Category: Brands

Mumbai: In its endeavor to fortify its scientific feet technological capabilities, Yoho, an Indian footwear brand, has appointed Amol Parashar as the official brand ambassador. The announcement comes with the launch of Yoho’s latest product range – Lofos, which offers a contemporary upgrade to the classic leather shoes based on a twist & turns philosophy with its anti-pain arch flex technology and a native flex sole.

Parashar, who is popular amongst the youth for his work in web shows and films such as Tripling and Sardar Udham, will play a crucial role in promoting the brand’s message of inclusivity and providing comfortable, affordable footwear for all. Having graduated from IIT Delhi and having created a mark for himself in the world of storytelling, Parashar’s role and contribution to Yoho will go beyond just plain endorsement and will involve collaborating creatively with the team to tell the story of the brand in an innovative and effective manner.

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“We are thrilled to have Amol Parashar join our team as an ambassador for our brand”, said Yoho co-founder Prateek Singhal. “At Yoho, we believe that everyone should have access to high-quality, comfortable footwear, regardless of their size, shape, or budget. Given Amol’s popularity and connection with the Indian audiences, we will be creating exciting opportunities with him to deeply engage with our consumers. He perfectly resonates with the Yoho vibes of being comfortable in your own skin. As the face of our latest launch – Lofos, Amol personifies our vision to offer ‘one shoe that fits all looks’. By innovating the classic leather shoes, our premium leather loafers offer a round-the-clock footwear that is 100 per cent flexible and wrinkle-free. We are confident that the association will further drive our approach towards fitness and lifestyle in India and make Yoho a mainstream brand.”

Parashar said, “This is truly a synergistic association. To me, Yoho Footwear is a trustworthy forward-looking brand and aims to make comfortable footwear affordable for all, something that truly resonates with me. In my own life, I am driven by innovation and boldness without ever compromising on quality. I see the same values in Yoho’s products and people. I’m looking forward to being a part of the next stage of Yoho Footwear’s growth, expansion and success. I have tried their Lofos, and they don’t lie when they say you can twist and turn it to the T, which makes me super excited to be onboard.”

Commenting on the association, Yoho co-founder Ahmad Hushsham stated, “We are excited about the brand partnership as we feel Amol’s vibrant and “in his zone” appeal perfectly matches our brand’s key attributes. We feel there is a considerable opportunity to expand our consumer base in the OTT generation and this partnership will certainly fuel our growth in a significant manner.”

Yoho will work with Parashar to develop and promote a range of inclusive footwear options, developed through technologies like their Footpharma footbed and Archflex arch support system. The latest range of leather loafers, Lofos, is built with a shape-shifting and sole-soothing native flex technology that adapts to the customer’s specific feet size in 15 hours. Founded in 2021, Yoho has already sold 1,00,000+ pairs of footwear after coming out of stealth mode four months back, with just three products – Bubbles, Waves, and Breeze. The products designed with orthopedic ergonomics are available for both men and women across all top e-commerce platforms.

Mumbai: Food brand Mother’s Recipe, known for its extensive product portfolio, has launched a new product category Sharbat for this summer season. The tradition of having sharbat in summer always strikes nostalgia. In Indian households, making sharbat is a family affair, with everyone pitching in to help prepare the drink. Grandmothers are often the ones who pass down their traditional recipes and techniques for making sharbat. In the summer season, tea gets replaced with sharbat while welcoming guests. Sharbats are offered as a thirst quencher to beat the scorching summer heat.

Sharbat is a refreshing drink but also a cultural symbol in India. It is often served to guests as a sign of hospitality and warmth and an essential part of Indian tradition that brings families and communities together. Keeping this in mind and in a bid to strengthen its product portfolio Mother’s Recipe has recently announced the launch of its new product category range called the Summer Wala Sharbat with a new tagline ‘Swad Jo Dilaye Bachhpan ki yaad’.

