ITV

Category: MAM

  • SMG initiates Project Jumpstart; Milestone Brandcom becomes first alliance member


    MUMBAI: In a bid to support growth of start-ups and small-sized companies in the marketing and communication business, Starcom MediaVest Group has initiated the project Jumpstart for the South Asia region.


    Starcom MediaVest Group South Asia CEO Ravi Kiran said, “Project Jumpstart is our attempt to create a mutually beneficial relationship, which helps us leverage the energy, drive and creativity of start-ups and small companies and helps them benefit from the management, intellectual and operational depth of our organisation.”


    One of the first companies with which the group has collaborated under the initiative is Milestone Brandcom, a recently launched out-of-home media agency led by former president of OgilvyAction Nabendu Bhattacharya.


    Starcom MediaVest Group South Asia CEO Ravi Kiran said, “Project Jumpstart is our attempt to create a mutually beneficial relationship, which helps us leverage the energy, drive and creativity of start-ups and small companies and helps them benefit from the management, intellectual and operational depth of our organisation.”


    One of the first companies with which the group has collaborated under the initiative is Milestone Brandcom, a recently launched out-of-home media agency led by former president of OgilvyAction Nabendu Bhattacharya.













    Kiran said, “After an uncharacteristically lackluster year, the out-of-home industry in India is on the verge of a major rebound and we believe this is the best time to take new steps and forge new alliances. We like the vision of Milestone, and the passion demonstrated by Nabendu and his team. Their collective experience and strong media owner relationships sets them up for success and we are happy to lend them our support as they get started.”


    Under the arrangement, Starcom MediaVest Group and Milestone Brandcom will collaborate aggressively in several areas aimed at bringing greater transparency and accountability to OOH and ambient marketing as a discipline. The partnership will also look at enhancing return on client investment and objectives.




    These include customisation and application of international tools and best practices, development of India specific planning and measurement frameworks, import and application of new OOH display and production technologies, development and licensing of IP based ideas and structured assets, and technology enabled near-real time monitoring and tracking systems and management dashboards.


    Milestone Brandcom CEO Nabendu Bhattacharya said, “The fundamental texture of the out-of-home business in India is changing and it is our belief that active collaboration between like minded companies, rather than outdated models based purely on dominance and control, will start creating value for clients from now. Genuine innovation, application of market leading technologies and real world planning capabilities, will create differentiation for OOH agency networks in the future.”




    He further stated, “We hope to build a robust business servicing the needs of a few committed clients and in this context, Starcom MediaVest Group‘s capabilities in planning, working international tools and commitment to research and tracking, will be handy to us in our endeavour.”


    Meanwhile, Navia Asia, an affiliate of the Starcom MediaVest Group which manages the out-of-home needs of clients of all VivaKi media brands in India as well as its AOR clients, will continue to operate independent of this arrangement.

  • Kashmira Chadha puts in papers as Coca-Cola India director marketing







    MUMBAI: Coca-Cola India director for marketing Kashimira Chadha has put in her papers. She will however work with the company until 31 December.














    Chadha joined Coca-Cola India in 2006 and was responsible for marketing of the Coca-Cola brands across the country.




    Chadha was also the part of company‘s global ad campaign, ‘Open Happiness‘.




    Before joining Coca-Cola India, Chadha worked with Seagram as assistant VP marketing for five years.

  • Vodafone, Shoppers Stop launch Zoozoo merchandise







    MUMBAI: Retail Major Shopper’s Stop Ltd has acquired the exclusive rights to manufacture and retail official Zoozoo merchandise in specified categories across all Shoppers Stop stores in the country.














    These categories include t-shirts, kidswear, mugs and bed and bath accessories.




    Vodafone Essar CMO Kumar Ramanathan said, “Zoozoos have amassed a devout fan-following and this compelled us to bring them even closer to fans in the form of merchandise.”




    Adds Shoppers Stop customer care associate, VP marketing and loyalty Vinay Bhatia, “Character merchandising is a new emerging trend in India targeting the youth. Given the increasing size of the youth audience at Shoppers Stop, this merchandising line fits well in our offering.”

  • Rediffusion Y&R crafts new TVC for Airtel Delhi Half Marathon







    MUMBAI: Rediffusion Y&R has crafted a new television commercial for this year‘s Airtel Delhi Half Marathon targeting all people living in the capital across all age, sec A and place groups.













    The TVC introduces the campaign through an endorsement by Shahrukh Khan who reminisces about the sheer joy of running during his growing up years in Delhi. It‘s almost like his ode to Delhi, and yet the sentiment will resonate with any one from any city in India.




    While the TVC has been directed by Vishal Punjabi, Red Chillies is the production house.




    Apart from television, the other media platforms that will be used to promote the event are print, outdoor and OOH. Meanwhile, the event‘s media mandate lies with Madison.

  • Vizeum appoints Harit Pant as GM, North; Sreeneelakandhan is GM, South







    MUMBAI: Vizeum India, an Aegis Media Group company, has appointed Harit Pant and EM Sreeneelakandhan (Sreekanth) as general manager, North and South respectively.


    Said Vizeum India sub-continent managing director S Yesudas, “As A media agency that believes in a completely different and non-traditional outlook towards clients‘ marketing issues, we place our bet on young talent with the right passion and relevant experience.”













    Yesudas added, “I‘m happy to have Harit and Sreekanth leading our operations in North and South, respectively. They will surely make a difference to Vizeum as well as our clients/brands.”




    Pant has a total experience of 10 years in the media business. His last assignment was with Madison Media Delhi. He has also been part of agencies like Zenith Optimedia, McCann Erickson and Mindshare during his 10-year career journey.




