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Category: Media and Advertising

  • Industry veterans gear up for Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon

    Industry veterans gear up for Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon

    MUMBAI : The city is already counting down the days to the biggest annual sporting extravaganza that Mumbaikars look forward to — the Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon, which is scheduled to take off in the wee hours of 17 January.

     

    Be it the health minded ones or the record breakers or even those who simply run for a cause , every year the footfall at the marathon has only seen an upward growth. Several reports say that this year the figures may go up by four – five per cent. 

     

    With Mumbai as the stage, it is inevitable that several media personalities will also be taking part in the event, apart from the big names from other industries like finance and technology. 

     

    Familiar faces from media, advertising and marketing world who are expected to continue their tradition of running for the marathon include Grey Group India chairman and managing director Sunil Lulla, Ideas@bharatkapadia.com founder Bharat Kapadia and triggerbridge managing director and co-founder S Yesudas amongst others.

     

    Yesudas confesses his life has been very hectic given his new portfolio as an entrepreneur and the launch of his new venture. Yet, he wouldn’t give Mumbai Standard Chartered Marathon a miss for the world. In fact, he recalls how he barely made it to his last year’s agency conference in Bangkok just to run for the marathon.

     

    Having said that, he adds, “I wouldn’t go all out this year unlike my previous runs for the marathon. The reason is my injured right knee.” Because of which, Yesudas hasn’t been active lately in preparing for the marathon.

     

    “I participated for the Trivandrum Marathon in November, but since then I haven’t been running much. To get good timing, practicing long runs is a must, therefore this year I will be taking it easier,” Yesudas explains.

     

    It isn’t just Yesudas whose Mumbai Marathon will be marred a bit by injury. Well known marathon runner from the industry HDFC Life senior executive vice president Sanjay Tripathy will also skip running the full marathon due to the same. Nevertheless, Tripathy can’t help count us down the reasons why one should take running up. “Running is my passion and I have a torrid love affair with it! Running for a marathon has taken me beyond my comfort zone and helped me relax, take control over my mind and stay focused on a day to day basis,” shares Tripathy.

     

    “I have been training myself since 2003 to participate in marathons all over the country. Every year I work on increasing my intensity and distance while reducing the amount of time. Unfortunately, this year, I will be unable to participate in the marathon as I had a bad fall on my knee a month back. A stress fracture in the femur of my left leg will keep me out of running for a good eight to 12 weeks. But injuries are a part and parcel of a runner’s life and I am determined to come back stronger,” he adds.

     

    Industry veteran and well known marathoner Kapadia is up for the challenge this year as well. Last year, he managed to bring down his run time to 2 hours 12 mins from 2 hours 17 mins in the previous year. He hopes to beat his own record this year as well. “This will be my ninth year running in the Mumbai Marathon. My regular practice sessions are up. I usually start three and a half months before the D-Day. Right now I am going easy on running and concentrating on the right diet. The first three days of the week was protein heavy diet, while the next three days will be carbohydrate heavy,” shares Kapadia, who adds that he stopped long runs last Sunday to give his body rest.

     

    Having said that, Kapadia doesn’t run after ranks or timings in a marathon. “I personally keep three things in mind when running a marathon. Firstly my target is to complete the entire run; secondly I make sure I have fun on the way; and lastly to keep myself injury free,” he says.

     

    Grey Group India’s Lulla too plans to enjoy the marathon with his friends rather than keeping an eye on the clock while running. “I am doing stretches and abs to keep myself flexible for the time being,” he informs. 

     

    “This year the marathon isn’t about setting goals and breaking personal record for me. Been there and done that for the last few years. This year is about enjoying the run. I have been in and out of the city the entire year and hence hardly had the time to practice and prep up for the marathon. Not that it bothers me as this year my prime motive is to have fun with my friends who run together with me. I plan to take it slow and easy, saying hello to everyone on the way and maybe even clicking several picture to commemorate the day.”

     

    In fact, to mark the day and instil the idea of running for just fun, Lulla and his group of friends will be sporting T-shirts with #quickie written on it.

