Tag: marketing

  • Toppr encourages students to understand, reason, & question for better learning

    Toppr encourages students to understand, reason, & question for better learning

    NEW DELHI: Toppr, a leading player in the edtech space, has rolled out its latest ad campaign, “Better Learning. Better Results.” It puts a strong emphasis on Toppr's complete learning methodology, comprising three key sections: live classes, adaptive practice, and ask doubts, solely aimed at encouraging students to understand, reason and question for better learning outcomes.

    The brand is looking to target the parents who have the final say in subscription of the product. The idea is to get more students and parents to sample the product and increase the subscriptions of the product. The brand is taking on the likes of Byju's, Extramarks, and several others who are aggressively spending across IPL in order to gain a substantial pie of the market. 

    As part of the campaign, Toppr has launched three TVCs of 20 seconds each in Hindi and other languages in collaboration with Lowe Lintas, a leading Indian advertising marketing communications company. These ads highlight how switching from offline coaching to Toppr's online learning platform results in a positive change in the student's results with a better understanding of the subject and ability to answer the questions correctly.

    One of the ad showcases a student and her mother visited by a neighbour. The latter check his report card and questions that what has changed all of a sudden as he was unable to score well in his studies until last year. The mother replies that she has taken him from coaching and put into 'Soching'.

    Toppr CEO & founder Zishaan Hayath said, "Coaching classes are inaccessible to millions of students and by design, they can’t personalise learning for every student. While a handful of better performing students get to learn from better teachers, others don't have access to the same resources, even though they are enrolled in the same coaching class. Toppr eliminates all such discrepancies and personalises learning for every single student. We encourage students to understand, reason and question for better learning. And when students start “soching”, better results become the outcome of a better learning process. We are excited to see what conversations our new TV campaign will drive for our students."

    Lowe Lintas ECD Tasneem Ali said, "Toppr’s three key features, live classes, adaptive practice and ask doubts Anytime help kids to first ace learning. Because only then can exams be aced. This being our guiding philosophy from the very first start, we felt it was time to carry it forward in our advertising. Thus, we came up with the creative expression of Soching Class, to not only bring alive our emphasis on thinking-based learning, but also to encourage parents to shift their kids from one class to another. From a coaching class to a soching class."

    As students switch to online platforms for various learning needs during the lockdown phase, Toppr believes that it is the right time to spread awareness around its offerings among parents, who are considered the most significant decision-makers for their child's learning needs. Moreover, the company has purposely used real-life characters instead of celebrities in their TVCs to make the content more relatable to students and parents, so that they can further spread this among their network, and drive more engagement.

    A report by RedSeer and Omidyar Network India says the coronavirus pandemic has proved to be one of the biggest game-changers for India’s edtech sector. Online education offerings for classes 1 to 12 are projected to increase 6.3 times by 2022, creating a $1.7 billion market.

  • FoxyMoron appoints Nakul Dutt as national strategy director

    FoxyMoron appoints Nakul Dutt as national strategy director

    MUMBAI: FoxyMoron has appointed Nakul Dutt as the national strategy director. He will be overlooking the overall integrated brand, media and communication strategy and working towards scaling the growth of the agency. In this new role, Nakul will report to Zoo Media and FoxyMoron co-founder Pratik Gupta and will be working closely with teams across Mumbai, Delhi-NCR  and Bengaluru.

    Gupta said, “Our vision as a network, and especially with FoxyMoron has moved into a more strategic business focus for our brands, having someone like Nakul has made that transition very smooth. His experience ranges from being at the forefront of strategy at agencies to a human resources stint and also being a brand manager, this well-rounded approach helps him tie-in strategy for us across media, creative, content, and data for our clients. We’re excited to work alongside him as part of our growth journey".

    Read more news on FoxyMoron

    Dutt said, “The conversation in our industry has changed from digital KPIs to actual business impact. The need of the hour is to integrate digital resources into actionable marketing to achieve a holistic and scalable business model that is measurable and impact-driven. FoxyMoron already has an ecosystem, which integrates data, tech, media & content centered around business goals. This combined with our people-centric approach is a birthplace for not only refreshing ideas but to achieve solutions that will set new benchmarks for our industry. I am looking forward to collaborating with the internal teams, client teams, and the entire ecosystem to drive this impact at large.”

