Thursday 11 February 2016

Nitin Alawadhi appointed as National Head, Sales at Live Viacom18


Speaking about the appointment, Jaideep Singh Sr. Vice President and Business Head- Live Viacom18 said, “Nitin’s experience in successfully driving revenues for the Integrated Brand Communications and Experiential marketing platform will add a great value to the LIVE division at Viacom18. The experience and calibre is apt to be leading a dynamic and ever aggressive brand like ours that is always in a transition for better compliance with market needs.”
Alawadhi joins Live Viacom18 from Bennett, Coleman & Co Ltd. (BCCL) where he spearheaded the Integrated Brand Communications and Experiential marketing divisions. With dual management degrees in Marketing and International Trade Management from CMD and NMIMS, Nitin, in his career spanning close to two decades has worked in designing brand campaign, media planning, building statutory audit/ legal frameworks and strategic alliances.
Commenting on his appointment, Alawadhi said, “Live Viacom18 is an iconic brand that works towards simulating marketing led initiatives with entertainment brands of the organization, producing strong IPs in Awards, Music and Kids’ space. I am truly excited to be a part of this wave that has the potential to change the DNA of brands. I hope my experience helps creating an upsurge in the Live business and provide unrivalled value to associating brands for strong and lasting partnerships”.
Source: IndianMediaBook - Media

Ad Pick of the Week: Decoding The International Fleet Review 2016 with Pulak Bhattacharya


This week, instead of asking of any favourite ad film to any creative person, IndianMediaBook decided to unfold the story behind this campaign. Here Pulak Bhattacharya, AVP- Client Servicing, shares his experience of this campaign.
What was the idea behind this campaign?
The International Fleet Review is a long-standing naval tradition. Hosting it is a matter of honour and immense pride. This year with the Indian Navy hosting this global maritime event, the campaign to promote it, gave us a chance to highlight the many facets that make the Indian Navy, the apt host. Facets of an indomitable force that many consider to be just a silent guardian of our naval frontiers. The campaign showcases the strength behind the perceived silence.
What was the brief given to you?
The brief was simple. Excite the domestic and international audience about the IFR event and the significance of the Indian Navy as the host nation. The International Fleet Review 2016 is that global platform which will unveil Indian Navy’s strength behind the silence.
Please shed the light on key features and highlights of the campaign?
Though the brief was to communicate the IFR event, we tried doing that by showcasing different facets of Indian Navy i.e. MARCOS (Marine Commandos), Submarine, Aircraft Carrier VKD.
A campaign was built around the theme “United Through Oceans”. The highlight was to bring out the significance of India & the Indian Navy as the host nation serving 50+ countries.
In how many markets campaign will be promoted? Please share your digital mix.
Communication was Pan India, but largely focusing at Vizag because it was the hosting city for IFR event.
In how many phases campaign will be executed?
The Campaign was primarily divided into 2 phases.
1st phase of communication was to announce the launch of IFR by the CNS (Chief of Naval Staff) through a Press conference, followed by OOH and print communications.
2nd phase was showcasing different facets of Indian Navy i.e. MARCOS (Marine Commandos), Submarine, Aircraft Carrier VKD, through TVC, OOH, Print ads, Digital, Airport branding, Bus Shelters etc and the specific events which took place at IFR through Print ads, OOH, Bus shelters etc.
What are your expectations from this campaign? Please take us through your future plans. 
Expectations are positive and massive. Though it was specifically for promoting the IFR event but I am sure this campaign will motivate and encourage the younger generation to look at Indian Navy in a different light and gearing up to join the Indian Navy.
Source: IndianMediaBook - Media

