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Tag: Alia Bhatt

  • Festive Sale: Flipkart’s star power vs Amazon’s emotional appeal

    Festive Sale: Flipkart’s star power vs Amazon’s emotional appeal

    NEW DELHI: 2020 has been an exceptional year. After months of stress and self-imposed austerity, the festive season is here – and the people are looking to make the best of circumstances, even in the midst of a pandemic. Amazon and Flipkart, the two biggest e-commerce rivals, are all set to start to kickstart their annual festive season sales.

    Amazon’s Great Indian Festival and Flipkart’s Big Billion Day coincide every year, and both e-tailers go head-to-head to garner attention and achieve the maximum sales. To leverage this golden period of festivities, both brands rely on advertising channels, spending hundreds of crores on marketing, to reach out to the masses. This year too, they have been campaigning extensively on ATL mediums to attract more and more buyers.

    While the strategy of these rivals might differ, their purpose remains the same.

    If we look at the last few years of their marketing strategy, it is evident that Flipkart follows the celebrity-driven approach, whereas Amazon focuses specifically on social media and content generation along with its ATL campaign.

    Flipkart has been popular for its media campaigns like Big Billion Day, Kidults, Ab Mehengaai Giregi, Kidding No Worries, and Shopping ka Naya Address. Amazon, too, has some memorable campaigns to its credit: Aapki Apni Dukaan, Kitne me Mila, Apno ka Saath, and The Great Indian Festival.

    As is customary, Flipkart in 2020 has created a number of video capsules featuring celebrities like Virat Kohli, Alia Bhatt, Deepika Padukone, and Amitabh Bachchan.

    According to angel investor and business strategist Lloyd Mathias, Flipkart believes that celebrities help break the clutter and reach a wider audience for its Big Billion Sale. But Amazon has the advantage of ‘connecting’ with its customers.

    "Amazon has worked at building an emotional bond with Indian consumers with their Aapki Apni Dukaan spot highlighting the ease of shopping through the Amazon App. I think both brands' campaigns have been equally effective, though Amazon’s emotional appeals tend to stick. Also, celebrities used tactically are limiting – until they become part of the story,” said Mathias.

    Amazon this year has tried to align with the Prime Minister’s call for atmanirbharta and come up with the tag lines, 'Made by India Made for India’ in addition to ‘Your trusted store for new beginnings’ and ‘delivering smiles to homes' – all aimed at appealing to Indian families.

    Dentsu India EVP and head- strategy Vishal Nicholas feels that Amazon has ironically been baking an endearing Indian-ness into its positioning, quite consistently at that. “Their strategy seems to be to own cultural truths about India, shopping, and relationships, and most importantly to stay the course on this strategy.”

    Agreeing with this line of thought, 22feet Tribal Worldwide business head – north Vishal Mehra shares, “For Amazon, the problem was to connect with the Indian public-at-large and dispel the notions of a foreign behemoth coming in and taking away all the business. To show a softer and more local side of its personality, the Apni Dukaan campaign was launched and since then they have continued using images of family and are even branching into promoting local kaarigars in their marketing outreach.”

    As for Flipkart, its celeb approach is mainly used to bring aspirational value to product marketing, and it could be more effective. “Flipkart’s spotlight sale items are more around individual needs, whereas Amazon regularly pushes products which also involve family usage,” he explains.

    A few years ago, Flipkart launched a marketing campaign for its fashion segment India ka Fashion Capital comprising different celebrities from Bollywood and TV Industry. The videos were used in GEC channels and digital media platforms to maximize reach.

    Amazon has not opted for the celebrity path yet, and usually tries to have two-way communication with the help of social media – be it contests or shout outs – to keep the consumer engaged. The campaign #ApniDukaan focused on the core proposition of the sale: family buying a lot at lesser prices. Last year, it also came up Amazon Festive Yatra, a house-on-wheels concept that took a multi-city tour, to highlight the e-commerce brand’s offerings, especially the home-based and local products. But will it be viable for Amazon to go the Flipkart route in the future?

    Nicholas claims that theoretically, it is still possible for Amazon to go down the celeb path. “But I see no need for them to do whatsoever. Their strategy is to be seen as an e-retailer who ‘gets’ India. So, if a celeb helps them do that, they could consider an apt celebrity if it furthers their cause disproportionately.”

