Category: Marketing

MUMBAI: Zen Mobile has roped in Amitabh Bachchan as its brand ambassador.

The company says that its brand stands for style, innovation, and performance, the qualities that Bachchan epitomises making him the most respected actor in the country. 
 
Zen Mobiles is geared up to launch QWERTY and multimedia feature-rich mobile handsets loaded with social networking experience at affordable price for the Indian market. The company plans to leverage its association with Bachchan through a media campaign and various interactive consumer related activities in the coming months.

Zen Mobile MD Deepesh Gupta said, “We are honoured to have Amitabh Bachchan on-board and are confident that our association with him will create a deep impact on the minds of our target audience and help our brand and products meet success.

“We are confident that signing on Bachachan as our brand face in India will help us create a closer connection with our audience. He is the best at what he does and that is also the Zen Mobiles philosophy.”
 
Bachchan said, “I like to connect with brands that I believe in, brands which show commitment to fulfilling the needs and aspirations of Indian people and I found exactly these qualities in Zen Mobiles. I hope my association with the brand will take it closer to people and they would be able to appreciate the brilliance and innovation of Zen‘s handsets.”

Gupta says, “India is a critical market and the competition in mobile handset technologies is growing fast. Bachchan will help render sheen to our brand with his grandeur. Nothing compares with the legendary Big B, a style icon, who is admired as an aspirational figure and Zen Mobiles is placing its bet exactly on that.”
 
Zen Mobiles have designed what it calls a seamless convergence device with functionalities for both personal and professional use in half the price of the high end mobiles with the same multimedia features. The company looks to cater to various segments within a reasonable price band. The current focus of the company is to provide high quality touch screen phones to consumers with high end multimedia features.

MUMBAI: Mudra Connext, a unit of Mudra Max (integrated communications planning & implementation) has bagged the media mandate for Apollo Hospitals. It will be handled out of the Delhi office.
 
On handing the media duties to Mudra Connext, Apollo Hospitals president corporate development Anil K Maini said, “Through Mudra Connext‘s extensive knowledge and experience in the media market, we look forward to a great working relation with the agency as they take on the mandate.”
 
Speaking on the account win, Mudra Connext EVP & country head Manas Mishra said, “Healthcare communication in urban centers has been an emerging challenge. We hope our experience in building awareness, empathy and a positive word of mouth will help us manage the brand well.”
 
Apollo Hospitals was started by its founder and present chairman Prathap C Reddy in 1983 with the establishment of the first corporate hospital in India.
 

MUMBAI: Ten years ago, Star Plus went all-Hindi to give rise to a new wave of ground-breaking shows that redefined the programming strategy for Hindi general entertainment channels. The flagship channel from the Star stable sketched out the Indian society, with almost universal acceptance, through the saans-bahu sagas and the most popular KBC.

However, a decade later, the society narrated a different story catapulting the need to bring in refreshed communication for the changing viewership preference.

And reading the notes right, Star Plus is now ready to hurl a refreshed and brand new identity to feed the audience needs for the next 10 years.

The channel will launch its new brand logo, dressed in the new-fangled tagline ‘Rishte Wahi, Soch Nayi (Old relationship, New thinking)’ on 13 June with the Star Parivaar Awards 2010.
 
When one is successful for so long a period, it becomes difficult to transform. And, Star Plus had been holding on to the fort for too long to think change.

Said Star India CEO Uday Shankar, “When we began, there were about 20-30 cable and satellite towns. But as next generation viewers stepped in and sensibilities changed, it became a 500-600 city phenomenon. The universe of viewership became heterogeneous and last year, when we lost our number one spot it was a wake up call.”

To begin experimenting and to understand the change in viewership patterns, Star Plus flagged off shows like Bidayi and Yeh Rishta, which went on to grab good eyeballs. “The impact was good but perhaps not as bold,” averred Shankar. And then came Aap Ki Kachehri followed by Sach Ka Saamna.
 
“With the success of such formats, we realised that viewers were ready for change and that led us to head for a comprehensive reinvention of Star Plus that would define our portfolio for the Indian family 2010 for the next ten years,” explained Shankar.

But to let viewers know about the renewed Star Plus and the coming change in the programming portfolio, the packaging also had to have a rejuvenated touch.

“And thus, we opted for the cosmetic change with the ruby star that represented the heart of India – feminine, strong, full of energy and life. The white hot swoosh, lit from within, represents inner strength and quest for fulfillment. A key component of the Star Plus identity is the colour red. Nothing epitomizes India better than the color red. Red is the color of prosperity, optimism, weddings, celebration, hope, desire, purity, passion, love and holiness. The Star Plus logo is the traditional and familiar star emblem infused with a very modern, fresh and energetic expression,” Shankar explained.

