ITV

Category: MAM

  • FM Schmidt joins WPP as president in Germany

    FM Schmidt joins WPP as president in Germany

    Mumbai: WPP has announced the appointment of Frank-Michael ‘FM’ Schmidt, who is Scholz & Friends Family CEO, as the first president of its German business.

    In leading WPP’s third largest market, FM will be instrumental in shaping the company’s business in Germany, supporting agency leadership teams, and promoting a strong WPP culture. From 1 January 2023, when he officially steps into the role, he will be responsible for bringing together the best talent and resources from across the company and connecting the capabilities of WPP’s 7,000 people in the market to deliver transformational growth for clients.

    Alongside his new position at WPP, FM will remain in post as Scholz & Friends Family CEO, which is part of the VMLY&R network and whose clients include VW, McDonald’s, Sparkasse, and the Federal Republic of Germany. He will also continue to serve on VMLY&R’s global leadership team, a role he has held since 2021.

    FM joined the WPP network in 1998 at J. Walter Thompson, later becoming the chief strategy officer of its German business. In 2003, he joined Scholz & Friends as CEO in Germany, and in 2008, he was named CEO of the Scholz & Friends Family, which operates across the DACH region (Germany, Austria, and Switzerland). Originally from Berlin, FM studied political science, philosophy, and communication science at the Freie Universität Berlin and began his career as a journalist before moving into marketing and communications.

    Schmidt said, “I am delighted to become president of WPP in Germany, and I see this first-ever appointment as a strong signal of the increasing importance of the German market. It is an exciting task to find common interests and to create common ground between our strong agency brands to unlock the full potential of WPP’s capabilities for the benefit of both our clients and our people. I am very much looking forward to opening a new chapter for WPP in Germany, together with some of the brightest minds in our industry.”

    WPP CEO Mark Read said, “FM’s exceptional track record at Scholz & Friends Family, his valuable contribution to the WPP network over the last 24 years, and his extensive knowledge of the German market make him the natural fit for this important role in our third largest market.”

    WPP COO Andrew Scott added, “Having worked with FM for a number of years, I am certain that under his leadership, our people and agencies will be supported in continuing to deliver outstanding creative work. I look forward to working with him in his new role as we further drive growth opportunities for our clients and for WPP in Germany.”

  • Pocket FM surpasses $25 mn ARR

    Pocket FM surpasses $25 mn ARR

    Mumbai: The audio series platform Pocket FM has announced its entry into the US market and international development.

    The company published a performance update for the period October 2021–September 2022 after finishing its fourth year of operations in September 2022.

    Due to the launch of the micropayment model and advertising solutions, the company’s ARR (annualised revenue run rate), as recorded through October 2022, has surpassed $25 million.

    In its fourth year of operation, the platform has seen a 10X increase in revenue thanks to the addition of micropayments, with 500,000+ weekly transactions.

    Commenting on its fourth-year performance update, Pocket FM co-founder & CEO Rohan Nayak said, “We started with a vision to redefine the audio entertainment space, reviving it as a mainstream entertainment form with audio series, and unearthing unique and unheard stories for our listeners worldwide. As we scale up to emerge as the global audio series platform, we will continue to strengthen our content library and nurture and grow our creator community across the world to keep our listeners entertained.” 

    He further added, “We are glad to have led this category creation with sustainable and profitable growth. As we successfully discovered the content monetisation model in the audio space, our revenue has grown 10X to $25 million ARR in just 12 months. With the continued momentum and expected growth targets, we foresee another 4X growth in our revenue during our fifth year of operations, thus entering the $100 million ARR club within five years of our operations.”

    Content, creators, and consumption

    With 733 audio series, the audio series platform has expanded its selection of content. As a result, audio series, a fictional long-form audio storytelling genre developed and pioneered by Pocket FM, have increased by 270 per cent. With over 90 per cent  of all time spent on the platform, this category has dominated consumption.

