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  • With just three weeks left for AdAsia, the total delegate count for the main event has touched almost 800. The theme is ‘Uncertainty is the new certainty’, and industry expectations from the event are high.

    AdAsia expectations soar

    By Shubhangi Mehta

    The excitement over Asia’s biggest management, marketing, media, advertising and communications congress is mounting. AdAsia 2011 is scheduled to be held over three days with 20 sessions, over 40 speakers and 800 delegates already registered.

    A panel of world renowned personalities from different walks of life will share their invaluable experiences, insights and sharp analysis of ongoing events, providing new ideas, concepts and a firm handle on how the changes we are witnessing today will translate into trends in the future. They will go beyond analysis to address the question ‘How’ and to elaborate innovative ideas and solutions to key global challenge.

    Indra Nooyi – Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, PepsiCo, Ram Charan – Business Consultant, Speaker & Author, Harish Manwani – COO, Unilever, Joseph Tripodi – Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing & Commercial Officer, The Coca-Cola Company and David Droga – Founder, Creative Chairman, Droga5, are some of the big names speaking at AdAsia 2011.

    Mr Bobby Pawar, COO, Mudra, said, “I am excited about AdAsia, we will get to listen to great people from in and out of the industry. To me this is very motivating. The theme for AdAsia 2011 is a great one and I totally agree with it, what will be interesting here is that what do  they say to focus more on this topic.”

    The conference is planned to engage and involve participants from the word go so that they are an integral part of the rethink of systems, strategies and solutions. Their thoughts and ideas will be instrumental in aligning these to a rapidly changing global business environment. The participants will also get a chance to connect with the right people both familiar and unknown who will challenge the way you think and act.

    Mr KV Sridhar, NCD, Leo Burnett, said, “AdAsia used to be a non-glamorous conclave for advertising industry, unlike other ad events which have awards as an integral part of their ceremony. This year though they are trying hard enough by getting great speakers, having a very interesting theme and overall spending luxuriously on the event. It will be interesting to see how much the event actually benefits from this. I am really looking forward to AdAsia this year as it will be fascinating to see how many industry people actually attend the event other than the speakers.”

    Mr Prathap Suthan, Chief Creative Officer, iYogi, said, “I will be going for AdAsia with a couple of my agency people. We are expecting to hear the best  of experts on ‘uncertainty is the new certainty’ as in my opinion the world has always been uncertain hence nothing can be regarded as certain. Steve Jobs’ death was not certain, anything that happens to anyone is never certain.”

    AdAsia began as a three-day Asian Advertising Conference in 1958 sponsored by the Japan International Advertising Association (JIAA). The principal objective of the conference was to give Asian advertising a boost in the post war era. The conference was attended by delegates from six countries including Japan. The modest conference grew into a congress in the 1960s and was nick named AdAsia in 1984.

    AdAsia2011 is being organised under the aegis of the Asian Federation of Advertising Associations (AFAA). AFAA was set up in July 1978, when representatives of advertising associations of ten Asian countries reached an unanimous decision to do so, based on the recommendations of a working committee formed at the 10th Asian Advertising Congress held in Sydney in 1976. The current members of the Federation include Advertising Associations from Bangladesh, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taipei, Thailand, United Arab Emirates and Vietnam.

  • The government is not empowered to decide what's public interest, say broadcast editors, who will meet the minister today along with other trade reps

    Media tigers roar back at Minister Soni

     

     

    By Ritu Midha

     

    Rewind to Anna Hazare’s Anti-corruption Movement. A senior Congress minister had then reportedly stressed on the need to curtail exaggeration in media reports.  News editors had expressed anger and dismay when MXMIndia spoke to them.

    Read Will Anna Wave Link to Media Curbs? Link to: http://www.mxmindia.com/2011/09/will-anna-wave-lead-to-media-curbs-2/

    However, the Government did not really take any such measures – and all was well until Friday, Ocober 7, 2011. (see MxMIndia disclosure below)

    A proposal for amendment In Policy Guidelines for Uplinking/Downlinking of TV channels has been approved – and among other things this approved proposal  states,

    ‘Renewal of the permissions of TV channels will be considered for a period of 10 years at a time subject to the condition that the channel should not have been found guilty of violating the terms and conditions of permission including violations of the Programme and Advertisement Code on 5 occasions or more.’

