ITV

Category: MAM

  • GEC turf: Gap narrows between Star Plus and Colors

    GEC turf: Gap narrows between Star Plus and Colors

    MUMBAI: Star Plus, the leader among the Hindi general entertainment channels (GECs), saw a mighty fall in its ratings for the week ended 11 June, resulting in the gap with Colors narrowing to a single digit number.

    Star Plus managed to stick to its leadership position, despite a loss of 42 GRPs (gross rating points) over the earlier week. The channel closed with 247 GRPs compared to 289 in the previous week, according to Tam data for the Hindi speaking markets (C&S, 4+).
     
    Colors also lost six GRPs to end the week with 239 GRPs.

    Colors’ Balika Vadhu shared the top spot with Zee TV’s Pavitra Rishta in the top 10 shows list. It is almost after a gap of two years that Balika Vadhu has reached the top. Incidentally, the show also completed 750 episodes on the channel. 
     
    The ratings were good for Zee TV, which added 25 GRPs to its last week tally to end with 208 GRPs. In the previous week, Sony Entertainment Television had come dangerously close to the channel with a gap of just 2 GRPs. Zee TV strengthened its third spot as Set lost 18 GRPs to end with 181 GRPs.

    Set’s sister channel Sab remained flat by adding 1 GRP to end the week with 148 GRPs.
     
    Imagine TV, meanwhile, added 5 GRPs and recorded 90 GRPs in the week. Star One and Sahara One were at 37 GRPs (last week 37) and 32 GRPs (last week 27) respectively.

  • Parker gets Amitabh Bachchan for brand endorsement

    Parker gets Amitabh Bachchan for brand endorsement

    MUMBAI: Indian actor Amitabh Bachchan has returned as the brand ambassador of Luxor Writing Instruments‘s Parker brand after a gap of two years.

    Bachchan, who endorsed the pen brand from 2001-2008, has signed up a two- year contract.

    Simultaneously, Lowe Lintas is working on a new campaign with Bachchan to reposition Parker as ‘World‘s Most Respected Pen‘. 

    Lowe Lintas chairman and chief creative officer R. Balki said,” When we speak of Mr. Bachchan, there is an innate respect associated with the name. Parker drives the same respect in the writing instruments category. It makes a very natural and smooth association with both the personalities mingling so well. Everyone will be able to make this out of all the advertisements, both print and television, which have been made keeping in mind the amalgamation of these two big names.”

    Luxor Group‘s executive director Pooja Jain said, “This alliance is a step towards repositioning Parker as the World‘s most respected pen. We want to make Parker the preferred brand for achievers – whatever age they may be. Parker should be the brand people buy to reward and indulge themselves — a brand that projects the image of exclusivity and success they aspire to and can obtain with a Parker.”
     

  • Endemol in licensing deal for Lillebi

    Endemol in licensing deal for Lillebi

    MUMBAI: Television format creator and dstributor, Endemol, has secured a international licensing deal for the leading German kids brand Lillebi.

    Created by German artist Steinbeck and his team from Creativ Entwicklungs GmbH, Lillebi is a print-led property based on drawings and stories of a loveable young mouse and his friends.

    The brand, which is targeted at girls up to eight years old, launched in 2004 in Germany and today has more than 40 partners covering an impressive and varied portfolio of products from clothing to gifting and publishing.
     
    Global division Endemol Worldwide Brands (EWB) aims to build on this success by securing strategic deals to grow Lillebi into a multi faceted kid‘s licensing property with mass market appeal.

    EWB will pursue a multi-platform licensing programme with brand extensions targeting numerous core categories including toys and games, gifting & merchandising, stationery, publishing, mobile & smartphones and promotions.
     
    In the UK, EWB is looking to further promote Lillebi by securing a major high-street retailer for a direct to retail license. Similar strategies will be adopted in the CEE markets.
     
    EWB CEO Olivier Gers said, “Lillebi offers a variety of delightful characters and engaging narratives, whilst also promoting positive values for children and adults. It is an extremely strong property that can easily replicate its success in Germany across the major markets around the world. We believe it has the potential to become a major worldwide kids brand. This is a good example of Endemol‘s global network that allows us to spot a major property in one market and help roll it out internationally.”

    CREATIV-Entwicklungs MD Peter Steinbeck said, “We are very happy to have found an international partner like Endemol, who are able to roll out our brand pan-European and across many categories and media platforms.”
     

