ITV

Category: Media Agencies

  • Havas Media wins integrated media mandate for myITreturn.com

    Havas Media wins integrated media mandate for myITreturn.com

    MUMBAI: Havas Media Group India has won the integrated media mandate for myITreturn.com, a provider of tax filing and related services for individuals, professionals and small businesses.

     

    The account, which includes both digital and traditional duties, will be handled by the agency’s Mumbai office.

     

    myITreturn.com managing director Saakar Yadav said, “Filing of tax is like the school exam you know you must take so our aim is to make this entire process fluid and intuitive for the on-the-move global Indian whether in India or abroad. We were looking at a mobile-first strategy, which dovetailed into digital and a media mix to connect with our audiences. Havas Media got the brief at first shot and was able to deliver the strategy, creativity and speed that we were expecting.”

     

    Speaking about the the myITreturn mobile app, he further added, “We are confident that the myITreturn mobile app will help millions of tax filers to file their tax return with ease and also help them track the status of their tax return.”

     

    Havas Media Group India and South Asia CEO Anita Nayyar said, “Filing of taxes is an essential category so it’s important to get creative, catch the customer at the right moment in their media journey and encourage them to engage with the product. Though challenging if you make the path meaningful, this could be your long-term customer especially in this category. Today people want things simple, quick and reliable. This is a very interesting win for us and we are happy to partner with such a dynamic team.”

     

    “We are delighted to have been entrusted with this mandate and share the same entreupreunial spirit with myITreturn. Mobile and digital will be at the core and we will use a 360 degree media solution to connect with the right audience. With the tax filing season fast approaching in the country we plan to roll-out the campaign soon,” added Havas Media India managing director Mohit Joshi.

     

    Havas Media Digital Head Ranjoy Dey said, “This is a unique service with a growing demand amongst the youth who are hard pressed for time but keen to comply to this requirement as easily and conveniently as possible. Connecting the audience to this platform will be an exciting journey.”

  • Maxus Bangalore devises campaign for Tanishq with Maa TV

    Maxus Bangalore devises campaign for Tanishq with Maa TV

    MUMBAI: Tanishq has joined hands with Maxus to capture the Southern market as the must-have jewellery brand for weddings through the agency’s innovative campaign. Tanishq has been integrated with Maa TV.

     

    “Tanishq has an extensive range of regional wedding jewellery for all different communities – a little known fact and essential to communicate. The brand TVC does try to address this, but only that much can be said in a single TVC. The Maxus content team created a win–win association with Maa TV’s editorial team and created a coup of sorts – getting the channel’s most popular faces to create a stunning showcase of the Telegu brides’ must have Telegu jewellery pieces, assuring Andhra/Telengana women that they will get the most spectacular regional range at Tanishq. The Maa protagonist giving their assurance adds immediate believability and trust, something that would otherwise take long to create,” said Maxus India South head Sanchayeeta Verma.

     

    Speaking about the initiative, Titan jewellery division general manager – marketing Deepika Tewari added, “We are delighted to be a part of this one-of-a kind initiative by Maxus in collaboration with Maa TV. Over the years, we have built a very strong bond with the Telegu community and look forward to growing our relationship by continuing to offer best-in-class jewellery. The Telegu wedding collection by Tanishq brings to life the ancient traditions of the Telegu community in true Tanishq form. We understand the importance of jewellery pieces like Vaddanam and Vanki for a Telegu bride, and are proud to showcase our wedding collection spread across traditional gold ornaments to deck the bride in her finest.”

     

    The campaign featured various soap actors who are big decision influencers in the Andhra Pradesh and Telangana market. Furthermore Maxus Bangalore also co-created integrated branded content with the Maa TV. 

     

    As a part of the integrated brand campaign Maxus ESP along with Maa TV selected the three most popular faces of the channel namely Jyoti (Ashta Chamma), Sirisha (Kanchana Ganga) and Meghna (Sasirekha Parinayam) to create a vignette. Maxus was involved in the entire creative process of casting, scripting and production of the vignette. The vignette will be promoted by Tanishq exclusively on the digital platform.

