MxMIndia

Tag: Rahul Kansal

  • The campaign stars Anil Kumble

    Taproot Dentsu launches new campaign for CricketNext

    By A Correspondent

     

    Taproot Dentsu has rolled out a campaign for Network 18’s CricketNext. The app is designed such that it is a forum for fans to voice their opinion and post video comments, along with other standard features such as live score updates. In keeping with this theme, the films celebrate these opinionated fans.

     

    Speaking about the campaign, Rahul Kansal, Group Brand Advisor, Network18 said: “Cricket Next is a next level app for the next level fan. Beyond just giving live scores and basic commentary, it invites passionate cricket fans to offer their opinions and share their insights on the game. The film tries to dramatise this promise… that it’s an app where fans rule.

     

    Added Neeraj Kanitkar, Creative Director, Taproot Dentsu: “The all-new CricketNext app is a homage to the ultimate cricket fan who is always ready with an opinion but has nowhere to voice it. This app is a platform where this fan’s every opinion on team selection, on-field strategies etc. is not only heard but welcomed. The TVCs are a dramatic representation of this, with Anil Kumble literally breaking the fourth wall and acknowledging the ultimate fan’s opinion.”

     

     

  • Firstpost print will be an amalgam of contemporary journalism delivered with conventional panache

    Network18 bets big on its new weekly newspaper, Firstpost

    By A Correspondent

     

    Network18 has announced the launch of its first weekly newspaper titled, Firstpost. Through various soon-to-be launched initiatives such as Club Firstpost and the Firstpost App, it aims to engage with users and the launch of Firstpost as a weekend newspaper is a part of that effort.

     

    Said BV Rao, Editor, Firstpost: “By taking the viewspaper from the virtual to the physical world we are signaling two things: Firstly, there is a market opportunity in the weekends for deep, thoughtful and reflective journalism, the kind that allows us to step-back from the cacophony of the moment and analyze events calmly. Thus, the difference between the two products is not the quality of the content, but the kind of content. Secondly, content is platform-agnostic, especially good content. The digital consumer reads a lot but not necessarily the best. Reading the best becomes somewhat of a lottery, dependent on whether they open the right links from among the dozens they are dumped with every day. Firstpost print content, arranged to enable quick access in one place, will provide that reading pleasure to digital readers as well. Existing digital readers can access the content free for a limited period and then signal their readiness to put a premium on the content they cherish.”

     

    Added Praveen Swami, Group Consulting Editor, Network18: “Firstpost is a new kind of newspaper. Instead of the usual, mundane recounting of events already well-known to readers through digital media and television, every single article aspires to exceptionality: to offer a unique perspective; to excavate new information; to bring to life a new story”.

     

    Positioning itself as the last word on news, Firstpost will be a 20-page broadsheet appearing every Saturday and shall cater to readers in Mumbai and New Delhi.

     

    Speaking on the launch, Rahul Kansal, Business Head, Print & Brand Advisor, Network18, said: “I am extremely proud to be a part of this milestone in the journey of Network18’s growing news prowess.  Firstpost sees itself as a ‘viewspaper’ with a focus on politics, and will offer a ringside view of the complex democracy and society of our multi-dimensional nation. The offering will serve discerning readers looking for an intelligent read, many of whom feel that Indian newspapers have dumbed down in their bid to capture the mass market.”

     

     

  • Asserts its leadership in prime-time

    News18 India launches ‘Aaj Ka No.1’ brand campaign

    By A Correspondent

     

    News18 India has unveiled the Aaj Ka No.1 campaign to celebrate the channel’s success in a highly cluttered category with over a dozen channels vying for eyeballs.

     

    Commenting on the campaign Rahul Kansal, Group Brand Advisor, Network18 said: “News 18 India has grown steadily in the past few months, to emerge as urban India’s leading Hindi News channel in prime-time. We have a line-up of strong anchors who take up issues in a purposeful way with a desire to shed light, not just create sound, (as seems to have become the norm).“

     

     

  • The campaign will run across media platforms including print, TV, radio and digital

    News18 Network launches new multimedia campaign

    By A Correspondent

     

    News18 Network has announced the launch of its campaign 18=1. The network recently consolidated all its general news channels under the News18 brand which has allowed it to develop one, seamless identity across its 16 national and regional channels in 15 languages.

     

    Speaking on the launch of the campaign, Rahul Kansal, Group Brand Advisor, Network 18 said:“The new brand campaign would help cement perceptions of our leadership, across the length and breadth of the country. Which in turn would help advertisers in finding a one-stop solution to their media needs”.

