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Tag: FMCG

  • Unilever threatens to pull the plug on digital advertising

    Unilever threatens to pull the plug on digital advertising

    MUMBAI: International major FMCG player Unilever has threatened Facebook and Google that it will withdraw its advertising on the social media platforms if they fail to remove content that creates division in society and promotes hate.

    The biggest multinational player said in a conference held at California that, “As one of the largest advertisers in the world, we cannot have an environment where our consumers don’t trust what they see online.”

    Unilever’s stern step comes while technology and social media companies are facing major criticism for failing to protect children and to erase fake news, hate speech and extremism.

    Unilever chief marketing officer Keith Weed said at the conference that the brand cannot continue to prop up a digital supply chain that delivers over a quarter of their advertising to consumers – which at times is little better than a swamp in terms of its transparency.

    While mentioning that such messages are toxic for the society and only take us backward, Weed added, “Fake news, sexism, toxic content aimed at children, terrorists spreading hate messages are all a part of internet now and we have ended up with a million miles from where we thought it would take us.”

    He goes on to add, “It is in the digital media industry’s interest to listen and act on this. Before viewers stop viewing, advertisers stop advertising and publishers stop publishing.”

    A third of the company’s advertising spend is on the digital medium today and Unilever has decided to cut down on the 3000 ad agencies it uses globally and further cutting costs by making 30 per cent fewer ads. Unilever has promised to boost more ‘responsible content’ that will tackle concerns like gender stereotypes. It will only work with digital networks that agree to use industry standards of ad metrics and improve consumer experience. Discussions with Facebook, Google, Twitter, Amazon and SnapChat are already on.

    Facebook and Google are said to account for nearly three-quarters of the total digital advertising in the US. Last year Procter & Gamble (P&G) issued a similar warning before cutting $100 million of its digital ad spend without any negative impact on sales.

    On the other hand, in the UK, Facebook and Google have more than 60 per cent of digital advertising and 90 per cent of all new digital spending.

    A move like this could adversely impact the digital industry and major advertising agency’s revenue.

     

  • Amul, Parle amidst global brands liked by Indians

    Amul, Parle amidst global brands liked by Indians

    MUMBAI: Domestic brands such as Amul, Parle, Big Bazaar and Dabur are liked and revered by Indian consumers at par with international brands like Samsung and Coca-Cola, a Nikkei BP-Market Xcel Data Matrix survey has revealed.

    The top 10 brands featured in the survey are a mix of technology, FMCG and retail brands.

    According to the Brand Asia Survey 2017, Samsung has emerged as the most popular brand in terms of consumer brand relationship, followed by food and drinks brand Amul and mobile brand Nokia.

    “Amul, the food and drinks brand, has scored second place this year beating Coca-Cola (rank 10) and Pepsi (rank 15),” Ashwani Arora, Senior VP Research, Director on Board, Market Xcel, told IANS.

    “Nokia is one brand which is revered by Indians and has a high connect and past equity. The brand was once a household name in India. The relaunch of the brand in India has refurbished the emotional connect with consumers as is evident in the survey,” Arora said.

    Samsung mobiles and fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) company Parle ranked fourth and fifth in terms of the most popular brands in India.

    “Parle — a brand from the pre independence era — goes on to prove the love people have for it still. It has ranked fifth this year and its win is solely dedicated to the wide variety of its biscuits which has satiated consumer palettes since ages,” said Arora.

    “Hence, Indian brands are equally liked and revered by consumers,” he added.

    The survey revealed that Future Group-owned retail business Big Bazaar was the only retail brand to mark a place in the top 10 popular brands at rank six.

    According to Arora, the kirana shops are unable to provide the choice, ambience, service and discounts which Big Bazaar offers leading to its popularity among customers.

    “The (Big Bazaar) brand has many firsts to its credit. The only national competitor to the brand being Reliance Retail,” he added.

    The rest of the brands in the top ten category included toothpaste brand Colgate, messaging platform WhatsApp, FMCG brand Dabur and beverages company Coca-Cola.

    A total of 200 brands were surveyed in 13 countries across Asia with a mix of national and international brands.

    The categorisation of nominated brands was from FMCG, food and drinks, clothing/fashion, automaker, IT/home electronics, telecom, media/entertainment, finance, retail, restaurants (QSRs), sporting goods, transportation/logistic, aviation, finance and social media (internet).

  • Nestle enters pet care market in India

    Nestle enters pet care market in India

    MUMBAI: FMCG giant Nestle has announced its foray into pet care segment in India by launching premium dog food through its step down firm Purina PetCare India.

    The company has launched Purina Supercoat range of dog food, which offers a wholesome combination of high quality natural ingredients, Nestle said in a statement.

