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Tag: LinkedIn

  • Sportskeeda founder Porush Jain exits; Ajay Pratap Singh takes the reins

    Sportskeeda founder Porush Jain exits; Ajay Pratap Singh takes the reins

    Mumbai: On Friday, sports news content and gaming site Sportskeeda announced an interesting turn of events by bringing onboard the company’s current COO, Ajay Pratap Singh, as its new CEO. Singh will replace the incumbent founder & CEO Porush Jain, who has decided to exit the company.

    Back in 2019, Nazrana bought a 67 per cent stake in Sportskeeda for Rs 44 crore. Now it has paid Rs 20 crore to buy an additional 6.05 per cent stake in the company. Nazara picked up the stake from Jain through a secondary sale in order to consolidate its shareholding in profitable subsidiaries.

    On sharing about his exit from Sportskeeda on Linkedin, Jain relished the thought that he is financially free to do what he wants.

    His post reads, “My dreamy journey at Sportskeeda ends today as I successfully exit the company. From sweeping the office floor myself to sweeping the market share! From a mere sports blog to a company doing $15 million ARR.”

    “No doubt Sportskeeda will continue its growth journey. Super proud of the leadership team that I have built. Currently relishing the thought that I can do anything in this world now! Maybe a new start-up, an NGO, an angel investor and mentor, a traveller, or maybe a gardener,” it added.

    Jain further shared a timeline of his journey, he noted that it took five years to get the model right.

    “2009: Starting Up! from the College Dormitory; 2012: Sportskeeda gets $1MM in seed funding; 2014: SK gets the model right after burning almost 85% of the fund. The company turns profitable; 2017: 10x growth in 3 years; 2019: Nazara Tech acquires majority stake. VC gets 15x+ exit. Mentor gets 50x; 2021: SK grows 4x (users) in two years. Revenue 5x, Profit 30x!”

    “If you are passionate about Sports! You should join us. Life is great when your passion makes money for you!”, he stated.

    Commenting on this event, Nazara’s founder Nitish Mittersain said, “Sportskeeda continues to grow very rapidly across its core markets of the US and India, having doubled its revenue every year for the last three years. I am sure it will continue to make even greater strides under Singh’s able leadership. The market for sports content is deep and offers huge growth opportunities in the coming years.”

    Speaking about Jain’s exit and on joining his new role, Singh said, “It was a great learning experience working alongside Jain. Being the brand’s founder, he was instrumental in taking Sportskeeda to where it is today. With his continued guidance as a mentor to me and the team, we hope to take Sportskeeda to even greater heights.”

  • 9 in 10 business leaders believe economic uncertainty threatens to wind back pandemic progress in the workplace: LinkedIn research

    9 in 10 business leaders believe economic uncertainty threatens to wind back pandemic progress in the workplace: LinkedIn research

    Mumabi: Online professional network LinkedIn has launched a new global C-level research study to show how flexibility and employee benefits introduced during the pandemic are now at risk due to the ongoing economic uncertainty. According to the research, nine out of every 10 business leaders in India say the current economic climate could threaten flexible working (91 per cent), while other areas of work life such as learning and development (90 per cent) and employee wellbeing (89 per cent) are most likely to be affected too.

    In fact, more than two-fifths of India’s business leaders are looking to reduce employer learning and development budgets and opportunities (43 per cent), and nearly half (49 per cent) are looking to reduce flexible and hybrid working roles. Additionally, 71 per cent also prefer to work more frequently from the office as opposed to working from home. Despite this, 82 per cent of business leaders believe that hybrid working is here to stay for the long term.

    This comes at a time when new analysis of remote job postings on LinkedIn shows that remote roles are in decline, although the applications to those roles exceed supply by nearly 2x in India. In September, 11.3 per cent of paid job postings in India offered a remote working option. However, remote working roles received 20.3 per cent of all job applications.

    Employer-employee disconnect could demotivate professionals: The research highlights a growing disconnect between what professionals want and what employers are now offering, with the balance of power shifting back to employers as hiring slows.

    LinkedIn’s Global Talent Trends report reveals that across India, the top priorities that job seekers value beyond compensation are advancement, upskilling, and work-life balance. In terms of advancement, the report finds that employees want growth and transformation in their careers. In India, an employee who has made an internal move is about 10 per cent more likely to stay at their company when compared to those who stay in the same role for two or three years.

    But with companies reducing flexibility and growth opportunities, the C-level research shows that a majority (86 per cent) of business leaders in India are concerned that these cost-cutting measures will have a negative impact on employee motivation levels, which may also be why 84 per cent agree they aren’t able to find the right talent today.

    LinkedIn India country manager Ashutosh Gupta said, “The sheer scale of the ongoing uncertainty is forcing many leaders to rethink what—and how much — they can offer to their employees today. While flexibility and learning are usually the first to go when times are tough, pulling back on these in the present situation could demotivate employees, widen the skills gap, and inflate retention rates. At a time when professionals are just as threatened by the age of uncertainty as businesses are, leaders must adopt a forward-thinking approach and continue to invest in their people. Empowering employees to upgrade their skills and allowing them to choose how they want to work can drive greater levels of employee satisfaction in these testing times. Ultimately, having a workforce that feels supported and fulfilled will be key to building resilient businesses that drive growth and outperform competitors despite macroeconomic challenges.”

    Leading through uncertainty

    As companies navigate uncertainty, one area of agreement is clear: creative thinking and problem-solving are critical. These are the top soft skills Indian leaders identified as necessary to get through this time, followed by communication, adaptability, and transparency. In fact, soft skills such as problem-solving, communication, and strategy were featured in 78 per cent of jobs posted globally on LinkedIn over the last three months. Rather than leaving their teams in the dark about the tough decisions ahead, leaders need to build bridges with their employees and bring them on the journey with them.