    The company’s creator community has grown to over 500,000 people worldwide, and its listener community has increased to over 80 million people. In its fourth year, streaming on Pocket FM has increased by 75 per cent and surpassed 40 billion minutes.

    The age range of its listeners, which makes up more than 80 per cent , is 15 to 35. The majority of people in this category enjoy family drama, romantic suspense, and thrillers. In addition to these well-liked genres, Pocket FM has observed a positive pattern of consumption in the fantasy segment, which has seen a 4X increase in listening minutes. 

    User insights 

    With a median age of only 28.4 years, India is a young country, and younger people have found Pocket FM’s storytelling to be engaging. 85 per cent of all Pocket FM listeners are younger than 35, with 68 per cent falling under the age of 25. Due to its extensive library of content, Pocket FM is incredibly well-liked in rural areas as well as small towns, but among the top five cities on the platform are Bangalore, Mumbai, Delhi, Pune, and Hyderabad.

    Over 50 million people listen to audio series, a long-form storytelling genre that Pocket FM developed and promotes. Of these listeners, 26 per cent  are romance junkies, and 20 per cent  are thriller fans. On average, its audience listens for more than 100 minutes every day.

    31 per cent  of Pocket FM listeners tune in to their preferred programming while in motion, primarily during their commute to and from work between the hours of 9 a.m. and 12 p.m. and 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. It’s interesting to note that listeners are more attentive to the platform before bed or when they are unwinding. During the hours of 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. to midnight, about 45 per cent of listeners tune into Pocket FM.

    Pocket Novels

    In addition to its audio programming, Pocket FM launched its online reading service, “Pocket Novel,” in October 2021. More than 100,000 novels have been uploaded by the writer community to Pocket Novel in the past year or so.

    Similar to Pocket FM, Pocket Novel has seen a daily average user time of 100+ minutes. During that time, it has recorded well over 400 million reads. Additionally, the company has begun turning the best-selling novels into audio series and has added a robust pipeline across genres.

    Tech and Product

    To increase user engagement and retention, Pocket FM is doubling its investments in its AI and ML capabilities and focusing on developing a sophisticated, personalised content recommendation engine. Additionally, it is developing cutting-edge text-to-speech, image, and NLP generative AI capabilities, which will accelerate content testing and production.

    Additionally, it is enhancing its AI capabilities for content moderation and quality testing that are automated.

    Funding

    With two rounds of capital injections in its fourth year, Pocket FM is in a strong financial position. In December 2021, the company raised $22.4 million in Series B funding, and in March 2022, it raised $65 million in Series C funding.

    The company has raised $93.5 million in total.

  • CenturyPly announces new campaign #LetsNotForgetAlzheimers

    CenturyPly announces new campaign #LetsNotForgetAlzheimers

    Mumbai: Century Plyboards has launched “#LetsNotForgetAlzheimers” under its annual IP, CenturyHeroes. Designed in association with the creative digital agency Sociowash, the campaign has already reached 8.9 million people so far.

    Together, CenturyPly and Sociowash developed concepts that would create curiosity, raise awareness, and leave a lasting impression around Alzheimer’s.

    The campaign is live on social media platforms like YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and the website. To reach the masses, the brand also leveraged the print medium and placed an ad in the classified section of a leading daily newspaper.

    The messaging about the campaign is tied back to a specially curated microsite, www.letsnotforgetalzheimers.com, which aims to interact, engage, and inspire the audience through a gamification route.

    The campaign starts with three bafflingly simple questions, followed by a heart-touching brand film released to spread the message through multiple digital avenues. The campaign celebrates three types of heroes: one who fights the daily battle, one who is the support system throughout, and one who puts in extra effort for others.

    Commenting on the campaign, Sociowash co-founder Raghav Bagai said, “We devised the strategy focusing on CenturyPly’s target group. With this campaign, the main aim was to get the message across straight and clear. From fixating on the campaign tonality to channel selection and finally cracking the copies, each and everything was done to leave a long-lasting impression that not only spreads awareness but provokes thought.”

