MxMIndia

Tag: Akshay Kumar

  • The agency will continue to handle the social channels, website and digital duties of the brand

    IdeateLabs retains the digital mandate for RR Kabel

    By A Correspondent

     

    Ideate Labs has retained its creative and digital duties for RR Kabel. As a part of the mandate, Ideate Labs will provide end-to-end digital marketing services including creative, social media and performance campaigns to RR Kabel.

     

    Kirti Kabra

    Said Kirti Kabra, Director, RR Kabel: “We are glad to extend our association with IdeateLabs as our digital partner. Ideate Labs comes with the right mix of strategic insights, digital expertise and in-depth knowledge of the category and markets we are operating in. Having conceptualized and executed some of the most innovative social media campaigns, we believe Ideate Labs will help us creatively expand our digital reach across the global market.”

     

    Christopher Higgins

    Added Christopher Higgins, Business Head, Ideate Labs: “It’s been a year of great account wins for us at Ideate Labs and we feel extremely honoured to be chosen to work on a brand like RR Kabel for the second year in a row. Their patience to get the right solution and appreciation for quality is something we have already enjoyed in the short span of working together. Together we have successfully delivered some great digital campaigns like the Bridging Distance, and UCT. Currently we are working on digital promotion of #AkalmandBanoSahiChuno video campaign featuring Akshay Kumar as well as rolling out AI-driven chatbots across nine websites. We are extremely positive about this partnership and look forward to delivering more clutter-breaking campaigns and driving business growth across all digital marketing platforms for RR Kabel and RR Global.”

     

     

  • Although made by South Indian directors, these are Indian films…not just South Indian films, writes Shailesh Kapoor

    Bahubali 2 & 2.0: Indian Cinema’s New-Age Flagbearers

     

    By Shailesh Kapoor

     

    The teaser promo of Shankar’s 2.0 was released last morning. The film, to be released in Tamil, Hindi and Telugu (besides other dubbed versions), is a sequel to the much-successful 2010 Tamil film Enthiran, which released in a dubbed Hindi version titled Robot.

    A lot seems to have changed in these eight years. 2.0, which has been an ambitious project in the making for a while now, has been conceived and shot as a Tamil-Hindi bilingual. One of Hindi cinema’s top stars, Akshay Kumar, plays the principal antagonist in 2.0. At a rumoured budget of Rs 500+ crore, 2.0 is touted to be the most expensive Indian film till date.

    And yet, 2.0 seems like a winning proposition at the outset itself. Like last year’s mega-success Bahubali 2, 2.0 will rely on its immense spectacle value, which will make it a compelling and unmissable big-screen experience. Bahubali 2 released in Hindi as a dubbed Telugu film, and had no Hindi starcast on its credentials. Yet, the Rajamouli film did nett business of more than Rs 500 crore in India from the Hindi version itself, a number higher than any regular Hindi film by a staggering Rs 130 crore.

    2.0 is more inclusive, because it’s not a dubbed film but a bilingual, and because of Akshay Kumar’s significant presence, adding star value in the Hindi markets. There’s also the additional 3D factor, which leads to higher ticket prices and higher box-office as a result. There is a high chance that the Hindi version of 2.0 may get close to, if not overtake, Bahubali 2’s Hindi collections. Even if it falls 100 crore short, the top two ‘Hindi’ films in India will be from the South of India.

    One way to look at this is to question whether all is right with the Hindi film industry. But that’s another topic for another day. There are two positive trends to spot here. The first one is about the rise of big-screen spectacles as the dominant form of theatrical content, and the second is about the language boundaries bridging.

    Both these trends find strong evidences in the story of Hollywood’s growth in India in recent years. Hollywood has moved towards big-screen spectacles as its primary genre of success worldwide. With digital content having come in, just a good story is not reason enough for audiences to visit the theatre. Yes, the odd film can run well in theatres based on the strength of its story alone, but the Top 10 grossers in Hollywood every year, for the last five years, have been big-screen spectacles, often in the superhero genre.

    In India too, it’s the superhero, fantasy and horror genre, aided by quality visual effects, and often a 3D experience, that has led to more than 20% year-on-year growth in Hollywood footfalls since 2013, even as Hindi footfalls have stagnated.

