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Tag: Walt Disney

  • Will be responsible of leading the overall creative function of the agency

    Joy Mohanty joins Humour Me

    By Our Staff

     

    Joy Mohanty
    Joy Mohanty

    Humour Me, a media and content marketing creative agency, has announced the appointment of Joy Mohanty as its Chief Operating Officer. Mohanty is being mandated with the responsibility of leading the overall creative function of the agency ahead of the firm’s expansion plans. He will be based in New Delhi and spearhead the expansion of the new media creative shop.

     

    Commenting on the appointment Dhruv Sachdeva, Founder, Humour Me states, “We’ve always believed, if Walt Disney or Spielberg ever built an advertising agency it would be the world’s greatest creative agency, and that’s what we’ve been trying to build these last few years. Humour Me has always looked at brand communication and marketing through the non – traditional and non-advertising lens. We have never tried to compete with the traditional digital and advertising agencies, and have focused on creating deeply exciting content that makes our brand partner’s audiences’ sit up and notice them! With Joy coming on board, we want to send a signal to all our brand partners and the marketing/ advertising ecosystem that we’re here to offer up our brand of creative audacity to the world now. Our plan is to build and invest in one of the most differentiated creative teams, unlike what one might find in a traditional agency set-up. We are also excited about cementing a new teaching model within Humour Me, wherein we aim to give our creative talent the edge they need by up-skilling them to serve the attention needs of today. The Donald Draper days of advertising are dead, the new creative person needs to be a Twitter ninja, an Instagram poet, plus an independent creator themselves. Humour Me is more a collective of creators wanting to serve the attention economy of today, than an agency. Since Humour Me was built by folks who came from outside the agency world, we aim to use our outsider’s perspective as our edge, to deliver work that puts results before vanity metrics such as awards! Let’s just say, by bringing Joy to lead the team, it’s us coming out to the world by saying- we’re open for business!”

     

  • Cheil says its challenge is to leverage all available brand touchpoints and convert 'brand lovers' into 'brand buyers'

    Cheil bags Walt Disney Co, L’Oreal’s Casting Creme Gloss

    By A Correspondent

     

    Cheil Worldwide SW Asia is charting a new course with new business wins – The Walt Disney Company and L’Oreal Paris Casting Creme Gloss.

     

    Cheil’s Shopper Marketing and Digital capability clearly demonstrated next level thinking required for consumer engagement for both these brands. For L’Oreal Paris Casting Creme Gloss, Cheil will be creating unique Social + Shopper experiences around the L’Oreal My Girls Go Glam with Sonam campaign. As regards The Walt Disney Company, Cheil will be working across Disney brands including Disney Marvel, Disney Fashion Stations/Stores, Planes and the Disney Princess Academy.

     

    Hari Krishnan

    Confirming the news Hari Krishnan, COO Cheil Worldwide SW Asia, said, “These wins are testimony to Cheil’s integrated expertise which clearly demonstrates our palette which is far beyond advertising. The challenge is to leverage all available brand touchpoints and convert ‘brand lovers’ into ‘brand buyers’. Our approach is clearly positioned around engaging, interacting, understanding and delivering to the consumer. We believe that brands gain greater traction and loyalty from engagement and not just advertising.”

     

    Commenting on the win, John Koo, Managing Director, Cheil Worldwide SW Asia, said, “This a great start to 2013. Cheil has tremendous experience consumer and shopper engagement and I am delighted that we will be seen in a new avataar.”

     

  • Once the transaction is complete, Rupert Murdoch-owned Star will become the owner of ESPN's India business

    Star to go solo in sports, buy ESPN from JV

    By Nandini Raghavendra & Ratna Bhushan

     

    Broadcast major Star Group’s 16-year-old equal joint venture with sports broadcaster ESPN is being dissolved with Star buying out ESPN’s stake in the JV, three people familiar with the development said.

     

    Once the transaction is complete, Rupert Murdoch-owned Star will become the owner of ESPN’s India business, the people said. Two of them said the companies were finalising details of the deal and an announcement was likely to be made shortly. They declined to disclose details.

