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Tag: Ishwindar Singh

  • COLORS with Seagram’s Imperial Blue and Wavemaker goes hi-tech to launch AI-powered fun-filled #FansWaliHoli

    COLORS with Seagram’s Imperial Blue and Wavemaker goes hi-tech to launch AI-powered fun-filled #FansWaliHoli

    Mumbai: This Holi sparked celebrations that are unique and innovative! Viacom18’s flagship Hindi entertainment channel COLORS hit a hatrick, marking their third collaboration with Seagram’s Imperial Blue Packaged Drinking Water and Wavemaker India for an unforgettable #FansWaliHoli campaign, powered by cutting-edge generative AI technology. This initiative delivers a personalized and interactive Holi experience for the fans, unprecedented in its scope.

    This festive campaign, brought to life by Viacom18’s Network Branded Content in collaboration with Wavemaker India, empowers fans to create personalized Holi posters featuring their favorite celebrities: Karan Kundrra (Actor), Kanika Mann (Actor), Harsh Gujral (Comedian), and Raj Barman (Singer). Through an interactive microsite (www.becausemenwillbemen.com), fans can effortlessly select their preferred artists and generate custom posters with playful messages, encapsulating the essence of the vibrant festival of Holi, all while staying true to the brand ethos. These posters are then conveniently delivered to users’ WhatsApp for easy sharing with loved ones or posting on social media.

    Vivek Mohan Sharma – Head, Branded Content, Viacom18 commented on the campaign, “We are constantly striving to push boundaries and explore innovative ways to connect brands with audiences. Building on Viacom18’s vision of adopting technology every step of the way, we are approaching content marketing through the lens of technology as well. By leveraging generative AI, we have created a fun and interactive experience for fans to celebrate Holi with their favorite COLORS stars, while seamlessly integrating the Seagram’s Imperial Blue Packaged Drinking Water brand message. This campaign is a perfect example of how we are marrying content solutions with cutting-edge tech to deliver a holistic brand and content experience.”

    Ishwindar Singh, Pernod Ricard India said, “Seagram’s Imperial Blue packaged drinking water stands for embracing life with a smile and Holi, the festival of colors, is the perfect occasion to showcase our brand’s commitment to inspiring smiles and light-hearted moments. Partnering with Wavemaker & Viacom18 has allowed us to merge technology with celebrations to amplify the consumer experience through developing engaging campaign around key festivals like Holi..

    Shekhar Banerjee, Wavemaker India said, “At Wavemaker we are extremely proud to partner with our client Pernod Ricard India and brand Imperial Blue packaged Drinking Water to have continuously deliver on engaging innovatively with our consumers. Holi wishes delivered through an AI led campaign which puts you in the same frame with your favourite celebrity and recreates a beautiful poster which can be shared on social, go up as a poster in your room, be your wallpaper or give you bragging rights within your circle, is simply magical.”

    The campaign kicked off on 22 March and will run till 31 March.

     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

    A post shared by ColorsTV (@colorstv)

     

  • “We have manifested Royal Stag BoomBox with a vision to create the original sound of today’s generation”: Ishwindar Singh

    “We have manifested Royal Stag BoomBox with a vision to create the original sound of today’s generation”: Ishwindar Singh

    Mumbai: For many years, music has been a key consumer engagement pillar for the brand. Today, the youth tilts towards exploring exciting new forms of music. Contemporary genres such as hip-hop are becoming increasingly popular among the youth of the country, while Bollywood melodies remain integral to their cultural milieu. Royal Stag BoomBox intends to stir the imagination of this generation, blending music they have inherited, Bollywood scores, with the genre that speaks to them, Hip Hop. This mix will have the swag and emotional heft of Hindi cinema’s best compositions and the throbbing vibe and vigor of hip-hop.

    Leading a new cultural movement and catering to the interests of the young generation, Generation Large, Royal Stag BoomBox this year is slated to be bigger and better. Building on the exceptional success of the inaugural edition–which saw a footfall of 45,000 people across five cities–the property endeavors to enhance and build its impact across two engaging formats-

     .  The In-studio format: A unique phygital music concept featuring three original Melody x Hip Hop music tracks that will be released as singles and videos across platforms.

      . The On-ground format: This format will travel to four of India’s biggest youth hubs offering marquee musical performances with interactive physical activations.

