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  • The offline study conducted by Nielsen on behalf of Google India at car showrooms in eight metros revealed that one in two car buyers conducted research online

    Internet influences over 50% car buyers: Google

    By A Correspondent

     

    If you are planning to buy a car, who will you go to for advice? The Internet…family… a car expert? Various people choose various options, but according to a study done by Google India, with over 120 million Indian Internet users, the Internet plays an important role in influencing the decision-making process of India’s growing number of car buyers.

     

    The offline study conducted by Nielsen on behalf of Google India at car showrooms in eight metros (NCR, Mumbai, Pune, Chennai, Bangalore, Kolkata, Ahmedabad and Kochi) revealed that one in two car buyers conducted research online before arriving at the dealership. The survey also revealed that of those who had researched about their purchase options online, over 50 per cent changed their choice of car brands after uncovering new information on the web.

     

    Speaking about the study, Rajan Anandan, vice president & managing director, Google India, said: “This offline study substantiates the growing number of auto-related searches we’ve seen on Google Search inIndia. Auto is among the fastest growing vertical in terms of query volumes on Google. Most OEMs have not yet tapped the full potential of the digital medium and we hope this study will help them to understand and engage the Indian consumer online.”

     

    Respondents reported that they used the web to research and compare prices, watch online videos, find images, do competitive analysis, find dealer contacts and read both expert and user reviews. Most car buyers also rated OEMs website as the most important and trustworthy source of information. Of the 50 per cent respondents who went online, 42 per cent said they used search engine as the first source of information, just behind the opinions of friends and relatives’ (47 per cent).

     

    However, the auto-makers aren’t affected by the study. Abhishek Gupta, former brand manager at Maruti Suzuki India Limited and business head – North at RPS consulting said that  people might go online for research but final decision depends on what family and friends recommend. “One goes online to get a basic understanding. He might read blogs, reviews or comments to get others point of view but will buy a car which he aspires to purchase or what people close to him tell him to.”

     

    Voicing the same opinion, a marketing head at the leading Japanese car manufacturer, said: “Maybe Google is correct or maybe they are not. But it’s a fact that one needs to go to a showroom to get a feel and look of the various cars s/he has shortlisted before zeroing in on one.”

     

    The research was conducted outside the car showrooms of India’s leading OEMs namely: Maruti, Tata Motors, Ford, Chevrolet, Hyundai, Honda & VW. The total sample size for the research was 2,791 respondents. Out of which 93 per cent were males, with 75 per cent of the respondents in the age group of 25-44.

     

  • Besides, on-air programming on Neo Prime, the former Chelsea defender will also be involved with several on-ground initiatives

    Neo Prime signs Frank Leboeuf for special programming on UEFA EURO 2012

    By A Correspondent

     

    Neo Prime has signed French legend Frank Leboeuf for exclusive preview shows and wrap around content during UEFA EURO 2012 (starting 8 June). Mr Leboeuf was part of the historic French team that won the FIFA World Cup in 1998 and the UEFA EURO in 2000.

     

    The wrap around show ‘Extra Time’ will be hosted by Radhakrishnan Sreenivasan (popularly known as RK) and feature Frank Leboeuf along with celebrity football fans across all walks of life – Bollywood, business, music and fashion. Besides, on-air programming on Neo Prime, the former Chelsea defender will also be involved with several on-ground initiatives including football clinics, contests and meet and greet with fans.

     

    Frank Leboeuf said: “I am delighted to visit India and stay here and interact with the football fans. The UEFA EURO has always been one of the toughest football championships, on par with the FIFA World Cup. All the teams are top-notch competitors and 8 out of the 16 teams can potentially emerge champions in this edition. I am particularly excited about engaging with fans across multiple touch-points.”

     

    Mautik Tolia, EVP – Programming and Creative Head, Neo Sports Broadcasting Pvt. Ltd said: “UEFA Euro 2012 is the biggest football extravaganza of the year and we wanted to raise the bar and interact with fans beyond the TV screen. Frank is a legend and for a blockbuster event like UEFA EURO, we needed someone with his skill, knowledge and enthusiasm to take our programming vision forward and delight the football fans.”

