MxMIndia

Tag: Scarecrow

  • Sanjeev Kotnala hopes that Scarecrow's love for Craft is real and sustainable in this era of momentary attention and interest.

    Craft as a philosophy in an ad agency!

     

     

    By Sanjeev Kotnala

    Sanjeev KotnalaOk, So Manish Bhat, Head of Aesthetics & Crafts, Scarecrow M&C Saatchi, said ‘Scarecrow ❤️ CRAFT’ – I laughed and almost said: ‘Tell me something new’. Everyone loves Craft till it does not start taking more time and investment. Craft is, after all, the foundation of everything- every knowledge- every art and every science. Craft is a job or an activity for which you need skill. And when Scarecrow says it spends a disproportionate amount of time in crafting- using this skill and talent- the campaigns, it could mean nothing.

     

    Is Scarecrow really serious about it?

    There must be something. Scarecrow M&C Saatchi’s tally was third best in Video Craft / Film Craft in the recently concluded The One Show Abby Creative Awards – South Asia 2023 @ Goafest. The winning work includes To Fund Island For U Gro Capital,  Mahalaya and Rannkaar For Reliance Jewels.

    How is it that in the era of Insta reels, memes fast turnaround, Scarecrow advocates and finds brands willing to spend an average of 3 to 6 months crafting campaigns, including cultural recces and research?

    Is Scarecrow’s disproportionate focus and investment of time and energy to CRAFT cultural motifs and full-fledged typefaces derived from various cultures worth it. Why, when things could be done on the computer, and there is AI imagery available, Scarecrow wastes its resources in getting some of the finest craftsmen of cinematography playing with every frame enthusiastically and adding aesthetic in a medium of 25 frames per second.

     

    Is crafting in the Scarecrow DNA?

    Something tells me that Manish Bhat and the team at Scarecrow have this in their DNA.

    When they shifted to their office at Ballard Estate, they invested time and resources in CRAFTING the interior at the heritage area. They did justice to Victorian architecture and restoration the one-of-its-kind 150 years old building, which is 15 years older than the Victoria Terminus. The efforts and results were covered by Indian and French design magazines. That is still inward-looking where you take the call.

    Scarecrow has been thrice crowned the Agency of the Year at radio award shows. It is again a result of focus and experimentation with Craft in Audio & Music as mediums.

     

    Craft & Crafting is Everywhere

    Metals at award shows are just a reflection and hopefully not the objective. Scarecrow M&C Saatchi has shown that this love for Craft is not limited to any medium. Be it cinematography, filmmaking, poetry, lyrics, editing, sound design, music composition, graphic design, typography, or interior design, Scarecrow explores all forms of CRAFTS.

     

    The Philosophy of Scarecrow’s Love for Craft

    Ideas not well crafted may not be effective: Ideas are like sparks; they can come to anyone who is observant enough and willing to connect the dots. Maybe accidentally, coincidentally and possibly as a result of a journey that happens in the mind. The process may be tough to learn, but the mind can be trained to ideate. However, cultivating, developing and applying the ideas into a powerful, relevant thought- statement or expression is a Craft that needs time. Craft is a skill, and one needs to have vast experience of having done the same thing repeatedly to be a craftsman. Craft is often proportionate to the hard work one puts in. Makes sense.

    The truth – one may not always be able to bank upon Ideas, but one can surely bank upon Craft. Because ideas not well crafted may not be effective.

    Design is often contextual and can be achieved without human intervention. Craft is always human and hence warmer. Is instinctive and works at a subconscious level.

     

    Threat Of Longevity. Endangered Craft: Today, everything is instant, and the attention is short. Going deeper into anything is under threat. Scarecrow believes that Time and Depth are under threat. Scarecrow believes ample time and deep dive into what they do are the primary prerequisites to great Craft. And hence Craft is endangered.

    Many of us may not agree with this thought of Craft being endangered. But that should and would not impact the philosophy of Scarecrow as Philosophies are individualistic at a community and tribe level. Scarecrow is a tribe that thinks that Craft is endangered.

    Scarecrow believes, and rightly so, that creativity just hinging upon ideas without Craft will be bland and may create fatigue.

