ITV

Category: Above The Line

  • Tata launches TV commercial for Tata Copper+ water

    Tata launches TV commercial for Tata Copper+ water

    MUMBAI: Tata Consumer Products has launched a TV advertising campaign for Tata Copper+, a non-carbonated water beverage that taps into India’s age-old practice of storing water in copper vessels. The company is banking on nostalgia—and potential health benefits—to make a splash in the crowded bottled water market.

    The product’s television debut features a charming train journey where generational worlds collide. An elderly passenger pulls out his traditional copper water bottle whilst a younger traveller produces his Tata Copper+. Cue the “same pinch” moment and an affectionate cheek-pinching finale that would make any Indian grandmother proud.

    YouTube link of the film : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pipm1OPF2lY&feature=youtu.be

    Tata Consumer Products  president and head – RTD business Partha Biswas said, “We have always believed in creating products that are rooted in trust and, more importantly, reflect the evolving needs of Indian consumers. With Tata Copper+, we bring alive the timeless wellness benefits of copper in a format that fits today’s lifestyle. This campaign is a celebration of shared values across generations and a reminder that the wisdom of our past still holds relevance in the present.”

    Tata Consumer Products, which boasts a reach of over 275 million Indian households, clearly believes that the copper touch in them bottles will fetch it gold – valued in crore. The company has been seeding the retail trade with Tata Copper+  water or more than a year and a half now. And the response has been extremely heartening. The Rs 17,618 crore company is the world’s second-largest branded tea firm, with a portfolio spanning everything from Tata Tea to ready-to-eat meals.

    The copper water gambit reflects a broader trend of modernising traditional wellness practices for contemporary consumers. Whether this ancient wisdom will translate into modern profits is the Rs 17,618 crore question.

  • Decoding the top five marketing trends brewing in 2024

    Decoding the top five marketing trends brewing in 2024

    Mumbai: “Success today requires the agility and drive to constantly rethink, reinvigorate, react, and reinvent.” – Bill Gates

    New year marks the onset of new beginnings – making it an opportune time to strategically plan and set the tone for the year ahead by refreshing perspectives and reimagining strategies that deliver on breakthrough growth this year. With this in mind, let’s embark on a spirited exploration of the top trends reshaping the marketing landscape in 2024 – and the primary takeaways for marketing professionals.

    1. Personalised marketing: The superfood of successful campaigns of 2024

    Personalised marketing stands out as the superfood of successful campaigns this year – commanding attention from a consumer base where 71 per cent expect personalised interactions and 76 per cent express frustration when expectations fall short. This trend is not merely a buzzword but a revenue powerhouse, with companies that excel at personalization generating a remarkable 40 per cent more revenue than those who don’t. Rapid advancements in AI, notably Generative AI, are major enablers – empowering marketers to comprehend historical and real-time consumer sentiment and facilitate targeted outreach that resonates profoundly with modern consumers. Moreover, with more than three-quarters of consumers attributing personalised communications to their purchasing decisions, repurchases, and recommendations, brands that embrace personalization will find themselves strategically poised to reap the benefits of positive consumer advocacy, fostering synergistic growth. As Philip Kotler famously noted, “The best advertising is done by satisfied customers,” – personalised marketing is set to play an indispensable role in unleashing rapid and sustainable business growth.

    The message for marketers is clear: In an era where personalisation serves as the blueprint for resounding engagement, marketers who serve scalable personalization strategies to consumers will lead the charge – unlocking double-digit revenue growth and establishing enduring consumer relationships. The key will lie in leveraging data and analytics to uncover opportunities, investing in rapid activation capabilities fueled by advanced analytics, and adopting an agile operating model that prioritises the ‘Segment of One’ consumer.

    2. Riding the ‘Vocal for Local’ wave with a distinctly Indian positioning

    With a renewed emphasis on self-reliance post the Covid-19 pandemic, a ‘vocal for local’ spirit is sweeping the country. As discerning consumers actively seek Indian alternatives for their purchases, many homegrown brands are seizing this opportunity by catering to the specific needs of the Indian consumers, while also ensuring premium make and exclusivity.  This trend is palpable across industries, as exemplified by the alcobev sector where the consumption of locally made whisky has surged to an all-time high. Evidently, consumers are expressing an affinity for products with a distinctly Indian identity – be it in flavour, creation, or overall storyline.

