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Tag: gold

  • Gold glitters less as base metals shine brighter

    Gold glitters less as base metals shine brighter

    MUMBAI: Gold bulls blinked in October as the yellow metal slipped 0.5 per cent in rupee terms after touching record highs near Rs 1.21 lakh, while silver sparkled briefly before easing 1 per cent. After months of glitter, profit-booking and a stronger dollar dimmed the bullion buzz.

    Silver still outshone gold over the year, up 68.3 per cent versus gold’s 57.2 per cent. A supply squeeze and soaring ETF premiums kept silver in the spotlight, even as China curbed retail gold access and cut VAT exemptions from 13 per cent to 6 per cent.

    Base metals stole the show. Copper broke above Rs 1,000, riding renewed trade optimism and mine disruptions that trimmed global inventories by nearly half. LME copper stocks fell 50 per cent, while refined production rose only 4 per cent against a 6 per cent surge in demand.

    Zinc surged 4.5% as smelter shutdowns in Japan, Italy, and the US shrank supply. LME zinc stocks plunged to a two-year low of 38,000 tonnes, pushing the market into tight backwardation unseen since 1980.

    Aluminium climbed 5 per cent, buoyed by easing US-China tensions and shrinking warehouse stocks, which are down 14 per cent this year. With global demand expected to soar nearly 40 per cent by 2030, supply strains are set to linger.

    Energy markets flickered between hope and hesitation. Crude oil slipped 2.6 per cent on weaker demand despite geopolitical flare-ups, while natural gas gained 3.1 per cent as winter loomed and AI-driven power demand lifted consumption forecasts.

    Central banks held steady, with the RBI keeping rates at 5.5 per cent and trimming inflation forecasts to 3.1 per cent. The Fed paused its balance-sheet runoff after two rate cuts this year, as the US shutdown stretched past 30 days.

    From bullion dips to base metal breaks, the month painted a picture of cooling glitters and glowing grit, proof that in commodities, it’s never all gold that glitters.
     

  • The One Show opens its doors to the insurgents

    The One Show opens its doors to the insurgents

    NEW YORK: The One Club has shaken up its awards structure in the most significant overhaul in decades, launching The One Show Indies—a dedicated competition designed to level the playing field for independent agencies, design firms and freelance creators locked out of the global creative spotlight by better-resourced rivals.

    The new category, debuting within The One Show 2026, is a direct challenge to the holding company orthodoxy that has long dominated the industry’s most prestigious accolade. Entry is restricted to truly independent outfits: at minimum 51 per cent founder or staff-owned, with no more than four physical offices. The signal is unmistakable. The One Club reckons independent shops are being starved of recognition, and it intends to rectify that.

    The One Club chief executive Kevin Swanepoel  framed the initiative as an act of creative liberation. “The One Show Indies is like a new rebel wing inside The One Show,” he said, summoning the rhetoric of insurgency. “We’re recognising independent shops and creators who make powerful work without holding company budgets and restraints.”

    The economics of entry have been designed to entice participation. Submissions are capped at a modest ten entries per eligible shop, with each piece of work allowed into no more than three categories. Entry fees come at a steep 20 per cent discount off The One Show’s regular rate, whilst burdensome case study films are restricted in their use as judging material. The combined effect is tangible: a genuine attempt to remove the financial and administrative friction that deters cash-strapped independents from throwing their hat in the ring.

    The jury will be drawn entirely from creatives at independent agencies, using the same rigorous judging standards that underpin The One Show’s reputation. Winners will claim Gold, Silver and Bronze Pencils and Merit awards, with an additional Crystal Pencil bestowed on an overall Best of Indies champion. A separate celebration event is planned, staged in casual surroundings away from the formal May ceremonies during Creative Week.

    The One Show Indies crystallises a shift in the creative industry’s consciousness. Independents have spent years grumbling about glass ceilings at award shows dominated by multinational holding companies. They’ve complained—often with justification—that the costs of entry and the judging structures inherently favour agencies with dedicated awards departments, bigger budgets, and armies of administrative staff to shepherd work through the submission process.