    Scarecrow compares this craftlessness to Sukhi Bhaaji without Rasa for long-lasting taste. And this is demeaning to the craftsman who is making Sukhi Bhaaji.

     

    Craft Is The Art Of Doing: And in Scarecrow’s way, just do it nicely, do it happily and do it interestingly. Scarecrow believes this craft fullness will help it achieve an edge over the others in terms of Craft, which will add to the longevity and efficiency of an idea.

     

    Realisation – The Craft Advantage

    Manish Bhat says that CRAFT was always in practice at Scarecrow but was never articulated.  Post introspection, Scarecrow has realised that they have a crush on craft.

    Scarecrow wants to express it like a young lover by not just whispering into the ears of our new muse but by proclaiming it single-mindedly and loudly.  Maybe like how some crazy Romeo sky writes I LOVE YOU to propose to his Juliet.  Maybe he thinks, they would plaster the walls of Scarecrow office with the proposition:- SCARECROW ❤️ CRAFT

    Time and wait is critical part of the philosophy and Scarecrow  is willing to patiently wait for the coming years to see the team’s reactions and expressions using the best possible craft. They are sure that their love for craft will win the hearts of not just the consumers but even the hard-to-impress jurors in many more glorious shows.

     

    Craft experimentation across media

    If one is to believe Manish Bhat craft was always there in the air of Scarecrow. The agency deliberately focussed on different craft forms during the journey. Because patronising a particular craft form and  to take it to experimental and innovation level, one  has to give disproportionate time to that medium of expression.

    Manish explains; For example many of us visual art trained people at scarecrow like me & others fond fascinating and challenging to express using only audio without visual support. So, it was interesting to explore and we have attempted that, till the time audio medium itself swayed by video as a medium and started looking for crutches of visuals. For example the FM channels started focusing on their visual platform extensions.

    However, now that Scarecrow has unanimously echoed – SCARECROW ❤️ CRAFT, it  would like to attack CRAFT Holistically and wholeheartedly. I do hope the attack is just wrongly placed here in this statement from Scarecrow.

     

    Crafty Craft


    The Head of Aesthetics & Crafts, Scarecrow M&C Saatchi  believes that the best way to build a culture is never to enforce, it but simply facilitate it. Have spoken of their office as an expression of philosophy. Scarecrow even turned their office walls into Art Gallery walls and adorned them with the timeless advertising work from the D&AD MASTERCRAFT series of books like Copybook or Art Direction Book.  They hosted iPOPs – an exhibition & workshop of iPad paintings by POPS.

    Recognising the need for understanding and focussed craft, Scarecrow started training, educational and experience-sharing initiatives like MOM – Method of Madness to bridge the knowledge gap between craft-seeking creative students and the best craft persons in our industry. The industry recognition of craft focus is reflecting in the awards Scarecrow been winning. A result of consistent endeavours over a 13-year-long period. After all, Rome wasn’t built overnight.

     

    Net-net

    I hope that Scarecrow’s love for Craft is real and sustainable in this era of momentary attention and interest. Craft does make a difference. We all agree that IDEAS NOT CRAFTED WELL ENOUGH ARE NOT EFFECTIVE. However, a I do smell distinctive award focus  in Scarecrow philosophy. It makes me vary of the  expression and objective.

    I have always been held that the clients and agencies must invest more time, effort and financial resources in crafting developing best creative products. As it works best for the brad. As it creates impacts in lesser exposures. And a badly crafted mediocre creative  not only needs more exposure but also may not help the brand.

    I disagree that Craft by nature needs disproportionate time in the hands of a skilled craftsman who has gained experience by doing things repeatedly over time.

     

     

    PS. A lot of this article is based upon the note and presentation by Scarecrow and a few questions answered by Manish Bhat, Head of Aesthetics & Crafts, Scarecrow M&C Saatchi.

     

  • The app has been set up by U Gro Capital

    Scarecrow M&C Saatchi creates Fund Island for Gro X App

    By Our Staff

     

    Scarecrow M&C Saatchi has created a 3D animation film, Fund Island for the launch of U Gro Captial’s Gro X App.