Wednesday 10 February 2016

Start-up of the Week: Discover & book saloon via Stylofie


Speaking about the venture, Prateek Agarwal Co-Founder & CEO of Stylofie said, “We are all set for a tectonic shift in the beauty and wellness market. We are launching across Delhi NCR by end of this month and post that we will be raising our Series A funding. We have seen an unprecedented growth pattern in the last few months and we are aggressively looking to expand pan India. We have the 3 most important ingredients in place- the right team, a terrific technology platform and consumer appetite for our services. We are excited to have someone like Jaideep mentor us, as we embark on this long and exciting journey.”
The USP of Stylofie’s business is that they are one stop solution for beauty services needs of customers who use apps. They are able to discover premium and mass premium salons/spa around them, look at their complete rate cards, compare various outlets and see their genuine ratings. All this is coupled with option of booking the appointment right there, with Stylofie team managing the appointment for the customer. The icing on the cake is that the customers get discounts across the board on all services for these salons, right away.
Recently, Jaideep Mehta, MD- South Asia, IDC has invested an undisclosed amount in Stylofie and he will be joining Stylofie’s board of directors and will mentor the Stylofie management team.
Speaking on the investment Mehta said, “Stylofie is scripting an exciting story in the beauty and wellness space. They have a unique model where they are intrinsic partners of the Salon and Spas in the country and provide them with bookings and insights into their daily operations, with solid unit economics from day one.”
It has also acquired its competitor Hyve in Bangalore, thereby on-boarding 250 salons and a user base of more than 20,000 consumers.
Commenting on the development Saurav Co-Founder & CBO said, “We are delighted to have Jaideep join us as a mentor. He brings a lot of passion, critical thinking and deep intellectual depth to the board. His investment is an endorsement of Stylofie’s business model and growth prospects”.
For salons, it’s a win-win as well, as they get assured bookings, since the customer has already made the payment, leading to cancellation rate of less than 4 percent for Stylofie. On top of it, they send a significant amount of footfalls from their portal to these salons on weekdays, as compared to weekend, thus helping them to start solving the weekend rush issue.


“Our advanced algorithms leverage real time analytics to provide the best offers and dynamic pricing for the customer and also let us maximize revenue for the Salon partners. Hyve has given us a superior app platform and a foothold in the Bangalore market. We are right now integrating our best of breed features and soon we will be launching upgraded versions of the Android, IOS and website in the market”, concluded Balaji Co-Founder & CTO.
Source: IndianMediaBook - Media

Racold Thermo’s Turn Up The Heat campaign in association with Big FM

Speaking on the association, a spokesperson from Racold Thermo said, “Bonded with the same vision of contributing towards making a difference to the society, we have associated with 92.7 BIG FM for yet another initiative, the earlier one being the ‘Wake Up Bucket Challenge.’ Together with India’s No. 1 and the largest radio network, we aim to pay a tribute to the everyday unsung heroes of the society and bring a wave of change.”
In the coming two months of campaign, Big FM invites listeners across Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore to share the goodwill stories of everyday heroes. Through this campaign Big FM encourages listeners to share stories which highlight the way people are reborn to do good for the society. Every week one selected story will win a gift voucher from Racold Thermo and for every 5 stories shared, Racold Thermo will donate 1 water heater to the marginalized section of the society.
Commenting on the campaign, a spokesperson from Big FM said, “We are happy to partner with Racold Thermo for this campaign. We believe that this initiative will help us connect with our listeners in a more powerful manner and pave the way to honor everyday heroes who chose to take a step to make a difference. We look forward to a continuous and stronger association with Racold Thermo for many more such campaigns in the future.”


Turn up the Heat campaign will be promoted through a high decibel digital media campaign which will integrate Reliance Broadcast Network’s multimedia platforms including radio.
Source: IndianMediaBook - Media

BARC India set to be the single TV viewership data provider with effect from 29th February