  • Dentsu to acquire 33.3% stake in Californian sports agency

    Dentsu to acquire 33.3% stake in Californian sports agency

    MUMBAI: Dentsu Inc’s subsidiary Dentsu Sports will be acquiring a 33 per cent stake in sports agency Athletes First, LLC, which is headquartered in California.

     

    Founded in 2001, Athletes First is a full-service agency, which represents National Football League (NFL) players, NFL and college coaches, professional baseball players, individual athletes in other sports, and other sports-related clients, including broadcasters, with regard to individual contract negotiations, marketing/commercial endorsements, and other client services.

     

    The firm’s core expertise involves the representation and management of athletes and coaches associated with the NFL, a sports league, which boasts a popularity and economic scale that is unparalleled even among the four major professional sports leagues in the US. Its championship game, the Super Bowl, holds nine out of the top ten rankings for the most watched television broadcasts in the US.

     

    Athletes First has more NFL clients than any other privately-owned representation agency including the reigning NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers, as well as several other high-profile NFL players including Clay Matthews, Carson Palmer, Earl Thomas, Von Miller and Jamaal Charles. Athletes First also represents ESPN broadcasters Steve Young, Ray Lewis, and Trent Dilfer, as well as NFL head coaches Chip Kelly and Jason Garrett.

     

    The Dentsu Group has to date been involved in business with sales of marketing and broadcasting rights for professional sports leagues in the US, and the investment in Athletes First will enable it to expand its array of services to its client base in terms of sports marketing and related endeavors in the United States.

     

    Going forward, Dentsu will work toward the further expansion of Athletes First’s agency business and the diversification of its sports representation, sports marketing and consulting business across the United States, and internationally as well. 

  • Havas Media Group re-organises Asia Pacific operations

    Havas Media Group re-organises Asia Pacific operations

    MUMBAI: Havas Media Group has re-organised its Asia Pacific operations with the formation of a separate Greater China cluster, which will report into its Global Executive Committee.

     

    The re-organisation is part of the group’s strategy to increase focus on priority markets by turning them into strategic business units with direct supervision from the global team. The rest of the Asia Pacific region will continue to be overseen by the current management helmed by Vishnu Mohan.

     

    Additionally, Havas Media Group has also appointed Christophe Cases as CEO for Greater China.

     

    In his new role, Cases will oversee the group’s operations in Greater China and will be responsible for growing the business across the three markets of China, Hong Kong and Taiwan.

     

    He will focus on accelerating the expansion of the Havas Media Group’s services and the adoption of the agency’s collaborative ‘Havas Village’ model that unifies creative, media, and other specialist services to enable clients to capitalise on the meaningful connections and agility created by integrated communications strategies.

     

    Based out of Shanghai, Cases will report to the Group Executive Committee and Havas Media Group global managing director Dominique Delport.

     

    Prior to joining Havas, Chase spent more than two decades in management consulting with companies like Accenture, Capgemini, and Ernst & Young and worked around the world with global brands as an acknowledged expert in customer and growth strategy, new product/service launch, market expansion, and building high performing customer-centric organisations.

     

    Most recently, Chase was managing director with Accenture in Greater China where he was leading the Accenture Strategy practice looking after consumer goods, retail, and pharmaceutical clients and focused in particular on digital, marketing analytics, and e-commerce. Prior to relocating to Shanghai, he had been working with Accenture since 2006 in the US, as leader in the operations strategy practice.

     

    Commenting on the appointment, Delport said, “Christophe has an incredible track record of success as a management consultant working with some of the top consulting companies around the world. He also has a deep understanding of the complex and exciting market in China. I have experienced firsthand Christophe’s intelligence, fresh strategic vision and enormous capacity to innovate. His ability to thrive during intense periods of growth and activity will be invaluable as we take our operations in China to the next level.”