    It was generally believed that the costs at which such spectacles are produced makes the genre prohibitive for Indian cinema. But with Bahubali 2 and now 2.0, that assumption has been challenged. If you have a multi-lingual revenue model, the costs that a big-screen spectacle film needs can be truly justified, especially because these genres are immensely popular on satellite television too.

    Which is where the second trend becomes crucial. These films, while made by South Indian directors, are Indian films, than just South Indian films. This is especially true for 2.0, which was conceptualised as a multi-language project right from its inception. Spectacle films are not overtly dependent on nuances of language and culture, and hence, find it easier to travel across diverse markets in India, giving them unprecedented reach. After all, the collective size of audience base in India across various language is more than three times that of any single language.

    Multi-lingual big-screen spectacles are set to be growth drivers of Indian cinema. The question is: Do we have more directors with the imagination and creative vision of someone like a Rajamouli and a Shankar to make this happen on a more regular basis?

     

     

  • The video encouraged brothers to give their sisters the gift of hygiene and dignity concerning their menstrual health

    #SurakshaBandhan draws attention span of brothers via latest ad film

    By A Correspondent

     

    We don’t trust claims of online page views and impressions that have been claimed, but the effort deserves mention: The Niine Movement video campaign #SurakshaBandhan, which was supported by actors Shabana Azmi and Akshay Kumar.

     

    Unveiled on Raksha Bandhan, the video encouraged brothers to give their sisters the gift of hygiene and dignity concerning their menstrual health. The udnerliNiineSanitary Napkin.

     

    Said Amar Tulsiyan, Founder of the Niine Movement: “With every view and every click of the campaign, Niine is making great progress in reaching out and educating more men about the sensitivities, and encouraging them to support menstrual hygiene. Through the campaign, we wish to enlighten every man in the country, and show each of them how important menstrual hygiene is for their loved ones. We need to bridge the gap and encourage both men and women to not just talk about menstrual hygiene but also encourage women to use sanitary napkins.”

     

     

  • The TVC stars Actor Akshay Kumar, along with Actress Archana Puran Singh

    Anmol unveils campaign for its new bakery offering ‘Twinz’

    By A Correspondent

     

    Bakery brand Anmol has launched its latest campaign for its product Twinz. The TVC stars Actor Akshay Kumar, along with Actress Archana Puran Singh playing a married couple. The TVC successfully portrays the uniqueness of the product with elements of humour and surprise.

     

    Speaking on the campaign, Bimal Kumar Choudhary, Managing Director, Anmol Industries Limited, said: “ We are very proud to launch Twinz to our progressive consumers. We believe its unique yet mouth watering taste is going to be a hit among them. The TVC starring Akshay Kumar alongside ace actress Archana Puran Singh will surely strike a chord with the audience. The consumers are always looking for something new and that is what we strived to achieve with the product. The idea and execution of the TVC is on point and brilliantly showcases the USP of our product.”

     

     

  • The ad is simple and focussed but does it remain to be another effort in creative satisfaction, asks Sanjeev Kotnala

    Akshay Rocks Traffic On Studio Roads

     

    By Sanjeev Kotnala

     

    I saw the Akshay Kumar traffic cop communication ‘‘Kyunki Sadak Kisi Ke Baap Ki Nahi hoti.’ on road safety. The traffic cop with ironed spotless dress, nice newly painted road signs and the road where you could land a chopper.

    I laughed at another ‘Tide’ advertisement and started thinking, where can I find such roads? Ok, more about it later.

    It is a rare advertisement. An advertisement that is executed by a government department that makes you smile. It is simple and focussed.  This campaign by ‘Ministry of Road Transport and Highways’ featuring Akshay Kumar is sharply focussed on stopping people from breaking traffic rules.

    However, It Seems Another Effort In Creative Satisfaction And Ticking The Box.

    It is Road Safety Week, and we have managed to release a smart, focused ‘road safety communication’ that the masses like. Job well done.

    The storyline is simple. Akshay Kumar plays a traffic cop. He catches people breaking traffic rules. Once he does that, he starts talking about their father and how well they have contributed to the nation or how well he knew them. When the person is confused on what is going on, Akshay points to the road sign and is surprised that the person on whom the road is named is not the father of the driver.