    Having a line-up of celebs in one campaign can potentially magnify star power like never before but only if they are united by the brand’s promise, purpose, or personality, he opines, adding: “Then the stars appear as a ‘team’ and star power works like a harmony – different instruments but a pleasing melody, else they can turn into a cacophony. Take the case of Mile Sur Mera Tumhara or some Nike all-star ads where the purpose is common – national unity in diversity for the former, whereas it’s winning in the case of Nike.”

    Mehra shares that Amazon’s usage of the Indian family has been very wise and has helped it connect deeply with consumers. “The room for family-led marketing might have been limited with Amazon, but that hasn’t made any less impact on their business performance.”

    Flipkart has been trying to woo customers in rural areas and Tier towns through its own brand of consumer products. The brand is expanding its private-label products in categories such as electronics, furniture, large appliances, and staples. While Amazon is also trying to catch up in small towns, its core strength lies in metro cities.

    According to a research firm Redseer Consulting and Unicommerce, shoppers from rural cities, towns, and regions will be the top contributors to online sales during this year’s festive season.

    Also, due to the pandemic, there has been a change in consumer buying behaviours – people are preferring to shop online frequently instead of stepping out of homes. This phenomenon has led both the companies to focus on all touchpoints of marketing. From TV spots to trending hashtags on Twitter, dropping sneak-peeks for exclusive sale items, and news articles on scoring the best deals – all to generate buzz for what’s shaping up to be an exceptional festive sale in an exceptional year.

  • JSW Paints ropes in Alia Bhatt and Ayushmann Khurrana as brand ambassadors

    JSW Paints ropes in Alia Bhatt and Ayushmann Khurrana as brand ambassadors

    MUMBAI: JSW Paints has signed Bollywood actors Alia Bhatt and Ayushmann Khurrana as its brand ambassadors. The company is set to release its first-ever marketing campaign featuring both these Bollywood actors. The campaign, ‘Har Rang Har Kisi Ka’, celebrates the diverse colours of India and encourages Indians to #EmbraceEveryColour. The integrated marketing campaign will be rolled out across the company’s current markets in the south and west India starting this month and will be aired during IPL. It also features strong on-ground connections with consumers, channel partners, and influencers.

    This campaign brings to life JSW Paints’ unique positioning of ‘Think Beautiful’. For years, paint companies in India have been charging varied prices for different colours. This makes certain colours inaccessible to the masses. JSW Paints’ ‘Any Colour One Price' proposition that offers 1808 colours at the same price is an industry-first offering that has disrupted the entire paints market. This unique proposition will help restore the consumer’s freedom of choice in colour.

    JSW Paints MD Parth Jindal said, “At JSW Paints, we believe that being thoughtful is beautiful and our #EmbraceEveryColour campaign embodies this spirit. Our new campaign showcases India we all grew up in and live in today; a land resplendent with a multitude of colours. From the food we eat to the festivals we celebrate, to the clothes we wear, it is these very colours that make everything Indian, so beautiful. Making colours accessible to all through our “Any Colour One Price” approach is our tribute to every Indian’s love for colour. In order to take this campaign to an India that is getting younger and better every day, we wanted thoughtful ambassadors and believe that Alia Bhatt and Ayushmann Khurrana are perfectly placed to take our message of unity and togetherness forward.”

    Bollywood actor Alia Bhatt said, “I am delighted to be associated with JSW Paints and absolutely love the thought behind the #EmbraceEveryColour campaign as it highlights the underlying message of India’s unity in diversity. I always gravitate towards cinema that has at its core an inspiring and thoughtful message for the viewers and that also reflects in the kind of work I have done. I see these values mirrored in the way JSW Paints operates its business. I look forward to a long-term association with the brand.”   

    Bollywood star Ayushmann Khurrana added, “I am really happy to be part of the JSW Paints family. The core of the new campaign speaks to my heart as I passionately believe in the underlying theme of #EmbraceEveryColour, which is all about unity and inclusivity. It is a beautiful concept and I am glad to be part of this. I look forward to an interesting journey with the brand ahead.”

    JSW Paints was launched in early 2019 as a greenfield venture-backed by cutting-edge technology, automation and scale that is comparable to leading players in the sector. The company manufactures and markets both industrial coatings and decorative paints wherein it offers a range of family-friendly water-based paints for interior and exterior walls, wood and metal surfaces in Homes. The company’s biggest value proposition is its effort to usher transparency in pricing through 'Any Colour One Price' that enables consumers to choose colours confidently for their homes.