    Read the approved proposal here.( http://pib.nic.in/newsite/erelease.aspx?relid=76506)

    Broadcasters are up in arms. Mr Sunil Lulla, CEO & MD, Times Global Broadcasting, told MxMIndia on Sunday: “The new guidelines have come as a shock.  More so, because the self-regulatory guidelines of the News Broadcasters Association (NBA) have been shared with I&B Ministry. One had never thought such guidelines could be brought in.”

     

    The NBA members too have collectively taken a strong objection to the guidelines.  A statement issued by Ms Annie Joseph, secretary general of the apex association, says: “Firstly there is no such requirement under the existing Uplinking and Downlinking Guidelines for renewal. Secondly, there  certainly cannot be any power vested in the MIB to cancel or “refuse to renew” a broadcaster’s license on their subjective view that a television channel has violated the terms of the Uplinking and Downlinking guidelines or the provisions of the Cable TV Act.”

     

    It further says, “The NBA urges the Government to urgently review the regressive decision which would be anathema to the constitutional framework of our country. NBA is seeking an urgent appointment with Ms Ambika Soni, Hon’ble Minister for I&B, to explain and clarify the concerns of NBA.”

     

    And here comes the twist in the tale. An unnamed person from the I&B department expressed surprise at the protest, saying that the government had in fact increased the number of violations from the present three to five.

    However, news broadcasters do not believe that the government has the right to decide on what makes for public interest and what does not. Says  Mr NK Singh, General Secretary, Broadcast Editors’ Association, “How will the government decide what is in public interest. Section 19 of the Indian Panel code, that speaks of Freedom of Expression, does not give the right to the government the right to decide Public Interest. The Government has no right to punish – for that we have the judiciary in the country.  No bureaucrat can decide content code. “

     

    When asked should the BEA not be happy considering that actions would now be taken after five violations instead of three earlier, Mr Singh states, “Well, did the government say that media has been doing a good job – and so the limit has been extended?  What the government is doing is against the constitution.”

     

    The guidelines are a reason for concern for existing players:  what about the channels, which already have five or more violations against their names. Is it a cause of concern for them, or would the slate be wiped clean now – and the violations counted effective today. Read the complete list here: http://mib.nic.in/writereaddata/html_en_files/content_reg/OrdersWarningsAdvisories.pdf)

     

    While news channels are leading offenders, GECs are not far behind. There are also cases of all news channels being pulled for the coverage of the Mumbai terror attack. In the case of GECs, the objections have been both on programming and advertisements.

     

    Does this mean that news channels will always be subjected to the whims of the government? The Broadcast Editor’s Association is definitely seeing red. Mr Singh states, “Content is jeopardised by the government. Does it mean that self-regulation by broadcasters has no value? ”

     

    Mr Singh adds: “There would always be a threat – and more so after the fourth notice. It is not practical and none of the broadcast bodies have been consulted.  It is all the more unfortunate because it has come at a time when Indian media is doing its best. BEA strongly criticises the new guideline regarding content – it is against civilian law. The government must desist from such measures.”

     

    Both the Indian Broadcasting Federation (IBF) and News Broadcasters Asscoation (NBA) have regulatory structures and complaint cells. Channels also carry announcements at frequent intervals inviting viewers to lodge complaints, if any. And then we have the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI), the watchdog for advertisements, which has been a reasonably active player for over 25 years. The new guidelines make all of these bodies in a way answerable to the cabinet committee (or Electronic Media Monitoring Centre).

     

    The NBA statement sums up the concerns of the fraternity:

    “Most importantly, the proposed modification of the Uplinking and Downlinking guidelines is a direct assault on the self regulatory regime put in place by broadcasters, which has been encouraged and recognized by the MIB. Such proposed step is wholly retrograde and places broadcasters at the arbitrary mercy of the MIB; and is therefore a violation of the constitutional right to freedom of speech and expression and will not be countenanced by the NBA.”

    Clearly the government and I&B minister Ms Ambika Soni specifically must address the concerns of broadcasters. The request from the NBA to meet Ms Soni is a move in the right direction.

    Update @ 10am According to reliable sources in the Ministry of Information and Boradcasting, representatives of leading television industry bodies are likely to meet Minister Ms Ambika Soni on today (Tuesday) afternoon.

     

    Photograph: Fotocorp (File photograph of Ms Ambika Soni releasing a DAVP calendar for the year 2011)

     

    Disclosure: MxMIndia is a firm believer in the freedom of the press and the self-regulatory route to check on content. We will take every effort in guarding this and ensuring that governments do not step in to police the media. However, we also believe that broadcasters must need to re-examine the content they air and help make the self-regulatory process a success.

