MxMIndia

Tag: Yahoo India

  • App offers scores in seven regional Indian languages; available in six new countries

    Yahoo Cricket revamps offering to reach out to wider audience set

    By A Correspondent

     

    The Yahoo Cricket app, refreshed in October 2017, has launched new feature upgrades just in time for the T20 action. Alongside fast scores and updated match info, cricket fans can dive deep into player profiles and rankings and other features. In less than four months of the refresh, the Yahoo Cricket app touched 1.5 million downloads on Android.

     

    The app also offers scores in seven different regional languages including Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Marathi, Bengali and Malayalam. The Yahoo Cricket app is also available in six new countries on Android only, including South Africa, UAE, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, Pakistan and Bangladesh.

     

    Commenting on Yahoo Cricket’s line-up, Gurmit Singh, VP & MD, Yahoo India, said: “We wanted to make this cricketing season memorable for our users. Indians love their smartphones, and cricket even more! We will keep them connected to every second of the action, on the go. Since the excitement extends beyond the stadium, we wanted to step up the fun there too. The Yahoo Cricket anthem, which will air in partnership with BIG FM, perfectly captures the spirit of the game and what it represents for millions of cricket fans.”

     

    Adde Manish Karnatak, Head, Thwink Big added, “The Yahoo team has taken an interesting creative route for the anthem which perfectly matches with the sensibilities of not just cricket enthusiasts but everyone who is upbeat about music. We at BIG FM too are enhancing the buzz around the cricket season with the launch of India’s first ever radio and digital web series ‘Duck Se Dude’. At the back of this, partnering with Yahoo to play their anthem on our platform establishes a stronger connect thereby delivering it to a larger set of audience through our strong network. We look forward to having more such meaningful and impactful associations.”

     

     

  • Helps brands and agencies to produce and distribute content that drives engagement

    Yahoo expands Content Marketing offerings in India

    By A Correspondent

     

    Yahoo India has announced the launch of Yahoo Storytellers, a content marketing solution for brands and agencies that leverages Yahoo’s editorial expertise, extensive data, and native advertising through Yahoo Gemini. Now marketers in India can leverage Yahoo Storytellers to successfully develop, distribute and measure premium branded content that meets consumers’ high expectations and drives engagement.

     

    “A successful content marketing campaign equates to how well you understand your consumers. With Yahoo Storytellers, we’re offering a better way for brands to create powerful content that’s informed by data and engages the right audience,” said Gurmit Singh, Vice President and Managing Director, Yahoo India. He added, “The promise of using data to make content marketing effective is hyper-personalisation at work, making sure that content is valuable to both brands and users.”

     

    In India, Yahoo has partnered with multiple brands to help them create successful campaigns, including Accenture, Amazon, Madhya Pradesh Tourism and Tourism Australia among others.

     

  • The new homepage attempts to power one's daily habits offering the most accessed features upfront

    Yahoo launches new homepage in India

    By A Correspondent

     

    Yahoo India has unveiled a brand new homepage delivering what it says is a “beautiful, modern, intuitive and personal experience”, available across smartphones, tablets and PCs. The new Yahoo Homepage, launched in 6 countries including Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam and India, makes it easier users to discover all the content they care about – right here on one page from any device of their choice, as per a communiqué.

     

    The navigation has been made simpler with an option of browsing top stories, checking mail, keeping tabs on stocks, checking one’s photos and the weather… all on the homepage.

     

  • Mr Singh takes on the position left vacant after Arun Tadanki quit Yahoo last year

    Gurmit Singh quits Forbes India as CEO to join Yahoo as India MD

    By A Correspondent

     

    Gurmit Singh

    The announcement was made WPP’s Stream digital unconference being held in Jaipur. Former CEO of Forbes India Gurmit Singh will be the new Managing Director for Yahoo India. As MD, Mr Singh will oversee the internet giant’s business in the country and responsible for its growth. He will report to Yvonne Chang, VP & Head of India and South East Asia at Yahoo. The position of MD at Yahoo India was vacant since Arun Tadanki resigned last year.

     

    With over 20 years of experience, Mr Singh brings with him a deep understanding of the M&E sector in India..

     

    Commenting on the appointment, Yvonne Chang, VP & Head of India and South East Asia, Yahoo said, “Gurmit comes to Yahoo with a strong track record of delivering growth. His understanding of users and advertisers will be a great asset for Yahoo as we bring a number of product innovations to India. Yahoo is a loved brand in India, and we are very happy to have a leader of Gurmit’s caliber leading the team.”

