MxMIndia

Tag: Starcom India

  • For brand collaboration

    Eveready & Zee join hands

    By Our Staff

     

    Eveready has partnered with Zee to promote its new range of batteries. As part of the brand collaboration, Eveready Ultima will feature prominently on Zee’s popular reality shows including Sa Re Ga Ma Pa, Dance Bangla Dance, Dance Karnataka Dance and Mr & Mrs Local.

     

    Anirban Banerjee

    Commenting on this announcement, Anirban Banerjee, Senior Vice President and SBU Head (Batteries and Flashlights), Eveready Industries said: “We have recently unveiled our new and improved Ultima range of batteries supported by a 360 campaign ‘Khelenge Toh Sikhenge’. The campaign highlights that children in any family can learn valuable life lessons like caring, sharing, love and equality when playing in daily life with battery operated toys. Thus to keep the child’s play ongoing effortlessly, our new 400% longer lasting Ultima batteries are just perfect. Our collaboration with Zee seamlessly aligns with the campaign’s objective and values, as majority of Zee’s shows are packed with energy, fostering a blend of entertainment while actively nurturing the young talents. Eveready is committed towards its mission to empower the youth with the essential support they require for a brighter and more promising future, and our partnership with Zee amplifies our ability to achieve this noble endeavour.”

     

    Niti Kumar
    Niti Kumar

    Added Niti Kumar, COO – Starcom India: “At Starcom, we believe that a successful product launch requires a powerful platform that maximises consumer engagement and brand visibility. Such a key communication pillar was vital to drive home Eveready’s new message. Zee’s reality shows enjoy immense popularity among Indians, which makes it a strong channel for brand collaboration. Accordingly, we forged this first-of-its-kind strategic partnership, which not only introduces Eveready’s robust product offerings but also harnesses Zee’s expansive reach across diverse regions, languages, and content formats.”

     

  • Has won across Consumer Products,  New-Age and App Economy

    Starcom India tops in RECMA New Business Balance Report 2021

    By Our Staff

     

    Starcom India has ranked #1 in new business in RECMA’s New Business Balance Report for 2021. Starcom, as per a communique from the agency, has gained the top position in competitive pitch wins across Consumer Products (CPG),  New-Age and App Economy which includes clients in Auto,  D2C, FinTech, Ecommerce, Gaming etc.

     

    Said Rathi Gangappa, Chief Executive Officer, Starcom India, said, “It is an honour to be recognised as the number 1 media agency in new business wins, in the prestigious RECMA Report 2021. Starcom’s strong consumer understanding, data-led insights, integrated talent, focus on efficiency using competitive pricing and flawless activation has led to us emerging in the top position. We will continue our strong growth trajectory, through very human , personalised brand experiences at scale and market-leading work.”

     

     

  • Rachana Shah Monteiro to head west for Starcom

    By Our Staff

     

    Starcom India has announced the appointment of Rachana Shah Monteiro as the West Head for India. As a Senior Vice President, she will be responsible for leading and strengthening client relationships and business growth for the West office. In her last stint at Mediacom, she led the AOR for P&G Indian subcontinent.

     

    Said Niti Kumar, COO, Starcom India: “I am really excited to welcome Rachana into the Starcom family. She has a proven record in managing large businesses and teams and her expertise will help us drive more value for our diverse portfolio of clients. We have a fabulous team in Mumbai and I am confident that with Rachana at the helm they will strive toward greater heights.”

     

    Added Shah Monteiro: “I strongly believe that the entire media agency model is segueing towards the collaboration of specialisations, in driving omnichannel marketing for the client. Starcom has a heterogeneous, very strong portfolio of clients and is known for bringing in compelling brand experiences through the use of data and technology. I look forward to delivering integrated value propositions that drive immense growth for clients and further strengthening Starcom’s culture of innovation and collaboration.”

     

  • After a successful creative partnership with Leo Burnett India, Cholayil now ropes in Starcom and Digitas as its media & digital partners

    Cholayil gets Starcom and Digitas to manage entire communications mandate

    By A Correspondent

     

    Building on the success of its creative partnership with Leo Burnett India, Cholayil has now extended its entire integrated communications mandate to more Publicis Groupe agencies. It has now brought on-board Starcom India as its media agency while Digitas India has been appointed to manage the digital communications mandate for the entire product portfolio under Cholayil.

