Mumbai: Marking the celebrations for the auspicious harvest festival of Pongal in Tamil Nadu, 7Up has unveiled its all-new limited-edition festive packs featuring the quirky, curly-haired mascot Fido Dido.
Pongal is widely celebrated in Tamil Nadu with people across the state marking the end of winters and expressing gratitude for a good harvest. The limited-edition 7Up packs are a tribute to the spirit of Pongal and take inspiration from the various elements that define the festival in its true essence. Right from the intricate art of Kolam to the use of sugarcane and pot to cook delicacies – the packs are a multi-faceted representation of all things Pongal.
PepsiCo India senior marketing director Naseeb Puri said, “7Up is privileged to have been part of the rich Tamil Nadu culture, and this time, we really wanted to celebrate Pongal in a special way. The limited-edition packs are our endeavor to bring alive the festive spirit and add some freshness to the celebrations as people continue to stay home to mark the occasion this year.”
The vibrant new Pongal-inspired labels will be used across 600 ml, one liter and 2.25-liter packs of 7Up and will be available across all modern trade outlets and select e-commerce channels. In a bid to spread the festive cheer across the state, the celebratory branding will also be showcased across hoardings and posters across public spots in select cities to engage the audiences, said the brand in a statement.
Mumbai: Reliance General Insurance Company (RGICL) has launched its new digital campaign #CarKaYaar to reinforce its brand positioning as the ‘Friend in Need’ for car insurance customers.
Created by ^ a t o m network, the campaign includes an animated series of six films that drives the message – ‘RGICL will always take care of you and your car, no matter what happens’. Using RGICL’s affable brand face BroBot in extraordinary situations, the campaign uses a humorous and quirky storytelling approach to communicate its message.
Explaining the thought behind the campaign, Reliance General Insurance chief distribution officer Anand Singhi said, “Classically the insurance sector has been filled with serious narratives depicting care, security, and various other emotional spiels. With the #CarKaYaar campaign, we have tried to break free the monotony and communicate our message in a fresh way with a bit of humor and quirkiness.”
Talking about the evolution of the insurance industry in the past few years, Singhi said, there has been a significant change in customers’ insurance requirements. “Add-ons are critical components in car insurance policies that offer additional protection. However, there is a lack of awareness. With this campaign, we have tried to raise awareness about car insurance add-ons and how they can offer financial protection against various types of car damages,” he added.
^ a t o m CCO Yash Kulshretsha and NCD Ananda Sen said, “The motor insurance journey is filled with doubts and skepticism of customers. The fear of not having something covered in an accident is more significant than the accident itself. We set out to highlight that with a series of films under ‘No matter what happens to your car, you can always rely on your #CarKaYaar.”
Mumbai: Paytm, mobile payments & financial services company has teamed up with Dentsu Impact – a dentsuMB company & the creative agency from dentsu India to roll out a thought-provoking campaign about treating women with respect.
The digital film released as part of the campaign drives the message, through a relatable scenario that women find themselves in during New Year parties. There are times, when random men try to buy unsolicited drinks for women – a practice often seen in bars and pubs. The new campaign offers a refreshing take on it, with a message on respecting women. The film also takes forward Paytm’s belief to be an enabler for women’s financial autonomy and builds on a similar social experiment film, launched by Dentsu Impact on Women’s Day in 2021 – The Divide.
With the onset of this campaign, Paytm sparks a conversation about rethinking what treating women with respect actually means through a day-to-day scenario. It also paves the way for women to be more in control of such difficult social situations while staying completely secure.
Dentsu Impact national creative director and managing partner Anupama Ramaswamy said, “Giving it back, by paying it back makes the intent of this campaign palpable for both women and men. The New Year campaign demonstrates how it pays to challenge the conventions of how we think of finance and gender. And any challenge to the traditional way of accepting things makes the brand and the message it conveys modern and aspirational, striking a chord especially with a younger generation.”
