sustainable and profitable it becomes. All of the Top 50 brands are reputable, successful engines of growth for the future of India. Any global manufacturer that makes the effort to understand the diversity of the Indian consumer’s needs, tastes and aspirations, and which can build a proposition that is both meaningful and appropriately differentiated, will succeed in building a strong brand.”

     

    Added David Roth, CEO of The Store, WPP: “With the second highest number of social networking users in the world, and the third highest number of users of mobile devices, developing an e-commerce strategy that focuses on social and mobile platforms is essential for brands in this region.”

     

    Said CVL Srinivas, CEO GroupM – South Asia, “We are already seeing the impact of the purchasing power of the internet and mobile users in India, with the exponential growth of e-commerce companies in the space of travel, e-tailing, ticketing and many main line brands increasing their brand building budgets to digital media in multiples.”

     

    In addition to the rankings, special awards were also presented to brands among the Top 50 under the following categories.

     

    Millward Brown BrandZ India Awards 2014

    A copy of the BrandZ™ Top 50 Most Valuable Indian Brands 2014 report can be downloaded at www.brandz.com

     

     

  • The campaign was executed in top metros across the country

    Clear Channel Mudra creates an innovative OOH for Budweiser

    By A Correspondent

     

    Budweiser, the official partner of the World Cup, executed an innovative Outdoor campaign for the launch of the Golden Amber Lager Beer, with the tagline “Rise As One”. The campaign was executed in top metros across the country.

     

    The objective of the campaign was to increase the visibility of the brand through their partnership with FIFA World Cup, Budweiser is a brand which has always been associated with sports. The look and location of the outdoor needed to bring out the brand’s passion for sports. To achieve this, Clear Channel Mudra put together an innovative OOH by creating real goal posts with Golden Budweiser bottles as the goal posts. A real goal post as an outdoor was an exciting idea as it would create an immediate kick when seen by people. Beer bottle as side bars of goal posts was conceived keeping in mind the brand’s association with FIFA and passion for football.

     

    Commenting on the campaign, Gokul Luwang, Senior Marketing Manager – Integrated Marketing Communications & Premium Brands at Anheuser-Busch InBev, said, “The FIFA World Cupâ„¢ is one of the few ‘must see’ events in the world and reaches an unprecedented number of adult beer drinkers globally. During this year’s FIFA World Cupâ„¢ tournament, Budweiser executed an integrated digital, experiential and social marketing activities under the campaign theme of ‘Rise As One’ aimed at providing fans a rich FIFA World Cupâ„¢ experience and uniting them in to the game they love. There will be multiple pieces of content, including TVC’s and online ads rolling out in support of the ‘Rise As One’ campaign. We leveraged this tremendous opportunity across OOH media by tapping into opportunities available at key entertainment hubs, malls, airport and arterial junctions and taped into innovation formats of execution.”

     

    Commenting on this, Sandeep Mishra, Creative Director, DDB MudraMax, said, “The goal was to create a connect with the audience and brand Budweiser with football as the backdrop, Team came up with this idea to recreate the billboard into life size golden goal post. After spending 43 man hours and putting 219 kilo steel together Gurgaon saw its first goal post in air which lit up to the campaign slogan of ‘Rise as one’. Spreading the joy of football and spirit of One.”

     

  • Now, will newspaper publishers opt out of IRS?

     

    By A Correspondent

     

    Now that the MRUC and RSCI have decided to lift the abeyance on the IRS 2013 numbers released in late January this year, there is mixed reaction from stakeholders. While media agencies and advertisers are happy that they have data to base their buying decisions, a large number of publishers have express shock and dismay.

     

    Although none of them have done so in public, in the quiet, a majority of the big media groups – save the Hindustan Times and Rajasthan Patrika – are mulling their next steps.

     

    But first let’s read the press release that has been issued by the MRUC:

    “The Indian Readership Survey, 2013 was released on January 28, 2014. The release attracted differing views on the accuracy of the data and therefore the Readership Studies Council of India voluntarily requested subscribers to hold the study in abeyance and decided to undertake a revalidation exercise.