     

    While few familiar names are staying off the track this year, Yesudas doesn’t expect that to effect the footfall at the marathon, nor the industry’s representation in it. “I have a feeling several new faces will be seen running this year. I know that several of my friends within the industry have been gearing up to make their debut,” he says.

  • Havas Worldwide APAC names Todd Martin as regional digital director

    Havas Worldwide APAC names Todd Martin as regional digital director

    MUMBAI: Havas Worldwide has appointed Todd Martin as regional digital director for APAC.

     

    In his new role, Martin will lead and drive the growth of digital across Asia Pacific. He will also lead Havas Drive, a digital acceleration, technology and innovation unit based at Havas Worldwide Bangkok.

     

    Based out of Singapore, Todd will report directly to Havas Worldwide Asia Pacific chairman Juan Rocamora, working alongside business development and integration director Southeast Asia Sunny Hermano and CEO Southeast Asia Levent Guenes.

     

    Martin has over 20 years of broad client category digital experience in the US, UK, Japan, China and across Asia Pacific and has been responsible for creating digital strategies and campaigns for a huge number of multinational clients.

     

    He was one of the founders of Amnesia Razorfish in Australia, a digital agency that grew in 10 years to become the largest of its kind in Australia. He worked on brands such as Disney, Microsoft, Qantas, Volkswagen, Merck, Johnnie Walker, and the International Olympic Committee before moving to the USA to work with Razorfish out of their head office in Seattle.

     

    He moved to Singapore in 2013 as regional head of social and digital for Bates CHI & Partners, and worked in Social@Ogilvy across the region before a short stint at Edelman as head of strategy for Asia.

     

    “Todd joins us with a solid track record in the digital space having worked with the some of the top digital agencies and cutting edge brands around the world. His experience across geographies and ability to work with different cultures is a strong plus. Havas has a robust digital offering in Asia Pacific and we have no doubt that Todd is the right person to lead and strengthen our digital operations as we move in the next phase of our growth,” said Rocamora.

     

    Martin added, “I am particularly excited about the Digital Innovation team, Havas Drive. Their blend of creative technical talent is producing solid solutions that work in multiple Asian markets. Havas are showing they have the talent and resources to deliver innovative digital experiences for all clients in the region, they’re walking the walk, not just talking about it.”

  • Leo Burnett’s new McDonald’s campaign gets foodies social over Maharaja burger

    Leo Burnett’s new McDonald’s campaign gets foodies social over Maharaja burger

    MUMBAI: Leo Burnett’s new campaign for McDonald’s titled #ThodaTimeAur aims to get Indian consumers more social.

    Calling the new Maharaja Burger as the social burger, the new TVC urges people to spend quality time with friends and family over a hearty McDonald’s burger.

    Given the fast paced life, people mostly hurry through their lives and also through their meals, hardly finding time to communicate and share quality offline experiences. Using this simple insight, Leo Burnett has launched a new campaign for McDonald’s – #ThodaTimeAur to help the brand launch its new product offering – the Maharaja Mac – the Social Burger, across the country. The new sandwich is available in two variants – flame grilled Chicken & the first ever veg Mac that takes time to finish, giving people #ThodaTimeAur to catch up with friends and family.

    McDonald’s India – West and South marketing and digital director Kedar Teny  said, “As we celebrate the 20th anniversary of McDonald’s in India this year, we decided to reinvent one of our most iconic burgers – The Maharaja Mac. The New Maharaja Mac offers a fulfilling dining experience to customers and is a meal in itself. The build of the burger is such that it takes more time to finish, thereby giving people more time to socialise. This proposition takes forward the brand’s agenda of building sociability at the heart of everything it does. The campaign strikes up a conversation with consumers that largely focuses on gaining their share of time. Our campaign tagline #ThodaTimeAur highlights how the Maharaja Mac allows the customer to socialise and spend quality time with their friends and family, and enjoy a memorable dining experience. We are extremely delighted to kick start the year with this exciting launch and will continue to stay attuned to the evolving needs of our customers and constantly innovate menu to stay ahead of the curve.”

