Category: Media and Advertising

MakeMyTrip appoints Isobar India as its digital partner

MUMBAI: MakeMyTrip has appointed Isobar India, a global full-service digital agency, from the Dentsu Aegis Network,as its digital agency, with the mandate to handle digital brand engagement and social media management duties.

Isobar India MD Shamsuddin Jasani said, “It’s a great achievement for us. Over the past few months, the team has worked diligently and passionately in making the brand’s recent campaigns a huge success. We are thrilled to work with the biggest and the most credible online travel agency in India.”

Isobar India VP Gopa Kumar added, “It’s a big privilege to be the digital partner for MakeMyTrip. The team is geared up to give their best and come up with exciting digital solutions for the brand in keeping with our focus on brand narratives leading up to brand commerce.”

MakeMyTrip.com, India’s leading online travel company was founded in the year 2000 by Deep Kalra. Today, it is much more than just a travel portal or a famous pioneering brand – it is a one-stop-travel-shop that offers the broadest selection of travel products and services in India. MakeMyTrip is the dominant market-leader with 47% market-share (PhocusWright, 2013), a fact evinced by the trust placed in it by millions of happy customers.

August 5, 2016
Adform appoints Zirca Digital as exclusive India partner

MUMBAI: Adform, the independent and open full stack ad-tech platform serving media agencies, trading desks, advertisers and publishers globally, today announced a strategic partnership with Zirca Digital Solutions, an independent digital media and brand solutions company.

With this partnership, Zirca Digital Solutions has been selected as the exclusive partner and reseller of Adform’s products and services in India with a focus on offering Adform’s third-party ad server (TPAS) and rich-media offerings to agencies, advertisers and publishers in the market.

Although digital advertising is still comparatively small, the Indian market represents a significant opportunity for the industry. With 277 million active Internet users, India has more digitally connected people than the US, and is second only to China. Mobile internet adoption continues to climb, giving national and global advertisers an attractive option for reaching and engaging India’s consumers. India also has a strong culture of innovation and entrepreneurship, which will contribute to the growth of the digital advertising ecosystem.

As an established and respected partner to local and global publishers, advertisers and platforms in India, Zirca is uniquely positioned to offer Adform’s buy-side and sell-side platforms. As Adform’s exclusive full-service partner, Zirca takes full responsibility for sales outreach, contracting, campaign management, creative services, as well as local invoicing and collection.

“The Indian economy has significant upsides, and the potential to become one of the biggest and most interesting online advertising markets in the world,” said Adform SVP of Corporate development Christian Duus. “This partnership is strategic to our global expansion plans, in that we are eager to build a business foundation and the Adform brand before the market takes off. We selected Zirca as our partner because of their track record, local market knowledge and because they align closely to our values. Like Adform, Zirca is highly service-oriented, believes in longstanding business relations and is a strong advocate of transparency, which is critical for building trust in the industry.”

For Zirca, the partnership represents an opportunity to offer a unique and leading ad tech platform to a market which has a huge need for innovative advertising technology in order to support the growth in digital advertising for a true mobile first country.

“Adform has embarked on a continuous path of innovation, introducing a dazzling array of high-impact ad formats and fully streamlined and automated technology. The company has moved the whole industry forward in exciting ways, and we’re delighted to bring this amazing breadth of technology to the Indian digital advertising ecosystem,” said Zirca CEO Neena Dasgupta.

“We are excited to work with one of Europe’s leading Ad tech companies. Through our comprehensive partnership strategy we are confident that together we will be able to establish Adform’s business in the Indian market with the same global execution standards that have garnered Adform such a distinction in the industry,” said Zirca MD Karan Gupta.

August 5, 2016
Adform appoints Zirca Digital as exclusive India partner

MUMBAI: Adform, the independent and open full stack ad-tech platform serving media agencies, trading desks, advertisers and publishers globally, today announced a strategic partnership with Zirca Digital Solutions, an independent digital media and brand solutions company.

With this partnership, Zirca Digital Solutions has been selected as the exclusive partner and reseller of Adform’s products and services in India with a focus on offering Adform’s third-party ad server (TPAS) and rich-media offerings to agencies, advertisers and publishers in the market.

Although digital advertising is still comparatively small, the Indian market represents a significant opportunity for the industry. With 277 million active Internet users, India has more digitally connected people than the US, and is second only to China. Mobile internet adoption continues to climb, giving national and global advertisers an attractive option for reaching and engaging India’s consumers. India also has a strong culture of innovation and entrepreneurship, which will contribute to the growth of the digital advertising ecosystem.

