MxMIndia

Tag: Wavemaker

  • To allow end-to-end planning for fragmented target audiences

    Wavemaker rolls out AI-powered platform Maximize

    By Our Staff

     

    Wavemaker has completed the global roll-out of a new AI-powered media planning platform, Maximize, that allows planners to create media plans to reach multiple audiences and optimise media investments in just a matter of minutes.

    Said Toby Jenner, Global CEO of Wavemaker: “Maximize addresses one of the industry’s longest standing frustrations – that all media plans look the same. Pre-loaded with strong data sources and packed with AI, Maximize produces media plans at incredible speed and has the brainpower to create market-beating growth plans for our clients. It is already delivering results, producing media plans that are on average 30% more effective for clients and in pitches, helping us reach the ranking of most successful media agency in the COMvergence new business barometer for Q1-Q3 2020.”

    Added Stephan Bruneau, Global Head of Product at Wavemaker: “Creating media plans has become challenging due to the increased number of audience segments that need to be included in a campaign. Some can overlap significantly, with people belonging to multiple audience segments at risk of being ‘over exposed’ to ads and creating an unnecessary waste of money for clients. Maximize uses techniques and technology rarely used in the marketing industry and is effectively the only way to solve the audience fragmentation problem.”

    Said Stephan Pretorius, Global Chief Technology Officer at WPP: “AI has extended its sphere of influence to many aspects of marketing, but until now not in media planning.  Wavemaker’s exciting new AI-powered planning platform Maximize is set to transform the way its teams work and empower its planners to produce the most effective and efficient media plans yet for clients in an increasingly complex and fragmented media landscape.”

     

     

  • Wavemaker India has been the media AOR for Zydus Wellness since 2013 and bagged the consolidated mandate following a multi-agency pitch

    Zydus Wellness consolidates media mandate with Wavemaker

    By Our Staff

     

    Wavemaker India has announced that Zydus Wellness which includes the consumer wellness brands of Heinz India, has consolidated its media duties with it. Wavemaker India has been the media AOR for Zydus Wellness since 2013 and bagged the consolidated mandate following a multi-agency pitch.

     

    Said Tarun Arora, Chief Executive Officer at Zydus Wellness: “We are happy to have Wavemaker on board as our media partner again. 2021 is going to be an exciting year of growth and transformation for our brands and we are confident about the level of expertise, market understanding and integrated solutions they will bring to the table in driving this next phase. We’ve had a long-standing relationship with Wavemaker and are looking forward to continuing this partnership moving forward”.

     

    Added Ajay Gupte, CEO – South Asia, Wavemaker: “I am extremely grateful to Zydus Wellness for renewing our partnership once again. We are excited to be a part of their growth journey focussing on product diversification and expansion. With our deep consumer insights along with digital and e-commerce, I am sure we will unlock newer growth levers for Zydus Wellness”.

     

    Said Shekhar Banerjee, Chief Client Officer & Head – West, Wavemaker India: “We are proud to work on Zydus Wellness brands for over 7 years and our partnership has only become stronger with time. This is a proof of our good work, passion and readiness for future. We thank them for trusting us with the new brands in their portfolio.”

     

     

  • The GroupM agency has bags integrated media mandate for the brand

    Wavemaker retains media duties of Perfetti Van Melle

    By A Correspondent

     

    Wavemaker India has announced that it has retained media duties for Perfetti Van Melle. The GroupM agency has also been entrusted with integrated media duties for Perfetti Van Melle India.

     

    Wavemaker India has been Perfetti’s media agency on records since 2006 in India. The multi-agency pitch saw participation from other leading agencies. The account will continue to be handled out of Gurugram office.

     

    Commenting on the association, Rohit Kapoor, Director Marketing,Perfetti Van Melle India said: “Wavemaker team has been a trusted partner for nearly 14 years now and we are delighted that our partnership will start its third innings after a well-contested integrated media pitch process. Wavemaker has over the years played a significant role in our success and we hope this innings will be an equally good one for both of us.”

