ITV

Category: Media Agencies

  • Mindshare named MMA EMEA Mobile Agency of the Year 2015

    Mindshare named MMA EMEA Mobile Agency of the Year 2015

    MUMBAI: WPP’s Mindshare has been named Mobile Agency of the Year 2015 in the MMA EMEA Smarties awards. The award follows hot on the heels of the agency being named Agency Network of the Year in the APAC MMA Smarties and Global Media Agency of the Year in the MMA Global Smarties.

     

    The work that secured the EMEA title includes:

    Gold

    Brand Awareness: Rexona – Who Does More?

    Cross Media / Cross Mobile Integration: Rexona – Who Does More?

     

    Silver

    Promotion: Magnum – #celebratemagnum

    Mobile Site: Vodafone – Share Your Passion

     

    Bronze

    Marketing Within a Mobile Gaming Environment: Vodafone – Freezone Gaming Stars

     

    Mindshare Worldwide global mobile director James Chandler said, “It’s fantastic to see our Mindshare teams receive the recognition that they richly deserve for leading the industry in Europe. Congratulations too to all our clients who have been true partners in pushing the boundaries of mobile.”

     

    In addition to the EMEA title, Mindshare Turkey also picked up four gold, one silver and one bronze award in the local MMA Turkey awards that were announced at the same time:

     

    Gold

    Brand Awareness: Rexona – Who Does More?

    Cross Media / Cross Mobile Integration: Rexona – Who Does More?

    Mobile Social: Vodafone – Between Us Hurriyet Social

    Innovation: Rexona – Who Does More

     

    Silver

    Mobile Native: Neutrogena – Winter Love

     

    Bronze

    Mobile Native: Vodafone – Between Us Hurriyet Social

  • Mindshare launches Shop+ to facilitate real-time marketing data

    Mindshare launches Shop+ to facilitate real-time marketing data

    MUMBAI: WPP’s Mindshare has launched Shop+, a unit dedicated to helping clients leverage real time data to apply adaptive marketing techniques to both in-store and online shopping.

     

    Shop+ covers all forms of commerce, from exploring beacons in physical stores to the latest adaptive pricing and promotion technologies being used by online retailers.

     

    Mindshare North America MD Joe Migliozzi has been named as the global lead for Shop+ with support from Emma-Jane Steele and Charlotte Day-Lewin in the worldwide team based in London and Narayan Ivaturi in APAC. Combined the global Shop+ team is 12 people strong.

     

    Shop+ has inked partnerships with Checkout 51, a mobile coupon app for shoppers; InMarket, a beacon proximity, location intelligence and mobile shopper marketing platform, reaching over 36MM beacon-enabled app users per month in every major US retail location and Footmarks, an enterprise awareness (beacons) platform provider. 

     

    More partnerships will be added in the coming months.

     

    Mindshare Worldwide chief digital and strategy officer Norm Johnston said, “We are at the beginning of a third wave in digital marketing, with exponential growth in new data sources and technology, which is why we recently launched Life+ to help brands explore their role in the emerging Internet of Things. These same dramatic changes are happening in retail, and we intend to help our clients be at the forefront of digital and data innovation in both offline and online shopping.”

     

    Mindshare Shop+ leader Joe Migliozzi added, “Digital technology continues to dramatically change retail, from online to mobile to in-store. Despite all these separate evolving channels, the consumer doesn’t see a distinction between online and offline shopping. It is one experience and brands must integrate all brand and shopper media across all channels to communicate a strong and consistent message from awareness all the way to conversion.”

  • Alchemist launches specialist agency Clay to cater to real estate sector

    Alchemist launches specialist agency Clay to cater to real estate sector

    MUMBAI: Marketing solutions company Alchemist has launched a specialist agency called Clay to solely cater to brands in the booming real estate sector.

     

    Clay will be helmed by Farhan Khan as business head and COO, who was previously with Xeco Marketing as COO.

     

    Along with Khan, Clay has also roped in communication specialists and associate managing consultants Anushree Murkute and Amy Mathew with their respective teams. Both Murkute and Mathew come from an advertising background.

     

    With offices in Mumbai and Gurgaon, Clay started out with five retainer and three project based clients. The retainer clients include Disha Direct and Nirvana Reality, Rajasthan based ARG Group, Delhi basd Novell and real estate technology start-up Realty Redefined. 