     

    Also, read print media reports on the issue:

     

    The Indian Express: http://www.indianexpress.com/news/cabinet-nod-to-tightening-eligibility-criteria-for-running-tv-channels/857167/

    Mint: http://www.livemint.com/2011/10/10010542/Media-criticism-of-uplinkdown.html?h=B

    Dainik Bhaskar: http://daily.bhaskar.com/article/NAT-TOP-govt-trying-to-control-independent-media-with-new-rules-tv-channels-2489322.html

    The Hindu: http://www.thehindu.com/arts/radio-and-tv/article2521281.ece

    The Times of India 1: http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-10-08/india/30257931_1_downlinking-tv-channels-current-affairs-channels

    The Times of India 2: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Govt-bid-to-gag-TV-outrages-broadcasters-libertarians/articleshow/10283957.cms

  • India’s biggest Business Reality Show The Pitch is back, as BloombergUTV invites entrepreneurs to enter Season 2, with the potential to get funding up to Rs 5 crore.

    The Pitch returns to Indian TV

    By A Correspondent

    BloombergUTV, India’s premier business channel, today announced Season 2.0 of The Pitch – India’s Biggest Business Reality Show. The channel is inviting potential entrepreneurs with sound business ideas to send in their entries through www.yourmoneysite.com/thepitch. Surviving a gruelling series of tasks given by India’s biggest business leaders, the winner stands to receive a funding up to Rs 5 crore to execute their business plan.

    The Pitch aims to identify, evaluate and encourage potential entrepreneurs who not only have the most deserving business ideas, but also possess the critical skills required to execute those ideas successfully. Following the nationwide call-for-entries, a jury comprising of highly renowned professionals will shortlist the participants who will be called to make their elevator pitches in Mumbai. The jury and angel investors will closely evaluate these shortlisted aspirants not only on the merit of their business pitches, but also on their individual brilliance and identify the finalists who will appear on Season 2 of The Pitch.

    Mr Deepak Lamba, Business Head, BloombergUTV said, “Through this show, BloombergUTV continues to strengthen its commitment to enrich the business news viewing experience. We encourage the spirit of entrepreneurship in the country and the response to Season 1 of The Pitch goes to prove that there is no dearth of ideas in the country. We will not only identify the next big business idea but also the most deserving entrepreneur who has the right balance of all the necessary elements required to succeed out there.”

    To enhance the experience of The Pitch, BloombergUTV has established strategic partnerships, each adding a distinct value to the proposition. The Centre for Innovation, Incubation and Entrepreneurship (CIIE) at the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (IIM-A); The National Entrepreneurship Network (NEN), LinkedIn are among several organizations and communities who have joined this unique platform to promote entrepreneurship in the country.

    This season of The Pitch is presented by Samsung Electronics and will see participants benefiting from the multiple features and utilities of the Samsung Galaxy Tab 750, from using the wireless keyboard to prepare for their documents to presenting directly from their tabs and of course receiving their tasks.

    Aspirants can send in their entries through www.yourmoneysite.com/thepitch or SMS PITCH to 59995 | ZipDial 022 33010050 for more information. The Pitch is scheduled to air exclusively on BloombergUTV from November 2011.

  • R K Swamy BBDO wins mandate from Manipal Hospitals

    Manipal mandate for RK Swamy

    By A Correspondent

    R K Swamy BBDO has won a three-year mandate to handle Corporate Communications for Manipal Health Enterprises (MHE), the company behind one of the largest tertiary care hospital chains in India.  The two month long pitch process included Ogilvy and Mudra besides others.

    Mr V V Vijaygopal, President (South), R K Swamy BBDO, said, “We are very pleased to work with one of the leaders in healthcare and healthcare management. Our task will be to enhance the leadership position the client has – through creative innovation and strategy.”

    R K Swamy BBDO is part of R K Swamy Hansa, a leading Marketing Communications and Services Group, serving over 150 companies in India and the USA. With 1200+ professionals, the Group offers Creative and Media services, Market Research, Direct/CRM & Advanced Analytics, Events and Activation, Healthcare Communication, PR, Social & Rural Communication and more.

  • Digital News Show (DNS) will take place in December and will exhibit digital products by media groups, as well as technology solutions within the digital journalism realm.