    This year, the experiential music festival is bringing back headliners Badshah and Armaan Malik. Joining them are popular artists Neeti Mohan, Nikhita Gandhi (Melody), Dino James, DeeMC, and Ikka (Hip-Hop) and DJ Ali Merchant. The property will be travelling to four popular youth hubs in India, followed by the release of original songs.

    Indiantelevision.com caught up with Pernod Richard India’s general manager – marketing Ishwindar Singh, where he shared insights on the creation of Royal Stag BoomBox music property.

    Edited excerpts

    On the purpose behind the creation of the Royal Stag BoomBox music property     

    Seagram’s Royal Stag is one of the oldest flagship brands of Pernod Ricard India, inspiring the youth of India through its philosophy of “It’s Our Life. We Live It Large”. Aimed at the young, daring, confident, progressive, and inspiring individuals who embody self-belief, Royal Stag likes to communicate with music as one of its key engagement pillars.

    We have manifested Royal Stag BoomBox with a vision to create the original sound of today’s generation, Generation Large. The platform audaciously brings together two distinct genres of the music industry, the melody of Bollywood and the gully vibe of hip-hop, creating a new soundscape. By tapping into newer cities, which are excellent youth hubs, the brand is diversifying its marketing initiatives and connecting with its target audience on a deeper level.

    On catering to the tastes and preferences of today’s youth, particularly the Gen Z demographic

    Contemporary genres such as hip-hop are becoming more popular amongst the youth, while Bollywood melodies remain integral to their cultural milieu. Royal Stag BoomBox intends to stir the imagination of this generation, blending music they have inherited, Bollywood scores, with the emerging genre that speaks to them, hip-hop. They tilt towards exploring exciting new forms of music, and this is where Royal Stag BoomBox comes in.

    On Royal Stag BoomBox aiming to connect with the passion pillars of the youth

    Royal Stag BoomBox aims to connect with the youth by offering a larger-than-life experience, focusing on music. This involves curating experiences that genuinely resonate with the tastes and preferences of the youth demographic. We have identified and collaborated with popular musicians such as Badshah, Armaan Malik, Neeti Mohan, Nikhita Gandhi, Dino James, Ikka, Dee MC and Ali Merchant for the property this year, who have a strong following among the youth. By associating with these artists, we aim to build a deeper connect with our audiences, particularly in the Tier 2 and Tier 3 markets.

    On some of the key learnings from the inaugural edition

    In the inaugural edition, Royal Stag BoomBox manifested itself in two unique, engaging formats – the on-ground format and the in-studio format. With the on-ground format, the festival witnessed a footfall of over 50K across multiple cities, generating 180 Mn+ digital views & 13 Mn+ social interactions. Meanwhile, the original songs emerging from season 1’s in-studio format, Pehle Jaisi Baat Nahi Ft. Dino James X Jasleen Royal, Hoodie Ft. Bali X Nikhita Gandhi, Mohabbat Ft. Amit Trivedi X SlowCheeta and Imtihaan Ft. EPR X Neeti Mohan, garnered close to 70 Mn+ views across multiple OTT.

    The immense success of the inaugural edition compelled us to bring back Royal Stag BoomBox for its second season. This year, the on-ground format will travel to four of India’s biggest youth hubs—Bhubaneswar, Indore, Jaipur and Pune, offering marquee musical performances with interactive phygital activations like Insta-live sessions, art showcases, AR/VR installations, AI-based engagement, selfie-booths etc, which will create a festive feel at the venue. Meanwhile, the in-studio format which were very successful last year will be further enhanced with three new original Melody x Hip Hop music tracks that will be released as singles and videos across platforms later in the year.  

    On planning to leverage the presence of headliners like Badshah and Armaan Malik, along with other popular artists

    With a platform like Royal Stag BoomBox, where some of India’s best musicians come together to collaborate, the artists will always play a crucial role in amplifying the events’ impact and elevate the engagement with our target audience. While they help draw in an enthusiastic crowd at each of the on-ground festivals, the artists’ fan bases often extend beyond the immediate geographical location of the event, and we can see the impact in culture celebrating conversations in social media also. The headliner acts are often catalysts to elevate the experiences to another level, drive strong audience engagement and drive very strong youth reach and make Royal Stag Boombox a experience that lingers on long after the event is over.