     

  • Abhishek Rege appointed – Chief Operating Officer – Television; Doris Dey joins as Fiction Head

    Abhishek Rege & Doris Dey join Endemol India

    By A Correspondent

     

    Abhishek Rege

    Aligning itself to an aggressive growth strategy, Endemol India announced key leadership appointments across verticals. As part of their new structure, Abhishek Rege has been appointed as Chief Operating Officer – Television, where he will be seen overlooking strategic operations specific to the production of new shows for television across the country. Doris Dey comes on board as the Fiction Head. She will be responsible for driving the fiction properties and concepts that will best engage and entertain the viewers. Based out of Mumbai, these two dynamic professionals will be seen playing pertinent roles in providing seamless operational and strategic inputs across the company.

     

    Doris Dey

    Commenting on the new appointments, Deepak Dhar, CEO – Endemol India, said: “The last one year has been very exciting for Endemol India, with the new concepts being accepted wholeheartedly and the existing formats progressing to their much awaited seasons. As we move into our next phase of growth, it’s critical to have a structure that supports our ambitions and fuels expansion.”

     

    He added: “Abhishek and Doris come with a vast experience and I am convinced that both the professionals will drive our most ambitious phase.”

     

    Deepak Dhar

    Abhishek Rege said: “At the helm of a new growth phase, I look forward to working with a bunch of highly motivated individuals and continue to create newer benchmarks in the industry.” Prior to his appointment at India, Abhishek was associated with Viacom 18 Media Pvt. Ltd.

     

    Speaking on her association with Endemol India, Doris Dey said: “I am looking forward to working with this incredibly talented group of people who are relentless in providing new and innovative content to the viewers.”

     

  • Having survived and survived with flourish in the last five years has been no mean feat for Creativeland Asia. Team CLA and their clients talk to MxMIndia on what makes the agency such a hit.

    Five years of Creativeland Asia

    Sajan Raj Kurup

    By Tuhina Anand

     

    As Creativeland Asia (CLA) completes five years of existence, one cannot ignore the fact that the agency has managed to find a foothold in this industry and not just that but has managed to do very well for itself. At its birth in 2007, CLA was just another name started by an awardwinning ex-creative head with a few others but slowly and steadily it has managed to find a place for itself and this has only happened because of its cutting edge and consistently good work on accounts like Frooti or for German luxury automobile manufacturer Audi which won a GrandPrix at both Spikes Asia and Goafest. And of course the much acclaimed work for Hippo.

     

    Talking about CLA, Sajan Raj Kurup, Founder and Creative Chairman at CLA said, “Completing five years is a landmark especially in a market like India but what makes this even more special is that we have made it on our own terms. I believe that India is one of the most creative countries and I have wanted to show that creativity to the world. While on the downside, making it on your own in India also becomes difficult because of various reasons and that’s the challenge we took. We managed to reach this point only because of the unconditional support that we have received from our friends who have been with us through thick and thin and our clients who became our biggest investors by believing in us.”

     

    He added, “At CLA we have created a culture that is quite ingenious to our way of working. We have created a culture of excellence and most importantly we have stayed away from the muck. This has helped us in focusing on real work that has worked for the clients. We may have won awards but I can vouch that none of them were scams as we steer clear of them. There is no work for awards sake but only work that works, that’s been our motto and I can say that today people outside of CLA recognize this culture and there are many young people who want to join us only because they know of our culture and our commitment to creativity. I don’t know if we have created a perfect place but we have created a place we are proud to be part of.”

     

    Work@CLAVikram Gaikwad, Partner and Executive Creative Director, Creativeland Asia

    I realise that if you are doing what you really want to do, five years can go by before you know it. I am happy and proud that we have managed to live up to the plan we discussed the very first day of Creativeland’s inception, and we have stood by our principles from the very first day. We have consistently worked towards excelling in whatever we wanted to do. We also have our clients to thank who believe in us without whose partnership this achievement would not have been possible.