    Sreekanth also has 10 years of work experience. His last assignment was with Mediaedge:CIA, Chennai. He started his career with Initiative as a trainee planner. During his 10-year stint, he also served agencies like Zenith, MPG and Starcom.

  • Deutsch LA to handle Volkswagen’s creative account in US







    MUMBAI: Volkswagen of America has appointed Deutsch LA as its new advertising agency for the US market.













    In its new capacity, Deutsch LA will have full advertising responsibility for the Volkswagen brand and its family of products. Effective 1 November, Deutsch LA will replace Crispin Porter + Bogusky of Miami, which has served as agency of record since 2005.




    Said Volkswagen of America VP marketing Tim Ellis, “Deutsch LA proved they have a firm grasp on how to manage the complex challenges we face in achieving our significant growth objectives. Of equal importance, they inspired us with a big, compelling and creative idea that will energise and motivate our passionate base as well as attract a broader group of people who have thus far not considered Volkswagen as a relevant choice.”




    As agency of record, Deutsch will be responsible for all national and retail advertising, including digital and experiential marketing.

  • Pepsi targets youth with ‘What’s Your Way’ campaign







    MUMBAI: Beverage and soft drink major, Pepsi has announced a major ad and promotional campaign titled ‘What‘s Your Way‘.


    The campaign is aimed to engage 30 million youth on the internet and 250 million youth on their mobiles.


    The new media campaign aimed at youngsters and called ‘Youngistaan‘ claims to be a conversation between the youngsters and Pepsi in a fun environment.


    The integrated marketing campaign ‘What‘s Your Way‘ will be spread across print, TV, radio and digital platforms in 13 cities namely Delhi & NCR, Chandigarh, Patiala, Kota, Lucknow, Kanpur, Chennai, Bangalore, Cochin, Manipal, Kolkata, Mumbai and Pune.













    Based on the lines to promote the brand among youngsters, Pepsi has developed a contest wherein consumers have to send a SMS mentioning a solution for the situation mentioned on the Pepsi “My Can” or Pepsi 600ml PET label.


    Consumers can also participate in the contest by logging on to youngistaan.com and can also publish their answers on Facebook, Orkut and Twitter profiles to gather votes.


    Through its on-ground activity ‘My Radio, My Way‘ Pepsi will create a mobile radio studio which will go to campuses where participants can play their favourite songs.




    As part of the contest, Pepsi aims to give consumers more than Rs 20 lakh worth of free talk time. Pepsi will announce four winners who stand a chance to appear on the limited edition of Pepsi ‘My Can‘.


    Winners also stand a chance to get one month‘s supply of Pepsi and Rs 5000 as SMS talk time, to be won daily.




    Said PepsiCo India executive VP marketing cola Sandeep Singh Arora, “With Pepsi‘s newest campaign-‘What‘s Your Way‘, we aim to take engagement a notch higher by starting a dialogue with youngsters, thereby becoming a part of their conversations.


    “Today many brands are vying for share of mind in the youth mind space. With our new programme, we will attempt to reinforce the equity Pepsi enjoys amongst youngsters.”

  • Meridian explodes myths in new Ruchi Gold Cooking Oil TVC

    MUMBAI: Advertising agency Meridian has conceptualized and crafted a new television commercial for Ruchi Gold Cooking Oil that plays on the tagline, Sach Hai Vo Sach Hai (the truth is the truth).









    Says Meridian executive creative director Rensil D‘Silva, “The team at Meridian came up with a creative execution which in a very light hearted manner explodes the myth that, ‘most men find their mother‘s cooking tastier than their wives‘. The protagonist after much soul searching garners up the courage to admit that his wife‘s food tastes better than the one his mother cooks. Thanks to Ruchi. All the renditions of this idea keep the conflict going.”




    Adds Meridian senior creative director Harshad Sharma, “We believe ‘Jo sach hain voh sach hain‘ is a highly extendable property. Not only does it lend itself across to various renditions over time but also across media. One will soon see this idea explode across not just convention media but also internet micro sites and in the in-programme space.”

  • Hasker to head Nielsen’s Media Product Leadership

    MUMBAI: Steve Hasker will join US media research company Nielsen as president, Media Product Leadership and Advertiser Solutions with effect from next month.


    Hasker is currently a partner at McKinsey and Company’s Global Media, Entertainment and Information practice.













    In this new position, Hasker will direct strategy and development of Nielsen’s media products and services, including measurement of television, online, and mobile media as well as the company’s ongoing innovation around cross-media measurement.


    Hasker says, “I look forward to working with media companies and advertisers using the breadth of Nielsen’s assets to better plan and measure media across the Internet, TV, and mobile, and to enhance the direct relationships between marketers and consumers that will optimise advertising investments.”




    Hasker will also oversee Advertiser Solutions, a new business unit to help advertisers deliver the right messages to the right consumers, and improve marketing effectiveness and return on investment. In this respect, Hasker will work closely with Alan Gould and Ken Orkin, co-CEOs of Nielsen IAG, who will head Advertiser Solutions.




    Avers Nielsen CEO David Calhoun, “We are extremely pleased to add a leader of Steve Hasker’s caliber to guide our product efforts across media and advertiser services. This appointment, as well as the creation of Advertiser Solutions, is a significant next step in Nielsen’s continued delivery of insights into the connected consumer.”

  • Airtel launches new campaign; adopts fresh logo

    MUMBAI: In a bid to demonstrate its subscriber base, Airtel has developed a new television commercial (TVC) featuring brand ambassador Shah Rukh Khan.













    Playing on the theme “110 million people network”, the campaign is targeted at all age groups, place groups and the sec A category.




    Rediffusion Y&R is the creative agency for Airtel while Madison is the media partner.




    To increase brand relevance, the company has also introduced a new logo to metaphorically bring alive the “people network” proposition.