MxMIndia

Tag: Piyush Pandey

  • the new TVC rides on the ongoing election bandwagon subtly imbibing brand messaging in the script

    Fevicol plays Crazy Chairs in election season

    By a correspondent

     

    Fevicol has rolled out a new TV commercial that reflects the current prevailing election environment in the country. Continuing its strategy to develop communication based on situations, the new TVC rides on the ongoing election bandwagon subtly imbibing brand messaging in the script.

     

    In the new TVC developed by O&M, the communication is more than just functional, and has kept in line with brand proposition of strong bonding. Aptly titled ‘Crazy Chairs’ the TVC brings a unique and humorous take on the current election scenario with the help of carpenters and contractors. This TVC builds on earlier ads where the Fevicol brand used day to day situations in a funny way to communicate.

     

    Anil Jayaraj

    Anil Jayaraj, Chief Marketing Officer, Pidilite Industries said, “Most of our advertising bases the core brand proposition of “strong bonds” in an extremely creative and yet simple way. Our previous TVCs on Fevicol have aimed at exploring situations where this proposition can be communicated in a memorable and consistent way. In this TVC, we have experimented with the elections. We believe this new communication takes our brand ahead, and stands out.”

     

     

    Piyush Pandey

    Commenting on the concept, Piyush Pandey Executive Chairperson and Creative Director, Ogilvy & Mather- South Asia said, “Keeping in mind the tone and manner that Fevicol has had for the last 21 years, Fevicol Crazy Chairs TVC captures the atmosphere created by the general assembly elections in the country. It borrows the excitement and interest of a common man and thereby creating a sync with the audience.”

     

    The TV campaign will be an integrated campaign including outdoors and digital. In addition Pidilite is also executing a number of demand generation initiatives for Fevicol to support this campaign. The ad will be aired across key markets including entire Hindi speaking belt for a month period starting April 16, 2014.

     

  • Breaking News: In a late night meeting, the Ogilvy India chief was convinced that Abby entry karne may hi samajhdaari hai!

    Ogilvy to participate in Abby @ Goafest!

    By A Special Conespondent

    Mumbai, April 1, 2014: In a meeting that ended late last night concluding in a firm handshake, it is learnt that Ogilvy has decided to participate in the Creative Abby to be held in the 2014 edition of Goafest.

     

    MxMIndia learns that it took Srinivasan K Swamy a couple of months of persuasion to get the Ogilvy bossman to change his mind.

     

    How the agreement happened – Convincing the subconscious:

    Mr Swamy, who is also President of the International Advertising Association’s India Chapter, had recently interacted with Piyush Pandey on the Creative Abby. This was at an event where Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev was in conversation with Mr Pandey.

    A few days later Mr Swamy met with Mr Pandey at the airport where, the creative guru evinced interest in a suggestion that Ogilvy creative talent must meditate and how that can assist in helping the creative juices flow thicker, faster and fresher.

    Mr Swamy suggested on Swami Sathyabhooti from Chennai who is very good in corporate meditation. He gave the Swami a background of the Goafest Abby issue and how Ogilvy’s participation was in “national interest”.

    An invitation to Ogilvy was organised and a special meditation session was arranged a fortnight back at the Westin Hotel. Representatives of the Ogilvy offices in Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Singapore were also invited.

    At the session, the Swami asked just one question, as a conversation-opener:

    What is it that makes you happy?

    The rep from Sri Lanka said:  “A Happy Client, especially when our advertising has worked for him or her.”

    A senior rep from Singapore said: “When my wife and daughter like the ads I write.”

    A creative director from Mumbai said: “Awards for our work.”

    Swami Sathyabhooti got the response he wanted and asked the group what are the kind of awards they feel happy about. “Cannes Lions, D&AD, One Show internationally and Abby in India, but we don’t participate in it”

    SS: “You don’t participate in an Indian award?”

