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  • FoxyMoron’s national head for client relationships Prachi Bali talks about her new role

    FoxyMoron’s national head for client relationships Prachi Bali talks about her new role

    NEW DELHI: While the industry battles arguably one of the most challenging issues of modern times, Prachi Bali has been promoted as the national head for client relationships at the full funnel creative and performance digital agency FoxyMoron. One of the youngest executives in the marketing world to hold the post, Bali is naturally excited to begin a new chapter in her professional career. 

    Bali, who had joined the agency in 2013 when it was still quite young, did not have any experience of working in the digital domain and neither any relevant qualifications but her curiosity to learn and grow bagged her a job as an account manager at the firm. 

    “When I joined FoxyMoron, it was a very interesting time as the industry was still growing. Digital was being termed as the next big thing and market and media  planners had started investing in the medium. Back then, it was more about making our agency bigger. With time, the focus shifted to how to make it better, and I was made an account director, then how to make it better than the competition, and it was all very exciting for me,” she shared talking about her initial days in the field. She worked across the beauty, edu-tech, alco-bev, FMCG & lifestyle categories over her tenure.

    Read more news on FoxyMoron

    Four years ago, Bali was handed over the responsibility of the Gurgaon operations and was named the business head for the northern region, which gave her a completely new side to explore. “I took a big leap of faith and moved to Gurgaon from Mumbai and Pratik (Gupta), Suveer (Bajaj), and I saw a lot of unharnessed potential in the market. Most of the agencies were headquartered in Mumbai and despite having a number of clients based in Delhi, the agency business did not quite pick up as expected and we wanted to harness that.”

    Over the past four years, she has reportedly grown the business by six times in the northern market and has built a strong partnership with the clients in the region.

    She did all of this while being one of the youngest executives out in the market. So did it ever get daunting?

    “Obviously it is a little challenging when you are the youngest person in the room, talking to people who are 15-20 years older than you are. But it was not just for me, even our founders, Pratik and Suveer are quite young, so our whole agency had this vibe of being a young business. Initially, it was a hindrance, yes. But then it is all about how you build up relationships and work.”

    Bali added that over the past four-to-five years, the experience has now changed from people seeing her or the agency as the ‘youngest kids in the room’ to the ‘most creative’ and ‘most knowledgeable’ people in the room. “It gives you a feeling that what you are doing is working and what you are doing is right. It is a beautiful feeling.”

    Going forward, Bali wants to expand FoxyMoron’s client-base and work on more interesting projects. 

    “The industry we are in, the whole experience is about meeting people, having discussions, and just communicating. I miss that a lot. I even miss the all-nighters that we used to pull in the office sometimes and I am excited to go back as soon as possible.”

    But is it getting difficult to meet some of the new clients as she takes up the new role amidst a pandemic?

    She replied, “Well, yes the industry is all about face-to-face meetings and that is not happening right now, which is a little challenging. But I am taking it in a more positive way that now every meeting of mine has not to be a 4:00 am flight and I can talk to them over a video call. The whole industry is functioning like that and the clients are also understanding and supportive. But obviously, I can’t wait to go back to the drill.” 

  • The Better Home onboards Dia Mirza as brand ambassador

    The Better Home onboards Dia Mirza as brand ambassador

    NEW DELHI: India’s first brand of subscription eco-friendly home cleaners, The Better Home, has partnered with Bollywood actor, UN Environment Goodwill ambassador, UN Secretary General’s SDGs advocate, and Wildlife Trust of India ambassador Dia Mirza as brand ambassador for their range of eco-friendly home care products that are better for our loved ones, homes and our planet.

    Known for her strong stance on protecting our environment and wildlife and, of course, her million-dollar smile, Dia has announced her brand partnership with The Better Home’s range of subscription home care products (naturally derived floor cleaner, toilet cleaner, laundry liquid and dishwash). These cleaners are built on the belief built on the belief that you should not have to choose between what's effective, what's good for you, and what's good for the planet. Urban Indian households release 21.6 billion litres of water contaminated with harsh chemical cleaners down the drain every single day! These cleaners emit toxic fumes that are harmful to the health of all those who come into contact with them. The brand & Dia’s vision is to enable and empower the community to make that switch to eco-friendly products that are better for their homes and their health.