     

    Subsequently a sub-committee for revalidation was established with two co-chairs representing publishers and advertising agencies. The sub-committee unanimously concluded that the methodology used to conduct IRS 2013 was in order and decided to commission a Process Audit.

     

    This committee, after viewing several proposals unanimously agreed to award this audit to Mr Praveen Tripathi, (Magic 9 Media) India’s foremost expert on large-scale studies of media consumption behavior.

     

    The finding of the revalidation sub-committee and audit report, it was decided, would be discussed by the Heads of four industry bodies i.e. Chairman-MRUC, Chairman-RSCI, President-INS and Chairman-ABC, and a decision taken by them.

     

    The said Heads of the four bodies received and deliberated upon the report submitted by Mr. Praveen Tripathi and discussed the same with the chairman of RSCI – Technical Committee as well as the two co-chairmen of the revalidation committee.

     

    The Audit was conducted in two stages. Stage one involving direct back checking of respondent homes after which a much broader and deeper Forensic Statistical Analysis exercise was carried out to indentify and isolate both fieldwork compliance deficiencies and incidence of the occurrence of Unusual Publication Incidence (UPI) in respondent interview records. By sieving the aggregate data set for these issues, the audit was able to judge unequivocally whether the statistical deviations systematically changed any of the crucial readership output. The outcome was conclusive and unequivocal. The study results had not been impacted.

     

    After intense deliberations and careful examination of the audit report, Chairman-MRUC, Chairman-RSCI, President-INS and Chairman-ABC, have arrived at a unanimous and unambiguous decision to lift the voluntary abeyance placed on The Indian Readership Survey, 2013.

     

    The voluntary abeyance placed on The Indian Readership Survey 2013 is lifted with effect from 20th August, 2014.

     

    As has been reported, a large section of newspaper and magazine publishers had grouped together to take on the MRUC in February 2014. Among the actions proposed then were law suits and pulling out of subscriptions to the MRUC.

     

    According to an industry person in the know, there was a wide scale agreement that there is need for measurement data. Newspaper publishers which were earlier fighting the onslaught of television have in recent times been facing the heat from activation and OOH and the digital media. “With competition staring in our face, there was need to work things out. What’s worrying is that the crossfire we may see. It shouldn’t become a Times of India v/s Hindustan Times and a Dainik Bhaskar v/s Rajasthan Patrika duel.”

     

    A media agency captain who MxMIndia spoke to said: “Although IRS 2013 was kept in abeyance, we knew what those figures were and factored them in our decision-making. However, we must also say that we were not too convinced about the findings.”

     

    The newspaper industry marketer wasn’t too happy with the views of media agency professionals. “It’s fine for them to sit on their high horses now, but how will they react if they are subjected to a similar study. We should not forget we are part of the same ecosystem. This whole display of fiendish delight is unpalatable. We don’t want cowboys in the system!”

     

    Given that various the heads of various associations – Chairman-MRUC, Chairman-RSCI, President-INS and Chairman-ABC – took “a unanimous and unambiguous decision to lift the voluntary abeyance” as the MRUC press release states, there is little chance of any of the industry bodies crying foul. But it’s the news publishers are key components of the ecosystem and if they decide to dismiss the system or pull out of the IRS/MRUC or decide to have a competiting measurement body, we could see trouble.

     

    But, of course, one is expecting some fireworks.

     

    Watch this space.

     

  • As part of the new team structure, Hitesh Sharma, erstwhile COO, has been promoted to Executive President

    ENIL strengthens leadership team

    Hitesh Sharma

    By A Correspondent

     

    Entertainment Network India Limited (ENIL) has announced significant changes in the senior management team in line with its strategy for rapid growth. As part of the new team structure, Hitesh Sharma, erstwhile COO, has been promoted to Executive President. Hitesh will now look after Phase-3 expansion program of the company and any other strategic growth areas the company may pursue. In addition, Radio Mirchi also elevated Mahesh Shetty to Chief Operating Officer. As COO, Mahesh will look after the ambitious plans of the current radio business. Hitesh and Mahesh will assume their new roles with immediate effect.

