Category: Press Release

Contemporary-chic lifestyle brand “India Circus” opens 1st store in Kolkata

National: The launch party of India Circus by Krsnaa Mehta, a Godrej Venture was hosted last evening by Mr. Swarup Dutta, in the presence of Mr. Krsnaa Mehta, Founder & Executive Director, India Circus, a Godrej Venture. Through the outstanding success of this high-octane evening, India Circus reaffirmed its supremacy in the fast fashion home décor space.

India Circus brings to the city a wonderful collection of eccentric accessories, wall art, home décor, fashion products, and utilities. Launched in 2012, India Circus is already a success story as an established brand creating contemporary-chic, sophisticated, and affordable styles for various areas of life. With an All-Indian palette, they draw inspiration from the Mughal Royalty as well as road-side chaiwala. The brand seeks to curate the essence of life in India and transcribe this loud and colourful experience into sophistication. From luminescent lamps to totes a la mode, they have a lot to offer for various facets of living! The vibrant colours combined with the rich heritage makes each piece created at India Circus distinctive and exclusive.

Speaking on the occasion, Krsnaa Mehta, Founder & Executive Director, India Circus, a Godrej Venture, said, “Kolkata has been one of favourite markets online and we are extremely delighted to open our 4th store in the City of Joy. We hope we continue to receive the love offline as people can experience us at our store in Forum Courtyard, Elgin Road.”

Anil Mathur, Chief Operating Officer, Godrej Interio, said, “India Circus is a real promising brand and we are investing heavily in making it a total success pan-India. The Kolkata store launch is in line with our expansion plan of Omni-channel presence. We look forward to being present in as many cities as possible by the end of 2019.”

In addition to the stunning home accessories, the audience was especially appreciative of the blissful contemporary feel that was created with live singer Michelle Manuel and her band. In a bid to cater to the evolved palette of today, the spread featured lip-smacking delicacies by Biscotti. Not only was it an absolute delight to savour the dishes, but it also proved to be a perfect platform for the who’s who of the city to interact with each other. The residents of Kolkata seem ready to refurbish the looks of their living room with exquisite accessories from India Circus.

The benevolent and gracious host of the evening Mr. Swarup Dutta added, “India Circus is the first lifestyle brand that has made kitsch a fashion statement. India Circus has almost become a cult brand! It’s eccentric but chic! I am a big fan of Krsnaa’s work! We have seen his fabulous artworks at a city hotel themed around Kolkata. I think Kolkata homes are ready for a bit of madness in their homes!”

“I’m very proud of the team and of this store. India Circus is a fantastic addition to Kolkata’s retail kitty. The brand has a very long and successful journey ahead, and Forum is glad to be a small part of that journey,” joyously added, Mr. Vidyut Saraf, Deputy Managing Director, Forum Group.

August 24, 2019
Special episode of man v/s wild, featuring pm Modi on Netflix

MUMBAI: Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi’s special interaction with celebrity survivalist anchor, Bear Grylls is now streaming exclusively on Netflix across the world. The special edition of Man vs Wild, the global reality TV sensation hosted by Grylls has already broken Super Bowl 53s record of the most trending televised event ever by clocking over 3.6 billion social impressions.

Originally broadcast on Discovery Channel, the show features the Indian Prime Minister walking through the wilderness of the Jim Corbett National Park in the foothills of the Himalayas along with Grylls, while extolling the need for tiger and environmental conservation. The show witnesses Prime Minister Modi in a hitherto-unseen avatar, learning the tricks of survival in the wild from Grylls.

Apart from sharing space in a make-shift raft with Grylls, making a spear and partaking in a hot drink made from curry leaves, Prime Minister Modi also speaks about his time spent in the Himalayas and highlights the rich environmental heritage of India, which needs to be preserved. Prime Minister Modi is only the second world leader to feature in the iconic show, the first being former US president, Barack Obama.

