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Tag: Raksha Bandhan

  • For Raksha Bandhan

    CavinKare’s Buds and Berries rolls out campaign

    By Our Staff

     

    Buds and Berries, beauty care brand from the house of Cavinkare, rolled out a new digital campaign titled “Unseen Bonds”, for Raksha Bandhan.

     

    Commenting on the latest campaign, Amudhavalli Ranganathan, Director of E-Commerce – Cavinkare, said: “We, at ‘Buds and Berries’ have curated this special campaign as a reminder to treasure sibling bonds beyond the festivities. We aimed to capture the enduring support and love that siblings offer through relatable story and visuals, and what can be a better occasion than Raksha Bandhan that resonates with the gender-neutral aspect of our brand. We wanted to emphasize that sibling connections are not fleeting but lasting threads intricately woven into our lives and connect emotionally with our target audiences. It’s a call to cherish and nurture these bonds, showcasing the profound essence of the occasion.”

     

  • With exclusive Gifting Range

    Haldiram’s launches Raksha Bandhan campaign

    By Our Staff

     

    Haldiram’s has recently launched a Raksha Bandhan campaign. Alongside its diverse range of delectable and well-designed gifting range of sweets, nuts & chocolates, as part of the Pyaar Ka Tohfa campaign, Haldiram’s has introduced a special box of assorted sweets.

     

    Speaking about the campaign, Divya Batra, Head of Marketing, Haldiram’s, said: “Raksha Bandhan is a celebration of the unbreakable bond between siblings, and Haldiram’s ‘Pyaar Ka Tohfa’ campaign beautifully captures the emotions and love shared between them. Our special gifting range including an assortment of signature sweets, nuts, and much more, etc., makes the perfect gift to express affection and appreciation to your beloved siblings.”

     

  • Advocates adoption

    Bikano unveils Raksha Bandhan campaign

    By Our Staff

     

    Bikano snack and packaged food manufacturer unveils a Raksha Bandhan campaign.

     

    Manish Aggarwal, Director of Bikano, Bikanervala Foods Pvt Ltd, said: “This Raksha Bandhan, we’re thrilled to unveil a campaign that not only honors the timeless bond between siblings but also underscores the importance of adoption in nurturing new relationships. Our society has more than 2 crore orphans, and the adoption rate is decreasing. Through our campaign, we aim to raise awareness about adoption and inspire people to consider embracing a new member into their families. By sharing your support for adoption, you can be a part of this noble cause.”

     

    Kush Aggarwal, Head of Marketing at Bikano, added: “Festivals are moments of unity, joy, and heartfelt connections. Through our #PyarKaMeethaBandhan campaign, our goal is to etch an unforgettable Raksha Bandhan in the hearts of all. Whether it’s via our vibrant social media presence, resonating across the radio-waves, or collaboratively crafting emotional connections with select societies and NGOs, Bikano aspires to weave a rich tapestry of emotions. This campaign stands as a testament to the enduring power of sibling bonds and the warmth of adoption.”

     

  • Campaign Created by Ogilvy India

    Cadbury Celebrations rolls out campaign for Raksha Bandhan

    By Our Staff

     

    Cadbury Celebrations rolls out campaign for this Raksha Bandhan with a hashtag #BrothersWhoCare. The campaign brings the time-tested bond back into focus by inviting brothers across the country to show their appreciation for their sisters in a unique and heartwarming way.

     

    Speaking on the campaign, Nitin Saini, VP- Marketing, Mondelez India, said: “Romantic relationships often take the spotlight away from other deep relationships, such as that between siblings. Built on a lifetime of shared memory, mutual growth, support, and love, these bonds form the foundations of who we are and deserve their own moments where care and appreciation are expressed through mindful gestures. With the #BrothersWhoCare campaign, we want to encourage brothers to express their affection for their sisters just as they do in their romantic relationships. With Raksha Bandhan approaching, it is an opportunity to remind every brother the moments they share with their sisters are just as precious and invite them to rekindle the timeless connection they share with their siblings through quality time spent together. This Rakhi, we aim to redefine sibling love – where strength meets sentiment, and caring knows no bounds.”

     

    Sukesh Nayak, Chief Creative Officer, Ogilvy India, added: “Our starting point was to put the spotlight on the reality of the brother-sister dynamic that plays out during Rakhi. Every brother loves his sisters but unfortunately this love doesn’t translate into effort in making her feel special on a day that is meant to celebrate this special bond. But the same brothers leave no stone unturned with their wives, fiancées and their girlfriends. Our attempt was to nudge boyfriends, fiancés, husbands who are also brothers to plan a day with their sisters by putting equal effort as they would for their partners on Valentine’s day. We conceived and built the #BrothersWhoCare platform that will help remind the brothers to make time for sisters and celebrate this special bond in most magical manner.”

