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Tag: Maruti Suzuki Arena

  • Radio tunes into growth as ad volumes rise 3 per cent in H1 2025

    Radio tunes into growth as ad volumes rise 3 per cent in H1 2025

    MUMBAI: Radio isn’t just background noise, it’s making advertisers sit up and listen. According to TAM Adex’s Half-Yearly Advertising Report, radio ad volumes grew by 3 per cent in January–June 2025 compared to the same period last year, signalling a steady tune-up for the medium.

    Services struck the loudest chord, accounting for a massive 30 per cent share of all ad volumes. Collectively, the top ten sectors spanning auto (11 per cent), banking and finance (10 per cent), education (9 per cent), and food and beverages (7 per cent) captured nearly 89 per cent of the airtime. Durables made a new entry into the top 10, showing the medium’s appeal beyond traditional categories.

    Among categories, properties and real estate kept their prime spot with 14 per cent share, but hospitals and clinics surged into second place, clocking 18 per cent growth, while jewellers glittered with 17 per cent growth. Pan masala puffed up by 78 per cent, and commercial vehicles raced ahead, multiplying their presence 27 times over.

    On the advertiser leaderboard, Maruti Suzuki India overtook LIC of India to claim pole position, while newcomers like Vishnu Packaging and Muthoot Financial Enterprises accelerated into the top 10. Jeena Sikho was the leading brand on radio, followed by Maruti Suzuki Arena and SBI.

    Regionally, Gujarat topped the charts with an 18 per cent share of ad volumes, with Maharashtra close behind at 16 per cent. Jaipur retained its crown as the country’s leading radio city, commanding 9 per cent of the pie, ahead of Nagpur and Delhi.

    Evenings were prime time, accounting for 37 per cent of ad volumes, followed by mornings (31 per cent). And when it came to messaging length, advertisers kept it short and snappy 94 per cent of ads were under 40 seconds.

    With over 360 categories and 8,000 advertisers using radio in the first half of 2025, the medium is proving it’s still music to brands’ ears blending reach, resonance, and regional punch in equal measure.

  • Mumbai Comic Con 2025 becomes hotspot for next-gen brand engagement

    Mumbai Comic Con 2025 becomes hotspot for next-gen brand engagement

    MUMBAI: The Maruti Suzuki Arena Mumbai Comic Con powered by Crunchyroll is all set to wrap up Comic Con India’s 2025 calendar with a spectacular finale doubling down as not just a fan haven, but a magnet for brand activations aimed at India’s fast-evolving youth economy.

    Far beyond cosplay and comic book revelry, Mumbai Comic Con has become a high-energy arena where brands meet fans through immersive experiences, tech-forward showcases, and culturally-tuned content drops. From global entertainment giants like Warner Bros., Disney, Crunchyroll, and Bandai Namco, to tech brands like Lenovo and Logitech, the event is brimming with innovation.

    Automotive brands like Maruti Suzuki Arena and Yamaha Racing have built interactive, speed-inspired installations, while publishers like Penguin Random House India and Disney Licensing are leveraging the space to showcase collectables and fandom favourites.

    A standout activation this year is by Royal Challenge Packaged Drinking Water, the official hydration partner. Their Cricket Gaming Zone at the Nodwin Gaming Arena offers fans a hybrid experience of mobile, console, and VR cricket perfectly aligned with India’s cricket fever.

    Comic Con Mumbai 2025 also premieres the Indie Game Utsav, spotlighting India’s homegrown game development talent, alongside It’s A Girl Thing a zone dedicated to diversity, self-expression, and community empowerment.

    As the final chapter of this year’s Comic Con India journey, Mumbai is proving to be more than a fan event it’s where pop culture meets purpose, and brands truly plug in to the pulse of young India.

  • COLORS steps up the game with India’s Got Talent #talent4good initiative

    COLORS steps up the game with India’s Got Talent #talent4good initiative

    MUMBAI: ‘Don’t let talent go to waste’, advocates COLORS’ flagship reality show, Maruti Suzuki Arena presents India’s Got Talent powered by Vaseline and Frooti.  The show that adjudges talent sans any gender, age, social status or location bias, in its 8th Season took innovation a notch up with its latest campaign called, #Talent4Good. Expounding on its launch proposition – ‘Woh talent hi kya jo kisi ke kaam na aye’ and adding more color to the lives of the less privileged, the campaign engaged their viewers and involved more than 50 NGO’s to spread joy amongst their beneficiaries. Talented individuals from various cities formed groups, sang, danced and performed with members of q-age homes, orphanages, and other under privileged sections to fill up the void of companionship and to entertain them through their talent and light up their lives. Spreading cheer across the country, the campaign managed to touch the lives of many through these efforts.