Speaking on the development, Partho Dasgupta CEO BARC India said, “The Industry was eagerly waiting for this merger to be completed from the time we announced it in August last year. We are happy to state that the Joint Venture Company is complete and all set to kick-off operations,” said BARC India CEO Partho Dasgupta.
As a part of the new system, all TAM India meters will be re-deployed in panel homes selected by BARC India’s sample design. This JV will help BARC India in growing its sample size. In MDL, BARC India will have full management control with a 51 per cent stake, while TAM India – which includes Nielsen and Kantar – will have a 49 per cent stake.
Sharing his thoughts, LV Krishnan, CEO TAM Media Research said, “I am very happy to see that the JV has finally taken shape. What is even more heartening is that TAM India’s current 12,000 meters, which was built and constructed tirelessly over the last fifteen years will get combined to give BARC India a larger and robust TV panel sample base for the Industry. We will do our best in providing our expertise to MDL. Meanwhile, TAM India will continue focusing its efforts towards value adding the Industry through constant enhancements of its existing businesses.”
Up to this point, BARC India and TAM India, both have been generating and reporting TV Viewership data individually to the Industry. Now, with the completion of this JV, BARC India will be the single provider of TV Viewership data.
“We are happy to collaborate with BARC India. The coming together of BARC India and TAM India has only strengthened the Indian broadcast industry, as they will now be getting viewership trends from a larger panel size,” commented Prashant Singh, MD Nielsen.
MDL’s role will be to run and manage the meter operations and supplying raw data to BARC India. TV Viewership data will be computed and disseminated through BMW (BARC India Media Workstation). MDL will manage the panel households and will also be responsible for future TV panel expansions.
“We will work closely with BARC to ensure a good outcome for the industry and our joint clients. We have worked productively with BARC to get here and under the circumstances, have agreed a good way forward for everyone concerned”, added Eric Salama, CEO, Kantar.
The Spot Monitoring and Channel Monitoring data will be exclusively sold by BARC India to Broadcasters, Agencies, Advertisers and others.


Meanwhile, TAM India will continue providing to the market the following services: AdEx services of TV, Print & Radio AdEx, Daily & Weekly Sales Index Reports, Bollywood & Music Monitoring Dashboards; Audience Measurement in Radio (RAM); Sports Sponsorship ROI Measurement (TAM Sports) and PR Measurement data & Audit services (Eikona) to its valuable clients.
Source: IndianMediaBook - Media

[Ad Review] Maaza’s Laalach for Aam? Maaza hai naam featuring Varun Dhawan


According to Debabrata Mukherjee Vice President, Marketing & Commercial, Coca-Cola India, emotions are a great hook to connect with consumers. Mango is India’s favorite fruit and evokes emotions like no other.
Speaking about the new campaign, Mukherjee said, “The new Maaza campaign depicts incidents from everyday lives which every consumer will relate to. It shows how greed for mango can make people sometimes act out of character. While the greed for mango can divide even the closest of friends or relations, the delicious authentic mango taste of Maaza solves for this greed. So anytime you feel greedy for the delicious mango taste, reach out for the most authentic mango in a bottle – Maaza. Laalach for aam? Maaza hai naam.”
The campaign has been conceptualised by Leo Burnett and produced under the banner of Tubelight Films. The idea behind the new campaign is set to forge a deeper connect with the mango lovers through its trademark slapstick comedy format.
Laalach for Aam? Maaza hai naam
Directed by Prashant Issar, in this new ad film, Varun Dhawan will be seen in his maiden double role performance. He will be enacting the role of twin brothers with one of the brothers desperately searching for mango in an empty crate, while the twin is quietly enjoying the last mango in a corner of the room. On seeing that his brother will not offer him even a slice of the mango, he seeks divine intervention to satisfy his mango craving. He then hears a voice from above with a message – ‘Laalach for aam, Maaza hainaam!’ and the story takes a twist as suddenly it is the other twin who looks on with greed, eyeing a sip of Maaza.
This is not the first time, when Maaza is trying to showcase the love for Mango. Prior to this, it brought out various emotions depicting people’s love for Mango – ‘Taaza Mango Maaza mango’, ‘Maaza Mango. You’ve really got the juice’, ‘Maaza. Kabhi Health kabhi Fun,’ ‘YaariDosti, Taaza Maaza,’ ‘Maaza lao, aamki pyaas bhujaao,’ Maaza. Jaldikyahai,’ ‘Maaza. Har Mausam Aam.’
“In the pre-work for Maaza campaign development we asked consumers what the strongest ‘Aam’ emotion was and the answer was unanimous – Gredd. The greed for mangoes is universal. Almost everyone admits to a life story when they have acted greedily in the face of mango craving. This served as the inspiration for the new Maaza campaign”, added Mukherjee.
However, recently Coca-Cola also roped Shruti Hassan as the brand ambassador of its orange soda brand Fanta and also changed the tagline from Open Happiness to the new Taste the Feeling. On the other side, every year Slice the rival mango juice brand brings its mango theory with Katrina Kaif, now it will be interesting to see, how Slice will reply to Maaza’s
Expert take
PiyushCommenting on the ad film, Piyush Mishra, Founder, Pure Advertising, said, “Its a very refreshing take with varun dhawan in a double role with a decent storyline. Probably one of the sharpest proposition by maaza to position it as youthful and contemporary drink. However the concept of double lead could have been dealt in a stark fashion”.