    JSW Paints Joint MD &  CEO  A S Sundaresan said, “Colour is what consumers most want from paints. This is the reason we have put colours at the heart of our maiden campaign and our brand Ambassadors Alia and Ayushmann have given it a beautiful soul. We are celebrating a unified India’s diverse colours with our  ‘Any Colour One Price’ strategy, the first and only paint company to do this, offering consumers complete freedom to choose any colour. Our family-friendly only water-based paints range is focused on creating the most satisfying experiences for customers. We are sure that the #EmbraceEveryColour campaign will be liked by our consumers across the country.”

    Nitesh Tiwari, who directed the TVC film said, “This film has a very pertinent message in today's India. It appeals to the young and modern India that stands for what they believe in, and Alia and Ayushmann have done a marvellous job portraying the characters that manifest this message. I am glad to have been part of JSW Paints' journey of thoughtfulness.”

    Meanwhile, TBWAIndia CEO Govind Pandey said “Colours have a special significance in India. It is a country of rich diversity that is celebrated by the language of a million colours. But over time, we have attached parochial meaning to these colours, putting them into the boxes of caste, creed, gender and emotion. This campaign aims to liberate colours from the narrow boxes that society has built around them. It tells the story of an India where all colours are meant for everyone. And what better duo than Alia Bhatt and Ayushmann Khurrana to carry this thoughtful message.”

    TBWAIndia Managing Partner (Creative) Parixit Bhattacharya said, “True beauty lies in the way we look at the world. This campaign makes the painting experience more than just about adding colors to homes. It’s about being able to embrace every colour by looking beyond labels. It puts an end to the divide and makes colours truly for all, one wall at a time.”

  • How brands position and compete during Covid2019

    How brands position and compete during Covid2019

    The world has come to a literal standstill in the wake of the deadly Covid-2019 pandemic. It wouldn’t be wrong to say that all of us are in the midst of an unprecedented crisis. Even the marketing and communications industry is seeing a downward trajectory, with most companies struggling to stay afloat and keep themselves relevant in times like these. 

    A lot of challenges await brands as they look to maintain their presence among consumers during the lockdown. Market sentiments have hit the purchasing capacity of consumers, both in terms of behavioural and economic approach. It won't be too early to say that humans have adopted 'social distancing' as their way of life, and have begun to understand the difference between ‘needs’ and ‘wants’.

    Amidst all of this, how can a brand gain attention of existing and potential consumers? How does it ensure that its voice is heard? The answer lies in humour, banters with other brands, and showing empathy; at least these options have found some amount of success with a lot of brands that have been trying out these cool new initiatives. 

    And this is also backed by data. According to a Barometer India study by Kantar conducted from 19-22 March, 28 per cent of their respondents are still keen to observe their brands’ creativity in sharing trusted information with the audience. Also, the study has suggested that 79 per cent of the consumers want to experience how helpful brands can be in a new world post Covid-2019, in their everyday lives. This clearly shows that consumers are going to be way more alert and intuitive before building their loyalty towards any particular brand.

    The aviation industry has generally been a big trendsetter in this aspect. A few days ago, Indigo poked some harmless fun at Vistara with a quirky tweet stating 'not flying higher these days we heard?' with the hashtag #StayingParkedStayingSafe. Other Indian airlines were quick to join the conversation with their own witty comebacks, with Delhi Airport finally rounding up the conversation with a hopeful-for-the-future kind of tweet. With no certainty of any of these brands being back to business soon, they not only conveyed the importance of staying home, but also kept themselves relevant in the audience’s mind through a unique take on the current situation. 

    A similar kind of attempt was made by the Mumbai Police to educate netizens to stay home by quoting some of Alia Bhatt’s hit movies.

    This allowed netizens to participate in conversations, and also gave a big boost to the Mumbai Police’s initiative of taking creative routes to impart education about staying home. 

    The radio industry isn’t staying far behind either. Radio has emerged as one of the most credible sources of information during lockdown with credibility score of 6.27. According to AZ Research PPL, 82 per cent of the masses have been relying on radio for gaining access to authentic pieces of information. Radio brands have kept aside their rivalry and joined hands to keep the brand relevant in their own creative ways.

