Category: Marketing

MUMBAI: 141Sercon, a below-the-line marketing agency, has won the mandate to organize the eighth edition of the Chennai Marathon. The event will be held on 21 February 21. The marketing spends for the same are estimated at about Rs 30 million.
 
Organised by Sports Authority of Tamil Nadu, this consumer activation event plans to bring together about 25,000-30,000 participants including consumers, corporates, schools, colleges, government departments and celebrities.
 
Says 141Sercon VP – sales & marketing CR Prasanna, “Chennai marathon not only represents the spirit of the city but also gives exciting opportunities to a brand to connect with its target group.”
 
The marathon will be promoted through a 360 degree campaign covering print, electronic, digital and outdoor media. 141Sercon will be responsible for managing the complete marathon besides sponsorship generation.
 

MUMBAI: Law & Kenneth has been assigned with the creative duties of Kelvinator as well as Sansui following a multi-agency pitch.

The other agencies that too scouted for the twin account include Fortune Communications and Pickle Advertising. Saatchi & Saatchi is the incumbent agency.
 
The sizes of both the accounts together stand at Rs 400 million.
 
As part of its new mandate, Law & Kenneth will devise a 360 degree creative plan for both Kelvinator and Sansui that will include print, out-of-home, television, internet and below-the-line (BTL) activities.

The creatives for both the account will be launched in the next 2-3 weeks. 
 
Says Law and Kenneth SVP Varinder Shah Kant, “The summer campaign for Kelvinator will be launched with a new positioning. For the Sansui account, we will be focusing on its Japanese heritage as the brand has to break the LCD TV advertising clutter.”
 

MUMBAI: It is a catch that could be worth Rs 1 billion. Colgate-Palmolive (India) Ltd. has decided to shift its media planning and buying business to Mediaedge:cia (MEC), a GroupM company.

TME, the media arm of Rediffusion DY&R, will, thus, have to end a 25-year-old relationship in India that had even survived the global alignment of Colgate-Palmolive‘s media business with MEC in 2004. India, in fact, was the only country where TME had the media mandate until now. 
 
The change will be effective 1 April. Earlier, Mindshare, part of GroupM, had retained the Unilever account.

Says Mediaedge:cia India MD T Gangadhar, “As part of its strategy to achieve better global and divisional alignment, Colgate-Palmolive (India) has reassigned its media planning and buying account to MEC India, a WPP group company, which is Colgate-Palmolive‘s globally aligned media agency.” 
 
Rediffusion DY&R, however, will continue to handle Colgate-Palmolive‘s creative duties.

Says TME president Divya Radhakrishnan,” It has been a great journey and we are extremely proud of our association with Colgate Palmolive. To be able to retain the business for six years is a tribute to the great work that the team at TME has done over the years. Global realignments are a modern reality and it‘s a pity that a great partnership has to end due to matters beyond our control.” 
 
Colgate-Palmolive‘s range includes toothpastes, toothpowder and toothbrushes under the Colgate brand, dental therapies under the banner of Colgate Oral Pharmaceuticals and personal care products under the Palmolive brand.
 

MUMBAI: Himanshu Shekhar has put in his papers at Big FM as regional head of North and West India, after a two-year stint. 
 
It is learned from sources that Shekhar is serving his notice period at the FM radio company and will be joining Mindshare Fulcrum in Jakarta.  
 
“Shakhar will be joining Mindshare Fulcrum sometime next month and will be heading the media account of Unilever,” the source said. 
 
This will be his second stint with Mindshare Fulcrum, where Shekhar had earlier served for eight years before joining Big FM in 2008.

MUMBAI: Aroma Mobiles, a new entrant into the handset market, has been roped in as the official mobile handset partner of Kings XI Punjab, one of the eight DLF Indian Premier League (IPL) franchises.
 
Aroma Mobiles MD Ashwin Kavedi says, “This partnership will help Aroma to create brand awareness and in conjunction with Kings XI Punjab will drive lot of activities for end consumers.”
 