    The high-buzz media outreach plan that spanned across different platforms and also mobilized more than 900 students across 58 markets to use this opportunity and exhibit their talent to spread cheer in the society. This initiative resulted in an overwhelming participation of people from different walks of life.

    Having rolled out an effective and engaging media campaign said, Sapangeet Rajwant, Head- Marketing, COLORS, “India’s Got Talent as a concept provides us with a huge canvas to engage viewers across age groups. Leveraging the festival period when people are in a generous mood we went to town with the   #Talent4good campaign giving every individual a chance to give back to the society in a very simple way, i.e. by showcasing their talent. Lightening the burden of many families, COLORS, distributed hearing aids amongst those with a hearing disability and also went into hinterlands to distribute food grains, thus helping and cheering up the indigents. Our endeavor has always been to draw viewers in a way that is relevant and constructive. With efforts such as these our commitment towards being socially relevant continues on-air as well as off-air.”

    Engaging the existing and inviting new audiences the #Talent4good campaign witnessed more than 2 million listeners of Mumbai and Delhi through various activities. While Radio City RJs entertained children from orphanages through their singing and storytelling talents, BIG FM listeners were urged to beautify the city, converting dirty walls into colourful murals. Local talent entertained beneficiaries of various NGOs in Delhi, which was amplified through Big FM.

    900 colleges in 40+cities were contacted to adopt and take forward the messaging of the #together4good campaign.  Across pandals in Ahmedabad, Surat and Rajkot, dancers showcased their talent and the calories thus burnt were equated to the quantity of food packets/meals and donated to NGOs. The channel distributed 2,000 kg of food grain to 27 NGOs.

    Hearing aids were given away at a musical event hosted by 9X Tashan in which 10,000 audience members displayed their collective singing talent. A talent hunt was organized at the Colors Golden Petal Club in Lucknow, Kanpur, Varanasi and Agra, giving participants a chance to be become a part of the COLORS family. Through Maharashtra’s Got Talent, people from 25 cities across the state showcased their talent and entertained the underprivileged. A talent workshop was also conducted for differently-abled children. Resident Welfare Associations across Mumbai were tapped during Navratri to spread the message of the campaign.

  • Maruti Suzuki ARENA launches first brand campaign

    Maruti Suzuki ARENA launches first brand campaign

    MUMBAI: Maruti Suzuki ARENA has rolled out its first brand campaign. The creative agency involved is Dentsu Aegis Network’s Dentsu Impact. This customer-centricity has led to the birth of the Maruti Suzuki ARENA experience, which has been designed for the young and modern India. The production house involved in the making is Sitting Duck Pictures and produced by Sanjay Bhattacharjee, Sushant Desai.

    With this campaign, they intend to build awareness about the new Maruti Suzuki ARENA while showcasing the dynamic, trendy, social and connected aspects of the experience.

    As their longstanding partners, Dentsu Impact has been involved to create a seamless car buying experience at Maruti Suzuki ARENA by redesigning showrooms, introducing online to offline consumer journey, implementing new brand identity and creating content at various touchpoints across the showroom.

    Speaking on the campaign, Dentsu Impact president Amit Wadhwa said, “Maruti Suzuki is the undisputed leader in passenger cars. And as a leader, it has been setting benchmarks across all aspects for its customers – design, technology, and experiences. Maruti Suzuki ARENA is one of the great milestones of Maruti Suzuki in India, and as their partners we are excited in being a part of this new car buying experience come to life through this campaign.”

    Positioning Maruti Suzuki ARENA as a ‘car buying experience designed with you in mind’, the campaign line is ‘A destination called you. A feeling called Maruti Suzuki ARENA’. Bollywood actor Varun Dhawan is the face of the campaign.

    Dentsu Impact national creative director Anupama Ramaswamy said, “Maruti Suzuki ARENA is a change which happens once in many years. In this case, it is not about a single purchase or transaction. Maruti Suzuki ARENA has been designed keeping the customer right at the center. This core thought is reflected in the campaign idea ‘A destination called you. A feeling called Maruti Suzuki ARENA’. The campaign is a celebration of the ARENA experience, which is trendy, connected and social.”