     

    Anu Joseph, Executive Creative Director, Creativeland Asia

    Sitting at Raj’s dining table five years ago, I knew we could be where we are today, if we stuck to Raj’s vision for Creativeland. There was clarity about how we were going to go about things. There have been ups and downs, heartbreaks and pressures, but it has been a pleasure walking into work every single day. And of course, there is so much we owe to our client partners who have invested their faith in us. They have been the force behind every piece of work we have done.

    These words clearly show that Mr Kurup is happy with the way CLA has shaped up. In fact, CLA is the first and the only agency from India that has made to the World’s Leading Independent agencies list in 2010. He points five events that made CLA in the last five years for the agency: CLA creating benchmark in creativity with every category it has worked on, from being a 4-5 member team to being 90-member team and creating a strong agency culture without any compromise, recognized as a leading independent agency and getting Grand Prix for real works, lasting relationship and innovative thinking and lastly being able to consistently deliver good work.

     

    Giving his take on working with CLA, Michael Perschke, Head, Audi India said, “I find Creativeland to be a good creative melting pot, one that is not restricted to typical media avenues. As an owner-driven agency, Creativeland is capable of doing things their own way and coming up with solutions, while keeping the core brand messages in mind. Their ideas have worked very well for us. Some of the work has been exposed to our colleagues in Germany, and has been appreciated.”

     

    Another of CLA clients is Cafe Coffee Day (CCD) where the agency has been working for long. K Ramakrishnan, President, Marketing, CCD, said, “Our journey with CLA is over five years old now. There is huge similarity between the organisational ethos of CCD and CLA in the sense that both started out as small organisations with a huge determination to make it big and to a large extent are on our way there. Another, is the spirit of youthfulness. Notwithstanding the growth that both the organizations have had, our relationship continues to be one to one.”

     

    “CLA’s focus on turnaround time where they have been able to churn out relentless number of creative outputs, on time each and every time, the youthfulness in their thought process and the spirit of a small agency in terms of ownership of brands and hunger for growth, contribute to their success in a short span of time, added Mr Ramakrishnan.

     

    As for the future of CLA, Mr Kurup is categorical as he says that while they are open to partnering provided it’s on their own terms however there is no plan to sell CLA to any bigger network. He said, “I have started CLA with the prime motive of building it up, selling it definitely not in the plan.” He added, “We have been growing on our own terms and have been saying no to businesses that we don’t feel comfortable working with. What CLA delivers is a personal touch to the clients and we don’t want to settle for anything less but only high quality ideas that delivers.”

     

    As for scaling up, CLA plans to open an office in London and is working on it. It has two offices in India and one regional office in Singapore. Also, the future for CLA is in getting on the content in a big way and it has taken a step towards this by getting into the movie business and more will follow in the future.

     


  • Mindshare has announced three key promotions: Ashutosh Srivastava is Chairman and CEO for global emerging markets, and also the agency’s new global leader for products/services and talent development, R Gowthaman will take on the role of CEO for South and South East Asia and James Greet, currently CEO, Australia, will add Japan, Korea and New Zealand to his responsibilities, and also be APAC regional leader for talent.

    Mindshare elevates Ashutosh Srivastava, G’Man and Greet, unveils new ‘global to local’ structure

    From the MxM Infodesk

     

    Ashutosh Srivastava

    Mindshare Asia Pacific has revealed a new global to local structure with a new leadership team. Ashutosh Srivastava, currently CEO Asia Pacific, Mindshare, has been appointed Chairman and CEO for global emerging markets, and is also Mindshare’s new global leader for products/services and talent development.

     

    Mr Srivastava will continue to be based in Singapore, and will focus on emerging markets such as Russia, in addition to APAC. He will also work closely with global and regional leaders in London and Asia to drive new products and services – and with the agency’s talent development community, work to strengthen the agency’s talent pool and leadership globally. Mr Srivastava will continue to oversee the Greater China offices directly.

     

    R Gowthaman

    Commenting on Mr Srivastava’s appointment, Nick Emery, CEO, Mindshare Worldwide said: “I’m delighted that Ashutosh is taking on the global role to drive Mindshare’s development.  Ashu is the epitome of a new world leader and our product, people and growth markets are in safe hands.”

