Category: Brands

  • This International Men’s day, The Man Company celebrates #GentlemanInYou

    This International Men’s day, The Man Company celebrates #GentlemanInYou

    MUMBAI: Homegrown men’s grooming brand, The Man Company has rolled out the ‘Gentleman kise kehte hai’ campaign – an extension to their 2019 campaign, that celebrates the core idea of every individual realising their self-worth.

    The campaign launched ahead of the International Men’s Day recognises that ‘real gentlemen’ struggle with possessiveness, insecurities, vulnerability, and stacks of self-doubt while yearning to show compassion and empathy for one’s inner self.  Singer Sona Mohapatra has delivered the video voiceover while ‘Article 15’ fame writer, poet, and lyricist Gaurav Solanki penned down the content for the ‘Gentleman tumhi toh ho’ campaign executed by What Works.

    “Men are often expected to hide their emotions or vulnerability and to behave in a certain way. It damages their relationship with themselves as well as with other people. We wanted to celebrate men who don’t care about stereotypes and defy this pressure, men who are in love with themselves in a healthy way, and how that makes them more compassionate and fun,” said Solanki.

    What Works video agency and production house founder Imran Shamsi said, “We wanted to pay an ode to the gentleness in men. And, since the focus was on self-acceptance and self-love, ordinary men became the heroes of our film.”

    Vibhav Ameta who directed the video said the narrative demanded simplicity, a free-flowing viewing experience, and visuals that connect emotionally and bring smiles. “Picturing men in their daily life through the scope of ‘self-love’ was tricky, not something we see in campaigns that often. We used mirrors to show a different perspective, a new reflection, another side of a gentleman,” he added.

    The Man Company has released the video campaign on YouTube in nine different languages: English, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Punjabi, Bengali, Marathi, Kannada, and Gujarati. It also has a section describing the video content in sign language.

    “This International Men’s Day, as a men’s grooming brand, we are equipped and responsible for empowering today’s men so that they can feel the best version of themselves at any given point in life,” The Man Company founder Hitesh Dhingra said.

  • How Hyundai drove straight to its audience with Spotify

    How Hyundai drove straight to its audience with Spotify

    MUMBAI: In an industry-first innovation, Hyundai has sponsored Spotify’s popular playlist ‘Discover Weekly’ to drive awareness for the launch of the Hyundai i20 N Line. This is also the first time that this flagship playlist is being sponsored in India.

    A fitting partnership since the launch of the Hyundai i20 N Line in India also marks the introduction of Hyundai’s globally popular N Line series in India. With instantly recognisable looks and great handling agility, Hyundai N Line makes each drive a sporty experience. The motorsports-inspired design sets N Line cars apart from everything else and creates a fun-to-drive experience.

    “Hyundai is an innovative brand and our prime focus has always been to create unique curated content and engage new-age customers. We firmly believe that our association with Spotify for an industry-first activation of ‘Discover Weekly’ algorithmic playlist will place Hyundai brand at the center of music culture and will further strengthen our brand connect with smart and trendsetter music lovers,” said Hyundai India director (sales, marketing & service) Tarun Garg.

    ‘Discover Weekly’ is an algorithmically-curated playlist that is personalised and delivered to Spotify listeners across the world every Monday. For a vast majority of these listeners – 36 per cent of who are in the 25 to 34 age range – it’s something they look forward to as they begin their week and to discover new music specially tailored to their tastes and musical preferences. Because of its highly personalised experience, ‘Discover Weekly’ users stream more than two times as long as non-Discover Weekly users. These listeners tend to be smart, savvy, early adopters, and trend-setters who define culture and are eager to embrace the next big thing.

    To tap into this influential audience and reach them when they are at their most engaged and in an environment that is personal and authentic, Hyundai partnered with Spotify India to sponsor ‘Discover Weekly’ locally. By placing a brand message at the center of music and popular culture, Hyundai demonstrated to its audience that the Hyundai i20 N Line is the best fit for consumers’ life and lifestyle. Using a mobile overlay and Spotify India’s Audio Everywhere solution, Hyundai was able to tap into the “discovery” mindset of listeners with customised in-playlist messaging, thus driving action to know more about the car and to experience it.