    O:  “Yes Guruji, we have issues, there are problems which we have highlighted but haven’t got resolved”

    SS: “Young men and women, I don’t know your industry. But don’t you have a problem with your roads? Or Mumbai traffic? Or find the petrol rates very high even though they will fall a bit from April 1?

    O: Yes

    SS: But you still travel on Mumbai roads, right? Despite all the problems?

    O: Thank you for your advice

    On the group’s return, Mr Piyush Pandey asked everyone about their experience and they then discussed the Abby issue and decided to send in a token of 51 entries. According to a representative of Swami Sathyabhooti this conespondent spoke with, what was done was to elicit an answer to a problem from the people directly and then send a message to the subconscious.

     

     

    Bigger, second try:

    The second try made was even bigger and happened thanks to Mr Swamy’s IAA conference where the BJP’s Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi was felicitated and presented an honorary membership. Recently Amitabh Bachchan was also felicitated similarly at the Olive Crown Awards.

    To achieve his objective, Mr Swamy made a trip to Ahmedabad for a meeting with Mr Modi at the Sabarmati Ashram.

    As it happened, Mr Modi was busy with electioneering but his aide Hasmukhbhai Desai was going to be seeing (and clearing) the newest campaign on Gujarat which would be out days before the state and urban Indian goes out to vote.

    At the Ashram, Mr Desai was present with Messrs Pandey and Bachchan. The aide liked the work, and then in his inimitable style asked a question: “Is baar humko AB milega na?”

    Mr Pandey laughed and said “Of courseji, Desaibhai. Amitabhji will definitely come again. He really likes Gujarat and the campaign.”

    Mr Desai: “Nahin, nahin. Main inki baat nahin kar raha hoon. I am talking of your AB, arre those Abby Awards. Our Gujarat campaign must win that award. We should try at least. If nothing else, the jury members will be motivated to travel to Gujarat. Plus the PM sir, I mean CM sir will be happy too.”

    Mr Bachchan quipped: “Zaroor, we must win the Abby awards. I have also been a Chief Guest in fact at an Abby event, at first I thought those awards are named after me.”

    After an hour, Mr Pandey spoke to Abhijit Avasthi and Rajiv Rao on a conference call, and explained what happened and said that for Mr Modi’s sake, Ogilvy may need to participate in the Abby.

    Someone even suggested that the campaign can be in the running for an award by getting the film’s producers to send in the entry or even the client, to which Mr Pandey said he wouldn’t like to take any half-measures that could upset Mr Modi, or his office.

     

    Sensing success from the twin efforts, Mr Swamy convened a late evening meeting on Monday, March 31. The meeting went on till the wee hours and finally a settlement was hammered out. Ogilvy will send in the token entries, and will also be present, but only the younger talent. The meeting was held at Elco Pani Puri Center at Bandra. Apparently both Messrs Pandey and Swamy are very fond of Pani Puri.

     

     

     

    At the time of writing the story, it wasn’t known if Mr Swamy was able to convince Mr Pandey on sending more entries. But we have some more information on the issue, for which click here.

     

  • With agencies going in for their internal awards, that's the question many seem to be asking in adland

    Is it Goodbye Abby given internal & international awards?

    By Pritha Mitra Dasgupta & Shambhavi Anand

     

    What happens when an industry loses its faith in its own awards? In the case of Indian advertising, agencies seem to have found a solution by launching inhouse awards.

     

    While Lowe and Partners launched ‘The True Show’ a few years ago, Ogilvy & Mather just held its first internal award, the Envies.

     

    With other agencies too planning their own inhouse celebrations, does this mean that the days of the industry awards such as the Abby are numbered? “I don’t think so,” says Arvind Sharma, president of Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) that organises Goafest where the Abby awards are conferred.

     

    “The last 25-30 years that I have seen, big agencies tend to pull out of award shows. In ad award shows big agencies don’t count.