    Nakul joins the agency, with a decade of experience in marketing and communications having worked in both brands and agencies on digital as well as mainline campaigns. Nakul has worked on result oriented campaign strategies for brands like Nestle, Abbott, ELI Lilly, UNICEF, LAVA, HTC, Brookfield, HERO MotoCorp, Raymond, and several BFSI brands. 

    Prior to FoxyMoron, Nakul was a senior strategist at iProspect, Dentsu where he was responsible for new business acquisition, media & communication strategy for existing businesses. Nakul has also worked with Hakuhodo India and Lava International as an account director and brand manager respectively. At Lava, the well known mobile handset company, he was responsible for communication strategy for both, the product and brand. 

    Nakul holds an MBA in communication management from Symbiosis Institute of Media and Communication. He has been a part of FoxyMoron for over a year now where he has worked on strategy for accounts like  SanDisk & WD, Sharkehan, Manyavar & Mohey,  Ampere, Orient Bell Tiles, and Principal Mutual Funds to name a few.

  • White Rivers Media elevates Chirag Sangai as head of client partnerships

    White Rivers Media elevates Chirag Sangai as head of client partnerships

    NEW DELHI: White Rivers Media has elevated Chirag Sangai as head of client partnerships. He joined the agency in August 2020 as an accounts director. Sangai joined White Rivers Media from Blink Digital. 

    He has over 10 years of experience in the digital industry, and has worked on various national and international brands including Tropicana, Disney, KFC, Amazon, Zomato, Chivas Regal, Milton, and ICICI.

    White Rivers Media CEO & co-founder Shrenik Gandhi said, “I’m very glad to welcome Chirag as the Head of Client Partnerships. He comes with the experience, passion, and goodwill that makes him a perfect fit for White Rivers Media, and at a time that sets us up perfectly for our next phase of growth.”

    Chirag Sangai said, “I believe in the four ‘R’s of successful account management: Revenue, Relationship, Resource, and Research. I’ve plied my ad craft in F&B, Homeware, Banking, and Gaming industries, and at White Rivers Media my next step is to not only keep expanding my portfolio, but also work with the amazing in-house talent, and harness the creative firepower of this agency to create disruption in the market.”

  • Shavon Barua quits PHD

    Shavon Barua quits PHD

    NEW DELHI: Shavon Barua has moved on from her role of chief client officer at PHD. She confirmed the news to Indiantelevision.com. Although, she did not divulge her next move.  

    She spent over five years at PHD and was spearheading multiple businesses.

    Read more news on PHD

    Prior to joining PHD, Barua was serving as president – west & south India at Havas Worldwide.

    She is a media veteran and has spent over two decades of experience. Barua has worked at multiple agencies such as Havas Worldwide, JWT, Rediffusion, and Lintas. 

  • Marico ups advertising spends in Q2 FY21

    Marico ups advertising spends in Q2 FY21

    Leading FMCG player Marico stated in its quarterly report that the brand has upped its advertising spends in Q2 FY21 (July, August, September 2020) to pre-Covid levels. This is a good sign for the industry that has been reeling under the declining ad expenditure from brands these past few months.

    The report further stated that Parachute, a flagship brand from the company, reaffirmed its strong brand equity and clocked growth ahead of medium-term aspirations. Saffola edible oils continued its stellar run and delivered strong volume growth in line with past few quarters. Value added hair oils showed resilience and returned on a growth trajectory in the quarter from a sharp decline in Q1.

    Foods portfolio, riding the tailwind and on the back of innovations, continued its momentum and registered exponential growth in line with the company’s near-term expectations. Discretionary portfolios of premium hair nourishment and male grooming performed better than Q1 but continued to face headwinds.

    The company also launched new products in the health and hygiene segment that were tracking well across most channels. Marico has strengthened its position in the healthy foods and immunity-boosting segment with the launch of the Saffola ImmuniVeda range.

    Read more news on Marico

    The international business has clocked mid-single digit constant currency growth. Bangladesh continued to lead from the front with double digit growth while other markets have shown improvement sequentially.