     

    Shekhar Banerjee Chief Client Officer & Office Head, North, West and East, Wavemaker India, said: “Our strategy is to disrupt how brothers behave. For all the grand gestures men make for the women in their life, they often reduce the gesture to an envelope with cash for their sisters during Rakhi. With this unconventional route we reminded brothers to plan something special for their sisters. Every time someone sets out to plan a romantic gesture for their loved ones, our campaign is designed to remind them about the gift they need to plan for their sisters.”

     

    For the multichannel campaign, Cadbury Celebrations has activated multiple touchpoints to encourage siblings to spend more quality time with each other. Working on the concept of #BrothersWho Care , the campaign’s TV thematic, scheduled to run for three weeks, reinforces the brand message of ‘Iss Rakhi, Kuch Accha Ho Jaaye, Kuch Meetha Ho Jaaye’. This will be followed by multiple digital brand films which subvert the established romantic tropes by highlighting the role played by sisters behind the scenes during the highs and lows of their brothers’ love stories. The brand will also enable brothers to plan a day for their sisters. On scanning the QR code on the Cadbury Celebrations pack, users will be lead to a microsite www.cadburybrotherswhocare.com  where they can plan a movie day with their sisters in select PVRs in select cities.

     

  • Film stars siblings Rhea & Harshvarrdhan Kapoor

    Skinn Perfumes by Titan rolls out campaign for Raksha Bandhan

    By Our Staff

     

    Skinn perfumes and fragrances brand from the House of Titan has launched a new campaign, #BestSaidWithSkinn. The brand releases a new digital video campaign created by Ogilvy & Mather agency to celebrate this Raksha Bandhan season with the sibling duo- fashion stylist and film producer Rhea Kapoor and actor Hashvarrdhan Kapoor.

     

    Said Ankit Kasliwal, Head of Marketing, Fragrances Division, Titan Company Limited: “Rakshabandhan is the celebration of love, protection, and life-long companionship. Gifts play a great role in conveying love for our siblings and bringing back all the rejoicing memories of growing up side by side with one another. The splendid fragrances from SKINN thus, are a perfect gift to express your love. With this digital video, we celebrate the season with the most loved sibling duo- Rhea Kapoor and Harshavarrdhan Kapoor. Their bond is full of love, fun, and mischief, which makes the video relatable for us all reminding us of our own beautiful relationships with our siblings.”

     

     

    View this post on Instagram

     

    A post shared by Skinn by Titan (@skinn_titan)

     

  • It's perhaps time to boycott the boycott hashtags, to cancel the cancel culture,writes Shailesh Kapoor

    Time to Cancel the Cancel Culture?

     

     

    By Shailesh Kapoor

     

    Shailesh KapoorWhen I first heard the term ‘Cancel Culture’ a couple of years ago, it intrigued me. The idea that you can ‘cancel’ someone, typically a celebrity, for their unacceptable comments or conduct, especially on a topic of contemporary significance, seemed like an empowering one. It also seemed democratic in its intent, because a group of common people could hold a celebrity accountable for their actions or words, by ‘canceling’ them en masse.

     

    In India, however, the term did not come with the nuances, such as those around the free speech debate, it carries in Western cultures, where it originated. The semantics changed to “Boycott”, a word that has since been used to attempt cancelation of several celebrities, films and corporates, often for reasons that are more political than moral, social or cultural.

     

    As I write this, a search on #Boycott on Twitter throws up three prominent suggestions: #BoycottLaalSinghChaddha, #BoycottRakshaBandhan (the film, not the festival) and #BoycottAliaBhatt. All three are related to films releasing this week. Alia Bhatt’s Darlings has dropped on Netflix today, while the other two films, starring Aamir Khan and Akshay Kumar respectively, release on August 11.

     

    It may not always be easy to trace root causes of such boycotts, because those causes often tend to be more generic than specific. If a community of trolls decides to boycott a particular film or its lead actor, they will find more than a few reasons to do so. It could be a comment made by the celebrity in the past (sometimes a decade ago), something ‘inappropriate’ they wore, a ‘problematic’ character they played in a film in the not-so-recent past, or all of the above.