     

     

  • He will report to Rahul Joshi, CEO – News and Group Editor-in-Chief of Network18

    Rahul Kansal joins Network18 as Group Brand Advisor

     

     

    Network18 has announced the appointment of veteran ad professional Rahul Kansal as Brand Advisor for the group. Kansal joins Network18 from Future Consumer Ltd. Prior to that, at Times Group, he led the very visible ‘Amanki Asha’, ‘Teach India’ and ‘Lead India’ campaigns.

     

    Rahul Kansal

    In his new role, Kansal will mentor the array of brands within the network and develop innovative properties to strengthen their positioning and connect with the consumers. He will report to Rahul Joshi, CEO – News and Group Editor-in-Chief of Network18.

     

    Kansal has been an advertising and marketing professional for 38 years.  He graduated from SRCC, Delhi University in 1977, and after an MBA from IIM Calcutta in 1979 worked with leading ad agencies JWT, O&M, and Mudra DDB before joining the Times group.

     

     

  • The brand will also execute effective OOH & media placements, strong social media and conduct a series of instore activities

    Nilgiris goes red to celebrate Christmas

     

     

    Well-known retail brand Nilgirisis celebrating the festive season in its latest campaign, ‘Christmas isn’t Christmas without Nilgiris’.

     

    Sharing his insights Venkateshwar Kumar, CEO, Nilgiris said: “As a brand, we have successfully served our customers for more than 100 years and have been part of their families & their generations. With this campaign, we would like to partake in the festive celebrations of our customers and help them make all their important occasions extremely memorable.”

     

    Speaking about the campaign, Rahul Kansal, Head – Business Strategy and Marketing, Future Consumer Limited added: “We are proud of our legacy and the strong bond that we share with our customers. Over the years, Nilgiris has been part of the Christmas celebrations through its popular and freshly baked cakes and sweets. Adding more sparkle to this season of joy, our brand logo will slowly be seen changing into Christmas colors as we near the festive day. Our campaign is simple and comes straight from our heart with the objective of strengthening the emotional bond with our customers.”

     

     

  • Every tweet and share of the campaign on social media will raise funds to improve sanitisation facilities across the country

    CleanMate presents ‘2 For Toilet’ campaign with Akshay Kumar

    By A Correspondent

     

    CleanMate, a brand of toilet cleanser liquids and home cleaning products by Future Consumer Limited, has unveiled ‘2 For Toilet’ campaign featuring Akshay Kumar and Bhoomi Pednekar – the lead pair of the upcoming movie ‘Toilet: Ek Prem Katha’. Created by FCB Digital, ‘2 For Toilet’ TVC showcases the actors advocating the need and importance of eliminating open defecation.

     

    Said Rahul Kansal Head – Business Strategy and Marketing, Future Consumer Limited: “As a brand, CleanMate is committed to being the best cleaning aid to every household. Personal hygiene is essential to lead a healthy lifestyle and ‘2 For Toilet’ is a step by CleanMate to contribute in maintaining & building clean safe sanitation facilities. For this initiative we are strongly using the power and reach of social media where against each tweet or share of the campaign we will contribute Rs.2 towards Swach Bharat Kosh. We are delighted to partner with Akshay Kumar and his upcoming movie to promote the same cause as this will certainly help us reach out to millions of people.”

     

    Commenting on the campaign, Satish Ramachandran, Senior Vice President, FCB Digital, added: “Number two is generally used as a symbol to signify, that one wants to visit the washroom. Linking to this lingo, for this campaign we have used the number 2 to make an appeal to the people to donate Rs.2 through which we can donate funds to improve the sanitation infrastructure in India.”

     

  • #FastFreshness campaign highlights the brand proposition of instant freshness in a tongue-in cheek manner

    Kara brings forth the freshness of Bahamas through latest summer campaign

    By A Correspondent

     

    Kara Wipes, a Future Consumer Limited brand, has launchedthe #FastFreshness campaign this summer. Conceptualised and created by Basecamp India, the  #FastFreshness campaign highlights the brand proposition of instant freshness in a tongue-in-cheek manner.

     

    Speaking about the campaign,Rahul Kansal, Head – Business Strategy and Marketing, Future Consumer Limited said:  “In this season with soaring temperatures all one needs is fast freshness and this is exactly what just one wipe of Kara can instantly provide. The campaign is simple, quirky and at the same time effectively communicates our key message of staying fresh while you are on the go.”