    This new category doesn’t solve that structural imbalance entirely. But it cracks the door open. For smaller shops punching above their weight, a One Show Pencil—even one contested exclusively amongst independents—remains a genuine prize. It offers market validation, bragging rights, and the kind of industry credibility that shapes client perceptions and staff recruitment.

    The One Club’s motives are plainly also commercial. Awards bodies thrive on volume and participation. Attracting a hitherto underserved cohort of independents will swell submission numbers and fortify The One Club’s position as the creative industry’s dominant credentialing authority.

    Entry deadlines are stacked across four rounds, with the super-early window closing 30  October  2025, offering the deepest discounts. Regular entry runs until 23 January 2026, with a final window through 20 February 2026. Judging commences in January, with winners announced in May.

    The One Club operates as a non-profit, recycling revenue from entries back into industry programming across four pillars: education, inclusion and diversity, gender equality, and creative development. That circularity—awards funding grassroots support—gives the organisation a moral sheen beyond the commercial calculus of conventional awards schemes.

    The One Show Indies lands at a moment when the creative industry is reassessing who deserves a voice. This rebel wing may just prove to be the most inclusive—and competitive—corner of the awards landscape.

  • Jewellery brands turn on the sparkle this festive season

    Jewellery brands turn on the sparkle this festive season

    Mumbai:  What’s the festive season without some beautiful lights, smiles, and jewellery? India is a country of festivals, and people look forward to the festival season. The joy of celebration and the shopping that entails brings a boost to the entire industry. Talking about the jewellery industry, it is widely believed that shopping for them during the festive season brings good luck and prosperity in one’s life. Riding on this belief, the jewellery industry witnesses a lot of sales. And since it’s the first Diwali after two years of low-key celebrations, trade veterans and leaders in the jewellery industry have well equipped themselves to cater to the ongoing demand. In this story, I explore the advertising and marketing strategies of jewellery brands this festive season, including trends, innovations, and more.

    Understanding that this festive season is not similar to the ones in the previous two years, the consumer has been spending differently, in fact, lavishly, to be precise, this time around. Candere by Kalyan founder & CEO Rupesh Jain feels that the kind of consumer spending that he is noticing during the festive season this time is interesting.

    “The affinity of people towards gold ornaments seems to be dropping and the inclination towards fine diamond jewellery can be evidently seen. One of the reasons attributed to this could be that people are making fine jewellery a part of their daily fashion. Being dainty and elegant in design, it never fails to glam up your everyday look,” he expressed.

    Talking about the numbers, Jain states that their average order value has increased by 20 per cent and that their average order value ranges between Rs 25,000 and Rs 30,000.

    On the other hand, Tanishq CEO Ajoy Chawla believes that the predominant sentiment is for gold during the festive period, and this year, too, it’s no different.

    Consumers’ spending patterns across brands

    Jain observes that during this festive season, a lot of customers are buying jewellery for gifting purposes for their loved ones. “Our data suggests that over 50 per cent of Candere’s occasion-based purchases are intended towards festive gifting to family and friends. This could be a differentiating point between the customers we are serving this year and the customers we served in the last two years. Also, the kind of jewellery that is being purchased is fine diamond jewellery,” he elucidates.

    “We are seeing a lot of traction for all our new collections with record sell-through rates, particularly Chozha for Tamil Nadu and Alekhya for the rest of the country,” says Tanishq’s Chawla, confirming the woman’s desire for new designs to adorn as she prepares to socialise once more this Diwali.

    They also see continued interest in light weights, layering and colour that validates their belief that the new-age consumer values adornment over keeping jewellery in the locker—a secular trend now for the last two years, he discloses.

    BlueStone head of marketing Harshna Pasari explains that their consumer profile has stayed stable over the past few years. The brand predominantly serves cosmopolitan couples between the ages of 25 and 45 years old. “These consumers, unlike previous generations, are looking for wardrobe jewellery, not locker jewellery. The creations they prefer are more modern and suited to multiple occasions rather than only grandiose celebrations,” she says.