     

    It is the creatively hottest agencies that matter. People have come and gone in Goafest. While that decision should be respected, it has no bearing at all on the future of the show. The show will go on.” But the advertising industry remains divided.

     

    Piyush Pandey

    Piyush Pandey, executive chairman and creative director at Ogilvy & Mather India and South Asia, says that his and other agencies are sending out a message to the organisers of industry award shows by holding their own in-house awards. “If the industry comes up with an award show which is believable and credible then we will participate,” he says.

     

    R Balakrishnan, chairman and chief creative officer of Lowe Lintas, says that message has been going out for a while, but the ad fraternity hasn’t got it yet.

     

    R Balakrishnan

    “Advertising has a purpose and how creative you are is that purpose. Who better than the agency that has created it to judge it,” he says, predicting that winning an Envie will make creatives at O&M happier than winning an industry award.

     

    Raj Kurup, founder and creative chairman of Creativelandasia, which pulled out of Goafest this year, has been vocal about scam ads in Goafest and how the event has lost its focus. “Whether it is an internal award or an industry award, I would welcome anything that celebrates fantastic real work that has made difference to the business,” he says.

     

    Sajan Raj Kurup

    Leo Burnett, which has a global assessment team and a unique scoring pattern that evaluates the agency’s internal work, has planned something special for its Indian winners in 2014.

     

    “We have very big plans for Cannes Lion 2014 and we are planning to send 25 people including creative, account management and planners.

     

    Saurabh Varma

    Teams that will score high in internal assessment will be a part of this, so will be the employee of the month and the previous Cannes Lion winners,” Saurabh Varma, CEO at Leo Burnett India, says.

     

    While a senior official in Leo Burnett says that the agency will not participate in Goafest 2014 because it has shifted its focus to Cannes Lion 2014, Mr Varma says, “We are still making up our mind on Goafest.”

     

    In fact, there are many in the industry who believe that while internal award shows of Lowe and O&M make a great statement, the industry award shows will co-exist. Josy Paul, chairman and chief creative officer at BBDO India, believes the two should not be combined.

     

    “This is O&M seeking external input and I think it’s gonna be respected for that. If more people do things like this, it just shows the industry is more united,” he says.

     

    Rohit Ohri, executive chairman at Dentsu India Group, says the Goafest is a larger forum for discussing industry issues.

     

    “So there is nothing like loosing sheen. But yes the competitive spirit that agencies like Ogilvy bring about will be missed,” he says. Agrees Vandana Das, president at DDB Mudra Group.

     

    “Old forums such as Goafest are places where great minds get together to celebrate great work. But it is not necessary that there will be only one such forum. There can be more,” she says. Like all other issues, the Indian advertising industry will remain divided on this one.

     

    But if there is one agenda where they unite, it is that the industry bodies should introspect the reason for the plight of the agencies from the award shows and try and bring them back.

     

    Source:The Economic Times

    Copyright © 2013, Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. All Rights Reserved

    Licensed to republish

     

  • And how the industry got together to salute the best from the best

    Envies 2013 | Industry’s Envy. Ogilvy’s Pride

    By A Correspondent

     

    When Ogilvy backed out of the Abby last year, the Oscars for the Indian advertising fraternity, the awards show had surely lost some sheen. But then Lowe, the agency headed by R Balki, had been skipping the Creative Abby for some years and the show had continued without a break.

     

    In June this year, Mr Balki held an internal awards called the True Show, celebrating 10 years of “not giving a damn about awards”. On Monday, Piyush Pandey and his core team of Abhijit Avasthi and Rajiv Rao played host to the Envies. Billed as Ogilvy’s finest, the entries were judged by a cross-section of industry seniors. The underlying message was clear: the winning commercials were not just the agency’s best, but also that of the entire Indian advertising industry.

