MxMIndia

Category: PR

  • This makes for the agency’s second series of wins after it won six accounts in February early this year

    Criesse Communications to manage PR mandate for 5 hospitality brands

    By A Correspondent

     

    Criesse Communications has entered the second quarter of the year with five wins from the hospitality sector. Criesse will manage the retainer mandate for Atmosphere Resorts and Hotels Maldives, Hilton Mumbai International Airport, Radisson Blu Bangalore, Novotel Kolkata Hotels and Residences and Swissotel

     

    Confirming this, Dennis Taraporewala, Managing Director, Criesse Communications said: “Criesse is privileged to be associated with luxury and premium hospitality accounts. We look forward to a fruitful relationship with each of our new clients. Winning these brands strengthens our belief that clients have started recognising and appreciating our approach to robust and sustainable PR programmes based on innovative campaigns. Public Relations today encompasses several aspects of communications and is being used by CEO’s as a strategic tool, given the convergence of traditional and digital media. We bring to the table a strong team, who offer significant value in hospitality communications”.

     

    Criesse now has a PAN India presence with teams in Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore and Hyderabad and clients in all major cities of the country, as well as international accounts in Sri Lanka and Maldives.

     

     

  • The agency to bring the foodco’s ‘One Planet, One Health’ credo to life in India

    Danone awards PR mandate to Avian WE

    By A Correspondent

     

    Leading global food brand Danone has appointed Avian WE as its new PR consultancy on record following a competitive pitch. As part of the new partnership, Avian WE will drive Danone’s health and nutrition agenda across India. Avian WE’s remit, notes a communique, covers both corporate and brand communications.

     

    Said Shefali Sapra, Director, Public Affairs & Corporate Communications, Danone India: “At Danone, we are committed to building a healthier world with purposeful brands. Avian WE’s expertise in public health and issues-based advocacy makes them an excellent partner to help build meaningful partnerships, educational platforms and communication that will drive adoption and real change.

     

    Added Nitin Mantri, Group CEO of Avian WE: ““Purpose is no longer an option but an imperative. Today’s consumers expect brands to demonstrate purpose led leadership and play an active role in driving societal change,”. “Danone is the epitome of a global brand committed to acting on its own vision of making the world a better place.” The account will be led from Avian WE’s office in New Delhi.

     

     

  • He will be based out of the firm’s Bengaluru office

    Journalist Boby Kurian joins Adfactors PR

    By A Correspondent

     

    Boby Kurian

    Public Relations major Adfactor has brought on board yet another senior journalist with Boby Kurian, former National Corporate Editor of The Times of India, joining the firm as Senior Vice-President, Strategic Communications Group (SCG). He will be based out of Adfactors’ Bengaluru office.

     

    The national role will focus on delivering C-suite counsel and engagements ranging from broader corporate reputation issues, CEO positioning and thought leadership. Kurian has two decades of experience in business journalism, reporting on some of India’s biggest corporate events and business personalities. Kurian held senior editorial positions at several leading media institutions, including VCCircle, The Economic Times, and The Hindu Business Line bureaus in Bengaluru.

     

    Said Adfactors PR Co-founder and Managing Director Madan Bahal said: “We are proud to have someone of Mr. Kurian’s calibre joining us. His keen business and economic perspectives will help us bolster our consulting capabilities to deliver strategic counsel to the vast ecosystem of businesses – driven by frontier technologies, newer opportunities and risks in a rapidly-transforming India.”

     

    On his new role, Kurian added: “I am excited about joining India’s leading public relations firm at this juncture of my career. The Strategic Communications Group has the potential to become a critical part of the firm’s value proposition. I am confident that, together, we will create a valuable and lasting asset.”

     

    Added Adfactors PR’s Bengaluru head of operations and Vice-President S Roy Kandpal: “Team Bengaluru is thrilled to have Boby joining us. I am confident that together, we will further strengthen our service offering and consolidate our market-leading position in South India.”

     

     

  • Phase 1 of 9-month PG programme to be completed by June 2020

    Adfactors, Upgrad to train PR professionals in digital mktg

    By A Correspondent

     

    PR major Adfactors PR has signed an MoU with leading education company Upgrad to train 300 of its client-servicing employees in a post-graduate certification programme on digital marketing and communications. The course has been designed by experts from MICA with additional modules co-created with Adfactors PR, for PR professionals.

     

    The objective, notes a communique, of this transformational initiative is to foster a 360-degree digital ecosystem-readiness within the firm by building a deep understanding of social media, online reputation management, multimedia content capabilities, content marketing, digital analytics, campaign planning, and digital crisis management skills.