    On the brand’s long-term vision for Royal Stag BoomBox

    We are looking at continuing our focus on building music as a key passion & engagement pillar with the youth through Royal Stag BoomBox. We look forward to expanding our presence in youth culture, both through physical and digital intervention, especially where cultural energy thrives. We will continue to forge new partnerships with a mix of culture shaping artists across our focus genres, ensuring that our platform resonates with its unique amalgamation of diverse musical tastes and experiences. Through these collaborations and immersive experiences, we aim to deepen our connection with the target audience, fostering a community that shares our passion for music and experience the ‘Live It Large’ philosophy.
     

  • Imperial Blue Superhit Nights partners with Harrdy Sandhu for his ‘In My Feelings’ tour

    Imperial Blue Superhit Nights partners with Harrdy Sandhu for his ‘In My Feelings’ tour

    Mumbai: Renowned singer and performer, Harrdy Sandhu, is set to embark on his first-ever India tour in partnership with Imperial Blue Superhit Nights. The tour promises to be an electrifying celebration of music and culture, spanning across seven incredible cities. Harrdy will be kicking off his tour in Indore on the 9 December, followed by Mumbai on 17 December, Kolkata on 24 December, Jaipur on 31 December, and Pune on 20 January 2024. Dates for Bhubaneswar and Gurugram will be announced shortly. Tickets for the tour concert will be available for purchase on Paytm Insider.

    Imperial Blue Superhit Nights has a remarkable history of curating sensational live music experiences. For years, it has been at the forefront bringing legendary musicians to the stage, creating unforgettable memories for fans across India. The partnership with Harrdy Sandhu marks a significant milestone in the platform’s ongoing commitment to deliver the very best in live music entertainment.

    With the core brand purpose of encouraging our consumers to embrace life with a smile the platform of Imperial Blue Superhit nights has always been committed to delivering superlative experiences that enable our audience to see beyond life’s challenges and immerse themselves in moments of conviviality that showcase their passion for music. Working with Harrdy Sandhu for his first ever India tour is a decisive step forward in that direction.” added Pernod Ricard India general manager – marketing Ishwindar Singh.

    Harrdy Sandhu shared his excitement for the tour, saying, “The association with Imperial Blue Superhit Nights has offered me an ideal opportunity to embark on my first India Tour, covering seven eminent cities, including Mumbai, Gurugram, Pune, Kolkata, and more. I’ve been diligently rehearsing steps on some of my most-loved tracks, with the determination to provide an unparalleled, innovative, and distinctive experience. Through this maiden tour, my aim is to deliver an international experience that leaves an enduring imprint on the hearts of all my fans.”

    Harrdy Sandhu, known for his soulful voice and remarkable stage presence, has captured the hearts of music enthusiasts across the country. With a string of chart-toppers, including “Bijlee Bijlee,” “Kudiyan Lahore Diyan,” and “Jee Karr Daa,” he has become a sensation in the music industry, and his live performances are nothing short of magic. Even the response from his fans to his latest EP ‘Pleasures,’ which features five songs, has been overwhelmingly positive.

    Harrdy is determined to bring a groundbreaking experience resonating to international concerts to India on this tour, pioneering the use of special hydraulic effects for the first time in the country. His unforgettable performances will set the stage ablaze, accompanied by a dynamic troupe of dancers, creating a uniquely immersive experience that will undoubtedly leave audiences yearning for more.

  • Seagram puts the spotlight on women in iconic ‘Men Will Be Men’ campaign

    Seagram puts the spotlight on women in iconic ‘Men Will Be Men’ campaign

    DELHI: With the society and media & entertainment industry getting more serious about issues like inclusivity and women rights in their approach, it becomes tactical to harness campaigns that rely on very gendered aspects of one’s nature. There have been several instances of brands stepping on the wrong side to attract great backlash from the consumers. But one brand that doesn’t fail to do it right every time is Imperial Blue with its ‘Men Will Be Men’ spot. Even though it has been subject to a lot of scrutiny when it comes to social movements, the campaign never fails to resonate with the audience with its crisp, tongue-in-cheek, and responsible humour.

    This year’s edition, titled ‘Heartbeat’, created by Ogilvy & Mather, received a similar response from the viewers as it went viral across three continents. It had managed to get 20 million impressions on social media in just 5 days of the launch and its popularity is only growing with each passing day.

    Talking about the spot to Indiantelevision.com, Pernod Ricard India general manager marketing, Seagram’s whiskies Ishwindar Singh shared that he was surprised to see the level of engagement the campaign got on digital media.