     

    As part of the mandate, Starcom will manage strategy and media planning and buying across media platforms while Digitas will be providing a robust suite of digital marketing services for popular Cholayil brands such as Medimix, Cuticura, and Krishna Thulasi.

     

    Said Pradeep Cholayil, Chairman and Managing Director, Cholayil: “Cholayil has strong equity and base in Ayurvedic and natural products and as we contemporise our offering further and reach out to newer segments, we needed a partner that leads in integrated communications play and leverages the power of data for engaging, personalised consumer experiences. Publicis Groupe with its ‘Power of One’ model and offering brings in new perspectives and future-facing capabilities. As we embark on our expansion plans, we look forward to benefiting from their experience and expertise.”

     

    Commenting on the new partnership and the Power of One offering on behalf of the Groupe, Dheeraj Sinha, MD India & CSO, Leo Burnett, South Asia said: “We have had a great relationship with Cholayil over the last year. I am hugely excited that this relationship is now turning into a full Power of One collaboration model with Digitas and Starcom coming on board along with Leo Burnett. We are confident that this will enable us to weave a seamless narrative for the brand across platforms to deliver on the business through a cross functional team. We are looking forward to creating some outstanding work for each of the Cholayil brands.”

     

    On winning the media business, Rathi Gangappa, CEO, Starcom India added: “This is a prestigious win for us. We were able to demonstrate strong media value for Cholayil and with our Human Experience proposition, we look forward to helping them unlock newer, more contemporary consumer connections. Starcom will help them exceed their marketing objectives and remains committed to their growth and success.”

     

    Said Sonia Khurana, COO – Digitas India: “The entire team at Digitas India is thrilled to partner with Cholayil. It’s not everyday that one gets a chance to work with brands that have such a rich heritage. We are looking forward to providing digital solutions that will help Medimix, Cuticura and Krishna Thulasi connect with new age consumers to drive business growth.”

  • Jeep Bollywood Trails is a travelogue, redefining India through Bollywood lens covering popular locations and landscapes

    Jeep & Publicis Media partner for show on AXN, Max…

    By A Correspondent

     

    Jeep India and Publicis Media have announced the launch of a television show Jeep Bollywood Trails, which will be aired on AXN, Max HD and will stream on Sony Liv starting January 25.

    Jeep Bollywood Trails is a travelogue, redefining India through Bollywood lens covering popular locations and landscapes. The show features prominent Bollywood directors who narrate their stories through these locations & elaborate on what makes these spots iconic. The show is powered up by Publicis Media’s Content Practice which executed the project end-to-end.

    Said Rahul Pansare, Head of Marketing and PR, Jeep India: “Brand Jeep believes in taking the road less traveled and has explored innovative ideas to create enriching & evocative brand experiences. Jeep Bollywood Trails is a breakthrough, an incredibly exciting concept that channelizes the sheer firepower, passion & energy of the brand Jeep. It is the ultimate Bollywood journey with Jeep, which allows every viewer to relive the passion and adventure that stars experience across the myriad rich and vibrant filming locales. We thank Publicis Media and AXN for their efforts and contribution on this first-of-its-kind television property.”

    Added Rathi Gangappa, CEO, Starcom India: “We are delighted to be at the forefront of this innovative & exciting property for Jeep. The Starcom HX approach is about human connections—experiences that people love and actions that brands need. Jeep Bollywood Trails is a big step in the same direction. The show is sure to be a resounding success among viewers, amplifying viral conversations & brand messaging and increasing the overall followership and popularity of the Jeep.”

    Said Urvashi Khanna, Content Lead at Publicis Media India: “Jeep Bollywood Trails, in terms of creative execution & production quality surpasses the best travel & exploration shows. The show goes beyond brand integration, it’s a creative rendition of the brand pillars – adventure, freedom, passion and authenticity. AXN was an obvious choice as the show fits the channel’s philosophy really well. We are looking at 360- degree brand promotion; the ideas are really innovative and first of its kind, to maximize the buzz around the show.”

  • The Ronnie Screwvala-co-promoted edtech venture has a Rs 100 crore marketing campaign and this appointment is part of the first phase of the same

    Starcom bags Rs 100 cr Upgrad account

    By A Correspondent

     

    Starcom India has bagged the media strategy and buying of Upgrad, one of the country’s largest online higher education companies. The mandate, which had been bagged by GroupM’s Essence last year, that has now been awarded to Starcom does not include digital.

