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Tag: marketing

  • redRail from redBus gets platform naming & brand promotional rights of New Delhi Railway Station

    redRail from redBus gets platform naming & brand promotional rights of New Delhi Railway Station

    Mumbai: redRail, the authorised IRCTC partner and rail ticketing app from redBus, is one of the few brands that have obtained platform naming rights, including other brand promotional rights, at platforms no. 8 and 9 of New Delhi Railway Station.

    The pilot programme launched by the railways is the first of its kind, allowing brands to utilise the vast stretch within platforms of the New Delhi railway station to promote themselves in innovative ways, such as naming a platform after the brand and putting up extensive displays with promotional content, among others.

    The unique engagement approach that offers a high-end experiential connection between brands and customers is poised to garner over 20 million eyeballs monthly, captive for a minimum of 30-45 minutes. This is achieved through the sheer volume of footfalls at New Delhi Railway Station, one of the busiest in the country, elevating brand connection a few notches.

    redRail has obtained the rights to various elements on platforms 8 and 9 at New Delhi Railway Station.

    Brand name on platform signage, platform colour scheme, wrapping or painting on seating benches, branding on the fence of the potted plants, branding on the 3D gantry – exit/entry of foot over bridges or escalators on the platform – and branding on pink cubicles for women seating on each platform and product display are among the key offerings.

    This initiative also comes against the backdrop of redRail successfully completing its first year of operations. To celebrate the anniversary with all rail travellers, the enterprise is rolling out special offers and a contest to make it memorable. The three main offers are free tickets, a coupon for 50 per cent off up to Rs 100 and a flat Rs 50 off for all customers. These offers can be availed of by participating in an exciting “Spin the Wheel” contest, where users spin a wheel on the redRail app between 3 to 17 November.

    Speaking on the new initiative from the Railways and redRail’s participation, redBus senior vice president & head of brand marketing Pallavi Chopra said, “New Delhi Railway Station caters to more than 400+ trains every day, with about five lakh passengers using the facility on a daily basis, allowing us to engage with an audience that matters. We are confident that with extensive brand visibility at the station, we will receive 30 minutes of confirmed attention from travellers. We greatly appreciate this novel approach from the Ministry of Railways, which would allow brands to engage with their audiences in powerful ways and is a win-win for both. We are also celebrating the first anniversary of redRail and are delighted to announce exciting offers on tickets for our travellers.”

  • CEAT Tyres appoints Lakshmi Narayanan B as chief marketing officer

    CEAT Tyres appoints Lakshmi Narayanan B as chief marketing officer

    Mumbai: CEAT, India’s leading tyre manufacturer, has roped in Lakshmi Narayanan B as chief marketing officer. In this role, Narayanan will spearhead the marketing initiatives of the company across all passenger vehicles, trucks and buses in all markets and augment CEAT’s position as an organisation that is ‘Making Mobility Safer and Smarter. Every Day’.

     Narayanan has a strong experience in sales and marketing spanning 18 years. In his last role as the head of marketing at Asian Paints, he led a diverse team and played a defining role in consistently building multi-category portfolio and making inroads into new market segments fueling growth.

    His accomplishments include growing the business operations in the premium segment, launching and spearheading forays in retailing and services that create new and powerful consumer experiences, driving the turnaround of the tools business and building several successes in product leadership. He has also worked with Samsung India Electronics in the early parts of his career.

    Narayanan holds a B.E. in Mechanical Engineering from Sardar Patel College of Engineering (SPCE) and an MBA from Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies (NMIMS). He is a passionate Bullet enthusiast and enjoys long bike rides to various destinations.

    Commenting on the appointment, CEAT Tyres chief operating officer Arnab Banerjee said, “We are extremely happy to welcome Narayanan onboard as our CMO. He is a highly experienced professional with a strong track record of building brands. His experience in the consumer marketing space as well as deep insights into the consumer psyche will play a pivotal role in shaping our marketing strategy and reinforce our position as a provider of safe and smart mobility.”

    Narayanan added, “I am excited to lead and drive new frontiers with CEAT Tyres. I have seen the evolution of the brand over years in both key OE manufacturers as well as consumers. CEAT has built interesting communication & invested smartly in the world of sports and I am committed to playing a big role in building on the great foundation that the company has laid in the automotive space. I see an opportunity in building the brand through seamless and superlative experience for our consumers and partners.”