    A simple question gets asked.   ‘Sadak tere baap ke nahi hai?’. When the road does not belong to your father, why break the rule.   The series talks of No-entry zone, talking on mobile and non-use of the helmet.

    Earlier communication efforts by the ministry had Minister Nitin Gadkari providing data-based foundation to the road safety initiative. Now we have a strong creative expression, and hopefully, the government will support it with sufficient media exposure.

    Expect No Change

    Even then, I can bet, there will be no positive change in behaviour. We are like that only. We follow the rules because of fear, not logic. Remember the Ogilvy created Transgender Seat-Belt crew communication. It won many awards. It’s different that we don’t know what it has contributed to the cause. There has been no ground level visible change. Not that we expected it.

    This traffic cop act of Akshay may remain a campaign that is appreciated because of its humour and the star cast. The government need to support it with visible dedicated rule enforcement on the ground. It may include licence cancellation, high monetary penalty or possible legal action.  It will be interesting if the government (as other clients) share the campaign goal beyond awareness and provide a measurement index for the same. Otherwise,   waste of my tax money is no laughing matter.

     

    I know it is asking for too much. There is corruption in the police force. There is a lack of moral compulsion in public. There is a complete lack of implementing policy directives. Otherwise how come people keep driving without seatbelts and helmets?

    It will only happen with a dedicated effort not only by the police but also the citizen. We need to stop waking up on Road Safety Weeks and ticking the boxes. There is a need to look beyond. SAAM DAAM DAND BHEDH. (Logic, price/value, penalty and differentiation) All must operate in sync to make the change. Maybe the passenger or the surrounding ecosystem is the lever that needs to work, to be the navigator and rein the rider blatantly breaking the rules?

    Focus On One Habit At A Time.

    Remember, in Mumbai, the drunk-driving campaign has worked in the past. There is a visible change in the number of cases and people behaviour. Remember how Swachh Bharat has changed the look and feel of some of the cities and railway platforms. It has to be a 360 degree (I am not too fond of this word- but use it for impact) – inclusive communication.

    Focussing on one habit at a time may be right. Say, go after not-wearing the habit or speaking on mobile while driving. There is no reason to confuse the audience. Here the net takeout is light-hearted ‘Sadak kyat ere baap ki hai’, and the central message is lost.  It is a very North-India statement. I am sure that are similar statements in various languages.

    Still, now that we have invested in this communication. What fun will be for the traffic cops to start the conversation with ‘Sadak kyat ere baap ki hai’.

    More Is Needed Than Just Akshay As A Cop.

    Remember that ‘Road safety is more about highway ( read any road) engineering and vehicle architecture than mere over-speeding and drunken driving.’   I agree with Praveen Chandra  Shetty (motor insurance surveyors and loss accessor) from Mangalore who is on a 2 month trip across India understanding the road safety status. ,

    Road deaths are not caused only be people breaking the rules.  Every effort is a waste unless there is a marked improvement of infrastructure. The roads are worth driving. Malishka does not have to sing another Khadiyat song.  There are traffic lights where they must be, and they operate in sync with the speed limits. The road breakers break the ride, not the rider. The driving license is given after adequate evaluation of driver capability to drive not bribe.

    Otherwise, in no time, the drivers will react differently to the question and tell the Government, ‘Nahi, aisee sadak mera baap kabhi nahi banata.‘

     

    …………………………

    Here are the other two ads in the AKSHAY- SADAK TERE BAAP KI series.

     

  • BookMyShow has also released a humorous film on the plethora of discount and promotion led advertisements

    BookMyShow unveils digital film on eve of Independence Day

    By A Correspondent

     

    This Independence Day, BookMyShow has partnered with the Akshay Kumar-starrer ‘Gold’. BookMyShow has also released a humorous film on the plethora of discount and promotion-led advertisements that usually release around Independence Day.

     

    Said Marzdi Kalianiwala, SVP – Marketing and Business Intelligence at BookMyShow: “Consumers are usually flooded with offer advertisements during holidays and the festive season, and we thought to have a light-hearted take on the situation with our latest film. Even in the case of our past films, the objective was always to be highly relevant and get inspired directly from conversations that take place all around. We hope the audiences will love the subtle use of humour in this particular digital film.”