    LinkedIn’s advice for leaders to navigate uncertainty

    Take an adaptive leadership approach: leaders must be transparent about the current state of affairs and adapt to what lies ahead, while also providing employees with clarity on short-term business priorities. They should see this period as an opportunity to iterate and adjust, which will stand them in good stead when the cycle ends.

    Maintain workforce connection and trust

    Today, half of Indian employers (51 per cent) encourage employee collaboration and knowledge sharing. By helping employees build connections with their colleagues, employers can energise their teams and strengthen their company culture. Furthermore, returning to command and control styles of leadership and dictating that employees must be in the office will quickly erode trust.

    Focus on skills

    The skill sets needed for jobs have changed by around 29 per cent since 2015, and this number is expected to grow to 50 per cent by 2025. By understanding the skills your employees have today and the skills your company needs in the future, companies can hire or redeploy talent into growth areas.

    LinkedIn has made a number of LinkedIn Learning courses available for free until December 31 to help leaders navigate uncertainty, including courses on “How to Future-Proof Your Organization and Become a Multiplier of Wellbeing in Your Organization.” LinkedIn has also published its Global Talent Trends report, which provides leaders with insight into how labour market trends are affecting employees and workplaces.

  • Vavo Digital announces collaboration with six content creators for LinkedIn

    Vavo Digital announces collaboration with six content creators for LinkedIn

    Mumbai: Vavo Digital has initiated a structured initiative to lend a fresh perspective to influencer marketing by exploring the coming-of-age social media platform LinkedIn.

    At the onset of this pursuit, Vavo Digital identified and signed up six key influencers. In the upcoming quarter, it aims to onboard 50+ talents on LinkedIn and further boost influencer marketing on this digital platform created especially for professional relationships.

    By onboarding personal branding experts Punita Parekh, M. Ayushi, and Shubhangi Madan, chartered accountant Palak Rathi, financial analyst Siddhant Garg, and audit analyst Sanskriti Pandey to facilitate collaborations with brands, the agency envisions assisting brands in reaching out to their target audiences through collaborations with these exclusive talents.

    Currently, the influencers onboarded are predominantly in the finance category; however, the agency envisions expanding the portfolio by being more inclusive and acquiring talent across multiple categories like technology, career coaches, HR professionals, marketing, public speakers, and content writers/freelancers.

    Commenting on the onboarding of these exclusive talents, Vavo Digital founder and CEO Neha Puri said, “As the first step towards establishing influencer marketing as a practical method on LinkedIn, the platform recently introduced a ‘creator mode’ that provides supplementary features and tools to users once activated. This significantly paved the way for content creators to establish themselves on LinkedIn. As an influencer myself, I view LinkedIn as an apt platform to associate with professional brands and gain a larger outreach. I believe it certainly helps to reach the right set of thriving entrepreneurs, as LinkedIn is home to all top decision makers, and that helps extensively in the appropriate development of emerging brands.” 

    At Vavo Digital, we are so pleased to have onboarded a talented set of independent content creators like Punita Parekh, M. Ayushi and Shubhangi Madan, Palak Rathi, Siddhant Garg, and Sanskriti Pandey from varied genres. We look forward to expanding the roaster and executing impactful campaigns for our brands. We aim to not only enhance the brand’s visibility but also create more engagement with the audience,” she added.

  • We are not very advertising oriented; we are influencer oriented: NOFILTR’s Hitarth Dadia

    We are not very advertising oriented; we are influencer oriented: NOFILTR’s Hitarth Dadia

    Mumbai: NOFILTR Group is an influencer marketing agency that was conceptualised and co-founded by Sumedh Chaphekar. The agency saw the first light of dawn on 21 September 2017 when the marketing dynamics in India were undergoing a tectonic shift and social media had gradually begun to occupy centre stage, grabbing the spotlight. At that exact moment, Chaphekar hit the hammer on the anvil by signing with the first influencer and laying the foundation for the NOFILTR.Group.

    By creating the enigmatic synthesis between influencers and brands, NOFILTR works towards intelligibly devising a network that enables the marriage of personal expression and thought-provoking content that has the ability to hook onlookers at every level of the marketing experience. In a nutshell, NOFILTR connects brands to influencers, who creatively connect with the brand’s target audience, by enticing onlookers with a plethora of services that include personal branding, content creation and curation, influencer marketing, brand collaboration, and campaign design, coupled with the total execution and analysis of the entire activity.

    Today, NOFILTR.Group graduates beyond the capacity of a typical influencer marketing and management company. Apart from providing content creators with facilities like brand collaboration and management, content ideation, growth mapping, and production team support, NOFILTR invests in the dreams of content creators, helping them to make them a reality.

    Presently, the company has exclusively signed up 39 content creators. Some of the names are Awez Darbar, Nagma Mirajkar, The Mermaid Scales (Krutika), Mr. MNV, and Aashna Hegde. NOFILTR.Group has also joined hands with celebrated YouTubers like Angry Prash and Funcho. The list grows as NOFILTR continues to mine for promising influencers who are on the verge of rising to their true potential.

    Indiantelevision.com caught up with NOFILTR.Group partner chief marketing officer Hitarth Dadia. His role involves optimising business collaborations and creating a profitable entrepreneurial blueprint for the influencers collaborating with NOFILTR.Group. While driving profits for the company remains a mainstay, Dadia works closely with the creative departments and plays an instrumental role in charting out the detailed insights in public relations and branding for the influencers. Armed with foresight and a market-savvy streak, he invests in a dint of hard work, giving NOFILTR.Group the edge it has today. He joined NOFILTR.Group as a sales intern and advanced onwards into the role of a business development head before taking over as the chief marketing officer.