Man v/s Wild is now available on Netflix.

August 23, 2019
Likee creates guinness world record for its Independence Day campaign

MUMBAI: Likee, the pioneering global short video creation platform from Singapore based BIGO Technology has won the Guinness World Record for creating the 'Largest online video album of people waving a flag in India' during its 'No matter where I am, #IAMINDIAN' campaign. More than 1 lac Indians expressed love for the country by waving Indian flag on the platform to celebrate India's 73rd Independence Day. During the campaign, Indians created more than 2.5 lakh videos which garnered more than 225.3 million views. India's international sports sensation Ms. Hima Das also participated in the campaign.

#IAMINDIAN campaign successfully hit the right chord among the Indian youth who leveraged the platform to create unique videos while waving Indian flag to showcase their love for the nation. Interestingly, the campaign was not only limited to Likee platform but the users had taken their Likee flag-waving videos to other social platforms and the hashtag #IAMINDIAN became one of the most trending hashtags among Indians across other social media platforms too. The campaign not only saw participation from residential Indians but from NRI's too.

Mr. Aaron Wei, Vice President, BIGO Technology says "We are excited having created the Guinness World Record, and delighted to receive such an enthusiastic response from Indian Users for our #IAMINDIAN campaign. This recognition confirms that Likee became short-video platform of choice for Indians to express their patriotic enthusiasm." He further added that "During the two years journey, Likee has grown rapidly as one of the most popular apps for young people in India, and this encourages us to create more socially responsible initiatives. #IAMINDIAN is just one of the great and meaningful achievements and there will be more to celebrate in future. We aim to unite more local brands, charities and media to deliver meaningful content to Indian market.”

Likee is a simple to use short video creating & sharing app launched in 2017 in India. The app is widely used by Indians is available in different Indian languages (Hindi, Tamil, Marathi, Telugu, Gujarati, Bengali, Kannada, Malayalam and Punjabi). The app provides the most extensive and innovative tools to users to create dynamic and engaging videos. The features’ list ranges from lip-syncing Music Magic filters, AR effects with 4D magic to a vast library of dynamic stickers. Likee had also launched special stickers and features to sport #IAMINDIAN campaign, which were leveraged by the users extensively to express themselves making Independence Day more special for them.

Likee's constant endeavour is to innovate, both technologically and user engagement wise, to make the platform more valuable for the Indian youth. #IAMINDIAN campaign is one such initiative in which Hima Das also participated and previously on different occasions the mobile app has also associated popular celebrities such as Disha Patni, RJ Naved, Shakti Mohan, Sahil Khan, Mayanti Langer, Zakir Khan, and more. The mobile app continues to be a popular app in India and future Likee aims to contribute to the Indian market in more than one way.

August 23, 2019
Witness the women in music dominate the 2019 Video Music Awards, exclusively on Vh1

MUMBAI: The 2019 Video Music Awards couldn’t get bigger, as Ariana Grande and Taylor Swift vie for the prestigious ‘Moon Person’ statue with nods in 10 categories each, Jonas Brothers make a grand return to the VMA stage, a sparkling stage debut of sensational Camila Cabello and Missy Elliott receiving this year’s coveted Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award.Viewers in India can catch all this excitement, drama and thrill as it happens at the Prudential Center in New Jersey on Tuesday August 27, starting with the Red Carpet at 5:30am, leading to the main event at 6:30am, and repeat telecast at 8pm, exclusively on Vh1.