     

    Speaking on the retention, Ajay Gupte, CEO – South Asia, Wavemaker added: “We are extremely thrilled to renew our relationship with Perfetti Van Melle. It is a matter of great pride to win additional mandate of integrated media and continue the traditional media mandate. I am confident with our new operating system, newer models in analytics, e-commerce and media we will be able to unlock growth and drive further efficiency to the brand”.

     

    In addition, Wavemaker has been appointed by the sweets giant to handle the account in other main markets US, China, Netherlands – as well as in the UK, MENA, Belgium, Turkey and Indonesia – after a series of local pitches held throughout 2020. Wavemaker now handles 85% of Perfetti Van Melle’s global media spend.

     

     

  • He will be responsible for driving monetisation at ShareChat, leading its marketing efforts and spearheading content partnerships to drive revenues

    Ajit Varghese joins ShareChat as Chief Commercial Officer

    By A Correspondent

     

    ShareChat, the social media platform in Indic languages, has announced the appointment of Ajit Varghese as its Chief Commercial Officer.

     

    Prior to joining ShareChat, Varghese was Global President at GroupM;s Wavemaker and worked with industry giants like  Vodafone, L’Oreal, Huawei, IKEA, Paramount Pictures, Chanel, Xerox, Netflix, Chevron, Beiersdorf, and Tiffany.

     

    Known to be an exceedingly passionate leader, at ShareChat, Varghese will expandi and  strengthen the platform’s revenue efforts, and building a robust monetisation approach with strategic content partnership. He will also spearhead its marketing functions, to be inclined towards brand elevation, aligned with business centricity. He will be reporting into Farid Ahsan, COO and Co-founder at ShareChat.

     

    Welcoming  Varghese,  Ahsan said: “Brand marketing and monetisation is going to be the core focus of ShareChat and we will direct our efforts towards elevating the brand positioning through strategic communications approach. Ajit, with his leadership capabilities and expert knowledge of the media, marketing and advertising domain, will play a critical role in further building brand awareness, deepening relationships with our business stakeholders and driving ShareChat toward the next phase of growth. Having held many globally influential   roles across his 25+ years of experience, his expertise will help us build ShareChat for the future and it is a matter of great pride to have him on our leadership team.”

     

    Added Varghese: “Having previously worked and transformed several global organisations, it has always been a hidden desire to contribute towards transforming an Indian organisation to global repute. I believe ShareChat in the next few years will evolve as the default partner to every brand, homegrown and global, who intends to engage with the internet-first population. As the digital advertising landscape awaits the inclusion of over 400 million new internet users, mostly inclined towards native languages, ShareChat will stay at the forefront of unveiling a new digital era. This will be an exciting journey for me as I look forward towards contributing to ShareChat’s growth and building a win-win relationship with our community of users, partners and business stakeholders.”

     

    An alumnus of Xavier Institute of Management, Bhubaneswar, and a graduate in agriculture engineering from Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology, Varghese has worked across India, Singapore and London and in leadership in Wavemaker (WPP), Maxus (WPP) and  Madison World.

     

     

  • A series of Fridays will celebrate the fun-side of business and people

    Ad Club Bangalore announces Big Bang Utsav 2020, Arvind Kumar Memorial Award

    By A Correspondent

     

    The Ad Club Bangalore is putting together a series of programmes  to engage with the advertising, media and marketing fraternity this festive season.

     

    The three-week series starts on Dec 4 and will be held on Friday evenings through December. It will feature events like Open Mic Comedy, a fun quiz, Singing with a Twist and many other fun activities that make it mandatory for the participant to leave their home-office for a while and just let their hair down.

     

    The BB Utsav is presented in partnership with Facebook and is open to all from the media, marketing and advertising community as long as they are members of The Ad Club Bangalore. The Club had recently announced that membership benefits for all who enrolled from June 2020 will be valid for a two-year a period through June 2022.