    “We’re excited that Hyundai is India’s first brand to sponsor ‘Discover Weekly’, a powerful personalisation experience that Spotify uniquely offers our fans. This partnership uses the intimacy of audio, backed by our streaming intelligence, and supercharges discovery for Hyundai’s audience,” said Spotify India head of sales Arjun Ravi Kolady.

    Creative: The customised in-playlist messaging consisted of audio spots that were curated to pique the users’ interest in what it would be like to drive the Hyundai i20 N Line and look at the world as their playground. With the sporty roaring exhaust note sound, engine revving, and the car powering through a road, the creatives exemplified that ‘It’s time to play,’ and made listeners feel the sporty fit that the Hyundai i20 N Line is.

    (This is an advertorial published in association with Spotify)

  • My11Circle onboards Mohammed Siraj as brand ambassador

    My11Circle onboards Mohammed Siraj as brand ambassador

    Mumbai: My11Circle, the fantasy cricket platform of Games24x7 has announced cricketer Mohammed Siraj as its new brand ambassador.

    Siraj, who plays for the Indian team and represents Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League (IPL) is recognised as one of the upcoming stars and best quick bowlers in world cricket said the brand elaborating on its association with the cricketer. His most notable performance came earlier this year when he played a crucial role in India’s historic series win in Australia.

    Siraj joins an illustrious group of other brand ambassadors of My11Circle including, former Indian captain Saurav Ganguly, Ajinkya Rahane, legendary batsman VVS Laxman and Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh.

    Games24X7 co-founder and CEO Bhavin Pandya said, “Mohammed Siraj is young, incredibly talented, and has made an instant impression on international cricket. His fiery performance in Australia will be remembered for a long time, and all cricket fans look forward to him winning many more matches for India. My11Circle has always celebrated the youthful exuberance of Indian cricket and we are very lucky to have this bona fide star as our brand ambassador.”

    Speaking about this engagement, Siraj said, “My11Circle epitomises the skill and passion of dedicated cricket fans. Association with such an admirable brand and to be able to join an eminent group of brand ambassadors including Dada, VVS, Ajinkya is a great honour for me.”

    After a successful IPL campaign, My11Circle launched a new campaign earlier this month called ‘Game ke Deewane’, which has a unique proposition involving the reward money getting doubled, every time Team India wins the match.

    “Our ongoing campaign in the T20 World Cup, which celebrates an Indian has struck a chord with fans and we are witnessing great participation from cricket fans who are not only using their skill to participate in the contest but are also enthused by the prospect of an extra reward in case of an Indian win,” said My11Circle VP Saroj Panigrahi.

  • Spotify pushes the cart on the omnishopper’s retail journey

    Spotify pushes the cart on the omnishopper’s retail journey

    Mumbai: It’s never been a better time to be a shopper, given today’s buy-anywhere retail environment. It’s raining deals at stores, on social media, and inside in the comfort of the couch at your fingertips. Mobile commerce is expected to make up 83 per cent of all e-commerce sales by 2024, and 8 per cent of total retail1. And now shopping is such that points of discovery differ from the actual spot of purchase. A product on a streaming platform like Spotify catches a shopper’s eye who then swings by the store or their preferred e-commerce platform.

    Catch the big wave in omnichannel surfing

    With e-commerce sales expected to grow by 27 per cent by the end of 20211, there are more ways to shop and even more places for shoppers to discover that great find. So for an ‘omni-shopper’ who shops across multiple devices and places, more accessibility does not make it easy for brands to target them. These shoppers aren’t just buying what they need, they’re constantly looking for what they want, or didn’t know they wanted until they discovered it. This can make it hard for brands to foresee and prepare for their next move.

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    Being spoiled for choice, messaging to this new-age consumer has to feel authentic, tailored, and respectful of their time and sensibilities. If not, they are going to bounce. So brands need to advertise in the right place that people trust. And when they do make a decision, it’s because they sense a personal relationship between themselves and the brand. At Spotify, we’ve worked hard to build this trust with our listeners.

    Omnishoppers seek out to make a statement. 89.7 per cent of Spotify Free listeners discover brands and products from paid advertising2. A pair of kicks before everyone’s wearing them is a thing of pride, much like being the first in their group to discover a new song from a favourite artist.