    It all started when Fever FM tagged Radio Mirchi and subtly poked them, asking if they are still happy as Radio Mirchi, playing on the tagline – "Mirchi Sunne wale always khush." Ishq FM and Radio Nasha soon joined this online conversation.

    It is intriguing how brand communications are adapting to evolving consumer sentiment in a short span of time. It’s like the pandemic imparted a whole new perspective to their approach. Whether it is to poke fun, or to show empathy, brands are now connecting more with competitors, without caring too much about fighting for audience mind space. 

    Even influencers have taken up the mantle to educate while staying relevant to their audience on social media. With Covid-2019 bringing all sporting events to a halt, sports personalities like Usain Bolt have also engaged in some fun, albeit educative conversations. He used the iconic picture from his 100m race win at 2008 Olympics to advocate social distancing, while also subtly poking fun at his competitors by showcasing how he had outpaced all of them.

    Once all of this is over, it will be interesting to see how brands approach their communication strategies. Will they continue to remain as empathetic to competition, and creative in their approach to communication? Will we see an innovative and collaborative approach to keep their ‘reborn’ consumers engaged? Only time will give us answers to all these questions.

    (The author is a communication specialist. The views expressed are personal and Indiantelevision.com may not subscribe to them)

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  • Sony Pictures Network premieres film promoting positivity amid COVID-19 pandemic

    Sony Pictures Network premieres film promoting positivity amid COVID-19 pandemic

    MUMBAI: 'Stay at home’, ‘stay safe’, ‘wash your hands’, ‘work from home’, ‘maintain social distancing’ are the statements that one hears these days. In these tough circumstances, stalwarts of the Indian film industry have come together with a unique short film, Family, to spread the message that social distancing and staying-at-home can be made more productive.

    The stalwarts who have come together for the short film are: Amitabh Bachchan, Rajnikanth, Ranbir Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra, Alia Bhatt, Chiranjeevi, Mohanlal, Mammootty, Sonali Kulkarni, Shiva Rajkumar, Prosenjit Chatterjee and Diljit Dosanjh

    Conceptualised and directed by Prasoon Pandey in collaboration with Bachchan, the film shows that staying at home, staying safe, maintaining hygiene, working from home and maintaining social distancing can be productive and should be taken in one’s stride.

    The premiere of this film will be simulcast across all channels of Sony Pictures Network on Monday, 6 April. Through this film, Bachchan will also unveil an initiative that supports the sustenance of daily wage workers associated with the entertainment industry.

    While most of us continue to work from home, it’s the daily wage workers who have borne the brunt and are suffering the most. Given the unprecedented nature of the situation, an initiative undertaken by Bachchan, ‘WE ARE ONE’, has been supported by Sony Pictures Networks India and Kalyan Jewellers, through which a monthly ration to 100,000 households across the country will be given.

    Through a commercial tie-up with a leading chain of hypermarkets and grocery stores in India, digitally barcoded coupons have been distributed to a verified list of workers from the All India Film Employees Confederation. Furthermore, monetary help has also been extended to those in need.

  • PhonePe launches “Karte Ja. Badhte Ja.” with Aamir Khan and Alia Bhatt

    PhonePe launches “Karte Ja. Badhte Ja.” with Aamir Khan and Alia Bhatt

    MUMBAI: PhonePe, India’s leading digital payments platform today announced the launch of its new brand campaign “Karte Ja. Badhte Ja.” featuring Bollywood superstars Aamir Khan and Alia Bhatt.  PhonePe is also the official co-presenting sponsor for the television broadcast of VIVO IPL 2020, and will be launching a series of TV ads during this IPL season. The five-week brand campaign is centered around PhonePe’s new Tagline “Karte Ja. Badhte Ja.” and reflects the role played by the company in India’s progress by catering to the varied aspirations and needs of its 20 crore users across the country. The campaign showcases fast transactions, convenient payment modes, simpler investment options, the Switch platform providing one-click access to over 100+ apps and PhonePe’s wide acceptance at over 10 million offline shops.  