Mother’s Recipe sharbat has launched five new range refreshing flavours Mango Panna, Rose Sharbat, Jeera Masala, Khus Syrup and Lemon Ginger. Rose sharbat, made with rose syrup and water, is a classic flavour and is often used as a base for other sharbat flavours. Khus sharbat, made with khus extract syrup, is a fragrant and cooling drink. Lemon sharbat, made with lemon juice and sugar syrup, is a tangy and refreshing drink. Mango sharbat, made with mango pulp and sugar syrup, is a sweet and fruity drink. With the rising temperature, it is very important to keep our bodies cool and hydrated. Khus, Lemon, Rose, and various ingredients in the sharbat are known to offer various health benefits too such as improving digestion & cooling. The sharbat can be served chilled and can be garnished with mint leaves, lemon slices, or can be turned into a fancy mocktail or a faluda.  

Mother’s Recipe executive director Sanjana Desai said, “We at Mother’s Recipe always strive to provide consumers with an enriching experience through our product offerings.  We believe in pushing boundaries when it comes to introducing consumers to new products, tastes and experiences and with our Summer Wala Sharbat we aim to do the same.  In India, the beverage category has witnessed a paradigm shift in consumption patterns, from regular soft drinks to better and healthier options. To address the ever-evolving consumer demand we decided to expand our product portfolio with Sharbat. We are confident that the product will soon emerge as the preferred beverage choice across all age groups”.

Mother’s Recipe Sharbat range is available in a 750ml PET bottle priced at Rs. 180. The bottles are great for reusing, unbreakable and easy to store in the fridge cabinets. The product will be available across all e-commerce platforms like modern and all retail outlets. The launch of the products is a step forward in having a broader portfolio. Currently, the brand is among the leading FMCG companies with a range that includes a variety of products like pickles, cooking paste, chutney, papad, ready to eat and ready to cook.

Mumbai: Mikoto, a sterling silver and a jewellery brand by FS Life, has completed an extensive rebranding effort as the brand enters its next phase of growth. At the core of this rebranding is its transition from semi-precious to fine silver jewellery with a new name, March.

Having engaged with customers through Mikoto, FS Life found the need to bring-in silver jewellery that resonates with the everyday to occasion wear needs of the women of today. Moreover, educating them on how they can accessorise well was identified as an important factor. This led to the creation of March, a brand that not only offers quality silver jewellery but also educates customers on how to style and wear it. March’s product philosophy revolves around making classic jewellery an everyday and occasion wear accessory that’s comfortable, easy to wear, and affordable. The brand’s design aesthetic is “Minimally Maximal,” where each piece exudes the boldness of silver in an overall elegant design. The ergonomic design ensures that each piece is optimised for ease and comfort, from adjustable rings to earrings with posts that don’t hurt when you take a phone call.

March caters to the modern woman who rejoices in her femininity, is chic, and loves to play with fashion to make it her own. Whether it’s for a first date or a power pose for the ‘gram, March has silver jewellery that adds just the right amount of elan to any occasion.

Each piece of jewellery from March comes with a Certificate of Authenticity for silver, ensuring that the brand maintains quality standards across each stage of production. March aims to take silver jewellery from being a rare item to an everyday accessory and minimal styles to occasion wear without compromising on its value.

“Our aim is to make jewellery an effortless experience for women. We want to empower them with knowledge and offer them quality silver jewellery that complements their everyday to occasion wear style,” said March founder Ayushi Gudwani.

Mikoto was launched in February 2022 and has grown extensively in the last year. March is now available for purchase on their website, and they are planning to soon launch their retail stores across the country.

Mumbai: Since time immemorial, cricket has been called the gentleman’s game. But not anymore. The flagging off of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) is proof of that. But there are questions galore.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) has been a lucrative investment for brands for the past 15 years, and it’s like everyone wants a bite of it. But, how and why is it so that women’s cricket wasn’t given any impetus prior to now? Also, the demarcation of men-centric brands or women-centric brands has become more like a sexist game of brands too with WPL clearly attracting more women-centric brands in the very first go. Will that continue or could we witness a change in the minds of CMOs who would be willing to associate their ‘masculine’ brands with women’s games, especially women’s cricket?

Indiantelevision.com got into a quick chat with ad industry mavericks and raised these questions and more.

Talking about the recognition of women in sports, especially women’s cricket, has seen an uptick. But why so late?

Bang In The Middle (BITM) co-founder & managing partner Naresh Gupta is of the view that this is how following for sports evolves. “It is a slow process. The Indian women’s team was there, but wasn’t playing enough. More games, more TV and recognisable players made the difference. Also, the team started to do well. It won medals at the Commonwealth Games and the ICC championships, and this became the foundation.”