    The chase excites them and they know where to find it, just like how 43 per cent of Gen Z Spotify users said they’ve heard a song on social media, and then searched for it on Spotify3. And that’s why our listeners spend their time with us, eager to explore, spending an average of 2.5 hours every day, with multi-device listeners of Spotify Free spending an average of 1.5 hours on Spotify each day4.

    Another big reason for brands to look at Spotify is what our listeners are planning. After delaying purchases in 2020, one in three Spotify users is looking at large, big-ticket purchases. Keep in mind that this is a user base that is likely to spend 15 per cent more on what they want than any other cohort

    The experience gets more personalised for them as they spend more time listening. So Spotify matches their vibe through different moments of their day, and no other media can match that level of connection.

    When it’s relevant, the recall is better too as 75 percent of Spotify listeners say they remember ads more when brands recognise their moment or setting5. Spotify helps brands reach listeners at the right moment, and the numbers speak for themselves – 2.7x higher awareness and 5.3x higher intent than campaigns with basic demographic targeting5.

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    Help shoppers spot the next big thing on Spotify: Your brand

    Spotify listeners are savvy to online shopping trends. They are the trendsetters. Spotify Free listeners are almost 4.3x more likely to discover brands and products via music streaming than through TV ads and 1.5x more likely than through radio ads2. Offers and benefits can be the turning point to steer through a plethora of options. 59% of Spotify Free users agree that free delivery is the top driver of online purchases for them2. 51 percent prefer easy returns and 45 percent pick the lure of discounts and coupons2.

    It all comes down to targeting the right audience and enabling discovery for the engaged listener in an environment of trust. It’s just this that Spotify has built, that listeners keep coming back to every day, giving brands the perfect vantage point to reach the elusive omnishopper.

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    Get in touch with us at spotify-advertising-india@spotify.com to see how your brand can engage with the right audience – avid shoppers and people seeking some retail therapy.

    Sources:

    1 – eMarketer, Retail Forecast, IN

    2 – GWI, IN, Q1 2021

    3 – Spotify Culture Next survey, conducted in April 2021 among 500 respondents 15-40 in India

    4- IFPI Digital Music Report 2019

    5 – Spotify Nielsen Brand Effect Studies, 2018

    (This is an Advertorial, published in association with Spotify)

  • Rishabh Pant rides in as brand ambassador of Hercules

    Rishabh Pant rides in as brand ambassador of Hercules

    Mumbai: Hercules, a homegrown bicycle brand from the stable of TI Cycles of India, has on-boarded Indian cricketer Rishabh Pant as its brand ambassador to promote the cycling culture amongst urban teenagers of the country.

    Being one of the most promising young cricketers and captain of the Delhi Capitals team in the Indian Premiere League and part of India’s T20 World Cup squad, Pant is admired by millions of fans all across the cricketing world. The association will surely shape the perspective towards cycling and outdoor adventure for the urban youth who idolise cricket and sports in the country, said the brand in a statement.

    “Hercules has always been a choice for young boys who wish to discover their spirit of adventure and exploring with friends through cycling,” said TI Cycles of India president KK Paul. “In a similar manner, Rishabh Pant, as an athlete has influenced teenage boys to pursue their goals with passion and determination. With this association, we are on a journey to support that inspiration to pursue their dreams and achieve their goals, relentlessly.”

    Hercules strives to fulfill the bicycling needs of the urban teenage boys of the country. Over the years, the brand has introduced a range of cycles such as Top Gear, Rockshox, Dynamite, Brut, Street Cat series, to name a few, said the statement.

    “Bicycles were such an integral part of my childhood and I have many fond memories associated with it. I used one to get to school and then to cricket practice, and it was always something that gave me a sense of freedom,” said Pant. “I personally believe that cycling is one of the best ways to bring out the adventure in you and spend more time being active outdoors, hence, I am eager to contribute in my way to educate and encourage our young boys towards adventure through Hercules.”

  • realme ropes in KL Rahul as brand ambassador

    realme ropes in KL Rahul as brand ambassador

    Mumbai: Smartphone brand realme has roped in Indian cricketer KL Rahul as brand ambassador to endorse its smartphone category. 