    Commenting on the announcement, PhonePe founder and CEO Sameer Nigam said, “From small villages to busy metros, Indians are striving to progress and prosper. We see our platform as a trusted partner to those billion aspirations, bridging the digital divide and empowering Indians to transact conveniently and securely and aspire to do more and move ahead in life, one transaction at a time. Our vision is to liberate the flow of money and services so that everyone can unlock opportunities to progress at pace. Crafted with this belief, our new brand campaign is a reflection of everyday stories of progress with PhonePe. We are also excited to have Aamir Khan and Alia Bhatt as the face of our brand as they are a powerhouse of talent and appeal to Indians across the country. They are both inspiring and bold and personify values like integrity and trust that strongly resonate with the PhonePe brand.”   

    Speaking on his continued association with PhonePe, Aamir Khan said, “PhonePe continues to innovate, grow and make digital payments and services safe and easy for millions of Indians. I am delighted to be a part of their amazing journey”

    PhonePe is also the official broadcast sponsor of VIVO IPL 2020. This is the second year in a row when the company has partnered with VIVO IPL which continues to be the biggest sporting event of the year in India. 

    The current brand campaign will feature four TV commercials with Aamir and Alia, which will be spread across digital platforms, radio, print and cinema. 

  • Myntra launches Masterclasses with celebrity stylists for ‘Myntra Insiders’- members of its loyalty program

    Myntra launches Masterclasses with celebrity stylists for ‘Myntra Insiders’- members of its loyalty program

    Bengaluru : Myntra announces the launch of Celebrity Masterclasses, creating a one of a kind opportunity for its customers to get fashion tips from leading stylists from Bollywood. ‘Myntra Insiders’, members of Myntra’s loyalty program, will have the unique opportunity of learning the latest trends and styles, first hand, from the very stylists who style leading celebrities such as Shah Rukh Khan, Virat Kohli, Alia Bhatt, Deepika Padukone, Kareena Kapoor, Karan Johar, Kartik Aaryan, Kriti Sanon, Arjun Kapoor, Siddhant Chaturvedi, Siddharth Malhotra, Varun Dhawan, Mahesh Babu, Saif Ali Khan and Akshay Kumar among others.

    Launched in September 2018, ‘Myntra Insiders’ is a unique loyalty program that offers a comprehensive package of tiered benefits and privileges for customers as they engage and spend more with Myntra. The core benefits of the program are Fashion advice, VIP access and Extra savings. The program offers its m embers, experiences such as sessions by stylists, opportunities to get featured on the Myntra platform and co-create designs and styles for Myntra. In addition to this, VIP access allows Insiders, early access to all Myntra sale events, exclusive access to limited edition launches and collections, while vouchers, coupons and a host of partner offers are some of the standard benefits.

    For the first phase of the Masterclasses, Myntra has partnered with 10 leading Bollywood stylists, including Tanya Ghavri, Nandita Mahtani, Esha Amin, Shaleena Nathani, Ami Patel, Sanjay Kumar, Mohit Rai, Nikita Jaisinghani, Aastha Sharma and Amandeep Kaur, to offer 20 minute sessions for Insiders. The topics will range from Wedding Time Fashion, Party Fashion, Street Fashion, Ethnic Fashion, Work Wear, Retro Wear, and Vacation Wear, among others. Myntra Insiders will be able to access these classes by redeeming points collected by them, through purchases or other activities.

    The digital Masterclasses will be offered through a web cast on the Myntra app, allowing viewers to interact with the stylists’ team for advice on fashion, in real time.  The Masterclasses will have built in shoppable features enabling customers to save the looks from the videos to their wishlist directly while viewing the content. The technology for the concept has been developed in-house by Myntra, with the videos shot in portrait mode, which is the first of its kind, optimized for viewing on mobiles.

    Speaking on the occasion, Harish Narayanan, Head of Marketing, Myntra, said, “Fashion is all about discovery and expression, we want to engage our customers more and increase time spent on the platform by helping them with their fashion discovery journey. We want to do this by investing heavily in a video content-led approach, starting with our celebrity stylist led Masterclasses. This offers our loyal customers an unparalleled experience of hearing directly from the best in the industry and also interact with them by asking questions. The classes are in line with our philosophy of helping our customers ‘style up, move up’, by being their fashion expert and rewarding our loyal customers with a superior experience.”