     

    Said Shachindra Nath, Vice Chairman and Managing Director, U GRO Capital: “We at U GRO Capital have always believed that data is the future of lending in India and have been at the forefront of its adoption. We understand dynamic MSME space and have pioneered a unique statistical underwriting model which uses repayment behaviour, banking behaviour & GST returns of the customer to arrive at a credit decision within minutes. Through this campaign we wanted to showcase our ability to offer on tap credit through our GRO X app, where the MSMEs can not only manage their limit and dispense credit on UPI but can also accept payments. Scarecrow M&C Saatchi understood our proposition and their ability to create distinctive, strategically relevant creative work is what drew us to them.”

     

    Added Manish Bhatt, the Founder Director of Scarecrow M&C Saatchi: “Technology in a digital era is invisible. We got an opportunity to give it a physical form. And the most challenging part is that there are no symbols or metaphors to represent this futuristic technology. So, we found the answers in the steampunk retro-futuristic genre, which has rich imagery in illustration and animation. We leveraged it to show something unusual and fascinating in a rather transactional fintech communication. The youngest design and art team of Scarecrow got a limitless opportunity to express their ability to imagine and create this magnum opus film.”

     

  • The accounts will be handled by the agency’s Mumbai office

    Scarecrow M&C Saatchi bags creative duties of 7 FMCG brands

    By A Correspondent

     

    Scarecrow M&C Saatchi has bagged the creative duties of seven FMCG brands, two of which are global. Of the seven, four belong to the Emami Group.
    The complete range of Boroplus (Face Wash, Fairness Cream, Body Lotion, Prickly Heat Powder and  Antiseptic Cream), Emami Kesh King Hair Oil & Shampoo, Emami 7 oils in one hair oil and Emami Diamond Shine Hair Colour are part of the Emami bouquet. Then there’s the Lactalis group’s Anik range (Ghee, Milk, Flavoured Milk, Buttermilk, Curd and Milk powder), the entire portfolio of German brand Baby Sebamed that is marketed in India by USV Pharma and Wagh Bakri’s Mili Tea brand.
    The accounts will be handled by Scarecrow M&C Saatchi’s Mumbai office.

    Said Vikas Srivastava, Sr. GM (Marketing), Emami Limited, confirmed the development by adding, “Scarecrow has been evolving over the years and now, with their tie-up with M&C Saatchi we expect our communication will become sharper with new ideas that will help break clutter.”DPS Advertising & Marketing, Kolkata, has been associated with Emami on the above brands for years, and the association will continue.

    Commenting on the decision to choose Scarecrow M&C Saatchi, Executive Director of Wagh Bakri Tea Group Parag Desai said: “Wagh Bakri Tea is the leader in Gujarat and very popular brand in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh wherein in Mili Tea is second choice for masses. We are now targeting newer territories such as North India, South India, Maharashtra and Goa. Scarecrow M&C Saatchi presented us a compelling creative strategy to gain significant market share in these regions.”

    On Sebamed, Farida Hussain, Director for Splendore Business, said: “We are very upbeat about taking Baby Sebamed to the next level. Its unique formulation with pH 5.5 makes it effective and extremely safe for the little ones, right from day one. We are sure the association with Scarecrow M&C Saatchi will support Sebamed to meet its aspirations.”

    And this is what Manish Bhatt, Founder-Director, Scarecrow M&C Saatchi said:

    On the Emami win: “Some of the brands like Boroplus are truly iconic brands that every Indian has grown up with. Creating memorable work for such a memorable brand is indeed a matter of great pride for us at Scarecrow M&C Saatchi. Raghu and me have already worked on beauty, skin care and hair care brands like Parachute, L’Oreal, Lakme Elle 18, Vaseline, Dabur Vatika and more in our earlier days, and would love to provide the necessary expertise to create some ground-breaking work for these brands as well.”

    On Wagh Bakri’s Mili Tea: “It’s a special feeling. Scarecrow M&C Saatchi has been handling Wagh Bakri for over three years now. The group has ambitious plans for Mili Tea and has always evolved with times and focused on expanding reach. We are thrilled to partner with them in this exciting journey.