    “CenturyPly has progressed year on year, and each year they support a different social cause with their annual IP CenturyHeroes. Through this campaign, they wanted to raise awareness amongst people about Alzheimer’s disease, which has gone unnoticed until now. The campaign has touched 8.9 million people who learned about Alzheimer’s. Many identified the message while taking necessary steps to be mindful of the cause.” Raghav added.

  • Gauri Khan Designs partners with Tata CLiQ Luxury to foray into e-commerce

    Gauri Khan Designs partners with Tata CLiQ Luxury to foray into e-commerce

    Mumbai: Gauri Khan has partnered with Tata CLiQ Luxury to launch her brand, Gauri Khan Designs, in the e-commerce space.

    With this launch, consumers can now shop Gauri Khan’s favourite designs on Tata CLiQ Luxury to elevate their homes and office spaces.

    GKD’s flagship Mumbai store houses a variety of curated pieces across categories. To expand its reach further and make her designs and creations available to a larger audience, the brand has forayed into the e-commerce space for the first time with its launch on Tata CLiQ Luxury.

    The platform will offer easy access to an extensive selection of Gauri Khan Designs soft furnishings and accessories, including rugs, cushions, bed linens, trays, breakfast trays, glassware, cheese platters, artwork, coasters, small sculptures, candle holders, table lamps, side tables, trolleys, and pouffes, among others. In addition, consumers can also shop from a range of marble accessories, which include cheese platters, planters, candle stands, artifacts, and more.

    Commenting on the launch, Tata CLiQ Luxury business head Gitanjali Saxena said, “At Tata CLiQ Luxury, we are constantly focused on offering the best of luxury products and brands across categories to consumers. Our existing home category on the platform includes a wide range of products, from décor to serveware and more. As we strive to expand and strengthen our home category, we are thrilled to exclusively launch Gauri Khan Designs on our platform. A coveted interior designer, Gauri Khan has carved a niche for herself in the realm of interior designing, and her creations are known for their exquisite design aesthetics. We are delighted to offer our discerning customers across the country an opportunity to shop from a thoughtfully curated selection of products across a wide assortment of soft furnishings and accessories to artistically transform their spaces.”

    Speaking about this partnership, interior designer and producer Khan said, “I am elated to share that Gauri Khan Designs has found a new home at Tata CLiQ Luxury. At Gauri Khan Designs, we are constantly innovating and curating designs and products that will appeal to the consumer’s sense of evolving aesthetics. Tata CLiQ Luxury is India’s leading luxury lifestyle platform that offers customers an engaging and elevated online shopping experience. Through this partnership, Gauri Khan Designs will now be able to reach and be accessible to consumers across the country who are looking at revamping their spaces. We look forward to a fruitful partnership.”

  • FC Goa welcomes Mc Dowell’s No.1 Soda as the club’s new associate sponsor

    FC Goa welcomes Mc Dowell’s No.1 Soda as the club’s new associate sponsor

    Mumbai: Football club FC Goa welcomes McDowell’s No. 1 Soda, Diageo India’s flagship brand, as the club’s new associate sponsor for the 2022–23 season of the Hero Indian Super League. The brand will be the key enabler of friendships and camaraderie throughout the season.

    Through this association, McDowell’s No.1 Soda will ensure that the fans have fun with their ‘yaars,’ at home or in the stands. As part of the partnership, McDowell’s No.1 Soda will appear on the upper sleeve of the FC Goa shirt for the entirety of the ISL season.

    FC Goa VP Ravi Puskur weighed in on the association, saying, “McDowell’s No.1 Soda is one of the most recognised brands in India and one that is associated with celebration. And this year, I believe, is one where we are celebrating football with fans allowed to be back in the stands.