     

    While the first batch of over 100 employees, drawn from the Delhi and Bengaluru offices of Adfactors PR, have already started their training, two other batches of 100 each will start from August 16 and October 1, respectively. The course will have participation across levels from Account Executives to Vice-Presidents.

     

    The entire programme is funded by Adfactors PR for all its employees. The Phase 1 of this program, to be completed by June 2020, will be followed by Phase 2, where the remaining 300 client-servicing executives will complete this training.

     

    Said Mayank Kumar, Co-founder and Managing Director, Upgrad: “Adfactors PR’s endeavour is the largest digital transformation initiative that we have seen from a non-IT company. This unique enterprise partnership fits in wonderfully with upGrad’s own vision that in an ever-changing industry, professionals need to continuously upskill themselves in order to stay relevant. We are extremely happy to see that a new-age PR firm is also committed to a similar goal.”

     

    Added Madan Bahal, Co-founder and Managing Director, Adfactors PR: “As India’s leading PR firm, we have to be future-ready to meet the evolving needs of our clients. For our employees, such comprehensive education will serve as a bridge to migrate to the digital future. By March 2021, we expect every single employee of the firm to have post-graduate capabilities in digital marketing and communications.”

     

     

  • Ketchum Sampark will be responsible for increasing awareness of Intellect as a pioneer in harnessing design thinking

    Ketchum Sampark awarded PR mandate for Intellect

    By A Correspondent

     

    Ketchum Sampark has been awarded the strategic communications and PR mandate from Intellect Design Arena, a global leader in financial technology for the banking and insurance sector. Ketchum Sampark will be responsible for increasing awareness of Intellect as a pioneer in harnessing design thinking to create cutting-edge suite of products for the banking and insurance sectors.

     

    Said Debal Dutt, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, Intellect Design Arena Ltd: “We are delighted to have Ketchum Sampark as our strategic communications partner due to their strong capabilities across verticals. I am confident that our partnership will lead to an overall appreciation of our brand reputation as well as brand equity.”

     

    Added NS Rajan, Global Partner and Managing Director, Ketchum Sampark: “Intellect is the world’s first full spectrum Banking and Insurance technology products company, which is addressing the digitalisation needs of the fintech sector globally. We are excited to partner them for integrated marketing communication to showcase Intellect’s commitment towards Design Thinking for continuous and impactful innovations.”

     

     

  • Treize Communications will handle the entire PR strategy and implementation

    Treize to handle PR mandate of Socxo

    By A Correspondent

     

    Treize Communications has won the online and offline PR mandate for Singapore-based brand advocacy platform.

     

    Ajit Narayan

    Said Ajit Narayan, CMO, Socxo: “We are glad to partner with Treize Communications for managing our PR duties. PR is an essential marketing tool in today’s time as it brings with it third-party endorsement and earned media value. We at Socxo strongly believe that brand advocacy as an important medium for marketing and we are glad to find the support from the team at Treize in creating awareness about the same. We were impressed with the agile marketing support and ideas coming from Sonam to help us in this journey towards building our brand and business.”

     

    Sonam Shah

    Speaking on the association with Socxo, Sonam Shah, Founder and CEO, Treize Communications, added: “We are glad to have Socxo onboard with us as we grow in the business of PR and Communications. Socxo is a start-up in a niche yet fast growing market of brand advocacy in India, thus making it exciting and challenging for us. We look forward to providing them path breaking PR solutions. It’s an interesting challenge for the team here and we look forward to our association with them.”

     

     

  • New practice designed to bridge the worlds of innovation and civic society

    Adfactors PR launches ‘Frontier Technologies’ practice

    By A Correspondent

     

    Adfactors PR has launched a specialist offering, the Frontier Technologies practice, to address new and emerging technology sectors including artificial intelligence, big data, machine learning and nano technology.

     

    The offering will specifically serve the requirements and opportunities facing emerging technology companies, in addition to mainstream businesses deploying next-generation technologies such as Blockchain, artificial intelligence, machine learning and autonomous mobility across their operations.

     

    The practice will be led nationally by the firm’s Chief Operating Officer (COO), Roger Darashah, supported by a team of specialists. In Mumbai, it will be led by Sandeep Ajgaonkar, Vice-President, Adfactors PR, who was formerly Senior General Manager, Digital & Direct Marketing at Sun Pharmaceutical and, earlier, Editor & Marketing Head for Express Computer Magazine. In Bengaluru, by T V Mahalingam, Senior Group Head and former National Technology Editor at The Economic Times and in Delhi by Priti Setia, Group Head, who recently joined the firm from Edelman where she was Co-Lead, Integration, Delhi. The practice will be supported by Adfactors PR’s extended team including data scientists, programmers and developers.