    “While they see jewellery as a mode of investment, it is a vital marker of style and individuality for them, driving them to wear a variety of jewellery more often for unique occasions like the workplace, casual events and more. They’re also open to experimenting with trends and new categories to make a statement—especially ones that fit into their lifestyles, like watch jewellery,” adds Pasari.

    Advertising and marketing strategies to rake in the festive moolah

    Jain believes that the festive season is always a good time for the jewellery industry. For Candere, it is no different. Even in the last two years, they were overwhelmed by the response of their customers. “Now, with life getting back to normal and everything opening up, people are really excited to step out and are engaging in offline shopping at their favourite shopping destinations during the festive season. For Candere, a growth of 25 per cent is predicted by our analysts’ team this year,” he points out.

    Candere is going aggressive with its campaign this festive season. Jain says, “Now that we are an omnichannel brand, we have to make sure that our customers know what we have to offer. We are tapping many new channels and platforms to promote our phygital presence. To be present wherever our customers are, we have raised our advertising budget by 40–50 per cent. In an attempt to maximise the brand connect, the traction and customer engagement, we have been constantly innovating our marketing strategies.”

    What is the advertising and sales mantra of brands to boost brand sales and increase consumer spending this festive season? And how are these tactics different from those that these brands applied during the festive season in the last two years?

    “Despite the high base of a record-breaking festive season last year, Tanishq is anticipating and targeting strong growth, and we are not sparing any efforts in new launches, marketing, and promotions,” Chawla says.

    From an advertising perspective, BlueStone’s mantra has been to break out of the festive clutter. Their recently launched TVC ‘Love Is In The Little Things’ is a fresh respite from the over-the-top festive visuals by celebrating the small moments of love and a very innovative category—watch jewellery.

    “Over the past two years, the world has completely shut down and reopened. The period when consumers could not step out into the real world has led to a craving for it. Anticipating this, we’ve scaled up our omnichannel play.”

    With 140+ stores across the country and services like ‘try at home,’ the brand is giving consumers the option to experience BlueStone across multiple channels, be it in-store, on their screens or on their couches. “With a range that encompasses gold, platinum, diamonds and gemstones, we ensure designs that suit every mood, moment and budget—especially with competitive festive offers on solitaires and making charges,” says Pasari.

    Candere’s advertising and sales mantra revolves around the theme of its Diwali ad campaign. In this year’s campaign, Candere celebrates togetherness. Jain elaborates, “We want people to walk down the lanes of nostalgia and celebrate Diwali like the old times, where every member of the family comes together to celebrate the occasion.”

    This year, the Kalyan brand’s Diwali campaign has been channelled through various media platforms to create a massive attraction among the buyers. “We have tapped several new modes, ranging from OTT (online video) to multiplex platforms. We are aiming to reach somewhere around 100 million people with this move,” says Jain.

    Bling trends this festive season

    Discussing the trends that have been observed in the jewellery category this festive season, Jain clarifies that the ongoing trend shows people leaning more towards traditional essences and yet comes with a modern touch, making it more unique. “To cater to such demands, Candere has come up with many collections that are in the light-weight jewellery segment, which combine and feature both traditional and contemporary aspects, defining the new-era woman and jewellery. Our data shows there is a significant jump when it comes to preferring fine diamond lightweight jewellery over heavy or chunky ones,” he says.

    BlueStone chief merchandising officer Vipin Sharma is of the view that this festive season, they’ve seen watch jewellery as a category trending for them. “The designs offer a new expression of ornamentation with a deep connection to the lifestyle of our consumers who are tech-savvy. We’ve also seen an uptick in consumers wanting to express themselves with innovative products like multi-threader earrings,” he says.

    He continues, “There’s also been a steady rise in interest in the men’s category, especially in steel bracelets with gold accents. This alternative material, with a dash of gold, gives an elevated sense of style.”

    Script jewellery, as a trend, has continued with consumers wanting to flaunt their or their loved ones’ initials or something significant to them. BlueStone offers script jewellery with various techniques and designs across various budgets. Timeless festive styles like necklaces, bangles, and other statement pieces continue to do well, says Sharma.

