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Tag: brands

  • Covid Care: JCB India to support education of children of deceased employees

    New Delhi: JCB India has decided to support the education of the children of its employees who succumbed to Covid-19 and extend medical insurance for their families to ten years.

    “Besides, the term insurance policy benefits, the company will support the education of the children of deceased employees to the tune of Rs one lakh per child, per year for their schooling and Rs two lakh per child, per year for three years for their graduation. For contractual employees, there will be one-time support of Rs 3 lakh,” JCB India said in a statement.

    “The past few weeks have been a phase of intense learning. Virtually all our organisational resources were deployed towards supporting the health and safety of our employees and their families. Unfortunately, we also went through the painful phase of losing some of our colleagues to the virus,” said JCB India CEO and MD Deepak Shetty, highlighting that the company is fully committed to supporting the families.

    The company is also conducting special vaccination drives for its employees and has already inoculated over 2,000 employees and their families in Ballabgarh, Pune and Jaipur facilities.

    On 30 April, JCB India had to temporarily pause all manufacturing operations for ten days to stop the spread of the virus, which had taken a toll on workers across different facilities. Other manufacturers like Tata Motors, Maruti Suzuki, Honda also had to close down their manufacturing facilities during the second wave

  • KKR’s head of marketing Kaustubh Jha moves on

    New Delhi : Kolkata Knight Riders’ (KKR) head of marketing, Kaustubh Jha has moved on after over two years stint with the Indian Premiere League (IPL) team.

    “Last week marked the end of my 2.5 years journey at Kolkata Knight Riders,” Jha announced the move in a LinkedIn post. “It’s been a thrilling journey building and scaling the business globally and building the team. As I move into the next phase of my career, I’d like to thank everyone at the #KolkataKnightRiders family. It’s been a great journey with the depth and width of experience, exposure and learning.”

    A brand and marketing strategist with experience in providing brand solutions through integrated marketing, Jha had joined the actor Shah Rukh Khan and Juhi Chawla backed team in November 2018 after moving on from ESPN where he spent around three years. Jha has previously worked with MTV India and Lodestar Universal as media planner and buyer.

  • Sponsors jittery, as Covid casts a shadow over Tokyo Olympic 2020

    New Delhi: As the countdown begins for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, brands sponsoring the mega sports event are treading cautiously. The growing public opinion against the games has compelled brands to reconsider their move to go full throttle with their gaming-linked advertising.

    Some Japanese corporates that are sponsoring the international event have even hired consulting firms to advise, whether to proceed with Olympic-themed marketing plans or limit their association with an event that could damage their brands, reported Financial Times. Consultants include Britain’s Kantar Group and Japan-based firms, Macromill Inc and Intage Holdings, as per the report.

    The Olympic Games have evolved into one of the biggest marketing extravaganzas in recent times, allowing brands to reach out to global audiences across different platforms. The opportunity remains a lucrative one, despite all the uncertainties this time. Over 60 Japanese companies have together paid more than three billion $ to sponsor the Games this year. Sponsors have paid another $200 million to extend contracts after the Olympics were postponed last year, as per media reports.

    There are 15 global giants with exclusive marketing rights under the Olympic Partners program, the highest level of Olympic sponsorship and each one is looking to make the most of the opportunity.

    While a decision to cancel the games could be a hefty one, conducting the games amid the pandemic will not be easy either. Japan is battling a fresh surge of infections and it has left people disgruntled over the decision to go ahead with the event. There are imminent concerns about the event might trigger a potential health crisis, with local media calling for scrapping the event entirely.

    If local polls are to be believed, most Japanese are now rooting for the postponement of the games yet again, fearing invasion by any new coronavirus variants that could put pressure on an already burdened healthcare system. With just two months left for the games, the country is also scrambling to ramp up its vaccination drive.

    If the event goes ahead as per plan, the ongoing pandemic could make sure the event is a diminished one this year. There may not be any on-site brand events and big product launches may be muted, the engagement with the audience will be mostly online. The absence of enthusiastic fans in the stadiums will be felt quite evidently.

