Category: Brands

Mumbai: Smart mobility solutions provider and the largest exporter since inception, Hyundai Motor India Ltd. (HMIL), has announced elevations in its senior management leadership.

Tarun Garg, who was director – sales, marketing & service, has been elevated to chief operating officer (COO), overseeing sales, marketing, service, and product strategy.

Gopala Krishnan CS, who held the designation of vice president—production, has been elevated to chief manufacturing officer, overseeing production, quality management, and supply chain.

The elevations are effective as of 1 January. In addition to their new elevated roles, Garg and Krishnan will continue to serve as whole-time directors on the HMIL board.

Congratulating the leadership, HMIL MD & CEO Unsoo Kim said, “The elevations stand testimony to Hyundai Motor India’s commitment to recognise and appreciate its leadership. Our core values define our work culture and stand tall to enhance key roles and verticals, as we take a step forward to work incessantly in building a meaningful value chain for our customers, partners, and employees.”

Mumbai: Vegan-friendly fashion brand FOReT has won the best vegan wallet at the 2022 Vegan Fashion Award by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta) India, which honours cruelty-free clothing, accessories, and jewellery.

The brand was awarded for exhibiting cutting-edge innovation and sustainability in contemporary fashion. FOReT’s products are handmade using genuine & luxurious cork material, with great attention to craftsmanship and design.

Created with the ethos of simplicity, diversity, and sustainability, FOReT’s products—including trendy wallets, laptop bags, handbags, and jewellery—are timeless and bold fashion statements. At the same time, they promote natural fibres that are earth-friendly and are not sourced from animals.

Commenting on the win, FOReT’s founder Supriya Shirsat Satam said, “As India’s first brand to launch jewellery and handbags from a resourceful plant-based material, Cork, we are thrilled to accept the Vegan Fashion Award from Peta. Cork has been popularly known only for its use as a wine stopper; however, at FOReT, we have repurposed the upcycled cork bark to create exclusive and elegant jewellery and handbags. Upcycled banana bark is another key material celebrated in our handbags. Our primary focus is to design our products such that they celebrate the texture of plant-based materials while creating a visually appealing fashion product. The award brings us closer to achieving our mission of creating a new narrative where vegan fashion is not chosen as an alternative, but as a primary fashion choice.”

Mumbai: Caprese, the premier handbag and accessories brand from VIP Industries, has collaborated with acclaimed fashion designer and Bollywood stylist Manish Malhotra to introduce an exquisite line of limited-edition luxe bags.

Perfect for the upcoming wedding celebrations and parties, this limited edition range includes five stunning pieces designed to elevate the glam quotient of any look. Each of the five bags has been specially crafted with countless crystals, sparkling tassels, and dazzling sequins and is ideal for any party or special occasion.

Malhotra has added his signature glamour and elegance to the collection, making these the perfect statement pieces for the season. The collection is available in selected stores and online.

Caprese and Malhotra have blended the alluring aesthetics of international high fashion with the style and spectacular glamour of the festive season.

Sharing her thoughts on this collaboration, Caprese business head Pushpita Gaur said, “Our latest collection in collaboration with the illustrious designer Manish Malhotra is perfect for this time of the year. The gorgeous collection blends fashion and functionality perfectly and will escalate your glamour quotient instantly. The bags make a unique style statement and are sure to turn heads! We are thrilled to have worked with Manish Malhotra to introduce this gorgeous new range across India.”

Mumbai:  Shyam Steel has unveiled its new advertising campaign featuring the Indian cricketer Virat Kohli, and Bollywood actor Anushka Sharma. This is the third TVC in line with Shyam Steel’s ongoing “Hamesha Ke Liye Strong” campaign.

Rediffusion Brand Solutions Pvt. Ltd. and Cornerstone have worked together to send across the brand’s message that a strong bond of relationship is achieved through a perfect balance of strength and flexibility just like Shyam Steel Flexi Strong TMT bars. 

The ad film showcases Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma enjoying a winter evening. To provide comfort to Sharma in this chilling weather, Kohli offers his jacket to her but when Sharma sees Kohli shivering too they both decide to share the jacket. This signifies the flexibility and understanding between the couple that strengthens the foundation of a relationship. Similarly, when houses are built with Shyam Steel flexi-strong TMT bars, such houses are more sustainable and have a strong foundation.

Speaking on the TVC campaign launch, Shyam Steel director Lalit Beriwala said, “The campaign narrative embodies the principle of what Shyam Steel stands as a brand with strength and flexibility at its core. The relationship we share with our closed one at home forms the crux of the strong foundation. The previous TVC’s were also very well received by the audience and the star power of Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma will help us to establish a strong connection amongst our target group.

The film narrates the story of simple everyday situations to highlight how flexibility in relationships keeps the bond strong over years. Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma add their own charm and star power that helps to connect with the audience till the last mile,” said Rediffusion Brand Solutions Pvt. Ltd’s branch head – Kolkata and head of client servicing Sreeparna Gupta.

Mumbai: Ariel has tried to capture the sentiment of women in its new #CelebrateEqual film that raises a pertinent question – ‘is it truly a celebration if it’s not equal?’