     

    If Goafest had the seawaves, the Envies were held in a hotel overlooking the calm Powai Lake waters. The event started at 3pm and went on till past midnight. Adpersons-turned-artists Jiten and Sumer from the label ‘BoseDK’ showcase their works and rise to superstardom, followed by awardwinning journalist and radio storyteller Neelesh Mishra. There was fashion designer Sabyasachi Mukjerjee who was in his element in a Q&A. “Travel in the 3-tier compartment of a train to get a feel of India,” he said. Or this: “Convince large corporates to make Friday Dressing into wearing Indian woven clothes.” There was a stand-up comedy act by Tanmay Bhat and Rohan which had the audience in splits. After the bulk of the awards were done, Chief Guest Amitabh Bachchan made an appearance and was interviewed by former Storyboard anchor Anuradha Sengupta. Mr Bachchan was felicitated with a ‘Beyond Envies’ award.

     

    The Envies were internal awards of Ogilvy India, but the jury comprised biggies like DDB Mudra’s Sonal Dabral, BBDO’s Josy Paul, Taproot India’s Agnello Dias, CreativeLand Asia’s Sajan RaJ Kurup, Wieden+Kennedy’s V Sunil, McCann’s Akshay Kapnadak, Lowe Lintas’ Arun Iyer, Contract’s Ashish Chakravarty, Grey’s Malvika Mehra and Strawberry Frog’s Raj Kamble.

     

    Said Mr Pandey: ” I think Envies have to be interpreted in two different ways: the dictionary meaning of it is jealousy, which sounds a bit negative. In my mind, the Envies are about appreciating what others are doing and saying I wish I had done that kind of work.”

     

    And he added: “Normally in the industry awards you end up winning 60 or more trophies but at the Envies, we have confined  them to 25 per year. We are kind of being harsh on you but that is only to being in the spirit of self-improvement and raising our creative bar further.”  But this year, the organizers were more accommodative. Thirty-five awards awards were given away, but from next year, it will only be 25. The ceremony happened briskly, sans any speeches. Google’s Reunion ad won the Grand Prix or ‘Most Envied’ honour.

     

    The highlight of the evening was the presence of several industry veterans. When asked about internal versus external awards, Sam Balsara, CMD, Madison World said: “It’s a good thing to have them, but according to me it should not preclude them from participating in other industry awards.” Said Shashi Sinha, CEO, IPG Mediabrands: “They are not mutually exclusive. There is an internal awards that Group M does but they still participate in industry awards. So it’s an internal call but according to me they are two different things.” Sonal Dabral, Group CEO & MD, DDB Mudra too was of the view that external and internal awards are mutually exclusive. “Why an agency does not enter an external industry award is a decision that’s best taken by the agency itself.”

     

    When he announced Ogilvy’s decision to not participate in the Abby last year, Mr Avasthi, Ogilvy’s National Creative Director, had said the Abbys weren’t energizing his team as they would earlier.

     

    So does the conduct of the Envies mean that Ogilvy will not participate in the Abby at next year’s Goafest? Said Mr Avasthi: “There are certain changes that we are looking for at the Abbys and till the time they do not happen, we definitely would not be thinking about it.” And should the changes happen? “We will think about it then.”

     

     

  • The jv will also set up a Global Media Delivery Hub to service Neo@Ogilvy's Global Media Operations

    Neo@Ogilvy enters into JV with Smile Group, Sanjay Ramakrishnan named Country Head

    By A Correspondent

     

    Sanjay Ramakrishnan

    Ogilvy India today announced a joint venture between Neo@Ogilvy and the Smile Group to strengthen its Performance Marketing, eCommerce and Mobile offerings. The jv will also set up a Global Media Delivery Hub to service Neo@Ogilvy’s Global Media Operations.

     

    Sanjay Ramakrishnan has been brought on-board as Country Head, Neo@Ogilvy India. Mr Ramakrishnan moves in from Vizury where he was the GM for India, South East Asia and MENA prior to which he was SVP Marketing at Myntra. He has also held senior marketing roles at Google, Intel, Geodesic and Worldspace.