    And on Sebamed: “It’s always a pleasure to work on a brand where you are one of its target audiences. The Group has shown faith in Scarecrow M&C Saatchi by giving us the mandates of its Baby skincare range. Baby skin care is a tough category and USV private limited has a very ambitious plan for it. Team Scarecrow is really excited to contribute to Sebamed’s growth.”

     

     

  • Hungry to have a presence in India, M&C Saatchi buys Vivek Suchanti’s stake in agency

    Scarecrow now a part of M&C Saatchi

     

    By A Correspondent

     

    We were all set to do the trek to Ballard Estate in South Mumbai. As also huff and puff up to the second floor office for a roundtable and a revelation. Except that the lure of an exclusive in a pink major killed the idea of the press meet-up.

     

    L to R: Raghu Bhat, Arunava Sengupta and Manish Bhatt

    Guess at the lunch, the rest of the media were to be served the crumbs, while the meat was handed over to the bigger fish. Sigh.

     

    Scarecrow, the eight-plus-year-old independent agency owned by Vivek Suchanti and Manish Bhatt, Raghu Bhat and Arunava Sengupta, has sold majority stake to M&C Saatchi. A global ad network set up by the founders of Saatchi & Saatchi, M&C Saatchi, has had a failed existence in India thus far. It will use the Scarecrow buy as a means to exert its influence in India.

     

    Vivek Suchanti

    With this transaction – much below the Rs 100 crore tag that has reported in the paper in honour of which Scarecrow compromised its relations with the rest of the press, M&C Saatchi has bought the majority 51 per cent stake that Suchanti owned. According to the info we have, there will be a gradual buy over five-six years of the 16.33% stake that Sengupta, Bhat and Bhatt will own. For now, the trio do not get even the crumbs, but they’ll get it with time.

     

    Scarecrow, as an agency, has been doing reasonably well with an impressive clients roster. It has done reasonably well on the awards circuit, though it boycotted Goafest 2018 reportedly because (Manish) Bhatt was upset on not being invited to be part of the Master Jury for the Creative Awards.

     

    So will M&C Saatchi truck with Scarecrow work? Yes, it should, say observers. Even though the 23-year-old agency formed by Jeremy Sinclair (Chairman), Bill Muirhead, David Kershaw (Chief Executive) and the brothers Maurice and Charles Saatchi has floundered in the country. Its buy of Delhi-based February in 2014 and the setting of the mobile arm have not achieved much. In 2015, it sold its digital and direct business to Pi Communcations.

     

    The Scarecrow co-founders Bhat, Bhatt & Sengupta are known to have the drive and have produced advertising that has been memorable.

     

    We’ll wait to see what happens next. We can sure it’ll be handed over first to that pink paper.

     

     

  • The ad film has been directed by award-winning film director Harvey B-Brown

    Scarecrow promotes Fresh Look with Disha Patani

    By A Correspondent

     

    Scarecrow Communication has created an integrated campaign for FreshLook featuring Bollywood actor Disha Patani. The ad film has been directed by award winning film director Harvey B-Brown whose body of work includes spots for Moschino, Lagerfeld and music videos for George Michael and Bryan Ferry.

     

    Said Anuj Mehtani, Vice-President, Scarecrow Delhi: “It’s really interesting to see how many categories are evolving from pure functionality to a desirable space, which is happening in the eye care category as well. FreshLook is set to tap with its fashion and lifestyle proposition and we are excited to be a part of this engagement process.”

     

    Added Raghu Bhat, Founder Director, Scarecrow: “The task is to create salience for colour contact lens and make it mainstream. We are talking to an audience craving for a daily dose of fame. The creative opportunity was to position eyes as the prime weapon of choice – where Freshlook colored contacts could be your fashion ally in the daily war against anonymity.”

     

     

  • The account will be handled from the agency's Mumbai office

    ArthImpact ropes in Scarecrow for Happy

    By A Correspondent

     

    Manish Khera, founder of Fino Paytech and Yatra Tatra Sarvatra, and Gautam Ivatury, Founder of CGAP and co-founder of Jipange KuSave have partnered with Scarecrow Communications to launch their new micro digital lending platform. The account will be handled from the agency’s Mumbai office.