    This trend poses a golden opportunity for forward-thinking marketers to position their offerings in line with the homegrown sentiment brewing across the country – which is bound to resonate well with Indian consumers this year. By leaning into this narrative, business can catalyse a movement that contributes to the growth and development of the Indian economy while also securing a competitive edge with localised offerings that are proudly tailor-made for the Indian consumer.

    3. Harnessing the power of influence: Mastering the ‘Influencer’ blend in the digital age

    The digital age has ushered in a multitude of avenues for engaging with consumers online. Notably, influencer marketing has emerged as a pivotal channel in contemporary campaigns, compelling modern marketers to skilfully navigate the landscape of partnerships and collaborations. While a celebrity can undoubtedly secure awareness and noticeability, it’s the relatability of an influencer that entices consumers to give the brand a try.

    For marketers, a valuable lesson lies in shedding any instinctive biases and selecting a mix of strategies tailored to the campaign’s objectives. When collaborating with established figures, it becomes crucial to align with influencers who mirror the core ethos of your platform, sharing a like-minded appeal and identity – ensuring that your campaigns act as genuine extensions of your brand. For instance, LEGACY COLLECTIVE’s recent collaboration with Ranbir Kapoor exemplifies this strategy—a talented and passionate actor, Kapoor has carved a niche for himself as someone dedicated to ‘building one’s own legacy.’ This strategic partnership seamlessly integrates the brand ethos with the influencer’s authentic identity, demonstrating the power of a carefully crafted alliance in the digital age.

    4. Brewing authentic conversations: Marrying your content with your genuine brand voice

    In a rapidly digitising era of marketing, modern marketers might find themselves grappling with a peculiar question; one concerned with safeguarding originality in the expanding sea of rapidly generated AI-based content. Come 2024, the answer will lie in understanding the pivotal role of authenticity – which will prove more critical than ever in engaging deeply with audiences. With a striking 86% citing it as a key factor in liking and supporting brands, authenticity will be the cornerstone of consumer sentiments as well as decisions. However, despite 80% of brands believing they deliver authentic content, only 37% of consumers agree, highlighting a significant gulf of disconnect.

    To effectively bridge this divide, marketers must immerse themselves in deep engagement with audiences, fostering transparent conversations that make customers feel involved and understood. In crafting the ideal 2024 communication blend, the first stride involves discovering your brand’s voice— identify core values that resonate with your target audience, infuse a hint of compelling storytelling and garnish with subtle brand messaging to craft an authentic narrative that truly stands out.

    5. Cheers to a year of exceptional experiences!

    Consumers today crave more than just products; they are seeking experiences that resonate deeply with them – giving rise to the popularity of experiential and immersive marketing strategies in the industry. On the flipside too, 65 per cent brands that are adopting experiential marketing are reporting substantial boost in sales. But with more consumers actively chasing experiences this year, impact of these strategies is set to reverberate beyond profits – influencing brand building, fostering increased purchase likelihood, stronger loyalty, and deeper connections.

    Beyond crafting immersive experiences as genuine brand extensions, marketers can synergise the impact of their campaigns by capitalising on the byproducts of rapid digital penetration. This includes exploring uncharted avenues for broader reach and engagement, such as live streaming offline events on social media. Additionally, advancements in AR and VR can be harnessed to create intriguing experiences that transcend physical boundaries, further amplifying the impact of their campaigns.

    The author of this article is Bacardi India head of domestic spirits Ayaesha Gooptu.

  • Expect completely new approach to employee policies: DDB Mudra’s Rita Verma

    Expect completely new approach to employee policies: DDB Mudra’s Rita Verma

    MUMBAI: The Covid2019 outbreak has pushed HR departments to the top of the priority chain. The challenge before them is to rebuild and reinvent workplaces to safeguard the lives of their employees. In an interaction with indiantelevision.com, DDB Mudra Group EVP and head HR Rita Verma highlights different measures taken to ensure a safe work environment as the country phases out of lockdown and looks forward to reopening offices.

    Excerpts:

    What measures have you been taking so far to relieve your employees from mental and emotional stress?