    Rahul will work with realme to help grow the smartphones category under the broad umbrella of product offerings, said the brand in a statement on Thursday.

    “With the onboarding of a talented and renowned sports personality KL Rahul, we envision to combine the synergies of both. We are optimistic that the partnership will add unprecedented value to the smartphone category since we will also be able to target the massive fan following Rahul enjoys,” stated chief marketing officer of India, Europe, and Latin America Francis Wong. “We are certain that the partnership of such stature with a seasoned celebrity like him will strengthen the brand proposition of making cutting edge technology, fun, stylish, quality-driven products available to the audience.”

    realme’s partnership with the seasoned sports star reinstates the brand ideology of being powerful, stylish, and youth-oriented, said the statement. “The partnership further complements the brand’s attitude of setting new benchmarks, inspiring thousands of millennials across the country,” it added.

    “The fact that the brand has established itself as one of the leaders in the global market makes me proud to have associated myself with them,” said KL Rahul. “realme boasts unparalleled products that are stylish and powerful. Furthermore, its ethos of ‘Dare to Leap’ is something that I strongly resonate with.”

  • Ather Energy rejoins Kerala Blasters FC as official partner for ISL

    Ather Energy rejoins Kerala Blasters FC as official partner for ISL

    Mumbai: As the country gears up for the seventh season of the Indian Super League (ISL), homegrown electric scooter manufacturer Ather Energy has joined Kerala Blaster Football Club (KBFC) as the official partner of the team. This is the second consecutive year for the brand to be a part of the football team as its sponsor.

    “The ISL is one of India’s largest sporting leagues and football is deeply ingrained in Keralites’ hearts. Kerala has shown tremendous consumer demand and is an important market for us,” said Ather Energy VP – charging infrastructure and marketing Nilay Chandra. “The new-age consumer is beginning to encourage domestic football matches and we are pleased to be a part of the growth of a sport in the country. Ather 450X has seen a resounding response across the country and will continue to drive the transition to electric with associations like this.“

    KBFC is gunning for victory in this season of the Indian Super League, which will kick off in November 2021, while Ather Energy is set to make a pan-India presence.

    “We are delighted to step into the second year of partnership with a dynamic brand like Ather,” said KBFC director Nikhil Bhardwaj. “They have been at the forefront of India’s EV transformation and we look forward to further contributing to this transformation and driving awareness about sustainable consumption. Together, I am sure we will continue to build an association that helps us both set a benchmark in our respective fields.”

    Ather Energy began operations in Kerala earlier this year and now has two experience centres in the state. The company has also installed 16 fast-charging points – Ather Grid – across Kochi and Kozhikode, speeding up the EV infrastructure. By the end of the year, Ather Energy plans to expand its presence in Kerala to more cities.This association will increase brand awareness in Kerala as well as among football followers across the country, said the company in a statement.

  • Sukkhi ropes in Karisma Kapoor as brand ambassador

    Sukkhi ropes in Karisma Kapoor as brand ambassador

    Mumbai: Online-first fashion jewellery brand Sukkhi has roped in Bollywood star Karisma Kapoor as its brand ambassador. The actress will be seen as the face of the brand, promoting its premium quality products which are available at attractive prices across India, said the statement.

    As the festive season is approaching, Sukkhi is expecting a huge demand in the fashion jewellery segment. With Kapoor as its brand ambassador, the brand aims to leverage its marketing efforts by launching its new designs and collections across the country.

    “Kapoor has always been a well-known face across India. She has her own unique style which resonates with Indians and expresses her true glorious self which aligns with Sukkhi’s ethos of being fashionable and trendy,” stated Sukkhi founder and CEO Bhavesh Navlakha. “We are extremely excited to collaborate with Karisma Kapoor for our various branding initiatives on marketplaces, our website, our offline touchpoints, and ATL BTL marketing across India.”

    Adopting an omnichannel presence, Sukkhi is widely available on various e-commerce platforms such as Amazon, Flipkart, Myntra, Nykaa amongst others along with its own website sukkhi.com as well as 125+ offline touch-points spread across India to meet the rising demands of consumers.