     

    The Clay division will report in to Alchemist CEO Anujita Jain. “Clay is providing genuine strategic advice and execution together, a never before complete solution from under one roof. It will be giving through the line services to the currently pressured Real Estate segment. These include brand and communication strategy, advertising, direct marketing, CRM, events and activations, lead generation and management, digital and social activation, velebrity endorsements and more.”

     

    Alchemist director and magicbricks.com founding member Rajkumar Remalli added, “Clay is about creating brands in the real estate world, which was hitherto ruled just by project launches, successes and failures. No more will investments made in one product be non-cumulative to others by the same corporate brand.”

     

    Clay also has its own creative, digital, CRM and events and activation support teams. The agency will draw on Alchemist’s strengths in outdoor advertising and celebrity management combined with new skills and ideas. 

     

    Khan said, “I have seen clients yearning for true strategic advice and the commitment of the same advisors to walk the talk and talk. Clay is meant to do exactly that. We have already done invaluable value addition and created IPs for our clients in this little time we have been operational. Establishment of World Broker’s Day is one such proud achievement.”

     

    The company has also initiated the celebration of World Broker’s Day on 9 June every year. This is an insight driven strategy for the real estate brokers, for recognising their thankless services they provide to the customers. The campaign climaxed with a packed audience convention on WBD in Mumbai. Apart from benchmark ideas, Clay is navigating clients through the current challenges and pressures and has several projects line up like Wollywood, City of Music, ARG One, Maple Leaf, Reso’villa, R Square, Agent Search, etc.

     

    Disha Direct MD Santosh Naik said, “In Alchemist and Clay we find partners who do what they say. They walk towards results and go beyond the brief. They provide business strategy and not just marketing. They execute for results, not applauses. I am glad we connected and are working together.”

     

    Alchemist MD Manish Porwal added, “Brand Clay is the first of many specialized communication solutions that you will now hear from Alchemist. The next quarter for Alchemist is full of preparations for future that will change a bit of the communication landscape. We are excited and so are our clients.”

  • KKR partners with CA Media; to invest $300 m in Asian M&E sector

    KKR partners with CA Media; to invest $300 m in Asian M&E sector

    MUMBAI:  Media and entertainment entrepreneurs in Asia can look forward to another potential investor in their initiatives, courtesy Emerald Media. Emerald is a new media investment vehicle which has been set up by global investment film KKR and the Chernin Group – promoted by former News Corp top boss Peter Chernin.  KKR has committed up to $300 million to the Emerald Media platform from its KKR Asian Fund II and The Chernin Group will join as a minority co-investor.

    KKR has also acquired a significant, minority stake in CA Media, the existing Asian media portfolio of The Chernin Group.

    Industry veterans Rajesh Kamat and Paul Aiello, who have so far been managing CA Media, will jointly head Emerald Media and will be joined by an experienced team of operating executives. Emerald Media will have offices in Mumbai, Hong Kong, and Singapore. CA Media, which has assets in India (Endemol Shine India, Graphic India, Fluence, and Only Much Louder) and in Indonesia in its portfolio, will continue to be headed by Kamat and Aiello.

     

    The duo together has more than 30 years of experience in the media and entertainment industries in Asia. They bring a unique blend of operational and investment acumen to their business approach. Mr. Aiello is the current Group CEO of CA Media, the former CEO of News Corp.’s Star TV Asia, and former Head of TMT investment banking at Morgan Stanley Asia. . Kamat is currently the Group COO of CA Media and was formerly COO of Viacom18 Group and CEO of Colors.

    Emerald Media will focus primarily on providing growth capital ranging from US$15 million-US$75 million for both control and significant minority positions to media, entertainment, and digital media businesses in Asia.

     

    Joseph Y. Bae, Member of KKR & Managing Partner of KKR Asia, said, “The growing middle class in the region is using its discretionary income on Internet connectivity, but the industry itself is fragmented. Investing behind proven leaders in industries with high growth potential and partnering with them to grow their business is a cornerstone of KKR’s Asia strategy. We look forward to working with experienced media leaders Rajesh and Paul in this dynamic sector.”

    Sanjay Nayar, Member of KKR & CEO of KKR India, added, “The media, entertainment and digital media segment across Asia especially in India enjoys attractive macro fundamentals, mirroring the trajectory of the region’s consumer sector. This is a fragmented industry, and we are excited to work with industry veterans to identify the next generation of media and entertainment companies we can partner with and support.”