Bringing the biggest and best international music and award events to Indian viewers, Hashim Dsouza – Head of Programming, English Entertainment, Viacom18, said, “Vh1 is the only channel on Indian television that houses and showcases such an extensive and unrivaled list of awards, events and music launches. The 2019 Video Music Awards is one of the biggest and most envied awards nights with the who’s who of music industry attending and performing. Along with the introduction of new categories – ‘Best K-Pop’ and ‘Video For Good’; the competition for the Moon Person trophies gets even more fierce with Ariana Grande, Taylor Swift, Lil Nas X, 21 Savage, Billie Eilish and Jonas Brothers competing in the ‘Video of the Year’ category. But making this year’s event unmissable are performances by Taylor Swift, Jonas Brothers,Camila Cabello along with Shawn Mendes, Bad Bunny, J Balvin, Lil Nas X, Lizzo, Rosalía, and winner of 7 Moon Person trophies& newly inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame –Missy Elliott, who will also be honored with the 2019 VMA Video Vanguard.”

The 2019 Video Music Awards will be historical as it will introduce its first ever Fashion Trailblazer Award that will be received by none other than Marc Jacobs. With a legacy that spans over three decades, Jacobs is a revered figure in fashion and music; his stunning designs sported by famous artists such as Lady Gaga and Rita Ora had set the red carpet ablazein previous editions of the awards. While ‘Thank You, Next’ director Hannah Lux Davis received eight nods, the most for any director this year; Camila Cabello is nominated alongside Shawn Mendes in four categories, including Best Collaboration for their song – Señorita. And Missy Elliottjoins the ranks of fellow icons like Beyoncé, Janet Jackson, Madonna, and last year's recipient, Jennifer Lopez, with the prestigious prize of VMA Video Vanguard, which honors an artist's remarkable body of work.

August 23, 2019
Spotify’s Sunte Ja hits the high note with Indian consumers

MUMBAI: Spotify India’s first multi-lingual national TV-led campaign ‘Sunte Ja’ has struck a chord with consumers in the country with its strategic media mix of TV, OOH and Digital. This campaign follows Spotify’s first geo-localised and hyper-contextualised marketing campaign ‘There’s A Playlist For That’. Featuring Bollywood actors Anil Kapoor and Ishaan Khattar, the current campaign is built on the insight that music is in the social fabric of all we do – right from daily experiences to special moments.

The campaign’s creative digital activations generated 3 billion impressions, and digital amplification of the TVC and native films have garnered 350+ million views since its launch.

As a part of the campaign, a total of 4 TVCs in Hindi, Telugu, and Marathi, aired across 75+ GEC, movies and English cluster channels, as well as a few regional ones.

To get people talking (and streaming) even more, Spotify launched an artist-led OOH campaign where names of popular tracks were synchronised to create quirky one liners that appeal to the audience’s emotions and sentiments. The 100+ OOH billboards also featured artists who sang those tracks, including Amit Trivedi, Badshah, Armaan Malik, Diljit Dosanjh, Vishal & Shekhar, Sunidhi Chauhan, Nucleya, Shanker Ehsan Loy, Salim Sulaiman, Jonita Gandhi, Justin Bieber, Taylor Swift, Kate Perry, Alan Walker and Shawn Mendes. Recognising key factors such as visibility, a larger creative canvas, being less intrusive, and an effective capture of off-screen time, Spotify used OOH as a pivotal media for ATL communication as part of its larger media strategy across metros and regional markets.

In addition to TV, the ‘Sunte Ja’ campaign also leveraged digital channels to integrate Spotify’s value proposition of its wide music library, on social media. Spotify took Antakshari, a game so culturally ingrained in India and gave it a modern-day twist, garnering 8100 engagements and reaching 4.1 million people. Spotify also released six digital films – Chill Karo, Bae, Calm Down, Happy To Be Home, Bollywood Mush and Focus Now – that visually represent everyday millennial struggles and music as the background score in those situations. Viewed over 3.5 million times, the films resonated well with the audience.

The TV ads were also amplified across digital platforms – Slow Breakfast, What’s in the Age, What’s the score? and ‘K’ Pops, which highlighted that users have access to the latest music and uninterrupted background play. In fact, K-Pops, a film created for India’s K-Pop community used ‘Boy with Luv’ by BTS as the soundtrack, led to unprecedented engagement. #AnilKapoor trended in India for his “cool dad” role in the film, resulting in the BTS Army accepting him as one of their own. The film crossed over 1 million views on social media in just 12 hours and received 63k engagements– comparable to Bollywood film trailers in the same time period.