    Rio to host first digital journalism fair

    By A Correspondent

    The first exhibition dedicated to showcase digital journalism related products and solutions will take place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in December. Digital News Show (DNS) will be attended by an audience of students, news executives, online media professionals and people interested in new media.

    Stands of media groups – as well solution development companies for the digital journalism industry – will take part in the event to display the latest innovations in this environment. Augmented reality, mobile applications, interactive infographics, QR codes, digital editions and publishing systems are some of the attractions that will be exhibited at the fair.

    In the two-day event, visitors will have the opportunity to interact with the technologies shown by exhibitors, and to purchase gadgets like tablet computers, smartphones, e-readers and digital cameras at attractive prices. Digital News Show will also realize discussion panels with online journalism related topics, such as ‘Interactive Infographics and Data Journalism’, ‘Investigative Journalism in the Digital Age’, ‘Newsgames’ and ‘News Content for Smartphones and Tablets’.

    Digital News Show is a production by Jornalistas da Web, an 11-year-old Brazilian website that covers the relationship between journalism and new media. The event will take place on December 10 and 11, at the SulAmérica Convention Center, in downtown Rio de Janeiro. The stands can be booked by exhibitors now. Tickets go on sale soon at www.digitalnewsshow.com.

  • UTV Stars and People present ‘The Mercedes Benz Best Dressed Show 2011’.

    UTV Stars to do catwalk show with People

    By A Correspondent

    After a successful launch, UTV Stars – The Official Channel of Bollywood has announced its partnership with People magazine for ‘The Best Dressed Show 2011’.

    The event will see an exclusive fashion show by ace designer Manish Malhotra. Walking the ramp as the showstopper will be actress Priyanka Chopra, who will also feature on the cover of the annual issue of People magazine, featuring the Best Dressed People of the year. The event is sponsored by Mercedes-Benz, World Gold Council, Teachers Origin, Schwarzkopf, Vero Moda and Jack&Jones. This association marks the beginning of a long-term partnership with People for more such on-ground initiatives.

    Commenting on the association, Mr Nikhil Gandhi, Business Head, UTV Stars said, “UTV Stars has been able to etch a strong mark in the Bollywood, lifestyle and fashion space in a very short time. It has an urban upmarket appeal  and we have already tied up with like minded partners to make the 360 degree experience more holistic and true to the brand. I am happy to announce this association of UTV Stars with People magazine for the Best Dressed Show as out first such initiative among many others planned in the coming year”.

    Now in its third year, the India edition of People magazine is one of the fastest growing magazines across genres. Says Mr Indranil Roy, President, Outlook Group, “People magazine’s internationally acclaimed titles like Best Dressed, Sexiest Man Alive, Most Beautiful are getting very popular among celebrities and with readers in India. The ‘Mercedes Benz Best Dressed Show’ is our endeavour to popularize these titles further. We’re glad to partner with UTV Stars and amplify this property on national television.”

    UTV Stars now plans to extend its 360-degree presence with many such associations and prominent on ground properties. The brand has already initiated Advertiser Funded Properties, providing advertisers customized solutions and communication packages on air, on ground, on mobile, web, digital etc.

  • History Channel plans to take factual entertainment mainstream with popular appeal and marketing strategies that grab the imagination.

    History launches with innovations blitz

    By Dhara Salla

    The History Channel launched its India edition on October 9 as part of a joint venture between TV18 and A+E Networks. The launch is a significant milestone in the Indian media space as it marks an alliance between dynamic television media conglomerate TV18 and factual entertainment biggie A&E Networks.

    Mr Raghav Bahl, Founder and Editor, TV18 said on the occasion of the launch, “We have always believed in making a difference in the domain that we work in and we believe that factual entertainment will emerge as one of the mainstays of the Indian television space.”

    Mr Haresh Chawla, Group CEO, Network18 said, “We believe that the Indian market is ripe for alternative formats and that is one of the reasons for us to bring in channels like History into this market. Factual entertainment is emerging as the new preferred choice across the world and the genre has the potential to become mainstream in India as well.”

    Ms Sangeetha Aiyer, General Manager Marketing, History, told MXM India, “By far this is one of the biggest media launches in the year and most definitely the biggest in the factual entertainment genre, in terms of impact, visibility, engagement, etc across traditional and new media.”