     

    Speaking on the BB Utsav, Laeeq Ali, President of The Ad Club Bangalore and Co-Founder – Origami Creative said: “We want to celebrate Big Bang differently this year. Considering the overall pandemic situation as well as the stress which the industry is going through, we have decided to call off the regular Big Bang Awards and the whole focus starting with Big Bang Utsav will be to celebrate as well as elevate the people. While the Big Bang Utsav is purely focused on fun and building the camaraderie within the advertising, media and marketing fraternity at large, we also plan to roll out a series of upskilling initiatives which will help the fraternity starting early next year.”

     

    Added Kishankumar Shyamalan, Head of the Big Bang Utsav 2020 and Chief Growth Officer – Wavemaker: “It is a very stressed environment out there currently and we wanted this program to come like a breath of fresh air. We have a series of programmes spread over three weeks which will not just be fun, but also a refreshing break. I urge the entire advertising, media and marketing community to come, encourage your team members to join us and make this event a very memorable one.”

     

    Along with the programmes, the Ad Club Bangalore is also inviting nominations for the Arvind Kumar Memorial Award for the most Enterprising Professional of the year in the age group of 25-40 years. Judged by an eminent jury, the winner will be announced on the last Friday of the series. Nominations are open from November 27, onwards and can be submitted on https://bigbangawards.com .

     

     

  • The Wavemaker CEO – South Asia speaks on the GroupM agency's three years in India, his journey at the helm, Gurugram v/s Mumbai, and the rivalry with sibling Mindshare

    MxM Live with Ajay Gupte

     

     

    By A Correspondent

     

    Wavemaker India celebrates its third anniversary on Monday, November 9, and we speak with Ajay Gupte, CEO – South Asia, Wavemaker, on the occasion.

     

    Gupte took charge in January 2020, and we know of the tumultuous times across the world after that. A coincidence of course. The marketing services business was badly hit given the events and advertising spends going south post that.

     

    But in this period, Wavemaker – part of WPP’s GroupM network – has managed to reinvent itself and forge ahead, says Gupte. There is a beefing up of the top deck. Some noteworthy work. And development of analytical tools that are now adopted within Wavemaker global framework.

     

    In a freewheeling interview with MxMIndia Founder and Editor-in-Chief Pradyuman Maheshwari, Ajay Gupte speaks on a cross-section of issues around the business, around Wavemaker, his settling back into the country, the job, Gurugram versus Mumbai, the rivalry with sibling Mindshare. And more.

     

    Watch. Enjoy. Like.

     

  • The report predicts that the IPL buzz volume of the digital track will grow from 37 mn in 2019 to 60 mn+ in 2020, writes Indrani Sen

    IPL 13 Rules. And how!

     

    By Indrani Sen

     

    Ever since IPL 13 began on September 19, 2020 with a massive 20 crore viewers on Star India Network and Disney + Hotstar, the tournament has been delivering high ratings on TV and OTT platforms.

     

    On the digital media front, IPL 13 is generating huge tractions over and above its coverage through Star India’s OTT platform Disney  + Hotstar. On October 30, 2020 Wavemaker published a press release on their mid-season report of “IPL Mesh 2020” covering matches from September 19 to October 24. Mesh is Wavemaker’s Realtime Data Intelligence tool which has integrated data from “multiple consumer touchpoints across Digital ecosystem ranging from Social Listening, Google Searches, Website visits, BARC, Video analytics in partnership with VIDOOLY, Interaction data points collected from Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube” to arrive at the observations and predictions shared in the report.

     

    The press release by Wavemaker contains a few charts and whets the appetite for the total report. The report predicts that the IPL buzz volume of the digital track will grow from 37 Mn in 2019 to 60 Mn + in 2020. During the first 36 days of the tournament, CSK was the driving force behind the interactions on social media. Now that CSK has failed to secure a place in the playoff matches, it will be interesting to watch if the buzz volume of the track gets affected. Similarly, it would be interesting to see who takes the place of M S Dhoni as wicketkeeper in the Leading Player Index Leader Board.