August 23, 2019
Ballers starring Dwayne Johnson returns with Season 5 on Hotstar Premium

MUMBAI: After a successful four season run, Comedy series Ballers returns with its fifth season! Starring Dwayne Johnson (Spenser Strasmore) and Created by Stephen Levinson, Ballers explores the glamorous and often cutthroat world of pro football through a group of past and present players striving to stay in the game.

This season finds Spencer (Dwayne Johnson) settling into retirement and reflecting on his past, when an offer that’s too good to refuse comes his way and sends him back into the lion’s den, this time as a team owner. In the wake of his split with Spencer, an ambitious Joe (Rob Corddry) gambles aggressively to make Sports X greater than ever with the help of his new partner, Lance (Russell Brand).

Cast: Dwayne Johnson, Rob Corddry, John David Washington, Omar Miller, Russel Brand

August 23, 2019
Paytm Wins BCCI Title Sponsorship Second Time in A Row, with able facilitation by Wavemaker & ESP Properties

Mumbai: Wavemaker and ESP Properties, GroupM’s sports and entertainment marketing agency, has collaborated and facilitated the renewal of the partnership between Paytm and BCCI for the title sponsorship rights for BCCI’s International and Domestic cricket matches at home from 1st September 2019 to 31st March 2023. Paytm first bagged the title sponsorship rights in 2015.

Earlier this month BCCI invited online bids for the title sponsorship rights for the BCCI organised domestic and international cricket matches. BCCI confirmed that Paytm will be the title sponsor of all domestic series/events organised, managed and administered by BCCI and played in India, between 1st September 2019 and 31st March 2023.

Jaskaran Singh Kapany, Head- Marketing, Paytm said, “We decided very early in our journey to partner with India Cricket. Over the last few years, our association with the sport has given us a huge platform to be visible in front of half a billion Indian cricket fans. This has helped the brand immensely at various levels to build long term salience & stature. Paytm is a brand for the masses and continuing as the Title Sponsor of Cricket in India will help us bolster Paytm’s leadership position in the minds of millions of consumers, on the back of the most popular sport in the country.”

Kartik Sharma, CEO, Wavemaker – South Asia added, “Partnering with ESP properties to help Paytm win BCCI title sponsorship rights for the second time in a row is a huge feat for all of us. It is our constant endeavour to offer best platforms to all our partners and help them grow along the journey.”

Vinit Karnik, Business Head, ESP Properties, GroupM India said, “Paytm over the last four years has demonstrated its faith and commitment towards Indian Cricket. They understand & appreciate the potential of the game very well. Paytm & BCCI continuing their existing relationship will be huge win for both. The following that cricket gets in the sub-continent is at times more than any other sporting event across the planet and Paytm can continue to benefit from this.”

“Earlier this year in ESP’s annual trends report we predicted that cricket would dominate the media and mind measure in 2019 and with such start to the new cricketing season we believe that this will only grow and improve over the next few months and years to come,” Vinit added.

August 23, 2019
Consumer Confidence of Indians ebbs in August 2019: Thomson Reuters-Ipsos PCSI

MUMBAI: Consumer Confidence of Indians has dropped by 3.1 percentage points in August 2019, according to the latest India Primary Consumer Sentiment Index (PCSI),as measured by Thomson Reuters in partnership with Ipsos. This downward slide in PCSI has been continuous since May 2019, barring a marginal (0.6 percentage point) improvement in July 2019.