    “Our goal has always been to provide fans reasons to celebrate their favourite football team, the beautiful game, and the moments that come along with it. Thus, I believe we will be able to find several synergies across the season for the brands to collaborate and bring success to all.”

    Diageo India executive VP and portfolio head of marketing Ruchira Jaitly said, “Football is the ultimate team sport, and the sportsmanship and camaraderie on and off the field are legendary. With this ISL season, McDowell’s No. 1 Soda, in association with the FC Goa, is proud to be a part of this team of ‘yaars’ and to celebrate those special moments of ‘Yaari,’ whether on or off the field, in a sport that is a passion with every Goan.

    McDowell’s No. 1 Soda shares the same sentiments about the true bonds of ‘Yaari’ as does team FC Goa, and together, we look forward to making memorable moments happen for consumers and sportsmen alike this season.”

  • Bingo! becomes the official snacking partner for DreamHack 2022

    Bingo! becomes the official snacking partner for DreamHack 2022

    Mumbai: ITC Ltd.’s Bingo! has partnered with Nodwin Gaming as the official snacking partner for DreamHack 2022.

    Following this partnership, Bingo! has set up an exclusive Bingo! Streamer Zone, which will bring together popular YouTube influencers and streamers such as Thug, Mortal, Scout, Ocean, 8Bit Mercy, 8Bit, 8Bit Rebel, Sid Joshi, Xyaa, Hydraflick, Samay Raina, Sagar, and many more.

    This is the third edition of DreamHack being hosted in India, where gamers can experience professional e-sports tournaments and watch top players battle it out in the gaming arena.

    This engaging and innovative collaboration between Bingo! and DreamHack highlights the brand’s interest in and support for the e-sports community.

    ITC Ltd. head of marketing – snacks, noodles, and pasta Aishwarya Pratap Singh said, “We are thrilled to be collaborating with DreamHack, India’s largest e-gaming festival. Bingo! owns the platform of young and innovative snack offerings and is a brand loved by the youth. Gaming has always been at the forefront of the activities that the youth enjoy, & Bingo! aspires to be the preferred snacking partner for the gaming community. DreamHack has a strong track record and a large fan base, and we, at Bingo!, hope to jointly deliver an exciting gaming experience to the fans. This collaboration will be a fantastic experience for both fans and industry professionals, who will be able to interact with and learn from experts in the e-sports fraternity while also growing with it.”

    Alongside, Bingo! will be hosting several fun activities for the event attendees. The brand will set up a dark room in which the audience must evade laser beams and reach the end of the room to collect a pack of Bingo! Cheese Nachos Flavor, Namkeen. Bingo! will also set up a neon-themed photobooth where GIFs will be created of the attendees and a chill zone where a Cheese Nachos Favour and Namkeen DIY counter will facilitate customised ‘namkeen’ dishes using Bingo! Cheese Nachos Flavour.  An AR & VR game arena will also be set up, where one must scan around and tap on as many Cheese Nachos Flavor packs as possible within a set amount of time to win.

    Adding to it, Nodwin Gaming co-founder Akshat Rathee said, “DreamHack is a fun, entertaining gaming and esports event that can be enjoyed by people from all walks of life and across age groups. We are delighted to collaborate with our snacking partner, Bingo!, to make this event even more memorable. The audience can really let their hair down with their loved ones by taking part in all the exciting esports activities and other games while munching on a Bingo snack to keep their energies up. Not only that, Bingo has also set up an exclusive streamer zone and a meet-and-greet zone for e-sports enthusiasts and fans to interact with their favourite gaming influencers, so there is a lot to look forward to.”

  • Pulse launches a celebratory digital campaign on the Candy Day

    Pulse launches a celebratory digital campaign on the Candy Day

    Mumbai: DS Group’s Pass Pass Pulse has launched a stimulating digital campaign, “Pulse Candy Hunt,” marking Candy Day on 4 November. Leveraging an augmented reality approach, Pulse Candy Hunt allows users to enjoy a fun candy treasure hunt on Snapchat and Instagram.

