Category: MAM

BANGALORE: American ice cream brand Swensen’s has opened its first outlet in Bangalore, India at what is purportedly the largest mall in India – The Mantri Square. The Swensen’s franchise for South India is held by the Ravi Jaipuria (RJ Group)-owned Devyani International Limited (DIL).
 
On the anvil over the next few months are a Swensen’s outlet at the international airport in New Delhi, three more outlets in malls and one in a high street in Bangalore. DIL is also scouting for suitable locations at malls and high streets in other major south Indian towns and cities to bring the count to over eighty during the next five years. DIL is targeting revenues of Rs.500 million from the estimated Rs 13 billion and growing organizsd ice cream retail market in India.
 
DIL’s mass media plans for Swensen’s, once the number of outlets have been increased, include radio and outdoor media that it has already been using for its recently launched Costa Coffee brand.
 
The RJ group has Indian franchises for global foods and beverages brands such as Pizza Hut, Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC), Costa Coffee, Pepsi and Disney Artist.

NEW DELHI: Ace cricketer Kapil Dev is the goodwill ambassador in India for Olive Telecommunication after its debut in the Indian market.

Kapil Dev will lend support to Olive’s extensive range of innovative devices such as the OliveFrvrOn – India’s first dual power hybrid phone, OliveWiz- India’s first triple sim QWERTY keypad phone along with a host of mobile handets for the Indian market.
 
Announcing Dev as the goodwill ambassador, Olive Telecommunication chairman Arun Khanna said, “Kapil is the epitome of cricket in India and regarded as the greatest all-rounders the sport has ever seen. Somewhat like the Olive devices, completely all-round in their usability, devices ranging from the entry level to sophisticated offerings for the digitally connected. Olive products are designed keeping in mind the extensive usage of mobile phones countrywide.”

Kapil Dev said, “It is a pleasure to be associated with a brand like Olive because of its innovative cutting edge technology and the significant role that the company is playing in bringing innovative convergence devices for its users; Olive Telecommunication has carved a niche segment in the telecom consumer space.”
 
With increasing demands, the company is firming up their presence to reach out to customers across several touch points throughout the country. Olive Telecommunication has tied up with various technology product distributors and re-distributors to reach out its products across Tier 1, 2 and 3 cities. The tie-ups ensure availability of Olive Convergence products to 10,000+ retail touch points across the country. 
 
Olive Convergence had earlier this year launched Olive Netbook India’s first 3G enabled netbook along with a whole range of mobile phones starting at Rs 999.These include OliveFrvrOn – India’s first dual power hybrid phone, OliveWIZ- India’s first triple sim QWERTY keypad phone, 2 touch screen phones viz., Olivepwrr and Olivetouch; OliveMSGR – the QWERTY keypad phone; 2 candy bar phones like Olivecompacta and OliveGLIDE and 2 dual sim/dual standby phones viz., V-G400 (clamshell) and V-G500 (slider).

MUMBAI: With the soccer World Cup kicking off tomorrow Amigo Sport has launched Fifa merchandise in India through a licensing agreement with Global Brands Group which is the master licensee of the Fifa brand globally. Amigo Sport will distribute Fifa merchandise and will also open two official Fifa stores in India at the end of the month.

Amigo operates 49 stores across the country. It will take this number to 100. It has also tied up with departmental stores like Westside, Shoppers Stop to push Fifa merchandise. This will include five collections of menswear, women’s wear and apparel for kids. Going forward the company will launch more merchandise ranging from eyewear to luggage.
 
Global Brands Group senior VP, GM Fifa and Football business unit Simon Hawkins says that Amigo had been working with them for two years to put together a plan for India. “Our aim is to have a significant presence in this market in four years time as opposed to simply trying to generate as much revenue in a short period of time. We have to build the Fifa brand correctly here. India has the potential to be one of largest soccer consuming nations in the world and we see a big opportunity here. While I cannot disclose the terms of the deal with Amigo they will pay us a licensing fee.

“The product line is being made in India. Amigo did a lot of research in terms of colors, fabric as well as studying market trends.”
 
He says that the aim of the Fifa Stores will be to provide fans with an entertaining in-store experience. The aim is to felect the dynamism of soccer since 1904. The stores will have official Fifa Collections, event merchandise and products from Fifa commercial Affiliates. “While the World Cup runs for one month the stores will be a year long activity. We have to nurture it. It will be about fusing football, fashion and culture. The good thing about soccer is that it has turned out to be recession proof. In fact it is one of the few things that has withstood the economic downturn. We have adopted a lifestyle premium positioning. However we have taken care that we are not too premium. Otherwise we would be unaffordable”

Amigo Sports chairman Sanjiv Mehta says that there are a range of price points ranging from Rs 500 for a T-shirt to Rs 6000 for a jersey. The Dempo Group has taken a minority stake in Amigo Sport which is targeting a turnover of Rs. one billion in two years. He says that Amigo is focussing on opening its own stores as well as official Fifa Stores in the right places. The first two Fifa Stores will open in the Palladium Mall and in Oberoi Mall. In terms of marketing activities to create awareness billboards and posters will be used.
 