    The platform will stream three Masterclasses every day and the first session is slated to go live on January 29, 2020, where Tanya Ghavri will be taking her audience through a session on ‘Wedding Time Fashion’. Bollywood actor Sonakshi Sinha is featured in the campaign promoting the launch of Myntra Insider Masterclass.

  • MakeMyTrip launches new campaign with its brand ambassadors Alia & Ranveer

    MakeMyTrip launches new campaign with its brand ambassadors Alia & Ranveer

    MUMBAI: MakeMyTrip, India’s leading online travel company has launched a new campaign, with its brand ambassadors – Ranveer Singh and Alia Bhatt, to encourage Indian travellers to choose and book from a wide range of alternative accommodations including Villas, Apartments, Homestays, Hostels, Cottages, Farm stays and more through its app and website. Targeted at aspirational Indian traveller, the campaign spotlights the salient benefits of Alternative Accommodations, in a fun and light-hearted manner through its brand ambassadors Alia Bhatt and Ranveer Singh.

    The multi-platform campaign underlines how alternative accommodation options on MakeMyTrip will cater to varied travel interests and needs. From offering privacy to couples, value for money and sense of freedom to a group of friends, access to a private kitchen to a family with kids, the segment provides options to all travel cohorts to get an accommodation that aptly fits their needs.

    Sharing his thoughts on the new campaign, MakeMyTrip Group Chief Marketing Officer Sunil Suresh said, “A stay that suits your needs perfectly doesn’t just elevate your experience but is also a travel delight like no other. With over 1,70,000 choices of apartments, villas, hostels and homestays on our platform, everyone is sure to find a place that's just their kind of stay. It is this aspect of travel that we have brought alive through our campaign on alternative accommodations. We have expanded the accommodation choices to fit everyone’s travel needs. We are confident that the campaign will attract a large number of travelers to try these diverse stay options through our platform.”

    As part of the television commercial, Alia will be seen in a quirky avatar, advising Ranveer ‘not to worry about space constraints as the booked Villa or Apartment will have enough room for everyone’. First in the series, the two commercials targeted at ‘Group of friends’ and ‘large family’ – successfully delivers the message that ‘travellers will never have to adjust or compromise with space and other accommodation needs while picking these properties. The campaign will be run across social media platforms including Instagram, Facebook and YouTube among others.

    The campaign is well-timed as demand for Alternative Accommodations gains a strong foothold in the market. A recent survey by the company revealed that more than 48% of travellers are most likely to book an alternative accommodation for their next trip.

    Commenting on the growth of the category, MakeMyTrip Limited Group COO Vipul Prakash shared, “At a time when customers, especially millennials prefer experiential travel choices – alternative accommodations are offering quality yet economical, offbeat options and it is only set to grow more popular within Indian travellers. As a platform, our endeavour is to empower our customer with more and more choices so that they always find the best fit at their one stop travel shop.”

    Conceptualized by MagicCircle Communications, Hemant Misra, Managing Director of the company shared “The campaign breaks set expectations from accommodations. For years travellers know what to expect and where to compromise. With new accommodation offerings, MakeMyTrip breaks these ‘adjustments’ travellers make and delights them with new possibilities. The distinctive personality and styleof the brand is brought alive by Alia and Ranveer.”

  • Flipkart celebrates The Big Billion Days with the biggest celebrities in the country, mirroring consumer excitement

    Flipkart celebrates The Big Billion Days with the biggest celebrities in the country, mirroring consumer excitement

    Bangalore: Flipkart, India’s leading e-commerce marketplace, has unveiled its star-studded advertising campaign ahead of the much-awaited Big Billion Days. Said to be the biggest event till date, Flipkart has collaborated with celebrities and influencers across the spectrum to reach out to and engage with a diverse set of consumers. Donning the hats of a policeman, journalist, politician and the likes, India’s most-loved celebrities Amitabh Bachchan, Deepika Padukone, Alia Bhatt, Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni, Dulquer Salman, Mahesh Babu and Puneeth Rajkumar will be seen in engaging avatars that consumers can completely relate to.

    In a series of ads across television, radio and digital platforms, some of  India’s most-loved celebrities will bring alive the central theme of India preparing for The Big Billion Days. Across platforms, the campaign, conceived by Lowe Lintas, will reach out to over 300 million consumers in over 100 cities through 100+ television commercials, 3 million digital assets and strategic collaborations with various digital platforms. To take the celebrity engagements a notch higher, Flipkart has also collaborated with hip hop icon Badshah, to create an exclusive anthem, which will be available to listeners across leading music channels and platforms.