     

    Peter Chernin, Chairman and CEO of The Chernin Group, noted: “This partnership provides TCG and its fellow investors in CA Media with a unique opportunity to continue to work with a best in class management team and leading global investors at KKR in Asia.”

    “The media and entertainment sector is on the cusp of a strong growth phase—driven by media convergence, an attractive investment environment, and rising discretionary spends. With the building blocks for growth in place, there is a significant opportunity to create a diversified portfolio of assets in this space, building on our accomplishments and ongoing work with CA Media and The Chernin Group,” said Rajesh Kamat.

     

    Paul Aiello further added, “With the Asia media industry experiencing rapid and transformational changes driven by digitization and growing internet and mobile penetration, Emerald Media will invest across mediums, demographics, and revenue models to continue driving such transformation.”

     

  • WPP’s Landor acquires majority stake in UK motion design studio

    WPP’s Landor acquires majority stake in UK motion design studio

    MUMBAI: WPP’s strategic brand consulting and design firm Landor has acquired a majority stake in the UK based motion design studio ManvsMachine.

     

    ManvsMachine is based in London and has worked on a range of global campaigns for clients that include Nike, Microsoft, Honda and Audi, as well as identity campaigns for broadcasters such as Channel 4, Discovery, NBC Universal and ITV2.

     

    The acquisition is part of an ongoing strategy at Landor to broaden its creative capabilities, in this instance in screen-based and multi-channel branding.

     

    ManvsMachine’s unaudited revenue for the year ended 31 May, 2015 was ?3.4 million, with gross assets of ?1.9 million as at the same date. 

     

    This acquisition continues WPP’s strategy of developing its services in fast-growing and important sectors and markets.

  • GroupM & Google’s Grand Diwali Mela gets AskMe Bazaar as title sponsor

    GroupM & Google’s Grand Diwali Mela gets AskMe Bazaar as title sponsor

    MUMBAI: Making the online Diwali festival initiative bigger and better this year, GroupM with along with Google has roped in AskMeBazaar.com as its new title sponsor.

     

    Brands that renewed their partnership with the Grand Diwali Mela this year are Lakme, Horlicks, Kurkure and Hungama.com, whereas Eno and Godrej Securities have come on board as the new partners.

     

    Last year, the Grand Diwali Mela received over 5.5 million visitors in a course of 30 days. Over 125,000 hours were spent browsing various online stalls in the mela. These stalls included products, food items, pooja needs, gaming and entertainment. The Grand Diwali Mela emerged as the largest online sampling platform for brands wherein over 150,000 samples were shipped across India, with 70 per cent sample orders going to Tier 2 and Tier 3 towns. The samples ranged from make-up, skincare and household products.

     

    Askmebazaar.com will be offering a host of deals at the Grand Diwali Mela with discounts on home appliances, mobile phones, fashion apparels, home décor and personal care products.

     

    For the spiritually inclined, this year the ‘Grand Diwali Mela’ has the option of offering prayers and receiving ‘prasad’ from a number of temples across India. As Diwali is also about greeting loved ones, the Grand Diwali Mela will also offer the facility to send online festive greetings showing your ‘namkeen’ side with fun greeting cards from Kurkure.

     

    Talking about the sponsorship, Askmebazaar digital strategy group CMO and head Manav Sethi said, “We are excited to be the presenting sponsor of Grand Diwali Mela 2015. One of its kind virtual mela; one stop destination for entertainment, best deals and best brands in the biggest festive season of India. A truly immersive experience in one destination for consumers. This year look forward to the BIG deals everyday delivered at your doorstep. From furniture to fashion, AskmeBazaar has curated the best deals to ensure every home lights up this Diwali. Askme Group looks forward to India joining us on the GDM, 2015; the biggest mela of the year!”

     

    On the second season of the Grand Diwali Mela, GroupM South Asia CEO CVL Srinivas said, “After the success of the Grand Diwali Mela in year one, we are excited to bring the online festival back again this year. We have a new naming partner on board AskMe.com as well and a range of new brands and products for consumers to choose from.”

     

    Speaking about the reach of the festival, Srinivas added, “With GDM, we were able to create a great platform for consumers to come and sample products and interact with brands. Last year we saw a clear spike in terms of mobile usage to access the Grand Diwali Mela. With a clear focus on taking the festival to not just metros, but also tier 2 and 3 towns, where the mobile phone is their window to the world, GroupM and our partners are integrating traditional print, TV and radio with mobile and digital marketing.”