    People are our most important asset and we’ve always kept their physical and mental wellbeing in mind. During this lockdown, the biggest challenge for people has been uncertainty of the situation. The key to easing emotional and physical shifts as we all go through this together is to talk openly. So we’ve been extra mindful of keeping all communication regular, honest and authentic. Every leader has been completely accessible and is actively reaching out to their teams. We invested in a mental health partner last year because we would like our people to reach their highest potential, cope with life’s curveballs and be an active member in their relationships, workplace and community at large.

    Everyone is juggling their own unique personal living situation, so offering people some flexibility in work schedules and encouraging them to take time off if they feel overwhelmed has been critical. In a time like this, sometimes you don’t know what will make you feel better, so we’ve offered physical fitness sessions, virtual meditation, tips to manage stress at work and home. The idea is to help people tackle whatever roadblock they may be facing in a given week. Some of these sessions are led by external instructors, while in many cases our own people have stepped up to the plate. Take Krupa from our 22feet Tribal Worldwide team who is a certified trainer and has volunteered to run a fitness class. Things like these make a difference.

    Once office resumes, how will you deal with the increased focus, and in some cases paranoia, regarding health and wellness?

    For starters, we will let people decide when they’re ready to return after the government authorities declare it safe to do so. No organisation, which depends on the creativity and freedom of thought of their people, can be productive if their people show up at work anxious. We’re preparing all our offices keeping in mind sanitation and social-distancing guidelines. But all of this is when our people feel ready to return.

    How are you planning to take care of employees’ psychological state when they get back to work?

    By having an open dialogue with leaders, HR leads with the support of counsellors, and in general having lots of constructive conversations to ensure timely addressing of queries regarding safety and wellbeing of our people.

    According to you, what will the world of HR look like after the lockdown is lifted?

    HR gives importance to the health of employees and their families. Productivity matrix will be a key focus. Different functions will be analysed and their ways of working will be looked into. Re-skilling, restarting and realignment will be the newer approach.

    How are you preparing to bring back your workforce once the lockdown is lifted? 

    We will be phasing out the employees transition once the lockdown is lifted.  Flexibility will be given to join the office. Work-from-home will be encouraged until things start getting better.

    Are there new procedures and practices that are being taken up for the betterment of employees by the HR departments?

    There will be a completely new approach to employee policies. A lot of focus on their health, remote work productivity, lesser crowds in office and virtual engagements will continue. But the lens through which we will continue to look at our policies will remain and that is empathy; to come out of this as healthy and strong as possible.

    What social distancing and sanitization measures are in place in your company?

    Offices have been regularly sanitised even during lockdown; those practices will continue, thermal checks on all employees and visitors will be mandatory, use of sanitizers, gloves and masks will also be mandatory for everyone.

    Generally, the work in the advertising industry begins late. How will you address that issue now?

    Our current work-from-home situation has already instilled a lot of discipline and adoption of tools in order to make things work remotely. People are realising the benefits of this. The focus will be completely on bringing the best out of our people and therefore an increased focus on productivity of employees. Not everything is solved through a company policy alone, but largely through office culture and ours is seen in the continued good work our teams are doing. So far, we have found that common work hours are a useful way to make the most of everyone’s time.

  • Kantar releases CX+ India Retail Banking Report 2019

    Kantar releases CX+ India Retail Banking Report 2019

    MUMBAI: In today’s experience era, the majority of CEOs believe customer centricity is essential for driving business growth. However, there is still a big gap between ambition and reality; while 91% of retail bank CEOs in India see the need to become customer-centric, just 29% of consumers believe banks offer truly customer-centric experiences, according to Kantar CX+ study. 

    The new CX+ study released by Kantar today is the only sector-specific index that assesses banks based on a unique combination of their customer experience scores. In addition, the study identifies each bank’s Experience Gap – which quantifies the difference between their Brand Promise and the actual customer experience delivered.  