As an established and respected partner to local and global publishers, advertisers and platforms in India, Zirca is uniquely positioned to offer Adform’s buy-side and sell-side platforms. As Adform’s exclusive full-service partner, Zirca takes full responsibility for sales outreach, contracting, campaign management, creative services, as well as local invoicing and collection.

“The Indian economy has significant upsides, and the potential to become one of the biggest and most interesting online advertising markets in the world,” said Adform SVP of Corporate development Christian Duus. “This partnership is strategic to our global expansion plans, in that we are eager to build a business foundation and the Adform brand before the market takes off. We selected Zirca as our partner because of their track record, local market knowledge and because they align closely to our values. Like Adform, Zirca is highly service-oriented, believes in longstanding business relations and is a strong advocate of transparency, which is critical for building trust in the industry.”

For Zirca, the partnership represents an opportunity to offer a unique and leading ad tech platform to a market which has a huge need for innovative advertising technology in order to support the growth in digital advertising for a true mobile first country.

“Adform has embarked on a continuous path of innovation, introducing a dazzling array of high-impact ad formats and fully streamlined and automated technology. The company has moved the whole industry forward in exciting ways, and we’re delighted to bring this amazing breadth of technology to the Indian digital advertising ecosystem,” said Zirca CEO Neena Dasgupta.

“We are excited to work with one of Europe’s leading Ad tech companies. Through our comprehensive partnership strategy we are confident that together we will be able to establish Adform’s business in the Indian market with the same global execution standards that have garnered Adform such a distinction in the industry,” said Zirca MD Karan Gupta.

August 5, 2016
Mr. SardiZukaam speaks out in Hamdard’s new TVC

MUMBAI: Hamdard has rolled a new TVC for its herbal cough and cold remedy product; Joshina. The campaign positions the brand as a means to protect users from the effects of seasonal change and an impending cough and cold situation.

The new campaign depicts an engaging narrative through the personification of Cough and Cold that makes people incapacitated. Shown from the perspective of ‘Mr. SardiZukaam’ (Cold & Cough) depicts his plight that people are no longer scared of him as children continue to ride their bicycles in the rain; the elderly savor ice-creams in the severe cold, amongst other scenarios.

The campaign has been developed by Rediffusion Y&R, and was shot by Jigsaw Pictures Productions. The creative will be carried forward in the form of a TVC and on various digital platforms.

Speaking on the key insights of the campaign, Hamdard chief sales and marketing Mansoor Ali, said,“With the advent of monsoon, people especially the young and the aged, are susceptible to common cold easily. With this campaign, we want to re-instill people’s faith in the power of herbal products that are fast, healthy and with no side-effects. The campaign is cheeky but delivers a strong message and brings the value of the product in the fore-front effectively. We sincerely believe that the Joshina TVC will be remembered for the differentiated treatment and narrative.”

Hamdard Laboratories senior brand manager Nilotpal Singh said, “Joshina as a product in the category is different. To have the syrup at the onset of the first signs of cold is itself a “Prevention”. This year the creative takes a bash at cold that we believe relishes at the thought of incapacitating us. Joshina takes away its wing and that makes the advertising this year so interesting”.

August 4, 2016
Mr. SardiZukaam speaks out in Hamdard’s new TVC

MUMBAI: Hamdard has rolled a new TVC for its herbal cough and cold remedy product; Joshina. The campaign positions the brand as a means to protect users from the effects of seasonal change and an impending cough and cold situation.

The new campaign depicts an engaging narrative through the personification of Cough and Cold that makes people incapacitated. Shown from the perspective of ‘Mr. SardiZukaam’ (Cold & Cough) depicts his plight that people are no longer scared of him as children continue to ride their bicycles in the rain; the elderly savor ice-creams in the severe cold, amongst other scenarios.

The campaign has been developed by Rediffusion Y&R, and was shot by Jigsaw Pictures Productions. The creative will be carried forward in the form of a TVC and on various digital platforms.

Speaking on the key insights of the campaign, Hamdard chief sales and marketing Mansoor Ali, said,“With the advent of monsoon, people especially the young and the aged, are susceptible to common cold easily. With this campaign, we want to re-instill people’s faith in the power of herbal products that are fast, healthy and with no side-effects. The campaign is cheeky but delivers a strong message and brings the value of the product in the fore-front effectively. We sincerely believe that the Joshina TVC will be remembered for the differentiated treatment and narrative.”