    Leo Burnett CCO RajDeepak Das added, “Maharaja Mac is the social burger from McDonald’s and its purpose is to allow people more time to socialise with friends and loved ones. Aptly titled #ThodaTimeAur, the campaign demonstrates how with Maharaja Mac’s great taste and large size, one can involve in long conversations, thus helping to further establish the brand’s image as a great place to connect and share for real.”

  • Mindshare India celebrates global ‘Mindshare Day’

    Mindshare India celebrates global ‘Mindshare Day’

    MUMBAI:  Dedicated at celebrating Mindshare’s tenets of speed, provocation & teamwork and everything that Mindshare globally stands for, Mindshare’ global community celebrates Mindshare Day today, January 13th 2016. Institutionalized three years ago, Mindshare Day was conceptualized with the intention of bringing everyone within the Mindshare team together to celebrate the diversity of their talent, skill sets and great ideas.  Mindshare Day is that one-day in the year that commemorates Mindshare holistically.

     

    Commenting on this, Mindshare – South Asia  CEO  Prasanth Kumar said, “Mindshare Day is the opportunity for all at Mindshare to connect with the entire network. It is our vision to help clients grow their business and profitability through Adaptive Marketing, provocative ideas and new areas of engagement, which we believe can only be achieved through exceptionally driven and skilled talent. We’ve had a phenomenal 2015 and we chose to leverage this special day to celebrate as well as retrospect and give back to society through our initiative with the NGOs.  We look forward to raising the bar and collectively motivating ourselves for an even better 2016.”

     

    With a focus on what Mindshare can do globally to make the world a better place through both media experience and helping social causes in every country, Mindshare India decided to open new avenues for under-privileged children. The celebrations with the children from several NGOs took place across all the India offices, where the employees took time out to engage with them through a T-shirt painting activity. These T-shirts were later auctioned off to the employees in order to raise funds for NGOs such as Kalyandeep (Mumbai), Jhanan Mandira (Bengaluru), New Hope & New Life Rest (Chennai) and Literacy India in (Gurgaon).

     

    With the belief in ‘Talent that attracts Talent’, Mindshare India makes great efforts to attract exceptional talent, which has positively impacted their business tremendously. Mindshare strongly believes that to drive change one needs to infuse fresh talent from diverse backgrounds. They also believe in rotating people across jobs to bring in a fresh perspective. The past year has seen remarkable strengthening of teams across verticals with diversified skills. Sharpening talent to create new opportunities and face new challenges is the Agency’s topmost priority, which is evident in the investments they make in the very best training and development team with world-class programmes from Mindshare Global, GroupM Worldwide, as well as a host of domain experts from India and South Asia. 

     

    The Mindshare network connects everyone together creating a platform for the free flow of ideas and path breaking work from which all can learn and leverage. 2015 was a landmark year for Mindshare India – winning an impressive array of over 175 awards, organizing the first-of-its-kind Content Day for HUL thereby paving the way for several other clients globally and talent management. 

  • WPP, AwesomenessTV & Verizon invest in Hispanic digital network Mitu

    WPP, AwesomenessTV & Verizon invest in Hispanic digital network Mitu

    MUMBAI: Mitú – an online Hispanic-focused digital content creator and media company catering to young Latino audiences in the US and Latin America – has raised a sum of $27 million from WPP Digital, DreamWorks Animation’s AwesomenessTV and Verizon Ventures in a round of Series C funding.

     

    With this the company’s total funding till date is now $43 million. The company’s existing investor Upfront Ventures also participated in this fresh round. 

     

    Mitú’s clients include America Movil, Kia, MillerCoors, NBCUniversal and Procter & Gamble. Mitú was founded in 2012 and is based in Santa Monica with offices in Mexico and Colombia. It employs around 120 people.

     

    Mitú creates and distributes original content as well as producing branded entertainment on behalf of its clients. Mitú’s technology enables it to efficiently analyze its Latino audience’s consumption of content across social media, thus providing it with a feedback loop for the company to continually create viral content. Mitú has over two billion global monthly views across all platforms in the US, as well as Mexico, Brazil and other Latin American countries.

     

    WPP Digital’s minority interest acquisition in Mitú, continues WPP’s strategy of investing in regions and sectors such as digital.