    The Top Ten CX+ Retail Banks in India

    Ranking

    Brand

    1

    HSBC

    2

    Standard Chartered

    3

    Citi

    4

    Yes Bank

    5

    IndusInd bank

    6

    ICICI Bank

    7

    Kotak Mahindra Bank

    8

    HDFC Bank

    9

    Syndicate Bank

    10

    Axis bank

    CX+ reflects that providing excellent customer experiences is no longer enough. In a connected environment, brands and customer experience have become synonymous. Thus the roadmap to growth is based on 5 key CX success factors: 

    Clarity of brand promise 

    Empowered employees 

    Empowered customers 

    Creating lasting memories 

    Exceptional delivery

    Commenting on the launch of the findings and CX+ ranking, Preeti Reddy, CEO-South Asia, Insights Division, Kantar said: “We live in the age of experience, but many brands are still missing the mark as there’s a huge gap between brand promise and customer experience. Our study reveals that the top-ranking Retail banks in India have delivered a superior customer experience that is matched with a strong brand promise thus giving them a distinctive Experience advantage over their competition. However, there’s a huge opportunity for growth as half of India is still unbanked and are increasingly looking up to their banks to give them more personalised experiences, smoother and more convenient digital services, and a more human approach to technology. Encouragingly, the entire industry has a unique opportunity to enhance its service for a receptive, fast-growing audience.

    Other findings underline the clear benefits of delivering strong customer experience:  

    Banks that lead in the CX+ Index are 1.6x are more likely to be recommended than banks at the lower end of the index. 

    Banks that deliver an excellent experience on digital channels are 2.5x more likely to delight customers.

    Customers are 3.6x more delighted when they feel appreciated by their bank. 

    While improved customer experience can benefit financial services companies across the board, the opportunity to grow is particularly significant among women, according to the research:

    About 114m Indian women are unbanked. About half of women in India with personal bank accounts use them in a limited capacity or not at all.

    Women use more online banking than men (w: 55,7%, m: 49,8%) and are less likely to visit branches (w: 61,6%, m: 64,7%). 

    Women are more skeptical regarding FinTechs / technology-enabled banking providers. They feel less in control of their finances with technology-enabled banking providers 

    (w: 39%, m: 44%).

    The Kantar CX+ study analyzed 7,280 retail banking customers in India and was conducted in 2019.

  • Hindustan Times revs up love for Mumbai with #MumbaiMeriHai

    Hindustan Times revs up love for Mumbai with #MumbaiMeriHai

    MUMBAI: In the second installment of their popular campaign, Hindustan Times reignited every Mumbaikar's love for their city with #MumbaiMeriHai. While the first #MumbaiMeriHai campaign last year was a nostalgic collection of all things Mumbai, its follow up this year celebrates the feeling of belonging that binds all Mumbaikars to their city. The brand aimed to establish their market position as the mouthpiece for the city as well as its passionate citizens.

    The celebratory digital campaign, conceptualized by IdeateLabs, revered every Mumbaikar's affinity to the city by inviting citizens to share what makes them feel ‘Mumbai is not just where you live, but where you’ll always belong.’ #MumbaiMeriHai was initiated with an all-encompassing music video which captured the nuanced way of life in the city. It was accompanied by a contest which encouraged people to sing-along to the #MumbaiMeriHai theme song. Additionally, the campaign invited Mumbaikars to share their stories on what makes them belong to the city through pictures and videos. Both the contests received overwhelming support with Mumbaikars pouring their heart out for the city of their dreams. The best entries were showcased and awarded on Hindustan Time's print and digital platforms.

    #MumbaiMeriHai that celebrated the smallest of things which make Mumbai a city adored by millions earned the brand glory too. #MumbaiMeriHai's music video alone received over 3 million views as the catchy song struck a chord with Mumbaikars. Moreover, the campaign, with its interactive contests, received over 30 million impressions on social media and almost 500 contest entries.

    Prerna Jha, Senior Marketing Manager, Hindustan Times, says, “Amidst all the bustle of this fast-paced city, Mumbaikars make the city their own through different ways. Through this campaign, we are celebrating the little ties to this dream city that makes everyone say Mumbai Meri Hai. Our communication intent behind this campaign is to highlight how we have grown in this city, how our understanding of this city and its people has grown and as a result, we bring the city to our readers, unlike anybody else.”

    Mr. Ashish Rana, Business Head, IdeateLabs comments on the campaign's success,” Every Mumbaikar has a different story and perspective about the city. #MumbaiMeriHai gave them a chance to share what they love about Mumbai. The campaign resulted in a collective sharing of memories by the people who make the city their own. The idea that Mumbai embraces places and people and shapes them translated into social media and resonated with Mumbaikars, making the campaign a success."