Celebrations have returned with family dinners, festivals, gatherings being held in all glory. However, it is often unnoticed that household chores like laundry, cleaning, or cooking, significantly increase during celebrations and the burden of these tasks are not equal. A new study by an independent third party revealed a startling fact that only 27 per cent women feel that their husbands shared the load equally with them during these times. This prevents women for participating equally in celebrations.

The film depicts a post family dinner scenario wherein the man is seen sitting browsing through his phone, while the woman is clearing the table and attending to the baby. The man asks his wife about the photos received on the family group from the dinner earlier that day. She asks him to find a picture in which she is also a part of the festivities. In most pictures, she is in the background doing chores and missing all the festivity and celebrations.

Ariel India said that over the past seven years, it has continued to spark conversations around unequal division of household chores and urging more men to share the load. In 2014, before Ariel’s movement, 79 per cent men thought household chores are a women’s job. However, over the years, millions of men have come forward to do their part, bringing this number down steadily to 41 per cent. This represents men of today who are open to change and are starting to do more and share everyday chores and take up their share of responsibility.

“At Ariel, we aspire to build a better world for all of us, a world where everyone sees equal. Over the years, Ariel has brought to light through our campaigns, unconscious bias and conditioning which comes in the way of us achieving an equal world,” said P&G India chief marketing officer & Fabric Care vice president Sharat Verma.

“Even now 61 per cent of women believe that they do not get to fully enjoy the celebrations because of the unequal burden of household chores. This often goes unnoticed and through #CelebrateEqual we want to help trigger conversations to drive positive change,” he added.

Ariel added that it has been championing the cause of equality and inclusion since 2015. It has been raising pertinent questions on household equality through its movement #ShareTheLoad and supporting inclusion through its campaign #MakeItPossible. #CelebrateEqual is another effort in this direction furthering the cause of gender equality in households.

Mumbai: Cycle manufacturer Hero Cycles has announced the launch of its new e-commerce website to provide consumers with a superlative experience. The website not only promotes a new avenue of growth but also strengthens the brand’s omni-channel presence. The website boasts of some notable features such as a super easy cycle finder to meet the customer’s needs, free doorstep delivery, flexible payment options and pan-India availability. The strength of this website is not just giving a friction-free buying experience to users, but also to leverage the 3,000+ dealer partners that Hero Cycles has across India.

The consumers can now make purchase decisions from the comfort of their homes, in just a few clicks! Apart from that, the all-new virtual expert assistance service is available to assist the consumers with their queries and also understand their requirements to suggest the best variants from the Hero Cycles range of products. Meanwhile, the store locator guides the user to their nearest Hero Sprint Store or Dealer Partner while the order tracking feature provides timely updates on the delivery of their products.

Hero Cycles director Aditya Munjal said, “Our latest and biggest e-commerce website has been launched and would serve as a one-stop shop for the cycling community. With an objective to grow the band of cycling enthusiasts in the country, the website is designed to provide a seamless experience. What makes this even more unique is the fact that this is a true omni-channel initiative in partnership with our dealers and Hero Sprint Stores which form an extremely important pillar in our journey of over 60 years. We want to increase the adoption of cycles and e-cycles across the country and we believe that this website will serve as another milestone in that direction”

Mumbai: In its 16-year history, Colors’ Bigg Boss has come a long way and evolved into a sensation in the television entertainment industry.

For its 16th season, the Bigg Boss production crew has teamed up with Priyagold Hunk Chocolates as a taste partner, to provide mouth watering delicacies at a ‘chocolate station’ for the participants this year. The ‘Priyagold Hunk Chocolate Station’ will be given to the captain, also known as the ‘genuine hunk’ of the house. As a result, it gives the contenders the authority to share the chocolates with the other residents of the home, resulting in natural consumption moments that are woven into the plot. This increased their target audience’s level of engagement.

Commenting on the association, Priyagold Hunk Chocolates director Shekhar Agarwal said, “This year the Bigg Bosshouse has been greeted with a sweet surprise with our coveted ‘Priyagold Hunk Chocolate Station.’ The drool-worthy surprise gives the ‘Hunk’ of the Bigg Boss house the power to share the chocolates with the other housemates based on his/her liking. We hope the association with this blockbuster reality show will be the first of many to follow. The collaboration has allowed us to scale up our presence in tier II and III cities and gain traction as a premium chocolate bar across consumer segments.”

Adding to this, Viacom18 Colors revenue head Pavithra KR stated, “Bigg Boss is a unique format with daily engagement and is part of most daily conversations; it has reinforced itself as the No. 1 non-fiction show in the GEC genre. The platform continues to provide brands with innovative ways to integrate, making it a part of the storytelling that leads to organic moments for the brand. Bigg Boss is an advertiser’s delight. When used creatively, the brand becomes a part of the narrative, which adds to the immersive experience of the format.”

Mumbai: After a 16-year run with Slice, Bollywood actress Katrina Kaif has announced her departure, but she remains a part of the PepsiCo India family as the face of its packaged water brand Aquafina. Kaif has created some of the most iconic and memorable brand campaigns that have resonated strongly with consumers for Slice.