     

    Mitú founder and CEO Roy Burstin said, “Latinos represent 24 per cent of millennials in the US. That’s why we think of this demo not as a niche but as a part of the mainstream. Mitú’s content brings a distinct point of view that appeals broadly to young, mobile audiences. Brands want to reach these young consumers but accessing them through traditional channels has proved elusive. Mitú has reach where others have struggled.”

     

    WPP chief digital officer Scott Spirit added, “This investment fits perfectly with WPP’s strategy of investing in digital, content and fast-growth markets, such as countries in Latin America, and demographics, such as US Hispanic youth. Clients are trying to reach audiences where they organically spend their time. With young audiences, you need to reach them online and this investment in Mitú is a great vehicle for clients of WPP companies to accomplish that.”

  • O&M’s ‘Anti Jugaad’ campaign for Sulekha strikes at India’s makeshift tendencies

    O&M’s ‘Anti Jugaad’ campaign for Sulekha strikes at India’s makeshift tendencies

    MUMBAI: Makeshift arrangement or ‘jugaad’ as we call it here, is a long running tradition of sorts for a few. We all must have, at some point of time, gone ahead with a temporary solution for our everyday household issues.

    That’s why Ogilvy Bengaluru’s new #anti-jugaad campaign, with heart thumping beats and ‘I can sing along too’ lyrics, for popular classified portal Sulekha.com catches consumers with the right hook. The punch comes when the TVC, directed masterfully by Prasoon Pandey under Corcoise production house, gives viewers a glimpse of all these ‘jugaads’ gone wrong and backfiring, while craftily urging users to seek professional help from the services advertised in Sulekha.com for a sustainable fixture to their everyday issues.

    Ogilvy & Mather Bengaluru senior vice president and head of advertising – South Tithi Ghosh tells Indiantelevision.com that the idea to launch a campaign on anti jugaad was inspired by the lives of relocating young couples who find it hard to meet their requirements in a new city without any connections or network.

    “Earlier when we never moved cities, the practice was to use the ‘family carpenter’ or ‘family plumber’ – who would come with recommendations from uncles and aunts. Now with an increasingly mobile population in India, young couples and families find themselves at sea when they relocate. Since the quest to find an expert in a new city, is as painful as the problem itself, consumers resort to makeshift solutions. Consumers shared funny anecdotes with us about their experiences with quick fixes and struggle to find someone reliable, which led us to the ‘jugaad’ idea. It’s a cultural phenomenon but not the best solution to home issues. Obviously our brand represents an antidote to jugaad,” she shares when asked what led them to come up with the concept.

    “Our planning team studied consumer behaviour when enlisting services like plumbing, remodelling kitchens – basically all kinds of home services and the findings were narrowed to the sharpest insights, which had creative potential,” Ghosh adds.

    A pan Indian campaign, to ensure that familiarity with language does not come in the way of enjoyment the jingle, is sung in multiple languages with the top eight metros as the key target markets for the brand.

    The campaign will be visible on television, radio, outdoor and digital as well but with a different approach to the campaign for each medium. “You will experience different kinds of engagement on different mediums. The idea is to leverage the opportunity each medium presents for the anti jugaad thought. So it will not be a cut and paste campaign – it will take on different avatars on different mediums. We are using several platforms on digital,” points out Ghosh.

    While taking the 360 degree route, the agency has innovative marketing plans to take the campaign forward. “Firstly, we wanted to make sure enough number of people viewed the ninety second video. So we released it on digital a week ahead of television. Fifty per cent of the audience, around 30 million in the top eight metros should get to see the ad at least thrice. On television, we are re-marketing. So those who do not view the ad on TV will be targeted on digital. We are using audio beacon technology,” she explains the strategy in detail hinting that the agency has very strong digital plans to make sure the brand statement penetrates the target market.

    Not to mention, the brand is also putting in a considerable chunk of its marketing spends on the campaign. “Our audience is using technology to empower themselves, they are seeking new information and solutions online. Therefore we have a very heavy digital plan. Native stories, YouTube, Twitter, top apps and Facebook are all being deployed. The campaign will soon break on television and significant investment will be made,” Ghosh adds.