     

    While OgilvyOne drives all Digital Strategy and Creative Services for clients in India, Neo@Ogilvy’s specific focus is on Digital Media, Performance Marketing, eCommerce and Mobile Marketing. Neo@Ogilvy’s client roster in India includes IBM, Diageo, British Airways, The Economist and The Which Group, among others. The Smile Group is headed by Harish Bahl and has already a relationship with the WPP Group with the media giant acquiring a 75 per cent stake in Smile’s Quasar in 2008 and two years later the digital media part of Quasar was integrated with Group M.

     

    Piyush Pandey

    Said Piyush Pandey, Executive Chairman and Creative Director, Ogilvy South Asia: “This JV is one more step ahead in our digital journey. Harish’s experience in Digital Media and eCommerce will help drive rapid growth in these areas. And Sanjay Ramakrishnan is a fantastic young business leader with the right skills to lead Neo@Ogilvy in India.”

     

    Added Mr Bahl: “The vision of the partnership is to be able to offer world class services to local and global clients of Ogilvy and Neo respectively, using the expertise and experience of Smile in the areas of Performance Marketing, eCommerce and Mobile.”

     

    Boht Vikram Menon, President & Country Head, OgilvyOne India and Mr Ramakrishnan expressed happiness with the jv.

     

  • The Advertising Agencies Association of India will present Mr Kapoor the AAAI Lifetime Achievement Award on Friday, September 27

    AAAI lifetime achievement award for Anil Kapoor, Emeritus Chairman, Draftfcb+ Ulka Group

    By A Correspondent

     

    Anil Kapoor

    The Advertising Agencies Association of India will present Anil Kapoor, Emeritus Chairman, Draftfcb+ Ulka Group with the AAAI Lifetime Achievement Award. This is the highest honour given to an individual in India for his/her outstanding contribution to the advertising Industry.

     

    The awards ceremony is scheduled for Friday, September 27, 2013 at 7:30 p.m. at Trident, Nariman Point, Mumbai. The last recipient of the AAAI lifetime achievement award was Piyush Pandey. There was no award presented for 2011 and 2012.

     

    Piyush Pandey

    Here’s a short note on Mr Kapoor from the Draftfcb+ Ulka’s ‘Ulka 50 years’ website:

    ” ‘Never say die’, that’s Anil’s attitude to life. His love for challenges saw him taking charge of Draftfcb+Ulka (Ulka Advertising, at the time), turning it into the fastest growing agency in India and taking its rightful place as one of the ‘Big Five’. With the formation of Draftfcb in 2006, Anil was appointed as Draftfcb President with responsibility for Asia-Pacific region and Africa.

     

    “Recently, he has been appointed Chairman Emeritus of Draftfcb + Ulka, after a 22-year stint with the company and its other associated agencies. As one who is known to make things happen, Anil’s role expanded naturally into industry bodies. He is a Past President of the Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI), the Chairman of the Audit Bureau of Circulation of 2007-08 and was also on the Management Board of the National Readership Survey and the Television Audience Measurement Research. He was also on the Editorial Advisory Board of the Economic Times, the second largest circulating business newspaper in the world. In May 2002, Anil was also inducted into the Foote, Cone & Belding’s Worldwide Board.”

     

    “Before joining Draftfcb+Ulka, Anil was with the Boots Company, India, for 14 years, where as the Marketing Director, he launched a string of brands, all of which went on to become No. 1 in their markets. At Boots, he also set up two field forces, one for consumer products and the other for ethical pharmaceutical products. Before that, he was with the legendary agency MCM and though not the cause, he says he had to preside over its closure – quite a learning experience! Now a confirmed Mumbaite, Anil grew up in Delhi and graduated with a BA in English Literature from St. Stephen’s College, Delhi and then did his MBA from the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad.”