     

    “Grand Diwali Mela organised by GroupM emerged as India’s largest online brand activation initiative during the festival season last year and surpassed any offline brand activation initiative in the country. As more and more consumer products companies embrace the Internet to drive sampling and consumer engagement, we’re delighted to partner Group M to scale this initiative further and help brands make the most of the opportunity online,” asserted Google SEA & India director agency business Punitha Arumugam.

     

    Hungama.com, has come back on board as one of the partners of the ‘Grand Diwali Mela’. Last year Hungamam.com gave users access to films from its  Indian and International movies catalogue. Users could also create a Grand Diwali Mela playlist of popular Bollywood numbers. This year, Hungama.com brings on board ‘Hungama Play’ – its premium video on demand (VOD) service via the Grand Diwali Mela 2015.

     

    Besides this, the Grand Diwali Mela is also running contests with prizes to be won.

  • SintecMedia acquires Broadway Systems, eyes expansion in ad sector

    SintecMedia acquires Broadway Systems, eyes expansion in ad sector

    NEW DELHI: Broadway Systems, a provider of broadcast management solutions, has been acquired by SintecMedia.

     

    Broadway Systems manages several billion dollars in advertising revenues across news, sports, music, and entertainment networks for customers in the media industry, including three of the Top 15 rated cable television networks in the United States.

     

    “We are excited about the addition of Broadway Systems to the SintecMedia family and look forward to bringing our two companies together. With its technology leadership and extensive industry experience, Broadway fits seamlessly into the SintecMedia portfolio,” said SintecMedia CEO Amotz Yarden. 

     

    “The media industry is changing and it requires an experienced partner and strong technology to navigate the complexity of new channels, new advertising methods and new business models. Our strategy is to use the best people and systems to deliver that to the market,” Yarden added.

     

    “We recently launched OnBoard, a TV sell side platform (SSP) that gives networks the tools they need to control their Linear and Digital advertising inventory. Integrating OnBoard with Broadway Systems’ innovative solutions will provide Broadway customers a path to enhance their business, particularly in the growing category of digital, programmatic solutions,” he said.

     

    “The acquisition of Broadway Systems will contribute to the further expansion of SintecMedia in the US. We will continue to invest in and support the Broadway Systems products, as well as leverage our expanded portfolio to offer Broadway’s customers exciting new solutions. We will integrate Broadway into the wider SintecMedia product suite, providing all our customers with enhanced technology offerings and superior customer service. We are looking forward to having Broadway join the SintecMedia team,” said SintecMedia Americas president Amir Lavi. 

  • Havas Media bags Clovia’s Rs 30 crore integrated media mandate

    Havas Media bags Clovia’s Rs 30 crore integrated media mandate

    MUMBAI: After recently pocketing the integrated media mandate of HolidayIQ.com, Havas Media Group India has now won the integrated media mandate of lingerie and nightwear brand Clovia in a multi-agency pitch.

     

    The account size is estimated to above Rs 30 crore. Clovia recently raised a round of funding from IvyCap Ventures.

     

    Havas will chart Clovia’s brand map with traditional as well as digital and mobile duties from their New Delhi office.

     

    Havas Media Group India and South Asia CEO Anita Nayyar said, “Clovia is a young lingerie brand with a niche e-commerce play backed by an omni-channel strategy. Lingerie domain is now gaining momentum in India but will be the next wave. Clovia is placed in a very interesting category with huge growth potential. We are confident that our digital at the core strategy will drive a lot of meaningful visibility for the brand. We look forward to partnering with them to scale in India.”

     

    Clovia CEO and co-founder Pankaj Vermani added, “We are enroute to scale Clovia as the number one lingerie and nightwear brand in India as well as looking at global markets. Havas Media was in sync with our brand vision as well as our customer first fundamentals. Their experience, strategic brand approach, knowledge of the e-commerce domain and nuances of new age businesses makes them perfect partners.”

     

    “Havas Media’s unique traditional and digital offering based on brand and customer dynamics is perfectly suited to connect with and delightfully engage the Clovia woman encouraging a closer relationship with the brand. We are very glad to add yet another client, with a major online focus, to our portfolio. As India goes online and media gets more integrated Havas Media will be at the forefront servicing both clients and their customers to make happy informed choices,” explained Havas Media Group-India MD Mohit Joshi.