  • Cannes Lions launches Entertainment Lions for Gaming

    Cannes Lions launches Entertainment Lions for Gaming

    Mumbai: Cannes Lions has announced the launch of the Entertainment Lions for Gaming. The new Lion will be judged and awarded for the first time in June 2023, with Riot Games global head of marketing Francine Li serving as the inaugural jury president.

    The Entertainment Lions for Gaming, originally a part of the Entertainment Lions, is being introduced as part of a long-term plan that started when Cannes Lions separated out the Entertainment Lions for Music in 2016 and then later the Entertainment Lions for Sport in 2019.

    The jury, which will be announced early next year, will be multidisciplinary and comprise creatives, brands, gaming experts, publishers, platforms and producers.

    The Entertainment Lions for Gaming will celebrate creative work that connects people to brands through gameplay. Submissions will need to demonstrate how brands successfully tapped into complex gaming communities and seamlessly added real value to the overall gaming experience while driving commercial success.

    Speaking about the new introduction, Lions CEO Simon Cook said, “We’ve seen the number of Lion winners that feature gaming rise by 74 per cent in the last five years. Based on the velocity at which this space is evolving, and the increased relevance that gaming now holds within the creative marketing community, this feels like a natural progression.”

    He added, “We also can’t ignore that gaming is bigger than Hollywood and the music industry combined. I’d like to thank all the many agencies, brands, gaming experts and passionate advocates from around the world who have helped shape this new Lion. Our belief is that this award will offer a new benchmark, and shine a spotlight on creative work that sits at the intersection of brands, creativity, gaming, customer experience and communities. I’d like to thank Li for agreeing to lead the first Entertainment Lion for Gaming jury in 2023, we are grateful for her wealth of talent and expertise.”

    About her role, Li said, “I’m honoured and excited to serve as the inaugural jury president of the Entertainment Lions for Gaming. This new Lion is being introduced at a time when the gaming industry is truly reaching new heights. I believe that gaming is the future of entertainment, bringing together passionate global communities in shared immersive and interactive experiences. The creative work in gaming is community driven, deeply rooted in insight and adds value to the player experience, a true definition of modern marketing. I look forward to celebrating groundbreaking work and awarding the first ever Entertainment Lions for Gaming with a jury of my esteemed peers.”

  • DSP Mutual Fund hands over performance marketing duties to Puretech Digital

    DSP Mutual Fund hands over performance marketing duties to Puretech Digital

    Mumbai: Puretech Digital has bagged the performance marketing mandate of DSP Mutual Fund, one of the leading mutual fund investment companies backed by the 150+ year old DSP Group. As a part of this partnership, the agency will handle digital media planning along with performance marketing for the brand.

    Bagging the mandate in a multi-agency pitch, Puretech Digital will be responsible for driving growth with the help of its specialised services under performance marketing, both paid and organic. Additionally, the agency will focus on crafting effective and innovative solutions to amplify the growth and reach of the brand.

    Speaking on winning the new client, Puretech Digital senior vice president Kamaljit Saini said, “We are incredibly delighted to be associated with the DSP Mutual Fund Team. With our performance marketing abilities and strong data-driven approach, we look forward to creating new benchmarks in growth together.”

    Adding to it, Puretech Digital CEO Prashant Deorah said, “Adding DSP Mutual Fund to our clientele is a testimony to the good work we do in the BFSI sector. We are glad to partner with a heritage brand like DSP Group, and we look forward to our association with them.”

    Commenting on the partnership, DSP Mutual Fund vice president for digital business Manish Rathi said, “We believe Puretech Digital has strong expertise in the digital marketing space, and we are already seeing some promising early results. This association will help us innovate and creatively meet our business growth plans.”

  • Omnicom Media Group India bags integrated media mandate for Electrolux

    Omnicom Media Group India bags integrated media mandate for Electrolux

    Mumbai: Omnicom Media Group (OMG) India has been appointed to manage the integrated media mandate for Electrolux to strengthen their footprint in the country. The directive will involve creating end-to-end media solutions for the business and accelerating its growth journey in the market.