     

    Commenting on their decision to choose Scarecrow, Manish Khera, Founder & CEO, ArthImpact, said: “With ArthImpact, we needed a team that could not only align with our product ideology but also be able to translate it to our brand identity – Team Scarecrow has been instrumental in helping us achieve this.”

     

    Added Manish Bhatt, Founder director of Scarecrow: “Happy is very special to Scarecrow. We have been a part of the process from day one – right from developing strategy, arriving at a name to creating an identity that resonates with the brand. Being an impact driven venture, it aims to bring an instrumental change in people’s lives. And it’s a great feeling to be associated with such a brand.”

     

    Said Mangesh Mulajkar, Senior Vice President, Scarecrow: “The brief was an open canvas with the mandate to create an ‘un-finance’ kind of brand in the digital lending space. A name that the consumer will connect with easily and what better emotion can a brand own and offer than a feeling of being ‘Happy’. The Happy team has been very enthusiastic about the idea, which has led us to taking a very different and cheerful approach to the communication and this is just the beginning.”

  • The brand positioning stems from a universal insight that good habits are hard to keep

    Scarecrow develops new communication for DS Group’s dairy brand Ksheer

    By A Correspondent

     

    DS Group’s Ksheer, a premium dairy brand, launched a new campaign including a TVC with the tagline “Ek Acchi Aadat”. The new TVC strengthens the brand positioning of Ksheer as a good habit to instill. The TVC depicts the daily routine of a joint family  – be it sleeping in late, playing video games or doing too much of office work from home.

     

    The brand positioning stems from a universal insight that good habits are hard to keep — whether it’s cultivating habits like being on time or exercising regularly in our day-to-day lives; our ambitions may be high, but most of us don’t have the willpower to maintain the right habits.

     

    Using lighthearted storytelling, the ad establishes Ksheer as one habit that’s easy to keep, every day. “Ksheer, Ek Achhi Aadat”, the tagline reinforces how consuming healthy Ksheer products is a great habit to have and keep.

     

    The ad is heightened by its cast that includes Hrishitaa Bhatt, who is known for her acclaimed roles in Bollywood’ plays the homemaker, while Jugal Hansraj the ‘Masoom’ boy of bollywood plays her husband. Actor Nassar Abdulla also features, along with the stalwart Sujata Kumar. One of the role is played by veteran actress Late Sulbha Deshpande, who passed away shortly after the shoot. Bringing this star-studded cast together and telling a lively tale is ace director Pradeep Sarkar.

     

    Speaking about the Ksheer brand, Sunil Bansal, Business Head-Dairy, DS Group, said, “Milk and milk products are known for their health benefits. Children are always told that milk is good for them. We aim to put milk back in the daily routine of the Indian family as a great habit to follow – “Ek Achhi Aadat”.  The brand ‘Ksheer’ symbolizes the ocean of milk, which represents purity filled with lots of goodness that replenishes health and is a great daily habit to instill.”

     

    On the mischievous tonality of storytelling, Scarecrow’s Founder Director, Manish Bhatt adds, “We experimented with Mehra Family’s self-admissive-yet-sarcastic statements regarding their various habits, where we establish Ksheer Milk and Milk Product as an easy-to-keep habit in the backdrop many of their hard-to-keep good habits and not-so-good ones. We have used a storytelling approach where what has been said and what has been shown in the visuals is contradictory – to create intrigue, light humour, sarcasm and chemistry between the family members. Use of unusual casting in the film is intended to make the film noticeable and memorable in the clutter of FMCG communication on TV. We also added a song in the film ‘Achhai ko Zindagi se Lipatne Do’ to increase the Emotional Quotient and take-away factor of the film.”

     

  • PokerNation is an online Poker gaming website promoted by Fortuity Gaming

    Scarecrow wins PokerNation mandate

    By A Correspondent

     

    After a multi agency pitch, Fortuity Gaming Pvt Ltd handed over the creative duties of PokerNation to Scarecrow Communications. As a part of the extensive pitch process, the agency had to cater to every aspect related to the brand, such as brand positioning, strategy and creative.