    Chawla also expects that this festive season will see significant wedding purchases for the season to follow Diwali and has stocked up Tanishq stores with adequate and appropriate Rivaah merchandise to serve all communities. “Gold rates have moderated from their peak, which was about six-seven months ago, and are also quite stable, hence we are optimistic for this Dhanteras, besides the upcoming wedding season thereafter,” he elucidates.

    Natural Diamond Council, too, in collaboration with the Style Collective, released the second edition of their Jewellery Trend Report 2022. The report explores the latest trends in the jewellery world which are going to reign in this festive season as well as the coming seasons, being absolute hits with the young consumer today. These trends range from mismatched fancy cut diamonds to vintage cuts such as rose cuts and briolettes, along with hoops with a twist.

    “Encompassing everything from memorable statement pieces featuring mismatched diamonds to daily wear options like hoops with a twist, the trend report encapsulates the changing dynamic of today’s youth who use jewellery as a means of self-expression. Versatile diamonds complement both ethnic or modern ensembles, elevating every look. As natural diamonds never go out of style, they make for great heirlooms which can be cherished by each generation in their own way,” says Natural Diamond Council – India & Middle East managing director Richa Singh.

    Innovations witnessed this festive season

    Jain expresses that at Candere, they are always looking out for innovations that can help them improve their customers’ experience with the brand. “Our website is equipped with many cutting-edge technologies like ‘try-on’ and ‘voice search’ that offer a store-like experience to customers from the comfort of their homes. But the differentiating point is our customers’ ability to customise their jewellery in just a single tap.”

    “Right from choosing three metal colours, different qualities of gold and five different diamond qualities, our customization feature has everything that someone might need to get jewellery that resonates with them and reflects a lot about their personality,” he explains.

    For BlueStone, watch jewellery remains one of the key innovations. It offers a subtle way to make a statement and a new way to flaunt ornaments. Offered in a range of fine metals, diamonds, gemstones and pearls, the versatile category suits festive and non-festive occasions.

    Sharma elaborates, “Consumers are hunting for jewellery that tells a story beyond its design, inspired by a more profound idea. It gives the consumer a meaningful experience in addition to making a stylish statement. One of our festive collections, Ashta, is an excellent example of that, having been inspired by the eight manifestations of the goddess divine.”

    This festive season sees an increased focus on personal style, he says, with young Indians preferring contemporary or Indo-Western fashion and giving prominence to unique styles like Y necklaces, chevron rings and more.

  • MMTC-PAMP names Amul Saha as chief digital officer

    MMTC-PAMP names Amul Saha as chief digital officer

    Mumbai: Indian gold & silver refinery accredited by the London Bullion Market Association (LBMA), MMTC-PAMP announced the appointment of Amul Kumar Saha as its chief digital officer. In his new role, Saha will create and drive strategy to scale up presence and achieve market leadership in the fast-growing consumer space. This would include building new business and revenue streams and presence in strategic and high growth spaces like eCommerce, digital gold, buyback and other related business lines. He will report to MMTC-PAMP managing director & CEO Vikas Singh.    

    Saha is a seasoned business leader with 12 plus years of experience in sales, business development, product marketing and technology. His recent specialisations are in the Online and E-Commerce domain and he was earlier associated with Samsung India. Under his leadership, the brand achieved online market leadership in the hyper competitive consumer durables sector.  

    Commenting on his new role, Saha said, “I am honoured to take up this responsibility that the company has entrusted me with. As a part of my new role, I will be exploring uncharted avenues to grow our consumer-facing business primarily through Digital and Omni-channel initiatives. My approach to solving complex problems is by breaking them down into smaller problem statements, identifying key input metrics, and laying down processes that can help the organization scale in a predictable and organized manner. I am obsessed with improving the consumer experience and I would like MMTC-PAMP to be at the forefront of improving consumer experience in the precious metals industry.”   