Mumbai: OZiva, plant-based nutrition, and wellness brand has launched a social experiment film #BeYourOwnMan challenging the stereotypes that Indian men face with respect to their mental health and wellbeing.
The experiment is an attempt to highlight the popular misconceptions plaguing men’s health that often go untended. According to the survey conducted by the brand, at least 51 per cent of men equate being healthy to ‘just feeling’ fit while 27 per cent of them feel embarrassed to openly speak about mental and physical health. The global statistics also show that on average, men are dying five years earlier than women and men account for a whopping 69 per cent of the total number of suicides, said the brand in a statement.
OZiva co-founder Aarti Gill said, “The importance of good health cannot be defined by genders. However, we are seeing a huge divide in the way health is perceived by men and women. At OZiva, we want to empower every individual to be healthier and better in every way. Whether men or women, physical and mental health should always be a priority. And we are hoping to open more conversations and also encourage men to seek help when needed as there is no shame in prioritizing health.”
According to the brand, the social experiment film will help by working on multiple levels to permeate the idea that it is essential for men to take care of their physical and mental wellbeing. It plunges deep into the intricacies of men’s psyche and attempts to understand their various mental and physical concerns. The film uses a simple insight that men rarely shy away from boasting about their scars- whether it’s a childhood scar from a cool mischief story or the one they got as teenagers while playing. In fact, they wear these stories like a badge of honor! But when it comes to sharing or talking about scars that are not really visible, their mental and physical health, there is a lot of hesitation, fear, and embarrassment as well.
The film aims to break the stereotype of what it means to be a man by encouraging every man to #BeYourOwnMan and tell them it’s okay to speak up about health and get help when needed.
Mumbai: Sony Pictures Sports Network has launched the campaign called ‘Prime Volleyball Jahaan, Public Wahaan’ ahead of the upcoming Prime Volleyball League that will begin airing from 5 February 2022. The league will be aired on Sony Ten 1, Sony Ten 3 (Hindi) and Sony Ten 4 (Tamil and Telugu).
The league has roped in Rupay as title sponsor and A23 as ‘powered by’ sponsor.
The campaign film is available in four languages – English, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu across Sony Sports channels. It is based on the premise that every Indian has either grown up playing or watching volleyball at some stage of their life. Wherever volleyball is played, it attracts and engages an audience across demographics is the core insight that drives the campaign.
The film is conceptualised by Sony Pictures Sports Network and executed in synergy with the sports marketing firm, Baseline Ventures, who are the co-owners and are exclusively marketing the league.
“Sony Sports has always endeavoured to bring the best sporting properties to viewers in the country,” said Sony Pictures Networks India chief revenue officer for distribution and head of sports business Rajesh Kaul. “This film truly captures the sentiments of all Indian fans who have played the sport or watched the game in their community at some point in their life.”
“Volleyball is a growing sport which provides high octane engagement and entertainment,” said Prime Volleyball League chief executive officer Joy Bhattacharya. “Indians have historically been fond of the sport as they have a lot of their childhood memories attached with it. We aim to revitalize the energy of the sport by showcasing the true talent of the country to the audience.”
The league will feature seven teams – Calicut Heroes, Kochi Blue Spikers, Ahmedabad Defenders, Hyderabad Black Hawks, Chennai Blitz, Bengaluru Torpedoes and the Kolkata Thunderbolts. Ashwal Rai, Karthik A, Deepesh Kumar Sinha and Jerome Vinith are some of the prominent players in the tournament. While the schedule for the tournament is yet to be announced, the league will comprise 24 games.
Mumbai: Parents undergo immense stress while preparing their kids for school and often end up putting their children under undue pressure. It is this thought, that drives Tata Studi’s new campaign, which conveys the message, that true success depends on effective planning and not undue pressure.
The campaign ‘Padhne Ka Sahi Tareeka’ conceptualised and executed by Mullen India, focuses on the correct way to learn by planning one’s studies efficiently. It is based on insights drawn from how invested parents are in the studies of their children. Through a series of films, the campaign conveys the point that planning their studies will help students to be better prepared, avoid anxiety and perform well in their exams.