    Toyota, the official mobility partner, has already expressed concerns over athletes becoming the target of people’s frustration over the event. However, Samsung, the communications partner, has recently gone ahead with the launch of its Galaxy S21 Olympics Games edition of smartphones.

    For broadcast, NBCUniversal has announced its plans to broadcast 7,000 hours of Olympics coverage across NBC, USA, CNBC, NBCSN, and Peacock, among other properties. The US broadcaster will air live coverage of some events in 4K HDR. “We are going to deliver the most comprehensive – and accessible – coverage for any sports event in history,” the network said in a statement.In India, Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN) has the broadcast rights for the event. 

    While the opportunity to associate with the games is a lucrative one, it remains to be seen how brands are going to pivot to the changing realities and capitalise on it amid the pandemic. 

    The 2020 Tokyo Olympics are scheduled to be held from 23 July to 8 August.

  • Mamaearth brings Sara Ali Khan and Amrita Singh together for its first TVC

    New Delhi: Personal care brand Mamaearth has released its first national television commercial featuring Bollywood actresses Sara Ali Khan and Amrita Singh. The yesteryear’s actress will be seen in a TVC after a gap of 35 years.

    While Sara was recently announced as the Brand Ambassador for the Mamaearth haircare range, it is for the first time that she will feature alongside her mother and share screen space with her in the ad.

    The commercial highlights the benefit of Onion in reducing hair fall and presents Mamaearth Onion shampoo as a contemporary solution to the traditional DIY remedies.

    Conceptualised by Korra, the commercial is set on the premise of the mother-daughter duo’s daily life banter on the former’s life choices and a mother’s concern about it. The film starts with Sara Ali Khan and her friend in a conversation, when Singh intrudes to mock her unhealthy choices. It continues into Sara’s friends seeking her advice for hair fall control, when the mother dismisses that too, assuming it is a chemical-based solution. But when she takes a closer look at the Mamaearth Onion Shampoo, she is pleasantly surprised to learn that it is toxin free and made using natural ingredients, the ideal choice for hair fall control. The mother instantly approves.

    The film reiterates that the new and improved Mamaearth Onion Shampoo helps control hair fall and makes the hair eight times smoother.

    Talking about the TVC and her association, an ecstatic Sara Ali Khan said, “The thought of sharing the screen with her (Amrita), who was also my first acting teacher, is something I will cherish forever. My mother always used onion extract on my hair, and hence we chose to come together for this television commercial. Mamaearth is doing an incredible job of integrating technology with traditions, and that’s what sets the brand apart.”

    Amrita Singh, the leading lady of her era, appeared in a brand commercial after a break of 35 years. “When I was offered to work with Sara in the television commercial, I just had to agree as the premise of the television commercial is literally a scene out of Sara’s childhood when I used to insist on using onion extract on her hair to reduce hair fall. I really like Mamaearth’s approach towards their product line and their efforts to make a larger impact on society,” said the actress.

    Talking about the recent meteoric rise in the brand’s foothold, Mamaearth’s co-founder and chief innovation officer, Ghazal Alagh said, “Our journey from being a niche baby care brand to becoming a mainstream personal care name is a testimony that safe and effective quality body care products were long-awaited. We firmly believe that Sara and Amrita coming together to endorse our hair care products shows the credibility we generated as a brand. Sara is a youth icon, and this association would only strengthen our cause.”

  • Visage Lines appoints Siddha Jain as business head-women division

    New Delhi: Visage Lines, owner of grooming brand Bombay Shaving Company on Thursday appointed Siddha Jain to lead the company’s women’s beauty and personal care business.

    Jain is an IITB and IIMB alumni, and joins the rapidly growing premium grooming company from Bain & Co., where she served technology and consumer goods businesses for over five years. 

    The company also elevated chief business officer Deepak Gupta to chief operating officer. Gupta joined Visage Lines in January 2019 to lead the brick and mortar business and has risen the ranks rapidly. In his new role, he will lead expansion of the group into multiple strategic businesses across categories.