     

    Mr Srivastava’s promotion is accompanied by a change in the structure of Mindshare in the region, re-organising it around three clusters.

     

    Mr R Gowthaman, currently Chief Client Officer, will take on the role of CEO for South and South East Asia, based in Singapore. Mr Gowthaman, popularly known as G’Man in the industry, has been with the agency since it started in India in 2002.

     

    James Greet, currently CEO, Australia, will add Japan, Korea and New Zealand to his responsibilities, and also be the APAC regional leader for talent. Prior to joining Mindshare in 2010 he founded and ran talent recruitment firm The Ladder. Mr Greet will continue to be based at Sydney in his new role.

     

    James Greet

    Commenting on the new structure Mr Emery said: “In Ashu, James and G’man there is no better leadership trio and I am privileged to work with them.”

     

    Mr Srivastava said: “James has in a very short time turned our Australia office into a powerhouse of great work and talent. G’Man has crafted our success in India, which is a world class office – and in the past few months built up our product for regional clients. Along with China, they have been the driving force behind the momentum we have across Asia Pacific. They are both outstanding leaders, and I look forward to working with them in their new roles.”

     

    The new structure of Mindshare in Asia Pacific brings it into line with Mindshare’s operations in Europe, which is also organised around a cluster approach, and provides a global to local approach for the agency around the four core areas of trading, emerging markets, new products/services and talent development.

     

     

     

  • The moment they positioned it as the 'poor man's' car, they took the sex out of the equation. No one wants to be perceived as a loser when it comes to his car

    Anil Thakraney: Nano: Manufacturing success, marketing failure

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Last night, I watched a very interesting documentary on Nat Geo. No, it wasn’t about lions or elephants, it was about all that went into the making of Ratan Tata’s dream car, the Nano. The programme was fascinating, as the producers went through all the challenges and problems the Tata group faced to bring the so-called ‘one lakh’ rupee car to life. And they also spoke to the designers and the engineers as well as to Ratan Tata himself. (A quick aside: Why Shri Tata prefers to speak only to firangi journalists and production teams is something I’ll never understand.)

     

    Must say I was left quite impressed with the manufacturing marvel little Nano is. Okay, so it isn’t really a one lakh rupee car on the road, but at its price point it does pack in a lot of goodies, is reasonably comfy for four passengers and is hugely economical on fuel consumption. And most importantly: because it’s tiny, the Nano can slip into any little parking space… a huge bonus in city conditions. And yet, the car hasn’t taken the market by storm. Sales have been below expectations, in both urban and rural areas. Strange? Well, not really. Because Tata’s marketing team screwed up a really good thing.

     

    The moment they positioned it as the ‘poor man’s’ car, they took the sex out of the equation. Even at a low cost, a car’s association with status and pride must be maintained. No one wants to be perceived as a loser when it comes to his car, a person’s most visible possession. This simple little consumer insight eluded such highly paid and experienced marketing minds.

     

    The bad news is that the damage is done. Whatever tricks the Tata Nano marketing guys have up their sleeves, it will be very difficult to erase the ‘poor man’s car’ image. I would like to meet Mr Tata and discuss this, but he seems to be allergic to desi journos.

     

    But here’s the good news for Tata. After watching the Nat Geo documentary, I have decided to buy the Nano. Because it’s a real value for money gaadi, and what people think of me has never mattered anyways. All that the Tata group can hope for is there are more misfits like me in this nation.

     

    * * *

     

    PS: ‘A Step From Zero’ is a cool web idea from Coke. The film features a youngster who turns his sad life around by practicing a new dance move. The film’s gone viral and the dude’s become famous. This was a web project where people were invited to shoot videos of their dance moves and submit them for selection. Nice web idea from Coke. A good case study for marketers struggling with the digital space.