    “With the launch of Supercoat in India we kick start our mission to raise the standards for pet nutrition,” Purina PetCare India MD Varindra Sewak said.

    The company’s marketing push for the new category is yet to be unveiled.

    “We will bring our global portfolio to India to cater to these consumers and become a significant player in the rapidly growing pet food category,” he said.

    According to the company, India has 19 million estimated pets and the pet food industry in India has huge potential and is expected to double in size in the next five years.

  • Price cuts, higher ad spend fail to buoy Colgate’s sales

    Price cuts, higher ad spend fail to buoy Colgate’s sales

    MUMBAI: The price of Colgate-Palmolive Co’s shares plummeted on Friday after the company reported lower-than-expected quarterly sales despite spending more on advertising and cutting prices.

    The world’s largest toothpaste maker said gross margins fell to 59.8 percent in the fourth quarter from 60.4 percent a year earlier, hit by higher costs for raw materials and packaging according to a Reuters report.

    Colgate said it expects sales growth in 2018 but the forecast did nothing to shake the impression of stagnation that has dogged Colgate and other consumer goods producers in the past year.

    Organic sales improved sequentially, but the rate of improvement was less than expected, the company said in a post-earnings conference call.

    For 2018, Colgate forecast mid-single digit percentage net sales growth and low- to mid-single-digit organic sales growth, and double-digit earnings per share growth.

  • Lux launches new TVCs

    Lux launches new TVCs

    MUMBAI: Set to storm your television set are Lux Industries Ltd’s (Lux Industries) three new TVCs, featuring Bollywood’s finest, for three different brands.

    While Amitabh Bachchan unveiled the new television commercial of LuxVenus, Varun Dhawan released the new TVC of Lux Cozi and Parineeti Chopra, of their women wear brand Lyra, the company’s media release stated.

    The company has also announced plans of launching a media blitzkrieg in television, print, radio, digital and outdoors for their products and plans to go ahead with a new 360-degree campaign regarding their newly launched commercials.

    The move is aimed at ensuring major growth in sales in the next quarter and positively impact the company’s presence in the market, said Lux Industries chairman Ashok Todi.

    The company is also looking forward to individually grow and sustain the leadership positions of its diverse portfolio of brands in the market.

  • Nestle retains Zenith as AOR

    Nestle retains Zenith as AOR

    MUMBAI: Nestlé India has retained Zenith as the AOR (agency of record) for its media business. Recently, Nestle also consolidated its nutrition digital marketing business with Zenith and DigitasLBi.

    The FMCG major called for a review after five years in November 2017, which saw some leading media groups from across the country participate.

    Zenith was appointed as Nestlé’s media agency in 2005 and has been handling the company’s media duties since, across business segments.

    Zenith India group CEO Tanmay Mohanty adds, “Nestlé is Zenith’s flagship account and we have had this relationship for more than a decade. We are super delighted that the client has once again handpicked us and it is a clear endorsement of Zenith’s competency and ability to deliver.”

    In India, Zenith’s key clients include Nestlé, Parle Products, Micromax, Toyota, ZTE Mobile, Honeywell Air Purifiers, H&M, Singapore Tourism Board, Fox Networks, BASF and Singapore Airlines, among others.

  • Coca-Cola aims $2.5 bn target in India by 2020

    Coca-Cola aims $2.5 bn target in India by 2020

    MUMBAI: Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages (HCCB) has announced its plan to become a $2.5 billion FMCG company by 2020. The company’s plan includes manufacturing and selling a wide range of beverages and modifications to its operating structure. It is also apportioning more resources to its frontline and field, both financial and human. This includes setting up of the premium division to service customer requirements around niche and premium beverages – smartwater, frozen fruit desserts, mixers and tonic water etc. and amalgamating the existing alternate beverages division to the mainstream distribution system.

    HCCB has achieved significant scale in the sale and distribution of an extensive range of juices under the Minute Maid and Maaza brands and also sparkling and dairy products. As a part of its growth plan, the company aims to open 1 million new outlets by 2020. It currently distributes its products in 2 million outlets across 25 states.

    The 2020 plan focuses on being consumer and customer centric, driving revenue growth, building a strong and agile system that has efficiency as its core and digitising the enterprise and unlocking the power of associates (employees).

    In order to better flex and respond to changing consumer demands, HCCB will now operate under seven zones instead of the current five and will also reorganise its corporate centre resources to serve in the zones and factories. The company will have a leaner corporate office and a much-strengthened sales and supply chain organisation, thereby creating several hundred new jobs.

    HCCB expects to fill most of these new jobs from within. The re-organisation will, however, make a few existing jobs redundant, the incumbents of which will be encouraged to apply for the new jobs that have been created.