  • Bates 141 relocates Dabral to push India growth

    Bates 141 relocates Dabral to push India growth

    MUMBAI: Bates 141 has relocated its top creative person as it presses the accelerator to race past its 20 per cent growth in India.

    Bates 141 India chairman and Asia creative head Sonal Dabral will move out of Singapore to nest in Mumbai, being at the centre of a three-year growth plan that aims at doubling India revenues.

    “New businesses and growth from existing clients will help us double our revenues,” Dabral tells Indiantelevision.com. 
     
    Top  executives from rival agencies dismiss this as a tall order and almost impossible to achieve in today‘s tough economic and competitve times.

    “Though Dabral is a big name, the targets look too steep to climb,” says the head of a leading creative agency on condition of anonymity.

    Dabral will, however, have a few new clients to build revenues on, the most eye-popping of them being Colgate-Palmolive. According to company financials, Colgate-Palmolive India has increased its spend on advertisng and promotions by 16.6 per cent to Rs 3.49 billion for the fiscal ended March 2011.

    “We have a strong platform to build our growth on. We service clients ranging from telecom to insurance and automobile, all big ad spenders. We are on a growth path for the last four years in terms of budgets and margins,” says Dabral.
     
    The significant wins during this period include brands such as Tata AIG, TVS, Virgin Mobile and Fiat India.

    While Dabral‘s residence will shift in July-end, his designation and role within the network remains unchanged.

    Says Bates 141 Asia chairman Tim Isaac, “Clients and colleagues in India have been crying out for Sonal to come amongst them for several years now. This is not surprising as he is an inspirational and charming leader. So I encouraged him to respond to the clarion calls. He will be able to do so much more for India [which is growing at over 20 per cent a year and is a jewel in the Bates network crown] and still maintain an influence over our other offices.”

    In his role as creative head for Asia, Dabral will continue travelling to Bates offices in the region. In India, he will work closely with NCD India Sagar Mahabaleshwarkar.

    Says Dabral, “Being here 24/7 is different from coming to India once in a month. This move is to focus on our current clients and strengthen our businesses in India. I hope to bring my learning from all the international markets to push Bates 141 in India to the next level.”
     

  • Sony launches 2nd phase of campaign for KBC

    Sony launches 2nd phase of campaign for KBC

    MUMBAI: Sony Entertainment Television (Set) is kicking off the second phase of the marketing campaign for its upcoming show Kaun banega Crorepati (KBC) 2011 on 15 June.

    The channel will launch the campaign first on You Tube, before circulating it elsewhere.

    The second phase will see five short TVCs, conceptualised by Leo Burnett. Shot by Chrome Pictures, the TVCs will be aired on the TV channels from 16 June.
     
    Coming on Indian television for its fifth season, the KBC 2011’s first promotional campaign was launched last month, calling for registration.

    The second phase of KBC campaign will have five films — each with a distinct story and a distinct character, that will engage, entertain and bring alive the core thought of this season – “Koi Bhi Insaan Chota Nahin Hota” (never underestimate anybody).

    This year too, the host of the show, Amitabh Bachchan, will anchor the philosophy of KBC in all the films.

    Set senior VP and marketing head Danish Khan said, “This year the challenge was to take the campaign and the thinking forward and build upon the hugely successful KBC campaign of 2010 – ‘Koi Bhi Sawaal Chota Nahin Hota’. This year also the campaign retains that distinct KBC flavor, while we take the thought forward. The thought “Koi Bhi Insaan Chota nahin Hota” is rooted in yet another popular belief of our society that ‘everybody inherently has capability to achieve something extra ordinary’. Hence don’t underestimate anybody – a right platform and a good knowledge can transform life – KBC is that platform.”
     
    Khan added that these short films will have presence on TV channels, cinema screens as well as digital screens. “We are taking long spots as each film is of 60-75 seconds and a story in itself,” he said.

    Khan noted that radio and outdoor promotions will be launched later.

    Set said that there was high anticipation from this year’s account as last year’s campaign was a huge success. “It has swept all national and international awards, and walked away with six ABBY’s and four Promaxbda awards,” the company said. 
     