     

  • Talented people are self-assured and positive that visibility through good work only, can win them fame and money and perks are the next obvious that will follow, says Sandeep Bomble

    The Anchor: Sandeep Bomble on four ways agencies can attract top talent

    By Sandeep Bomble, founder, Palasa

     

    1. Money! The obvious five letter word that is expected to shoot up once the above question is fired. Let us first dig and understand the working of an advertising industry. Innovation is the crux of any agency. One must know that every department, be it creative, media, client servicing should possess the ability to compete with latest innovative ideas and ways to explore. But at the same time, a lot of them prefer sticking to the age old methods or ways of going about, and not take the risk of capitalizing energy, money or time by going off the track. And sadly a talent hits a dead end, driving it off. It is here, where a fine bait to attract a great talent lies.

     

    2. Of course, there can be zillion ways to source talents but, personally I believe, there is only one way an agency can hook a ‘great talent’ in their team and that is ‘The agency has to go Gutsy!’ An agency that has the courage to go bold and brazen in their thoughts and actions, is like a charged magnetic field. It automatically attracts to it unexceptionally talented people. A great talent is hungry and is constantly on a lookout for an agency which is in the position to explore ideas. They believe the agency will do justice to their ideas and will churn out the best from the deepest crevices of their mind. The gutsy agencies act as catalyst to the effervescing minds of ever-fangled talented guns who are ready to venture into a territory that will facilitate their ideas and take them to a next level altogether.

     

    3. Money is certainly an important part when you look to feed yourself but it is very subjective in this case. It is surprising but true that a great talent will least care about money and not look at it as their first priority. And if one delves deeper into the psychology of these people, one understands the logic behind their motive of not being money minded. They are confident of what shall follow next, once they find their base to breed their creative energies. They are self-assured and positive that visibility through good work only, can win them fame, that’ll get them noticed in the industry. Money and perks are the next obvious that will follow. When a talent believes in agencies good work and ability to take forward the idea, he/ she won’t be bound by any limitations then. Their minds are free to explore realms unexplored. They soar high to think big and different. And an agency should know that investing in a great talent is any day much viable option than having hundred workers with lack of talent.

     

    4. Today, it’s a pitiful state that a lot of agencies are simply satisfied with their cash registers ringing and look at work through business perspective and are not inclined towards exploring newer ideas; they play ‘safe’. With every passing day one can only hope that an agency dares to hone its powerful magnetic field. We are an industry that has courage to defy the conventional and passion to take a leap of faith in ideas we believe in. And what more can a great talent want than to truly, madly, deeply be in love with an agency that harbours such a principle.

     

    “Great Talent Will Never Ask For Money”

     

    Sandeep Bomble is founder, Palasa

     

  • Besides the corporate mandate, Hungama Digital will also manage three other businesses for Microsoft India on social media – MSN India, Windows Azure and Microsoft Office

    Hungama Digital to manage Microsoft India’s social media

    By A Correspondent

     

    Hungama Digital, part of Hungama Digital Media Entertainment Pvt. Ltd., has won the social media mandate for Microsoft India’s corporate brand. Hungama Digital will manage all social media interaction on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, blogs and other collaborative mediums on digital media.

     

    Besides the corporate mandate, Hungama Digital will also manage three other businesses for Microsoft India on social media – MSN India, Windows Azure and Microsoft Office.

     

    Commenting on Hungama Digital’s appointment, Meenu Handa, Director – Corporate Communications, Microsoft Corporation India Pvt. Ltd. said: “Over the last few years, we have invested significantly in social media, and it is today a substantial part of our media mix. To take our social media platforms to the next level of growth, we were looking for a creative and experienced team to support us and have found a passionate and engaged team in Hungama Digital.”

     

    Speaking on the winning the account, Siddhartha Roy, COO, Hungama Digital Media said: “With the growing number of interactions over digital, especially on social networking sites, this is a great opportunity for the team at Hungama to build Microsoft’s corporate image on the social platform. The team also brings to the table over 13 years of digital marketing experience – over the internet, mobile, and other connected platform, that have resulted in award winning campaigns over the years. We are extremely excited about the business and look forward to a long sustainable relationship with Microsoft India.”