     

    PokerNation is an online Poker gaming website promoted by Fortuity Gaming. It has been created like a virtual nation on the Internet – a nation, for the players, by the players and of the players.

     

    The mandate for Scarecrow includes a complete digital campaign, blogs, digital videos, videos on how to play  Poker and TV commercials.

     

    Gautam Thawani

    Confirming the development, Gautam Thawani, Business Head, Fortuity Gaming, says, “Globally over 6.8 per cent people play Poker. That’s about 40 million people.  Of this, a large percentage is below 35 years of age. In India too, it’s quite popular in Mumbai, Delhi, Goa and Bangalore most of which is played online and in offline private Poker Rooms. For us, it was a great opportunity to tap into the gaming category.”

     

    Arunava (Joy) Sengupta, Founder Director, Scarecrow Communications, adds, “The online Poker space is not properly regulated. Hence, people are hesitant about playing Poker on websites whose credentials are questionable. Essel Group’s entry will go a long way in reassuring the gaming community about online Poker. For Scarecrow too, it was a unique experience to partner Essel Group in this new age category.”

     

    Manish Bhatt, Founder Director, Scarecrow says, “It’s rare when an agency gets a mandate to create a virtual nation for Poker lovers. The challenge is to make it exclusive, yet inclusive. Scarecrow had the opportunity of being involved in the formation of this ‘nation’ from its birth. From naming it to designing its look. From writing the blog to the online communication. From designing merchandise like Poker chips to T shirts and jackets. This is a nation where anyone can migrate to, and become its citizen. The official game is Poker. This nation has its own currency, its own national animal and even its own national anthem.”

     

  • Announces popular Bollywood actress & Celebrity Master Mom Sonali Bendre as brand ambassador

    Scarecrow says ‘Food Mein Daalo Magic’ for FunFoods

    By A Correspondent

     

    Dr.Oetker has launchedits first ever advertising campaign for their brand FunFoodsand announced Bollywood actress and celebritymom, Sonali Bendreas the brand ambassador. Bringing to life FunFoods proposition of ‘Food Mein Daalo Magic, the TVCs bring alive the brand’s philosophy of adding ‘fun and taste’ to daily menu options,making it exciting for the entire family to consume. The ad-campaign introducesthe magic that consumerscan add to their food with FunFoodsMayonnaise in a quick& convenient manner,inspiring them to experiment with their culinary skills every time they step in the kitchen.

     

    Speaking about the launch, Oliver Mirza, Managing Director & CEO, Dr. Oetker India, said, “AtDr. Oetker, it is our constant endeavour to introduce western flavours and cuisines to consumers across the country. We are thrilled to announce Sonali Bendre as brand ambassador for FunFoods and launch the first ever ad campaign ‘Food Mein Daalo Magic’. Sonali is a perfect fit for the brand as she epitomizes our brand ethos andwe believe that the consumers will relate with her as she is a new age mother and also a career oriented woman. She understands the lack of quick appetizing food choices in daily life and knows that these are common across households in India. With our foray into advertising, we aim to enlarge the consumer base to include those who enjoy western taste in their foodbut struggle making it at home as they do not have the rightingredients i.e. western sauces and spreads. We are confident that the 360 degree campaign will make consumers aware of these western sauces & spreads from FunFoodsthereby increasing the overall market itself.”

     

    Conceptualized and developed by Scarecrow Communications, the advertising campaign demonstrates the brand’s uniqueness in driving an emotional connect with today’s new age-women, smart mothers, homemakers and working professionals who are constantly struggling to motivate their kids and families to eat homemade food. The ad campaign addresses the daily dilemma of “how to make everyday food tasty?”

     

    The PAN India campaign consists of three television commercials and each talk about a different Mayonnaise variant namely, Veg, Tandoori and Burger. The adcampaign will be supported by an extensive 360 degree marketing approachincluding OOH, digital, print and social media engagement. Consumer outreach shall include usage awareness through recipe brochures, recipes videos both on TV as well as YouTube and on-ground activation through consumer exhibitions.