     

    Prashant Panday

    Talking about the development Prashant Panday, MD and CEO, ENIL said, “This is the most exciting time for the radio industry. This elevation comes at a time when we are gearing up for a rapid growth with the announcement of Phase III. We want to be well equipped with the best seasoned team to make the right decisions. We are confident Hitesh and Mahesh will steer the company in the right direction going forward.

     

  • With digitalization phase 3 & 4 on the anvil, the brand is planning for significant growth acquisition volumes as well as, retention initiatives

    Dish TV opts for MEC India as its media partner

    By A Correspondent

     

    Dish TV has announced a new partner for its media duties – MEC India.  The relationship will be managed by the agency’s Gurgaon office.

     

    With digitalization phase 3 & 4 on the anvil, the brand is planning for significant growth acquisition volumes as well as, retention initiatives. The brand portfolio is now armored with multiple products and offerings especially, for technology savvy users (like) recorders in SD/ HD, a strong HD content basket, dish-online for streaming on mobile devices and so on. The coming months will witness action and challenges both in terms of festivals and events and sporting actions.

     

    Dish TV has decided to consolidate its ATL and digital business for a more uniform and seamless experience for its consumers, across media. Owing to MEC India’s vast experience in the domain, both the ATL and Digital business have been handed over to them.

     

    Anjali Malhotra, Executive Vice President – Marketing said, “We pride ourselves in being Asia’s largest DTH company that understands the dynamics of the new age consumer and his needs. We have not only provided innovative product solutions and finest services to our consumers, but build smart go-to market strategies and communication plans. Agency change is a manifestation of this philosophy. We are excited to work with MEC India and believe that the group will help us communicate more strategically and efficiently in this rapidly evolving marketplace”.

     

    Speaking about the win, T. Gangadhar, Managing Director, MEC India said; “We are delighted with this win. We, look forward to (our partnership with) Dish TV on their quest for disproportionate share of the digitization opportunity. We are particularly excited about leveraging the power of data for smart, business-oriented solutions”.

     

  • Through Bundesliga, Seven3Sports aims to bring about a surge in the Football viewership within the country

    Seven3Sports bags digital rights of Bundesliga

    By A Correspondent

     

    Seven3Sports has bagged the digital rights of the 52nd season of Bundesliga. Bundesliga is the best-attended league in football. After the success of the 2014 FIFA World Cup, that was broadcasted by Seven3Sports across five Indian sub-continental and South Asian countries, acquiring digital rights for Bundesliga came as a natural extension of the organisation’s services for the Indian Football fan base.

     

    “With inclusion of this undertaking to our portfolio, Seven3Sports is bringing a bouquet of diverse sports to its viewers. We are targeting to go beyond the conventional sports loved in India; introducing new experiences such as French Open in the past and now the Bundesliga. This will be an exciting new venture for us with the ultimate aim to provide live viewership to those who are always on the go,” said Jatin Ahluwalia, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Seven3Sports.

     

    Seven3Sports has established itself as a leading Sports Rights Company and has been associated with most of the major sporting events across the globe including French Open, 2014 FIFA World Cup and IPL to name a few. Keeping up with this momentum, through Bundesliga, Seven3Sports aims to bring about a surge in the Football viewership within the country.

     

    Seven3Sports has put together a digital plan to bring ‘Bundesliga’ closer to over a billion Indians, live on their mobile phones and Internet screens. These digital rights cover Mobile, Internet, App, Video on Demand, Live streaming on digital platform, Highlight, Audio commentary on Mobile and Internet besides anything you would like to power on digital platforms.