     

    Chase added, “I am very excited to be joining Havas Media Group at this exciting stage of its global evolution. There is an established momentum within the group. Its integrated proposition combining creative, media, data, content, and range of digital specialties is getting a lot of attention from stakeholders in the industry. I look forward to leveraging this energy and the group’s vision to accelerate its growth and expansion in one of the world’s largest and most exciting economies.”

  • Zenithoptimedia wins creative duties of Faaso’s

    Zenithoptimedia wins creative duties of Faaso’s

    MUMBAI: ZenithOptimedia Mumbai has won the media mandate for Faaso’s following a multi-agency pitch. The mandate will cover all aspects of the company’s media planning & buying, and will also include digital and OOH duties as well. The account will be handled out of the agency’s Mumbai office.         

     

    Faaso’s co-founder and CMO Revant Bhate said, “We needed a partner in Mumbai who has a deep understanding of the consumer Internet space and it’s complex ever-evolving relationship with media touch points. ZenithOptimedia impressed us with their strategic framework and ability to execute with speed and accuracy.”

     

    ZenithOptimedia Group CEO Anupriya Acharya added, “This is a significant win for ZO in a sector that is fast growing and future facing. It is indeed a matter of pride for us to be partnering with Faaso’s.”

  • Dentsu Aegis’ Isobar wins JK Tyres’ digital mandate

    Dentsu Aegis’ Isobar wins JK Tyres’ digital mandate

    MUMBAI: JK Tyres has appointed Isobar – the global full service digital agency from the Dentsu Aegis Network, as its digital agency of record. The agency won the account of the automobile brand following a multi-agency pitch.

     

    JK Tyre general manager – marketing and industries Amitabh Prasad said, “We are glad to see the enthusiasm that the people at Isobar have for the JK Tyre brand. While digital campaign planning and implementation comes naturally to a reputed agency like Isobar, what we are really looking forward to is the passion that these digital pioneers will bring to the table.” 

     

    He added, “JK Tyre is one of the most innovative brands in its category. Therefore, we prefer associating with people who share the same values and vision. With the kind of work that Isobar has done in the recent past, we are confident that we will be able to accomplish some great work together.”

     

    Isobar India managing director Shamsuddin Jasani said, “We are privileged to work with JK Tyres. This win is a testament to the fact that we strive to provide innovative solutions and ideas without limits to our clients. It enhances our credentials as the leading full service digital marketing agency in India.”

     

    Isobar India vice president Gopa Kumar said, “We are very happy and excited to work on JK Tyres, It is an interesting  and a challenging category to work on and we are looking forward to do some great work together which will stand out on the digital stage.”

  • GroupM & Dancestar to develop first global electronic music TV platform

    GroupM & Dancestar to develop first global electronic music TV platform

    MUMBAI: GroupM has inked a partnership with Dancestar Ventures to bring the Electronic Music Awards Show to Asia and other key television markets worldwide.

     

    Dancestar Asia will be the first project of the partnership and will be developed for TV distribution in the region. It will celebrate the achievement of Asian and international DJs and artists. Scheduled to be held in Singapore in December 2015, Dancestar Asia is intended to be a two-hour award ceremony featuring 21 categories of achievement.

     

    Winners for the 21 categories will be decided by public voting via several major social media channels across the region that will be announced shortly. Dancestar Asia will also feature 12 live performance collaborations from global artists in what is expected to be an epic night of music showcasing the best of the exploding electronic music scene in Asia.

     

    Dancestar CEO and founder Andy Ruffell said, “Dancestar is back and we are delighted to be partnering with GroupM to bring this show to Singapore in 2015. EDM is now a $4 billion global industry with with DJs earning $20 to $40 million a year, Asia is primed for an electronic music explosion. We are developing the Dancestar Awards Show Platform as a series of market specific televised events in Las Vegas, London and Singapore. GroupM provide unrivaled expertise that will enable us to bring electronic music culture and global brands together on TV.”