     

    Adfactors PR Co-Founder and Managing Director Madan Bahal explained that the practice reflected the distinct communications challenges facing companies incorporating and deploying emerging technologies: “In this field, technical understanding is a crucial but insufficient competence.  Communicators also need to be able to understand public sentiment – informed or otherwise, anticipate risks and opportunities, and navigate incomplete regulatory frameworks,” he noted.

     

    Added Darashah: “While such technologies are becoming increasingly complex and impenetrable to non-specialists, discussions about their impact are actually becoming more mainstream.  Today, the requirement for technologists to explain and address the societal implications of their offerings to broader audiences – customers, partners and employees as well as regulators – has never been more crucial.”

     

     

  • The agency assumed the brand mandate on February 1, 2020

    Pogo appoints Value 360 Communications as its PR partner

    By A Correspondent

     

    It’s not unusual for players in the media space to change their PR partners with every few years. Some even few months. Get an agency to work overtime to deliver, and then hop to another one to do the same. So popular kiddie entertainment channel Pogo has now appointed Value 360 Communications as its PR and brand communications partner. The agency assumed the brand mandate on February 1, 2020, and will be responsible for planning, managing, and supporting all PR-related activities for Pogo in India.

     

    Speaking on the win, Kunal Kishore, Founder and Director – Value 360 Communications, said: “We are delighted that India’s first homegrown kids’ channel and leading entertainment brand Pogo has chosen us to lead its communications strategy. We are looking forward to creating and executing high-impact campaigns and delivering tangible brand results for the brand, as we contribute towards consolidating Pogo’s market leadership in India.”

     

    Added Deepa Sridhar, Director Communications of WarnerMedia Entertainment Networks in South Asia: “Value 360 Communications has differentiated itself in the brand communications space through innovative strategies and compelling brand narratives. We have full faith in the team’s ability and expertise. We view Value 360 Communications not as an agency or a partner but as an extension of our in-house team and are confident that they will live up to their name by adding 360-degree value to all our PR-related brand initiatives.”

     

     

  • To manage communication with the public and reputation in the respective industry

    Media Mantra bags PR mandate of Loom Solar

    By A Correspondent

     

    Media Mantra has bagged the public relations mandate of Loom Solar – a Faridabad-based startup. Loom Solar manufactures mono crystalline solar panels and AC modules. Media Mantra will be managing the brand’s image as a consultant and handle media duties, strategic PR and reputation management.

     

    On the appointment of the new PR team, Amol Anand, Co-founder and Director, Loom Solar said: “Media Mantra works with a range from solopreneurs and startups and some of the best technology companies in India. Being an experienced PR firm with talented and creative minds and young professionals, we believe working, Media Mantra will contribute to enhance our brand’s presence in the industry and will help us to maintain our communication with media, our stakeholders, employees and masses and will ultimately help to convey our messages and information about our products and services to our targeted audience.”

     

    Added Udit Pathak, founder-director, Media Mantra: “We are very happy to get an opportunity to manage the media presence of a brand like Loom Solar in India. Mr Amol is a young entrepreneur and Loom Solar is an innovative brand that will not only give us an opportunity to explore renewable energy segments even further. It will also give us a new direction to us to work with a lot of fresh ideas and initiatives. We believe that PR and communications play an essential role in brand building and reputation management, especially start-ups. With our fresh perspectives and creativity, we are confident that we will add value to the brand’s overall representation in the segment.”

     

     

  • The PR mandate is for three years and it includes all aspects of corporate reputation management

    Indian Bank appoints Veritas as its PR agency

    By A Correspondent

     

    Veritas Reputation PR has announced that it has bagged the public relations mandate from Indian Bank. The mandate is for three years and it includes all aspects of corporate reputation management, financial communications and media outreach across India in print, electronic and digital mediums.

     

    Said D Devaraj, General Manager, Corporate Communication, Indian Bank: “With our recent merger, we have emerged as the seventh largest public sector bank in the country and it is important that we fine-tune our communication strategy to achieve our objectives in a challenging market. We are happy to have Veritas Reputation PR on board as our communication partner. I am sure their expertise, domain understanding and national network will help us reach our stakeholders and assist us to communicate our vision to our audiences.”