    Speaking about this unique campaign, Vikas Gupta, Vice President and Head of Marketing at Flipkart, said, “As a homegrown company, we understand the pulse of India’s diverse consumers and aim to engage with them at every touch point, thereby building an ecosystem. With an integrated and inclusive approach to our latest campaign, we are collaborating with a special set of celebrities and influencers, who we believe will drive more people to our platform and enable them to experience The Big Billion Days. Each celebrity will be seen in a unique avatar which we believe will connect well with our consumers across the country, as we bring Bharat and India closer this festive season.”

    Sagar Kapoor, Chief Creative Officer, Lowe Lintas said, “For this year's shopping carnival, Big Billion Days, we used celebrities in a different manner. They are all protagonists in their respective stories who are so excited about the sale that they are all preparing for it well in advance. It's a humorous take where they are mirroring the excitement of the consumer that this online shopping event creates in the country."

    To support its goal of driving and sustaining more users this festive season, Flipkart has recently introduced a simplified Hindi user interface, a unique rewards system, credit-backed payments system and also offers the widest selection of brands and products across categories. Since its inception in 2014, Big Billion Days has revolutionized the way Indians shop.

    Links to the ads: film 1, film 2 and film 3,

        Creative agency: Lowe Lintas
        Agency team: Hari Krishnan, Anand Narayan
        Creative team: Sagar Kapoor, Kapil Mishra, Jigisha Dalal, Arpan Bhattacharyya, Swapna Patkar
        Account management: Bhupender Agarwal, Arunabho Sen, Udisha P Singh, Sakhi Ray, Shiksha Sinha
        Planning: Ravi Ramanujan
        DoP: Anil Mehta
        Production House: Ramesh Deo Production
        Director: Abhinay Deo

  • Varun Dhawan’s wardrobe is the first male wardrobe under Alia Bhatt’s initiative-MiSu

    Varun Dhawan’s wardrobe is the first male wardrobe under Alia Bhatt’s initiative-MiSu

    MUMBAI: Actress and philanthropist Alia Bhatt has announced the next instalment of her closet sharing initiative ‘Mi Wardrobe is Su Wardrobe’. After Anushka Sharma and Sonakshi Sinha, Varun Dhawan is the third celebrity guest to share handpicked favourites from his personal wardrobe, for charity . Proceeds from this wardrobe will support Salaam Bombay Foundation, which works with adolescents growing up in urban slums, to keep them in school through multiple programs that impact their education, health and livelihood. The wardrobe will be available from 20th August on Saltscout.com, an online platform for charity auctions and sales.

    Talking about Varun Dhawan’s wardrobe contribution, Alia Bhatt stated,"Varun is making his MiSu debut and I’m really thankful for his support! We need to start adopting a more conscious approach towards buying and discarding garments. We want to encourage more and more people to consider adding quality, preowned garments to their wardrobes and to help our environment by reducing waste.” 

    Speaking on the association, Varun Dhawan said, “Sharing a garment is the most fun form of recycling it and keeping it away from landfills. Mi Wardrobe is Su Wardrobe not only gives fans across the world the opportunity to own a garment from my personal closet, but together, we’re also doing our bit for the environment."

    Mi Wardrobe is Su Wardrobe is a closet sharing initiative conceptualized by Alia Bhatt. The first 2 installments of MiSu saw Alia's wardrobe on sale, proceeds from which supported the Liter of Light program and The Corbett Foundation respectively. The third installment featured fellow eco-warrior Aunshka Sharma's wardrobe and the fourth had Sonakshi Sinha’s support. Proceeds from which have supported various causes that the actors have been associated with.

    Alia Bhatt has been championing the cause of conservation at multiple levels. She started an ecological and animal welfare initiative called Coexist, 2 years ago, followed by Mi Wardrobe is Su Wardrobe last year. 

  • Alia Bhatt’s YouTube channel to boost her brand value

    Alia Bhatt’s YouTube channel to boost her brand value

    MUMBAI: In the past few years, YouTubers across the world have managed to grab a celebrity status for themselves. Names like Bhuvan Bam, Prajakta Koli, Ashish Chanchlani have become immensely popular and have got the chance to perform with several Bollywood celebrities. Creators like Shibani Bedi and Harsh Beniwal also made their Bollywood debuts this year.