    Visage Lines’ founder and CEO, Shantanu Deshpande said, “We are thrilled to have Siddha join our leadership team. She brings outstanding business acumen, growth intrinsic, limitless energy and a first-hand understanding of the Indian woman consumer. Siddha has a stellar track record of supporting large businesses across growth strategy, sustainable scaling, transformation and people centricity. As we build a robust leadership to scale a new Bombay Shaving Company, a senior executive of Siddha’s calibre is a massive asset for us. Very excited to have her on this journey”

    Bombay Shaving Company started as a men-centric shaving, beard and skincare brand. However, over the last few quarters, it has become a preferred choice for women’s grooming needs too. “The Indian women’s hair removal market stands at Rs 15000 Cr (both products and services) and is projected to grow at 21 per cent year-on-year in the next five years. There is a growing demand for hair-removal solutions in the emerging GenZ and millennial customer base, and this has been fuelling the immense post-pandemic growth of the sector,” said the company.

    At Bombay Shaving Company, Siddha will be driving business critical mandates to scale the women’s hair removal business, with a special focus on building equity across digital commerce, modern trade and allied services.

    “I strongly believe that the brands of today are not just a machinery for serving products, but forcing tough conversations, bringing confidence in the everyday and equipping women to own their beauty. I am deeply passionate about bringing meaning and purpose to the personal care space for the young, ambitious and bold women of today. I am very excited to work with Shantanu and the entire leadership team to own the women’s hair removal space. I am looking forward to this transformative journey not just for me and our brand, but for the communities we serve who identify as women”, says Siddha Jain on her new role.

  • Pitchfork Partners appointed communication strategy advisor for Jaycee

    New Delhi:  Jaycee, the company dealing with processing, marketing and export of high-quality coal combustion products has appointed Pitchfork Partners Strategic Consulting LLP as its communication strategy advisor.

    Pitchfork Partners will drive communication for Jaycee, supporting business growth and strengthening the brand narrative, the company said on Thursday.

    Jaycee, director, Rishit Dalal said: “India is the world’s second largest ash producer. With the government aiming to boost the domestic coal mining sector, and the fact that coal power will remain an integral part of our economy for the next two decades at least, it is an exciting phase for us and building our brand narrative will play a crucial role in business. That’s where Pitchfork Partners comes in. It has the credentials and track record to make our brand even more relevant to all stakeholders.”

    Pitchfork Partners co-founder, Jaideep Shergill said: “We are delighted to partner with Jaycee. We understand the transformation and the repositioning taking place in the coal combustion products industry. It’s a privilege to partner with the leader in this sector and be part of its sustainable change journey in India.”

    Founded in 1986, Jaycee exports to more than 30 countries across five continents. The company has operations in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, and is expanding to other states soon.

  • Crompton appoints Pragya Bijalwan as Chief Marketing Officer

    Mumbai: Crompton Greaves Consumer Electricals Ltd. has appointed Pragya Bijalwan as its new chief marketing officer.

    Bringing with her a rich experience of more than 16 years across the fuel, oil, and paints industry, she will be leading the marketing, advertising, and overall communication initiatives of the company.  

    Speaking about her new role, Bijalwan said, “I am thrilled to be a part of this brand. Despite having a strong consumer franchise, it accords top priority to adapting and evolving as per their changing needs. As we move into a new post-pandemic era, which is a challenging yet exciting time for the brand, our goal is to strengthen our leading positions in key categories while accelerating growth in new categories through meaningful innovation. This will be supported by our integrated communication approach.”

    In her last role before joining Crompton, Pragya was working with Castrol India Ltd where she led product innovations, brand campaigns, and technology-based innovative solutions. She has also worked with AkzoNobel India Ltd and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation previously. Pragya brings a strong knowledge of consumer insights, brand management, influencer advocacy, innovation, and digital marketing.

    • Crompton Greaves Consumer Electricals Ltd., executive director, and CEO, Mathew Job added, “Crompton is seen as a reliable brand that has been trusted for generations. Over the last few years, our focus has been to make the brand more aspirational and build a stronger connection with the younger consumers. I believe Pragya, with her varied and extensive experience across industries, is well equipped to take the brand forward in this journey. I welcome Pragya to this exciting role and look forward to working closely with her to make Crompton India’s most loved consumer electricals brand.”