    Leo Burnett Set account business head Anup Vishwanathan said, “Last year’s campaign celebrated ‘knowledge’ and since the thought that ‘koi bhi gyaan vyaarth nahin hota” (no Knowledge ever goes waste) and truly ‘knowledge is the passport to a better life’ is rooted deep in our collective psyche – hence ‘Koi Bhi Sawaal Chota Nahin Hota’ was relatable to people across and received a lot of appreciation, awards, popularity and ratings. The campaign created a unique grammar for brand KBC – insightful message delivered in a punchy popular entertainment format to be consumed by people from across social spectrum.”
     

  • Starcom Worldwide wins BIBA’s media duties

    Starcom Worldwide wins BIBA’s media duties

    MUMBAI: Starcom MediaVest Group’s Starcom Worldwide has won the media duties of BIBA Apparels.

    The account will be handled out of the agency’s Delhi office.
     
    BIBA is a brand that caters to all apparel & fashion needs of a woman. BIBA has also joined hands with Futurebrands to realise its ambition of emerging as a big player for ethnic women wear.
     
    BIBA Apparels MD Siddharath Bindra says, “We wanted to partner with an agency that understands innovation and excellence. We are proud to have chosen Starcom as our media agency and look forward to a relationship that benefits brand BIBA.”
     
    Futurebrands head – brand partnership Aanchal Jain adds, “We need partners who excel in creative solutions to achieve breakthroughs for new entrepreneurial brands at excellent ROIs. Starcom’s repeated success with launching new brands and products in India, backed by buying efficiencies of VivaKi Exchange, is very motivating for us.”

    Starcom Worldwide executive director – India North Tarun Nigam notes, “BIBA is a brand that has become synonymous with the latest fashion. By choosing us as their media planning company BIBA is ensuring that they are taking their marketing goals to the next level. We are excited about managing the media investments for this brand.”

     

  • Contract Advertising to relaunch CainKare’s Chik Shampoo

    Contract Advertising to relaunch CainKare’s Chik Shampoo

    MUMBAI: FMCG company, CainKare, has recently handed over the project to relaunch Chik shampoo and launch Spinz hair colour brand to Contract Advertising.

    The WPP-agency was awarded the creative mandate following a multi-agency pitch in Chennai. 

    Contract Advertising executive VP Kumar Subramaniam says, “Chik Shampoo and Spinz are challenger, young and brave brands. The communication of the brands will target the all the socio-economic segments. We are aiming to communicate the brands with the larger audience.”

    Chik was the first shampoo brand to be made available in sachet packs and the agency has been assigned the mandate to re-package and refresh its elements including communication, added Subramaniam.

    The products are expected to be launched in few test markets in Southern India within the next couple of months.
    CavinKare‘s media duties lie with MEC, another WPP-agency.

    Currently, CavinKare has two creative agencies – Curry-Nation and Leo Burnett.
     
    While Curry-Nation handles CavinKare‘s Spinz, Hi5 and Fairever brands, Leo Burnett is working on a company‘s yet-to-be launched toothpaste brand.

    Also, on project basis the company has Cartwheel and Saints & Warrior working on Garden snacks and Nyle shampoo respectively. Rediffusion Y&R handles the Maa Juice brand.
     

  • John Abraham to endorse Philips’ Grooming Range

    John Abraham to endorse Philips’ Grooming Range

    MUMBAI: Entertainment marketing firm, Go Fish Entertainment, has roped in Indian actor, John Abraham, as the brand ambassador for Philips.

    Abraham will endorse the electronics company‘s Grooming Range for men.

    The ad campaign is directed by Tarun Mansukhani and presents five different looks of the actor. 
     
    The concept of the campaign highlights the special features of the products in a story format and presents Abraham sporting various styles. 
     
    Go Fish Entertainment director Sajay Moolankodan says, “Relevant celebrity associations play a very important role in a brand‘s success. John Abraham is a style icon who is known for his individual style. Infact ss soon as, we got a mandate from Philips on having a celebrity for this category, we were clear that John Abraham was the perfect choice to endorse Philips Grooming Range and take the brand‘s success to a newer height.”
     
    Abraham adds, “I always associate with products and brands which compliment my personality. I have always used Philips styling products and am thrilled to be associated with the launch of Philips Grooming Range in India.”
     

  • You Nguyen is United Colors of Benetton’s creative director

    You Nguyen is United Colors of Benetton’s creative director

    MUMBAI: The Benetton Group has consolidated its management and creative structure with the appointment of You Nguyen, United Colors of Benetton’s new chief merchandising officer and creative director.