     

    Mr Singh, who starts his assignment with Yahoo today, said “An Internet industry pioneer, Yahoo is now at a very exciting point in its journey. It truly reflects the energy and spirit of the world’s largest startup. Working together with an extraordinary team in India and colleagues across the world, I am looking forward to unlocking the full potential of Yahoo products and services in India.”

     

    During his career Gurmit has held leadership roles across Consumer Products, Music & Entertainment and Media sectors, working for companies such as Sony Music, Hindustan Times, India Today Group, Rajshri Media, Marico Industries and most recently at Network 18 where he worked until yesterday.

     

    Although there is no official statement from Network18 on who will replace Mr Singh, it is rumoured that Anil Unyal, COO – Network18 Media and Head TV18 Media Operations will hold additional charge of the magazine.

     

  • Yahoo's Big Idea Chair Awards India 2013 has marketing boss Nitin Mathur on the jury panel. We think it's a cause of concern given doubts being raised on a possible conflict for the coveted awards

    Not a good idea. Yahoo’s Nitin Mathur on Big Idea Chair Awards India 2013 jury

    By A Correspondent

     

    Yahoo! India announced the jury for the 2013 edition of the much-awaited Yahoo Big Idea Chair Awards, and we aren’t too happy about the composition. While it is the web company’s prerogative on who should constitute the jury, we don’t think it’s a wise decision to have its own marketing head being part of the judging process. As per the names sent to MxMIndia, we found a mention of Nitin Mathur, Senior Director Marketing – India and South East Asia at Yahoo occupying pride of place, albeit at the end of the list.

     

    While we do not question the credibility of Mr Mathur, who is a seasoned marketing professional having worked with Yahoo since 2007 and earlier with Sapient, Times Internet, Indiainfo.com and Sahara India, the presence of the organiser which is also a media vehicle brings in questions of a possible bias creeping in. Potential winners of the Big Idea Chair award may also be advertisers of the Yahoo platform and therein lies the conflict.

     

    The Big Idea Chair is a coveted initiative from Yahoo that recognizes the power of creativity, innovation and imagination within the online advertising community, notes a communiqué. The awards, which were brought to India in 2005, would earlier be part of the Advertising Club’s Effies Awards. From 2010, they have been held independently.

     

    Other than Mr Mathur, the entries will be judged by a panel including well-known names from the world of advertising and marketing:

    > Aman Malhotra, Head Digital Marketing – Mobile Business, Samsung India Electronics Ltd

    > Archna Vyas, RM – Media and Corporate Communications, SEA, Reckitt Benckiser

    > Anita Varma, Director, Digital Driftwood Pvt. Ltd

    > Atit Mehta, Media Services Manager, Hindustan Unilever Limited

    > Karl Gomes, Chief Fanatic, Fanatics

    > Kartik Iyer, Co-founder & CEO, Happy Creative Services

    > Manu Jain, Co-founder and Managing Director, Jabong.com

    > Nikhil Rungta, Chief Business Officer, Yebhi.com

    > Praveen Gupta, Head – Digital Business, Tata Docomo

    > Ranajit Ghosh, Head of Media,PR , Digital operation and Brand Essenza Di Wills, ITC Personal Care

     

    The winners of the Yahoo Big Idea Chair Awards India will be announced sometime this month. For more information on Big Idea Chair, check www.bigideachair.in

     

     

  • The fourth edition of the digital advertising and planning awards in India are now open for submissions

    In Google & Facebook-dominated world, Yahoo invites entries for Big Idea Chair Awards India 2013

    By A Correspondent

     

    A few years back when this correspondent was invited with some media maharathis to an event organized by a premier Ahmedabad-based management institute (not the IIM), the large student crowd expressed its unfamiliarity with the Yahoo! brandname to a senior functionary from the internet giant. Evidently, to a generation for whom Google, Microsoft, Facebook and Twitter are the most visible digital brands, Yahoo’s name belongs to sepia-tinted history books.

     

    Sad because Yahoo and Yahoo India in particular have done some pioneering work in the business ever since they announced their entry to the country with a mother-of-all-parties at Mumbai’s Taj Mahal Hotel over a decade back.

     

    Yahoo! is of course still relevant in the Indian digital media scenario, and it ensures it stays there by hosting the fourth edition of the Yahoo Big Idea Chair awards by inviting advertising and media agencies in India to showcase their best work in digital. Spread over nine categories, the call for entries will be open till November 25, 2013.