The Fifa merchandise that will be available will include the 1904 Collection. This is a range of men’s vintage lifestyle apparel. It includes tracksuits, hoodies and T-shirts. There is also a Code Collection that aims to appeal to the youth aged 14-18. It is inspired by street football. There is also an Editions Collection that celebrates part World Cup events in a contemporary sportswear style.

MUMBAI: Since inception, Yes Bank‘s strategic focus was on corporate and institutional banking. But now, after growing to over 150 branches and 200 plus ATMs, the bank has a new objective – to fuel growth of current & savings accounts by establishing Yes Bank as a mass brand.
 
And thus, to ascertain the new transition, Yes Bank has launched a series of three films that capture the emotions to amplify the crucial moments when people want to hear a ‘Yes‘.
 
Created by Triton Communications, the series primarily targets CFOs and SMEs while individuals earning Rs 5 Lakh per annum, residing in metros and large towns are the secondary audience.
 
The films have a baby girl wanting to keep a puppy but waiting for her father to say ‘yes‘, young entrepreneurs waiting to hear a ‘yes‘ for an approval of a proposal and a teenage boy waiting to hear a ‘yes‘ after proposing to a girl of his dreams. Then connecting these situations, the TVCs state that Yes Bank understands the value of the word ‘yes‘ and is always there to support and fulfill dreams.
While the TVCs have been directed by Raju Desai, Aum Sai Productions is the production house.
 

MUMBAI: Carat Media has won the media duties for Scandic Food India which markets processed food products under the brand name, Sil.

The account size is estimated to be in the region of Rs. 80-100 million.
 
On the win, Carat India MD Kartik Iyer said, “We are happy to have been given the opportunity to re-launch Sil and grow the brand in a very competitive food category business. We look forward to partnering the client in creating innovative media solutions to make Sil a household name.”
 
Scandic Food India is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Denmark based Good Food Group A/s. Besides juices and jams, the Sil portfolio consists of ketchup, sauces, baked beans and a host of other processed foods.

Said Scandic Food national sales and marketing manager Ravi Chandra, “Communicating the brand promise of Sil to our consumers is a key part of our strategy in increasing the presence of Sil brand. Carat, having a deep understanding of the Indian market and media, would be a valuable partner in growing the Sil brand. Besides, with their perspective on integrated communications planning, we found them to be the perfect agency to handle our media requirements in this dynamic market scenario.”
 
Carat is an independent media buying and planning agency, and is part of the Aegis Media group, which also includes Posterscope, Isobar, and Carat Fresh, the media activation unit.

MUMBAI: AMO Communications, the Percept Hakuhodo company, has won the creative account of Singapore-based Mobell‘s mobile handset business, following a two-month multi-agency pitch.

The account will be handled out of AMO‘s Delhi office.

For the Indian market, Mobell has partnered with Salora International Ltd. 
 
“The client at this point of time was looking at a consumer relevant change in the brand positioning in order to achieve penetration in key markets. Our strategic thinking and creative execution matched the client‘s requirement, which helped us clinch the business,” said AMO MD Elvis Dias.
 
The agency has identified a creative team with expertise in the telecom, mobility and consumer durable space, to service the account. “The first thing we plan to do now is to dig our heels deeper into this complex and dynamic market in order to arrive at a long term inter-communication plan,” added Dias.

Salora International Ltd head – marketing Atul Jasra said, “We were looking for a partner who could drive our growth at an accelerated rate and we found that in AMO. With this association, we hope to build a personal connect with our consumers who make Mobell a part of their everyday lives.”
 
AMO Communications also handles accounts of NEXT (electronic retail chain), Elbit, Indian Oil Corporation, Punjab Tourism, Goa Tourism, Rajasthan Tourism, Shakti Bhog Foods, BILT, and CSRI.

BANGALORE: The Reliance Retail Lts (Reliance) juggernaut continues in India in keeping with its announcements of investing about Rs 250 billion into organised retail in the country. Reliance launched its first Reliance Living outlet in Bangalore and its fifteenth such outlet in the country. The new store is spread over 15,000 square feet.
 
Reliance Living has recently brought together all home related brands including Reliance Kitchen that market home living products and several new aspirational product lines to create a home store for styling up a home.
 
Said Relainace EVP home S Ranganathan, “The launch of our Reliance Living store in its new avatar is in keeping with Reliance Retail’s promise of offering our customers a delightful and hassle free shopping experience. We are proud to present Reliance Living with an array of choices on various product segments and services, complemented with unmatched affordability and assured quality for all home needs.”
 