    As per the company, rural continued to perform better than urban aided by government’s focused relief packages, relatively lower impact of the pandemic, the resilience of the agricultural sector in a declining GDP context and the consumption shift due to reverse migration of labour. Although there were intermittent supply chain disruptions across locations due to localized lockdowns, the distribution network has rebounded back to near pre-COVID levels. Traditional trade and e-commerce continued to drive growth. While modern trade fell behind, it did improve sequentially.

    Although the key raw materials have seen an inflationary trend towards the end of the quarter, the brand expects to deliver healthy earnings growth on the back of robust volume growth and a host of cost-saving initiatives.

    As lockdown restrictions are progressively easing, the company maintains a positive outlook for the rest of the year provided the ongoing health crisis does not escalate further and economic activity revives steadily. Given that the medium-term potential of the franchises remain firmly intact, we believe the company is on track to deliver sustained profitable volume-led growth, through a focus on strengthening the franchise in the core categories and driving the new engines of growth towards gaining critical mass.

  • KFC’s ‘Aaj ka Special’ looks to break monotony of daily fare

    KFC’s ‘Aaj ka Special’ looks to break monotony of daily fare

    NEW DELHI: Slow braised with the choicest of ingredients, infused with flavourful spices and presented like poetry on a plate – a karela (bitter-gourd) would still be a karela!  When your mealtimes are a series of Ks – karela, khichdi, kaddu – or when your week seems such a drag that you can no longer tell the difference between Tuesday or Thursday, KFC’s ‘Aaj ka Special’ campaign hopes to break the monotony with its zing and zest.

    Through a series of ‘Aaj ka Special’ digital films that feature Colonel Sanders promoting KFC’s new range of daily special menu items, the fast-food chain is tempting customers to give in to their cravings for crispy fried chicken.

    Read more news on KFC

    The films, conceptualized by Ogilvy & Mather India, capture relatable moments from everyday life when we grapple with the choices of ‘go with it’ or ‘go for it’. 

    “When life gets dull and boring, we usually reach out to food and not everyday food, we ask for something special – ‘Aaj ka special kya hai?’. It is precisely this emotion that we’ve latched onto,” said Ogilvy (north) chief creative officer Ritu Sharda. Of course, the message here is to bring out how KFC is all the ‘special’ you need on an otherwise dull day.

    KFC India CMO Moksh Chopra tells us what makes ‘Aaj ka Special’ so special indeed. "Whether it is boredom with the same home food or the tyranny of work routine, KFC is a great way to liven up any day and make it just that little bit more special. The different films in this series are sure to strike a chord with KFC fans across all ages,” he said.

    In the first of the ‘Aaj Ka Special’ series, the colonel foils a father’s attempt to woo his family with some gourmet karela (is this a thing now?). In another, he shows us how a family that bites into crispy, juicy, KFC chicken together, stays together. Imagine the plight of a husband in the last film, when he’s told that the kids are away, but he has to make do with khichdi. Luckily, the Colonel was right around the corner delivering more than a sermon of ‘Boring hatao, Special le jao’.

  • Myntra teams up with Max Fashion for festive season blowout

    Myntra teams up with Max Fashion for festive season blowout

    NEW DELHI: Myntra is teaming up with Max Fashion, one of the largest fashion retailers in India, to make your festive season shopping spree even more lit. The announcement comes ahead of the e-commerce giant’s ‘Big Fashion Festival’ scheduled to be held from October 16-22

    Under the partnership, over 20,000 of the latest styles and designs from Max Fashion’s collection will be made available on Myntra; the selection of styles will grow through the festive season, giving customers a wide array of choices from everyday fashion to ethnic wear.

    Myntra will also be offering a curated array of products bundled as ‘packs’ at value for customers who want to style their looks from across categories. The bundle ‘packs’ are a part of the ‘Max Your Look’ proposition that empowers fashion-conscious customers to curate their complete look under Rs 999. Myntra aims at targeting the sweet spot for value-conscious customers across tier 1/2/3 cities to strengthen its position as a one-stop online fashion destination.