  • How television can increase time spent viewing with interactivity

    MUMBAI: With streaming video services like Netflix, Amazon, Disney+Hotstar, and Zee5 grabbing a majority of the headlines, and becoming the flavor of the moment, many believe that linear television in India is losing its moxie. Yes, broadcasting companies are indeed responding aggressively to Netflix and Amazon’s invasions into what was once solely their territory by acquiring, merging, and launching their own OTT platforms. Not just in the US, but almost every nation, including India.

    Yes, it’s true that India alone has around 70-80 streaming platforms – if you include those with dubious titillating content, and which are available on the google play store. Yes, it’s true that almost every trade and business publication has raised the alarm that streaming video platforms are going to steal viewers and pull the rug from under television’s feet.

    But the fact is that the reality is as far from this fear-mongering, as is mount Everest from Mumbai. Television is only on the rise in India. That is quite evident from the television data the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) reported recently. The number of Indian television households grew to 210 million by the end of 2020. Some 13 million homes were added to the TV universe since the last BARC study in 2018; of this rural India accounted for nine million. TV viewership also rose to 892 million individuals from 836 million. Add to that the fact that more than 90 million households have yet to own a TV set.

    Now if you compare those figures with the OTT universe: the biggest OTT platforms in India – Disney+Hotstar and Zee5 – have monthly active users which are around one-third of TV’s viewing population and other streamers have significantly lower numbers. Subscribers to the premium OTT services are also only in the single and double-digit million range. Revenues too are not comparable; the free ad-supported television streaming platforms are dwarfed by the ad revenues that Indian television –both pay and free to air channels are mopping up.

    Clearly, broadcast television has long legs and will continue to stride ahead of streaming services. What can help it proliferate even more is if interactivity can be built into it; with viewers being able to interact with it live from their homes. Just like it is possible with the streaming video which is delivered over internet protocol or the internet as is the case with OTT platforms. Sports fans have been fascinated by what has been playing out on their mobile phones wherein they can make comments while watching the IPL action on their smartphones on Disney+ Hotstar. They can engage with the video on their phones. Fans have also been quite taken up with being involved in Kaun Banega Crorepati with the play-along option available on their smartphones. That has probably added to SonyLiv’s stickiness.

    But today technology is available which can bring similar – if not better – interactivity to television too. One of the best products available today is MegaphoneTV which allows viewers to interact with their programmes from the comforts of their sofas in their homes. It enables them to take part in opinion polls, trivia, social interaction, quizzes, express their fan love, expound their views on what’s going with the storylines and characters of their favourite TV shows – and their responses and names are transmitted to hundreds of millions of viewers all over India simultaneously immediately with a lag of fewer than 200 milliseconds. All they need is a smartphone. Megaphone TV allows TV to transform itself from being a dead one-way device to one with which viewers can correspond, that too without any latency.

    More than 160 channels globally are using Megaphone TV – from US broadcasters ABC, CBS, NBC, Bravo TV, CNN, Sky TV in the UK, and RTL in Germany. And they have benefited immensely from this tool with response rates and engagement with TV viewers going up exponentially.  

    Channels- both entertainment and news – globally have used MegaphoneTV to build loyalty by giving out rewards to loyal participants of the interactivity, thus increasing stickiness and spiking time spent viewing by TV viewers.

    New York-based Megaphone TV founder & CEO Dan Albritton points out that integrating the tool with the channel’s backend is extremely simple, adding that all that is needed are internet connectivity, two computers – one in the playout hub of the broadcaster, and one in the hands of a junior programming executive wherever he is located. He explains: “Being a white-label service, it takes on the channel’s packaging, branding, and look with no indication of Megaphone branding anywhere. The interactivity questions, polls, and quizzes can be entered to appear on-air on a TV channel on the fly by the junior executive after strategizing with the programming team. “

    Brands can be roped in by the channels ad sales team to sponsor the interactivity. And TV commercials by brands can also be created which encourage viewer responses live, thus in the process helping build sales funnels and consumer data, to which the broadcaster’s data teams and marketers have free access. “The American TV industry has recognized the value we are offering through Megaphone TV. We have won an Emmy Award for it, and have been nominated twice for some of the interactivity around other TV programmes,” says Albritton.