“The category is flooded with multiple brands, so the idea was to create clutter-breaking work that’s also insightful and relevant to parents and students. The insight into how parents put pressure on children unknowingly, especially during exams gave us an opportunity to tell stories that parents can connect to. The idea – ‘Pressure Nahi, Plan’ – also puts the key differentiator benefit of Tata Studi, which is to plan one’s studies to reduce last-minute exam stress, right at the centre of the campaign,” said Mullen Lintas chief creative officers Azazul Haque & Garima Khandelwal.
First introduced in early 2021, Tata Studi is an after-school learning app designed around the principles of Science of Learning – a multidisciplinary approach that combines research from neuroscience, psychology, and cognitive science.
Tata ClassEdge chief B2C Sachin Torne said, “We want children to plan their studies and learn for understanding so that they can use their learning in real life. Planning for any activity helps reduce pressure and it is true even for studying. Through Tata Studi, we want to inculcate good learning habits in students. Once the child learns how to learn, it’s a skill that will stay with them for life.”
Mumbai: With a week left for the launch of Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) Season eight, the excitement is palpable among fans as well as the playing teams. For UP Yoddha, the latest edition offers another opportunity to level up their game from the play-offs and clinch the coveted trophy for the first time.
The team has consistently made it to the playoffs in every season since its inception in 2017, but has yet to win the title. “We are very excited to have the PKL return after a hiatus of almost two years. The players cannot wait to be back in the competitive environment. And, this time we are more focused and energised to reach the final step and lift the trophy,” says GMR League Games and UP Yoddha CEO Vinod Bisht in an exclusive chat with Indiantelevision.com.
The team is all set to begin its campaign with a first match against defending champions Bengal Warriors on the opening day – 22 December. Unlike before, the latest edition of the league will be played without any LIVE audience due to Covid protocols, and with all teams integrated into a bio-bubble. But, that has not deterred the enthusiasm among the teams, says Bisht.
“The players’ will to win and competitiveness will only get fiercer. But, they are mindful of the changing scenarios, the absence of fans, and a testing bubble life,” says the CEO.
Bisht, a former commanding officer (CO) in the Indian Army started his Sports journey as a business mentor for Patna pirates in PKL, before teaming up with the UP Yoddha Franchise. Based in Greater Noida, the GMR Group-owned UP Yoddha franchise was introduced into the league in the fifth season and has been part of the league ever since.
Talking about the post-pandemic impact on the overall experience of the game, Bisht says, “We would have loved to have a full-house cheering for us on home ground, but we need to be cautious of the situation we are in. The safety of our fans is our top priority. With everything that’s happening around, everyone needs to adapt. We just want our players to play passionately, and our fans to enjoy the game even if it’s from the comfort of their home.”
All matches will be aired LIVE on Star Sports Network, the official broadcast network, and streamed on Disney+ Hotstar, which has already unveiled its mega campaign, #JoBhidegaWohBadhega, featuring former Indian cricket team skipper MS Dhoni.
Elaborating on how the franchise plans to elevate the experience for their fans who will be watching from home, Bisht says, “We are doing series of online activations involving our fans who we call the ‘Yoddha Toli’ and this Yodhha Toli will interact with our players and other fans through various innovative digital innovations.” The franchise will also focus more on social media interfaces, being mindful of the ongoing pandemic. “But, we definitely intend to meet all our fans at our state-of-the-art UP Yoddha BK Kabaddi Academy in Meerut once the season is over,” he adds.
ABP News has come on board as the principal sponsor of the UP Yoddha for the 2021-22 season, and the channel logo will feature prominently on the players’ jerseys. “We are the only kabaddi team from Uttar Pradesh, the largest state in India population-wise and given the ongoing situation it was physically impossible to reach all corners of the state, and that’s where ABP News comes in,” says Bisht on association with the news channel. “Considering the popularity of the league, the partnership will help ABP News connect with a wider audience by capturing the interest of sports consumers across both rural and urban markets in the Hindi speaking states.”