Communications strategy consultant Karthik Srinivasan highlights that the first-ever WPL is only happening in 2023. “Women’s cricket, overall, and women in sports are most definitely making their mark. I don’t think the recognition is late, but our expectation that they would instantly zoom into collective attention to rival men’s cricket is perhaps misplaced.”

WPL drawing primarily female-centric brands?

Putting things into perspective, a slew of female-centric brands have been associated with the WPL, be it through the broadcaster or through the teams. Viacom18 Sports, the official broadcaster of the tournament, has World Gold Council as a sponsor. Navyasa and Joy Personal Care are key sponsors for the Delhi Capitals team. Mia by Tanishq, Vega Beauty and Himalaya Face Care are the key sponsors for the Royal Challengers Bangalore team. Lotus Herbals is the principal partner for Mumbai Indians.

There is no demarcation in the men’s IPL with regard to male-centric or female-centric brands being associated with the game. Then why is the WPL essentially attracting only female-centric brands?

Gupta feels that like the game, brands also take time to evolve. “Most brands out there will stick to the formula they know. “Not just cricket, almost every woman sport finds it hard to get corporate sponsorship. Despite being new, WPL has done well to get the kind of brands it has got. Women-centric brands might have found it easier to weave into their brand world. I also think that’s how it has been sold by the broadcaster. Brands also have hedged it with IPL, and the commitment for IPL is much larger.”

Also, viewership for the WPL comes from across genders. Then what makes male-centric brands feel that they would not be fit for associating with the WPL?

Though these are mostly observations, Srinivasan ponders whether this is validated with accurate data. “If it is, the only reason could be the presumption that WPL may perhaps have a tad more women viewers than IPL and hence may possibly make for an appropriate event to advertise women-centric brands.”

Gupta is positive about the scenario. “Having seen the success of WPL, I would think more brands will join in. I do think more auto brands, handset brands, tech-driven categories and fintech players will start to look at women’s cricket and not just WPL.”

WPL’s potential for brands and as investment opportunity

Gupta understands, “It’s a bit like the Pro Kabaddi league. It was slow to start, but it did pick up. Women’s cricket will offer a great opportunity to brands as we live forward. I do see many more brands joining the party.”

“I’d assume there’s nothing different about WPL, and there shouldn’t be either. Like IPL, this too is a sporting event, and it has to be made exciting through exciting matches and excellent gameplay. But brands would consider larger viewership numbers without going into whether it’s IPL or WPL or Kabaddi league or Kho-Kho league. All brands would bother about is total viewership and the demographics within that without going into who is playing the games. If those numbers look attractive, any and every brand would want a piece of that,” Srinivasan concludes.

Mumbai: At-home experiences and occasions are best enjoyed with friends and family, and a pack of Lay’s makes these moments even better. But running out of Lay’s can interrupt the good times and may even induce last-minute panic to restock. Hilariously drawing attention to the outcomes of last-minute restocking trips, Lay’s, one of India’s favoured potato chip brands, has launched a TVC campaign featuring award-winning actor Rajkummar Rao to remind consumers to have ‘Ghar Par Lay’s Always’!

In-home occasions continue to grow at a steady pace. As a result, consumers choose to celebrate these occasions with large packs of their favourite snacks by their side. Thus, the introduction of the latest TVC under the ‘Ghar Par Lay’s Always’ campaign speaks to the consumers on the perils of not stocking-up Lay’s at home.

Directed by Vinil Mathew, the TVC film opens with Rao throwing a costume party at home with himself dressed as a burglar. When his girlfriend (played by Dolly Singh) informs him that they’ve run out of Lay’s, Rao nervously heads out to the grocery store, starting a series of comedic mishaps. From being mistaken as a real burglar by the public to getting arrested by the police, his hilarious roller-coaster of misadventures concludes upon his release from jail, when he tells a jail warden curious about his imprisonment that “Mai toh sirf Lay’s lene gaya tha”. The TVC ends on an entertaining note as Rao explains his Lay’s misadventures to Dolly and proudly shows off his fully stocked pantry with Lay’s, remarking, “Isliye…Ghar pe Lay’s Always!”