     

    Commenting on the creative of the campaign, Anil Bhardwaj, Director, Basecamp India added: “Kara as a brand is extremely popular in its category. Through this campaign we wanted the ad to showcase the hustle and discomfort that people go through while travelling in the heat and advocate the use of Kara to stay fresh and cool. We hope that the campaign is successful in connecting with the audience.”

     

  • The campaign offers an ode to the great Indian culinary adventure, taking place every day across the country

    Future Consumer unveils brand campaign in India

    By A Correspondent

     

    Future Consumer Limited (FCL) is a forward-looking company dedicated to making products for the new generation of restless aspirers that constantly seeks something new. The company has created a whole new language of fusion product innovations, which will soon cater to anything and everything the Indian kitchen needs but doesn’t know yet.

     

    It has unveiled a new campaign that is based on a simple truth about Indians. That they are a unique tribe of foodies, with the most experimental palates. They have an adventurous way of appreciating a completely new taste by truly making it their own. Only in India do we have the gumption, the ability or the bravado to take what the world is consuming and give it an interesting twist. Even the regular Indian fare is in a state of constant evolution and something new is always cooking in our kitchens. This campaign is an ode to the great Indian culinary adventure, taking place every day across the country.

     

    Said Rahul Kansal from Future Consumer: “It was a pleasure working with Taproot on this campaign, as always. We gave them a simple brief: we at FCL are here to feed the great Indian foodie. They found a really graphic way to express this message, through the audio mnemonic of tongue-clicking (a uniquely Indian way of expressing the pleasure of great-tasting food). The metaphor of hybrid tastes that the film is based on, also brings alive the idea of our new-found spirit of experimentation, evocatively.”

     

    Added Agnello Dias, Co-founder, Taproot Dentsu: “It was an interesting brief for an interesting brand and the simple insight that when it comes to food, we in India neither accept nor reject any new flavour outright – we tweak it to make it our own. Signed off, of course, by the great Indian ‘palate smack’, a satiating expression that is uniquely Indian.”

     

  • Taproot was the creative agency for the film and the brief from BCCL to the agency was clear: "To continue to portray Mumbai Mirror as a fearless voice of the common citizen of Mumbai."

    Baddies turn scared in Taproot’s new film for Mumbai Mirror

    By A Correspondent

     

    After having made waves and won some critical acclaim (and many awards), Mumbai Mirror has unveiled an all-new television commercial. (Link: http://youtu.be/2iTWJiEeCuI)

     

    So what’s the insight behind this campaign, we asked Rahul Kansal, Executive President, Bennett, Coleman and Company Limited. “Criminals and corrupt people have got away with impunity in India for way too long,” he said, adding: “The average citizen is impatient to bring an end to this impunity. We decided to show these bad elements in  society being finally brought to book, thanks to the fearless exposes done by Mumbai Mirror.”

     

    Fundamentally, this film is actually saying the same thing as the first film, said Mr Kansal. “However, its totally inverted the prism through which the story is being told. The last time around, we showed it from the point of view of the citizen, who had been hurt by the system and was fighting back. Now we are showing it from the point of the ‘baddies’, who are running scared.”

     

    Taproot was the creative agency for the film and the brief from BCCL to the agency was clear: “To continue to portray Mumbai Mirror as a fearless voice of the common citizen of Mumbai.”

     

    Client: BCCL:  Rahul Kansal, Sandeep Singh Arora, Amiteshwar Kukreja, Pooja Bala and Sana Arora

    Agency: Taproot: Umesh Shrikhande, Santosh Padhi/Agnello Dias – Chief Creative Officers

    Production House: Ramesh Deo Production (RDP)

    Writer: Agnello Dias

    Director: Abhinay Deo

    Music: Ram Sampath

    Producer: Apurba Sengupta

    Cinematographer: Kartik Vijay

     

  • The second phase of the campaign was launched a few days back with a two-minute TVC, digital and print advertising and exhibitions which will draw people to understand the problem and donate

    Taproot launches second phase of TOI campaign on farmer suicides

    By A Correspondent

     

    Taproot India has released the second part of the farmer suicides campaign it has created for The Times of India.  The awareness campaign began in April last year with an exhibition, traffic to which was driven by a print and outdoor campaign. As part of that communication, 12 portraits of dead farmers were created using dry, burnt hay. These portraits were displayed and auctioned and the proceeds from each portrait were given to the families of the deceased.

     

    “The objective of this campaign is to raise awareness of this issue so that steps are taken to support the farmers. In addition the campaign will also attempt to provide an alternative source of income  to the farmers families that have been affected,” said Rahul Kansal, Executive Director, Bennett, Coleman & Co Ltd, the publishers of The Times of India.