    By switching on their rear camera’s lens or filter, the users need to look and spot different flavours of Pulse candy in their own 360-degree real-time environment and then tap the candy to bag it.

    The final score of bagged candies in 20 seconds can be discovered by switching to their front camera. As a bonus, a prompt urges the users to open the mouth and a Pulse candy drops in, triggering a Chatkara Pop sound effect and a visual experience of the tangy burst of Pulse candy, triggering a change in the player’s facial expression on the screen, like the widening of eyes and arching of eyebrows, followed by a celebratory bursting animation sequence behind and the final score showing at the bottom centre of the screen.

    Speaking on the launch, Dharampal Satyapal Foods general manager of marketing Arvind Kumar said, “We are thankful to our consumers for making Pulse a leader in the hard boiled candy segment for the last five years, and therefore, Candy Day is very special to us. We celebrate it with Pulse lovers by playing innovative fun games in a digital world full of Pulse candy, amusement, and rewards. AR reality with vibrant graphics, sounds, and personal surroundings stimulates consumer interaction. This is a unique integrated digital campaign on the popular social media platforms that resonate with our target group (TG).”

    To further increase traction and engagement on Instagram, a contest will be organised around this campaign, inviting people to share their entries in the form of Instagram reels for a chance to win amazing prizes. Nano, micro, and macro influencers like Ashi Singh, Ashnoor Kaur, and other digital content creators have been looped in for further amplification of the campaign.

  • Reliance to acquire Metro AG’s Cash & Carry in Rs 4,060 crore deal

    Reliance to acquire Metro AG’s Cash & Carry in Rs 4,060 crore deal

    Mumbai: As per media reports, Mukesh Ambani-owned Reliance Industries is all set to take possession of German retailer Metro AG’s Cash & Carry business in India in a deal estimated at around Rs 4,060 crore.

    The report cited that the deal includes 31 land banks, wholesale distribution centres, and other assets owned by Metro Cash & Carry in India. This acquisition will help Reliance Retail expand its presence in the B2B segment.

    “Discussions were on between Reliance Industries and Metro for the past few months, and last week the German parent firm agreed to the offer from the former,” as per a media report.

    Other retailers were also part of the bid to acquire Metro Cash & Carry, including Siam Makro, which runs LOTS Wholesale Solutions (an online wholesale shopping business). Last month, Siam Makro, part of the Charoen Pokphand Group of Thailand, announced its withdrawal from the race for Metro Cash & Carry India.

    For the record, Metro AG operates in 34 countries and stepped foot into the Indian market in 2003. It operates six stores in Bengaluru, four in Hyderabad, two each in Mumbai and Delhi, and one each in Kolkata, Jaipur, Jalandhar, Zirakpur, Amritsar, Ahmedabad, Surat, Indore, Lucknow, Meerut, Nasik, Ghaziabad, Tumakuru, Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam, Guntur, and Hubballi.

    Reliance Industries’ subsidiary, Reliance Retail Ventures Ltd. (RRVL), is the holding company for all the retail companies under the group. RRVL had reported a consolidated turnover of around two lakh crore rupees for the year ended 31 March 2022.

  • Cheil onboards Kaushik Datta as ECD

    Cheil onboards Kaushik Datta as ECD

    Mumbai: Cheil India today announced the appointment of Kaushik Datta as executive creative director. His last stint was at Leo Burnett. He was helming their New Delhi office while also managing the art and design duties for all of India. In his current role, he will report to Cheil India’s chief creative officer Vikash Chemjong.

    Talking about his new role, Datta (KD) said, “I believe creativity becomes more powerful and effective when technology comes along with it, and Cheil is a great place to do that. It’s a great honour and opportunity for me. I am very excited and looking forward to doing some great work.”