    His accomplishments at NOFILTR.Group involve fruitful collaborations with international brands of repute. Some of these brands include Cadbury and Amazon Pay. While working with these brands, Dadia creatively coupled his insights in sales and marketing to garner the required traction for these brands on group media. He’s also worked extensively with reputed group media applications like Snapchat.

    Born and brought up in Mumbai, Dadia received her education from a prominent convent school. Being an introvert, he later slipped into his comfort zone during his years at Somaiya College. Soon after, he graduated in banking and insurance from Mithibai College in Mumbai, where he experienced a monumental personality shift for the positive.

    Dadia worked extensively towards overcoming all the blocks that would inhibit his growth. He worked at a multinational bank for a year to gain experience in the banking industry. Creativity took a back seat while working at the bank, but the experience helped him garner insight into the organisational hierarchy and structure.

    Being an avid reader has worked to his advantage. His passion for non-fiction has enabled him to borrow all the positive attributes from the role models who we look up to today.

    Excerpts:

    On the market gap that was seen when NOFILTR launched in 2017

    In 2017, there wasn’t much activity happening. There were a few people on a platform called AskFM. There were a few individuals who were gaining more than usual attention on social media. They were getting more and more relevant. What we understood is that brands do not understand getting people as influencers who are not traditional celebrities. Because of platforms like Instagram, we felt that these people would become more relevant. When we started, hardly any brands were interested in working with individuals who were not celebrities. But as time went on, awareness grew about the importance of influencers and things started building.

    On the USP of NOFILTR

    We are very focused. It is very easy to get distracted in this space. Technically, we are in the management and advertising businesses. Eventually, you land in the merchandising and brand-building business. Our focus is on incubating talented individuals who can be very effective influencers for brands. The focus is that if an individual is very talented, we will help that person. We are not very advertising-oriented. We are very influencer-oriented. We focus on what is best for talent. So let us say a brand is willing to pay a very high sum of money for an influencer, but it is not the right fit for the creator’s long-term goal and growth. We are not an ad company that does one campaign and moves on. We think long-term.

    On the key learnings so far

    There is no one formula. Influencer marketing is not about products. It is about human beings. There is no manufacturing blueprint. Every day will be different. Each influencer is different and highly opinionated. You have to make sure that an economy is built around them and not on them.

    On the impact of covid

    The first lockdown was a surprise in the grand scheme of things. We tried to figure out how to work through the new environment. Marketing was the first thing to take a hit. When you are trying to survive, you do not want to spend. But in the long term, when I retrospectively look at it, covid has sped up the industry. It was a very good thing for the industry. More people are focused on consuming their preferred content, and others are focused on creating their own content.

    On the company’s outlook before partnering with an influencer

    A bunch of things. First, we meet them to get an idea about how passionate they are. This is not conventional work. This is an extremely new space. You put your personality out there. We look at how willing they are to give it their all and how original they are not just in terms of content, but how true to themselves they are and how strong their identity is.

    On the rising number of NOFILTR’s exclusive influencers

    We started with four creators. Now we are at 40. We work with them exclusively. They create content in areas including entertainment, fashion, lifestyle, dance, comedy, etc.

    On the influencer marketing’s trends

    At least for the next 12 months, a lot of creators will become entrepreneurs. They will start on their own. Over a span of say five years, they have been interacting with brands. They have learned how to build their own brand and I think that over time you understand what you personally like, and prefer. They are themselves brands and I think that people are just to realise that. They are taking this space more and more seriously and are coming up with their own projects which are not just about ads or entertainment.

    On the business model

    We sign a creator who works exclusively with us. They create content. We help them with the business aspect of things like travel and business production. Doing this helps our creators put the best content out there.

    On the recent work

    For Diwali, we did a bunch of campaigns with companies like Gold and Coca-Cola. We have a NOFILTR Escapes division where tourism boards partner with our influencers. Influencers are taken to international destinations. This IP allowed creators to create content in different environments. The creators get to travel and create content. The tourism board gets more awareness. It is a successful IP that we have been working on for a while now. There are a bunch of projects in the works now. We will create IPs for our company and also creator IPs. We are working on three to four creator IPs and a bunch of IPs for the company. The creator IPs will leverage the skills of a particular creator.

    On the platform Creator 21

    Initially, we only worked with five creators. We just adopted them. This is not a conventional line of work. These are 18- to 23-year-old kids. We put in a lot of time, effort, and resources, and the creators succeeded. A lot of other creators wanted to sign with us. But giving so much attention to more and more people was not feasible. So we started another company to help creators with the business aspect of things. We help creators with their businesses and give them the tools to succeed. Brands want more and more influencers. If we also had more people on our roster, it would definitely help. The goal is to help more creators and access more brands.

    On the hand holding that NOFILTR does with influencers, given that social media platforms keep tweaking their algorithms

    Initially, two years ago, this was the case. The space was relatively new. Now it is a self-sustaining model where their circle can help them out.

    On the goals set for 2023 by NOFILTR

    There are a bunch of things. We want to make sure that we are helping as many people as possible in the content creation and self-expression space. We want to help the wackiest of creators. We have unconventional things in the works.

    On the various metrics that companies use to check the ROI of influencer marketing

    There are a bunch of things. There are KPIs and click-through rates. We do not work on deals like that. People will buy a product if it is good. We can give awareness of a product. We check the engagement level with a piece of content.