     

    ESPN Software India, which operates ESPN Star Sports’ India operations, generates revenues of about Rs2,500 crore through channels that include Star Sports, ESPN and Star Cricket. ESPN Star Sports owns television broadcast rights for the ICC World Cup Cricket and T20 Champions League.

     

    ESPN’s Singapore office said they did not comment on speculation. A spokesperson for ESS said, “We do not comment on speculations and rumours. ESPN Star Sports continues to run the business as usual. Two partner companies frequently discuss business plans and both the companies, ESPN and News Corp, are proud of the success ESS has made since its inception, and the relationship it shares with fans and business partners. They extend complete assurance for delivering value to our partners as committed by ESS.”

     

    Star India Chief Executive Officer Uday Shankar did not respond to an email and text messages sent to his mobile.

     

    “Star wants a bigger play in the sports broadcasting space,” one of the people quoted earlier said.

     

    “Star’s recent Rs4,000-crore acquisition of the rights to Indian cricket from the Board of Control for Cricket in India, beating rival Sony, are indications of its ambitions in this space,” one of the people quoted earlier said.

     

    It is not yet clear how many of the 200 employees of ESPN, who work for the joint venture, would be retained by Star. An ESPN official, requesting not to be quoted, said employees were uncertain about their future after the deal.

     

    A deal between the two companies could potentially be a complex one as they have a bouquet of advertising deals and cross-sponsorships. But senior executives at two leading media-buying companies, who deal closely with both broadcasting networks, said they did not foresee any impact on advertising deals and sponsorships.

     

    ESPN, Star Sports and Star Cricket either sell airtime and sponsorship inventory independently or as bulk package deals, they said. An analyst from one of the big four audit firms said the battle for the rights to various cricket events will now be fought out between Star and Sony, with the latter holding the rights for Indian Premier League, the 20-overs cricket tournament. ESPN Star Sports was formed as a 50:50 JV between two of the world’s leading cable and satellite broadcasters – Walt Disney, the owner of ESPN, and Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation – in 1996 for Asia.

     

    It has offices in China, Hong Kong, India, Malaysia, Taiwan and Singapore, and employs more than 650 employees across the region. Star is fast changing gears in India. In the past two months, the broadcaster has launched its second Hindi movie channel under its new brand ‘OK’, called Movies OK. It recently exited its television news business and dissolved its JV with the ABP Group. It also purchased the broadcast rights to Indian cricket for around Rs4,000 crore.

     

    Star seems confident of making money from its cricketing ventures. Speaking to reporters a few days ago, Mr Shankar said the deal for cricket rights would not affect the JV with ESPN. However, the market has been abuzz with the latter’s exit. “Many permutations and combinations of the deal have been worked out, which has taken this long, but ESPN is now fully exiting,” said an official from a firm with knowledge of the deal.

     

    Source: The Economic Times
    Copyright © 2012, Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. All Rights Reserved

     

  • The on-ground division will also manage Pepsi T20 Football’s on-ground events in India

    ESPN STAR Sports launches ‘Event Management Group’

    By A Correspondent

     

    ESPN STAR Sports, Asia’s leading sports broadcaster, announced the launch of its on-ground division ‘Event Management Group’ (EMG) in India. The company also announced that PepsiCo India has signed on EMG to manage its mega football league Pepsi T20 Football’s on-ground events in India. As a part of the deal, ESPN STAR Sports is producing and showcasing the Pepsi T20 Football tournament in a special 8-episode series. EMG is also managing the School Quiz 2012, where it has roped in HDFC Life as the title sponsor. While the on-ground initiatives around HDFC Life School Quiz 2012 have already started, on-air telecast of the Quiz begin on June 01.

     

    The Event Management Group (EMG) will manage and promote premier sporting events around Asia. EMG specializes in creating, managing, promoting, consulting, producing and syndicating leading sporting events such as the KIA X Games Asia, KL World 5s and Guinness 9-Ball Tour. With over 1000 events in 11 countries, all events organised by EMG enjoy unrivalled regional broadcast across Asia through the ESPN and STAR Sports channels.