     

  • Ogilvy & Mather acquire a majority stake in Hyderabad-based PennyWise Solutions

    Ogilvy gets PennyWise. Acquires majority in digital co

    By A Correspondent

     

    Ogilvy & Mather announced it has agreed to acquire a majority stake in PennyWise Solutions Pvt Ltd, a leading digital technology and production company.

     

    PennyWise will serve as the digital technology and production centre of excellence for Ogilvy& Mather in India. It will power best practice digital delivery for the agency’s India network as well as the O&M APAC network. The Hyderabad-based firm was established by current CEO Anand Morzaria in 2003, and has grown from a six-member start-up to 140+-staff leader in digital delivery.

     

    Piyush Pandey

    Said Piyush Pandey, Executive Chairman & Creative Director, Ogilvy South Asia: “Creative is the soul of Ogilvy. And digital is today’s opportunity for creative expression. Digital is a critical growth pillar for Ogilvy India. As we build digital services, talent and thinking across the organisation, we also need partners with different skills.PennyWise are, quite simply, the best digital technology and production professionals in the business. This is a strategic investment. It will combine the digital skills and services of both companies to deliver solutions for our clients across India and APAC.”

     

    PennyWise has a global customer base, covering Europe and North America, as well as India.  The current client portfolio includes Vodafone India, Johnson & Johnson and WPP Agencies including Ogilvy & Mather, Soho Square and a host of others.

    Said Anand Morzaria, CEO, PennyWise Solutions: “This partnership will help us combine our deep and proven expertise in developing digital and new media technology solutions with Ogilvy’s own offerings for clients across India and other APAC markets.”

     

    Kunal Jeswani

    Kunal Jeswani, Chief Digital Officer, Ogilvy India added: “Ogilvy represents excellence in digital strategy and ideation. PennyWise represents excellence in digital technology and production. They are exactly the kind of partner we were looking for.

     

  • For the second consecutive year, Ogilvy Mumbai has been found to be the Most Effective Agency Office globally

    Ogilvy Mumbai is most effective agency office in world yet again

    For the second consecutive year, Ogilvy Mumbai has been declared the Most Effective Agency Office Globally, in the 2013 Effie Effectiveness Index. Effie Worldwide and Warc, the global marketing intelligence service, revealed the global results of the Effie Effectiveness Index in Cannes on Friday.

     

    Said Piyush Pandey, Executive Chairman & Creative Director, Ogilvy South Asia: “I am truly delighted for Ogilvy Mumbai and all our clients who we have partnered in achieving this unprecedented recognition of being ‘the Most Effective Agency Office in the World.”

     

    Said NavinTalreja who heads Ogilvy & Mather’s Mumbai and Kolkata offices, “To do it once is good. But to be awarded the Most Effective Agency Office in the world for two years in a row is a staggering achievement. This only further underlines our philosophy of deep collaboration between Creative, Planning and Account Management helping us deliver on the twin peaks of creativity and effectiveness. This would not have been possible without the support of our clients so a big thank you to all our clients who continuously repose faith in our ideas.”

     

    Kawal Shoor, Head of Planning – Ogilvy Mumbai, said, “We didn’t plan for this. Couldn’t have. It’s impossible to know what hundreds of other offices across tens of agencies are doing globally. Only in hindsight have we figured the reason Ogilvy Mumbai has been honoured with this accolade, in successive years. And the reason is – great work that works, not for a few, but for a very wide set of brands, across different clients. I think Ogilvy Mumbai manages the depth-versus-width issue beautifully because we’re blessed with a unique mix of skill sets, our creative culture, and a genuine desire to motor each other’s thoughts forward.”

     

    The Effie Index was launched in June 2011 and is led by Effie Worldwide.  It was predicted to become the industry standard and according to industry influencers, it is now considered to have attained this status.  The Effie Effectiveness Index identifies and ranks the marketing communications industry’s most effective agencies, advertisers, and brands by analysing finalist and winner data from Effie Worldwide competitions.  It is the world’s most comprehensive ranking of agency and advertiser performance and a valuable resource for anyone interested in marketing effectiveness.