    MMTC-PAMP CEO and MD Vikas Singh said, “I am delighted to welcome Amul as our chief digital officer. Amul is a seasoned business leader with diverse experience across sectors. His extensive track record in building successful portfolios and achieving market leadership through winning teams make him a great asset at MMTC-PAMP.”   

    An alumnus of IIM-Ahmedabad, IIEST Shibpur, and RIMC Dehradun, Saha has experience managing complex multi-party environments that simultaneously involve brands, marketplace sellers, third-party fulfillment partners, and a host of external agencies. 

  • Dhanteras sparks a gold rush of campaigns ahead of Diwali 2021

    Dhanteras sparks a gold rush of campaigns ahead of Diwali 2021

    MUMBAI: The festive revelry of Diwali has kicked off with Dhanteras, the first day of Diwali. The occasion is an anticipated affair for both brands and consumers alike, considered auspicious for buying gold and silver in some form, apart from other big-ticket purchases. Keeping that in mind, brands across categories are leaving no stone unturned in going all out to woo the masses with special campaigns and attractive offers to ring in the festivities with an added sparkle.

    This Dhanteras, the demand surge for precious metals witnessed a significant QoQ 20 per cent jump, with demand for gold remaining high, almost three times of silver during this festive season, according to the latest Just Dial Consumer Insights study. The hyper-local search engine reported higher demand for the precious metals in Tier-II cities vis-à-vis Tier-I cities.

    Gold prices have fallen since reaching the peak in August 2020 and this festive season it remained the most searched precious metal on the search engine, as per its latest report. Silver too saw the highest QoQ growth in demand of 30 per cent while demand for both gold and diamond saw a growth of 18 per cent.

    Just Dial CMO, Prasun Kumar said, “Correction in gold prices and strong demand triggered by the festive season across the country, have made the yellow metal the most sought after. On Just Dial, demand for gold in Tier-1 cities remained high but it was also interesting to witness faster growth in demand in Tier-II cities led by Lucknow, Jaipur, and Coimbatore. With volatility in the market, we will see more and more consumers investing in gold for security reasons. Besides, the rise in demand for other precious metals such as silver and diamond is also encouraging.”

    This year on Dhanteras, jewelry brand Reliance Jewels paid homage to India’s rich heritage by launching Kaasyam, a collection inspired by Banaras. The collection is inspired by the architectural marvels of the holy city and seeks to represent the confluence of rich Indian culture and the charisma of modern India. Keeping this in mind, the entire campaign, conceptualised by Scarecrow M&C Saatchi is strategised around the central theme of ‘Dive into divinity’. 

    The film has been shot by Shamik Sengupta and is produced by Tandem Media.

    During Dhanteras, digital gold and investment through Exchange Traded Funds have also gained momentum.

    To leverage the auspicious occasion, Digital payment platform Paytm has announced the launch of its #YehDiwaliGoldWali offer ahead of Dhanteras, through which users will be able to win Goldback or additional gold worth up to ₹5,000 for the digital gold that they buy on the platform.  

    Paytm Gold enables users to create their own gold saving plans by opting for weekly or monthly auto payments, while also offering the option to redeem the digital gold into coins or bars, the brand stated.

    Amazon Pay has also announced offers of cashback on digital gold to all its customers ahead of Dhanteras. The e-commerce giant announced its ‘Dhanteras Store’ for a wide selection of specially curated products ranging from gold and silver coins, festive jewelry, electronics, pooja items, home décor, large appliances, smartphones, accessories, Amazon Devices, digital gold, and much more.

    Italian confectionery company Ferrero Rocher celebrated the onset of festivities with #MakeDiwaliGolden campaign highlighting ‘golden moments of togetherness.’ The campaign builds on the idea of connecting with your precious ones, coming together, and creating golden memories, further emphasised through digital and on-ground activations. 

    Gold loan company Muthoot Finance has launched its ‘Diwali Dhamaka Campaign’ offering ‘one of the best ever gold loan schemes offered by the brand’ in recent times.

    The purpose of this campaign, the brand stated, was to get maximum first-time loan seekers to avail gold loans and help them meet their objectives. The campaign aims to encourage everyone, particularly hesitant first-time loan seekers to avail gold loans convincingly.