    Leveraging the agency’s analytics and insight-driven tools, the Swedish powerhouse is set to make waves with its range of premium products in the Indian market.

    Electrolux has shaped living for the better for more than 100 years with its elegant Scandinavian design coupled with innovative technology across a range of care, taste, and well-being appliances.

    The brand has ambitious growth targets in India, complemented by its cohesive omnichannel approach and optimism for sustainable and better living experiences for its customers.

    Electrolux’s sustainable product portfolio is designed to meet the dynamic demands of modern consumers and includes air purifiers, air conditioners, washing machines, vacuum cleaners, refrigerators, dishwashers, dryers, coffee machines, warming drawers, cooker hoods, hobs, and ovens.

    Team OMG is excited to help Electrolux scale to new heights by drawing on its talent, strategic capabilities, and data-driven approach as the brand ramps up its proposition and presence in India to achieve sustainable growth.

  • Dabur acquires majority stake in Badshah Masala

    Dabur acquires majority stake in Badshah Masala

    Mumbai: Dabur India has announced that it has signed definitive transaction agreements to acquire 51 per cent shareholding of Badshah Masala,which is engaged in the business of manufacturing, marketing and export of ground spices, blended spices and seasonings.

    This acquisition is in line with Dabur’s strategic intent to expand its foods business to Rs 500 crore in three years and expand into new adjacent categories. This also marks Dabur’s entry into the over Rs 25K crore branded spices and seasoning market in India.

    Dabur has acquired 51 per cent stake in Badshah for Rs 587.52 crore, less proportionate debt as on the closing date, with Badshah being valued at Rs 1,152 crore. This translates to a revenue multiple of around 4.5x and EBIDTA multiple of around 19.6x of FY’ 22-23 estimated financials.

    Announcing the acquisition, Dabur India chairman Mohit Burman said, “The Indian spices and seasoning category is a large and attractive market. Badshah Masala is one of the key players in this space. Our investment in Badshah Masala will help expand this business and continue to provide unmatched quality products. This acquisition will accelerate our growth strategy as we continue to build our Foods business. We intend to leverage our international market presence to grow this business globally.”

    “The transaction is expected to be Cash EPS neutral in the first year and accretive thereafter. The acquisition is expected to be completed within this fiscal. As per our agreement, we will acquire the balance 49% shareholding after 5 years,” Dabur India group director P. D. Narang said.

    Dabur India CEO Mohit Malhotra said, “Branded Spices market in India is growing at healthy double digits, led by increasing consumption, upgradation from unbranded to branded and growing preference for regional flavours across states. The market is dominated by regional players and holds significant potential for growth in the future. Dabur has an existing Foods portfolio and views ground and blended spices as a good addition to this portfolio. Badshah portfolio will gain from Dabur’s extensive distribution reach. We look forward to unlocking further synergies and market opportunities to capture the full potential of Badshah Masala.”

    Badshah Masala Private Limited Managing Director Mr. Hemant Jhaveri said, “We are delighted to enter into a strategic partnership with Dabur. Dabur stands for Trust and Heritage and joining hands with Dabur will help drive the future growth potential of Badshah on a stronger trajectory. Our companies are a great fit. This transaction will enable us to accelerate our growth by adding our products to Dabur’s broad portfolio to meet the needs of consumers across geographies.”

    Ajay Shah, advisor to Badshah Masala said, “This strategic investment of Dabur brings together two strong Indian brands. This deal is growth oriented, mutually complementary, value accretive and beneficial for both the companies.”

  • GUEST ARTICLE: Impact of 5G in marketing and communication

    GUEST ARTICLE: Impact of 5G in marketing and communication

    Mumbai: While the 5G discourse has been mainly centred on autonomous vehicles and telecom capabilities, the truth is that there is more to this emerging technology than simply enhancing our mobile connectivity. To elaborate, 5G will accelerate technological innovation by enabling AI and machine learning (ML) at the edge, bringing with it unprecedented new enterprises and technological capabilities. According to the report, 1.4 billion devices will be connected to 5G by 2025, opening up a world of possibilities for explosive data. As new devices and technologies are created across industries, what used to take years or months to reach the market will now be accomplished at breakneck speed.