     

  • The Cannes Lions festival is celebrating its 60th anniversary with the launch of 'Game Changer', a commemorative book and exhibition

    Piyush Pandey, others celebrate Cannes Lions’ 60 yrs of game-changing ads

    By A Correspondent

     

    The Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity is set to commemorate its 60th anniversary with the launch of Game Changers, an exhibition and accompanying book that celebrate six decades of campaigns that have changed the landscape of the advertising industry forever.

     

    On display in a designated area of the Palais des Festivals, the exhibition will run alongside the Cannes Lions Festival welcoming both delegates and the general public from June 15-22. From Volkswagen’s ‘Think Small’ to the Nike Fuelband via Levi’s ‘Launderette’, it looks at the ‘firsts’ from the creative companies that have been transforming brands for 60 years. After the Festival this exhibition is set to travel to different venues around the world.

     

    The book, Game Changers: The Evolution of Advertising, published by Taschen for Cannes Lions, features more than 150 of the most outstanding campaigns to have been produced since the 1950s, and discusses the context in which they were launched. It also features eyewitness accounts from key industry players David Bailey, Lord Tim Bell, Lee Clow, Brian DiLorenzo, David Droga, Jeff Goodby, Paula Green, Bob Greenberg, Sir John Hegarty, Valdean Klump, Aaron Koblin, Piyush Pandey, Fernanda Romano, with an introduction by Arianna Huffington (of ‘Huffington Post’ fame).

     

    “There is no better way to celebrate Cannes Lions’ birthday,” says Philip Thomas, CEO of Lions Festivals, “Pulling together decades’ worth of ground-breaking campaigns reminds us why this industry is so special. Its relentless creativity, passion and its ability to innovate and reinvent shines through in Game Changers. It is both a fascinating and educational walk-through of defining industry moments and the world’s greatest creative work.”

     

    The Game Changers: The Evolution of Advertising book will be exclusively available for sale at the exhibition in Cannes before going on general release later this summer through major bookstores and online. More information is available at www.gamechangersatcannes.com.

     

    Other 60th anniversary celebrations taking place at the Festival include an exhibition of Cannes Lions memorabilia and a drinks reception hosted by the City of Cannes at the Cannes Connect Bar on Friday June 21. The 2013 edition of the International Festival of Creativity takes place in Cannes, France, from June 16-22.

     

  • Ogilvy and Mather dishes up something new for Vodafone every year, and this year the agency lived up to its reputation with the ultra-cute Minions

    Minions music video Zumi Zumi to end Zoozoo campaign

    By Meghna Sharma

     

    An added attraction of the IPL is the season’s Vodafone campaign featuring the Zoozoos, which have been a hit ever since they first appeared on TV four years ago.

     

    Ogilvy and Mather dishes up something new for Vodafone every year, and this year the agency lived up to its reputation with the ultra-cute Minions. The miniature versions of the Zoozoos quickly became popular, and as the IPL season concludes, the campaign ends with a new twist – a music video.

     

    A music video is a first for the Zoozoo campaign. So why now? “When the campaign started it began with a teaser wherein these Minions were getting ready for ‘something’. They got internet, gossip, jobs etc for the Zoozoos so we thought it would be apt for us to end them with an anthem of their own,” says O&M’s Rajiv Rao.

     

    Like the Zoozoos, will we have to say goodbye to the Minions as well when the IPL season ends? “We don’t know yet. Who knows, maybe after three or six months or maybe only next year will we be able to see them,” Mr Rao says.

     

    Rajiv Rao

    And what can we expect from him and his team next year? “Every year, it’s a new challenge and we will see what brief and challenges are thrown at us,” says Mr Rao. He was interrupted by Piyush Pandey who jokingly said, “The future of the campaign is me working as Rajiv’s assistant.”