    The Muthoot Group general manager, marketing & strategy, Abhinav Iyer said, “In these resurgent times post-Covid, when individuals, families, and businesses are picking up speed to regain their lost momentum, we at Muthoot Finance strongly believe that we can be the harbingers of change and a great festive offering like ‘Muthoot Finance Diwali Dhamaka’ can hugely help fellow Indians realise their dreams and become self-reliant.”

    “With +25000 tons of Gold stocked in Indian households and less than five per cent of this being monetised by way of gold loans; I feel there is tremendous opportunity to unlock the latent potential of this emotional currency to turbocharge economic growth and realise our Government’s vision of making an Atmanirbhar Bharat,” Iyer further added.

    There is optimism about rising consumer confidence this festive season, said the brand. With gradual improvement in the economic situation, much can be attributed to pent-up demand after almost 18 months of the pandemic-led lull.

  • Eurosport India amps up sports fans with docu-series blitz

    Eurosport India amps up sports fans with docu-series blitz

    NEW DELHI: Eurosport and Eurosport HD have rolled out a new campaign of sports documentaries titled 10 weeks 20 documentaries with the aim to enthral audiences with gripping human stories of sports personalities. 

    The campaign, spread across 10 weeks, with two new episodes premiering every weekend, is a step towards Eurosport India establishing itself as the home of world-class sports titles in a wide variety of sporting genres like cricket, golf, tennis, football, and boxing.

    The documentary blitz kickstarted earlier this month with the screening of the Emmy nominated sports docu-series Being Serena that follows pivotal moments in the life of former world No. 1 tennis champion, Serena Williams. 

    Being Serena was followed by What Killed Maradona which takes a deeper look into the extraordinary life of Diego Maradona, piecing together the trail of clues that caused his lonely and premature death in the Argentinian capital. 

    The ongoing Matchday – Inside FC Barcelona, an eight episodic docu-series, that tracks the FC Barcelona squad during the 2018/19 season premiered last weekend.

    Four other documentaries will come to Eurosports in May. 

    Anthony Joshua: The Road to Klitschko follows the IBF World Heavyweight champion over the course of two years as he prepares for the biggest fight of his career.

    Strokes of Genius depicts the legendary rivalry between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, while The Tiger Tales Show uses video and animation to tell new and illuminating stories about Tiger’s incredible impact on golf.

    The Beckham Effect examines the ups and downs of David Beckham’s six-year tenure with the LA Galaxy and its impact on the sports landscape. 

    June is reserved for cricket with two very interesting documentaries releasing one after another. Capturing Cricket: Steve Waugh in India follows the former Australian captain’s journey as he travels across India and captures the country’s obsession with the sport. Bodyline: The Ultimate Test is the story of one of the most well-known but perhaps least understood moments of conflict and controversy in the history of sports: the infamous Bodyline Test cricket series of 1932 and 1933.

  • Zee Studios International to release ‘GOLD’ in China on 13th December 2019

    Zee Studios International to release ‘GOLD’ in China on 13th December 2019

    MUMBAI: After shining bright on the global box office, Zee Studios International is all set to release this blockbuster in China on 13 th December 2019. GOLD marks Zee Studios International's fifth release in China after having successfully released films like Secret Superstar, Hindi Medium, Mom and Beyond The Clouds. Directed by Reema Kagti and produced by Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani's Excel Entertainment, GOLD becomes Excels first outing while Akshay’s fourth outing in China after Toilet:Ek Prem Katha, Padman and 2.0.

    Commenting on the movie release in China, Vibha Chopra, Head-Global Syndication & International Film Distribution, Zee Entertainment said, “Sports is one of the most successful genres in cinema and GOLD is a rare gem that won millions of hearts on its theatrical release.  The film that boasts of a powerful narrative and solid performances is now set to unravel the epic tale of Indian victory in China! It marks our fifth outing in China after the stupendous success of Secret Superstar, Hindi Medium, MOM and Beyond The Clouds and it will be third release this year after MOM and Beyond The Clouds. With Gold, we are excited to see how the diaspora reacts to a title that was appreciated globally.”