     

    Rahul Kansal

    Given the response to the initial phase, the second phase of the campaign was launched a few days back a two-minute TVC, which is also a part of a digital campaign that got implemented around the same time. Webchutney is the digital agency. Along with the television message, hoardings have been planned in different cities, starting with Mumbai. Followed by a print campaign and a second round of exhibition planned at Feb end in Nagpur, The whole agenda of the campaign is to have more and more people wake up to the issue and generate sufficient funds for the hugely affected farmer community, notes a communiqué.

     

    Santosh Padhi

    “One Indian farmer committing suicide every 30 minutes is indeed a shocking piece of news. Our attempt is to make people realise the seriousness of the issue and request people to donate or spread the message. The more we spread the message the higher our chances of saving a few lives,” said Santosh Padhi, Chief Creative Officer and Co-founder, Taproot India.

     

    All proceeds go towards helping the community learn alternative means of livelihood and to support the families of the bereaved. The initiative has been carried out with support from Samaj Sevak Charitable Trust, an NGO working for the same cause, thereby ensuring the funds reach those rightfully in need. The initiative has also gained support from the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development to ensure effective implementation of all its programmes.

     

    “India’s economic strength comes from the farmers and all that they produce. Close to 60 percent of people are still directly or indirectly dependent on agriculture. For centuries, the entire nation has been heavily reliant on the farmers. So it’s only right that now when they are suffering, we try and do everything from donations to awareness programs to ease their pain and put an end to their sufferings,” said Vivek Khilare, Secretary and Divisional Head, Samaj Sevak Trust, Mumbai

     

  • Golds finally happen on Day 3 for India@Cannes2013. Plus 3 bronzes in Outdoor. And 19 Design shortlists.

    Taproot leads India with twin golds

     

    By A Correspondent

     

    Agnello Dias
    Agnello Dias
    Santosh Padhi

    When Agnello Dias and Santosh Padhi set up Taproot not many moons ago, one of their first benefactors was The Times of India. With reason. Aggie, as the Chief Creative Officer and Co-founder of the agency is better known as, had won his former agency JWT a Grand Prix in Direct at Cannes in 2008. The client in question was The Times of India.

     

    For, Aggie and Paddy (Santosh Padhi’s aka) have done some splendid work for the media group ever since.

     

     

    Rahul Kansal

    “The Times Group brand has an old legacy and is considered a great brand but I think with their association, Aggie and Paddy have managed to create a new buzz around the brand,” said Rahul Kansal, Executive President of Bennett Coleman and Company Limited. Talking of the duo the day the news that Dentsu had acquired stake in the agency, Mr Kansal told MxMIndia: “Aggie I would say is amongst the most versatile thinkers. He assesses the brand, market and consumer needs and comes out with a specific solution that will address the issue. Paddy then complements by giving the most appropriate treatment to the concept and that probably is their winning formula.” (Read full account at: Rahul Kansal: No shortcuts with Taproot).

     

    On Wednesday, even as Indian agencies had won a silver and 3 bronze metals in the PR and Direct categories, all eyes were on Outdoor where 43 Indian entries were shortlisted. Yes, there was Media too, but there were just two shortlists.

     

    While Media saw a blank for Indian entries, in Outdoor, there were as many as five metals, including two golds.

     

    Leading India in the metals foray this year is Taproot with two golds in Outdoor. Both are for The Times of India’s Farmer Suicides campaign. From amongst the numerous congratulatory messages he received on his Facebook profile, there was one from a senior creative: “To hear the word congratulations, must be so cliche for you. Boss how do you do it year after year!!!”

     

    The two golds are in the ‘Fundraising, Charities, Appeals, Non-Profit Organisations, Public Health & Safety, Public Awareness Messages’ and ‘Illustration’ sub-categories.  Meanwhile, Grey won two Bronze Lions for DHL and Duracell and O&M won its Bronze Lion for Philips Electronics.

     

    With this, India’s total tally of metals at Cannes Lions 2013 is 9: 3 in PR, 1 in Direct and 5 in Outdoor.

     

    But there are many shortlists in Press and Design. And the glamour part of the Lions – films, integrated are still to happen. The Cyber, Design, Press and Radio Lions will be awarded today (June 19) and Branded Content & Entertainment, Film, Film Craft and the Titanium and Integrated Lions will be presented on Saturday (June 22).

     

    Going past last year’s tally of 14 now appears easy, but will we cross the 2009 high of 25? We’ll know for sure before the week ends.