    “In the cities where radio as a medium is popular, we are augmenting radio reach with digital radio channels like Saavn, Gaana, Hungama,” she informs.

    The video has already garnered three million views each on YouTube and Facebook. The hashtag of the campaign was also trending on various social media platforms. 

    Behind every successful electronic advertisement, there’s a music director and lyricist, who is credited for drawing everyone’s attention at one go. And such is the case with this campaign whose lyrics have been penned by none other than Prasoon Pandey. Moreover, the ad’s soulful and catchy music has been given by music director Dhruv Ghanekar. The lyrics through its simple yet catchy wordings, builds the protagonist in the TVC up to a superman who can find a solution to anything through his clever mettle and yet finds himself at loss when luck averts its eyes from him. 

    The ad resonates well with every guy or girl who has a sense of pride in finding quick solutions, and yet is constantly worried if their fixes will sustain.

  • Adfest 2016: Josy Paul & Ben Welsh named jury presidents for two categories

    Adfest 2016: Josy Paul & Ben Welsh named jury presidents for two categories

    MUMBAI: BBDO India chairman and chief creative officer Josy Paul has been named as the jury president of Adfest 2016’s Media Lotus and Branded Content & Entertainment Lotus.

     

    Additionally, M&C Saatchi creative chairman Ben Welsh has been named as the jury president of Film Lotus and Radio Lotus categories.

     

    Paul said, “It is a huge privilege to be selected to lead this prestigious Jury, working alongside the industry’s most respected and awarded creatives. There are agencies in Asia and the Middle East that are leading the world when it comes to producing brave, impactful media concepts and branded content. I live by the mantra ‘Think like the navy, deliver like pirates,’ which means I’ll be looking for work that is both strategic and powerfully executed. It’s going to be a lot of fun debating the industry’s best ideas.”

     

    “Josy has led the way in India as a creative professional who is determined to make the world a better place through impactful branded content and creativity. It will be an honour to welcome him to Thailand in March,” added Adfest president Jimmy Lam.

     

    Welsh said, “I am really excited about being part of Adfest again, it’s actually my favourite creative festival. I’ve judged Cannes, D&AD, London International Awards and more but there’s something unique about Adfest. As jury president, I’m really looking forward to discovering what this region is capable of producing.”

     

    Lam added, “Ben has one of the sharpest creative minds in the industry, which makes him perfect to lead next year’s Film Lotus and Radio Lotus categories. It’s been several years since Ben last joined Adfest’s jury panel, and we look forward to welcoming him back to Thailand in March.”

     

    Adfest 2016 runs from 16 – 19 March at the Royal Cliff Hotels Group in Pattaya, Thailand.

  • Courtside to invest $35 million for sports focuses start-ups; gets WPP backing

    Courtside to invest $35 million for sports focuses start-ups; gets WPP backing

    MUMBAI: WPP has lent its backing to Courtside Ventures – an investment fund, which will help finance technology and media start-ups with a focus on sports. 

     

    The fund will invest $35 million to support innovative technology disrupters across sports and media that have the potential for broader applicability across other markets. 

     

    Bruin Sports Capital, the media, sports, marketing and branded lifestyle venture launched in 2015 by George Pyne inked a strategic partnership with Courtside Ventures. Along with WPP, the venture is backed by anchor investor Quicken Loans founder and chairman and majority owner of the NBA’s Cleveland Cavaliers Dan Gilbert.

     

    Courtside Ventures will leverage the expertise of its experienced team of sports, digital and marketing executives: Pyne, who will serve as non-executive chairman, is founder and CEO of Bruin Sports Capital, whose firm’s operational experience and 25 year track record of building successful platform businesses across multiple industries will provide Courtside Ventures with unique knowledge and connections in the sports industry. 

     

    Gilbert will lend his insight as an internationally recognised entrepreneur and investor in today’s leading digital and technology start-up companies. These experiences, combined with WPP’s collective worldwide network and global reach across industries will allow Courtside Ventures to establish steady access to innovative deals and a long term source of capital from a diversified and experienced group of investors to accelerate, expand and amplify Courtside’s investments.