Notably, mood is downbeat across all parameters of PCSI which is driven by the aggregation of the four, weighted, sub-indices: the PCSI Employment Confidence (“Jobs”) Sub-Indexis down by 1.7 percentagepoints; the PCSI Economic Expectations (“Expectations”) Sub Index, has fallen by 3.0percentage points; the PCSI Investment Climate (“Investment”) Sub-Index has tumbled by 4.1percentage points; and the PCSI Current Personal Financial Conditions (“Current Conditions”) Sub-Index has declined by 3.7 percentage points over last month.

“Urban Indians are feeling less confident about the economy and jobs and further, there is bit of a tightening in personal spending and investments for the future; macro-economic factors (both, global and local) are definitely impacting the mood, making the indicators drop, month on month,” says Parijat Chakraborty, Country Service Line Leader, Public Affairs& Corporate Reputation, Ipsos India.

India PCSI 2013-2019 Trend

These are findings of an Ipsos online poll conducted July 26, 2019 – August 9, 2019. For this survey, a sample of 500 adults from Ipsos' India online panel aged 16-64 years was interviewed online. As this is an online poll in India, representative of the online community in the country, it is not reflective of the general population; however, the online sample is particularly valuable in its own right as the respondents are more urban, educated and have more income than their fellow citizens and often referred to as “Upper Deck Consumer Citizens” or Primary Consumers. The precision of the Thomson Reuters/Ipsos online polls is measured using a Bayesian Credibility Interval. In his case, the poll has a credibility interval of plus or minus 5.0 percentage points for all adults. For more information on the Bayesian Credibility Interval please see http://www.ipsos-na.com/news-polls/pressrelease.aspx?id=5836

The Thomson Reuters/Ipsos India Primary Consumer Sentiment Index (PCSI), ongoing since 2010, is a monthly national survey of consumer attitudes on the current and future state of local economies, personal finance situations, savings and confidence to make large investments. The Index is composed of four sub-indices: Current Conditions Index; Expectations Index; Investment Index; and, Jobs Index.

August 22, 2019
Perfetti Van Melle India expands Center fresh brand portfolio with launch of Center fresh 3 Layer Gum

MUMBAI: In 2019, Center fresh – the iconic chewing gum brand from Perfetti Van Melle, celebrates its 25th anniversary in India. And in this milestone year, the brand has launched a new innovative product – Center fresh 3 Layer gum.

The product is a unique combination of fondant with special cooling ingredients sandwiched between layers of gum and promises “fresh breath that lasts long”. Introduced in a multi pack that has tear-refold packaging, the brand is targeting consumers who have an on-the-go lifestyle and require fresh breath for extended periods. The offering will be available in Peppermint and Strawberry flavours at price of Rs. 5 (pack of 4 gums). The product will also be available in a sugar-free variant priced at Rs 25 (pack of 7 gums) exclusively in Modern Trade stores and e-Commerce sites.

The brand has associated with youth icon and southern movie celebrity – Samantha Akkineni as the brand ambassador and she will be seen in the Center fresh 3-layer gum launch campaign. The launch would be supported through a 360-degree campaign on TV, Digital, and cinema.

Speaking on the new launch, Rajesh Ramakrishnan – Managing Director, Perfetti Van Melle India said, “Center fresh is one of our power brands in India. The brand enjoys immense love and trust with the Indian consumer. We plan to own the “fresh breath confidence” space through multiple product offerings under Center fresh, which are tailored for different consumption occasions.”

Speaking on the new launch, Rohit Kapoor – Director Marketing, Perfetti Van Melle India said, “Fresh Breath is one of the fastest growing need spaces within confectionary today owing to the growing consciousness around the concept and Center fresh is synonymous with fresh breath. With the launch of Center fresh 3-layer gum the brand wants to cater to consumers who are looking for long lasting fresh breath experience, all through the day. Center fresh 3-layer gum offering further strengthens the brand portfolio which has offerings across formats and different fresh breath need states.”

Speaking on the new brand ambassador Samantha, Rohit said “Samantha endorsing the brand has been a natural choice. Her youthful and confident personality deeply resonates with that of the brand and we are sure that with Samantha on-board Center fresh is going to have a strong and loyal consumer connect.”