Hitesh1“The ad looks straight out from a masala bollywood flick, the typical twin story. The film is entertaining but the brand seems somewhere lost in the whole process. Varun Dhawan takes away the limelight,” expressed Hitesh Chhabra Co-founder & Chief Innovation Officer, The Garage Communications.
Source: IndianMediaBook - Media

Debashis Das appointed as CEO at Milagrow


Speaking on the announcement, Rajeev Karwal Founder & CEO Milagrow, said, “Debashis has, over his career, carved a niche for himself by redefining the very meaning of brand value and consumer connect. Bringing him on board as Milagrow’s CEO will aid the growth of our company by leveraging his invaluable experience in Sales and Marketing to further our brand proposition. With his success in establishing new brands as industry leaders and re-launching established brands with to new innovative strategies, Debashis is the perfect candidate to spearhead Milagrow on to the next phase of its growth.”
Having worked for over 20 years in the field of FMCG Das holds an in-depth knowledge of business functions across Marketing and Sales. He is known for his unique take on brand creation and has particular expertise in delivering superior consumer benefits by transforming sharp consumer insights into product differentiators.
“Having seen the impact technology can have on everyday life, it is very clear that robots are the next level of innovation. This explains my move to Milagrow, which has established itself as India’s no.1 Consumer Robotics Company. I am eagerly looking forward to all that this association will entail, and am confident of using my industry knowledge to drive the company’s continued growth,” expressed Das.
Source: IndianMediaBook - Media

Meru assigns digital duties to MindShift Interactive


Speaking on the association, Siddharth Pahwa, CEO, Meru Cabs said, “MindShift Interactive is a team of energetic and creative minds. We are sure, the quality of creatives, content and various social media activities carried out by MindShift will add a lot of value to Meru’s social media presence. We look forward for a long and healthy association with MindShift.”
MindShift Interactive will work towards reinforcing Meru’s positioning as a pioneer in the industry through building stronger relationships with existing and new consumer sets. The varied services offered by Meru shall be highlighted through engaging content and campaigns.


Commenting on the win, Zafar Rais, CEO, MindShift Interactive, said, “We are happy to deliver services to a leader such as Meru Cabs and be part of the growing radio taxi space. Carpool by Meru, an initiative to reach out to more consumer needs, is how our journey with Meru began and we’re busy creating a shift in the way the brand is looked at.”
Source: IndianMediaBook - Media

[Campaign Story] Decoding CyberPower campaign with Jyotshna Kalita



Jyotsna1Speaking exclusively to IndianMediaBook, Jyotshna Kalita, Managing Director & Creative Head, Halcyon Media, said, “The idea behind the campaign is to create a communication that reflects CyberPower System’s brand philosophy to announce the Brand’s entry in India. Avoid being projected as a UPS company as the brand’s offerings span beyond UPS, includes power management and distribution solutions as well.”
The TVC tells the story of power at multiple levels of human existence by combining a powerful narration with high EQ visuals.
It juxtaposes the larger than life with everyday reality, the micro and the macro, humanity and technology, thus positioning the brand as a world leader in professional power solutions with a vision to increase the efficiency and longevity of our energy management ecosystem. In the film, the brand’s extensive range of offerings are subtly touched upon, without an in your face product placement, with multiple stories held together by an intense script.
“We had to create an image that communicates two things; CyberPower is a one of the global leaders in professional PowerSolutions and secondly the brand’s vision is to empower people to manage the available power better”, added Kalita.
About the many verticals of products that CyberPower offers: CyberPower is present in many verticals – B2B and B2C including Home and Infrastructure, Transport and Telecom, Hospitals and Renewable energy etc. The TVC communicates all these information in subtle storytelling.
The campaign has just been released across 11 channels PAN India, in 9 different languages including English and Hindi.