The partnership also comes at a time when the state of Uttar Pradesh is heading into polls, which creates its own buzz around activities associated with the state.
This season, the team has also upped its game with the addition of star player Pradeep Narwal for a whopping ₹1.65 crore, becoming one of the most expensive players auctioned at a league outside of cricket.
Talking about the growth in viewership of the sports event, Bisht says, “Kabaddi is one of those childhood games that you played with your friends, a sport that’s close to every Indian’s heart. It has been one of the most played sports in our country, and PKL has allowed teams to represent different parts of our country which shows how much the sport has grown over the years.”
Mumbai: Pro Kabaddi League, one of the fastest-growing sports franchises in terms of viewership is all set to return on 22 December, after a two-year hiatus, imposed by the pandemic.
Like sporting events, the league has also undergone format changes owing to Covid-19 protocols. This time, all matches will be played in Bengaluru, sans any LIVE audience to cheer their favourite teams. But, this may not mar the enthusiasm of the fans who have been waiting for the sporting event, say agency experts. The official broadcaster Star Sports Network too has upped its ante and pushed its marketing efforts to regain the viewership that the series enjoyed pre-pandemic.
Will PKL see a similar resurgence in viewership like the IPL?
According to the Broadcast Audience Research Council (Barc), the sports genre had 2.4 per cent share in the overall TV viewership before Covid struck. This decreased to 0.7 per cent during the first lockdown, then increased marginally to 0.8 per cent during Unlock period, and grew once again to 4.1 per cent by the end of the year. The Indian Premier League (13th season) that was aired between week 38 and week 45 increased sports viewership by six times compared to previous weeks (week 34-37). (BARC Yearbook 2020)
“IPL in 2020 had a format shift due to Covid-19, however TV ratings saw an increase by about 50 per cent. One of the major reasons was high TV viewership during pandemic and lockdown. But, the viewership went back to 2019 levels in 2021,” said MediaCom managing partner Vishal Shah.
It is also significant to note that IPL was the only major sports event that was aired in the pandemic year 2020. Since people were confined to their homes and starved of LIVE sports action, TV viewership increased across genres. While, PKL may not have that advantage, because 2021 has turned out to be a tremendous year for LIVE sports with a packed sporting event calendar, especially in the second half.
“Looking at the ratings trend this year, the numbers might be slightly lower than what the last season did, as the overall numbers have changed in the past two years,” said dentsu Amplifi India group trading director Sujata Dwibedy. “But, good marketing from the (Star Sports) network, across media is expected. This should pull more viewers.”
Campaign in full swing
Star Sports has already kicked off the promotions for the eighth season of PKL roping in M S Dhoni for their ad campaign. More recently, the broadcaster released a regional ad film playing up the opening match of PKL between Telugu Titans and Tamil Thalaivas on 22 December. The promo featured movie star Naga Chaitanya, indicating that the marketing efforts are in full swing.
“In 2019, PKL witnessed 50-55 per cent growth in viewership from the previous season across different audiences and markets,” observed MediaCom managing partner Vishal Shah.
Kabaddi being a homegrown sport, the league has enormous support and viewership from the Tier II and III towns. PKL viewership base largely comes from markets like Andhra Pradesh/Telangana (32 per cent) followed by Maharashtra/Goa (24 per cent), Karnataka (12 per cent) and Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu Kashmir (seven per cent) and Kerala (five per cent), as per the BARC data.
The viewership for PKL is much more evenly spread out according to dentsu’s Dwibedy. “It is not necessary that only people from the hinterland and Tier II towns have been viewing it (PKL), it has its loyal fans across demographics and across audiences but is skewed towards males,” she added.