The new logo has been designed by UK-based Venture 3 while Ogilvy and Mather is the creative agency.
 
The new look with be followed by a line up of new shows like Tere Liye, Chand Chchupa Badal Mein and the Akshay-Kumar hosted cookery show, Masterchef India. The channel will also expand the line up with a variety of new-age movies like My Name Is Khan.

“Today, while the channel loyalties are fading, programme loyalties are rising high. So, we will be bringing in shows that have a definite lifetime and we will not be aggressive with the life of that show,” he said.

“This is because we don’t want to sustain on one or two shows and see hikes in viewership in bits and pieces. We want to build continuity in sustaining viewership,” he added.

The channel has spent approximately $4 million for the complete overhaul and will be marketing the new look aggressively across the Star Network. This will be apart from the other traditional platforms like print, radio and out-of-home.

Star had lost its leadership to Viacom18’s Colors last year and then the fight for the top slot was almost a weekly phenomenon. But this year, when IPL was almost a common cause for channels to witness fluctuations in their GRP grades, Star Plus took on to the numero uno spot and has been holding on to it till date.

“Our strategy was to take on IPL as a challenge and not duck it. Therefore, we build new story lines during the IPL period and got in new shows too. This helped,” Shankar said.
 

MUMBAI: The first five matches of the recently concluded Micromax Cup tri-series cricket ODI managed only an average TVR of 1.18 according to Tam data c&s4+.

The tourney was featured on Ten Sports in India, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe.
 
By comparison, the Compaq Cup that was played last year between India, Sri Lanka and New Zealand on the same channel got an average TVR of 3 for its first four matches.
 
The cummulative reach for the Micromax Cup was down to 60.6 million viewers compared to 73.2 million viewers for the Compaq Cup last year. The highest rating for the event was a match between India and Sri Lanka on 30 May 2010 which was 1.87 TVR.
 
The lack of star power could be a reason for the lacklustre rating performance. Key players like Dhoni were rested keeping in mind India‘s hectic cricket schedule. With the run of one series after the other, fatigue could also be another factor.
 

MUMBAI: Bikes and especially custom-made ones bring alive a thrill unequalled by any other. Del Monte, the global food and beverage brand brought to India by FieldFresh Foods, will rev up lots of excitement at youth hangouts with specially crafted Cruiser bikes. The on-ground activity, called the Del Monte Legend Brigade, will travel to the main metros and mini metros and the associated contest will see the emergence of a grand prize winner who shall receive a similar custom-made bike worth Rs. 2 lakhs.

The aim of this initiative is to popularise the range of Del Monte fruit drinks in pineapple, four seasons (mixed fruit drink) and pineapple-orange flavours and introduce the newly launched flavours of green apple and orange. Also, Del Monte will showcase the various typical availability points in the city for its range of fruit drinks which now include coffee bars and malls.
 
The Del Monte Legend Brigade starts from Mumbai on 12 June and move on to Pune, followed by Delhi, Chandigarh, Bangalore and Chennai and finally reaching Kolkata as its last port of call.

In each city, the Del Monte Legend Brigade can be spotted at youth hangouts like Barista cafes, Coffee Day Xpress outlets in colleges and BPOs, malls and shopping districts. Regular announcements on radio will specify the date and time of each stopover. 
 
Apart from giving away the instant prizes to the “coolest dudes and dudettes on the spot”, the Brigadiers accompanying the Del Monte Legend Brigade will encourage the audience to pose for pictures on the bikes. They will also be asked to post their pictures on a specially created microsite on www.worldfoody.com and invite online friends to vote for the coolest picture. The person who gets the maximum number of votes wins the grand prize, a custom-made, hand crafted bike.

Not to forget youngsters in other cities, Del Monte shall unveil an online biker game on www.worldfoody.com. Gamers may continuously improve their scores and win attractive prizes at every stage. By converting their gaming points they may win the grand prize, the Del Monte Legend Brigade customized bike.

Rage Mobiles assigns creative duties to RK Swamy BBDO; Media Directions bags media 
 
RK Swamy BBDO beat four agencies, including names like Dentsu and Percept, to win the creative duties of Rage Mobiles, a new mobile phone brand set to enter the Indian market. Media Direction has been awarded the media duties. Industry sources peg the account size in the region of Rs 10 crore.
Media Direction will handle the media planning and buying for the new brand.