Speaking about being part of the TVC film, Rao, expressed, “For years, Lay’s, with its iconic and irresistible flavours has been my favourite snack. When the brand reached out for their ‘At Home’ film, I was instantly drawn towards the comical and playful script because I have always related to the frenzy of keeping my home stocked with Lay’s. I had a lot of fun filming the TVC and I am definitely going to have ‘Ghar Par Lay’s Always’. I hope the audience enjoys the film and ensures Lay’s is a part of all their joyful moments at home.”

Expressing her excitement at the TVC, PepsiCo India director-marketing, potato chips category Shailja Joshi said, “At Lay’s, we are committed to infuse a sense of joy into our consumers’ lives and uplift their consumption experiences with our distinct offerings and relatable storytelling. Our newest TVC film for ‘Ghar Par Lay’s Always’ perfectly captures the central role that Lay’s plays during at-home occasions. We’re thrilled to have associated with Rao for this campaign and he has fantastically brought this messaging to life in the film. We hope that it will prompt Lay’s fans to always keep their favourite Lay’s well-stocked at home and experience fun uninterrupted.”

Speaking about the campaign Leo Burnett – South Asia CEO & chief creative officer Rajdeepak Das said, “Lay’s has always been the perfect snack partner and with this film we wanted to reiterate to the audiences to stock up their favourite Lay’s at home. With this hilariously exaggerated cautionary tale starring Rao, our film gives people a glimpse into the perils of not having ‘Ghar Par Lay’s Always’! If you don’t have Lays, anything can happen.”

The Lay’s ‘@ Home’ packs are available at Rs 20, Rs 30, Rs 50 and Rs 78 across all leading retail and e-commerce platforms in India.

Mumbai: Havas Group has unveiled Havas Play, a new global network that will earn consumers’ attention and create enduring business impact through meaningful experiences at the intersection of entertainment, sports, technology, and fandom.

Havas Play is founded on the belief that activating where consumer passions are at play drives more meaningful engagement and increased purchase. This global network will empower all brands to activate in consumer passion points– from the arts and tech to healthcare and consumer goods. As a dedicated network within the Havas ecosystem, Havas Play will unify existing agency brands and expertise within the organization, scaling across all of Havas’ major markets and retiring the Havas Sports, and Havas Sports & Entertainment brands in markets where they currently exist.

In India, three entities, Havas Sports and Entertainment and Havas Content, both of which are part of Havas Media Group India, and Cake India, which is part of Havas Creative India, will combine and rebrand as Havas Play.

Havas Play

Havas Media Group India president and national head of investments R Venkatasubramanian has been given the additional responsibility to lead Havas Play in India. Havas Play will be part of the Havas Media Group India network, which is led by Mohit Joshi as its chief executive officer. Under the new structure, senior vice president Arun Kumar Rao, vice president Prachi Narayan, and managing partner Rajika Mittra will report to Venkat and will manage Sports, Content and Entertainment mandates, respectively.

The launch simplifies existing services the network offers to clients under various marques today. Havas Play leverages, upskills, and expands upon existing talent to provide strategy, ideation, creative, production, project management, and distribution across a range of core services: partnerships, influencer marketing, experiential & live events, sponsorships, social media activation & amplification, and branded entertainment.

HARMAN INTERNATIONAL – having appointed Havas as global agency of record across media and creative at the end of 2022 – now also becomes Havas Play’s first global client, with an expanded remit that appoints Havas Play as global gaming agency of record. Havas Play builds on agency experience across local markets in sports, gaming, music and entertainment for Puma, Jameson, Axa, L’Enfant Blue, and more.

“Only Havas can maximize the real opportunity of Play for brands. The launch of this global network to activate consumer passions is something we are truly best positioned to do through our Villages in bringing together the range of skills, tools and services needed to succeed in activating brands in meaningful ways, and our completely unique position within Vivendi as a global leader in entertainment. Clients of Havas Play will have unparalleled access to create meaningful experiences in collaboration with the cultural influencers that command their consumers’ attention and passion,” Havas Group Chairman and CEO Yannick Bolloré comments.