Adds Kings XI Punjab CEO Anil Srivatsa, “Cricket has a huge fan base in north India and this will further strengthen the brand with KXIP fans getting access to special KXIP fan club content on their new Aroma mobile handsets.”

MUMBAI: Following a multi-agency pitch, Scarecrow Communications has bagged the multimedia duties of Shriram Transport Finance and creative duties of Religare Macquaire business. 
 
Scarecrow Communications is a newly launched agency by Manish Bhatt, Raghu Bhat, Joy Sengupta and Vivek Suchanti. 
 
According to industry sources, while the Shriram Transport Finance account size is pegged at Rs 200 million, Religare Macquaire‘s account size stands at Rs 80 million. 
 
The other agencies that had pitched for the Shriram Transport Finance account include RK Swamy BBDO and Madison.
 

MUMBAI: BBC Worldwide has appointed Fluid World to handle select categories in the ever-expanding Top Gear licensing programme.   
Top Gear is a show about cars and is seen in over 100 countries. Top Gear merchandise first came to market when Marks and Spencer launched a gift range from Peter Black in 2006. An extensive range of Top Gear product hit retail in Autumn/Winter 2009 with categories including board games, toiletries, stationery and remote control cars.

BBC Worldwide has charged Fluid World with developing Top Gear licensing programmes in the UK for new categories including luggage and travel accessories, car accessories and electronics. All other categories will continue to be managed in-house at BBC Worldwide with Fluid World reporting to Head of UK Licensing Richard Hollis.
 
Hollis says, “Top Gear has been our fastest growing merchandising property in many categories, most notably in gift, but the brand licensing potential for this brand – we believe – is bigger still. We have brought Fluid World on board to focus on a select number of categories, to deliver high quality merchandise that reflects the production values of the show.”
 
Fluid World CEO Andrew Lane says, “Fluid World is very proud to be working with BBC Worldwide on such a prestigious property. They have successfully developed Top Gear into a lifestyle brand and we look forward to contributing to its further growth and success.”
 

MUMBAI: BBH has elevated John Hadfield to CEO, BBH Asia Pacific.

Prior to this, Hadfield was MD, Asia Pacific. 

In his new capacity, Hadfield will be based out of Singapore and will report to BBH group CEO Simon Sherwood.
 
Says BBH Asia chairman Charles Wigley, “It‘s fantastic when someone‘s next steps are so clear. Hadfield‘s record here has been exemplary against all counts – the work, the business, the spirit of the company.”
 

MUMBAI: IBD India, Percept-Hakuhoda‘s integrated brand development division, has won the creative duties for Sunil Mantri Realty.

“Based on their portfolio of work and their presentation for taking our brand to new levels of excellence, we have appointed them as our advertising and branding agency,” said Sunil Mantri Realty chairman Sunil Mantri.
 
“In addition to being in the commercial and residential space, Sunil Mantri Realty now is emerging in sectors including hospitality, SEZ and finance. Our first assignment was to change the brand identity and position them as a national player. IBD India‘s division Bydesign worked on this project,” says IBD India COO Evarist Rego.
 
IBD India will provide the Mantri group with services including brand identity, advertising, digital services and production services.

“Mantri group is associated with affordable buying. We would do the transition in a very slow manner and not go premiere all of a sudden, as it will alienate the customers from the brand,” adds Rego.
 
The agency is looking at a 360 degree integrated marketing solution. Currently the agency is working on campaigns of the residential projects – Mantri Park campaign in Mumbai and Mantri Premero and Mantri Royal campaign in Bangalore.
 

MUMBAI: In the wake of a multi-agency pitch, Saints & Warriors has bagged the creative duties of Skoda Auto India.
 
The agency will be handling the company‘s complete portfolio that includes Octavia, Laura, Fabia and Superb.
 
Law & Kenneth is the incumbent agency. Meanwhile, Mediacom will be handling the media duties for the company.