     

    GroupM Content APAC CEO Josh Black adds, “We are delighted to be working with Andy and his team at Dancestar Ventures. The EDM industry is exploding and we jumped at the opportunity to be part of the Dancestar Asia Awards Show and the other projects around the globe. Our team at GroupM Content will be helping Dancestar, drive a range of commercial opportunities from partnerships through to licensing, broadcast and content distribution.”

  • JWT India’s Tista Sen on Cannes Lions’ Glass Lion Jury

    JWT India’s Tista Sen on Cannes Lions’ Glass Lion Jury

    MUMBAI: J. Walter Thompson India national creative director & senior vice president Tista Sen is one of the nine members of the first Glass Lion: The Lion for Change jury that were announced by Cannes Lions.

     

    The award, launched with the support of Leanin.Org, recognises work that breaks through unconscious gender bias and shatters stereotypical portrayals of men and women. It will be judged by an accomplished, diverse group who will bring a broad cross-section of cultural perspectives, insights and experience to the table.

     

    IfWeRanTheWorld/MakeLoveNotPorn founder and CEO Cindy Gallop will be the president of the jury.

     

    The jury members are:

     

    USA: IfWeRanTheWorld/MakeLoveNotPorn founder and CEO Cindy Gallop

     

    Brazil: AlmapBBDO partner and co-president of the board Marcello Serpa

     

    France: BETC managing director Catherine Emprin

     

    UK: Mr President creative partner Laura Jordan Bambach

     

    India: J. Walter Thompson national creative director & senior vice president Tista Sen

     

    UK: Isobar chief executive officer and executive creative director Nick Bailey

     

    USA: Leo Burnett chief creative officer Susan Credle

     

    USA: Weber Shandwick president Gail Heimann

     

    USA: The Representation Project founder & CEO Jennifer Siebel Newsom

     

    USA: Head @HeForShe Campaign senior advisor to Under Secretary-General UN Women Elizabeth Nyamayaro

     

    Lions Festivals CEO Philip Thomas said that they would be instrumental in helping to shape the future of the award, and, in turn, the industry. “We believe that marketing actively shapes culture, and the Glass Lion is part of our commitment to having a positive impact on this. The introduction of a new Lion is an opportunity to define both the category and what we hope the communications landscape might look like,” he said.

     

    Stressing on the importance of the award in actively shaping industry change, Gallop said, “I want every single creative in every country around the world to desperately want to win the Glass Lion – because the work that wins this award represents The New Creativity: the gold standard for creative and sociocultural change in our industry.”

     

    Bailey agreed, adding that the global, multi-disciplinary perspective of the jury would also play a role in how the work is judged. “It’s no secret that one gender and one viewpoint is over-represented in our industry, which means inevitably a certain viewpoint is over-represented. The Glass Lion seeks to redress that by recognising work that holds a mirror up to the world as it really is, rather than just as a minority of people see it. That’s why it’s particularly exciting to see not just a truly international mix in the jury, but also a mix of viewpoints from both within and from outside our industry,” he said.

     

    The introduction of the Glass Lion: The Lion for Change follows on from the 2014 launch of the See It Be It initiative, created to address the industry’s gender imbalance by accelerating creative women’s careers in advertising. The three-day programme for 12 creative women is returning to Cannes Lions this year and nominations are now open. Successful candidates will receive airfares to Nice, a Classic Pass to the Festival and accommodation for the duration of the programme, which is being held from 21 – 24 June 2015.

  • Refinery29 raises $50 million from WPP and Scripps

    Refinery29 raises $50 million from WPP and Scripps

    MUMBAI: Digital lifestyle media company Refinery29 has raised $50 million in new funding from WPP and Scripps Networks Interactive, via WPP Ventures.

     

    This brings the company’s total funding to $80 million with previous investors including Stripes Group, Floodgate, Lead Edge Capital, First Round Capital, Lerer Ventures and Hearst Corporation.