     

    The Ronnie Screwvala-co-promoted edtech venture has a Rs 100 crore marketing campaign and this appointment is part of the first phase of the same. With an ambitious branding and communication roadmap,  the first phase in this roadmap targets Tier 1 and Tier 2 cities pan-India, across online and offline media. The media efforts would be directed to drive awareness and preference for Upgrad.

     

    Said Rathi Gangappa, CEO of Starcom India: “We are elated at winning the media mandate of the leader in the online education space. Upgrad was impressed with our strong, differentiated approach to planning, especially in the area of television, where we will look to drive significant and measurable ROI. The Starcom Human Experience (HX) premise and messaging, as well as our rich analytics and tech capabilities will bring in a huge impact for Upgrad on their media investments.”

     

    Added Upgrad Co-founder and MD, Mayank Kumar: “Online as a category is growing at a fast pace. Our campaign round the year in 2020 is to create larger awareness in the working professionals’ group on the urgency of constant learning, what we at Upgrad call LifeLong Learning.  We decided to partner with Starcom since their team stood out with their data-centric approach and ability to deliver on core business KPIs. They were able to demonstrate an effective, integrated approach to planning where all media is used to grow both short-term and long-term prospects.”

     

     

  • He most recently served as lead of Programmatic Sales at Times Internet

    Starcom appoints Anil Shankar as VP, Digital Media Solutions

    By A Correspondent

     

    Anil Shankar

    Starcom India has announced the appointment of digital leader Anil Shankar as its Vice President, Digital Media Solutions.

     

    Shankar has more than 16 years of experience in digital marketing and technology working across digital media platforms. He most recently served as lead of Programmatic Sales at Times Internet and has also worked with leading media companies such as WPP, GroupM and Affle.

     

    Rathi Gangappa

    Said Rathi Gangappa, CEO, Starcom India: “We are delighted to have Anil join us. He brings a wealth of digital expertise, strong leadership and new perspectives to Starcom and will lead our overall digital agenda, vision and offering. His extensive experience across agency, client and publisher ecosystems makes him an invaluable asset. Anil is passionate about Starcom’s Human Experience approach,  future-facing work streams and culture of collaboration. He will add tremendous value to our clients.”

     

    Added Shankar: “These are thrilling times. We have merely scratched the surface of digital possibilities. From banners to big data, big screens to mobile screens, even our smallest of towns are getting digitally equipped. This makes India the most exciting digital market in the world. I am confident that Starcom’s robust client portfolio, talent, infrastructure with strong technology and programmatic solutions will surely help in further deepening the client’s confidence.”

     

     

  • Starcom India, the Media AOR of Dabur, has managed this campaign

    Dabur launches #SabkoChabaJaenge digital campaign for World Cup

    By A Correspondent

     

    Dabur has launched #SabkoChabaJaenge, a digital-first campaign to promote its brand Red Toothpaste during the 2019 Cricket World Cup. The campaign kicked off with a creative designed for India-Pakistan and this was followed with specially designed creatives for each of India’s matches. Starcom India, the Media AOR of Dabur, has managed this campaign.

     

    Said Harkawal Singh, Head Marketing, Oral Care, Dabur India: “Protection from Dental Problems for Strong Teeth and Healthy Gums is the core promise of Dabur Red Paste. Cricket is one of those opportunities that allows your brand to reach out and engage with a large audience. We wanted an idea for the digital platform to connect with the newer audience that gets missed through the traditional medium. The idea of winning over the opposition through ‘chewing’ made for a perfect platform to marry the product truth of strong teeth in a competitive sphere. This helps make Dabur Red Paste not just a product, but an experience with a much stronger re-call factor. Sabko chaba jaayenge gave us the perfect plank to have this conversation in a fun and engaging way while subtly plugging in the Dabur Red Paste benefit.”

     

     

  • The cosmetics and wellness products e-tailer has attained much equity in just three-odd years of existence

    Starcom wins Nykaa’s media mandate

    By A Correspondent

     

    Starcom has won the media duties of Nykaa, the cosmetics and wellness products e-tailer, that has attained much equity in just three-odd years of existence. Said Rathi Gangappa, CEO, Starcom India: “This is a prestigious win for us. Through innovative ideas and fresh thinking and insights on the brand, we demonstrated strong media value and will help Nykaa exceed its core marketing KPIs. We look forward to partnering with Nykaa on their expansion plans and are committed to their growth and success.”