    On the whitespace in tier II, III towns and cities

    Vernacular content is growing in importance. This is usually the TG for a lot of FMCG and commercial brands. A lot of niches are forming in tier II and tier III audiences. Brands are diving deeper into assessing and targeting these grounds. People are becoming more aware of different sections of brands or different sections of the community.

    On whether companies have misconceptions when it comes to influencer marketing

    The situation today is much better in this respect. Earlier, people saw influencer marketing as being a product or a billboard. Today, that is not the case. If the influencer does not believe in your brand, they should have the freedom to choose. This aspect is also better. Brands do not usually focus on individuals who are extremely creative. They have to be creative, or else, you will not be relevant on social media. So brands should give influencers not just money but also creative freedom because they know their audience the best.

    On what one needs to keep in mind when using social media platforms like Instagram for influencer marketing

    You have to be very mindful when talking about things. You have to dive deep. You have to be aware. One creator has close to 25 million followers on Instagram, which is more than the city’s population. As an audience, you have to be mindful of who you follow. Watch enough 30-second videos and you will form an opinion. It is a good thing that Instagram is moving towards video. Video can tell better stories than pictures. It cannot be a one-sided conversation.

    On the growing importance of short-form video in influencer marketing

    This is a separate skill by itself. You have to be quick and very valuable when telling a story. Long-form allows you to tell a story and develop an intention, cause, and effect. We know that attention spans are going towards short forms. It is about getting a tiny gist or a teaser. It makes more sense for brands to put in more money and for platforms to put more resources into short-form content. It is still a little underdeveloped. Better storytelling can happen there. I am extremely excited to see where the short-form format goes in terms of storytelling. If you can tell a good story in 30 seconds, you are a legend.

    On whether LinkedIn is playing a role when it comes to influencer marketing in the B2B space

    It is an undervalued platform, if I am being very honest. For finding the right talent and the right team members, nothing has proven to be better than LinkedIn in the B2B space. If you have a project that requires multiple brands and agencies to be in the picture, the goal for us has been to use LinkedIn to find the right individual to talk to. LinkedIn has not been disappointing at all. It would be nice if more and more brands got involved. If brands were more accessible on LinkedIn, they would definitely find the right audience to promote their products. LinkedIn does have creators, but they are highly opinionated and entrepreneurial.

    On the challenge of using Twitter, which has a lot of noise

    Twitter and Reddit are examples of platforms that are highly opinionated. A lot of noise comes with that. People agree and disagree. You need to be more aware of navigating those platforms. Things can get real on Twitter, and things can get extremely useless as well. Creators have to be mindful of what is being put out. Twitter and Reddit, in the right hands, are beautiful tools. It can help you figure out the trends that will come here in the next three to four months. You have to follow the right kinds of conversations and that will tell you what will happen. These platforms can be indispensable. We offer suggestions based on these platforms. We know what they are going for.

    On Elon Musk’s owning of Twitter

    I am very excited about Elon Musk owning it. There are not a lot of billionaires who are relatable. Elon is extremely relatable. Platforms need a good shakeup every now and then for people to care about them. More people will take Twitter seriously.

    On the expansion plans abroad

    Our goal is not to be restricted to one domain in terms of platforms, countries, and culture. We want to bring in the best of every space and domain. We want to get better stuff to the crowd here. You cannot set stonewalls on the kind of content you consume or the things you read that are counterintuitive to cultural development. We want to get different perspectives here, and then people will form their niches and form their views on that.

    On the potential of the Metaverse

    We are working on projects in this area. We are in the initial stages of the Metaverse. It is going to lead to something else. People right now want to understand it out of FOMO. But if you dive deep, it is a beautiful place for identity and self-expression. You can be whoever you want to be there. In terms of self-expression, you will not be restricted to a particular domain.

  • HUL MD & CEO’s post on Dove’s #StopTheBeautyTest campaign evokes mixed reactions

    HUL MD & CEO’s post on Dove’s #StopTheBeautyTest campaign evokes mixed reactions

    Mumbai: Dove’s latest campaign questioning society on the beauty-based judgements that young girls are subjected to has been garnering attention, not always for the right reasons however. As was probably discovered by the Hindustan Unilever Ltd (HUL) MD & CEO Sanjiv Mehta when he recently shared a post on the campaign on a social networking platform.

    Sharing the brand film on LinkedIn Mehta wrote: “Ahead of #InternationalDaughtersDay pleased to launch phase 2 of our #StopTheBeautyTest movement. Our new brand communication sheds light on the scrutiny and low self-esteem young girls encounter in society because of unrealistic beauty norms.”

    “As a father to two lovely daughters, I feel deeply for the cause. You would agree that our children’s formative years are critical, and if done right, we set them up for life. Therefore, we must create an environment where girls can feel more confident about themselves and focus on who they are as individuals, not how they look,” he continued.

    Let us pause, reflect and eliminate beauty biases that prevent India’s daughters from achieving their full potential, Mehta added before concluding with the plea “Please let us all #StopTheBeautyTest.”

    While several netizens lauded him and Dove for taking up the cause of women by asking consumers to confront beauty stereotypes laid down by society, there were other voices which questioned HUL’s seemingly contradictory stance when it came to its other flagship brand Glow & Lovely (formerly Fair & Lovely).

    “Fascinating ad from the company that makes Fair & Lovely,” pointed out a user, referring to the ‘skin-lightening’ cosmetic product of Hindustan Unilever introduced to the Indian market in 1975. The user, Savitha Rao, further demanded to know if Unilever would make an ad on how so many companies are marketing products by making the customer feel inadequate. “For decades, Fair & Lovely promoted a solution to dark complexions, which was shown as a problem,” she added.

    The film was also criticised for showing parents and teachers in a bad light ‘to sell a soap.’