     

    Refinery29 will use this latest round of funding to accelerate its mission to become the global media company for a new generation of women, powering inspirational, smart entertainment and discovery tools and resources across lifestyle categories. The company will expand internationally by launching new markets and building communities abroad, develop its distinguished video and entertainment offerings, and further connect its content and technology platform to the mobile and social web.

     

    “Media is at an inflection point. Over the next five years, multi-billion dollar media brands will grow out of the digital core, from which Refinery29 was born and is the leader. We are focused on vastly expanding our media and entertainment brand, creating smart, provocative editorial, video, and social content at the intersection of style, culture, and independence,” said Refinery29 co-founder and co-CEO Philippe von Borries.

     

    Refinery29 has nearly doubled in growth in each of the last three consecutive years and the business is profitable. In the last year, the company expanded its content from its core style focus to deliver coverage of politics, culture, food and technology that connects with women across all dimensions of their lives.

     

    Scripps Networks Interactive chief development officer Joseph NeCastro will join Refinery29’s Board of Directors, along with a representative from WPP Ventures.

     

    With his past experience in broadcast operations, media and finance, NeCastro will act as an important advisor for the Refinery29 team as the company looks to scale into a global media brand for millennial women.

     

    “Scripps Networks Interactive has built its global business on a deep understanding of the creation of compelling content that appeals to women across multiple geographies and devices. Refinery29 is committed to building an influential brand that connects with millennial women across the world, and we’re excited about the prospect of working in partnership with the team as they continue to expand their coverage and reach,” said NeCastro.

     

    “Refinery29 operates at the intersection of content, shopping and social media—all areas of focus for WPP Ventures. We’re delighted to make this investment alongside Scripps,” said WPP Ventures president Tom Bedecarre.

     

    Refinery29 co-founder and co-CEO Justin Stefano added, “Having Scripps Networks Interactive and WPP Ventures as partners will elevate Refinery29 in building the next global chapter of the business. Both bring decades of experience to the table, having built and funded globally-renowned media brands and developed exceptional lifestyle programming. Their deep insight into the ever-evolving media and advertising landscape will be invaluable in building out Refinery29’s editorial and entertainment teams.”

  • Asian entertainment companies merge to form Catlyst/TV

    Asian entertainment companies merge to form Catlyst/TV

    MUMBAI: Asian media and entertainment companies The Lumenere Group and BlinkAsia have inked a merger agreement to form a new entertainment and media development agency called Catlyst/TV.

     

    The Lumenere Group and BlinkAsia have a complementary portfolio that includes international and regional projects such as Asia’s Got Talent, Supermodel Me and Tiger Twist with DJ Virman (Far East Movement). This strategic merger is aimed at combining the core skills of both companies – in connecting content with brands, platforms and talent through entertainment in more dynamic ways than traditional media advertising can.

     

    BlinkAsia managing director and former CNN International SEA director Shamila Gopalan said, “The pace of change of the media industry has reached unprecedented levels and consumers can no longer be persuaded. Their attention must be earned by gifting them with entertainment, and Catlyst/TV is primed to help brands, agencies, creators, distributors and technology platform providers make deeper connections through branded storytelling.”

     

    Throwing light on the shifting media and entertainment business environment, she said, “The nature of doing business today is and continues to rapidly evolve, Catlyst/TV’s unique proposition to clients’ is that we bring ‘skin to the game’ with our accountability model, creating win-win partnerships.”

     

    The Lumenere Group executive business strategy director Kevin Ou added, “The entire broadcasting value chain is transitioning at lightning speed, alternative platforms are emerging; more than six in 10 digital consumers in Southeast Asia report watching TV content and movies via online sources such as video-on-demand, and YouTube is also increasingly acknowledged as a ‘TV channel’ or platform. This revolution is creating a rich mix of opportunities and challenges for content producers. By combining our resources, the new entity will be better positioned to meet the growing needs of our clients in an era of incredible transformation and disruption within the industry.”