Havas Play, already established in Havas’ HQ market, France, will continue to differentiate in three ways: optimizing activation through a deep understanding of what makes brands ‘Meaningful’ based on over 12 years of research; a unique commitment to ethics, sustainability and inclusivity through the Institute for Advertising Ethics; and a bespoke approach to measuring brand experience powered by Havas’ global data platform, Converged.

“Havas Play will enable brands around the world to Play like never before, creating moments that break through to consumers in booming concert halls, cheering sports crowds, the bustle of Paris Fashion Week, and the virtual Sandbox. The connection between Havas Play and Vivendi is a true symbiotic relationship, and a shining example of how our organization works cohesively as an integrated network to generate greater value,” Bolloré added.

Havas Group India Group CEO Rana Barua said, “At Havas, we are constantly striving to assist clients in navigating the ever-changing and dynamic advertising and marketing industry by breaking down silos and creating more integrated solutions. The launch of Havas Play is a significant step in that direction. Havas Play will leverage Vivendi and Havas Group resources and has a distinct advantage that shapes core components of the planning process, such as custom data and insight from across Vivendi on fan behaviour, global music, film, gaming, and publisher IP access, and collaboration with top talent from the culture and media sphere. We saw a huge opportunity in sports, culture, and entertainment in India over the years and launched Havas Sports and Entertainment, Havas Content, and Cake India.

I am confident that by joining the forces of these three entities, Havas Play becomes a first-ever and one-of-a-kind offering in India.”

Mumbai: With an aim to further strengthen brand positioning and commitment to consumer centricity, Metro Brands Ltd., India’s fashion footwear retailer, has appointed Deepika Deepti as senior vice president – marketing.

Listed among the top 100 leaders in India by Luxebook for 2020, Deepti will work alongside managing director Farah Malik Bhanji and CEO Nissan Joseph of the eight-decade old footwear brand to spearhead the company’s marketing mandate. Deepti brings to the business an extensive 18 years of experience with the retail industry and has been known for building brands.

At Metro Brands, Deepti will help steer the company through its vision of being a leading new-age Indian footwear retailer with a strong omni-channel presence across the country by strategically strengthening the brand portfolio. Her understanding of product, business acumen and skills of the new age marketing tools, like social & digital, collaborations with celebrities like Ranveer Singh, Pharrell Williams, Stan Smith led her to her biggest wins at adidas by leading a revolution of sneaker culture in India with adidas Originals. Deepti’s decade-long stint with adidas is testimony of her in-depth knowledge of the footwear industry and her capability to boost the revenue growth of a brand.

Prior to joining Metro Brands, last year Deepti was CEO & chief marketing officer at Camp SMA and worked with brands like Veg Non-Veg as well as the contemporary luxury clothing brand Bhaane (2020-21), where she played an integral part in expediting growth of e-com at bhaane.com. As former director brand activation, emerging markets at adidas, Deepika spent a decade gaining in-depth knowledge of Indian and international retail markets to strategically grow the business. Her trophy brands during her stint there included adidas Originals, Yeezy, Statement & Neo across India and emerging markets.

“It is an honor to be part of a celebrated legacy company like Metro that has stood the test of time. In my current role here, I look forward to upholding and elevating the company’s many brands by building cultural relevance and value for each of them. My focus will be to keep pace with marketing innovations and continue to build brand aspiration,” said Deepti.

Metro Brands currently operates 720 stores in 160 cities as well as multiple websites and dedicated pages across major Indian e-commerce marketplaces. Metro Brands has brands like Metro Shoes, Mochi, Walkway under its banner and operates retail stores for FitFlop, Biofoot and Crocs exclusively in India.

Mumbai: QMS MAS (Medical Allied Services), a field of healthcare and wellness, has boarded cricketer, actor, and philanthropist Kapil Dev as its brand ambassador. Continuing their association further, the platform has also rolled out their new advertisement Q Devices: You can count on them for the launch of their medical diagnostic devices, Q-Devices, featuring the cricketer. Carrying a legacy of over 28 years, the brand is amongst the most reliable, trustworthy, and respectable players in the field, as is also reflected in its brand ambassador choice. The company provides customised scientific solutions for healthcare promotion to customers. Its products are completely made in India with the mission is to help fellow citizens lead dignified, healthier, and happier lives.