    “I am glad to be collaborating with Sukkhi as the brand has a wide collection of jewellery which complements the modern Indian women and their style,” said Kapoor. “Personally I am always looking for versatile pieces that I can pair with multiple outfits. Jewellery makes women feel confident and brings out their true personality.”

  • Bisleri acquires branding rights of Mumbai’s metro station

    Bisleri acquires branding rights of Mumbai’s metro station

    Mumbai: Mineral water brand Bisleri International Pvt Ltd has acquired Station Branding Rights (SBR) of the Western Express Highway metro station. With this, the station will now be called ‘Bisleri Western Express Highway’ metro station.

    The brand has also entered into an agreement with Mumbai Metro for putting up multiple kiosks across key stations making healthy mineral water easily accessible to commuters. Apart from selling the range of water, fizzy fruit drinks, and purifiers, the kiosks will also offer consumers to experience their newly launched hand purifiers aiding consumers to maintain hygiene, said the statement.

    The newly christened station was inaugurated on Monday at an event which was attended by top management of Bisleri, Times OOH & Mumbai Metro officials. “Station branding is an established concept in the Indian OOH industry. This opportunity helps the brand build a unique and distinctive brand asset. Bisleri was keen to be present in a big way at Mumbai Metro. We worked closely with them and Mumbai Metro One Pvt Ltd for the execution of this one-of-its-kind campaign,” stated Times OOH COO Rohit Chopra.

    Speaking about this new initiative, Bisleri International Pvt Ltd CEO Angelo George said, “We are proud to join hands with the Mumbai Metro Authority to obtain the naming rights of one of Mumbai’s centrally located metro stations. Bisleri Western Express Highway metro station, previously known as Western Express Highway, is a bustling hub on the remarkably seamless multi-rail transit network serving commuters, offering them immense value and connectivity.”

    “At Bisleri, we are constantly evolving ways to improve our consumer engagement through multiple touchpoints. Bisleri kiosks will be placed across all stations in the Metro for commuters to buy our products. With a customized look and feel of station branding and the kiosks, Bisleri aims to create brand experiences that will become an integral part of commuters’ daily life,” he added.

    As a part of its social responsibility program called ‘Bottles for Change,’ Bisleri will also install plastic recycling bins across the station & educative communication to create awareness about proper ways to dispose of used plastic, the brand stated.

  • Yardley ropes in Kriti Sanon as brand ambassador

    Yardley ropes in Kriti Sanon as brand ambassador

    Mumbai: Yardley has roped in Bollywood actor Kriti Sanon as its brand ambassador. 

    The brand has also launched a new campaign conceptualised by Contract Advertising, a part of the Wunderman Thompson Group and member of the WPP network.

    Yardley India business head Manish Vyas revealed the strategic approach behind this new campaign as he said, “The brand takes pride in using the finest natural ingredients and exotic flowers from gardens of England across its portfolio. Keeping this in mind, we came up with the campaign thought of ‘nature like freshness,’ highlighting what goes into Yardley fragrances that make them distinct and desirable.”

    In the short film directed by Sohini Dasgupta, the actor is featured as a confident and independent young woman, stepping up to take on the world. The TVC has been launched across multiple channels across regions, including digital.

    An extensive print campaign has been planned along with a prominent presence across general trade, modern trade, and e-commerce sites generating 360-degree visibility for the new campaign, said the statement.

    “There is something magical about fresh flowers and their smell. They have a transformative effect on both mood & confidence. This is what we played up in the narrative since Yardley deodorants have natural floral fragrance that makes you feel fresh and confident,” commented Contract Mumbai general manager Ayan Chakraborty.

    “Yardley is a legacy brand and its legacy is fragrance and flowers, and the positioning of Yardley in India is about creating step-up moments for its target audience. The story beautifully brings together how the fragrance of Yardley transforms and creates the world of flowers and creates a step-up moment for our protagonist,” remarked Contract Mumbai executive creative director Rahul Ghosh.

    “Nature has its own way to light you up. Imagine if this feeling lingers all day long! That’s how soothing and refreshing Yardley is. I am really excited to jump into the floral world of Yardley London,” said Sanon.