    “I am delighted to partner with a brand that resonates with my value system. As cleanliness and hygiene have come to occupy a significant part of our lives in the new post COVID world, it becomes crucial to make conscious choices, to ensure that we take care of the health of our families, communities as well as the planet. I absolutely love their cleaners, sustainable quirky packaging and the exclusive online community you get to be a part of once you subscribe – In fact, I used their products for months before they approached me for a partnership. What’s even better is that you just have to subscribe to it once and forget about it and it will show up at your doorstep every month on the same day!” said Mirza, who has been brought on board as the brand ambassador, “It’s amazing to see that they’ve truly gone out of their way to make our planet better – Their subscription kits come with reusable bottles followed by refill pouches with minimal packaging for which they run a take back program. They take back all waste they generate to recycle it responsibly for us- which effectively means no plastic from The Better Home ends up in our landfills or natural ecosystem – how thoughtful is that!”

    The Better India and The Better Home CEO Dhimant Parekh said, “Dia personifies our philosophy of wanting to leave our planet and its people better than we found it and we are glad to have someone so passionate about health and the environment to be our voice. As a brand, the core of what we do is large scale impact, and we wanted to help our customers get access to natural, sustainable products without compromising on convenience and efficacy. We are thrilled to have Dia with us on this journey – she is someone we truly admire for her contribution in bringing awareness to our cause.”

  • Kansai Nerolac continues to sponsor Sunrisers Hyderabad

    Kansai Nerolac continues to sponsor Sunrisers Hyderabad

    Mumbai: In a bid to strengthen its long-standing partnership with the T20 franchisees, Kansai Nerolac Paints (KNPL), one of the leading paint companies in India will continue its association with Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) for the cricket league’s thirteenth season. The most loved sports extravaganza in the country will witness Nerolac on the lead side of the team’s helmet and cap.

    In these unprecedented times, the return of cricket’s biggest celebration is here to infuse positive energy in the lives of millions. Further, sports manifests healthy living. This makes it the perfect medium for the brand to connect with consumers across demographics& thank them for their support in last 100 years to the brand, as Nerolac enters in its centenary year.

    Read more news on IPL

    Kansai Nerolac Paints executive director Anuj Jain. said, “We have come a long way since our first association with the T20 franchisees. This cricket league has been the ideal medium to impact lives at large considering its growing influence and ever-increasing fandom. Our association with Sunrisers Hyderabad gives us an opportunity to connect with cricket lovers as their wide appeal does not limit to a single state. We intend to leverage this strategic partnership to drive conversations around our new launches such as Nerolac Excel Virus Guard interior paint and all surface disinfectants”

    Nerolac has been leveraging the mighty sport of cricket effectively for years. The brand has been associated with cricket leagues, championships for decades and with T20 franchisees since 2016.

  • Acer India signs Sonu Sood as brand ambassador

    Acer India signs Sonu Sood as brand ambassador

    NEW DELHI: Acer India, the PC brand, has roped in Bollywood actor Sonu Sood as its brand ambassador. The actor will be seen endorsing the brand's innovative range of products across media platforms for campaign to talk about Acer’s commitment to improving people’s lives through technology. This association will help Acer India drive awareness of leading India’s next-generation digital evolution through its cutting-edge innovation and products which are strong and dependable just like what Sonu has represented during the pandemic crisis.

    Acer India president and MD Harish Kohli said, “We are pleased to welcome Sonu Sood as our brand ambassador in India. As the brand grows to the next level, we aim to strengthen the relationship with our community in a meaningful way. Our association with Sonu Sood will further reinforce this bond and give our consumers a greater sense of objective on trust, strength, and dependability.  We envisage this association will spur demand and excite our consumers.”

    Acer India chief business officer Sudhir Goel said, "We are delighted to announce our partnership with such a talented actor and humanitarian who has shown his mettle in reel life and in real life through his selfless work during the pandemic. Sonu Sood’s persona and his contribution to empowering people resonates with Acer India’s brand mantra of empowering people through technology.”