     

    Interested teams can now register for free at www.bigideachair.in. The winners will be announced next month (Dec 2013)

     

    Announcing the Yahoo Big Idea Chair call-for-entries, Nitin Mathur, the normally out-of-bounds Senior Director & Head of Marketing, India and South-East Asia, Yahoo, said:  “India is seeing some amazing creativity in digital advertising, helping brands integrate more meaningfully into consumers’ everyday lives.  Yahoo Big Idea Chair Awards honours individuals and agencies who are pushing the boundaries on digital in their search for the next big idea with the highest impact.”

     

    Last year, as many as 376 entries were received, with over 100 brands and 57 agencies participating in the Yahoo Big Idea Chair awards, noted a communique, adding: Acknowledging the increasing importance of content marketing in brands’ digital marketing strategies, Yahoo has added a brand new category of Best Content Marketing, to the existing stack of awards. Advertising and media agencies can now submit their exceptional creative and innovative ideas across 9 award categories including:

     

    Best Use of Display Advertising to recognize the most creative and innovative use of display advertising.

     

    1. Best Online Video Advertising for excellent work on video ads or video series created for digital

     

    2. Best Use of Social Media for the most innovative use of social media for brand advertising

     

    3. Best Use of Technology recognizing innovative use of technology for digital advertising on the Internet or mobile (includes technological innovations such Augmented Reality, applications, blufi, other tools).

     

    4. Best Use of Mobile Advertising to recognize campaigns that use mobile as a medium for to effectively communicate the brand message and engage consumers

     

    5. Best Use of Search – to recognize creative and innovative use of search advertising in a brand campaign

     

    6. Digital 360 degree Award -This award recognizes campaigns that strategically used digital as the core medium and implemented all digital channels including display, search, social, mobile.

     

    7. Best Content Marketing Award to recognize campaigns that strategically use content to ensure targeted message delivery and high levels of consumer engagement

     

    8. Yahoo Big Idea Chair Award flagship award to recognize fantastic digital campaigns which combine ideas, content, execution and real innovation to deliver with impact

     

    The entries will be judged by a panel of eminent industry leaders and professionals drawn from diverse sectors, including marketing, advertising and media planning. The jury panel will be announced soon.

     

    Now if only the digital generation would do a Yahoo! for Yahoo after all of this.

     

  • Every mid-week, Ranjona Banerji writes about a grouse… either spewing venom or tongue-in-cheek. Or both 🙂

    Ranjona Banerji: Getting a bum deal from Yahoo India

    Ranjona Banerji

    By Ranjona Banerji

     

    Last month, I dumped my Reliance internet connection (dip in connectivity and more importantly, rude service) and opted for Tata Photon. But my grouse is not with either of them. It is with Yahoo India. The Tata Photon opens with a Yahoo India page (I can’t shut it down too quickly because then Mozilla Firefox won’t reload and I can’t go back to Google Chrome because it slows down my machine and particularly did not like this website… so who said the internet was all plain sailing!).

     

    The page is dominated by Bollywood nonsense (celebrities who married young, star break ups that hurt us more than it hurt them) and then a sprinkling of political news in the next segment and only cricket news in the next.

     

    I am now inured to the stranglehold which Bollywood has on our lives. But I still question a news source which can look no further than the lowest common denominator. I also don’t quite know if the average internet user in India wants only Bollywood and cricket and nothing else. Has Tata Photon done any such research about its average user?

     

    Out of curiosity and since the damn page was open, on Tuesday evening I ventured further into the Yahoo India page and decided to see how it treated other news. In the sports category, there were only cricket, tennis and football, in that order. I went to tennis since that’s my area of interest. There was a story about Maria Sharapova, nothing at all about Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic’s French Open battle and Nadal’s historic seventh French Open title.

     

    Instead I see a story about how reality TV star, Kim Kardashian, “flashed her bums” during some family tennis match. I went no further into the story, credited to ANI, but it is wrong on so many levels. For one, the English. It is not “flashed her bums”. Bums when it applies to the buttocks is a singular entity, like bottom. Unless Kardashian has cultivated a collection of homeless drunks which she brought along to a family tennis match.

     

    But more than the grammar, it is the intent which is offensive. I understand that sex is a human impulse which beats all others (well…). But why should this daft little story find itself in a sports section of a well-known website? Is there any connection with tennis at all? If I wanted to fulfil my baser instincts on the internet there are enough explicit sites for my guilty pleasures. Yahoo India is not the preferred choice for anyone, unless that it is intention? The Yahoo.com website has an excellent, up to the minute and comprehensive sports section. Is Yahoo India so far away from there?