These product segments include a range of furniture, upholstery and curtains, soft furnishings, home décor, decorative lighting, tableware, glassware, barware and bone china from brands such as Bombay Dyeing, Portico, Recron, Corelle, Corningware, Pyrex, Pasabache, Venus, Lock-n-Lock, Leifheit, Dr.Oetker, Stacket, Eglo Lighting, Asian Paints and Pergo Sweden.

MUMBAI: Rediffusion-Y&R has once again won the creative business for the English daily, DNA (Daily News & Analysis).

This is the second time the agency will create buzz around the brand, after an impactful launch of the brand in July 2005. The account was contested last month through a multi-agency pitch which included Contract, the incumbent agency.
 
Work on the account will start with immediate effect out of Rediffusion‘s Mumbai office. The agency will develop work for DNA in its major markets which include Mumbai, Bangalore, Pune, Ahmedabad and Baroda. The task will include finding an appropriate positioning for the brand, and creating more engagement between the reader and the paper.

Says Rediffusion Y&R EVP and Mumbai branch head Nisha Singhania, “We‘re really glad to have the brand back in our roaster. In our last stint with the brand, we had done some break-through, interesting work. From here on, we will raise the creative bar further, creating interesting conversations around the brand.”
 
Added DNA head marketing Gautam Dalal, “With DNA having spread its wings into five cities, and being the No.8 English Daily of India, it opens up new and exciting challenges for the team to work together. We look forward to taking the brand to new heights with Rediffusion-Y&R.”

He further stated that what worked in favour of Rediffusion-Y&R was “their keen evaluation of the business issue from different angles, strong credentials, flexibility in the approach and keen top management interest.”
 

MUMBAI: UK pubcaster the BBC‘s commercial arm BBC Worldwide has announced two new appointments within its Licensed Consumer Products division.

The appointments see Carla Peyton stepping into the role of BBC Worldwide Americas senior VP, Licensed Consumer Products, and Ian Wickham becoming the Head of Retail Development, Licensed Consumer Products for UK, Ireland, Europe, Middle East and Africa.
 
Peyton will be based in the company‘s New York offices, while Wickham joins the UK team in London. Both will report directly to BBC Worldwide senior VP Global Licensed Consumer Products Tom Keefer.

The developments will consolidate BBC Worldwide‘s presence in global licensing and retail markets, with today‘s news coming shortly after the appointment of Bob Traub as SVP of Retail Development Licensed Consumer Products for the Americas.

The newly structured teams will see Peyton supporting Keefer on the licensing front for the US, Canada, and Latin America, while Traub fronts the team’s retail efforts. Within the UK, Keefer will be supported by Richard Hollis, head of UK Licensing, who continues to oversee the UK Licensing team, with Wickham leading the UK and EMEA retail drive along side Jackie Ferguson, Licensing Manager, EMEA. Keefer will continue to report to BBC Worldwide MD of Children‘s Global Brands and Licensed Consumer Products Neil Ross Russell.
 
Keefer, said: “I am delighted to welcome Carla and Ian to the team. Both have impressive industry backgrounds and will play an integral role in establishing BBC Worldwide as a key player in the licensing industry. With their input, I‘m confident that we‘ll see our already thriving business taken to new heights.”
 
With over 28 years of licensing experience, Peyton was most recently posted with Equity Management, where she held the position of senior VP of Licensing. With previous experience including roles with The Boyds Collection and the American Basketball League, Peyton has delivered results for companies like 7UP, Goodyear, Chevrolet, Hummer and Kellogg‘s.
 

MUMBAI: David Beckham will be Yahoo!‘s brand ambassador for soccer.

This summer, Yahoo!’s more than 600 million global users will have even more reason to visit sports.yahoo.com/soccer/world-cup/ as global football star Beckham will be featured exclusively as part of the company’s unrivalled sports coverage. 
 
The portal says that Beckham‘s experience in three consecutive World Cup championships combined with his club experience in both Europe and the US gives him a unique perspective on football and the World Cup.

Beckham says, “Yahoo! has a true relationship with fans and is an online leader in sports content across the globe. Yahoo! will allow me to interact one on one with as many football fans as possible talking about the game I love.”

Beckham will also be featured in the second phase of Yahoo!’s global integrated marketing campaign throughout the duration of the World Cup in select markets. The campaign focuses on showcasing specific products, services, and experiences that users can find only on Yahoo!.

The goal of the campaign is to drive more people to search, use and talk about Yahoo! through exciting and experiential demonstrations of the ability to bring my world and the world together.
 
For Yahoo!’s campaign for its World Cup coverage, fans will discover exclusive content from Beckham in addition to its already robust offering of microsites, compelling mobile experiences, fantasy games and search tools for more than 20 countries. 
 
In anticipation for the 2010/11 football season, football fans will have the opportunity to directly connect to David Beckham and ask him questions through various Yahoo! channels, including Yahoo! Answers, Y!Mail and Y!Messenger.