     

    Added Hemant Batra, Managing Director, Veritas Reputation PR: “Indian Bank is an esteemed public sector bank and we are honoured to receive their PR mandate. Our sector experience, strong team and national media network will enable us provide a holistic platform to the bank for effective and efficient communications.”

     

     

  • Nodwin Gaming has been improvising its portfolio to grow the evolving esports vertical in the country

    Nodwin Gaming signs on Actimedia to manage PR mandate

    By A Correspondent

     

    Nodwin Gaming has signed on Actimedia India as its PR and communications partner.

     

    “This is a very exciting time in the business lifecycle for Nodwin. We have grown by 80 per cent in the last year, expanded our global footprint by entering Middle East and South Africa, and are now looking at making the next big push – both in terms of creating global IPs and gearing up for D2C business. We are delighted to get on board Actimedia as our PR partners and are looking forward to a long partnership with them. Their expertise in building an exciting brand imagery that aligns seamlessly with our business objectives forms the crux of this partnership,” said Sidharth Kedia, Group Chief Executive Officer, Nodwin Gaming.

     

    Said Amitabh Saksena, Director, Actimedia India: “Nodwin Gaming is a dynamic brand that has captured the e-sports market with its innovative IPs, and some very exciting esports properties like the DreamHack and ESL India Premiership. Nodwin Gaming has been constantly improvising its portfolio to grow the nascent yet quickly evolving esports vertical in the country. We are looking forward to taking this adrenaline-pumped ride to the next level,”

     

     

  • That’s the key reason for a start of new age of brand research, measurement and analytics, writes Siddhartha Mukherjee

    Strong Brand ≠ Strong Reputation

     

    By Siddhartha Mukherjee

     

    When you combine a logo with promise, what you get is a brand. However, only when you live up to that promise, you accrue reputation. This means a Brand is Inside-Out, while Reputation is Outside-In. However, many corporates get deceived and misinterpret a strong brand equalling a strong reputation. This is why Balance Sheets go through an imbalance.

    Depending on which Block (A, B, C or D) the Corporate Entity is in, the above construct gives way to an ocean of Brand Research, Measurement and Data Analytics possibilities which will tangibly benefit Board of Directors, CEOs and the Communications Machinery at large. It can lead to a full circle of Data Information and Analysis possibilities.

     

    Barring Block C, which is a Utopian zone, majority of the Corporate world outside comprises of Corporates who operate from Blocks A, B or D. For them, the relative chances of business success or healthy balance sheet depends on how close they are to the Utopian Block C on the above plot chart.

     

    There are reasons why majority of the Corporates go through the imbalance of Brand Power and Reputation Power:

     

    1. FMCGisation: FMCG Industry’s way of brand management and business approach has inspired almost every single industry vertical today. (No wonder, most of the Top CXOs in sectors like BFSI, Automobile, Telcom, etc. got their initial success in FMCG industry). Which is why, they focus on business sales first, Organization Halo effect later. In other words, they believe that the only parameter to measure Reputation Power is demand, sales & revenues.

    2. Focus skewed towards scoring on Brand Promise: Management orientation is towards being visible. No wonder then, Marcomm spends are sky high. CorpComm takes a back seat.

    3. No focus on Corporate Reputation Pillars: Barring visibility of Products & Services and Marketing Initiatives, other Corporate Reputation Pillars like Corporate Thought Leadership, Financial Strength, Commitment to Work Place, Responsibility through CSR & Sustainability, etc. are treated through a cosmetic or adhoc lens.

    4. Archaic Research and Analysis methodologies: Balancing Brand Power with Reputation Power needs a seamless and clever assembly line of Data Information & Analysis Machinery. Listening (to the MOOD of the ecosystem) itself is the biggest chunk. This not just needs resources but starts with Intent.

    5. Perception of Communications Machinery: The age-old saga of Organization’s perception of what value Communication Desk brings to the table is still in poor state. No wonder, “NEWS MANAGEMENT” is the start and end of what this desk is expected to do.

     

    Having said this, I am aware that there are Corporate Dark Horse which are emerging out of this staid thinking and realigning themselves. The Board, Management and the Corporate & Marketing Communications Machinery are working in tandem. They are ensuring that Corporate Symbols, their Promise and Behaviour (actions and reactions) all create equality within Brand Power and Reputation Power so that it creates a spot closer to or in the utopian Block C.

     

    Siddhartha Mukherjee is a senior marketing services research professional. He was until last year Business Head at Eikona and has spent a fair time in the PR industry. Starting today, he revives his fortnightly column for MxMIndia.