     

    In the Leaderboard ranking of most loved ads, Dream 11, Oppo and Tata Motors took the first three positions in desending order. IPL 13 has also seen a never before engagement in gamification of Cricket Fantasy League with the top five Fantasy League in September 2020 generating 30 million google searches and 90 Million web traffic. Based on historical data, the report claims that there will be huge surge both in TVP and social buzz during the next two weeks which will counter the drop in the social media buzz over during the last few weeks as shown in the chart above.

     

    While the Wavemaker’s report reconfirms the accelerated growth of the digital media intractions in India, in traditional TV media also IPL 13 continues to deliver high ratings to the satisfaction of the advertisers who have invested their advertising rupee in cricket. A fortnight back on October 15, TAM released “IPL 13 Advertising Report 1” based on their ADEX data covering the period from September 19 to October 10 (25 natches).  The report has shown an 8% growth registered in average ad volumes from IPL 12 to IPL 13 during the same time span/ number of matches. 5 out of the top 10 categories have been from E-commerce with 35% share of IPL 13 advertising volume and Oppo India’s commercial made it to the top position quite fast during IPL 13 compared to 2nd position in IPL 12.

     

    The most interesting fact which has emerged from this Advertising Report is the participation of new categories and brands in IPL 13. According to the TAM Adex report 30+ new categories and 150+ new brands advertised during IPL 13 compared to IPL 12. It remains to be seen how the advertising frenzy builds up further during the last two weeks of IPL 13, strategically scheduled during the pre-Diwali season in this pandemic hit year.

     

  • The account will be handled by Madison Media Plus out of Delhi

    Madison Media bags RSPL’s TV biz

    By A Correspondent

     

    Madison Media has announce that RSPL Group, the makers of Ghadi detergent, amongst other brands, has moved its TV business to the agency. This part of the TV business was previously handled by Wavemaker, a GroupM company. The account will be handled by Madison Media Plus out of Delhi.

     

    Said Vikram Sakhuja, Partner & Group CEO, Madison Media & OOH: “Ghadi has been an inspiring Local Brand story that has grown only stronger as MNC brands have entered the market. It is a proud moment for Madison to partner with RSPL.” Added Rajul Kulshreshtha, CEO, Madison Media Plus: “We’re happy to have won the account of RSPL Group, a win that has emerged before the festive season begins. We look forward to a great association.”

     

     

  • … for Cadbury Dairy Milk Silk’s ‘I Missed You’ campaign

    Wavemaker collaborates with Indie star Jasleen Royal

    By A Correspondent

     

    Cadbury Dairy Milk Silk has collaborated with singer Jasleen Royal as she launches her much awaited music video Sang Rahiyo, for its Heart Pop ‘I Missed You’ campaign.

     

    Commenting on the collaboration, Karthik Nagarajan, Chief Content Officer, of Wavemaker India said: “We wanted to build an association that would capture the essence of #HowFarWillYouGoForLove messaging seamlessly. Over the years, Cadbury Dairy Milk Silk has been an integral part of expressing love and has evolved to a symbol of love. Known for her soul stirring love songs, Jasleen Royal came across as the ideal choice to bring alive the brand’s messaging”.

     

     

  • … this Ganesh Chaturthi with ‘Iss Saal Har Ghar Pandal’ campaign

    Gemini Sunflower looks to spread festive cheer…

    By A Correspondent

     

    With Ganesh Chaturthi coming up, Gemini® Sunflower Oil, the flagship brand of Cargill’s oils business in India, is celebrating the ‘Iss Saal har Ghar Pandal’ campaign.

     

    Speaking on the campaign Subin Sivan, Marketing Head, Cargill’s oils business in India said, “Ganapati is one of the most popular festivals in Maharashtra. As a brand that is rooted in Maharashtrian culture, Gemini has integrated itself with the Ganapati festival over the years. While a lot has changed this year due to the pandemic, we believe the festive cheer and energy during Ganesh Chaturthi should not change. Our campaign ‘Iss Saal Har Ghar Pandal’ encourages our consumers to celebrate the festival at home keeping the original festive spirit intact.”