    Elaborating on the gendered nature of the ad, Ishwindar admitted that the brief for the particular campaign is any agency’s nightmare. “We want it to be crisp, within 20-seconds, without any dialogues, comic but not slapstick, and there should be no objectification of women,” he said.

    Singh added that this year, the aim was to create it from a woman’s perspective. “This year, we have looked at the whole act of ‘men will be men’ from a woman’s eyes. This is a historic campaign, and if you would have looked at it 10-years-ago, the whole story was from men’s perspective. The scenario back then was very different. There was no concept of objectification of women. This time, we have got the female character at the centre-stage.”

    He also noted that this inclusivity was not only at the creative level but the team working on the project comprised of a good number of women. Even the creative director from Ogilvy’s team, Ritu Sharda, gave a fine women’s angle to the story.

    The campaign was launched with a digital-first strategy and will be launched across TV channels. Speaking about the strategy, Singh said that the brand will be targeting sports and music programmes with the spot.

    Talking about the digital-first approach, Singh shared that launching the ad on social channels first helps the brands understand if the campaign will fly on its own or will need media push to travel. He insisted that the constant feedback received on social media helps the marketers gauge the full potential of a campaign.

  • Royal Stag Barrel Select Large Short Films returns on Zee Café

    Royal Stag Barrel Select Large Short Films returns on Zee Café

    MUMBAI: A carnival of powerful stories and storytellers united by the love for cinema – Royal Stag Barrel Select Large Short Film returns on Zee Café for the second time. An influential and celebrated platform for short films that recognizes the innate talent and skill of filmmakers truly deserves to be celebrated and Zee Café takes it a notch up by showcasing these masterpieces to a wider audience. Featuring a curation of finely-crafted short-films that promise to leave you in awe, the channel, available with the Zee Prime English Pack, enthrals its discerning audience starting every Fridays and Saturdays at 10 PM.

    The series of original, powerful and inspiring short-films including ‘Tindey & Unread’, ‘Siblings & Anukul’, ‘The Lovers  & Everything is Fine’, ‘Gadhedo & Chutney’  among others were showcased in a 6-city tour including Hyderabad, Kolkata, Gurgaon, Pune, Delhi and Jalandhar. With a host of gifted filmmakers donning the director’s hat, the riveting short-films stand for meaningful and engaging content, truly leaving viewers in captivated.

    In a specially curated panel discussion, the platform invited cinematic maestros like Anil Kapoor, Farah Khan, Jimmy Shergill, Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, Randeep Hooda, Vinay Pathak and Zoya Akhtar and many more from the industry who conversed around cinema, what makes films powerful and their own pursuit of excellence. The 6-part series explores the depths of Indian cinema in an engaging discussion with these maestros of cinema who are known for their craft. Giving viewers a deeper insight into what goes behind the making of a film, the series also features exclusive interviews of the makers as they unearth the many layers of the films.

    ZEEL  chief growth officer Ashish Sehgal said, “Consumers have gradually warmed up to short-films as a content consumption format. Viewers are looking for meaningful experiences that these compelling short-films have to offer. Moreover, brands, who seek to engage with their audience in innovative ways, see it as a fitment. True testimony to its success is the countless cinephiles who gather year-on-year for the screenings along with loyal enthusiasts who are committed to witnessing the works of art on Zee Café. This truly reflects in our continued partnership with Pernod Ricard for the second year in a row. It brings us immense happiness to collaborate with Royal Stag Barrel Select Large Short Films in the endeavour to recognize the works of budding filmmakers and amplify it with a wider audience.”

    Pernod Ricard India  GM marketing Ishwindar Singh said, “Royal Stag Barrel Select Large Short Films has pioneered a revolution in the field of filmmaking and has redefined movie-watching for cinephiles. To tell a compelling story in 15 to 20 minutes needs one to be a master in story-telling and filmmaking. The platform celebrates this pursuit of excellence as we bring together the finest storytellers from the world of cinema to create short yet impactful films. With the Zee network we endeavour to reach a larger audience with these insightful and powerful discussions on cinema.”

    Wavemaker chief content officer Karthik Nagarajan said, “The journey of Royal Stag Barrel Select Large Short Films is an inspirational one. To have captured the imagination of the audience and to have become such an iconic part of popular culture is a dream for every brand. It is easily the gold standard in India for content marketing and it has been a privilege for Wavemaker and GroupM to have been a part of this. Every year, the challenge is in making it bigger than the previous one and this partnership is an important part of this journey.”