     

  • Savvy will be responsible for marketing activities, including marketing strategy, creating flagship events, brand building and digital marketing for the ITV Network

    Savvy Dilip joins ITV Network as Group CMO

    By A Correspondent

     

    Savvy Dilip

    ITV Network has announced the appointment of Savvy Dilip as the Group Chief Marketing Officer. As a part of her new mandate, Savvy will be responsible for marketing activities, including marketing strategy, creating flagship events, brand building and digital marketing for the ITV Network. She will be reporting to R K Arora- Group CEO, ITV Network.

     

    Prior to this, Savvy was Co-founder & COO of Vigovea Media, a consumer focused digital media company. Savvy was also the Vice President – Marketing at TV18 where she was responsible for the marketing operations of CNN-IBN & IBN7 the flagship national general news channels of Network18. Savvy comes with an exhaustive experience in the media space covering brand management & development, product development & management, strategic alliances, content development, events & experiential marketing, sales enablement & PR across various media.

     

    Kartikeya Sharma – Managing Director, ITV Network said, “Savvy is an outstanding addition to our leadership team and brings a unique blend of global experience and expertise to ITV Network. Her extensive background in the media industry, proven marketing expertise, and rich experience makes her the ideal person to continue to drive our brand’s growth and momentum.”

     

    Savvy has done her executive management program from IIM-Bangalore and has completed the Advanced Management Program from the Harvard Business School in Boston, USA.

     

  • The latest campaign, created by Creativeland Asia, is released digitally and on television to spread the spirit of conquering fear and germs

    Creativeland Asia unveils campaign for Cinthol Confidence+

    By A Correspondent

     

    Cinthol Confidence+ has unveiled a new campaign for the soap that assures 99.9 per cent germ protection with an ‘insta-deo’ fragrance feature. The campaign has been conceptualized and created by Creativeland Asia.

     

    While the Cinthol Confidence+ kick-started their digital campaign on Independence Day, the television campaign has just been unveiled and is an inspiring video that captures the spirit of young and dynamic India. Be it professionals in the armed forces, health camps, heritage sites or mega infrastructure development sites, they go about their job confidently, undaunted by dust, grime and germs. The campaign puts the young inspiring professionals under the lens of ‘Alive is Awesome’, Cinthol’s brand promise.

     

    Sunil Kataria, Chief Operating Officer, Sales, Marketing and SAARC, GCPL shared, “Currently, the health soap market is focused mainly on kids. However, it is not just children, but even youth who need protection as they battle dirt and grime while following their passion. However, current health soaps are incomplete without great sensorials. Cinthol Confidence+ soap, breaks the norm of the regular health soap by offering 99.9 per cent germ protection while being infused with great insta-deo fragrance. Cinthol Confidence+ is a “complete health soap” which perfectly fits the youth expectation, being an aid to their aspirations.”

     

    Sajan Raj Kurup

    Sajan Raj Kurup, Founder and Creative Chairman, Creativeland Asia, said, “The communication comes from a simple insight that dirt, crowd and germs are fundamental obstacles that come in the way of every Indian’s journey to success. The campaign idea is symbolic of people’s confidence, which empowers them to go on in their daily lives despite the tough conditions in their external environment. The messaging in the health-soap category is largely restricted to protection from germs. We have gone beyond touching upon this functional need of the product and addressed the attitude with which people fight the on-going battle of dirt, crowd and germs.”

     

  • Ministry of I&B issues an Advisory to TV channels to stop broadcast of teleshopping advertisements which ASCI have ruled to be in violation of its Code of Conduct

    I&B intervention gives ASCI more teeth to curb ads that violate guidelines

    By A Correspondent

     

    In a recent development, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) has ordered broadcasters not to air advertisements that have been found in violation of the Advertising Standards Council of India’s (ASCI) code and not complying with the decision of its Consumer Complaints Council (CCC). While deliberating on the complaints received in ASCI, the CCC observed that many of the teleshopping advertisements made unsubstantiated claims & violated the provision of code for self-regulation as well as provisions under Drug & Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act, 1954. MIB has in its Advisory compiled a list of these ads and asked broadcasters not to carry them in their respective channels and to ensure strict compliance of the advertising code in the Cable Television Networks Act (CTN).