Hamdard Laboratories senior brand manager Nilotpal Singh said, “Joshina as a product in the category is different. To have the syrup at the onset of the first signs of cold is itself a “Prevention”. This year the creative takes a bash at cold that we believe relishes at the thought of incapacitating us. Joshina takes away its wing and that makes the advertising this year so interesting”.

August 4, 2016
GroupM raises U.S. TV spending forecast to 3.4 per cent

MUMBAI: In what comes as a welcome news for the American advertising and television industry, leading media buying agency GroupM, has re-evaluated U.S. TV spending in 2016 to 3.4 percent growth from 2.3 per cent.

The reason for this raise, a new report from GroupM clarifies, is the influx of campaign money to the ad spends of local TV networks, as both the political parties get more aggressive prior to the country’s presidential election.

Along with that, there is a return to low single-digit growth in national TV, which is coming from some shifting in spending from digital in the consumer packaged goods category as well as continued spending growth from the heavy TV-centric pharmaceutical sector, GroupM said.

For 2017, GroupM expects TV growth to decline to 2.1 per cent as local TV cools off in a non-election year. The healthier TV market is also facilitating an increased advertising spending overall in the U.S. for 2016, which the agency estimates to be at 3.1 per cent, up from 2.7 per cent.

Digital investment will continue to grow at three times the rate of overall advertising spending but will be lower than the double-digit levels seen in recent years.

“The combination of global economic headwinds coupled with moderate domestic growth as well as continued procurement pressure to extract media efficiencies and cost savings will confine ad market potential to its current low-single digit growth levels,” the GroupM report stated.

When it comes to worldwide ad outlook for 2016, GroupM has reduced the earlier prediction of 4.5 to 4 per cent as China and Brazil markets cool down. India, though, remains the fastest-growing large economy in the world, increasing at a 14 percent to 15 per cent rate in 2016 and 2017.

For 2017, GroupM sees ad volume rising at 4.3 per cent to USD 552 billion and total marketing services topping USD 1 trillion for the first time.

To answer the several Brexit related nervous queries and fears within the industry, author of the forecast Adam Smith said, “At this time, there is no tangible evidence of a Brexit effect in macro indicators nor budgeting decisions. However, in the next six months to a year, it is likely companies will invest less. Job creation, wage growth and productivity will be lower than it otherwise might have been. This is a difference of degree, not magnitude.”

“There is no evidence of a Brexit-driven recession at the time of this writing, and though some have deferred 2016 advertising investments, worst-case we still see that U.K. advertising growth will reach 4.5 per cent this year, propelled exclusively by the growth of digital. Our base case remains 6.3 per cent, which we will revise as usual in November,” he added.

(source: broadcastingcable.com)

August 3, 2016
GroupM raises U.S. TV spending forecast to 3.4 per cent

MUMBAI: In what comes as a welcome news for the American advertising and television industry, leading media buying agency GroupM, has re-evaluated U.S. TV spending in 2016 to 3.4 percent growth from 2.3 per cent.

The reason for this raise, a new report from GroupM clarifies, is the influx of campaign money to the ad spends of local TV networks, as both the political parties get more aggressive prior to the country’s presidential election.

Along with that, there is a return to low single-digit growth in national TV, which is coming from some shifting in spending from digital in the consumer packaged goods category as well as continued spending growth from the heavy TV-centric pharmaceutical sector, GroupM said.

For 2017, GroupM expects TV growth to decline to 2.1 per cent as local TV cools off in a non-election year. The healthier TV market is also facilitating an increased advertising spending overall in the U.S. for 2016, which the agency estimates to be at 3.1 per cent, up from 2.7 per cent.

Digital investment will continue to grow at three times the rate of overall advertising spending but will be lower than the double-digit levels seen in recent years.

“The combination of global economic headwinds coupled with moderate domestic growth as well as continued procurement pressure to extract media efficiencies and cost savings will confine ad market potential to its current low-single digit growth levels,” the GroupM report stated.

When it comes to worldwide ad outlook for 2016, GroupM has reduced the earlier prediction of 4.5 to 4 per cent as China and Brazil markets cool down. India, though, remains the fastest-growing large economy in the world, increasing at a 14 percent to 15 per cent rate in 2016 and 2017.