    “A campaign ad that shows hardworking mothers, grandmothers, and teachers as the real villains, pushing for unrealistic beauty standards, while not just absolving oneself, but branding oneself as the torchbearer of change. I am yet to come across a better example of hypocrisy,” declared a netizen.

    LinkedIn user Anirudh Kunte while being appreciative of the campaign, did not hesitate to give the company a reality check on it’s ‘not-so-fair’ history. “Good initiative. However, admitting your mistakes is the first step towards correcting them,” he wrote, recalling the tag lines/ narratives propagated by the conglomerate. “These aren’t exact, but the gist is similar: ‘Fairer skin got me a job/ romantic date/groom’, ‘Gora nikhaar laye jeevan mein bahaar’, ‘Get 2 shades lighter skin in 4 weeks’. All of these, perpetuated for decades, by the brand’s parent company (and specifically some of its products) in India,” he stated.

    “All of these, perpetuated for decades, by the brand’s parent company (and specifically some of its products) in India,” he stated.

    Responding to the campaign’s exhortation of ‘Dove kehta hain #StopTheBeautyTest‘, another user wrote, “Sirf Dove kehta hai… But what about Fair & Lovely and all the other brands that have told every little girl to constantly worry about glowing skin/ shining hair / makeup that hides them.”

    “There is demand and there is supply.. I propose you cut the supply of useless confidence shattering products and demand shall wade off. Be the first movers if you really care!! N not just for the Daughters Day campaign,” she emphasised.

    Yet another netizen minced no words while replying to Mehta’s post. After seeing this short film, the first thing that crossed my mind is a popular saying in Hindi language, he wrote. “It goes like this… Sau chuhe kha kar, billi chali Haj ko.”

    He continued,” I’m sorry, no amount of campaign like this can undo the damage that  Unilever  India has done to the psyche and self-confidence of millions of young girls in India in the last several decades, milking their emotions and preying on their low self-esteem with campaigns for brands like Fair & Lovely, Pond’s, Lakme, etc. to make millions of dollars in profit.”

    “And what’s worst is that I have personally contributed to this by selling F&L for over 2.5 years while working for HUL in rural India,” he added.

    LinkedIn user Gautam Pradhan was also scathing of the post even as he lauded the initiative. “Good initiative Sanjiv, But Unilever has actively contributed to believing that fair skin colour is beautiful with massive advertisement campaigns from 1975 to 2020,” he wrote. “The height was when Hindustan Unilever started giving seven shades scale in the pack. I have seen my sisters growing up with the Fair and Lovely brand. And they are comparing skin tone on the scale,” he further shared. 

    “Keep running this campaign on TV until you change the belief system of an Indian household that skin colour doesn’t matter,” he emphasised.

    Dove’s latest campaign claims to bring to fore beauty-based judgements that young girls are subjected to by the society in the guise of advice. 

    Last year, the soap brand launched the #StopTheBeautyTest campaign throwing a spotlight on how beauty biases are amplified during the process of finding a life partner. The campaign showcased how the remarks deeply impacted the self-esteem of prospective brides.

    The second and latest leg of the campaign has shifted its focus on ‘the root of the problem’ – from prospective brides to teenage girls. The film features girls who narrate their stories of how they have been subjected to varied beauty tests based on their appearances and thereby rated by society on their looks instead of their intellect / aptitude. 

    Watch the Dove film here:

    Mehta’s post also faced backlash from a section of users who pointed out how the campaign seemed removed from the reality of today’s times, even as some LinkedIn users responded by complimenting Dove for bringing social issues to light with their ‘wonderful purpose driven campaign’.

    “Something is not right with these ads. Indian mother daughter relationship has changed at least aspirationally. In the households depicted in the ads pressure from mother is for studies and ambitions mothers have for their daughters. The middle class India has changed. The ads looked unreal to me for a  hashtag#realbeauty  brand,” wrote a user in response to Mehta’s post.

    “Our girls have crossed this barrier long back. Ask your team to work on some other strategy to connect with girls,” trolled another, even as another section of users commended the ad for being relatable and true. This prevails in many families, even ‘educated and cultured families’, they noted.

    Some users called the brand’s latest campaign another ‘marketing gimmick’. 

    “Good to see a change, but large questions remain on the way most of Unilever’s products are marketed and pushed into the minds of the vulnerable. Till the bigger change happens, these ads will be viewed by most as a mere gimmick,” wrote a user.

    “It IS a gimmick. An expensive , slick gimmick. What is the locus standi of a company that makes Fair & Lovely , Lakme to preach  #StopTheBeautyTest  to consumers,” insisted another user. 

    Are they asking Dove consumers to not buy Fair & Lovely, Lakme products, a user demanded to know.

  • Panasonic launches #India’sTrulySmartWashingMachine with digital campaign

    Panasonic launches #India’sTrulySmartWashingMachine with digital campaign

    Mumbai: Panasonic Life Solutions India (PLSIND), a leading diversified technology company launched a new line-up of India’s truly smart washing machines this festive season. Powered by Panasonic’s connected living platform – Miraie, the new range of top-load smart washing machines come with unique smart features along with premium design.

    To create awareness about the new range of Miraie top load washing machines, Panasonic has launched a holistic digital marketing campaign #India’sTrulySmartWashingMachine, bringing back the iconic Gupta Ji, across all Panasonic India handles on Instagram, Youtube, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn to engage consumers. With the entire world switching to smarter technologies, it’s time washing clothes get smarter too. Panasonic Washing Machines loaded with a host of interesting features like Built-in Heater, Wash Wizard & Stain Genius, powered by Miraie, are making the chore of washing clothes truly smart and effortless.