    Datta is an industry veteran with a career spanning more than 23 years. He has worked across a wide swath of industries, and his repertoire of clients includes marquee brands like Hutch, Seagram, LG, Bacardi, Apple, Airtel, Kohler, ThumsUp, Maaza, Limca, Minute Maid, Tinder, Fortis, Mc Donald’s, Popeyes, GM, SBI Card, GSK, Hindustan Times, Cargill, and many more.

    Welcoming Datta on board, Chemjong said, “It’s exciting times for us at Cheil, not only in terms of the type of work we are trying to do but also in terms of the type of talent we are attracting, and now with Datta coming in with his talent, experience, rigor, and enthusiasm, it’s another shot in the arm for us!”

    In this role, Datta’s scope of responsibilities will include upping the art and design quotient for our brands, with a special emphasis on the flagship products—the S and Z series. He will also be involved in the agency focus of thinking of ways to bring tech into our communication and add more zing to our creative product. The appointment is part of Cheil India’s endeavour to bolster its creative capabilities as it seeks to add more talent to its team.

    Cheil India chief operating officer Sanjeev Jasani, said, “We are pleased to welcome Datta to the Cheil family. He is a well-known name in the industry and brings with him a wealth of experience that will help Cheil deliver the best transformational work to our clients.”

  • ManipalCigna Health Insurance rolls out new ad film with Manoj Bajpayee

    ManipalCigna Health Insurance rolls out new ad film with Manoj Bajpayee

    Mumbai: ManipalCigna Health Insurance has launched a new brand film ‘Health Ki Keemat’ starring its brand ambassador actor Manoj Bajpayee. The brand film is conceptualised by TBWA India.

    The company has rolled the brand film on ICC Men’s T20 World Cup on Disney+ Hotstar and all major digital platforms. The film will also be leveraged on OOH, print, cricket properties and television across leading GEC, News and Regional channels for maximum outreach across the country.

    Through this brand film, ManipalCigna aims to reach out to potential buyers, seek deeper penetration into the market and highlight the value propositions people can expect when buying health insurance from the expert. The film emphasizes the significance of ‘Expert Ki Suno, Sahi Chuno’ and highlights the importance of seeking an expert to simplify the choice, help choose the right health insurance plan to suit unique health needs, and to easily access quality healthcare.

    The new brand film asks the audience the critical question of ‘What is the real value of Health’ and we see ‘moments of recovery’ of family members as the answer to that. The film highlights ManipalCigna’s expertise in Health Insurance and its product benefits such as fully loaded comprehensive products, quick and easy claim settlement and a better healthcare experience. Bajpayee finishes the film with a powerful tone, exclaiming – ‘Expert Ki Suno, Sahi Chuno’.

    Speaking on the new brand film, ManipalCigna Health Insurance chief marketing officer Sapna Desai said, “Our new brand film leverages the insight that while health insurance has today moved from a ‘grudge’ purchase to a ‘nudge’ purchase, there exists a knowledge gap and limited product understanding. We believe Health is priceless, and people who value their and their family’s health will trust an expert. Based on this insight, we have designed the new film, ‘Health Ki Keemat’. The story builds on the ‘real moments of health recovery’ to drive brand connect and affinity.  We have a new brand tagline, ‘Expert Ki Suno, Sahi Chuno’ to assure consumers that now they can count on the health insurance expert, ManipalCigna who understands the value of health and knows best how to protect it.”

    Speaking on the new brand film, TBWA India managing partner- creative Parixit Bhattacharya said, “We are delighted to partner ManipalCigna again, especially at this exciting juncture for the brand. The Health Ki Keemat brand film spotlights the need to choose an expert while considering health insurance. After all, what’s invaluable can only be trusted with experts. During the process of creating this film, we discovered that people who demanded the most out of their health insurance, preferred someone with the right expertise. This is a massive advantage for the business and speaks to the great values of the brand. So when Bajpayee says ‘Jo health ki keemat jaante hain woh ManipalCigna Health Insurance ko maante hain’, he is speaking the truth.”