    The association with Myntra will enable Max to access Myntra’s tech capabilities, large customer base and reach untapped markets. On its part, Max will offer an even greater variety of options for shoppers on Myntra looking for trendy yet affordable daily wear across all age groups and categories – from apparel to footwear and accessories, ahead of the festive season. 

    In addition to Myntra’s strong ethnic line-up, this launch will also have a wide range of exclusive collections across women, men and kidswear. Some of the styles include Romantic Retro (Retro-inspired style statement) in Women’s Western wear, Neo Sports in athleisure, Binge on Prints, Casual Brights, Cool Checks, Graphic Mania in Men’s Wear and Floral Fantasy, Candyland Pastels, Print Play and All Things Blue in Kids Wear.

    Myntra head of business Ayyappan Rajagopal said, “Our collaboration with Max provides a platform that caters to all the fashion needs of a family under one roof. Coming as it does, ahead of the festive season, the association offers a huge impetus for consumers to shop for their favourite collection from the comfort and safety of their homes.”

    Max Fashion India CEO and Lifestyle International Pvt Ltd MD Shital Mehta added: “Our focus on the latest cutting-edge fashion from around the globe makes it a perfect addition for their (Myntra) platform. With an ever-increasing number of fashion-forward users on Myntra, we see this as a long-term partnership that will enable Max Fashion to reach a much larger audience in the country and provide them access to our amazing fashion at unbelievable prices.”

    Myntra’s strong delivery network and wide reach are set to enhance Max’s foothold in the country while offering the perfect opportunity for consumers to access a wide range of fashion and lifestyle products. The partnership between Myntra and Max is set to bring this year’s festive cheer a little early. 

  • Gamezy brings Dream11 IPL into the Naya Zamana

    Gamezy brings Dream11 IPL into the Naya Zamana

    NEW DELHI: Fantasy cricket app Gamezy has come up with Naya Zamana V/S Purana Zamana ad campaign starring brand ambassador KL Rahul to usher the game into the new digital age.

    Even though fantasy cricket has been around for quite some time now, it has failed to evolve and cater to new age aspirations. Conceptualised by video content agency Aagey se Right, the new IPL campaign Naya Zamana V/S Purana Zamana tries to communicate the message of ‘out with the old, in with the new’.

    Gamezy's campaign #NayeZamaneKaFantasyCricket allows you to create your fantasy team even in the second innings or once the match starts unlike #PuraneZamaneKeFantasyApp.

    Talking about the idea behind the new video campaign, Aagey se Right founder and creative director Abhay Mehta said: “Gamezy closely listens to the needs of its end users. It helps them stay updated which is what is expected of any new age app. The Naya Zamana is a representation of this newness and innovation that Gamezy stands for. The analogy is apt since it reflects the state of fantasy cricket in general vis-à-vis the freshness that Gamezy brings to the table.”

    While he’s in his element on the cricket field, filming the Naya Zamana campaign pushed KL Rahul out of his comfort zone. He shared: "I love to challenge myself, whether it is on the field or off it. This time I challenged myself in a domain which was completely new for me – acting. It was a fun experience on the set as I got to explore a skill I never knew I had."

    With KL Rahul as its brand ambassador, Gamezy has no doubt managed to grab eyeballs in the industry.

    “KL Rahul is a modern day cricketer, an all-rounder who is quick to adapt. This virtue coupled with his popularity amongst fans makes him the obvious choice for a new age brand like Gamezy. With this campaign, we get to see not one but two KLs, one who is rigid and stuck in purana zamana and the other carefree and happy in nayazamana. We get to see him in an avatar like never before,” said Gamezy SVP marketing Harish Rawat.

    The new series of Gamezy commercials will air during live broadcasts of cricket matches on Star Sports Television. Apart from live cricket, the brand also plans to showcase this campaign on various digital platforms to amplify reach amongst the vast cricket fan base.

    Launched in 2019, Gamezy is a fantasy gaming platform dedicated to cricket that also allows users to win cash prizes.Users can play their favourite fantasy cricket game in eight languages, from the classic 11-a-side format, to second innings and 5-a-side teams. The app has over 5 lakh active users and more than Rs 10 crores in winnings.

