MxMIndia

Tag: Ajit Ravindran

  • Khalap has been in the advertising and branding space since 1983

    Kiran Khalap joins Meraki Board

     

     

    Kiran Khalap, MD, Co-Founder, Chlorophyll Brand Consultancy, has joined the board of Mumbai-based sport and sponsorship management company, Meraki Sport & Entertainment.

     

    On the announcement, Khalap said:“I am excited to be a part of Meraki and am looking forward to contributing to as well as learning from this emerging discipline of ‘sportainment’. The Indian sporting ecosystem is exiting the unhealthy monolithic shadow of cricket and therefore, we are staring at opportunities undreamt of before: for athletes, teams, brands and most critical, fans! Despite being in the market for just over two years, Meraki Sport & Entertainment has learnt from the best practices around the world and formulated professional solutions unique to Indian needs. Rock and roll, India, rock and roll, Meraki!”

     

    Added Ajit Ravindran – MD & Co-Founder of Meraki Sport & Entertainment: “Given Meraki’s mission to help brands better leverage sport, it is an honour to have on board one of the world’s best brand architects. Sport is a powerful marketing vehicle and brands today are cognisant of that fact. Mr Khalap’s vast knowledge and in-depth understanding of brands gives Meraki an additional dimension allowing us to marry sport and brands better. With Mr Khalap on board, I am confident that it will further strengthen Meraki and keep us on our growth trajectory.”

     

     

  • Meraki Sport and Entertainment have been engaged by the Subroto Mukerjee Sports Education Society (SMSES) to enhance the profile of the tournament

    Subroto Cup engages Meraki Sport to boost popularity

    By A Correspondent

     

    Subroto Cup Football Tournament, organized by the Subroto Mukerjee Sports Education Society under the aegis of Air Force Sports Control Board, have got on board a professional brand and sponsorship management firm, Meraki Sport and Entertainment based out of Mumbai.

     

    The tournament is the brainchild of (late) Air Marshal Subroto Mukerjee. He conceived the idea of launching a football tournament, at the junior level, in 1958, the year when he was the Chief of the Air Staff. Over the years, the scope of the tournament has been widened to include foreign participation as a logical step forward in an endeavor to encourage budding footballers, and offer them international exposure at a tender age. Baichung Bhutia, Shyam Thapa,Amit Das, Ashin Biswas, VP Satish Kumar, Nirmal Chhetri, Robin Singh and Jackie Chand Singh amongst many others have credited the Subroto Cup as a turning point in their football careers.

     

    Meraki will work closely with SMSES to enhance the speak of the tournament whilst creating a framework for sponsorship outreach. MSE with their expertise in sport sponsorship and marketing will look to enhance the tournament’s visibility & profile amongst potential brands and sponsors.

     

    The company played a pivotal role in bringing on board India’s largest and most watched television sporting channel Star Sports as the presenting sponsor for the Subroto Cup. MSE have also structured a partnership with India’s very own home grown balanced energy drink, Enerzal, to support the tournament by providing rehydration products for all participants. The company will work closely with the partners and organiser’s through the course of the year with the aim of garnering maximum traction and visibility for the initiative.

     

    Shouvik Bhattacharya, Squadron Leader, Indian Air Force said “Subroto Cup  is a tournament with a legacy of 57 years. Our tournament in which annually 32,000 schools participate is in the process of getting bigger and better especially when Min of HRD has made this tournament a mandate for every school to participate. At this juncture, I believe a professional team like Meraki will be instrumental in structuring this tournament for scaling greater heights in the coming years. I am sure that their association with the tournament will add value to the tournament in which the brands and the corporates will be interested in investing.

     

    Ajit Ravindran, CEO, Meraki Sport and Entertainment said “The Subroto Cup is a tournament with a rich legacy and history which we believe should be used as a template to build a successful grassroots program for football in India. We are extremely glad to be working closely with the SMSES. Our goal is to help build the tournament as a product that brands will see value in investing in as well as help these brands leverage their investment to ensure that they receive a significant ROI. Star Sports is a great fit on all aspects since they share the same understanding and vision for football development as the SMSES. We will aim to leverage this association to meet the goals of all parties involved in the initiative.”