    “In my time as CEO, I have focused on listening to our employee base,” says Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages CEO Christina Ruggiero. “It was very clear from our research, conversations and market data that today we are not structured in a way that allows us to fully leverage our scale and market capabilities. Changes of this nature take time to seep in, but our associates are committed to ensuring that HCCB is key fixture in India’s consumer landscape and delivering the growth that we know is possible in India.”

    By refining the operating structure and simplifying processes, HCCB solidifies its investment in India’s future with an infrastructure capable of favourable long-term impacts.

  • ZEEL exec Sunil Buch resigns

    ZEEL exec Sunil Buch resigns

    MUMBAI: Sunil Buch has put in his papers at ZEEL.

    Appointed as the chief business officer of the network in 2014, and recently elevated to the position of the chief executive officer (CEO) — Zee Live and Zee Talent and head of corporate brand and communications.

    Buch has over two decades of experience in functional and general management across various sectors like FMCG, advertising, media and entertainment and telecom retail.

    Prior to joining ZEEL, he was the business head at Reliance Own Retail at Reliance Communications. He has also worked with major brands like Colgate – Palmolive, Johnson and Johnson, Leo Burnett and Marico.

  • Hathway Bhawani MD and CEO Sameer Joseph quits

    Hathway Bhawani MD and CEO Sameer Joseph quits

    MUMBAI:  Hathway Bhawani Cabletel and Datacom’s managing director and CEO Sameer Joseph has resigned with immediate effect, that is, 4 October, 2017. 

    With an experience of 20+ years of successful track record in service, financial service, FMCG and telecom industry working with brands like TNT, Coke, Idea, Airtel, Tata & Uninor.

    Joseph had joined Hathway Bhawani in November 2016 as the senior vice-president – operations and managing director. Prior to joining Hathway Bhawani, he worked as the vice-president and national sales and distribution head with Sun Telenor Payment Bank. 

    He also worked with Uninor as the associate vice-president and regional sales and distribution head (north and west ) for six years.

  • Dentsu launches Amplifi, with Kartik Iyer and Sujata Dwibedy as leaders

    Dentsu launches Amplifi, with Kartik Iyer and Sujata Dwibedy as leaders

    MUMBAI: Dentsu Aegis Network has announced the launch of Amplifi in India under the Executive Sponsorship of Kartik Iyer, President Media Agencies and Amplifi.

    ​​​​Amplifi is the media investment arm of The Dentsu Aegis Network, comprising four specialisations – Investment Management, Global Media Partnerships, Amnet and The Story lab.

    Speaking on this launch, Ashish Bhasin Chairman & CEO South Asia said, “We are excited to launch Amplifi in India under Kartik’s leadership and bringing together the four key capabilities under one structure. In today’s world, our media partners have much more to bring on table for our clients, than just media inventory.  Amplifi’s is uniquely placed to drive this supply-side convergence by harnessing data, technology, insight and content to help all members of the Dentsu Aegis Network operating model.”

    As part of this launch, Sujata Dwibedy is taking over as the Group Buying and Trading Head from Harsha Joshi who has decided to explore options outside the company. On Harsha’s association with the group, Ashish Bhasin said, “Harsha, with her vast experience, has been a huge contributor in the growth of the media group. We wish her all the very best for her future.”

    Kartik Iyer, President Media Agencies and Amplifi said, “Our constant endeavour has been to bring best in class solutions for our clients that enable their business growth. The launch of Amplifi is another step in that direction and I am very excited with this opportunity.”

    Further, speaking on Sujata’s appointment, Kartik said, “Sujata, with over 20 years of media trading and strategy experience, has extensively worked across sectors such as FMCG, telecom, airlines, finance, alcohol and beverages and has led teams in the areas of planning, research, buying and strategy. Her holistic perspective will enable a better integration of all buying and trading functions across the group, in both online and offline media. Sujata will be supported by Prashant Nandan who has over 10 years of expertise in strategic digital marketing, media planning, media buying and content marketing across agencies like Isobar, Maxus and Motivator. Over the past 3 years, he has been leading buying for Isobar and now moves to Amplifi to deliver the digital buying and trading expertise to the group.”

    Speaking on her appointment as Group Buying and Trading Head, Dwibedy said, “I am delighted to have been chosen for this responsibility to drive ROI and deliver value to Dentsu Aegis Network clients. In today’s rapidly changing media marketplace, I look forward to working with our agencies and media partners to deliver this value across media to our clients.”

    Amnet, the programmatic capability of Dentsu Aegis Network, continues to grow from strength to strength and will now be a part of Amplifi.

    The Story Lab, launched in 2015, will continue to operate as part of Amplifi under the leadership of Sunil Kumaran.