     

    Added Russell Barrett, Chief Creative Officer & Managing Partner, BBH: “Go to where the people are. It’s that simple. With our advertising for BookMyShow, we’ve been able to tap into conversations that people are interested in rather than force a completely new conversation on the audience. Gold is a brilliant film about India’s first gold medal as a free country at the Olympics. The movie releases close to Independence Day, when the airwaves and newspapers will be filled with “Freedom Sales” and brands exhorting us to “Stand” for something. We just felt it was a great opportunity to capitalise on and we hope the audience enjoys the ad enough to go book a ticket on Book My Show.”

     

     

  • A 360 degree marketing campaign featuring Akshay Kumar has gone live recently

    Sun Pharma signs Akshay Kumar as Revital H brand ambassador

    By A Correspondent

     

    Sun Pharma Consumer Healthcare announced that it has signed actor Akshay Kumar as the new brand ambassador of Revital H.

     

    Commenting on the development, Kal Sundaram, CEO – India, Emerging Markets and Consumer Healthcare said: “In Akshay Kumar, we have found a perfect ambassador who is not only physically fit but also exudes great energy at all times – attributes that define Revital H at its core. Many people have found a holistic good health partner in Revital H as it provides that extra energy and stamina required throughout the day.”

     

    The campaign includes TV, print, social, out-of-home and on-ground consumer initiatives.

     

    Added Madhu Noorani, Creative President, Lowe Lintas: “Akshay Kumar is one of the fittest, most high energy actors, known for his high energy and action stunts, and that led us to the campaign idea of “Sabki battery rahegi full.” It is a simple on-the-street expression that says it all… everything needs a recharge or a top up to keep going… it’s simple for consumers to understand and relate to. The TVC literally wrote itself. A simple and engaging film where we see Akshay Kumar the actor full of energy, doing what he does best – a high energy high action stunt sequence – shown in an actual working atmosphere with his other fellow actors and crew struggling to cope up with his energy level.”

     

     

  • Harpic’s vision is to provide an access to clean and hygienic sanitation for every Indian

    Akshay Kumar & Harpic release sanitation message

    By A Correspondent

     

    Harpic has announced Akshay Kumar as its brand ambassador to drive its new mission of ‘Har Ghar Swachh’.

     

    Said Sukhleen Aneja, CMO and Marketing Director, South Asia RB Hygiene Home: “Harpic has been an expert in toilet cleaning for over 30 years now and has undertaken several initiatives to drive behaviour change towards driving transversal access to sanitation. Realising the need for educating consumers on the usage and maintenance of toilet, Harpic through its mission of ‘Har Ghar Swachh’ aims to sensitize people about basic cleaning habits and ensure that every Indian household has access to clean toilets. Professionally and personally, Akshay has been a key influencer to drive the sanitation mission and it’s an honour to have him as Harpic’s brand advocate to amplify our mission. Harpic stands for expertise, trust, reliability and positive social change – Values true to Akshay and thus, the partnership between Harpic and Akshay is a natural extension of these values. With Akshay as the perfect evangelist, Harpic will continue to driving this positive social change.”

     

     

  • Prince Pipes aims to ensure a future through its zero defect product offerings

    Prince Pipes announces Akshay Kumar as its brand ambassador

    By A Correspondent

     

    Prince Pipes and Fittings Limited (Prince Pipes) has announces the appointment of actor Akshay Kumar as its brand ambassador for Prince Piping Systems, one of its two brands.

     

    Said Parag Chheda, Executive Director, Prince Pipes: “Prince Pipes and Fittings Limited’s partnership with Akshay will only strengthen our resolve to capitalize on our success. Through this campaign, I believe that we will achieve and even surpass the goals we have set for the brand.”

     

     

  • Akshay Kumar, symbolically showcases Kajaria’s presence across India and how the brand is deep rooted into its diverse culture and tradition

    Kajaria Ceramics unveils second leg of brand campaign featuring Akshay Kumar

    By A Correspondent

     

    Kajaria Ceramics has launched a new ad campaign with its official brand ambassador Akshay Kumar. In line with the vision of ‘Make in India’ and taking forward last year’s brand campaign theme, Kajaria has come up with a new TVC which highlights the deep rooted India connection of the brand.