     

    The CTN code and rules state that ‘no advertisement which violates the code of self-regulation in advertising, as adopted by ASCI for public exhibition in India, from time to time, shall be carried in the cable service’. Therefore, the ASCI decisions are not just bound for compliance by advertisers but also by TV channels.

     

    Partha Rakshit

    Partha Rakshit, Chairman, ASCI shared, “This is another feather in the cap of ASCI, in its efforts to make advertising more responsible. We were finding that some advertisers on TV channels, especially Tele Shopping Networks, were not complying with the ASCI decisions. We submitted the list to the Inter Ministerial Committee (IMC) of the MIB for their consideration. Based on that, IMC observed that any violation of ASCI code also violates the Advertising Code enshrined in the CTN Act and its rules. In short, IMC has directed that advertisements found to violate the ASCI code cannot be carried on TV channels.”

     

  • J Walter Thompson likely to win global advertising contract from Tatas for image makeover

    JWT likely to win global ad contract from Tatas

    By Pritha Mitra Dasgupta

     

    WPP-owned J Walter Thompson is likely to win a global advertising contract from the Tata Group, the first time that the conglomerate will embark on a corporate brand initiative as part of Chairman Cyrus Mistry’s push to make its worldwide presence felt more strongly.

     

    The two sides are yet to sign on the dotted line but a verbal commitment has been extended to the agency, according to well-placed insiders. A formal announcement is likely this week. Sources estimate the size of the business at just under Rs 200 crore. The group hasn’t engaged in any brand activity except during centenary celebrations a few years ago.

     

    During the celebrations, an award winning, football-themed film on the group’s values was made by Arun Nanda-led Rediffusion Y&R. “The new management under the leadership of Cyrus Mistry feels the need to position Tata as a force on the global platform,” said a top Tata Sons executive explaining the rationale behind the campaign.

     

    Mr Mistry, who took over as chairman of holding company Tata Sons in 2012 from Ratan Tata, will be looking to strengthen the group’s presence in global markets as an increasing share of its business comes from overseas. “More than half of the (group) companies’ revenues are… from the international markets,” said the person cited above.

     

    “And while people are aware of the individual companies, they don’t know that these companies actually belong to Tata Sons. And thus the company feels that this is the right time to launch a global campaign.”

     

    As reported in May, pitches kicked off in the first week of April. with five agencies participating – JWT, TBWA, Y&R, McCann World-Group and FCB Ulka.

     

    Of these, the first three made it to the final round of presentations that took place in May. The brief was simple, according to the CEO of one of the agencies that participated: “What should the Tatas do to be globally visible?”

     

    The group wants people to look beyond Tata Consultancy Services and Tata Motors unit Jaguar Land Rover, he suggested. “I think the idea is to build salience for the brand Tata so that people see more than just TCS and JLR. It is something that they are trying to fix.”

     

    A JWT executive said winning the deal was more about prestige than anything else. “More than the size of the business it is an extremely prestigious account because no other Indian company has gone global this way,” the person said. He said the pitch was led by Colvyn Harris, CEO of JWT South Asia, and the team had members from the agency’s New York and London offices. Harris declined to comment.

     

    A Tata Sons spokesperson said, “We have not appointed any agency so far, and will make an announcement at the appropriate time.” It wasn’t clear whether Tata wants one advertising campaign that will run across markets or if it will have separate country-wise campaigns with one overarching theme and tagline since the positioning of the group’s units vary across geographies. For instance, the group is the largest employer in the manufacturing sector in the UK, which is very different from its positioning in the US or even China. A top executive at another agency that participated in the pitch said, “They don’t have a plan yet. They have also not finalised the media plan as well and therefore don’t know if it will be an above-the-line (aimed at a wide audience) or below-the-line campaign (more sharply focused). And therefore they have not yet finalised a media agency.”

     

    However, executives aware of the plans say the media business will be integrated with one of the WPP agencies, a strategy that works well for both JWT and Tata if the two go ahead with the initiative.

     

    Source:The Economic Times

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