    About IdeateLabs (http://ideatelabs.in/): IdeateLabs is a full-service digital marketing company with offices in Mumbai, Delhi, and Dubai and a team of more than 100 Digital Marketing Professionals. With the chaotic overload of information in the digital world, Team Ideate recognizes the importance of creating relevant and interesting digital solutions. Finally, it benefits from a client roster that exceeds 50 well-known Indian and international names such as Sterling & Wilson, AutoDesk, Hiranandani Communities, Brand Factory, Future Brands, Edelweiss Tokio, Hafele, Kalpataru, Elica, Franklin Templeton to name a few.

  • Learning the importance of video marketing today

    Learning the importance of video marketing today

    MUMBAI: “Is it viral yet?” More often than not, this is what you will hear from marketers and agencies soon after they make a brand campaign or a video live on social media. The virality of a video is the new scale of measurement for most advertisers now, and rightly so! When a video goes viral, it can increase your search engine ranking, click-through rates, open rates and conversions.

    Brands have for the longest time needed a video marketing strategy but what has changed is how important video has become on every platform and channel. It is no longer restricted to doing television commercials or doing product placement on some television show or a movie. It has become the centre to their outreach and social strategy.

    While videos are great and should be every marketer’s best friend, there are several questions around it that need to be answered.

    How do you know if your videos are working? How can you measure the efficacy of your videos? How do you build brand confidence? What is the role of videos in overall brand strategy? What platforms should you choose to deliver the videos? How do you treat videos in regional languages? And most importantly, what are the top 5 things to keep in mind for branded videos and video marketing?

    To find out the answers to these compelling and perplexing industry questions, Indiantelevision.com will host a summit on branded videos and video marketing – BrandVid 2018( brandvid.in) on 30 October 2018 at Sahara Star, Mumbai. The summit will see industry stalwarts discuss these topics and map out a way for the industry where all major stakeholders can make the most of videos.

    Video has absolutely dominated social media and according to a recent HubSpot Research report, four of the top six channels on which global consumers watch video are social channels. And a common topic for every A&M conversation – video is the way forward – finally seems to look right.

    Video marketing isn’t just limited to slapping a video on television, YouTube and other social media platforms. Today, 70 per cent of millennials prefer watching a brand’s video when shopping online. According to Video Marketing Statistics 2018 report, 84 per cent of consumers are convinced to purchase a company’s product after they’ve watched their video. It is also interesting to note that 81 per cent of businesses with an explainer video on their homepage said that those videos have increased their sales.

    As per a report by Syndacast, click-through rates increase by between 200-300 per cent when a marketing email contained a video.

    Remember the Dancing Uncles video that went viral? No? Well, have a look at it here:

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    Bajaj Allianz signed Sanjeev Srivastava aka the internet’s dancing uncle to promote one of its offering. Lately, he was also seen promoting Amazon India’s Great Indian Festival Sale. The power of internet and video today!

    In a general media ecosystem, you would have a brand, an agency and a production house where a brand gives a brief to an agency about the kind of video they want and they in turn hire a production house to shoot the video and later get it edited from a third party. But that’s changing now. Brands are now becoming media companies and they have their own in-house content studio that creates content for them on-the-go. It’s challenging for a traditional agency to sustain and survive in a competing environment like this. But is there a way where brands, agencies and publishers can co-exist and collaborate? Maybe yes but how only time will tell.

    Most videos today seem to be mindless and done just because every other brand on the block is doing it. Marketers often forget that they don’t need to follow the herd mentality.

    It is incorrect to judge your video campaign solely on it becoming viral and famous. It may not always lead to your products being sold from the shelves. As simple as video marketing seems, it is actually more complex than that. While brands and agencies have exploited video marketing to the core, whether or not it works entirely depends on what do you want your audience to hear, see and feel. And most importantly, what message are you trying to convey and what is the call to action?

    All in all, video marketing is not only fun, it’s also one of the best ways to get up close to your audience and give them a real glimpse of what you and your business or your clients are doing The more they know about your positive practices, the more likely they are to stick around.

  • DLF initiates Green Diwali campaign

    DLF initiates Green Diwali campaign

    MUMBAI: DLF and all its properties, along with the employees and stakeholders have come together to work towards a pollution-free Diwali, initiating the green Diwali campaign.

    DLF will create awareness about the negative impact of air pollution in the light of the citizens of the NCR region. The campaign which will run simultaneously across all properties of DLF including DLF5, DLF Cyber City, DLF Cyber Hub, and all the DLF malls in the region, will seek to create awareness about the issue of air pollution across both traditional and social media properties.