    Ritesh Sidhwani, Producer, Excel Entertainment states, “Gold is very close to our hearts and is our very first film to release in China! With Gold, not only did we collaborate with Akshay Kumar for the first time but we also forayed into the genre of sports. As filmmakers, we strongly believe that a compelling narrative like Gold should not be restricted to borders and we are truly grateful to Zee Studios International for giving this film the recognition it deserves. We are extremely excited that the film is reaching a larger audience base as ZSI is leaving no stone unturned in ensuring global viewership. Like its theatrical release, we are confident that Gold will hit the right chord with audiences in China and score big at the Box Office.”

    A period drama, set against the backdrop of the 1948 Summer Olympics, ‘Gold’ traces the incidents of India winning its first gold medal in hockey.

  • BookMyShow releases ad for I-day release ‘Gold’

    BookMyShow releases ad for I-day release ‘Gold’

    MUMBAI: BookMyShow has launched an ad celebrating Independence Day with Akshay Kumar starrer Gold which covers Balbir Singh’s triumphant journey that helped India to win the first ever gold medal for hockey at the Olympics. 

    BookMyShow marketing and business intelligence SVP Marzdi Kalianiwala said,“Consumers are usually flooded with offer advertisements during holidays and the festive season, and we thought to have a light-hearted take on the situation with our latest film. Even in the case of our past films, the objective was always to be highly relevant and get inspired directly from conversations that take place all around. We hope the audiences will love the subtle use of humour in this particular digital film.”  

    BBH chief creative officer and managing partner Russell Barrett added, ”Go to where the people are. It’s that simple. With our advertising for BookMyShow, we’ve been able to tap into conversations that people are interested in rather than force a completely new conversation on the audience. Gold is a brilliant film about India’s first gold medal as a free country at the Olympics.”

    “The movie releases close to Independence Day, when the airwaves and newspapers will be filled with ‘freedom sales’ and brands exhorting us to ‘stand’ for something. We just felt it was a great opportunity to capitalise on and we hope the audience enjoys the ad enough to go book a ticket on BookMyShow,” he added.

    BookMyShow has also released a humorous take on the plethora of discount and promotion led advertisements that usually release around Independence Day.

  • Gutenberg Wins Gold in PR Asia Awards for 2018

    Gutenberg Wins Gold in PR Asia Awards for 2018

    MUMBAI: Gutenberg, an award-winning global and integrated digital marketing communications firm, has been named a gold winner in the Public Affairs category by PR Awards Asia, an organization celebrating the most outstanding, inspired and successful campaigns, individuals, and companies in Asia-Pacific’s communications industry. The firm won for its “Bharat Yatra” PR campaign for the Kailash Satyarthi Children’s Foundation (KSCF), an organization dedicated to eradicating child labor and child exploitation around the world. 

    KSCF, led by its founder and Nobel Peace Prize recipient Kailash Satyarthi, organized Bharat Yatra, the largest march in India for child safety, from August thru October 2017.  The “Yatra” (march) was an important part of a five-year long global ‘100 Million for 100 Million’ campaign in which youth were change makers for a child-friendly world and all those involved worked toward building a common consensus to end all kinds of violence against children, especially sexual abuse and child trafficking. The march, which was also attended by the President of India Ram Nath Kovind, had an estimated 1 million participants, covered 11,000 kms, and crossed over 22 states in 35 days. 

    On winning the award, Harjiv Singh, Gutenberg founder and CEO, stated, “We are extremely honored to receive this award and to further showcase Gutenberg’s expertise in spearheading effective, comprehensive and streamlined PR campaigns in many different areas.” Singh added, “Also, this award is especially important to us due to it being won for such a timely campaign with such an important purpose – making changes across India by saving 2 million childhoods every year.” 