“This is our first campaign. All the other countries are looking at India. Digital campaign is targeted at engagement and creating a buzz. As of now we have planned this campaign for three months. The campaign is expected to generate awareness about the brand amongst its TG”, concluded Kalita.
Source: IndianMediaBook - Media

RAM Week 4: Red FM climbs to fourth spot in Delhi; Radio Mirchi climbs to third position in Bangalore


RAM1Delhi
Fever FM’s Evening Drive with RJ Nitin topped the chart followed by Dilli ke Do Dabangg with RJ Manu and RJ Abhilash and Full on Punjabi with RJ Avinaash.
Mumbai
Big FM continued to lead in Mumbai with 18 percent of total market shares. Radio City stood strong at second position with 17.5 percent of listenership pie, followed by Fever FM and Radio Mirchi with 15.4 and 13.4 per cent shares, respectively. Red FM remained at fifth spot with 10.3 percent shares.
Big FM’s Suhana Safar with Anu Kapoor topped the chart once again. Radio city’s Kal Bhi Aaj Bhi with RJ Gaurav remained at second spot followed by Big FM’s Breakfast Show with RJ Siddharth.
Kolkata
Among the Kolkata FM radio players, Radio Mirchi stood strong at top position with 18.9       percent of total market shares. Big FM remained at second spot with 16.1 percent of listenership pie, followed by Fever FM and Oye FM with 15.7 and 9.9 percent shares, respectively. Aamar FM occupied fifth spot with 9.4 percent of listenership pie.
Radio Mirchi’s Kaali Kotha with RJ Jaganath stood strong at top spot, while Breakfast Show with RJ Mir remained at second position. Big FM’s Chirodiner with RJ Pamela climbed to third position.
Bangalore
In Bangalore, Radio City topped the chart once again with 24.1 percent of listenership pie, followed by Big FM with 20.7 percent shares. Radio Mirchi climbed to third position with 16.7 percent of total market shares, while Fever FM slipped to fourth position with 13.7 percent shares. Red FM remained at fifth spot with 4.9 percent listenership pie.
Big FM’s Big Coffee with RJ Shruti led the chart once again, followed by Radio City’s City Muthu with RJ Rachna and Love Guru with RJ Love Guru.
Source: IndianMediaBook - Media

Friday 5 February 2016

Ad Pick of the Week: Surekha.com’s Anti-Jugaad campaign is Nishith favourite


The musical and humours narration of the campaign grabbed million eyeballs and received positive reviews from both audience and experts. The buzz around the campaign was so huge that it managed to grab 8,407,930 views on YouTube.
This week, when we asked Innovative Marketer and Advertising & Communication Specialist, Nishith KL Bhandarkar about his favourite ad film, no surprise #AntiJugaad campaign grabbed his attention too. Bhandarkar VDO Brand Evangelist and Customer Delight Strategist and had served at many MNCs.
Which ad film grabbed your attention in past few days and why?
Recently we have seen some wonderful ads but the one film which connected with Indian Chord in my mind would be the Anti Jugaad campaign from Sulekha.com.
The film is based on a very strong consumer insight and I believe it has truly captured the Indian mind-set. The film has very well capitalized the one attribute that makes us Indians (the makeshift arrangement…Zindabad.)
The attitude of chalta hai is a long running tradition of sorts for most people in our country. The story has a bigger and more meaningful thought for life – temporary resolutions don’t last long.
If given a chance, what changes would you like to make into it?
The film is beautifully executed and the film makers have nicely portrayed a die-hard Jugaadu, whose life revolves around ephemeral solutions.
But having been given the opportunity to make any changes if I could, I would ideally want to utilize the strengths of the different platform available in today’s dynamic environment (read integrated marketing) try and expand this thought to a higher level by bringing the consumer and the brand face to face on a conversation table.
The consumers should be invited to share their whacky & fabulously funny Jugaad and how that Jugaad ended with a hilarious memorable incident. This would in turn give the brand real consumer stories which can be used as a logical extension to the next phase of the campaign…using social media, TV and Radio.
Did the advertisement make you want to buy the product?
Not sure about (availing) the services from Sulekha.com but the film really made me think, why would people continue to do Jugaad when a permanent, stable and to the point solution is available. With this film the team at Sulekha.com can be certain that sulekha.com would surely appear in the consideration set of a consumer for availing utility (local) services going forward.
Humour and Emotions, what works most in India?
It depends upon the category. But Humour itself is an emotion… the communication has to be either emotional or rational…
Bringing humour in communication is not an easy task. Humour, when executed properly, helps cut through the noise and helps you stand out.  If you can make someone laugh, there is an emotional connection with them. And anything you say beyond that is going to be more meaningful.
What three things should keep in mind while making an ad?
Firstly, the communication has to be simple (not preachy) yet imbibing the brand truth (brand value). Secondly, ads that are designed For people like me are more effective, therefore relatable situations must be an integral part of the ad campaign. Thirdly, emotion plays a very important role, whether its humour or rational it touches the heart and soul of the target audience. If all the above ingredients are in line with the communication theme; the piece of creativity will find its play in the universe of virality.
Please give your last word for this ad and rate the ad out of 10.
Sulekha.com’s Judaad campaign is simple, relatable, and thereby connects instantly with the masses by cleverly attacking our subconscious mind. The execution and the planning are spot on and to me it is one of the best campaigns of the New Year. I rate it a 8 on a scale of 10.
Source: IndianMediaBook - Media