    The campaign is closely aligned with the #Myrighttobreathe initiative and seeks to create awareness about the direct linkage of festivities to the environment. As a part of the initiative the company will be taking out posters emailers and Facebook posts highlighting our right to breathe.

    DLF5 executive director Aakash Ohri said, “As responsible corporate citizens, It is our duty to address the issue of rising levels of pollution and work towards a greener, cleaner planet for our younger generations.”

  • India Affiliate Summit on 5-6 Oct: 70 exhibitors, 50 speakers, 2000 digital marketers expected

    India Affiliate Summit on 5-6 Oct: 70 exhibitors, 50 speakers, 2000 digital marketers expected

    MUMBAI: Internet And Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) is hosting India Affiliate Summit for the third time at Leela Ambience, Gurugram, on the 5 and 6 October 2017.

    This summit is the premiere offline meeting point for affiliate marketers to gather, where elites from the industry will discuss innovations, dissect implications and dwell upon the massive potential of this booming industry.

    Expected numbers at this summit include – 70+ exhibitors, 50+ industry speakers, 350+ companies, 2000+ delegates and 12+ hrs of content. Leading brands such as Flipkart, Google, Vivo, Tata, Pepsico, Abbott, DHFL, ICICI, PVR, Sun Pharma, HSBC, Reebok, Bajaj Capital, Best Seller, Zomato, Vodafone, Axis, Bata, Jabong, Micromax, Nestle, Shoppers Stop, Danone, The Body Shop, Honda, Kotak Mahindra, Big Basket, Piramal, Hero, JLL, Zivame, Croma, Barclays, Gitanjali, Novartis, Samsung, Dabur & Reliance, amongst others will be present at this mega event.

    Initiated by IAMAI to bring the Affiliate Marketing together, this conference will provide fun and interactive sessions on the latest industry issues along with unparalleled networking opportunities for affiliate marketers. Two major attractions at this summit include – the ‘Affiliate Street’ & the ‘Affiliate party’.

    The affiliate street is a section completely dedicated to affiliate marketers which include publishers, brands, ad networks, bloggers and agencies in attendance. The setup seeks to replicate a ‘marketplace’ which will have ‘streets and vendors’ whose main aim is to further opportunities through affiliate marketing.

    The affiliate party is another event which draws significant fanfare each year. This year will be no different with DJ Percussionist fusion extraordinaire – Hiten Panwar performing at the party.

    This summit will give attendees the golden chance to grow their network, explore opportunities, position yourself in the industry, innovate to bring success to your business & develop relationships while building the right bridges.

    October 5-6 will witness over 2000 digital marketers from all over the world come under one roof for the premiere affiliate marketing event of the year. Decision makers from different spheres of the affiliate marketing industry will be looking for online publishers, bloggers, traffic sources, retailers, networks, technology firms, digital agencies and other solution providers. This is the final callout – be there, or miss the chance to skyrocket your business!

  • Oppo & Times ask — What’s your Fresh Factor?

    MUMBAI: The Times of India in collaboration with Oppo brings the 10th edition of the most coveted personality and talent hunt across colleges in India, Oppo Times Fresh Face 2017. The property has been a calendar event among collegians since its inception as it brings together students, from different cities, showcasing their unique talents. Celebrating a decade of this property in 2017 and taking the competition a step further this year, a new concept has been introduced – the Fresh Factor. This time around, to win applause, the candidates will not only have to make heads turn with their charming spunky personalities, but also will have to present their talent innovatively. Adding an element of excitement, candidates will be awarded extra points on virality of their performances and their influence on social media. Almost 200 audition events will be hosted across colleges; and the on-ground audition phase will witness the Oppo Times Fresh Face 2017 team chanting their new slogan – What’s your Fresh Factor?

    The hunt for this edition’s fresh face is being held in phases across 11 cities, with the competition commencing in the city of Nagpur. Candidates can also apply for auditions online on the Times Fresh Face 2017 website. Oppo Times Fresh Face will host several rounds of auditions across colleges and other venues in Mumbai, Delhi, Pune, Chandigarh, Nagpur, Chennai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Ahmedabad and Indore. The shortlisted candidates will then perform at the City Finales; and City winners will compete nationally at the Grand Finale, which will be hosted in Mumbai. The two winners will be awarded an Oppo Selfie Expert F1s and an international trip.