     

    Running after a drifting kite, crashing a Bengali wedding to running on the streets of Rajasthan and reaching to Kerala’s traditional snake boat ride, Akshay Kumar, symbolically showcases Kajaria’s presence across India and how the brand is deep rooted into its diverse culture and tradition. We didn’t see any disclaimer that it could be dangerous to chasing a drifting kite, running on the streets, et al, but there are others who can review this.

     

    Speaking on the launch of its new campaign, Rishi Kajaria, JMD- Kajaria Ceramics, said: “At Kajaria we reiterate the fact that we are a brand that is Indian first and a business later. It is our primary goal to keep contributing to transforming India into a better and more beautiful country. We are very happy to continue our association with one of the most grounded celebrity of today – Akshay Kumar, who symbolises our brand philosophy. This simple yet heartwarming ad campaign is sure to appeal to every Indian.”

     

     

  • The brand has launched its new TVC with Bollywood action star, Akshay Kumar

    Sparx launches 360-degree marketing campaign

    By A Correspondent

     

    Sparx has announced the launch of its new marketing campaign ‘AW 2017’ showcasing the TVC titled ‘Add Sparx To Your Life’ starring actor Akshay Kumar.

     

    Talking about the campaign, Gaurav Dua, Executive Director, said: “The campaign’s idea is to create a strong connect between customers and the intrinsic brand values of Brand Sparx. Sparx stands for style, energy and attitude, which have perfectly being captured in the new TV campaign.

     

    Speaking about the TVC, Sanjeet Ahluwalia, Creative Director said: “Sparx is an attitude. It is about taking on any challenge and coming out as a winner. We wanted to choose an international, aggressive sport to drive home the message. Since Akshay Kumar is our brand ambassador, we chose Futsal, an upcoming sport in India that is gaining lot of popularity amongst the youth. With energetic music and fast paced action, I am sure it is going to win a lot of hearts.”

     

     

  • The latest TVC shows Akshay Kumar spending time with army jawans at a camp

    Ogilvy South unveils latest campaign for Fortune Oils

    By A Correspondent

     

    Fortune Oils has released its latest campaign featuring brand ambassador Akshay Kumar. Taking forward the brand’s message, Fortune Oils’ latest TVC shows Akshay spending time with army jawans at a camp – drawing on his association and support for the Indian Army.Conceived and executed by Ogilvy South, this film celebrates the idea of home-cooked food and the emotional attachment we all have with it in a fresh and interesting story.

     

    Said Piyush Pandey Executive Chairman and Creative Director, Ogilvy South Asia: “The film continues on the theme of ‘ghar ka khana’ but  this time we use jawans as they are the ones who miss ghar ka khana for long extended periods away from home. Akshay Kumar is a good fit because he has been a Chef in his early days (before he became a Bollywood star). I am sure he will touch the hearts of people and strengthen Fortune Oils connect with the people of India.”

     

    Added Angshu Mallick, COO, Adani Wilmar Ltd: “Fortune Oils’ communications have always been about connecting with our consumers on an emotional level. So when we were considering a brand ambassador, who better than Akshay Kumar. He is popular, likeable and relatable with people across different ages. Known to be a hardworking and conscientious person, Akshay epitomises all the values that Fortune stands for and is the perfect representative for our brand.”

     

    Said Azazul Haque, CCO, Ogilvy South: “The idea of choosing Akshay Kumar as a brand ambassador came from the client and we loved it. A cooking oil brand choosing a male brand ambassador was a bold and progressive decision. Also Akshay has good credibility as a food expert because of his affiliation with world famous cookery shows and his own past with the food industry. From there the idea of him cooking for others generated. Because of his strong associations with the Indian Army, we thought a story of him cooking for the jawans, who miss ‘Ghar ka khana’ the most will make for an emotionally engaging plot.  Because ‘Ghar ka khana, ghar ka khana hota hai’ is not just a positioning, but also an emotion. The premise that one misses home cooked food when away from home is a human truth.”