    As a channel, History has transformed itself by using very innovative formats that move away from the traditional concept of History being about dates, B&W footage, World War II etc. That DNA of innovation is being replicated everywhere including the marketing campaign. According to media reports, the marketing spend would be between Rs 150-170 million.

    The string of innovations began with the channel announcing its association with Bollywood star Salman Khan to be the face of the channel in an attempt to broad-base the appeal of History and the factual entertainment genre.

    In terms of Outdoor or Out of Home, innovative formats where the content seems to come alive and appear real will give passersby a first-hand taste of what History is all about. Some examples of engaging outdoor innovations are the Ice Road Trucker bridge replicated on a foot overbridge, Sliced where the anchor actually seems to ‘slice’ the hoarding, Swamp People, which has a brilliant life like cut-out of a crocodile/alligator, and Top Shot where smoke actually comes out of a gun which is part of the hoarding.

    On the programming and the content front, History channel has found out that Indian viewers across demographics are interested in experimenting with alternative forms of content, as far as the entertainment quotient is not compromised upon. The channel is being launched with universal themes that use the premise of history.

    Ms Aiyer said, “It will also announce a few big-ticket local productions that match international scale, very shortly.” The major chunk of the content is currently from the History US catalogue, with an appeal to viewer preferences in India. However, the channel is also experimenting with local production possibilities.

    How would this channel differ from the existing ones in this genre? Ms Aiyer said, “Firstly there is no other History channel in the country. History Made Everyday, the channel’s new positioning, encompasses the breadth of content and themes that History brings to Indian audiences. History here is not just about the past, it’s as much about people making History today.”

    AETN and Network 18 have come together as AETN 18 where Network 18 group holds 51 percent share and AETN holds 49 percent.

  • The chocolates aren’t rammed down our throats, the brand comes across as this nice, gentle soul who reminds you of your responsibilities. This endears us to Cadbury.

    Anil Thakraney’s Debrief: Very touching

    Brilliant start by Cadbury to the Diwali festival season. Their new ‘Lonely Maa’ commercial tugs at the heart-strings. It’s a simple treatment. An elderly lady is seen struggling with the computer to connect with her son who lives in another city/nation. And that insensitive chap only communicates with her via the web. Because he’s too busy focussing on his career. The poor lady isn’t able to log in, accidentally spills tea on the comp, and looks utterly lost, dejected and lonely.

     

     

    Outstanding. And here’s why: The chocolates aren’t rammed down our throats, the brand comes across as this nice, gentle soul who reminds you of your responsibilities. This endears us to Cadbury. The insight is timely and relevant. Many youngsters give their careers top priority, and find no time to spend with their aged parents. And they imagine that virtual connect is good enough. It isn’t! And most importantly, the treatment. The film is executed with so much heart, as a viewer, you badly want to reach out to the old lady and comfort her. Help her. Take care of her. And this is how brands build an emotional bond with their consumers. Way to go!


    I would be very surprised if this ad doesn’t win many trophies.

     

     

    Rating: (On a scale of 1 to 5): 5. This is what advertising ought to be.

     

     

    Anil Thakraney’s ad review column DeBrief appears twice a week.

  • Mumbai tabloid Mid-Day has taken up cudgels on behalf of autorickshaw passengers again, with a renewal of its Meter Down campaign.

    Mid-Day re-launches Meter Down

    By A Correspondent

    Mid-Day has re-launched its Meter Down Campaign in Mumbai to put errant Rickshaw drivers to task. The campaign will be launched as a joint programme with the traffic department and the RTO. This year’s Meter Down campaign aims to take on the uncouth auto drivers to teach them a lesson. The campaign will go on for a period of four weeks and aims to garner support from the citizens across the city. According to Mid-Day, people have anger towards rickshaw drivers mainly for reasons such as tampered meters, refusal to ply and also for their rude behaviour.

     

    Mid-Day will identify key locations in the city where the authorities concerned will be present to reduce the hassles caused to the citizens. The focus will be on peak timings in the morning and in the evening when most office-goers are affected. The offenders will have strict fines levied on them and serious offences could also lead to cancellation of licences.

     

    Last year’s Mid-Day Meter Down campaign, which targeted the taxi drivers, received overwhelming support. In a span of just one month, the campaign saw as many as 1,551 taxis being booked for refusing fares across the city. In addition about 317 taxi drivers’ licenses were cancelled. Mid-Day followed up tirelessly with each department to ensure that the errant drivers are booked.