    Sonu Sood said, "I am excited to represent one of the most innovative technology brand in India. Acer is a truly disruptive technology company known for its range of premium quality dependable laptops, PCs, monitors, projectors and IoT led devices. The company has been committed to improving people’s lives through technology over the last 21 years in India & it’s a proud moment for me to be part of Acer’s journey."                                               

    Acer is aiming to play a key role in the digital transformation in the country and make a difference in our consumers’ lives using technology which are which are at the cutting edge of design, innovation and use while being one of the most trusted and dependable. 

  • Indian Society of Advertisers elects Sunil Kataria as chairman for fifth term

    Indian Society of Advertisers elects Sunil Kataria as chairman for fifth term

    The newly elected executive council of the Indian Society of Advertisers (ISA) met on September 21, 2020. Sunil Kataria, CEO, India and SAARC, Godrej Consumer Products, was elected chairman of the ISA.

    Sunil has led the society over the past four years to newer heights drawing support from his colleagues in the executive council, the ISA members and all fraternity entities.

    On his election for the fifth consecutive term as the chairman of the ISA, Sunil said, “In our journey towards creating a greater value proposition for the ISA in the industry, the focus will be to make this unique body future-ready for the new normal that is emerging around us and to provide value-added support to our members. With the digital advertising having ascended as second only to TV and growing even further, our endeavour this year would be taken forward our efforts in the area of digital measurement. The ISA has plans ahead to work withBARC to create a Multimedia Measurement that can be implemented very soon. We heartily thank all fraternity organizations for their strong partnering and this will surely help us accomplish new milestones. I also acknowledge the continuing support by our members in all our endeavours.”

    He further added, “In particular reference to the Covid2019 pandemic, I am glad to acknowledge the cooperation of all our members, industry associates, vendors and ISA Secretariat team in staying safe adhering to directives by health authorities and governments.”

    ISA is the only national body as a strong voice to advertisers over the last 68 years. It has advertiser members from across industries who approximately contribute to over two-thirds of the annual national non-governmental ad spends.  ISA, which is a founder member of the World Federation of Advertisers (WFA) and one of the founders of ASCI, continues to partner with other industry bodies that connect to the advertisers. The ISA played a significant role in formation of BARC and is closely partnering with it towards advertisers getting robust and credible data.

    The executive council members of the ISA thanked Sunil for his substantial contribution to the ISA as Chairman over the past four years and expressed pleasure to elect him again for 2020-21.

    Other members of the executive council:

    Atul Agrawal, Senior Vice President – Corporate Brand and Marketing, Tata Services Limited

    Abraham Mathew Alapatt, President & Group Head-Marketing, Service Quality Financial Services & Innovation, Thomas Cook (India) Limited

    Narendra Ambwani, Director, Agro Tech Foods Limited

    Ravi A. Desai, Director, Mass & Brand Mktg International, Amazon Seller Services Pvt.Ltd.

    Paulomi Dhawan, Independent Director, Whistling Woods International Ltd.

    Girish Kalyanaraman, Senior Director Brand Operations, Procter & Gamble Hygiene and Health Care Limited

    Chandru Kalro, Managing Director, TTK Prestige Limited

    Sandeep Kaul, Divisional Chief Executive – India Tobacco Division, ITC Limited

    Bharat V. Patel, Independent Director, Aditya Birla Sun Life AMC Ltd.

    Ramakrishnan Ramamurthi, Adviser J. K. Enterprises

    Amit Tiwari, Vice President – Marketing, Havells India Ltd.

    Subhadip Dutta Choudhury, Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer Hawkins Cookers Limited

    AnujPoddar, Executive Director, Bajaj Electricals Limited

    Ram Raghavan, Managing Director, Colgate-Palmolive (India) Limited 

    Gauravjeet Singh, General Manager – Media Services (South Asia) Media, Hindustan Unilever Limited

    Sanjeev Handa, Sr. V.P.  Corporate Communications, Maruti Suzuki India Limited

  • Bajaj Pulsar redefines the rules of motorcycle riding in the new normal

    Bajaj Pulsar redefines the rules of motorcycle riding in the new normal

    NEW DELHI: Bajaj Pulsar has been a trailblazer in changing the face of the Indian motorcycle industry singlehandedly, with its unique communication and product line-up. And it is all set to blaze new trails in this new campaign that highlights the performance and technology of its range of motorcycles, with a very relevant message going out to all riders. More than just a TVC, it’s going to be the new way we ride in the challenging time of today.