    Conceptualized and executed by Dentsu Creative, the digital campaign is a series of short films where the protagonist Naveen introduces Gupta Ji to a smarter way of washing clothes. A quirky banter between the protagonists highlights the features of the washing machine in a fun and interesting manner. Panasonic’s truly smart washing machines not only remove the toughest of stains with Stain Genius and Wash Wizard feature but also keeps one’s clothes germ-free with its in-built heater technology. 

    The new models of this range of washing machines come in multiple capacities ranging from 6.5 kg, 7kg to 8 kg starting at Rs 19,690, and are available at all Panasonic brand shops, large format retail outlets across the country, and online platform Amazon. 

    Commenting on the launch, Panasonic Life Solutions India business head – home appliances Sandeep Sehgal said, “Our exclusive consumer insight study tells us that Indian consumers seek enhanced product experience that can make daily life chores easier and efficient, and 81 per cent are willing to pay a bit extra for connected features. The insight study further tells us that over 50 per cent of consumers aspire to the idea of connected living with comfort, convenience, and safety being the top reasons. Our latest range of Miraie-enabled top-load washing machines offers smart features such as customized wash cycles, scheduled wash programs, and built-in heater technology for a sanitized washing experience. We are aiming for a 30 per cent growth in the washing machine segment in FY 2022-23.”

    Talking about the campaign, Panasonic Life Solutions India head- brand & marketing communications Shirish Agarwal said,“Panasonic as a brand is committed towards helping consumers live their best by aiding them with the right choices customised as per their lifestyle. The digital campaign is an extension of this. It depicts the true, slice of life moments of an Indian household, on how we struggle to remove stubborn stains using various home remedies. It goes on to highlight how technology can be the key enabler for a clean and fresh laundry. Panasonic’s latest range of smart washing machines are designed with advanced technologies that offer a value proposition of comfort, convenience and connectivity.”

  • GUEST ARTICLE: LinkedIn creates new marketing avenues in the digital space

    GUEST ARTICLE: LinkedIn creates new marketing avenues in the digital space

    Mumbai: As a business leader, you know that the world of marketing is constantly evolving. The advent of digital technology has created new opportunities for reaching potential customers, and LinkedIn is one venue that should be on your radar. LinkedIn offers unique features that can help you connect with more prospects and create powerful relationships with key decision-makers. In this blog post, we’ll explore some of the advantages of LinkedIn marketing and show you how to get started. So read on to learn more.

    Exploring the digital space to create new marketing avenues 

    In today’s digital age, businesses need to find new ways to reach their target audiences. Social media, online advertising, and email marketing are all effective tools for connecting with customers. However, businesses must also be proactive in exploring new digital spaces to ensure that they are not missing out on potential opportunities. For example, platforms like Snapchat and Instagram have become increasingly popular in recent years. Businesses can reach a whole new audience by creating content specifically for these platforms. Similarly, businesses can use data-driven insights to identify emerging trends and develop innovative marketing strategies to stay ahead of the competition. The key is to always be on the lookout for new ways to connect with customers and stay ahead of the curve.

    Top 5 digital spaces to explore while creating new marketing avenues 

    Digital marketing has revolutionised the way businesses reach and engage with their audiences. There are many digital spaces to explore when creating marketing campaigns, and the options can be overwhelming. To help you get started, here are five of the top digital spaces to explore:

    1. Social media: With over 2.8 billion active users, social media is one of the most powerful marketing tools available. It allows you to connect with your audience on a personal level, build relationships, and boost brand awareness.

    2. Search engine optimisation (SEO) is vital for driving traffic to your website and ensuring that your content is visible to your target audience. Optimising your website and content for search engines can increase your visibility and help you reach potential customers.

    3. Email marketing: Email is still one of the most effective marketing channels available. It allows you to reach a large audience with personalised messages and keep them updated on your latest products and offerings.

    4. Pay-per-click advertising (PPC) is a great way to drive targeted traffic to your website. By bidding on keyphrases relevant to your business, you can ensure that your ad is seen by people who are interested in what you have to offer.

    5. Content marketing: A successful digital marketing campaign requires high-quality content. Creating informative and engaging content can attract new visitors to your site and build trust with your audience.

    Linkedin as one of the best digital spaces to explore as your marketing avenue 

    With over 650 million users, LinkedIn is one of the largest and most popular social networking sites available today. LinkedIn provides a platform for networking, building relationships, and sharing information with other business professionals. It can also be an effective marketing tool. When used correctly, LinkedIn can help you build your brand, generate leads, and connect with potential customers. If you’re looking for a digital space to explore as your marketing avenue, LinkedIn is definitely worth considering.

    Value-add provided by LinkedIn 

    LinkedIn can be an extremely effective tool for marketing, provided it is used correctly. One of the key advantages of LinkedIn is that it allows businesses to target a very specific audience with their marketing messages. Through its networking features, LinkedIn also provides businesses with a way to build relationships with potential customers. In addition, LinkedIn can be used to generate leads and drive traffic to a company’s website. Finally, LinkedIn offers businesses a way to track their marketing campaigns and measure their return on investment. Used consciously, LinkedIn can be an invaluable tool for any business looking to reach a wider audience with its marketing messages.

    Other ways in which LinkedIn can be put to use by companies are:

    • LinkedIn allows users to connect with other professionals in their field and develop relationships that can lead to business opportunities.
    • Individuals and companies can use LinkedIn to establish authority and credibility.
    • LinkedIn can also be used to post job openings, which can attract new applicants. It also helps build brand awareness, boost employee advocacy, and create specialised company pages for different products and services.
    • In addition, LinkedIn has groups and forums where users can discuss industry news and trends.