    In India, TV channel executives are just about getting exposed to Megaphone TV, he points out.

    “Two channels have been licensed to use this engagement driving tool. They will be coming out with their offerings soon. Some leading media agencies have seen it in action too, and are excited about the possibilities Megaphone TV offers,” he says. “I can visualize a time in the not too distant future when Megaphone TV will become ubiquitous in the very exciting Indian television ecosystem.”

  • Ovenstory Pizza rolls out new campaign for its ‘Standout Pizza’ offering

    New Delhi: Home-grown Ovenstory Pizza unveiled its new brand campaign – ‘The Standout Pizza’, showcasing its innovative pizza flavours which sets it apart from other pizza brands.

    The four-film campaign conceptualised by Wondrlab promotes the brand’s personal ‘Semizza’ offering, where customers can order half cut 11” pizzas of their favourite toppings and preferences. The campaign introduces children as the protagonists who highlight the real issues of mainstream pizzas – too much crust, basic cheese flavours, and importantly the lack of options to choose half-pizzas – Semizzas.

    It also talks about how the current pizzas do not give consumers the choice of cheeses, and the personal pizza category is still limited which often compromises on toppings. The campaign serves as the launch of the brand’s positioning as a ‘standout pizza’.

    “The key to any successful campaign is clear messaging,” says Rebel Foods’ global head – marketing communication and design, Indrajit Ghosh adding that Ovenstory pizza is a disruptor in its category, and it was important for the messaging to come out clearly. “The ad-film campaigns by Wondrlab bring the essence of the brand, while effectively conveying how we stand out from the crowd. The films have been appreciated on various platforms and we look forward to this continued partnership and creating memorable campaigns together,” he says.

    Wondrlabs’ co-founder and chief creative officer, Amit Akali says, the team experienced the brand, before dipping their hands into the task of bringing out real, everyday conversations around pizzas.  “To make every film interesting and add a surprise element to it, we had an interesting reveal of the kids. e.g. In one of the ads, the kids are camouflaged within the furniture, while in another they are hidden in the plants. The challenge of course was doing all of this in 15/20 seconds! The initial reactions have been encouraging and we look forward to some great results,” he added.

  • dentsu India appoints Arti Singh to head Hyperspace

    New Delhi: dentsu India on Tuesday appointed Arti Singh as VP National for its shoppers’ marketing unit, Hyperspace. In her new role, Singh will be in charge of the shoppers’ marketing division that includes experiential, retail, cinema and mall business.

    A seasoned professional with more than 18 years of expertise in the field, Singh will drive and develop strategies for brands. “With her tremendous experience in the industry and understanding of consumer behaviour, she will help in building relationships with key industry players, teams and associates. Additionally, she will play a significant role in designing the offline path of the purchase journey for consumers, thus, connecting them with brands,” said the agency.

    This is Singh’s second innings with dentsu India. Previously, she had been with the network for more than a decade and played a vital role in successfully delivering marketing experiential retail campaigns for brands.

    Speaking on her new role, Singh said, “It’s a great role, with enormous possibilities in my second innings. Hyperspace is a network that has established strong credentials in space for over a decade now. I am excited about the endless opportunities and challenges this new role offers and I look forward to driving Hyperspace’s continued growth and ambition in India.”

    Dentsu International Group MD & COO, Posterscope SA, president, Posterscope APAC Haresh Nayak said, “Arti will be responsible for strengthening the shoppers’ marketing practices across all agencies of dentsu India. Her presence and experience in the space will help us beef up our efforts in understanding the behaviour of shoppers. She brings immense value to the company’s capabilities. We are increasingly bringing on board senior talents in this space who can carry forward the learnings of seamlessly-integrated consumer and brand interaction in the new normal.”