    5G network design and connectivity are rapidly becoming more widely available. It can benefit from the rising availability of this service in a variety of ways, including marketing and communications. The faster the customers and prospects can connect to and navigate the network, the happier they’ll be. 5G ensures that more people can connect to and utilise your network or website more quickly and consistently, even when traffic levels are higher than usual.

    So, what does this all ultimately mean for marketing and communication?

    Because many industries are expected to be impacted, marketing and communications professionals must be ready to develop their messaging and properly explain the results of 5G to key influencers and stakeholders. Here’s how it works:

    5G will help in enhancing experiential marketing

    The promise of 5G — from high-power edge computing to lightning-fast speed — is an opportunity for both consumers and companies. Communication can help brands to position themselves in the community as visionaries, discussing trends and projections while emphasising the growth of their business and generating interest and enthusiasm about the beneficial effects of brands in the community through 5G. Marketing will also assist in allowing the consumer to personally experience the brand or product and obtain brand rewards through 5G. Experiential marketing has always been known for highlighting a brand’s physical presence. With 5G, brands can use artificial intelligence (AI), virtual reality (VR), and augmented reality (AR) approaches to communicate with those who are still striving to reach consumers faster.

    5G technology opens up AR and VR

    Online interactions will increasingly revolve around immersive experiences, and 5G will make this transition more seamless. Virtual reality experiences can take the role of video in marketing by immersing the client in the experience rather than simply showing them what is available. For example, you could allow a customer to enter the store where they want to buy something; allow them to try on hundreds of different items of clothing without entering a changing room; or even allow them to dine with their favourite celebrity.

    Personalization

    Data collection is probably going to get much better under 5G. Discovering your customer might take less time. From this, marketing and communication will be able to help brands know how they can connect with their target audience and consumers faster. Due to such fast connectivity, they can also help brands connect with the media. Such technology will also help marketing by making brands more personalised and immersive experiences for their consumers.

    Marketing and communication will become more interactive

    With 5G’s high-speed capabilities, communication may become more appealing in addition to being more prevalent in the media. Marketing will become more interactive, which was previously thought to be impossible. However, 5G may make this tactic more feasible for marketing professionals. It will become more digital and immersive in the future.

    5G signifies that more individuals can connect to and use the companies’ experiences or goods more swiftly and reliably. The future of marketing and communication will help brands connect with customers and prospects faster and more passively, boosting the brand’s image and awareness with the aforementioned points.

    The author of this article is Scenic Communication co-founder Anindita Gupta.

  • Devendra Nagle joins edtech platform RISE as VP of marketing

    Devendra Nagle joins edtech platform RISE as VP of marketing

    Mumbai: RISE, the edtech platform, has announced the appointment of Devendra Nagle as the company’s vice president of marketing, in a major boost to its leadership group. Incidentally, this is the first leadership hire outside of the founding team.

    Prior to joining RISE, Nagle was associate vice president at the Internet and Mobile Association of India, where he spearheaded digital advertising and venture capital committees.

    Earlier, he had conceptualised and created award-winning IPs in the startup space. He brings 10+ years of extensive experience in marketing across various sectors like media, education, and startups. Nagle had earlier worked at Google, India Today, and Hindustan Times, where he was responsible for leading various marketing initiatives. He holds a B.Tech degree in computer science and an MBA from IIM Bangalore.

    In his role at RISE, Devendra will be responsible for scaling the brand’s industry-led and localised programmes, alongside supporting RISE’s vision to help colleges and universities expand their offerings by focusing on creating new digital credentials and degree programmes with industry-led training. His mandate would be to lead all marketing initiatives for RISE.

    Commenting on the appointment, Nagle said, “With technology as an enabler, there is tremendous scope in the edtech sector across the world. RISE is leading the way in the ed-tech space through a tech-facing strategy that embraces innovation and is focusing on growing its operations rapidly. I am excited to be onboard this rocket ship and look forward to working with Gaurav Bhatia and the team.”

    RISE offers various postgraduate and professional certification courses. Each course is affordable and, crucially, is curated and taught by industry experts, thus increasing the chances of employability. The platform also aims to help colleges and universities expand and add digital content to their offerings, and benefit from the hybrid mode of imparting education.