Commenting on the new offering and partnership, Samantha Akkineni – Brand Ambassador said, “For me, Center fresh represents everything that is youthful, stylish and refreshing. Center fresh 3 Layer gum promises long-lasting fresh breath, which is what everyone of us needs to feel confident all day and the product has already become one of my handbag essentials.”

The launch TVC showcases a familiar setting where one needs long lasting fresh breath to impress someone. The new commercial tells a story of a young guy who meets a girl he likes from the get-go, while travelling in a bus. The guy strikes a conversation with her and impresses

her with his mesmerizing fresh breath, thanks to Center fresh 3 Layer Gum. The duo remain engrossed in the conversation till the bus conductor interrupts them, and they realize they have lost track of time and are the last ones left on the bus. All through the journey the guy impresses the girl with his fresh breath confidence. The TVC also features internet celebrity Ayush Mehra.

Explaining the thought behind the advertising, Anurag Agnihotri (Executive Creative Director), Ogilvy India says "Center fresh 3 Layer Gum offers you fresh breath that lasts long. For a youngster, it means having the fresh breath confidence to carry through long conversations with someone special. We brought this out in a boy-meets-girl story in a bus in which the conversation continues till the end of the journey. It may be the beginning of a romance or it may not lead anywhere, but it leaves you with a good feeling. That’s what we have tried to capture."

August 22, 2019
Emmy nominated series Pose all set to premiere on Star World

MUMBAI: India’s leading English entertainment channel, Star World, is synonymous with the best television content from around the world. Star-studded, critically acclaimed and audience favourite shows with intricate plotlines and an all-around superior viewing experience has consistently been the channel’s bedrock. Now, the channel announces the premiere of not just the Season 1 of Pose but also the Season 2 to keep audiences at the edges of their seat. The Emmy nominated series Pose Season 1, following the next season, premieres on 26th August every Monday to Friday at 9 PM.

The series will be showcased as part of the channel’s special programming offering – S.T.A.G.E – Shows. That. Are. Gonna. Explode which identifies some of the biggest, most celebrated series of the year.

From television’s dream team featuring Ryan Murphy and Brad Phalchuk who have brought to the world audience-favourite shows such as Glee, American Horror Story and American Crime Story, Pose is a drama series set in 1980s New York City that is sure to entertain viewers as much as it will be a rallying cry from the era.

The series explores the Latino LGBTQ, African-American and the ballroom culture scene of the 1980s New York City while following the life of LGBTQ ball fixture Blanca played by MJ Rodriguez establishing a house of her own and making a mark. The cast also features Indya Moore, Billy Porter, Dominique Jackson and Angelica Ross. Angelica Ross, listed as Top 10+ LGBTQ executives by Financial Times in 2018, was also nominated for GLAAD Media Awards 2017.

Marking a big breakthrough for transgender representation on TV with the largest transgender cast ever, this critically acclaimed show garnered highest accolades with a whopping 6 Emmy Award nominations. In addition to several technical categories, the show received a nomination for Outstanding Drama Series and Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for cast member Billy Porter. Overall, the show collected over 9 awards and 31 nominations including the nomination for Golden Globe – Best TV Series 2019 and Golden Globe – Best Performance by an Actor to Billy Porter. Apart from its numerous awards and nominations the show has also been heavily praised by critics as well as audiences.

Well known publications like Variety have praised the show by saying “There’s simply never been a show on TV quite like Pose – a fact that Pose knows, relishes, and celebrates.” Renowned publication New York Times has said that “Pose, demands to be seen”. Guardian describes it as “A show to fall head-over heels in love with”.

All the praises and appreciation that the show has garnered from around the world concludes that Pose is a must watch. Audiences can make their way to the series on Star World, starting 26th August, weekdays at 9 PM!

August 22, 2019