     

    Speaking on the re-launch of the campaign, Mr Manajit Ghoshal, MD and CEO, Mid Day Infomedia Limited said, “Mid-Day is a local city newspaper and therefore it is our endeavour to cater to issues pertinent to the people of the city. Mid-Day Meter Down campaign is an effort to resolve issues that a Mumbaikar faces on a daily basis. The last season saw great response from the city and we are more than happy to launch this campaign once again as people have again started facing a lot of issues with the rickshaw drivers. The kind of success that the campaign received last year makes us hope that this campaign will make a stronger impact.”

  • Sanjay Tripathy, Executive Vice President and Head, Marketing and Direct Channels at HDFC Life, on what you should look for while selecting an ad agency.

    The Anchor: Sanjay Tripathy on 7 reasons a marketer chooses an ad agency

    #1 End-to-end expertise and servicing. An advertising agency which provides a bouquet of services and is capable of creating effective 360-degree integrated communications campaigns is important, as classic one-dimensionaldvertising is becoming less relevant in the current environment.

    #2 Team credentials and clients handled. People form the most important part of an advertising agency, and their credentials and experience are a huge factor in deciding to work with them. The advertising agency needs to be evaluated to determine their expertise in handling different business categories, especially their experience of working on your type of business and if they understand the competition in your field. At the same time, it is important that the agency have some experience in other business sectors as it brings in fresh ideas and helps create clutter-breaking communication.

    #3  Size and scale of agency. It is important to ascertain whether the agency is adequately equipped to deal with the corresponding size of the client’s business in terms of creative, operational and technical resources.

    #4 International exposure. The more the agency has interacted with global clients and has experience in creating campaigns globally, the better. It helps bring in more professional working and a lot of fresh ideas.

    #5 Consistency in dealing. The ability of an agency to maintain consistency as well as transparency in dealing with its clients is very vital from a client’s perspective. It enables ease in dealing on a day-to-day basis and helps meet timelines and implement campaign plans more efficiently.

    #6 Strength in research. A strong research wing in an agency helps ensure that the campaign is backed by high sensitivity in terms of socio-cultural understanding and aesthetics while maintaining the brand philosophy. The tools that the agency uses in planning campaigns and analyzing the brand and competitors need to be scientifically prepared.

    #7 Balance between creative and business strategy. A path-breaking creative idea may not always be the best solution for a business problem. An agency which understands the importance of business problem-solving through communication is beneficial in the long run. Also, its ability to align with the long-term strategy of the client is important.

     

    Sanjay Tripathy is Executive Vice President – Head Marketing and Direct Channels at HDFC Life.

  • Banerjee joins Rediffusion Y&R, Mumbai as Planning Head

    Prithviraj Banerjee joins Rediffusion Y&R

    By A Correspondent

    Rediffusion Y&R, Mumbai has ramped up its Planning team with the appointment of Mr Prithviraj Banerjee as one of its vertical heads for Planning.  He will report into Gautam Talwar, Chief Strategy Officer, Rediffusion Y&R.

    Mr Banerjee comes from BBH London where he was the lead on Vodafone VIP, Vodafone Enterprise Business unit and Kronenbourg beer.  Prior to BBH-London, he was with BBH-India and Leo Burnett.

    Mr Banerjee has worked on Vaseline (full portfolio), Lakme Beauty Salons, World Gold Council, Etisalat, Globalcom, Reliance Mobile, Asia Pacific Breweries and BIG TV.  In addition he has worked on several successful pitches.

    He has a Master’s degree in International Marketing from Leeds University, and his passions include travelling, photography and single malt whisky.

    Mr Gautam Talwar, Chief Strategy Officer, Rediffusion Y&R said, “Prithvi brings to the table an interesting mix of passion and experience. He also has the advantage of having worked on both Indian and global brands and we believe that he will be able to add key strategic insights into all brands and businesses that he works on. The team is excited to have him on board on some of the key brands in the Mumbai office.”

    Mr Banerjee said, “I am extremely excited to be a part of an organization that displays such high levels of passion and talent through every single employee. From day one, I have been greeted with great conversations and points of view that are truly evolved. I am honored to be a part of the team, and am looking forward to adding to the already-powerful strategic skills of the agency.”

  • Tata associates with Wills India Fashion Week, partners with fashion designer Rajesh Pratap Singh for styling the Tata Manza.