For 2017, GroupM sees ad volume rising at 4.3 per cent to USD 552 billion and total marketing services topping USD 1 trillion for the first time.

To answer the several Brexit related nervous queries and fears within the industry, author of the forecast Adam Smith said, “At this time, there is no tangible evidence of a Brexit effect in macro indicators nor budgeting decisions. However, in the next six months to a year, it is likely companies will invest less. Job creation, wage growth and productivity will be lower than it otherwise might have been. This is a difference of degree, not magnitude.”

“There is no evidence of a Brexit-driven recession at the time of this writing, and though some have deferred 2016 advertising investments, worst-case we still see that U.K. advertising growth will reach 4.5 per cent this year, propelled exclusively by the growth of digital. Our base case remains 6.3 per cent, which we will revise as usual in November,” he added.

(source: broadcastingcable.com)

August 3, 2016
Ariel’s Dads#ShareTheLoad campaign receive appreciation from consumers & industry

MUMBAI: Launched in February of 2016, Ariel India’s Dads#ShareTheLoad campaign has garnered widespread acclaim from consumers, media, advertising and marketing industry as well as celebrities, for its impactful message of change. The movement, dedicated to addressing the cycle of gender prejudiced, sparked conversations across multiple touchpoints, leading to a massive participation from consumers, with 2.1 mn men pledging their support to the cause. 2600 men showed their solidarity towards gender equality by creating a Guinness World Record of most number of men washing clothes together.

With 2 out of 3 children believing that laundry is a mother’s job, gender biases within the household are subconsciously passed down from one generation to the next. Powered by Ariel Matic’s 1-Wash superiority, the brand joined women in asking Dads to #ShareTheLoad, since anyone can get great laundry results with Ariel.

Speaking on this occasion, Fabric Care India associate director Sharat Verma said, “We are delighted with the reception to the movement and we are thrilled to have been recognized at an internationally celebrated platforms like the Cannes Lions. This is a testament to the message of the movement and the resonance it’s had with our consumers. Ariel India will continue to join women across the country to address gender prejudice, and we will continue to encourage more dads and husbands to #ShareTheLoad, since with Ariel Matic anyone can get great laundry results.”

The film went viral internationally and garnered over 50 mn views in just 50 days. The emotionally appealing film, received extensive support from men and women, across countries and continents, paving the way from global recognition.

Based on a true consumer insight that has resonated globally, Ariel India joined women across the country in bringing to surface the cycle of gender prejudice. This powerful message was very well received by Advertising and Marketing industry, testament by the wide number of awards that came their way.

The films have also received the support and endorsement of a wide variety of International and Indian celebrities and partners including – Sheryl Sandberg, Melinda Gates, Pankaj Kapoor, Supriya Pathak, Tabu, MandiraBedi, Neha Dhupia, Irrfan Khan, Mary Kom, Sharmila Tagore, Soha Ali Khan, KalNirnay, Tinkle, Whirlpool and Akshara Centre.

The campaign bagged top international honors at the Oscars of the marketing and advertising world – The Cannes Lions, by taking home an unprecedented 5 Cannes Lions. Ariel India has now become the most awarded Indian campaign in the event’s illustrious history.

it has won various other accolades which are listed below.

1. Cannes Glass

– Ariel Matic for India Mumbai, India.

2. Cannes Bronze

– Ariel Matic for Creative Effectiveness, India.

– Ariel Matic in Cyber for Social Purpose, India.

– Ariel Matic – India in Entertainment for Online: Fiction 15 Minutes or Under in Length, India.

– Ariel Matic –India in Short Fiction Film (Under 10 Minutes) in Film, India.

3. Laadli Grand Prix Award

4. ADFEST: 1 Silver, 2 Bronze

5. Dragons of Asia: Black Dragon, Silver, Bronze

6. EMVIES: 2 Gold, 1 Silver, 1 Bronze

7. Bloomberg Disruptor: Winner, FMCG

8. Festival of Media: 1 Gold, 1 Silver, 1 Bronze

August 2, 2016
Ariel’s Dads#ShareTheLoad campaign receive appreciation from consumers & industry

MUMBAI: Launched in February of 2016, Ariel India’s Dads#ShareTheLoad campaign has garnered widespread acclaim from consumers, media, advertising and marketing industry as well as celebrities, for its impactful message of change. The movement, dedicated to addressing the cycle of gender prejudiced, sparked conversations across multiple touchpoints, leading to a massive participation from consumers, with 2.1 mn men pledging their support to the cause. 2600 men showed their solidarity towards gender equality by creating a Guinness World Record of most number of men washing clothes together.

