ITV

Category: Media and Advertising

  • Havas Media Group India appoints Ranjoy Dey

    Havas Media Group India appoints Ranjoy Dey

    NEW DELHI: Havas Media Group India has appointed Ranjoy Dey as digital head. His key responsibility will be to drive growth for the digital offering of Havas Media in India.

     

    Havas Media Group India and South Asia CEO Anita Nayyar said, ‘Digital at core’ is not only our group philosophy but our mission in India. Havas Media Group had a great run in 2013 and in 2014 won key digital accounts of Yepme.com and Xolo. We are committed to deliver digital across platform, across device. It is clearly our focus area of growth year-on-year to give clients integrated incremental value fulfilling their business objectives. Ranjoy has the attitude, the all round experience and the energy to drive organic and inorganic digital expansion in the India market; we are delighted to have him on board to jettison the digital strength at Havas Media Group forward.”

     

    “Young India is a hotbed for digital and 360marketing with challenging and exciting times ahead for all of us. Havas has some of the best digital and media tools and trainings in the industry that have delivered rich rewards to clients across the globe. Ranjoy will be a good navigator to bring to the table innovation and real value for the present and future clients of Havas Media in India”, added Havas Media India MD Mohit Joshi.

     

    “Joining Havas Media gives me the right opportunity to build further on to the deep relationships that Havas has developed over the years with its clients for its traditional media services. Now, through a strengthened Digital focus globally, global best practices, tools and framework – Havas Media is gaining traction for its Digital practice in the market, and my role will be to take it through a high growth path. The critical approach will be to demonstrate in this market the proven global proprietary tools and frameworks for developing strategy, planning, media buying, analytics, and reporting – and deliver a differentiated value for our clients. This will deepen our involvement in client businesses and help us be a partner in their success stories”, explained Dey.

     

    With around 19 years of experience, Dey has worked in the digital marketing domain with Ignitee Digital where he was COO prior to Havas and with Digitas India. Brands worked on include Nestle, Samsung, Reckitt Benckiser, Dabur, ITC, JK Tyre, Axis Bank, SanDisk, Airtel, Pizza Hut Delivery, amongst others. His works have won several national and international awards including the PMAA, MAA Globes, Abbys and DMA.

  • Vdopia appoints Ajay Prakash Mishra as APAC director- operations

    Vdopia appoints Ajay Prakash Mishra as APAC director- operations

    NEW DELHI: Vdopia, an online and mobile video and media platform has appointed Ajay Prakash Mishra as APAC director -operations.

     

    As part of Vdopia’s rapid and continued strategic global growth, the company introduced the Global Operations and Media Hub in Gurgaon and infused new talent in local and global teams. Strengthening the leadership ranks further is Mishra, who brings with him 10 years of experience in operations, business analysis and client servicing.

     

    At Vdopia, Mishra will be focusing on the company’s operations leading its current, high-touch operations model. He will be responsible for quantitative and qualitative analysis to support APAC’s campaign portfolio, shape strategy and identify solutions to business and operational challenges.

     

    Previously Mishra was with xAd, a location-based mobile ad platform where he was director- emerging markets and was overseeing Ad-Ops and corporate-development related activities.

     

    “Ajay is a dynamic leader who brings strategic thinking and maturity, combined with a roll-up-your-sleeves approach to run our operations. He will help Vdopia build on the momentum we’ve been gaining in the last few years,” said Vdopia VP-APAC Preetesh Chouhan.

     

    Excited about working within the Vdopia team, Mishra said, “There is a really good vibe at Vdopia, with openness and a sense of passion to ‘get things done’ for our clients and their business in the most efficient way possible.”

     

    Vdopia’s recent senior hires represent an infusion of new talent and energy into its expanding offices as it continues to develop innovative solutions supporting advertisers who seek more efficiency and reach across all platforms.

     

  • Cheil Worldwide SW Asia powers up digital quotient

    Cheil Worldwide SW Asia powers up digital quotient

    MUMBAI: Cheil Worldwide SW Asia announced the appointment of Avinash Joshi as media director, where he will be responsible for the agency’s social media practice.

     

    Joshi is a digital marketing expert with over 15 years of experience in leveraging social insights, trends in emerging technology and human interaction to understand, explain, predict and influence consumer behaviour in digital, social and emerging channels. 

     

    Cheil Worldwide SW Asia COO Hari Krishnan said, “Avinash is an incredibly passionate yet methodical advocate of social media. His multi-faceted experience across project management, creative, technology and media will be immensely valuable for our clients at Cheil India.”

     

    “While most of the digital verticals are headed by seasoned skill leaders at Cheil India, social media leadership had remained a gap area for us.  With Avinash coming onboard, am sure, we will not just offer best in class social solutions but strengthen our overall digital offering to clients”, added Cheil Worldwide SW Asia senior VP & digital head Rajesh Bhatia.

     

    Joshi joins from SapientNitro were he was serving as digital account director and social media lead-India, growing the practice through relationships in North America, Europe and APAC.