    Nguyen will adopt an integrated merchandising strategy to deal with all aspects of the brand: from the collections to brand identity and including in-store architecture and mood. In this way, he will contribute to the evolution of an icon of Italian taste, based on colour, design, quality and a unique eye for detail.
     
    Nguyen said, “I joined Benetton Group in order to contribute to an incredible brand like United Colors of Benetton, which operates in more than 120 countries. The brand’s future depends chiefly on its staying loyal to its identity, on its solidity and time-honoured ties with such values as design, architecture and innovation. I think my “foreign” sensitivity will help to see and interpret that future through new eyes so we present it to the world’s new generations with well-founded pride in the past and a renewed vision of the future”.
     
    Benetton Group executive deputy chairman Alessandro Benetton said, “I am very pleased to welcome Mr Nguyen,” commented. “I believe his international experience will help us to write a new chapter in our story of innovation so we may continue to be prime movers in the economic and social geography of the upcoming decades – not least through a consistent integration of on-trend fashions and dependable quality and prices. We want Benetton to be an increasingly important part of the world we live in, which is why we devote body and soul to our job. We will do even better, that which we already do well”.
     
    Nguyen joined Benetton from Levi Strauss in San Francisco, where he worked from 2003, becoming global senior VP of merchandising and design, for Levi’s Women in 2009.

  • WB ad revenue up 56 per cent in first quarter

    WB ad revenue up 56 per cent in first quarter

    MUMBAI: English movie channel WB has posted a 56 per cent ad revenue growth in the first quarter of this year compared to the year-ago period, according to a senior Turner International India executive.

    The channel has doubled its client roster, providing scope for revenue growth. Currently, WB clients span across sectors including Lifestyle and Beauty, Automobiles, Financial, and Telecom. The roster includes L’Oreal, Yamaha, Volkswagen, Tata Motors, TVS, Coca Cola, Pepsi, Edelweiss, Bajaj Allianz, Samsung and Phillips.
     
    Says Turner International India GM entertainment networks, South Asia Monica Tata, “The increase in clients has resulted in a healthy first-quarter with WB locking in 56 per cent revenue growth over the same period last year. Additionally, we have also seen a robust 77 per cent growth in inventory over Q1 last year.”

    As had been reported earlier by Indiantelevision.com, WB’s Mega Action movie block will spice up June with classic, adrenaline pumping movies such as ‘Blade’, ‘The Matrix’ and ‘Superman’ every weekend.
     
    “The English movie genre sells on perception and, thus, great stress is laid on the look and feel and the packaging of the channel. WB from launch to date has always received excellent feedback on its packaging from the industry. In sync, the WB June Mega Action stunt has been slickly packaged peppered with loads of action moments that will surely set viewers pulse racing. Showcasing Hollywood‘s biggest blockbusters and adrenaline pumping movies such as ‘Blade’, ‘The Matrix’ and ‘Superman’, the June Mega Action will spice up weekends for all action lovers,” says Tata.

    The channel will premiere the movie ‘Splice’ on 29 June.

    The WB June Mega Action is being promoted on-air, off-air and digital platforms. The marketing campaign includes print partnerships with key English dailies such as Mail Today, Mid Day & Time-Out to create buzz about the action line-up. On ground, PVR theatres across Delhi and Mumbai will promote WB June content. Online movie buffs can log-on to the dedicated website www.itsonwb.com to get the full Mega June schedule as well as participate in the WB Mega Action contest. For clues, viewers can visit the WB Facebook page www.facebook.com/itsonwb .
     
    “Direct consumer interaction/engagement is a key focus of WB’s marketing strategy. And thus, the WB Facebook page is an exciting one with daily and constantly updated, encouraging conversations about movies, exchanging trivia and is peppered with fun and exciting contests. Further, even the off-air focus is on effective placements which are frequented by movie lovers such as cinema halls, coffee shops and book stores,” says Tata.

    Asked about the trends being noticed in the English movie genre, Tata says that a key trend is the extension of the prime band from 9 pm to 11 pm. “This year being cricket heavy, most channels focused on building the 11 pm slot. Additionally, with India still largely being a single TV household, typically the male TG gets sole access to the remote, post 10:30 pm. Thus, WB is fully geared to bring the best at the 11 pm slot.”