     

    Currently, Microsoft’s corporate social channels in India include Twitter, Facebook  and YouTube.

     

  • She will be seen in an aggressive multi-media campaign which will be created by Lowe Lintas

    Luxor signs Deepika Padukone as brand ambassador for Pilot

    By A Correspondent

     

    Luxor Writing Instruments has signed on Deepika Padukone as the brand ambassador for Pilot for two years.

     

    Announcing the new face of Pilot, Pooja Jain, Executive Director, Luxor Group, said: “We understand that young consumers today are very discerning of the brands they use. The brands have to match their aspirations, ambitions and personality. Deepika comes across as a go-getter who has made it on her own, is confident of her choices and works hard to achieve what she desires from life. She rightly represents the youth who is passionate and seek excellence in their endeavors. Our association with her is the right fit with many common factors between Pilot and Deepika which appeal to the youth instantly. I am sure this alliance will emphasize the positioning of Pilot series as a choice of young achievers.”

     

    Deepika Padukone would be seen in an aggressive multi-media campaign which will be created by Lowe Lintas. Speaking about the advertisement campaign, R Balki, Chairman & Chief Creative Officer, Lowe Lintas, said: “Deepika is a confident person and represents the youth which is aware and determined. Her personality perfectly matches with Pilot and reflects the achievements of the young generation. The ad campaign for Pilot will keep this synchronicity in mind and will have a young feel.”

     

     

  • This campaign by 92.7 BIG FM is an extension of the larger campaign called 'Mumbai Manao, Life Banao'

    Vivek Oberoi to flag off BIG FM’s ‘Cigarette Bhujao Life Banao’ campaign

    By A Correspondent

     

    On World No Tobacco Day, 92.7 BIG FM, Mumbai launched a noble campaign ‘Cigarette Bhujao Life Banao’, in its endeavour to contribute to the welfare and development of society. Vivek Oberoi, a strong anti-tobacco campaigner, joined hands with 92.7 BIG FM to sign a pledge against smoking at the BIG FM studio with RJ Ankit.

     

    To promote this cause and enable widespread awareness amongst the audience, across the city of Mumbai, the actor signed ‘Out Smoking’ on huge cigarette caricature cut-out which will be placed in the Infiniti Mall, Andheri premises, so that people can support the campaign and spread awareness on the ills of tobacco.

     

    The campaign takes on the issue of smoking and the various harms related to it, which have ended many lives. This campaign by 92.7 BIG FM is an extension of the larger campaign called ‘Mumbai Manao, Life Banao’ which celebrates the spirit of Mumbai. As part of the campaign for World No Tobacco Day, 92.7 BIG FM’s RJ Ankit spoke to various celebrities like Vivek Oberoi, Javed Jaffrey, Ayushmann Khurrana on dangers of smoking and its effects. Besides this listeners shared their experiences and doctors gave tips.

     

    Actor Vivek Oberoi has been associated with the Cancer Patient Aid Association (CPAA) for over ten years. This opportunity with 92.7 BIG FM gives him another platform to spread awareness across a wider audience. Mr Oberoi, while speaking to RJ Ankit, said he strongly felt about the need to spread the message of the dangers of smoking and how tobacco-related diseases like cancer, tuberculosis can wreck the lives of individuals and their families alike.

     

    Commenting on this initiative, a company spokesperson said: “As the leading media brand that reflects the city’s passions and emotions, we believe in using our medium – radio to spread awareness and promote noble causes which are of relevance to the society. This campaign has been conceptualized to draw attention towards World No Tobacco Day. As a brand that celebrates Mumbai’s passions, this is our way to create awareness and draw people away from using tobacco.”

     

  • TV18 & Viacom18 form IndiaCast, a strategic joint venture to create India’s first multi-platform ‘content asset monetization’ entity

    TV18 & Viacom18 form a strategic jv for content monetization

    From the MxM Infodesk

     

    TV18 and Viacom18 today announced a strategic joint venture called IndiaCast to create India’s first multi-platform ‘Content Asset Monetization’ entity. IndiaCast, is mandated to drive Domestic and International Channel distribution, Placement services and Content Syndication for TV18, Viacom18, A+E Networks I TV18 and the Eenadu group, post completion of its acquisition by TV18.