     

    Over the years he has managed brands including Coca Cola – Burn, Sprite and Thums Up, Citibank India, Citibank US, Unilever – Lifebuoy & Lipton, Pernod Ricard – Chivas Regal & Blenders Pride, Yum – Taco Bell India, Fiat Chrysler – Fiat and Jeep India, Abbott, MetLife, Carlton and United Breweries, Lava International – Xolo, United Nations, UNICEF, United Nations Statistics Division, United Nations Development Programme, United Nations Development Coordination Office/Development Group and WHO, Red Cross (Thailand), National Statistical Office, Government of India, State Planning Commission, Government of Madhya Pradesh (India), HIV AIDs Data Hub, Asia Pacific among others.

     

    Prior to SapientNitro, Joshi has worked with GutsGo, Avalon Information Systems, UNICEF DevInfo Support Group, Wisitech (formerly, Orient InfoSolutions) and Sunstar Communication Systems Ltd.

  • Shruti Varma to head Tata Docomo business at Contract

    Shruti Varma to head Tata Docomo business at Contract

    MUMBAI: Shruti Varma joins Contract Advertising as senior vice president and will be heading the Tata Docomo account for the agency.

     

    A highly experienced FMCG advertising professional, Varma joins Contract from Havas Worldwide where she spent close to eight years and was heading the Reckitt Benckiser account for India and recently, the south east Asian market besides many successful campaigns and product launches.

     

    Varma will be reporting to Contract Delhi senior VP & GM Shivaji Dasgupta who while announcing Varma’s appointment said, “Contract has always been a melting pot of great talent and Shruti is a very welcome addition to the pool. She has the right blend of strategic acumen and operational mastery to be a highly successful business leader for us. I am certain she will have a long and fruitful innings with Contract.”

     

    Besides Reckitt Benckiser, Varma has also worked on Dabur, during her stint at Bates for over three years. A Delhi University alumnus, she started her career in research with IMRB, before choosing advertising as her career.

     

    “I have worked on leader brands and I have worked on challenger brands. And I think I have contributed in meaningful ways in turning some challenger brands into leader brands. And that’s what’s exciting about our business. I hope that together with the amazing talent at Contract, I would help do the same for TATA Docomo. The challenges will be many. But then, what’s Advertising without a little adrenaline rush,” said Varma on her appointment at Contract.

     

    During her tenure at Havas, Shruti has worked on key brands such as Dettol, Veet, Harpic, Mortien, Lizol, Airwick, Vanish, Moov, Strepsils amongst others.

  • Phil Nelson takes on expanded role at Turner Asia Pacific

    Phil Nelson takes on expanded role at Turner Asia Pacific

    MUMBAI: Turner International Asia Pacific has announced that Phil Nelson has been appointed senior vice president and managing director, Southeast Asia Pacific and north Asia.

     

    Previously responsible for strategic planning and north Asia, Nelson now has operational oversight for the commercial functions of Turner’s business in Southeast Asia Pacific in addition to Japan and Korea. Reporting into him from these three regional areas are Tom Perry, Ron Lee and Robi Stanton, respectively.

     

    Commenting on this elevation, Asia Pacific president Ricky Ow said, “In his new role, I am certain Phil will enable us to optimize our brands and operational efficiency. With his experience of the media business in Asia Pacific, Phil’s role at the heart of Turner’s commercial operations will undoubtedly put us in a stronger position for future growth. His expanded remit will allow us to identify even more new opportunities across the region.”

     

    Nelson joined Turner Asia Pacific in 2010 as the head of business development responsible for business and corporate development as well as strategic planning across all Tuner businesses throughout Asia. In 2013, his role was expanded to include the north Asia business.

     

    Prior to joining Turner, Nelson was managing director of AOL Asia, based in India and responsible for the digital pioneer’s business and operations throughout the region. Previous positions with AOL included general manager, AOL India and various executive positions in programming, technologies and finance based in AOL’s US headquarters.

     

    Before entering the corporate sector, Nelson was a commander in the US Navy and was stationed throughout the world including Japan, the Middle East and Washington DC. Nelson holds an MBA from Harvard University. He was born in Singapore and has spent most of his life in Asia.

  • “Use of social media is good when it adds value to communication strategy”

    “Use of social media is good when it adds value to communication strategy”

    MUMBAI: Social-mobile-video marketing is an area waiting to be explored, at least in the Indian context. However, players like Digital Quotient – which already has a presence in the field with over 70 staff across key locations in India – will continue to enjoy a first movers’ advantage over those who come after them.

     

    Indiantelevision.com’s Priyanka Nair got Digital Quotient COO Vinish Kathuria to speak at length about the changing digital ecosystem, social media and everything in between…

     

    How have the demands of marketers from the digital platform changed in recent years?

     

    The Indian digital ecosystem is changing positively over the last decade. Marketers are trying their level best to catch up with consumers’ needs in the digital world. Today, digital is a must-have media vehicle. Gone are the days when we were asked, “What can be done on digital?” The need of the hour is how to take communication to the next level on digital. Tangible and controlled experiments are what brands expect from digital agencies today.