     

    Arunava (Joy) Sengupta, Founder Director Scarecrow Communications said, “It was an exciting brief, for FunFoods first ever campaign. The challenge was to make mayonnaise, not only an integral part of our daily food habit but also to highlight the huge potential it offers to today’s woman in whip up exciting food for her family every day. We used the creative device of various foreign chefs appearing in the kitchen to share their secret ingredient i.e. FunFoods Mayonnaise with the mother to help her transform the normal burger, roti and sandwichinto something magical. Sonali Bendre was strategically chosen as the brand ambassador as she represents the contemporary woman and will help the brand cut through the clutter”

     

  • The account moved after a multi-agency pitch

    Scarecrow bags creative duties of Graviti Smartphone Accessories

    By A Correspondent

     

    Delhi-based EasyTech Global Pvt. Ltd., has appointed Scarecrow Communications as its creative agency. One of the flagship products of the company is Graviti Power Banks. The account moved after a multi-agency pitch.

     

    Graviti has a wide range of mobile accessories from power banks to car chargers to bluetooth accessories to screen protectors. The promoter of the brand is Gopal Kalra, a veteran in the telecom space and co-founder of Lemon Mobiles.

     

    Referring to the association with Scarecrow, Gopal Kalra, Chairman, Easy Global Pvt. Ltd. says, “In Scarecrow, we found the right mix of creative excellence, consumer understanding and passionate involvement, which made us choose to work with them“

     

    Raghu Bhat

    Says Raghu Bhat, Founder Director, Scarecrow Communications, “There is an immense opportunity to create a premium brand in this category that is highly commoditized. We like the challenge of achieving maximum impact with minimum spends in a cluttered market as that gives the widest canvas for our creativity.”

     

    Says Arunava Sengupta, Founder Director, Scarecrow Communications, “Start ups like to work with us. Graviti is one more validation of that. There is something highly satisfying working on brands that are at an inception stage be it Localbanya or &Pictures as that gives us the chance to create things from scratch.”

     

  • Spykar’s fashion range includes jeanswear, shirts, t-shirts and youth accessories like perfume and eyewear

    Spykar hands over creative duties to Scarecrow

    By A Correspondent

     

    Following a multi-agency pitch process, the Mumbai office of Scarecrow Communications has been awarded the creative duties for Spykar – the cult jeanswear brand of India.

     

    Spykar’s fashion range includes jeanswear, shirts, t-shirts and youth accessories like perfume and eyewear.

     

    Its products are available at over 900 MBOs across the country. Plus, Spykar Jeans currently has 206 Exclusive Brand Outlets all over India.

    Confirming this development, Sanjay Vakharia, COO, Spykar, said, “Spykar is a brand that is not just synonymous with jeanswear, but is also a voice that resonates with the youth, their dreams and aspirations. By breaking the confines and consistently expanding the horizon, the brand strives to evolve each day with the ever-evolving youth and their fashion needs. Keeping the pace with the fashion dynamics of today, the brand, at every point, epitomises global fashion and is considered as a beacon of effortless style. We partnered with Scarecrow because we found the same passion running in their bloodstreams as in ours. We found the team to be very cued in with the needs and aspirations of the youth of the country and were very sincere in their approach.”

    Manish Bhatt, Founder Director, Scarecrow, added, “Spykar is a truly cult brand among the Indian youth. It can be called the MTV of apparel or the Harley of fashion world. Spykar being a youth heartthrob, it is not only aspirational for a young agency like Scarecrow, but also aspirational for the relatively younger talent at Scarecrow, to work on. After meeting Sanjay and his able team who intuitively understand the pulse of the Indian youth, I am pretty sure that, together we will be able to take this only Indian youth brand to even greater heights and also make the brand stay ever-relevant to the youth.”

     

  • Continuing with our extracts from the second edition of the MxMIndia Annual, we present contributions by Raghu Bhatt and Krishna Desai

    What Ticks for Indian Consumers/ Children – Raghu Bhatt and Krishna Desai

    Continuing with our extracts from the second edition of the MxMIndia Annual, we present contributions by Raghu Bhatt and Krishna Desai

     

     

    Be aware of responsibilities while marketing to kids

    By Raghu Bhatt

     

    Imagine a scenario where someone introduces a cigarette brand that exclusively targets kids. How comfortable would you be working on the brand? But if the same cigarette were targeting adults, it’s likely that you wouldn’t have a strong moral objection. This brings us to the first dimension of kid marketing. There is a very strong ethical question to consider, with kid products. Kids are the future and while marketing to them, we suddenly become aware of our immense responsibilities. Kids can do that to you.