     

    Added Hitesh Malhotra, Chief Marketing Officer, Nykaa.com: “Starcom brings in a mature team that understands the periphery of beauty and the dynamicity of eCommerce – both of which are sacrosanct to Nykaa. In a fragmented landscape where the consumer’s attention is split across multiple devices, it is imperative that knowledge of omnichannel messaging is delivered through the sheer power of media, partnerships and innovation. Starcom’s valuable media inputs, experience and expertise will enhance our brand further; their hunger and startup culture of collaboration truly mirrors our own. We are confident that Starcom will help us unlock new consumer connections and will maximise returns on our media investments.”

     

     

  • Gangappa’s last role was as COO at MediaCom, where she was in charge of day to day operations

    Rathi Gangappa named CEO, Starcom India

    By A Correspondent

     

    Rathi Gangappa

    Starcom has appointed Rathi Gangappa as Chief Executive Officer in India. Gangappa comes with over 20 years experience in media and brand communications. She was until recently COO at MediaCom, where she was in charge of day-to-day operations and managing key client relationships across Mumbai, Delhi and Bengaluru. Her past stints also include Vodafone, Onmobile Global Ltd, Maxus and Lowe Lintas.

     

    Anupriya Acharya

    Said Anupriya Acharya, CEO, Publicis Media India on the appointment:  “We’re delighted to have Rathi join us. Her immense experience across agency, client and publisher eco-systems and demonstrated capabilities across the entire gamut of marketing and crand communications is exemplary. She shares our view on the consumer journey being ever-evolving and the challenges it poses to brands and is passionate about Starcom’s Human Experience approach. She will no doubt be an asset and will add value to our clients and people alike.”

     

    Added Gangappa: “I am very excited to join Starcom, especially at a time when the agency has gained so much momentum. Starcom’s Human Experience focus connects human values with brand objectives, delivering seamless integrated communications. I look forward to driving business results for clients and adding to the Starcom culture of innovation and collaboration. It has a wonderful set of clients both locally and globally and a really strong backing of Publicis Media.”

     

     

  • The mandate is for India, as well as for upcoming international markets that Ola will operate in

    Ola hires Starcom as its Media AOR

    By A Correspondent

     

    Starcom India has been awarded the media duties of ride-share major Ola. The Publicis Media agency will oversee the account’s media planning and buying across both traditional and digital media. The mandate is for India, as well as for upcoming international markets that Ola will operate in. The account, pegged in the region of Rs 200, was earlier held by GroupM agency Motivator.

     

    Deepak Sharma

    Said Deepak Sharma, Managing Director, Starcom North: “Ola was impressed with our strategic planning skills, led by the Human Experience (HX) approach, as also with our strong data and analytics-led capabilities. They are on an incredibly exciting journey and we look forward to being a part of their growth and expansion plans.”

     

    Added Mudit Shekhawat, Senior Director, Marketing at Ola: “We are excited to partner with Starcom. Their teams were able to demonstrate strong insights on the category and brought in fresh ideas and thinking on the brand. Their expertise in integrated communications strategies and smart execution will help in further consolidating our leadership in this industry. We are excited to work with them.”

     

     

  • Malli, as Das is known in the fraternity, joined Starcom India is 2011

    Starcom bids adieu to Mallikarjun Das

    By A Correspondent

     

    Mallikarjun Das

    Starcom CEO Mallikarjun Das (Malli) has decided to move on from the organisation.  Malli, as he is known in the fraternity, joined Starcom India as CEO in 2011.   Said Malli:“Working at Starcom over the last seven years has been a peak experience – it has left an indelible impression on me and shaped me as a professional and individual. Wisdom of hindsight is a dangerous thing, but I count myself lucky to have had large, complex business challenges come my way in this stint. I have had the full support of my team, Anupriya and my previous bosses in facing up to these challenges. Our results speak for themselves – Starcom India has grown four times the last four years; our India operations ended 2017 as Starcom’s Global Office of the year. I wish everyone at Starcom and Publicis Media all the best for the future.”

     

    Anupriya Acharya

    Added Anupriya Acharya, Group CEO, Publicis Media India: “We are going to miss Malli. His tenure at Starcom has been exemplary and working with him has been a wonderful experience. Starcom has had a phenomenal journey under his leadership and he has made a tremendous contribution to giving a strong foundation to Publicis Media too. Our best wishes are with him for his next assignment.”

     

    The agency will be making an announcement shortly on new leadership for Starcom India.