With 2 out of 3 children believing that laundry is a mother’s job, gender biases within the household are subconsciously passed down from one generation to the next. Powered by Ariel Matic’s 1-Wash superiority, the brand joined women in asking Dads to #ShareTheLoad, since anyone can get great laundry results with Ariel.

Speaking on this occasion, Fabric Care India associate director Sharat Verma said, “We are delighted with the reception to the movement and we are thrilled to have been recognized at an internationally celebrated platforms like the Cannes Lions. This is a testament to the message of the movement and the resonance it’s had with our consumers. Ariel India will continue to join women across the country to address gender prejudice, and we will continue to encourage more dads and husbands to #ShareTheLoad, since with Ariel Matic anyone can get great laundry results.”

The film went viral internationally and garnered over 50 mn views in just 50 days. The emotionally appealing film, received extensive support from men and women, across countries and continents, paving the way from global recognition.

Based on a true consumer insight that has resonated globally, Ariel India joined women across the country in bringing to surface the cycle of gender prejudice. This powerful message was very well received by Advertising and Marketing industry, testament by the wide number of awards that came their way.

The films have also received the support and endorsement of a wide variety of International and Indian celebrities and partners including – Sheryl Sandberg, Melinda Gates, Pankaj Kapoor, Supriya Pathak, Tabu, MandiraBedi, Neha Dhupia, Irrfan Khan, Mary Kom, Sharmila Tagore, Soha Ali Khan, KalNirnay, Tinkle, Whirlpool and Akshara Centre.

The campaign bagged top international honors at the Oscars of the marketing and advertising world – The Cannes Lions, by taking home an unprecedented 5 Cannes Lions. Ariel India has now become the most awarded Indian campaign in the event’s illustrious history.

it has won various other accolades which are listed below.

1. Cannes Glass

– Ariel Matic for India Mumbai, India.

2. Cannes Bronze

– Ariel Matic for Creative Effectiveness, India.

– Ariel Matic in Cyber for Social Purpose, India.

– Ariel Matic – India in Entertainment for Online: Fiction 15 Minutes or Under in Length, India.

– Ariel Matic –India in Short Fiction Film (Under 10 Minutes) in Film, India.

3. Laadli Grand Prix Award

4. ADFEST: 1 Silver, 2 Bronze

5. Dragons of Asia: Black Dragon, Silver, Bronze

6. EMVIES: 2 Gold, 1 Silver, 1 Bronze

7. Bloomberg Disruptor: Winner, FMCG

8. Festival of Media: 1 Gold, 1 Silver, 1 Bronze

August 2, 2016
Dia Mirza makes her directorial debut with public service film #KidsForTigers

NEW DELHI: Actor and producer Dia Mirza has made her directorial debut by directing a Public Service film on the occasion of World Tiger Day 2016, taking her commitment to championing causes connected with nature to the next level.

Written by Cara Tejpal and Sahil Sangha, captured by ace photographer Rohan Shrestha and produced by Born Free Entertainment, the film aims to spread the vital message of Tiger and Nature Conservation through the innocent yet aware voices of children belonging to different age groups.

Dia said: “This has been one of the most beautiful experiences of my life! Involving our future generation in this initiative has been nothing short of enlightening and fulfilling for me. As tigers struggle for survival, I hope that the message sent out is strong enough to nudge our nation to guarantee the tiger protection from threats like poaching, and intrusion into their natural habitat. We need to remember, what happens to the tiger, to our forests and our rivers, ultimately affects each one of us”

Sanctuary Asia head & well-known conservationist Bittu Sahgal said: “Dia Mirza joined the Sanctuary family over three years ago when she spearheaded our ‘Leave Me Alone’ campaign. Since then she has evolved into a highly credible voice for conservation, tirelessly supporting issues that are crucial but lack visibility. By conceptualising and directing this PSA, Dia has crafted a poignant message from over one million Kids For Tigers to the elders who are in control of their lives: ‘We demand you leave us a better world. All we need to do is protect nature and nature will protect us!’”

The status of the animal still remains “endangered though countries such as India, Nepal, Russia and Bhutan have registered an increase spike in the Tiger population.

August 2, 2016