     

    With changing consumer demographics, it is necessary for digital agencies to have a clear idea of the business objectives of various brands. At Digital Quotient, we look at campaigning for a brand from a very strategic point of view. I think that should be the approach taken by agencies today.

     

    How is social media gaining importance in a marketer’s communication plans? Are the brands getting it right in terms of social media?

     

    It can be noted that every brand wants to have a social media presence. While some brands are getting it right in terms of social media, many others need to revise their approach. The first thing that brands should stop doing is racing towards fetching more likes. The question that brands which are looking for business should ask themselves more often is: “Does it add any value to the communication strategy?”

     

    Brands should understand that on social media, timeliness is of the utmost importance. A social media user has a different mindset. Brands should ensure a strategy whereby consumers are not left with stale or outdated content. Engagement mechanism is a must for social media branding. On the other hand, there are many brands which are using social media purely for post consumer service. This is an interesting move. Social media is now definitely a medium that cannot be ignored but it is up to brands how they shape up strategies that are worthy of attention.

     

    What are the key things that brands should keep in mind to build a healthy social media conversation? 

     

    It is just like any other marketing medium that needs to be accepted first. Though social media is largely technology-driven, it is emotional connect and remembrance that matters for consumers. It can be observed that content is taking different shifts over the years. From text-heavy content, brands are today looking at making a splash on social media through videos and pictures. Humanising content is what makes any social media conversation healthy.

     

    Mobile has still not been leveraged to the best of its capabilities by Indian brands. What is your observation on this?

     

    Earlier, conversations were very telephone-led but today, marketers are jumping into the mobile fray. It is for reach that marketers are looking at mobile as a communication platform. Brands need to take a cue from how global marketers are looking at social and mobile integration. There is much learning that comes from there, which is noteworthy. One thing is clear with the current numbers: India will soon lead the charts when it comes to mobile reach.

     

    Brands are betting big on video in digital campaigning. How can brands further optimise the use of video?

     

    There are many brands that roll out TVCs on social media. TVC is the easiest replication that a brand can do but clearly, it is not an ideal one. That is what brands are getting wrong when it comes to video. It is very important that brands create videos that are shareable. Brands need to start using different formats such as Vine or Instagram. Content curation is something that brands are leveraging on while creating videos.

     

    Do brands understand the power of big data?

     

    Understanding big data needs different skill sets. It is relatively new to decode for many professionals. Numbers driven from big data are fascinating and are like an asset that marketers can put to use. Time will help marketers discover the power of big data. 

  • ‘Reporters Sans Frontier’ honours Arunachal Times journalist

    ‘Reporters Sans Frontier’ honours Arunachal Times journalist

    KOLKATA: Tongam Rina, an Itanagar-based journalist, has been honoured by the ‘Reporters Without Borders’ (Reporters Sans Frontier-RSF), the international organization that works for freedom of the press and information.

     

    Rina, the associate editor of The Arunachal Times, is the only Indian journalist to find place in the list of ‘100 information heroes’ released by the Paris-based body on the occasion of World Press Freedom Day on 3 May, the newspaper said in a statement.

     

    Apparently angered by her bold articles against anti-social elements in the society, gunmen shot and injured her in front of her office on 15 July, 2012.

     

    Now recovered from her injuries, Rina vows to continue her journalistic mission without fear and trepidations, the statement said.

     

    Prepared for the first time by the RSF, the list comprises 100 heroes (men and women scribes between ages 25-75) from 65 countries across the world, who have helped “to promote the freedom enshrined in Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights through their courageous work or activism”.

     

     Last year, Rina was also selected for the prestigious ‘Prize for the Freedom and Future of the Media’ instituted by the Media Foundation, Leipzig, Germany.

     

     She was also honoured with the Laadli Media Award 2011-12 for Gender Sensitivity, Eastern Region, in Kolkata in 2012. The award is instituted by the Population First, an NGO working on population and health issues supported by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).

  • OgilvyOne defends its ‘Agency of the Year’ title at DMAi Awards

    OgilvyOne defends its ‘Agency of the Year’ title at DMAi Awards

    MUMBAI: OgilvyOne Worldwide has successfully defended its title as ‘Agency of the Year at the DMAi Awards 2014.’ The DMAi which brings to India the DMA International Echo awards is spearheading the response marketing movement in the country. 

     

    The agency bagged a total of eight gold, seven silver and five bronze on its way to the title. Metals were won across categories ranging from effectiveness and craft to innovative use of technology and loyalty.

     

    Commenting on the agency’s performance, OgilvyOne worldwide president and country head Vikram Menon said, “To be ‘Agency of the Year’ twice in two years feels truly wonderful. Needless to say we couldn’t have managed this without a set of clients that are not just supportive, but always pushing us to do better. What makes each of these wins even more special is that they are awarded by a jury that comprises not just agency veterans but CMOs and brand managers from some of India’s most revered marketing companies. Heartiest congratulations to all our clients and special thanks to the DMAi.”

     

     Focus will now shift to the DMA International Echo awards that are ranked among the oldest and most revered effectiveness awards on the calendar. Last year, OgilvyOne Worldwide had spurred India to its best ever performance at the show winning five out of the eight metals.