     

    With this landmark move all content assets of the 2 media houses to be consolidated for monetization across all media in India and abroad. The content of Eenadu Group is also proposed to be consolidated for distribution by IndiaCast post completion of its acquisition by TV18. IndiaCast has been created with the aim to consolidate the distribution functions of both media houses to, reach newer markets and increase operational efficiencies.

     

    IndiaCast will distribute all the channels of the media houses – TV18, Viacom18, A+E Networks I TV18 and of the Eenadu Group across all platforms, including Cable, DTH, IPTV, HITS and MMDS, and will offer a range of channels, from entertainment, kids, news, infotainment and music, to regional genres.

     

    In addition, IndiaCast will also distribute Sun Network Channels & Disney Channels in the Hindi Speaking Markets (HSMs) . Anuj Gandhi will be the Group Chief Executive Officer of IndiaCast, with Gaurav Gandhi as Chief Operating Officer of the entity.

     

    Speaking about the venture, Sai Kumar, Group Chief Executive Officer, Network18 & TV18, said, “The Indian distribution market is throwing up ample opportunities and we are uniquely poised to make the most of this proposed alliance in an increasingly digitized environment. We have entrusted this mandate with Anuj, who brings with him impeccable leadership and rich experience across various formats.” He further added, “Distribution is one of the high-growth areas in this industry and we’re excited to have a presence in this part of the business as well.”

     

    Bob Bakish President and CEO of Viacom International Media Networks said “As the Indian market continues to expand and evolve, the move to bring two media houses and proposed consolidation of Eenadu channels post acquisition into one distribution sales house presents an opportunity to accelerate our growth in the region, while increasing efficiencies of operation. We’re excited about the potential of IndiaCast and are looking forward to deepening our partnership with TV18 and Eenadu Group.”

     

    Commenting on IndiaCast, Anuj Gandhi, Group CEO IndiaCast said, “This is a momentous step forward and will create a paradigm shift in distribution and syndication. The new venture gives a clear impetus to digitalization. Also, it brings more channels and greater flexibility to consumers.” According to Mr Gandhi, “The Company will be the focal point not only for content and media distribution but also to drive the Content asset monetization business of TV18, Viacom18, A+E Networks I TV18 and Eenadu Group. The growth and way forward for media brands in the journey ahead is through Content Asset Monetization – taking content across geographies, platforms and mediums.”

     

  • Emami has roped in Gautam Gambhir, Mary Kom, Vijender Singh, Saina Nehwal and Sushil Kumar as brand ambassadors for one single brand for its pain-relieving brand, Fast Relief

    Fast relief! Emami ropes in 5 sports celebs for a single brand

    By Writankar Mukherjee

     

    FMCG company Emami has roped in five sports celebrities for endorsement of one of its pain-relieving brand, Fast Relief. The maker of Zandu Balm and Fair and Handsome, has appointed cricketer Gautam Gambhir, boxers Vijender Singh and Mary Kom, badminton champion Saina Nehwal and world champion wrestler Sushil Kumar.

     

    Emami, which is amongst the highest spenders in celebrity brand endorsements in India, has for the first time roped in sports stars. The company has always focused films stars like Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan.

     

    “It is always said India is a nation where only cricket is played. But we will say India is a nation where cricket is also played along with many others games,” says Emami CEO (sales, supply chain & human capital) N Krishna Mohan.

     

    Mr Mohan says Fast Relief is designed for the young and on-the-go population. “This segment is very active, has a keen interest and involvement in sports and thus also is injury, aches and pains prone,” he says

     

    Emami expects these brand ambassadors will help it to consolidate presence in the Rs 3,000 crore pain management segment. The company is one of the leading player in the category with 13% market share. Apart from Fast Relief, the two other brands in the segment include Zandu Balm and Mentho plus balm, churning a combined turnover of Rs 387 crore last year.

     

    Source:The Economic Times

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