  • Hindware Kitchen Ensemble introduces MaxX Safe technology in its new spot

    Hindware Kitchen Ensemble introduces MaxX Safe technology in its new spot

    NEW DELHI: Somany Home Innovation, makers of ‘Hindware Appliances’ and one of the leading players in auto clean chimney segments in India, has introduced its breakthrough technology and design innovation with the new TV campaign for Adonia Hob with MaxX Safe Technology. Ahead of the festive season, Hindware brings to its customers another innovation in its range of hobs in the form of the Flame Failure Device (FFD). This device automatically cuts off the gas supply whenever there’s an accidental leakage, when the flame goes off.

    Conceptualised and created by DDB Mudra, the TVC brings back Neha – a smart and modern woman – and her snooping and gossipy neighbour Evilika who were part of last year’s TVC as well. Neha is shown boiling the milk over the hob just as Evilika enters and starts gossiping. However, she gets distracted by Neha’s new stylish Hindware Hob and is shown getting curious and jealous about the new appliance. She fidgets with the knobs but is surprised to note no leakage of gas. On closer examination of the hob – as Neha steps asides – Evilika marvels at the new Flame Failure Device.

    The campaign aims to highlight the MaxX Safe technology which prevents the gas leakage in case the flame gets off while the knob is in the ON position. The TVC emphasizes on the dual convenience that the Adonia Hob provides – handiness in cooking and safety from fire-related mishaps and not to forget the appealing aesthetics of the hob.

    With this TVC, Hindware Kitchen Ensemble is taking a 360-degree marketing approach for the coming festive season. The campaign will be present across various platforms such as electronic, print & digital. For a wider reach, the TVC will be aired on key regional channels in languages like Bengali, Kannada, Tamil, and Telugu including prominent News channels.

    Read more news on DDB Mudra

    Somany Home Innovation CEO & whole time director Rakesh Kaul said, “Designed for modern-day homes, Hindware Kitchen Ensemble, one of the leading players and trusted brand in the consumer appliance category aims to grow the business manifold. It offers top-of-the-line products to Indian consumers. It helps our customers adopt a comfortable, luxurious and sustainable lifestyle while fostering innovation”.

    Kaul further added “We received an overwhelming response to the TVC for Titania series and we decided to bring back the creativity to underscore the innovation in form of the Flame Failure Device in the hob series. This is a revolutionary addition to our range of hobs and a testament to Hindware’s legacy of creating symbiosis between consumer requirements and superior technological solutions. With the Adonia series we aim to endorse a safe and hazard-free environment and encourage the consumers to cook with the MaxX Safe Technology.”

    DDB Mudra spokesperson from said, “This Hindware HOB is a state-of-the-art kitchen appliance for users with an essential safety feature. The team has tried to create a realistic kitchen scenario in the story which revolves around the product and its main feature – Maxx safe technology.”

  • ASCI upheld complaints against 257 misleading ads in June & July

    ASCI upheld complaints against 257 misleading ads in June & July

    MUMBAI: In the months of June and July 2020, the Advertising Standards Council of India (Asci) investigated complaints against 363 advertisements, of which 76 were promptly withdrawn by advertisers. The independent Consumer Complaints Council (CCC) of Asci evaluated the remaining 287 advertisements, of which complaints against 257 advertisements were upheld. Of these, 150 belonged to the healthcare sector, 40 to education, 20 to food and beverages, four to GAMA complaints, 12 to personal care and 31 to the other category.

    Covid2019, continued to be the biggest fight which in turn led to a rise in the false claims of cure and prevention from Coronavirus. Holding hands with the Ministry of AYUSH, Asci is continuously working towards eliminating such false claims for the betterment of the society. In the month of May – June 97 such cases were flagged to the regulator.

    Read more news on Asci

    Asci chairman Subhash Kamath says, “There has been a flood of advertisements with dubious claims about COVID-19 cures and preventions. Especially at this time when consumers are feeling more vulnerable about the virus, it becomes more important for us as regulators to ensure that these ads don’t exploit the consumer’s anxiety.  We understand that such claims can adversely affect consumers and we are committed to work closely with the Ministry of Ayush to help eliminate such malpractices from society.”