    Manza gets a dose of fashion

    By A Correspondent

    Luxury sedan Tata Manza has associated with the most glamorous event in the country – the Wills India Fashion Week. In partnership with the world-renowned fashion designer, Rajesh Pratap Singh, Tata Motors showcased two specially accessorized Tata Manzas, at the show.

    The fashion maestro has designed an exclusive theme-based collection which was exhibited at the Wills India Fashion Week. The collection theme is inspired by a road trip which Rajesh undertook in the villages of Orissa. The show attempts to initiate a dialogue and thought process on what is the relevance of handloom in the country.

    Commenting on his collection, Mr Singh said, “Ikat is not a print, yet, worldwide there has been an attempt to replicate Ikat digitally or through a screen print. Through this collection, we would like to raise awareness and strike a healthy discussion on the relevance of an indigenous craft. Ikat is just one of the many rich possibilities every pocket in the country has to offer and we must cherish and encourage this rich heritage.”

    Focusing on ‘Ikat’ and handloom textile weaves, some of the experiments are part of this collection. This magical collection was showcased by famous models. The theme of Rajesh Pratap’s collection have been integrated on two specially accessorized Tata Manzas, which were the show-stoppers.  Interiors of the car have been inspired by Rajesh’s collection colour theme and the exterior of the car adorned butterflies with gears, which represented a true integration of style and engineering.

    In February 2011, Tata Motors introduced the newly refined Tata Manza series. The Tata Manza has been given a fresh new look with refined premium dual tone interiors & fabric seats and exterior make over, delivering class apart driving experience in the sedan market. At Tata Motors, product development and upgradation is a constant endeavour.

    Rajesh Pratap has partnered with Tata Motors’ styling team which operates from its state-of-the-art styling studio, at the car manufacturing plant in Pune. Rajesh Pratap’s rich experience in the fashion industry and thorough knowledge about design aesthetics will further help Tata Motors in enhancing the Tata Manza’s design. He will be helping the team to further enhance the design and stylise the interiors and exteriors of the Tata Manza.

    “It has been a pleasure and an honour for me to be associated with the Tata Group, a proud Indian brand with values that inspire everyone in the industry. Tata Motors have an exceptional and dynamic young team that is going to change the way India drives.  I am truly excited to be involved with this project”, added Rajesh.

    Rajesh Pratap’s attempt in the Tata Manza design project is to achieve an equilibrium between handmade and high-tech, where one enhances the other, providing real solutions, a pure aesthetic. Tata Motors will be developing 1,000 Tata Manzas, incorporating design inputs from Rajesh. The limited edition cars will be launch in 2012.

     

    About Mr. Rajesh Pratap Singh:

    Currently based in New Delhi, Rajesh Pratap Singh belongs to Rajasthan in India. Subsequent to his graduation from NIFT Delhi he worked in the Fashion Industry for two years in India and Italy before introducing his own line of men’s and women’s clothing in 1997.

     

    Rajesh has over the years created his unique signature style that subtly draws from his Indian roots to craft artisinal garments that stand apart due to their faultlessly clean lines, careful detailing and international silhouettes. His work epitomizes simplicity, yet on closer look reveals his obsessive attention to detail. Rajesh’s reserve reflects in his styling which combines the modern with the traditional in an understated design aesthetic, with a global appeal. He is also closely associated with Indian fabric mills and has had developmental and research based collaborations with several of them.

     

    About Tata Motors:

    Tata Motors is India’s largest automobile company, with consolidated revenues of Rs. 1,23,133 crores ($ 27 billion) in 2010-11. Through subsidiaries and associate companies, Tata Motors has operations in the UK, South Korea, Thailand, Spain and South Africa. Among them is Jaguar Land Rover, the business comprising the two iconic British brands. It also distributes Fiat cars in India, and has an industrial joint venture with Fiat in India.  With over 5.9 million Tata vehicles plying in India, Tata Motors is the country’s market leader in commercial vehicles and among the top three in passenger vehicles. It is also the world’s fourth largest truck manufacturer and the third largest bus manufacturer. Tata cars, buses and trucks are being marketed in several countries in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, South Asia, South East Asia and South America. (www.tatamotors.com)

     

    Issued by:

    Debasis Ray

    Head  (Corporate Communications)

    Tata Motors Limited

    Phone: 00 91 22 66657613; E-Mail: qv@tatamotors.com

    www.tatamotors.com