    The pandemic has changed our lives in more ways than one. And now, in the new normal, the new habits acquired are here to stay. A motorcycle has become one of the safest modes of travel in these times. But the Pulsar is no ordinary motorcycle; it follows the new rules of the game in its signature style! It is no secret that the Pulsar is a thrill machine. And thrill is the code it always lives by. No matter how times change, the one aspect that will bind every pulsar rider will be the thrill of riding it.

    The TVC features two riders performing gravity defying stunts with just one underlying rule, maintaining a minimum of 6 feet distance (’2 gaj ki doori’) between them at all times. Highlighting the adherence to the new normal, yet at the same time, not forgetting the desire to thrill.

    Bajaj Auto head of marketing Narayan Sundararaman said, “Pulsar as a brand has always been the one to break boundaries and set new benchmarks. Be it technology or gravity-defying stunts, Bajaj Pulsar has always aspired to inspire. With new rules being written in this new age, what does not change is the fact that the product range designed and developed in India is still a bestseller and a world-beater. There is also a surprise for our legions of Pulsarmaniacs where they get a sneak peek of the new Pulsar NS editions in the film.”   

    Read more news on Bajaj Auto

    Ogilvy India chief creative officer Sukesh Nayak says, “Pulsar ‘Two chalk lines’ is about our spirit of never giving up. It’s about us having the courage to ride out of this challenge too.”

    Pulsar currently has variants ranging from Pulsar 125 to the flagship Pulsar RS200. This year it launched a new Split Seat variant in Pulsar 125 with an aim to expand its presence in the segment further by giving the sportiest offering amongst the peers. 

  • TOI innovates, brings out double newspaper during the weekend

    TOI innovates, brings out double newspaper during the weekend

    NEW DELHI: On 19 September, the newspaper readers were in for a surprise as there was not one but two Times of India newspapers at the doorsteps of the readers.

    Initially, the consumers were confused, but later they realised that the publisher did it intentionally to seek their attention and create a richer reading experience.

    “In our constant endeavour to give you more we’re doubling your delight quotient today. We bring you not one but two front pages” read the announcement.

    Commenting on the two newspapers on a single day, TOI president response Partha Sinha said, “The Times Group had been a pioneer when it comes to innovation. This is in line with the tradition. Our research showed that people are spending more time on the newspaper during this period and they need more reading material. We also figured out that there’s a queue of sorts in the morning and people want to share the paper especially on holidays etc. This created a great reading as well as sharing experience.

    Read more news on The Times of India

    A close up of a newspaper Description automatically generated 

    Times Group believes that this festival, people may not have enough opportunities to go out of their homes. So the home needs to made more interesting and there needs to bigger engagements from newspapers. “This is one of the many interesting ideas we have in store this festive season. This is the beginning of things to come. We have a lot planned for our readers and advertising partners – from exciting promotions, incentives to initiatives that can make a change in society. There’s lot more action coming your way” added Sinha.

    The initiative met with some resounding feedback ranging from positive sentiment to some tongue-in-cheek comments. A resident of Bengaluru, Shabari, says that for once she and her husband could read the newspaper at the same time without fighting about who gets which paper first. “With two papers and two sections of everything, it was such a peaceful morning. My Saturday began really well. Maybe I should consider ordering two newspapers every day.” she concluded. 

    In a survey across Mumbai, Delhi and Bengaluru the initiative has been appreciated up by over 75 per cent of the readers. 

  • PHD Appoints Monaz Todywalla as CEO for India

    PHD Appoints Monaz Todywalla as CEO for India

    Mumbai: PHD, part of Omnicom Media Group, has roped in Monaz Todywalla as its new chief executive officer for India. Prior to joining PHD India, Monaz held the role of VP of growth & strategy at Wavemaker India.

    PHD APAC CEO James Hawkins said, “We could not have asked for a more experienced, skilled and innovative thinker to lead the India team. With Monaz’s strong emphasis on cross-functional, multi-disciplinary work, and her focus on creating an inclusive work environment, I am absolutely confident that Monaz will lead PHD India to greater heights.”