The pitch took place one and a half months back and the decision on the agencies was taken recently.

Rage Mobiles is planning to roll out phones that will be slim in size and will have unique features like answering machine, Internet access, Qwerty keypad, and so on.
 

MUMBAI: Dream Theatre, the Mumbai-based entertainment company set up by former Turner executive Jiggy George, has won the exclusive licensing rights for WB‘s Iconic brands such as Superman, Batman, Justice League, Looney Tunes, Tom and Jerry, Scooby-Doo and Harry Potter.

Said Warner Bros. India country manager Blaise Fernandes, “With the appointment of Dream Theatre, we look forward to the very popular Warner Bros. brands ranging from the classic Looney Tunes to the contemporary iconic brands like Batman being brought closer to the Indian consumer.”
 
Dream Theater has also won the consumer products rights for Discovery Channel and Animal Planet consumer product lines in India, as well as for key series across the channel portfolio, such as Miami Ink and American Chopper.

Dream Theatre is looking to partner with third party licensees in India to extend the Discovery Channel and Animal Planet merchandise lines for kids in the 4-14. The range will be a blend of fun and educational products including toys, games, bags, apparel, stationery, gifts and novelties. 
 
Dream Theatre will also further expand upon the success of Discovery‘s lines of merchandise that feature some of the channel‘s reality series – Miami Ink, LA Ink and American Chopper. Dream Theatre will launch a new line of apparel, bags, accessories, footwear, home furnishings, eye wear, apparel and travel accessories.

Said Discovery Enterprises International director, international consumer products Pinky David, “The opportunity to work with Dream Theatre to help further develop the channel brands and content will enable consumers to have a more intimate experience with Discovery and the fascination and curiosity that the brand represents.”

It has also bagged the exclusive representation rights of Chorion‘s biggest properties for four countries including India.

As per the licensing & merchandise deal signed with Chorion, a provider of family entertainment for the global marketplace, Dream Theatre will introduce a range of products around popular pre-school character- Noddy. The range would comprise apparel, home furnishings, personal care, school bags, home video and other categories. It will also concentrate on licensing deals and merchandising promotions for the Mr. Men and Little Miss classic characters.
 
Said Chorion SVP licensing APac Melissa Tinker, “Noddy has achieved an impressive level of awareness over the years with an extensive publishing range by Eurokids, toys distributed by Funskool and the support we have received from Cartoon Network with our Make Way for Noddy series and newly launched Noddy in Toyland.”

“Dream Theatre has been proactive in bringing new partners on board in key categories and we look forward to building the Noddy programme. Mr Men and Little Miss is new to this market. However, the support of Cartoon Network for both Series 1 and 2 paired with the brand‘s proven success and universal appeal means we are very optimistic for the future of Mr Men and Little Miss in yet another territory.”

MUMBAI: Fitz Roy Media (FRM) has signed an agreement with Brothers Entertainment Merchandising (BEM) and Odd Rods Productions for the development of Odd Rods, an irreverent, iconic property featuring big-headed monsters in muscle cars, motorcycles and more.

This was popular during the 1970s as a trading card series. The announcement was made by Fitz Roy Media CEO Hamp Hampton.
 
Effective immediately, the long-term agreement directs FRM to develop, produce and distribute Odd Rods animation derived from over 300 Odd Rods characters, along with the creation of a digital trading card library, gaming content and an integrated consumer products programme.

Development will begin this year on animation, a style guide and gaming content, and will include original rock n’ roll music that will be an integral part of the brand strategy.

Created in 1969, the Odd Rods trading card and stickers series featured bizarre creatures in weird dragsters, funny cars and rods that soon became a phenomenon as kids across the country began peeling them from their backing and sticking them on everything – bikes, jackets, books and, to the frustration of many angry mothers, bedroom doors, walls and windows.
 
Brothers Entertainment Merchandising president Joseph Bongiovi says, “The Odd Rods property is more relevant today then it was over 40 years ago and the Fitz Roy Media team are poised to help us reintroduce it not only to the fans who grew up with it but to their kids.”
 
Hampton says, “Odd Rods is a classic property that is well positioned to capture a new generation of kids with a cadre of wacky and bizarre characters whose actions and antics – together with original 21st century rock music – are certain to create a ruckus kids will enjoy. We look forward to working with BEM as we reinvigorate this iconic property for today’s kids.”

MUMBAI: Bollywood actor John Abraham is the brand ambassador for V Dot, the clubwear brand from Van Heusen.