Speaking about the association, Kaif said, “Hydration has always been a key area of focus for me. I’ve been wanting to do something in the hydration space for some time now and am delighted to get this opportunity with PepsiCo India to be the face of Aquafina. In addition, Slice has been one of the longest collaborations that I have been a part of. It’s been an amazing association, and I wish them the best for the journey ahead.”

PepsiCo India associate director of Tropicana and Slice Anuj Goyal commented, “Goes without saying, Slice will always remind us of Kaif, who has been a wonderful face for the brand for the last 16 years. The campaigns that we have created together will go down in history and always remind their audiences of the indulgence of mangoes. It is not a goodbye, but rather the beginning of a new journey as we continue our association with her by welcoming Kaif to our Aquafina family.”

Mumbai: dentsu India announced on Tuesday that it has bagged the integrated media mandate for Vida, the emerging mobility brand from Hero MotoCorp. The account was won following a multi-agency pitch and will be serviced from the network’s Gurgaon office.

As per the mandate, the agency will oversee the brand’s global full-funnel marketing, which includes performance and digital marketing. It will manage Vida’s branding and performance campaigns with the best of its talent and capabilities as a strategic media partner.

Speaking on the win, dentsu India’s Anita Kotwani said, “We are delighted to win MotoCorp’s emerging mobility brand Vida powered by Hero. Vida is a truly new-age global brand that is authentic and progressive, and we are delighted with the mandate of managing it not only in India but across the globe. As dentsu, we pride ourselves in working with brands that “Make Way” to drive meaningful progress for the environment.”

dentsu CXM India & Merkle India CEO Anubhav Sonthalia added, “The advancement of the electric mobility space is what the future holds. Thus, partnering with a brand like Vida powered by Hero certainly makes it a brilliant opportunity. We are extremely excited to partner with them and execute some mind-blowing strategies.”

Hero MotoCorp head of business growth for emerging mobility Chandrasekar Radhakrishnan commented, “We are glad to have dentsu India as our partner in this journey towards growing the electric mobility category across the world. Our endeavour is to create a brand that is truly global in nature, a brand that resonates with audiences from Bangalore to Bogota and Lucknow to London. Vida is a new-age brand with a distinct identity and the tagline “Make Way,” a call to action to all change-makers to drive positive change. Our choice of partners is a clear reflection of this intent to build a global, new-age brand.”

Mumbai: Crypto investing app CoinSwitch revealed an all-new brand identity, which includes a new logo, colours, font, and a refreshed mobile app. The company announced that it would become the first Indian crypto company to diversify into other asset classes as part of its mission to make money equal for all.

The brand-new app encapsulates multiple asset classes with a simple, intuitive design, bringing a unified view across multiple asset classes. The refreshed mobile app takes a content-first approach through bite-sized information, aided by visuals, enabling users to make data-backed investment decisions.

The newly launched logo is built on the idea of choices and a diverse portfolio — each of which is a composition of different dreams, plans, financial goals, and aspirations. The different shapes in varying sizes and colours convey these values and showcase how every user’s financial journey is different, but CoinSwitch accommodates them all.

Speaking on the development, CoinSwitch co-founder and CEO Ashish Singhal said, “At CoinSwitch, we want to revolutionise the financial investment journey for Indians. As we transition from a single-asset app to a wealth-tech destination, we understand now more than ever the need for a stronger, more relatable visual personality. We revolutionised the crypto investing experience with a simple UI/UX to become the largest crypto investing platform in India. The brand new colourful, contemporary, but sophisticated colour palette resembles our core motto—simplicity and inclusion—and embodies our vision and the way forward—to become a preferred investment destination for all Indians.”

“Many Indians are yet to start investing in any asset class. There is a dearth of reliable information from dependable sources. As part of our vision to be a one-stop destination for all investment needs, we have conceptualised this unique, inclusive design to attract the new, bold, independent people who want to be wise in their investment decisions. We want to tell people not just to consume and spend money, but also to invest and grow their money. Our new brand identity has taken an approach of no-jargon, bite-sized info, and interesting visuals to aid text. We have also added quizzes and polls where users can apply their learning,” said CoinSwitch senior director of growth Swati Pincha.

CoinSwitch’s design overhaul flaunts a range of user-friendly sections, including a ‘portfolio’ section that gives a clear view of how the user’s investments are performing, a ‘market’ section that helps users keep a close eye on the price movements, and a dedicated ‘learn’ section with bite-sized content that helps investors stay up to date with everything that’s happening in the market in a simple and quick way.

The new design has adopted a soothing mix of colours—the blueish purple, complemented by darker and lighter blue tones juxtaposed with a bold, zesty lime—that articulates the brand’s personality and enhances the visual appeal of the product. The secondary range of warm but bright colours will assist the primary palette. The dash of pink, the muted lushness of light green, and the aesthetically bleached shades of blue and purple will bring our illustrations and other product creatives to life. The brand-new, sleeker-looking font, Nexa, gives the brand’s visual identity a major lift through its minimal characteristics.