     

    Its partners will include Interplay Ventures venture partner and NYVC Sports co-founder Deepen Parikh, Krossover founder and CEO Vasu Kulkarni, and Brian Hermelin, managing partner and co-founder of Rockbridge Growth Equity and Detroit Venture Partners, two investment arms within Gilbert’s portfolio of companies. 

     

    Courtside Ventures’ Advisory Board will include long-time sports media entrepreneur Bedrocket Media Ventures founder and CEO Brian Bedol, and veteran sports media executive and Sports Media Advisors founder & CEO and former head of the media divisions at IMG and the National Hockey League Doug Perlman. The company will have operations in Detroit and New York City. 

     

    “This powerful partnership’s unparalleled pedigree in sports, marketing, and technology enables Bruin Sports Capital to be at the forefront of digital innovation. Courtside Ventures is well positioned to recognize and take advantage of the important role sports plays within the changing dynamics of today’s media landscape,” said Pyne

     

    “The fact that yet another venture capital firm will be operating in Detroit is more evidence that the city is becoming one of the most innovative and exciting entrepreneurial places in the country. The intersection of sports and technology will be located in downtown Detroit,” added Gilbert. “Courtside Ventures will enable entrepreneurs to harness the power and appeal of sports while creating significant value for fans and investors.”

     

    “Sports remains a fundamental interest for our clients, the media and our people. So, we are delighted to participate in Courtside, particularly with Dan Gilbert and George Pyne. The icing on the cake is the Detroit location, home of our largest client, Ford,” said WPP founder and CEO Martin Sorrell. 

     

    It may be recalled that last year, WPP launched ESP Properties, a commercial and creative advisor to sports and entertainment rights holders.

     

    WPP already works with a large number of premium sports organizations and properties across its operating companies, including the IOC, FIFA, UEFA, Premier League, La Liga, F1, Manchester United, City Football Group, NASCAR, NBA, PAC-12, the NFL and retired Brazilian football legends Ronaldo, via a partnership in 9ineSports & Entertainment and Pelé, via a partnership between GroupM and Legends 10, the exclusive global agent to Pelé. This new investment in Courtside Ventures will allow WPP to widen and deepen those relationships on behalf of its clients.

     

    With Courtside, Bruin Sports Capital participated in a second successful fund raise since last year, and this latest major deal allows Bruin to continue diversifying and expanding its portfolio of platform businesses. In 2015, Bruin acquired experiential marketing agency Engine Shop, and On Location Experiences, which recently acquired Jon Bon Jovi’s Runaway Tours, launching Bruin’s presence into the global sports and entertainment hospitality industry. 

  • Nike president & CEO Mark G. Parker joins Walt Disney board

    Nike president & CEO Mark G. Parker joins Walt Disney board

    MUMBAI: The Walt Disney Company Board of Directors has elected Nike, Inc. president and CEO Mark G. Parker as a director, effective immediately.

     

    “As CEO of Nike, Mark is widely recognised for driving the stellar growth of an industry-leading brand. His keen insight into consumers and his broad experience in international markets make him a great fit for the Disney Board,” said Disney chairman and CEO Robert A. Iger.

     

    “I’m honored to be named a director of Disney. For decades, Disney has delivered truly elevated consumer experiences globally, inspiring generations with creativity and vision. I look forward to working with this team as the company continues to set its sights on the future,” Parker added.

     

    Parker will stand for election along with the company’s other directors at Disney’s annual meeting on 3 March in Chicago. Parker’s appointment brings total membership on the Disney Board to 12.

     

    Parker has served as CEO and president of Nike since January 2006. He joined Nike as one of the company’s first footwear designers in 1979 and during his 37-year tenure he has been at the center of innovation, bringing pioneering concepts and engineering expertise to vital roles such as vice president of consumer product marketing, vice president of global footwear and co-president of the Nike Brand. He has led the way for Nike Air and a multitude of industry-breakthroughs in product design. In addition to helping lead the continued growth of the Nike brand, Parker is responsible for the growth of the company’s global business portfolio, which includes Converse Inc. and Hurley International LLC.