  • Havas Media wins HolidayIQ’s Rs 30 crore media mandate

    Havas Media wins HolidayIQ’s Rs 30 crore media mandate

    MUMBAI: Havas Media Group India has won the integrated media mandate of HolidayIQ.com in a multi-agency pitch. The duties will include traditional, digital and mobile solutions. 

     

    The estimated size of the business is upwards of Rs 30 crore.

     

    The portal enables travellers to discover, plan holidays and share holiday experiences. HolidayIQ.com provides customised, relevant, information and insight son – places, hotels, sightseeing and transport to customers. 

     

    HolidayIQ founder and CEO Hari Nair said, “We believe in the science of holidays and Havas Media delivered an impressive scientific, strategic approach to the business, which was in sync with our objectives. Young, professional and passionate we look forward to working with this Havas Media team.”

     

    HolidayIQ.com CMO Diptakirti Chaudhuri added, “The recommendations from Havas Media had a good balance of data and content. Their deep understanding of the category and their thought leadership made them win this mandate.”

     

    Havas Media Group-India and South Asia CEO Anita Nayyar said, “It is a great win for us. HolidayIQ is a very meaningful brand in an extremely engaging category. Havas also has an entrepreneurial DNA, which allows us to understand the challenges and objectives of these clients better. Bangalore is an important market for us and we are seriously investing time and talent in expanding our operations here.”

     

    Havas Media Group India managing director Mohit Joshi added, “We are glad that our focused efforts and strategy towards acquiring the integrated media mandates of new age businesses is paying off. Our compelling value proposition is a clear winner in the market. We look forward to a great association.”

     

    The win comes on the back of Havas winning the integrated media business of BlueStone.com. Both these businesses will be handled by Havas Media office in Bangalore.

  • WPP Q3 revenue up 5.9% at ?2.927 billion

    WPP Q3 revenue up 5.9% at ?2.927 billion

    MUMBAI: UK-based advertising behemoth WPP reported a 5.9 per cent growth in revenues in Q3 2015 at ?2.927 billion.

     

    In US dollar basis, revenues fell 1.6 per cent to $4.533 billion, while it was up 17 per cent in euros to €4.075 billion. In Japanese yen, revenues were up 15.4 per cent to ?554 billion.

     

    The company’s third quarter constant currency revenue was up 7.9 per cent (like-for-like revenue up 4.6 per cent). Despitesoftening in the United Kingdom, WPP’s like-for-like revenue growth in the third quarter continued at similarly strong levels in the US.

     

    Net sales in Q3 stood at ?2.518 billion, which was up 4.2 per cent on a reported basis and 6.1 per cent in constant currency. Like-for-like net sales went up 3.3 per cent, compared to 2.3 per cent in the first half, partly the result of easier comparatives, with the gap compared to revenue growth less in the third quarter than the first half, as the scale of digital media purchases in media investment management and data investment management direct costs continued at a similar slightly lighter level to the second quarter.

     

    Nine months reported revenue was up 6.5 per cent at ?8.766 billion (approximately $13.4 billion).

     

    While the company’s nine months constant currency revenue was up 6.9 per cent, the nine months constant currency net sales were up 5.2 per cent.

     

    Operating margin for the nine months period were up 0.5 margin points in constant currency, 0.3 margin points in reported and targeted to be up 0.3 margin points in constant currency for full year in line with objective.

     

    WPP’s net new business in Q3 was at ?1.9 billion pounds, whereas for the first nine months it stood at ?3.312 billion, resulting in the number one position in all net new business tables. Results to date in the tsunami of largely United States based media investment management reviews have been highly satisfactory with major retentions and wins and limited losses, and with significant opportunities still to be decided, where we have relatively limited exposure.

     

    The company saw constant currency revenue growth in Q3 in all regions and business sectors, with particularly strong growth geographically in North America, the United Kingdom and Asia Pacific, Latin America, Africa & the Middle East and Central & Eastern Europe, and functionally in advertising and media investment management and sub-sectors direct, digital and interactive and specialist communications.

     

    WPP’s average net debt for the first nine months increased by ?403 million to ?3.436 billion compared to last year, at 2015 constant rates. This continued to reflect significant incremental net acquisition spend and share repurchases of ?374 million in the twelve months to 30 September, 2015, compared with the previous twelve months, more than offsetting the improvements in working capital over the same period.