    Speaking about the contest, Sanjeev Bhargava, Director, Brand TOI said, “The Times of India has always taken the lead in initiatives that help in empowering the nation, specially the youth. Oppo Times Fresh Face is one such important initiative and we are excited to celebrate a decade of success of this property with our 10th edition planned across 11 cities in India. We have the largest college audition footprint across the country; our team travels far and wide to scout for the freshest talent to bring them together at the national platform. This year we are scaling up the competition and enabling it digitally by introducing new rounds. Oppo Times Fresh Face contest has now become a platform to showcase talents in colleges; along with a means for young collegians, within each city, to interact with one another. We hope that this year as well, we can create a fun and interactive platform for students to express themselves.”

    Commenting on the association, Will Yang, Brand Director, Oppo India, said that “We are thrilled to associate with Times Fresh Face once again. This is our second year in the association and have received massive response from the audience. Oppo has always struck a chord with its young consumers and is reaching out to them through the right mediums. Times Fresh Face is one such platform which give the opportunity to the youth to showcase their talent to the world”. He further added, “Oppo is reaching out to different genres which interests the youth and Fashion is one of them. Through this platform we want our audience to explore the segment and showcase their ability with Oppo F3 and take their selfie experience a notch higher by clicking gorgeous & stylish selfies & group selfies and create beautiful memories. This platform is apt for reaching out to our right set of audience.’’

    Expressing his views actor and singing fame Ayushmann Khurrana said, “I am extremely honored to flag off this initiative that aims to showcase the young talent and bring out the best in them. Times Fresh Face is providing a perfect platform to the collegians to think different and present their talent with a fresh twist. I would also take this opportunity to urge the millennials to come forward and be a part of this fun and engaging contest and express themselves. If you think you have the Fresh Factor, this is the platform for you.”

    Oppo Times Fresh Face has become an expansive talent-pool where each year students have showcased some exceptional skills while following the theme of that edition. This year, the property hopes to scale up the participation and find a fresh take to talent.

  • Akshay Kumar’s Dollar TVC crosses 1.5 million views on Youtube

    Akshay Kumar’s Dollar TVC crosses 1.5 million views on Youtube

    NEW DELHI: Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar’s new Dollar TVC has crossed 1.5 million views on Youtube. As per Dollar’s Facebook page updated on 5 May, the ad had crossed 1 million (10 lakh) page views within 10 days.

    In the ad, Akshay, the brand ambassador of the Indian hosiery major, showcases different stunts highlighting fitness and flexibility in the fifth television commercial issued by Dollar Industries Limited. Dollar has commenced a 360-degree advertising campaign across print, electronic, outdoor and online media to promote the new commercial.

    “The association with Akshay Kumar has created the perfect brand image for our company and it has been a journey worth mentioning. In this period our company has witnessed exponential growth in terms of sales, customer base, dealer distribution network and has become one of the most popular hosiery brands of the country. This is our fifth TV commercial with him and we are very confident that the commercial will have an instant connect with the audience, said Dollar Industries Ltd managing director Vinod Gupta.

    Acclaimed international ad filmmaker Andzei Matsukevits has directed the commercial. Sainath Saraban, who was earlier working as the creative head of Leo Brunnet has scripted the TVC.

    Dollar Industries Limited believes that with Akshay becoming the face of Dollar, the brand’s products have received widespread acceptance across millions of homes in India and abroad.

    “The concept of the TVC is catchy and in the same line of humour and using your brain. I am delighted that the company is growing day by day, flourishing each fiscal,” said the brand ambassador.

    “Dollar as a brand always believes in having a fit body and a fearless mind. And the new TV commercial is a reflection of this belief”, added Gupta.

    The growth of the company is on an upswing with annual growth rates averaging more than 18 percent year-on-year.

    TVC story in brief

    Akshay Kumar wearing a Dollar vest has been seen as a mix martial art specialist in the TVC, practicing with Winchu Wooden stand and suddenly challenged by a goon. The brand ambassador used a witty trick and won the fight without even touching him. The TVC ends up with the tagline “Jiske Collar Ke Niche Dollar Hota Hain, Usse Panga Nehi Lete Hain”.