     

    Speaking on the occasion, Sanjay Kailash, Executive Vice President, ESPN Software India Pvt Ltd, said: “Our Event Management Group has firmly established itself across Asia Pacific with world class products designed to engage and entertain sports fans. It offers an exciting business opportunity in the India market as well. We can bring our deep international experience into play; create tailor made events and offer interesting and innovative marketing solutions using multiple platforms of ESPN STAR Sports. I am sure corporates will see lot of value in what EMG has to offer.”

     

    ESPN STAR Sports is a 50:50 joint venture between two of the world’s leading cable and satellite broadcasters. As Asia’s definitive and complete sports broadcaster and content provider, ESPN STAR Sports combines the strengths and resources of its ultimate parent companies – Walt Disney (ESPN, Inc.) and News Corporation Limited (STAR) – to deliver a diverse array of international and regional sports to viewers via its encrypted pay-TV services.

     

  • US-based Walt Disney will launch an offer for delisting shares of media and entertainment firm, UTV Software Communications, from Indian bourses on January 16, 2012.

    Disney to launch delisting offer for UTV Software on Jan 16

    By A Correspondent

     

    US-based Walt Disney will launch an offer for delisting shares of media and entertainment firm, UTV Software Communications, from Indian bourses on January 16, 2012.

     

    Walt Disney plans to delist about 1.22 crore shares, representing 29.96 per cent of UTV Software’s equity, and the offer price for the shareholders has been fixed between Rs835.03-1,000 a share, Walt Disney stated in an advertisement published on Wednesday.

     

    The offer opens on January 16 and will close on January 20. Walt Disney currently holds an over 50 per cent stake in UTV Software.

     

    In July this year, Walt Disney Co. had offered to buy out stakes held by public shareholders and other promoters of the company. The proposal, expected to result in FDI inflows of about Rs8,250 crore, has also been approved by the government.

     

    Post-delisting, Walt Disney is likely to hold an 80.25 per cent stake in the company, if it successfully acquires the shares of all public stakeholders, while the remaining equity would be held by RS Group.

     

    However, assuming that Disney acquires the shares of UTV Software’s other promoter as well, pursuant to a share-purchase agreement, Disney will secure a 100 per cent stake in the company.

     

  • The FIPB approves a proposal from Burda Gesellschaft mit BeschrAnkter Haftung to set up a wholly owned subsidiary

    Disney needs to wait a li’l more for FIPB nod

    By A Correspondent

    The Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) of the Ministry of Finance, the Government of India has approved 12 Proposals of Foreign Direct Investment amounting to Rs 242.88 crore approximately. However, it has deferred its decision on the much-hyped offer by Walt Disney to buy the promoter’s stake in UTV.

     

    The proposal by Walt Disney Company (Southeast Asia) Asia Pte Ltd was to increase foreign shareholding from 48.02 percent to up to 100 percent to carry out the business of film distribution, content development and distribution, animation productions, and through downstream to undertake broadcasting business, by uplinking one or more general entertainment (not being news and current affairs) channel, in addition to the existing activities.

     

    It may be noted that the deferring of the decision only indicates that they matter has been put off to the next FIPB meeting which is scheduled for September 30, 2011.

     

    Some of the other proposals that have been deferred include Cellcast Interactive India’s proposal of

    setting up of three non-news and current affairs Television channels in Hindi, Tamil and

    Telugu in India. 9X Media Pvt. Ltd has requested to increase foreign equity participation from 80% to up to 100% and also to make downstream investments up to 100 %. Decision on this too has been deferred.

     

    Mr Atul Phadnis’s What’s On India Media Pvt. Ltd also has to wait before it gets an approval on the induction of foreign equity by way of issue and allotment of compulsorily convertible participating preference shares to carry out the business of TV channel license for uplinking a non-news and current affairs TV channel.

     

    Meanwhile, FIPB approved Burda Gesellschaft mit BeschrAnkter Haftung, Germany’s proposal to set up a wholly owned subsidiary to engage in the business of publication of magazines/ periodicals/ journals focussing on lifestyle, entertainment, fashion, interior design/ decoration, cars and computer. The proposal approved of publishing Indian editions of foreign titles and also editions of Indian titles besides custom publishing for third party and events and matters related to publication of magazines/ periodicals/ journals and promotional activities.