    This makes LinkedIn an ideal platform for marketing purposes. By creating a profile and engaging with other users, businesses and individuals can create a presence on LinkedIn that can lead to new opportunities.

    LinkedIn is a powerful tool for B2B marketers and should be included as part of your social media marketing mix. With over 500 million users, LinkedIn offers a wealth of opportunities to reach your target market. If you’re not using LinkedIn, now is the time to start. 

    The author of this article is Vajra Global CEO Ganapathy Sankarabaaham.

  • GUEST ARTICLE: What is social entertainment and how can brands benefit from it?

    GUEST ARTICLE: What is social entertainment and how can brands benefit from it?

    Mumbai: Social entertainment is not just merely content creation and people interacting with each other; it includes different high-tech activities such as video streaming, video chat communication, multi-player gaming, music and video streaming with the help of different social networking services. Social media, as well, comes under the umbrella of social entertainment, covering almost 80 per cent of the market with applications such as Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, etc. Users from across the world also confirmed that social entertainment is now even taking the place of television and cinema. In order to win the audience’s heart, brands must go to the roots and try being more creative with designing and content creation and communicating their message at the same time through collaboration with creators who have a good amount of fanbase. One of the biggest benefits to brands deals with the prolongation of content through digital collection of videos or posts.

    Social media and social entertainment are similar and yet distinct. The social media landscape has changed over the last several years, and these days, social media platforms are intended to be more than just a count of your friends. Viewing other people’s films and photos has become a kind of enjoyment in modern times. The material is being engaged with by more individuals than ever in the social media era. In the history of social media, what you watch and the desire to see is more important than what you follow.

    As we are aware, the pandemic in 2021 will greatly impact social media, particularly entertainment. The social platform and means of entertainment benefited from the pandemic.

    Now, let’s talk about how brands can benefit 

    1. Increase brand awareness

    In this era, everyone has a smartphone and is using social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, or Twitter, which is a natural place to reach new and highly targeted audiences.

    Every single person updates there to see and show their side of living and making money out of it.

    2. Humanise your brand

    One of the keys to social media for businesses is that it benefits their brands. Introduce your products to the public by highlighting the benefits of your products to your followers.

    Show how you embrace your brand values, how it works in people’s life and how you are interested in customers.  

    3. Establish your brand as a thought leader 

    No matter which industry your business is in, social media offers plenty of opportunities to establish thought leaders.

    4. Stay top of mind

    Keep your social media posts creative, entertaining, and informative. 80 per cent of people log in to their account once a day. Social media is a platform where you can connect with fans and followers every time.

    If we are talking about the growth 

    1. Increase website traffic

    The keys to increasing the traffic on social media are posts and ads. Sharing fantastic content from your album or website on your preferred social platform.

    Participating in social reviews/chats can also be a great way to increase your brand’s visibility in the market.

    2. Boost sales

    Social networks will become more vital for product search and e-commerce as the number of individuals utilising social media keeps expanding and social sales technologies develop. The moment has come to match your social marketing initiatives with your sales objectives.

    3. Partner with influencers

    People who have a large following of people who can draw the attention of their immense social media following to your brand.

    4. Promote content 

    Make sure you have a content marketing strategy in place to maximise the advantages of social media for the company.

    Conclusion 

    Social media is undoubtedly simpler to use and has a wider audience than conventional media, which is advantageous for both companies and gaming gear. Everyone is quite active when it comes to social interaction, whether they are one year old or 70 years old. It allows you the chance to advertise your goods while also communicating on many channels. Whether a blessing or a curse, social interaction among people has never been impacted by other environmental elements since it has such a strong grasp on society and people’s daily lives.

    The author of the article is Treasure Records managing director Deepak Gupta.

  • Linkedin’s efforts to boost content creation on its platform

    Linkedin’s efforts to boost content creation on its platform

    Mumbai: Professional online social network LinkedIn is looking to boost content creation efforts in the country. Engagement on the platform, it said, has skyrocketed. The platform said that it has 92 million members in the country. India is one of its fastest growing markets when it comes to member engagement.

    LinkedIn APAC head of creator management Pooja Chhabria said that growth in conversations have been responsible for driving more engagement on the platform. The platform has also led to creator conversations. She added, “This is such an important part of the experience of professionals on the platform. We want to continue to invest in that. What we are also keeping in mind is the fact that the core of our content strategy is member value. Members and professionals come to LinkedIn to advance their careers. They want to grow, learn, connect, and have professional conversations. Creators are at the centre of that.”

    The aim of LinkedIn, she explains to Indiantelevision.com is to make sure to invest in creators in a way that is core to its mission of having a knowledge marketplace where content creators can impart skills to their community and inform and educate their community. Creators should also share trends and industry insights. This is the work that LinkedIn is doing when it comes to content, which is a part of its growth strategy. She said that LinkedIn’s efforts to boost content creation fall into three buckets.

    “Product launches have happened to make it easier for creators to put out content, whether it is video, newsletters, or audio events. The aim is to make sure that creators can put forth stories and experiences in the format that they are most comfortable with. It could be stories or experiences. The second bucket is the content management team at LinkedIn, supporting creators and educating them. Sessions are done to educate creators on the best practices for creating content on the platform. The third bucket is the Creator Accelerator Programme. This was a 10-week programme.”

    Bring in diverse voices: The goal of the programme, she explains, was to bring in diverse voices from different professional fields, coach them, educate them, and give them voices and resources. The aim was to help them take their content creation journey on the platform to the next level. Some 200 people took part. “India is the first market after the US where LinkedIn launched this programme. This shows the importance of the country when it comes to our creator’s investment. The creators experienced mentorship and coaching sessions from some of the best content creators in the industry.”