     

    The root causes may not always be linked to the bigger celebrities alone. Raksha Bandhan, a film headlined by an actor (Akshay Kumar) who generally has a right-of-centre political image, is being ‘boycotted’ because the film’s writer Kanika Dhillon has been outspoken about topics such as lynching, and has made ‘cow’ references in some of her tweets on this topic. These tweets are not from this year, but have been dug out in the week leading up to the film’s release.

     

    Then, there’s the generic evergreen trending topic: #BoycottBollywood. Since Sushant Singh Rajput’s suicide in June 2020, the call to boycott the Hindi film industry in its entirety has been a recurring one. It’s been fanned by some within the industry itself, most notably Kangana Ranaut. The industry has also been given the name ‘Urduwood’, a term that suggests how the industry has turned its back on Hindu culture and ethos.

     

    The underlying politics is apparent even to the most naïve. News channels play their part in furthering this narrative, using subtler variants of these hashtags, but never showing any subtlety of discourse thereafter.

     

    In times when the Hindi film industry is suffering from an identity crisis, with films from the Southern industries and Hollywood doing better, it becomes a soft target for hardline politics.

     

    The good news, if one can call it that, is that there is no evidence that such boycotts impact the fate of these films or stars, either in theatres or on streaming. Alia Bhatt, who has been on the ‘boycott list’ of the Right Wing for what seems like perpetuity now, is at the peak of her professional career currently, and has delivered one of the few hits that the Hindi film industry have seen this year: Gangubai Kathiawadi.

     

    Since the paying audience doesn’t care much, there isn’t much heft that these hashtags and social media trends carry. But they continue to exist, and are only getting more frequent and inane of late.

     

    It’s perhaps time to boycott the boycott hashtags, to cancel the cancel culture.

     

  • The timing of the collection launch coincides with Raksha Bandhan

    CaratLane teams up with Doraemon to catch them young

    By Our Staff

     

    CaratLane omni-channel jewellery brand has collaborated with kiddie character, Doraemon. The collection, expressly created for kids, is “designed to fascinate them as much as Doraemon’s magical pockets do”. The collection features a variety of lightweight jewellery such as earrings, bracelets, neckwear, and each has a distinctive expression of the character.

     

    The timing of the collection launch coincides with Raksha Bandhan, a season in which CaratLane has typically seen a considerable increase in the browsing and purchase of kids’ jewellery, notes a communique.

     

    Talking about the collection, Kinnari Shah, Head Of Design & Merchandising, said: “CaratLane is the ultimate destination for kids’ jewellery. Now, with another feather in our cap that’s Doraemon, it’s going to be amazing. We know Doraemon is a character that’s much  loved in India and they’ll be delighted to see the range of designs we have. Each design in this collection is beautifully crafted in vibrant enamel and 14kt gold. They are very kid-friendly and made with care kept in mind for all-day comfort.”

     

    Speaking about the collaboration Bhavesh Solanki, Regional Director (India, SAARC & MENA) from Animation International India – Doremon Agency, added: ”There is no doubt that Doraemon is one of the most beloved characters worldwide. As the gadgeted cat marked its 50th Anniversary last year, this collaboration with CaratLane will continue ruling the hearts of kids and teens. CaratLane & Doraemon kids jewellery collaboration is one of its finest and incredible associations and we are happy to partner with India’s one of the premium jewellery brands and to see the licensing industry reaching to newer heights with such a remarkable alliance.”

     

  • It is a touchy subject and there are always chances of a buzz on social media turning against the brand, writes Sanjeev Kotnala

    Bridging the Gulf on Raksha Bandhan

     

     

    By Sanjeev Kotnala

     

    Sanjeev KotnalaYou can’t really go wrong with Raksha Bandhan communication. And the space is wide open for some solid thought-provoking brand associated work. However, it is not so easy and straightforward. It is a touchy subject. There are always chances of a buzz on social media turning against the brand. Meanwhile, brands need to be edgy and test the boundaries- work on emotionally polarised communication to break the clutter and create the impact. There is that need to love-me-or-hate-me-but-don’t-be-neutral-to-me feeling.

     

    As I keep another series of blogs under #IgnorantHindu where I share information on rituals, stories and mythology related to Hindu festivals, I often find people raising the red flag on new advertisements with me. I remind them that I have nothing to do with the communication. I am just an industry representative. And I also ask them why they never give me credit and congratulate me when the industry does a fabulous job on any brand or service. We will keep this debate for some other day. Just like, having no clue as to why so many people are searching details about Atma Shradh.