No LIVE audience at this year’s spectacle
This year PKL will be missing LIVE audiences and will shed the caravan style format. Instead, all teams will play at a single location in Bengaluru. Looking back at IPL last year, media planners suggest that format changes will have little to no impact on the viewership of the tournament. Mashal Sports has also announced that triple headers will be played on all Saturdays which may have a positive impact on the viewership over weekends.
New categories of advertisers likely
Ad rates and sponsorship for PKL are likely to see a premium in proportion to the growth in audiences that the event saw in 2019.
According to dentsu’s Dwibedy, brands who found cricket very expensive but want to still associate with some impactful property will be looking to partner with PKL, along with brands who genuinely see a fit with PKL and want to amplify their presence through the series. “We could also see some new categories of advertisers emerging as sponsors,” she added.
“The other opportunity is also to do with the season and timing, IPL has always been a popular choice for summer brands whereas PKL is happening in a period that will attract winter seasonal brands,” said Mediacom’s Shah.
Categories such as e-sports, e-pharmacy, auto, telecom, beverages, mobile handsets, paan masala, deodorants, paints, and cement have consistently been associated with the tournament and are expected to do the same this year.
Mumbai: Star Sports Network has unveiled a new promo for the Pro Kabaddi League Season eight capitalising on the excitement and anticipation building among its Telugu fans.
The league is all set to return on 22 December. Owing to safety protocols, the entire edition of the Vivo PKL Season eight will be held at Bengaluru at a single venue, moving away from its traditional caravan format.
The latest promo- ‘Raa Chuddam’ speaks to the sports fans in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, and celebrates the preparation of the home team ‘Telugu Titans’ for the upcoming season. The film features Telugu movie star Naga Chaitanya, who supports the ‘Titans’ and leads the chorus of support from fans to rally behind their team.
“I am absolutely delighted that Pro Kabaddi League is returning after two years. As a Kabaddi fan and strong supporter of Telugu Titans, we are ready to back our team as they set foot on the mat. I will be closely following all the matches and hope that the Titans perform exceptionally well and bring the trophy home,” said Naga Chaitanya.
Telugu Titans will begin their Vivo PKL Season eight campaign against Tamil Thalaivas on 22 December. The team has signed Rohit Kumar, who will also be the captain for the new season. Siddharth Desai will be the team’s vice-captain. The squad also features rising stars Rajnish and Rakesh Gowda among the raiders.
Mumbai: Skybags, the brand from the house of VIP Industries has come out with its latest campaign titled #MyDripMySkybags targeting Gen Z. The campaign shows some youngsters celebrating the reunion of friends after more than a year and a half of online classes.
The music video, choreographed by Shashank Dogra, is created keeping in mind the GenZ lingo like ‘What’s your drip Yo!’, and aims to connect with the brand’s target audience. ‘Drip’ which implies a cool sense of style refers to the way someone carries themselves.
Directed by Keith Gomes and produced by Prime Focus Limited, it shows four buddies celebrating together after a long time. The campaign aims to emphasise the way the youth is celebrating the transition from #NewNormal to #BackToNormal highlighting the excitement felt by youth, who have been locked up at home due to the pandemic concerns. The hook line of the song ‘whats your drip yo’ strikes an exuberant expression of joy and optimism; for the youth preparing to reunite in the new normal.
The video shows them sharing their excitement by slinging their college backpacks, jumping on the streets, dancing their hearts out. Through this campaign, the brand has tried to bring this imaginary story to life through music, choreography and catchy lyrics that goes with the flow of irreverent youth and their lingo.
“We believe in the philosophy of ‘Move in Style’. To turn this thought into action, we are launching a brand anthem, #MyDripMySkybags across all our channels. The idea is to get our Gen Z audience to own their style and flex it,” said VIP Industries Limited vice-president marketing Praful Gupta. “We witness a massive potential in the backpack category that is emerging as the go-to piece of accessory for every youngster. With our new campaign we are looking at establishing a stronger presence in this space.”