In a career spanning almost two decades, Dev, fondly called Paaji by fans all over the world, has repeatedly demonstrated his zeal for perfection and the potential of hard work, diligence, versatility, and wellness, in meeting life goals. The former cricketer’s passion for fitness is widely known, and he connects with the millennials as well as Gen Z due to his humility and unique style. It is these qualities that make him the ideal choice for the brand.

The ad deploys a humorous narrative showing Dev in a cheerful mood, celebrating the convenience and wide array of Q-Devices making healthcare easily accessible to the general public, providing quality healthcare equipment like nebulizers, blood pressure monitors, and oximeters at affordable prices. Uproarious laughter is the highlight of this lighthearted advertisement, symbolic of a stress-free life that Q-Devices promise to bring on the table and help take control of one’s health. The excitement is as palpable amongst people around Dev as in him and everyone is looking forward to availing of the convenience of the services. This is in sync with the brand’s mission of helping India become healthy and safe from diseases. The ad is being promoted on various platforms such as digital media, OTT, and social media.

Speaking about the ad and the vision of the brand, QMS MAS co-founder Guddi Makhija said, “As a company, we place the welfare of the customer above everything. Reliability, servicing, quality assurance and innovation are some of the core values of QMS MAS, and Kapil Dev is the true embodiment of these virtues. He was thus our first choice. We feel a strong sense of responsibility towards our customers and care deeply about their health and well-being, so we needed an icon with whom everyone could relate. We think the audience can connect with Kapil because of his warmth and confidence; this is very important for us as a brand. He will help us realise our aim of bringing smiles to each and every life.”

Commenting on his association with the brand, Dev said, “The current scenario in the country has put the focus back on the healthcare sector- lifestyle diseases are on the rise, and India is on its way to becoming the diabetes capital of the world. We need to monitor our health closely, and QMS MAS makes easily available the most advanced healthcare equipment and services to enable this. The company puts its heart and soul into ensuring customer welfare, and being its brand ambassador is an honour. I look forward to a long and fruitful collaboration.”

Mumbai: Sports nutrition brand MuscleBlaze has announced the appointment of Shubman Gill as its new brand ambassador for endorsing the brand’s MB Fuel One Sports range amongst the youth.

Shubman Gill, an Indian international cricketer, exemplifies what it means for young people to be fitness enthusiasts. His guiding principle, “Grind Now, Shine Later,” reveals how much value he places on his health. Given his enormous fan base, MuscleBlaze hopes that this partnership would further strengthen its brand engagement with athletes and fitness fans nationwide.

Talking about his association with MuscleBlaze, cricket’s rising star Shubman Gill said, “I’m excited to be a part of MuscleBlaze since I’ve always been passionate about working out every day and maintaining a fit lifestyle. With everyone getting busy and always juggling with their lives, nutrition takes a backseat; so my association with MuscleBlaze will promote the healthy way to be ahead in the game of staying active by dispelling the myth that consuming supplements and protein is a barrier to fitness”

Commenting on this brand ambassador announcement, HealthKart founder and CEO Sameer Maheshwari said, “The ethos of MuscleBlaze is to foster a Ziddi attitude, and Shubman’s journey reflects exactly that. He is a rising star and we are thrilled to fuel his achievements with our products like Biozyme etc. This partnership will scale great heights.“

Adding to the excitement, MuscleBlaze business head Kaustuv Paliwal said, “We’re thrilled to have Shubman Gill represent us as a brand ambassador. MB has a penchant for being the harbinger of great talent, and what we see in Shubman Gill is an unassailable potential to stand out with his champion mindset, exactly what MB stands for. Our association with such a trailblazing batsman, who has dauntlessly pursued his Zidd against all odds to make sure failure does not loom close, also reiterates our vigor to fuel the future of Indian sports with genuine supplements specially crafted for athletes. With this, we’re expecting to further motivate our young consumers and infuse them with the right supplements.”

The Fuel One Sports range by MuscleBlaze is specifically crafted for athletes to bolster uncompromised performance and set them up for the ultimate victory. The present portfolio of Fuel One Sports includes elite products like Sports Protein and rehydration fuel Hydr8 Pro available across all the major online marketplaces along with a promising product lineup in the pipeline.