     

  • Jalsha's 'Chalo Paltai' initiative has won the Olive Crown and Bloomberg Brand Leadership awards for efforts to reduce toxic waste

    ‘Green’ Star Jalsha’s bags Olive Crown, Bloomberg awards

    By A Correspondent

     

    Bengali general entertainment channel Star Jalsha has won two coveted awards – the Olive Crown and the Bloomberg Brand Leadership Award for Sustainable Marketing Leadership – for its industry-leading green initiative that reduced toxic waste from West Bengal’s capital, Kolkata.

     

    Star Jalsha won these awards in recognition of the ‘Chalo Paltai’ or ‘let’s change’ campaign to recycle a staggering 7,000 kilogram of toxic waste every day in Kolkata.

     

    The Confederation of International Advertising Association in partnership with Asian Federation of Advertising Association awarded Star Jalsha the prestigious Olive Crown earlier this month for the channel’s eco-friendly initiatives that aimed at reducing air pollution in Kolkata.

     

    The Olive Crown follows the honour for ‘Chalo Paltai’ by reputed news organisation Bloomberg which Star Jalsha won in February. The award, endorsed by CMO Asia and Asian Confederation of Business, recognized the channel’s earnest attempt to recycle toxic and household waste into functional, day-to-day use items.

     

    Star Jalsha launched the ‘Chalo Paltai’ initiative as part of its brand re-launch in 2012. The channel converted 7,000 kilogram of waste generated from flex billboards every day by recycling it into shopping bags, folders, CD covers, table mats, wall hangings and other useful items. These billboards are usually disposed of by burning, a process that emits several harmful toxins into the city’s atmosphere every day.

     

    Star Jalsha’s green campaign was developed in association with Ogilvy & Mather.

     

    Kevin Vaz
    Piyush Pandey

    Kevin Vaz, President and General Manager, Star Jalsha and Jalsha Movies, said, “We are honoured to receive these prestigious awards. These awards are a great encouragement for us to continue doing our bit for the society. We are also thankful to the people of West Bengal and all other dignitaries who supported us in our endevour.”

     

    Piyush Pandey, Executive Chairman & Creative Director, Ogilvy & Mather South Asia, said, “Recycling is an age-old tradition in India and I am extremely happy that Star Jalsha, through Chalo Paltai, has stayed true to our traditions. I sincerely hope that other corporates step forward to adopt a noble cause like this.”

     

     

  • Leading creative agency Ogilvy & Mather has decided not to participate in this year's Creative Abby at Goafest 2013

    Ogilvy to skip Creative Abby @ Goafest 2013

     

    Familiar images of Team Ogilvy after the Creative Abby will not be seen this year!

    By Meghna Sharma

     

    The Men in Black will not be seen running to the stage at the Creative Abby this year.

     

    Yes, that Ogilvy & Mather shines at the Abby every year is a foregone conclusion for the creative fraternity in India. Yes, there are the folks at Taproot, DDB Mudra, JWT, BBDO, Creativeland and the like, but the Piyush Pandey-headed O&M has been ruling the Indian creative awards.

     

     

    Abhijit Avasthi

    “Yes, we won’t be participating  in Goafest this year,” confirmed Abhijit Awasthi, National Creative Director of O&M to MxMIndia. “We won’t be entering in the awards as we have felt that they were not energizing our people as they used to earlier. So we decided to take a break and may be see later what happens.”

     

    MxMIndia wasn’t able to reach Advertising Club for an official comment, though informally senior members have confirmed the development. While they don’t expect Ogilvy to reverse its decision, at least one senior person said that efforts are being made to get Ogilvy back.

     

    Goafest 2013 is scheduled to be held in Goa from April 4 to 6 this year.

    Update: While confirming the development with MxMIndia, Advertising Club president Shashi Sinha said that the awards will go on as usual, even though he agreed that Ogilvy’s absence will have an effect.