    Says Bidhan Chandra, Executive Director, Campaigns, Kailash Satyarthi Children’s Foundation (KSCF) “We are proud that our campaign, Bharat Yatra, has received international recognition and won the prestigious award.  The Bharat Yatra was the largest mass movement which saw active participation of people from all walks of life including government, judiciary, corporates, educational institutions, media, religious leaders and civil society. Led by child survivors, the Bharat Yatra was a clarion call to end violence against children, especially child sexual abuse and trafficking.”

    Gutenberg’s PR initiatives extended across both traditional and non-traditional media for Bharat Yatra, resulting in the following for the march:

    •    40 million children and 500 million Indians reached in total 
    •    Coverage by over 4,000 India national and international media outlets for television, print, online, and radio
    •    An estimated 100 regional media interviews across 22 states
    •    Over 400 feature stories in 35 days 

    In its entirety, Bharat Yatra’s 2017 march had many impressive accomplishments, including: 

    •    Madhya Pradesh passing a bill for the death penalty for child rapists 
    •    Telangana declaring Karimnagar a child friendly zone
    •    Andhra Pradesh announcing a global policy institute to formulate an environment for the protection of children in India
    •    Karnataka setting up a dedicated court to fast-track cases related to child abuse
    •    Punjab being declared a model state for childhood 
    •    The Union Cabinet clearing the Trafficking of Persons Bill [Prevention, Protection and Rehabilitation Bill] 2018

    PR Awards Asia is the foremost event in the Public Relations industry’s calendar, attracting sponsors from both the sector itself and the suppliers that serve them. The judging is led by leading professionals from the in-house ranks, as well as senior agency executive utilizing a demanding set of criteria.

  • Social Samosa ‘Gold’ for Zee Yuva

    MUMBAI: Zee Yuva creates huge buzz in the industry by winning ‘Gold’ award in Media and Entertainment category by one of India’s top media publishing Site-Social Samosa. Zee Yuva not only surpassed regional channels but also defeated the industry honchos to win the coveted gold. This was only possible due to clear defined strategy of giving importance to digital medium as much as traditional mediums during channel launch. The pre-launch buzz was created by ‘#YuvaMhanje campaign’ which became talk of the state by engaging 8 Lakh+ audiences and boasting 7000+ entries. Release of shows title tracks on social media created interest amongst the audiences to watch the show. Bun Maska, Love Lagna Locha and Freshers title tracks got 2.5L,2L, and 3L views respectively in a matter of just two days.

    On the day of launch, i.e. 22nd Aug’16 various digital platforms were targeted which were identified as having the highest number of Marathi Youth audiences. #ZeeYuvaOnAir became No. 1 trending hashtag not only in Maharashtra but in India. The campaign received excellent response on social media platforms like Twitter, Instagram and Facebook; with Twitter itself registering a total of 22 million impressions.

    The Awards hosted by ‘Social Samosa’ featured 100+ Nominations in 25+ Categories and were evaluated based on Engagement of the brand on Social media, Jury evaluation and online voting. Carlton D’Silva-CEO & CCO, Hungama Digital Service, Roshan Abbas – Managing Director at Geometry Global Encompass Network and Ashish Bhasin – Jury Chair & Chairman and CEO, South Asia, Dentsu Aegis Network were some of the renowned names who were part of the jury.

    Zee Yuva has been excelling in the social media space since its inception. Compared to its peers in the media and entertainment space, the numbers for the channel have been beyond impressive when it comes to the rate of fan base growth. In a short span of 8 months, it has created its mark and reached 3 Lac fans on Facebook, 1 Lac fans on Instagram and 5,000 fans on Twitter. Despite the high growth rate in fan base Zee Yuva has constantly maintained highest engagement rate on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. This has been only possible because, audience engagement has been one of the pillars that the Zee Yuva focuses on. To achieve this level, the content strategy is adapted by mapping digital audience behavior and creating content customized as per the needs specific target group. Digital Marketing in Zee Yuva is treated as a critical medium to reach to revelent audience and not only as a support system for on-air content.

    The channel is set to come up with new initiatives and content with a purpose to serve Maharashtra’s digital audiences and maintain its dominance in Digital space.