     

    Said Karthik Nagarajan, Chief Content Officer, Wavemaker: “Ganesh Chaturthi is an indelible part of Maharashtrian culture and as the pandemic threatens the festivities this year, Gemini wanted to reassure its audience that the real spirit of the festival is safe in our hearts and homes. Hence, we came up with the idea of ‘Iss Saal Har Ghar Pandal’, which captures the current sentiments of the region beautifully. The film is a great testament to the spirit of Ganesh Chaturti, which is more than a religious festival in the region and also the long-standing cultural linkage of the brand to this market. We are deeply thankful to our wonderful client who inspired us to deliver this emotional film”

     

     

  • It targets children who are exposed to multiple screens and gadgets

    Titan Eyeplus & the right ‘Blue for Kids’

    By A Correspondent

     

    Titan Eyeplus has unveiled a campaign that addresses the Blue Light and its impact on the children who are exposed to multiple screens and gadgets.

     

    Said Shalini Gupta, Marketing Head Eyewear Division, Titan Company Ltd. “Children are already spending far more time than recommended with screens. It is increasingly becoming evident that gadgets have become an indispensable part of kid’s routine, from learning to entertainment, impacting the overall eye health. The impact of Blue Light emitted from the screens of various gadgets has been an increasing concern resulting in eye-strain, blurring of vision, dry eyes and headache. With this campaign we wanted to address this burning issue. The campaign takes a solution oriented approach to the problem with a vision to equip the parents with information and advice that is crucial for the new normal.”

     

    Said a spokesperson from Wavemaker: Since the lockdown, school kids and the college going youth have been subjected to multiple hours of screen time, sometime even at a stretch. Parental woes have been a discussion point on social who’ve been watching their children spend a number of additional hours on their gadgets since this pandemic lockdown. We wanted to best use this unforeseen opportunity and help these kids and their parents (the decision makers) with the “Blue for Kids” campaign targeted the school going populous as well as the youth who are now receiving general education online for extended hours, in the effort to impart the knowledge that harmful blue light from gadget screens can cause strain and can be avoided with simple ready-to-use computer glasses (without power) or custom powered Blue Filter Lenses by Titan. Since we were talking to and about kids, this film hinged on the perspective of a child and his/her life in terms of gadget use and screen time. In making known the new gadget-inclined schedules of children, we passed on a message to their parents subtly.”

     

     

  • Wavemaker India will manage offline and online media for Chumbak

    Wavemaker magnet pulls Chumbak

    By A Correspondent

     

    Pardon the play on words in the headline, but with a name like Chumbak we were waiting for this opportunity. So Wavemaker India has announced it has bagge the media mandate for lifestyle brand, Chumbak. Wavemaker India will manage offline and online media for Chumbak.

     

    Commenting on the appointment, Shazia Zafar, Head of Marketing, Chumbak Design Pvt. Ltd. said: “Ten years ago, Chumbak changed the retail landscape in India by introducing India inspired, well designed products that encouraged self-expression. Today, it moves from strength to strength to build a global design-led lifestyle brand that uplifts its creative, confident and encouraging community. The team at Wavemaker mirror our vision for the brand, making them the perfect partner for us. We are confident that Wavemaker, with their global experience and expertise, will contribute significantly to our journey and we’re excited to have them on board”.

     

    Speaking on the win, Ajay Gupte, CEO – South Asia, Wavemaker said: “Chumbak is one of the most loved lifestyle brands in India and we are thrilled to partner with them. We believe there is a huge potential to unlock and we are excited to get this opportunity to combine our expertise on creativity, data and technology to drive the growth story for Chumbak.”

     

    Added Kishan Kumar M S, Vice President, Wavemaker India: “Chumbak is a truly Indian disruptor brand redefining lifestyle retail known for great design sensibilities, omni-channel presence, galloping distribution, fun personality and great customer feedback. I always believe that working with such disruptor brands makes us push our own boundaries and thereby becoming better with collaboration. Chumbak personifies innovation & creativity and that is also the Wavemaker DNA. The team is extremely happy to partner with Chumbak in this exciting and critical phase of their journey. Our job is to positively provoke Chumbak to growth using our expertise in media, content & technology. The future looks exciting for both of us!”