    Monaz comes with close to two decades of extensive experience in the field of media, marketing and communications, with an in-depth understanding of planning, buying, strategy and execution across industries such as FMCG, Telecom, BFSI, Retail and Confectionary. Her diverse experience is best illustrated by the sheer range and number of clients she has worked closely with. From L’Oréal, Vodafone, Kotak, HDFC Life and Starbucks, to Tata Cliq, Asian Paints, MDLZ, Amul and Marico – her varied expertise has led to her being recognised as a top media and marketing professional in India.

    Todywalla said, “I am excited about working with the talented and diverse team at PHD India, fostering creativity and inclusiveness in a space that is already abuzz with innovative thought. Coupled with a solution-oriented and richly-curious ethos at PHD, I am looking forward to leveraging my experience and helping our clients make the leap in a rapidly changing business landscape.

  • MIB issues advisory to curb surrogate advertising

    MIB issues advisory to curb surrogate advertising

    NEW DELHI: Surrogate Advertising has been a very old debate in the India’s advertising industry. An alcohol brand can advertise in the garb of music CD or a gutka brand can talk about the great taste of saffron and circumvent the advertising code. The rule thus aims at prohibiting surrogate advertisements while at the same time allowing advertisements of genuine brand extensions subject to specified conditions. 

    Rule 7(2)(vih)(A) of the Advertising Code enshrined under Cable Television Networks Rules, 1994 prohibits direct or indirect advertisements of cigarettes, tobacco products, wine, alcohol, liquor or other intoxicants. However, advertisements of genuine products sharing a brand name or logo of such products are permissible subject to specified conditions prescribed therein.

    Time and again, industry people and government institutions have debated the matter on various industry platforms but not much output has come. Several activists and common citizens have also complained about surrogate ads from various categories running on national television but not much could have been done about it.

    Over the years, brands have circumvented the rule to create a massive reach of their products via their brand extensions.

    The latest advisory issued by the Ministry of Information and Broadcast states that such ads have to be first previewed by Central Board of Film Certification before telecast and deemed to be fit for consumption.

    “Second proviso of Rule 7(2)(vhi)(A) provides that such advertisement has to be previewed and certified by Central Board of Film Certification as suitable for unrestricted public exhibition and are in accordance with stipulated conditions,” stated the advisory.

    The focus of this advisory was mostly on brands related to the cigarettes, tobacco products, wine, alcohol, liquor or other intoxicants. The advisory clearly stated that “It is accordingly advised that all advertisements of the nature referred to at para 2 above strictly follow the stipulations contained in the Rules and are previewed and certified by Central Board of Film certification (CBFC) before being telecast on Television.”

    The decision is expected to create a strong impact on the brands for this industry because many of these players have emerged as the top advertisers of the country. 

  • Somany Ceramics styles Mumbai Airport

    Somany Ceramics styles Mumbai Airport

    Somany Ceramics Limited, an internationally acclaimed organization that specializes in ceramics and allied products segment and known to be a leader in design and innovation, has recently executed an outdoor campaign at Mumbai International Airport.

    The campaign was done in association with Times OOH to target niche flying travellers to promote, Germ Shield tiles powered by Germ Shield Technology at the Domestic Departure, SHA of T2, Mumbai Airport.

    Somany chose to place its ad on multiple media units installed at the domestic departure security check-in of the Mumbai Airport to captivate the attention of departing fliers. The units presented the Somany Tiles and Bathware’s brand campaign focusing on the patented hard coat technology VC Shield which is ‘Built to Last’.

    Somany Ceramics marketing head Vivek Gupta says, “Airport media is so substantial to us. The premium pillar media located at security check-in area are very strategically placed, and it will give a big boost to Somany as a brand to entice passenger’s eyeballs when they are waiting for security frisking. The brand campaign with Salman Khan will also showcase Somany’s humble and rooted approach with the tag line “Zameen se Judey”.  Moreover, Salman’s personality, will help bring forth campaign’s essence, which is, ‘no matter how high you soar or how successful you are, you should always be rooted & remain grounded.”

    “We are proud to partner Somany Ceramics in delivering such impactful branding exercise that would have a long-lasting positive association in the minds of the passengers.Airport advertising has offered brands a niche target audience, which no other medium can offer with such low distraction and high dwell time. The current situation has led to even higher dwell times at the airports due to the safety measures.” said Times OOH Sumit Chadha.