    RISE CEO Gaurav Bhatia believes Devendra’s varied and vast experience will add to the company’s knowhow. He shared, “We at RISE are always looking to evolve and to introduce new paradigms to the edtech sector, keeping in mind how education overall has transformed since 2020. Getting Devendra on board is just another step in our plans to continue pushing the envelope and ensure that our students are as industry-ready as possible. And with his work experience across various domains, I believe Devendra will bring substance and value to RISE and add to our growth story.”

  • Hitachi onboards BBH as creative partner

    Hitachi onboards BBH as creative partner

    Mumbai: Johnson Controls-Hitachi Air Conditioning India Ltd, India’s premium air-conditioner brand Hitachi, has appointed BBH India as its creative strategy and advertising agency partner. With this appointment, Hitachi aims to create a high decibel brand awareness and strengthen its brand leadership amongst the new informed world consumer.

    The agency won the business as part of a contested multi-agency pitch and will manage full-service responsibilities for strategic creative design and advertising. As Hitachi’s agency of record, BBH India will now spearhead the development of both consumer-focused and business-driven marketing campaigns for Hitachi’s HVAC and refrigeration solutions.

    Hitachi senior vice president – business planning & marketing Nilesh Shah said, “At Hitachi, our brand communication is always focused towards the changing needs and preferences of the new-age consumers who aspire for innovative product offerings. We wanted a strategic creative partner who can help us in strengthening our brand positioning as an Aspirational Premium brand by bringing in a fresh perspective to our brand proposition.  We look forward to this creative partnership with BBH and further building on our track record of memorable, creative campaigns across the target audience.”

    Commenting on the win, Leo Burnett – South Asia CEO & BBH India chairman Dheeraj Sinha said, “Air conditioning has become a crucial part of modern life, and, Johnson Controls-Hitachi Air Conditioning India Limited is an undisputed leader in creating world-class air conditioning products. As a team, we are very proud and humbled to be chosen as a creative partner of India’s most aspirational and premium air conditioning brand. We have a big task in front of us, as the brand is known for its stunning consumer campaigns and has consistently rolled out great pieces of creative work over the years. We are excited to co-create the next chapter of the brand story and level up the brand salience.”

    With over 35 years of legacy in India, Johnson Controls-Hitachi Air Conditioning India Limited manufactures a wide range of products under the Hitachi brand, such as room air-conditioners (split & window ACs) to commercial air-conditioners including chiller, cassette air conditioners, ductable air-conditioners & VRF systems. A part of Publicis Groupe, BBH is a full-service global creative agency network offering strategic brand ideas, integrated communications, pure-play digital solutions, and much more to some of the world’s best-loved brands.

  • Mondelez India names Nitin Saini as VP of marketing

    Mondelez India names Nitin Saini as VP of marketing

    Mumbai: Mondelez India has appointed Nitin Saini as vice president of marketing. Nitin will be based out of the company’s headquarters in Mumbai and will be responsible for spearheading the marketing initiatives of the company. Prior to the current role, he served as vice president for the Oreo business, Mondelēz International in the US.

    He will be succeeding Anil Viswanathan, who has been elevated as managing director, Vietnam, Southeast Asia, Mondelēz International.

    Nitin started his career as a management trainee in India and has been a part of the Mondelēz team for 19 years in India, holding regional and global roles across sales and marketing.

    In India, he worked in marketing and sales teams across different portfolios, building experience across brands, categories, and sales verticals. He then moved to a regional marketing role in the Asia Pacific Region and was further elevated to a global role, looking after the Oreo brand, where he helped deliver double digit growth for Oreo, with the brand winning the ‘Kantar-Brand of the Decade’ award at Cannes.

    As the Global Brand director for Oreo, Nitin led Oreo to its best-ever performance across the globe while also crafting the long-term growth strategy for the brand. In his most recent role, Nitin was leading the Oreo portfolio for the US Business unit while being part of the Marketing Leadership team of the BU. Nitin returns to the India business after over three years.

    As VP of marketing for India, Nitin will be a part of the Mondelez India leadership team and will drive the consolidated snacking strategy with holistic management of all marketing levers, including insights, analytics, equity, innovation, and activation, in line with Mondelez International’s “Local first, but not Local only” approach to business.