It has launched a new V Dot line that looks to give clubwear a complete makeover.
 
The V Dot line looks to embody the values of bold and yet sophisticated. It consists of a collection that comprises a line of shirts, trousers, denims, knits, jackets, suits and blazers combined with cutting edge fashion sensibilities, superfine fabrics, surface embellishments and perfect accessorising.
 
Abraham says, “I am proud and honoured to be associated with V Dot, not just because it is the coolest and most stylish clubwear brand in the country but because it‘s a reflection of my own sense of style. These are clothes I would willingly have in my wardrobe. It‘s young, it‘s sexy and very, very me.”

Van Heusen COO Shital Mehta says, “When it came to selecting the right brand ambassador for V Dot, the choice was unanimous. It just had to be John Abraham. He brings with him the irresistible blend of cool quotient and sex appeal, which is the space that V Dot occupies among the mindset of today‘s party animals.
 
The line is stacked across 60 Van Heusen stores and another 20 V Dot stores slated to open by the end of the year. The company says that the line has managed a CAGR of 75 per cent over the last four years. Its focus is centred around the ever-shifting tastes of the youth. The aim is to be the torchbearer of the trendy young Indian.

V Dot inherits its sophistication from Van Heusen, a premium lifestyle brand for men with its core area of strength being its extensive formal wear range. The brand embodies corporate fashion and aims to reflect the expression of elegance in today‘s context.
 

MUMBAI: Del Monte, the food and beverage brand, brought to India by FieldFresh Foods Pvt Ltd, will look to rev up excitement at youth hangouts this summer with specially crafted Cruiser bikes.

The on-ground activity, called the Del Monte Legend Brigade, will travel to the main metros and mini metros and the associated contest will see the emergence of a grand prize winner who shall receive a similar custom-made bike worth Rs. 200,000.
 
The aim of this initiative is to popularise the range of Del Monte fruit drinks in Pineapple (with real pulp), Four Seasons (mixed fruit drink) and Pineapple-Orange flavours and introduce the newly launched flavours of Green Apple and Orange.

Also Del Monte will showcase the various typical availability points in the city for its range of fruit drinks which now include coffee bars, malls and other hotspots.
 
The Del Monte Legend Brigade will start from Mumbai on 12 June and move on to Pune, followed by Delhi, Chandigarh, Bangalore and Chennai and finally reaching Kolkata as its last port of call. The company is hoping that the activity will strike a chord with youth who can expect to see bikes and win instant prizes in the form of Del Monte fruit drinks, Del Monte biker merchandise and vouchers from Barista.

In each city the Del Monte Legend Brigade can be spotted at youth hangouts like Barista cafes, Coffee Day Xpress outlets in colleges and BPOs, malls and shopping districts. Regular announcements on radio will specify the date and time of each stopover. The youth will be invited to be there at the right place and at the right time to witness the biking spectacle as well as pose for a picture on a bike with their favourite Del Monte fruit drink available at all these venues.

Apart from giving away the instant prizes to the coolest dudes and dudettes on the spot, the Brigadiers accompanying the Del Monte Legend Brigade will encourage the audience to pose for pictures on the bikes. 
 
Del Monte shall unveil an online biker game on www.worldfoody.com. Anyone can participate in the online gaming activity and experience the thrill of biking in different environs and facing various levels of challenges in the virtual world.
Gamers may continuously improve their scores and win prizes at every stage. By converting their gaming points they may even have a chance to win the grand prize, the Del Monte Legend Brigade customised bike.
 

MUMBAI: ITC, the multi-business conglomerate, has forayed into the fairness creams segment with Vivel Active Fair. With this launch, ITC expands its personal care products portfolio.
 
ITC Limited chief executive personal care products business Sandeep Kaul, “Skin cream is a rapidly growing product category in India. We at ITC have been involved with intensive R&D efforts over the last three years to create a unique value proposition and a superior fairness cream for the Indian consumers. Vivel Active Fair is a result of continuous engagement with consumers, understanding their needs and designing an offer and delivering benefits which truly make a difference.”
 
Extensive insights gained by ITC through its numerous consumer engagements provided the platform for its R&D team to develop Vivel Active Fair that meets the consumer‘s stated and innate needs in the fairness creams segment. 
 
The cream is available in Kerala and will soon be extended to more markets. Consumers can purchase Vivel Active Fair in 50gram tubes for Rs 70, 25gram tubes for Rs 38 and 9 gram sachets at an introductory price of Rs 5.