    People like Edelweiss Asset Management CEO Radhika Gupta coached the creators. Creators at the programme got to try out various formats, like text newsletters and video events. Chhabria added that thanks to the programme, many creators have become more comfortable with video content creation.

    “Two things stand out. One is just the positive feedback that we are getting from the creators. They appreciated the time, effort, and coaching not just from LinkedIn but also from external speakers. The second thing is the tangible impact being seen. The follower growth that they got was two times what it was before they joined the programme. They followed best practices and the tips and tricks that we shared.” Now the company is collecting learnings on how the programme has actually performed. There is interest from more creators. In the US, the second leg has been launched, which focuses on the tech and innovation sector.

    New products: On the product side, she said that two new features have been launched. Creators can now have a clickable link on their videos and images so that if they want to lead their community to, for example, a particular learning course or to their site or to a book being launched, that can now be done. So they can actually drive leads based on the objective that they have. The second thing launched is easy-to-use templates. This makes it easier and more engaging for creators to put up posts. This allows creators to quickly adapt and tell their stories. Another product in the works is the carousel format. This will allow creators to put up images and videos in a more engaging manner. “It is in the works, but this is something that I am very excited about.”

    Room for various kinds of content: She also mentioned that different types of content gain traction. A creator’s journey is unique. Consumers also prefer to consume content in different ways. LinkedIn’s aim is to provide a varied and diverse set of formats for creators to create content in. There is no one-size-fits-all approach. So a creator can put up a live video event. On the other hand, if someone prefers the written format, then text posts with images, newsletters, or articles can be put up. The aim is to democratise content creation. Just one format will not be pushed. The aim is to make it easier for people to create content in the format that they are most comfortable with.

    “In the creator accelerator programme what we saw was that people were very happy to experiment with new formats. In video we saw a 300 per cent growth in adoption. People were inspired because of sessions to try videos. We had sessions for them to explain the process of shooting, editing a video. People already using video took it to the next level. Education, tools and examples of content creation were given. The creators also learnt from each other.”

    In terms of content subject matter that gets member traction, she noted that a lot of conversations happen around certain categories like building skills, startups, tech, finance, and entrepreneurship. At the same time, other diverse topics such as responsible A.I., public speaking skills, data science, cybersecurity, environment and sustainability, women’s empowerment, and leadership are gaining prominence. “But the core will always be: what is the member value that is being driven for professionals who log on to our platform? Are they learning a new skill? Are they being informed and educated about something new? Are they getting industry trends and insights? This essentially will be the core of how we invest in content creation.”

    Importance of differentiation: The advice LinkedIn gives content creators, she explains, is that content should be differentiated and deep. Creators should also be consistent with an idea. “So if someone talks about public speaking and communication skills, then that person needs to make sure that consistent content is delivered on that subject. That way, their community will recognise that this person is an expert in this area. In this way, creators build their niche communities, who know that they can go to that creator for knowledge, advice, and to get their daily dose of content. Frequency and consistency in putting out content are absolutely important.”

    The role of local languages: Hindi content creation was piloted as a part of the content accelerator programme. 35 per cent of creators said that they are interested in creating content in Hindi. There was a 300 percent increase in Hindi content creation during the program. There is an appetite among people to go beyond English and create content in their own language. Video will play a very important role. For LinkedIn to go beyond English, Hindi is a starting point.

    In terms of content size being consumed, she said that shorter videos do well. But on the other hand, a one-hour audio event or a 30-minute live event also gets a lot of traction. It depends on the kind of topic that a creator is talking about and the depth that they want to go into. Again, one size does not fit all.

    If someone brings in a unique idea and tells it in an engaging way, it always gets engagement. She added that a significant number of the creators who took part in the programme were from tier two and tier three cities. Therefore, the programme was hosted virtually and participation went beyond the Metros.

    She added that anybody can be a creator. They have to switch on the creator mode and then the features are available. They can share content, get analytics on their content, see the performance and then improve. “Millions of videos, posts are put up and it skyrocketed, especially during the pandemic. People are sharing much more. There are also more comments. More people have meaningful professional conversations. That is the essence. We have to make sure that LinkedIn is the platform for this and for engaged communities.”

    Content relevance: She added that LinkedIn’s teams focus on making sure that the right content reaches the right members based on their interests, skills, and usage of the platform. The company works with creators to ensure that the best quality content is put out there. The product teams work on A.I. and machine learning. “Our vision is to create economic opportunities for every member of the global workforce. When we keep that in mind, we always want to make sure that the right content reaches the right audience.”

    She noted that people at the top of their professional fields, like Sugar Cosmetics CEO Vineeta Singh, are very actively creating content on the platform. Singh, for example, discusses entrepreneurship and her experience building a large company. Breakthrough India CEO Sohini Bhattacharya talks about gender equality and how one can stop violence against women. “Our endeavour has always been to bring in these diverse voices who can provide that value to members.”

    When asked about the goals of content creation, she said the reasons are varied. It could help people build their personal brand to grow in their career or build their personal brand to build their company brand so that they can look for investments or collaboration opportunities. Another person might look for speaking gigs or to be able to launch a book later. “It is very varied how opportunities show up. Now creators are also getting brand sponsorships as companies see the creators as being able to help them reach out to their targeted communities that align with the brands’ objective.”

    “I would say that three things are important for content creators. The first is to define why you are creating content. What is the objective? The second is, what is the niche you are targeting? What is the topic that you will talk about? What is the kind of community that you want to build? The third is that once the community is being built, you have to build a predictable volume of content while keeping quality intact. That is extremely important.”

    She also noted that B2B brands already create content on the platform. They have a company page and build their community through content like e-books, reports, and videos to ensure that customers get value through engagement.