     

    Kid marketing uses certain tools and techniques, many of them chiselled to perfection through years of practice. As a baby grows up, he or she continually refines her ability to make parents buy things for them. In some ways, they are like purchase managers who are sitting on a lot of cash – something every marketer of cereals, confectionary, clothes, retailers, movies and toys is constantly eyeing.

     

     

     

    		  

    Kids – fluent influencers of change

    By Krishna Desai

     

    Children are bestowed with many aspirations… world leaders, sports icons, entrepreneurs, etc. They display talent, knowledge and influence over most parameters of society and businesses. As consumers, they cannot be ignored.

     

    Gone are the days when children were only consulted when it came to purchasing candies and toys. A child today influences every decision from household electronics, to insurance, to cars and even wall paint! Some interesting facts and growth trends are below:

     

    :: Kids influence on parents has more than doubled since 2009 – with more than 60 per cent parents in 2012 saying that they may or definitely will consider their child’s opinion on purchase decisions.

    :: With the percentage of kids receiving pocket /gift money increasing from 36 per cent in 2008 to 56 per cent in 2012, the purchasing power of kids has definitely increased.

    (Source: Cartoon Network New Generations Study 2008 – 2012)

     

     
     

    Kids exhibit certain commonalities of behaviour that marketers leverage. For example, kids form a special bond with cartoon characters. For kids, these characters are not imaginary but real people. And when these characters start peddling stuff, they become hugely influential. These cartoon characters are also scientifically designed to elicit an emotional response from kids. For instance, the smooth round forms of the Cbeebies have been created after a lot of R&D to evoke a sense of reassurance amongst babies, in much the same way nature creates babies whose very appearance evokes the protective instincts of a mother.

     

     

    		  

    There is phenomenal growth seen in the kids’ adoption of new media. These ‘screenagers’ access technology at every touch point be it mobiles, computers, tablets, television, etc. For instance,:: In the last five years, the number of kids using the internet has more than doubled! (27 per cent use the internet in 2012 v/s 10 per cent in 2008).

    :: Although gaming has always dominated the top activity online, social networking has grown from 14 per cent in 2009 to 53 per cent in 2012. Ironically only half the parents of kids visiting social networking sites are aware of their children’s activities.

    :: Today, 95 per cent kids grow up in homes with mobile phones compared to 59 per cent kids in 2006. 10 per cent of these kids actually own their own mobile phone.

    (Source: Cartoon Network New Generations Study 2008-2012.)

     

    Kids have also transformed the broadcast industry influencing the way business is done for all stakeholders. With almost 100 per cent urban kids watching TV every day, brands, marketers, broadcasters and distributers seek this platform to reach this expanding and intelligible TG. As television consumers, kids are unique. They cannot be compared and virtually have no similarity to other geodemographics. Some core trends, challenges and opportunities are:

     

    1. Children outgrow things a lot faster than any other demographic. A kids’ network, including that of Turner’s – CN and Pogo, experiences a churn every 4-5 years with new kids coming in and older kids moving to other genres.

     

    2. Kids, on an average, spend two hours watching television. This hasn’t changed much over the years. But the number of channels available today has more than doubled compared to a few years ago. This represents a huge challenge for broadcasters, especially kids channels, to attract and sustain viewership. Comparatively, housewives spend up to four hours a day watching television.

     

    3. Another fact is that out of the total viewing, children spend only 20 per cent time watching kids’ channels mainly because of the dominance of housewives in single television households. Although this may seem as a hindrance, it is actually an opportunity in disguise. This 20 per cent has grown from 15 per cent in 2009.Also, with the growth of multiple TV households and new media to compliment TV, there is hope of growth and expansion of the genre.

     

     

     

    Tomorrow (Tuesday, Aug 26): Family – Punit Goenka and Pradeep Gupta