     

    I was not surprised when one not-so-radicalised Hindu with decently progressive thinking pointed out the Gulf Superfleet SurakshaBandhan advertisement. The objection came from the highly antagonising, irritating attitude of the sister towards the brother. He is trying to make everything to make their lives happy. But he is a truck driver, and the sister has an issue with it. She does not even want her friends in that small town to know her brother’s profession. Until she realises it is her driver brother and the community of truck drivers who have done the incredible work of keeping supply lines open. They have ensured that everyone else could do their work during the covid times. The penny drops, and everything changes with the perspective- and the brand establishes the analogy of trust, faith, and performance.

     

     

    I am not sure if there is a gulf in the understanding of the sister-brother relationship. Or if there is a gulf is in the limited set of the audience receiving the message. Exaggeration is part of advertising. Stretching already polarised emotion is an act that comes with pitfalls. But there was no moment in the SMEAR rating.

     

    What surprised me is that more males in the group had something to say about the Gulf Super fleet ad; the women were silent. When the male POV was shared, pointed out, they smiled and said there is nothing wrong.

     

    The gap between expectation and experience is a reality. Everything cannot always be idealistic. The story needs a hero and a villain; sometimes, the villain is a woman, which is perfectly okay.

     

    And they then pointed out the mushy, sweet and salty  all is okay Amazon ad. Telling me, it was also a rarity. Such cooking accidents don’t happen. And they don’t make such brothers anymore. So, if you are willing to accept a completely holier than thou rare event as a storyline, what’s wrong with the sister with an attitude, ego and insecurities.

     

     

    And getting back to Gulf Oil, it seems to be working this Suraksha Bandhan nicely. In 2019, its commercial spoke of a bond between the driver and his sister. The driver was laminating that he could never be home during Raksha Bandhan. And this time, the sister met the driver at the dhaba during his transit. Rarity. But somewhere, the brand worked around the Rakhi thread extending beyond hundreds of miles! Pioneering the  #SurakshaBandhan initiative for truck drivers, fostering sibling bonds with over 20,691 Postcards countrywide! And there is a complete brand fit. Something that sounded forced earlier becomes the strength of consistency and authenticity.

     

    Here watch another gulf oil ad on Raksha Bandhan. Love the way the brand has been working focussed with the trucker’s life and their stories. Maybe they have found a brand  purpose.

     

     

    So, how unique is the subject- the relationship, the emotions and the expectations? This is a unique property that Gulf Oil has identified. They have been mining it for a long time and hopefully will keep doing so with more passion. Does your relationship with your sister resemble any sister-brother relationship in these Raksha Bandhan stories?

     

  • A syndicated study that captures information on actual purchases of the festive season

    Hansa Research launches ‘Festive Monitor 2020’

    By A Correspondent

     

    Hansa Research has unveiled Festive Monitor 2020, a part of the Hansa syndicated product suite, that it says,  captures information on actual purchases of the festive season.

     

    Anjan Ghosh

    Said Anjan Ghosh – Senior Vice President, Hansa Research: “Buying Online, Digital Payments, Contact-less Delivery … terms that connoted a matter of choice for the customer have now become indispensable. As consumers are spoilt for choice with numerous options available online, the service standards are expected to be superlative

     

    Today’s discerning consumers are unwilling to accept anything short of the very best. Errors like half-hearted customer service; repeated out-of-stock notices and most importantly, delayed deliveries, are not at all acceptable. Adjusting to the demands of the pandemic, a large chunk of consumers migrated on to digital platforms and increasingly prefer to shift the entire purchase cycle online. Measures like social distancing norms have accelerated the transition of consumers from offline to online payments. Brands are also refactoring promotional schedules to give the impression of a longer festive season. Moreover, personalised promotions through better storytelling, is also picking up, to attract consumers. These are the top trends in the market that’s helping it survive and bring back its finances to a state of equilibrium, notes a communique.

     

    On the market sentiment from the brand’s perspective, Ghosh added: “During Raksha Bandhan, we witnessed the early signs of consumer demand picking up. Brands are expecting this demand to surge in the festive season, and are trying to come up with innovative solutions to reach out to their customers. The 2020 festive season is going to be like never before for both consumers and businesses. It is only a matter of time before we find out how this festive season pans out for everybody. However, with all these endeavors, businesses can still keep their hopes high and continue to work towards the best possible outcomes.”