Red Bull assigns digital mandate to Dentsu Webcutney


Commenting on the win, Sidharth Rao, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder, Dentsu Webchutney said, “We are delighted to partner with Red Bull. The brand as well as the category are pretty dynamic – something that will certainly help us push the envelope and come up with some refreshing work.”
The agency’s Mumbai office will be leading the account services. The agency won the account following a multi-agency pitch.
Source: IndianMediaBook - Media

[Guest Column] The expectations from Budget 2016- A start up’s point of view: Sujayath Ali


In 2015, Voonik grew by more than 220 per cent and app repeat purchase rate doubled. Voonik has more than 4 Million app downloads and another 2.5 Million unique users across mobile web and desktop.
Reward Diversity in Start-up workforce
Many start-ups are preferred places for women, as they get flexible timing, work from home and other benefits. Start-ups give women a great opportunity to fulfil their personal commitments without compromising success at professional front. I feel, government should encourage diversity, by giving certain tax benefits to encourage inclusion of women in start-up workforce.
FDIFDI in B2C Ecommerce
Currently there is a lot of confusion in terms of what constitutes B2C ecommerce vs. marketplace and where FDI is allowed. We expect clarity on FDI policy and definition of what entails a marketplace.
Removal of Angel / Startup Tax
We are awaiting clarity on the angel tax. While Finance Minister mentioned that provisions will make in the Income Tax Act for exemption to a notified class of investors, we are still awaiting details.
Staggered/Laddered Service tax
Even though a 3 yr Income tax holiday is given to new start-ups, the issue of Service tax is not addressed yet. I hope in the new budget, some laddering like that of Income tax slabs is given to start-ups. This will help us in being able to invest a part of our revenues to business, reduce our dependence on VC funds and once we reach a certain stature we can definitely pay ST at par with other Listed companies.
Infrastructure
To make Ecommerce sector profitable, we need a robust delivery system. All ecommerce companies are struggling with delivery delays, package losses in transit etc. For customers, getting their order in time is the bare minimum expectation.
On the other hand, for a company to deliver on time through polite courier boys is a big challenge. Often many courier partners are not equipped to handle cash collected in delivery. In the new Budget, there has to be a more focused plan on improving road & rail infrastructure, so that companies like Voonik can profitably deliver the orders to our customers.
SMEFinancial innovation for easy credits to SME & small traders
We scout through the country to bring online, many large and small regional stores, artisans and stand-alone outlets. With our excellent trending features very soon the new sellers start getting 10X number of orders. One of the key challenges for our sellers face is the liquidity crunch when they have to suddenly scale up to cater to a huge online demand. I feel, the new budget should encourage NBFCs to create fast, easy and reasonable loans for the sellers who start selling through online retail.
Mobile Money
If in the new budget, government can announce rebates/ subsidies through Mobile money platforms, this will help us in encouraging prepaid order placing, thus reducing our cash on delivery handling costs.
Source: IndianMediaBook - Media