    While these micro-and mini-influencers are on their way to embrace the silver screen, a star from there has shifted to the digital pedestal in a big way. Alia Bhatt, who within a career spanning over just 7 years has become a critically acclaimed star and has been getting abundant love from the fans as well, has launched her own YouTube channel on which, in her own words, she is planning to showcase her ‘unadulterated’ self.

    Bhatt is already a huge star and has a massive following on Instagram and Twitter. Then why did she decide to go the YouTube way?

    As per communications consultant on digital/social media marketing and PR Karthik Srinivasan the move is understandable as YouTube helps in long-form content far better than Facebook or IGTV given the SEO benefits.

    Indiatimes and Lifestyle Brands at Times Internet COO Angad Bhatia says that Bhatt already has strong cultural relevance and with YouTube she can become an influential content creator in her own way.

    It is not the first time that a celebrity is trying to dabble in the social media space away from conventional platforms like Instagram and Facebook. Jacqueline Fernandez has a strong Snapchat presence, and she also debuted on TikTok recently along with Shahid Kapoor, and Tiger Shroff. Sonam Kapoor has her own app where she connects with her fans sharing beauty tips and offering a sneak peek into her lifestyle. In fact, a few celebs like Ajay Devgn, Shilpa Shetty Kundra, and Priyanka Chopra have their own YouTube channels as well, but they often upload just professional stuff.

    Alia, who is one of the most loved stars in the country right now, could have easily leveraged these other media as well, especially her own app. Brand-nomics’ Viren Razdan notes that apps have their own limitations and challenges and that has led to international celebs like Kim Kardashian and Taylor Swift shutting down their individual apps.  

    Srinivasan says, “An app demands that people install it in the first place. And unless they happen to be really big fans, they may not install the app since it has limited appeal on an everyday basis. Plus, app content cannot be discovered by casual fans and fans of specific topics they address from time to time, while a YouTube page, with well-curated titles and tags would be.”

    Landor managing director Lulu Raghavan adds that an app needs very strong market machinery to promote and it is quite doubtful that people would want to add more app to their phones. Meanwhile, users are already there on YouTube and watching many forms of content and it makes it easier for discovery.

    Brand guru and founder Harish Bijoor Consultants Harish Bijoor quips, “YouTube is the place to be. A magnet star with a magnet brand-name can do just so much in promoting her own app. YouTube, on the other hand, provides it all and more within a nano-second. For Alia Bhatt, it must be like saying, ‘why dig a well when you can outsource the sea?’”

    Rightfully so, within just three days of the launch and just one introductory video online, Bhatt’s channel has more than 310K subscribers. Meanwhile, Sonam Kapoor’s app on Google Play Store reflects only 100K+ downloads in three years.

    Experts also believe that being on YouTube will add several points to Alia Bhatt’s already sky-high brand value.

    Raghavan feels that the platform might give her an edge amongst her peers and it is possible that she emerges as the next global star from India after Priyanka Chopra.

    “Of course, her primary brand value will be based on her roles and how well her movies perform. But if shares genuinely interesting and useful content besides, she could considerably enhance her brand value,” says Srinivasan.

    “An active medium definitely helps build your influencing power and has the potential to strengthen conversations. If curated well, it could build her value immensely,” adds Razdan.

    Bhatia adds, “This new generation of celebrities is very social media friendly. They know how to convert excessive social scrutiny to their benefit. More visibility is important for a top of the mind recall and higher brand value. Different media and social platforms ensure just that.”

    Also, brands can come forward to leverage in this new side of Bhatt’s social media presence. The actress is already associated with prominent brand names like Caprese, Frooti, Garnier, and Nokia and her venture into this new domain might open up other big opportunities.

    Srinivasan mentions that this will especially help brands that cannot afford expensive TV media. Her YouTube channel could be their first big media push if the target audience is appropriate.

    However, Raghavan points out that this is the one area in which Bhatt will have to tread carefully. “If she has authenticity then she should only promote those brands that she truly believes in. It shouldn’t become another value for sales pitches as that can easily backfire. But if she can track it (the products) beautifully in the narrative of her life, the word of mouth of a celebrity is extremely fast.”