     

     

  • The report highlights the top trends observed for the e-commerce market in India

    Criteo report on on ‘golden quarter’ for e-comm

    By A Correspondent

     

    Criteo, the Nasdaq-listed company, has released its Holiday Report 2020 highlighting key trends in the online e-commerce industry in the festive season starting Raksha Bandhan, Big Billion Days and Diwali. The report highlights the top trends observed for the e-commerce market in India. Criteo bills this as the ‘Golden Quarter’ as e-commerce clocks significantly high growth.

     

    KEY HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE REPORT

    :: Retail Recovery – 28% YoY increase in online retail sales

    :: Up to +343% – Sales of Flowers & Gifts categories increased in August 2019, compared to average in July during Raksha Bandhan

    :: 70% increase in sales for Food & Beverages during Raksha Bandhan. Previous year, it was increased by 50%, showcasing a significant increase up to 70% following the event

    :: Overall, retail sales up 39% for Big Billion Days, 27% on average during the entire week, compared to average in August.

    :: For every 1,000 visitors to Indian retailers, there is significantly more transactions than usual. The week of Big Billion Days represent +27% sales for +19% traffic

    :: 50% increase of App sales, just one month after Diwali 2019

    :: 32% increase in sales in the Food & Beverage category

    :: 16% travel upliftment & bookings just after Diwali 2019

     

    Overcoming such unprecedented times, online retail is back to pre-Covid-19 numbers, and steadily growing upwards since then. As 2020 sales are increasing progressively; 2019 data provides relevant context and describes the strong seasonality expected in coming weeks. According to the report, there has been a 28% year on year increase in the overall online retail sales.

     

    Speaking on the report, Taranjeet Singh, Managing Director of South East Asia and India, Criteo, said: “During these trying times, the Indian E-commerce industry has been on a steady upward growth trajectory showcasing a gradual shift of consumers towards E-commerce websites for purchases. Consumers have moved onto a stage where purchasing online has become their daily routine in order to fulfil all their demands for food, beverages and festive gifting. Expanding businesses on E-commerce platforms is the need of the hour. This golden quarter signals a revival in demand and consumer sentiment at large on ecommerce platforms.”

     

     

  • The campaign was conceptualised by Digitas India

    Goodknight launches ‘Rakshak Ki Rakhi’ for frontline heroes

    By A Correspondent

     

    Goodknight, the mosquito repellent brand, took on an initiative to protect frontline heroes in the battle against Covid-19. Conceptualised by Digitas India, ‘Rakshak Ki Rakhi’ was a special rakhi made by kids with Goodknight Patches that offered active protection from mosquitoes.

     

    Commenting about the initiative, Mark Mcdonald, Executive Vice President and Head of Creative, Digitas India said:  “Our frontline heroes have been out there protecting us day in and day out. When we realized the added risks the monsoon poses to them, in the form of mosquito-borne diseases, we wanted to do our part to protect them. That was the genesis of the idea and the Rakhi – one of the most powerful symbols of protection – was the perfect way to do it. It’s a lovely initiative that’s true to brand GoodKnight’s ethos, and uses the product in a unique way. Needless to say, it’s extremely gratifying to play a small part in protecting the heroes who’re out there protecting us.”

     

    Speaking about the initiative, Sunil Kataria, CEO – India and SAARC, Godrej Consumer Products Limited (GCPL), said: “We salute the unwavering spirit of the front-line workers to serve the country during these testing times. As these warriors ensure people are protected and cared for, we thought of doing our bit by protecting them from mosquitoes. We did this on Raksha Bandhan, an annual ceremony symbolising the bond of protection, and effectively used Goodknight mosquito repellent patches. We reached out to doctors, policemen, and healthcare workers with a one-of-a-kind ‘Rakshak Ki Rakhi’ featuring Goodknight patches along with a special message extending our appreciation and gratitude.”

     

     

  • The new campaign is titled ‘Nok-Jhonk Bandhan’

    Ferns N Petals celebrates Raksha Bandhan

    By A Correspondent

     

    This Rakshabandhan, Ferns N Petals has come up with a new campaign titled ‘Nok-Jhonk Bandhan’.

     

    Said Manish Saini, COO, Ecommerce, Ferns N Petals: “With our brand new Raksha Bandhan campaign, we are trying to showcase that Fights, teasing, competing and kicking are part and parcel of all the love, that every sibling carries forward with their lives. The enduring years of fights for silly things like who gets a bigger share or who is the most favourite of Mom and Dad, are most common teasing between siblings. With growing years, the same innocent fights turns into abysmal love for each other and the bond gets stronger despite all casual and serious indifferences. Hence the campaign, Nonk-Jhonk Bandhan.”