    Maruti Suzuki sells its vehicles through 4 sales channels, the existing Maruti Suzuki Channel, Nexa, Maruti Suzuki Commercial and Maruti Suzuki True Value. And since its launch on 31st August, 2017, all the existing Maruti Suzuki Channels are now being revamped to Maruti Suzuki ARENA.

    “The reason for choosing Varun Dhawan as the brand ambassador is that he is young, talented, extremely energetic and socially wired, making him the perfect fit for Maruti Suzuki ARENA,” Ramaswamy added.

  • Hero ISL helps create positive image among consumers: Amul MD RS Sodhi

    Hero ISL helps create positive image among consumers: Amul MD RS Sodhi

    MUMBAI: We’re halfway through the fifth edition of Hero Indian Super League (Hero ISL) and for now, Bengaluru FC leads the table to capture the coveted crown. Hero ISL has helped bring football to the mainstream and aided the popularity of the sport at the grassroots level.

    Season 5 kicked off on 29 September 2018 with six different languages- English, Hindi, Tamil, Malayalam, Bengali and Kannada.  While five languages are on the Star Sports network, the Kannada feed will air on the newly launched Colors Kannada Cinema. On the digital front, the league is also live streamed on Hotstar and Jio TV.

    This year, the league is being backed by Hero, DHL, Bisleri, Maruti Suzuki Arena, Dream11, Zeven, Nivia and Imperial Blue.

    With football becoming a prime sporting choice for a growing number of Indians, brands have realised the need to step in early in the game. Amul – probably the most ‘Indian’ brand there has ever been- has teamed up with the league for the last four years. The brand, which is famous for its catchy, witty and ironic campaigns with the Amul Girl, has been looking to cash in on the enthusiasm inside the stadiums. Indiantelevision.com caught up with Amul MD RS Sodhi to discuss his iconic brand’s collaboration with the league.

    Excerpts:

    The Hero ISL has become a powerful sporting property that brands want to piggyback on. Not many people thought this would be the case with football in India. What are your thoughts on it?

    The football culture of India has been an active sub-culture in its initial days which has grown over the last two decades significantly among the youngsters. This can be attributed to their exposure to international football events such as EPL, Bundesliga, La Liga, Euro Cup and the World Cup. Also, during this period, Indian football at school and district level leagues have increased, thereby adding to more interest among youngsters.

    Five years back when Hero ISL began, this generation was in between the age of 20 -30 years. It was a moment of awakening among Indians for we were able to see and appreciate this sporting culture in its vibrancy. A new format wherein this generation celebrated international footballers they grew up admiring and appreciating the raw tenacity and skill of Indian football. Many Indian brands saw the potential of the event and its ability to engage with the youth of India both on-ground and on-air through TV and digital.

    How does a brand further tap into the Hero ISL audience, which is young, affluent, informed and passionate?

    Hero ISL as an event has been well received among the youth of India and therefore a new media for brands to engage. However, as Amul, we are very careful to have meaningful engagement with them. For example, as a food brand we focussed on identifying moments where as a brand, we could address the needs of our consumers inside the stadium. We realised that the high levels of enthusiasm inside the stadium can tire our consumers. So we decided to nourish the energetic and health conscious youngsters with our milk, beverages and ice creams. We had our teams present in every match selling our range of beverages and ice cream. This gave the brand a positive image among our consumers as we were able to attend to their needs inside the stadium in every match. In addition, we were also reaching out to the audience across the country with our communication campaigns on TV.

    Grassroots football development appears to have got a boost with the Hero ISL. How can the football administrators build on this?

    The event has triggered conversation among brands, football associations, clubs, schools and parents regarding football in different contexts. This is a positive outlook as a country with a young growing population. Our country needs the youth to be physically active and they should be motivated to plan and pursue a career in sports.

    This has led to setting up of football academies by Pune FC for example and many other clubs and football associations will definitely take up such initiatives. This will help our youth to build a healthy lifestyle and alternate career opportunities where they will be more passionate.

    Do you thing the emergence of Hero ISL is among one of the key reasons behind the improved performances of the Indian national team in the last few years?

    It would not be fair to attribute the success of the Indian national team to Hero ISL alone, for our team has been playing really well. But we can definitely say that their exposure to playing in Hero ISL with international players of repute and experience would have helped them to improve their game plans and strategies. At the same time, there has been an increase among fans of the sport across age groups and genders which are motivational for our team. They follow the team as they travel from championship to championship and stand by them. All of these are positives which I am sure would be helping our team to help stay confident and perform to their best abilities in every game they play.

    CMOs of some of the most reputed brands have expressed their satisfaction over their association with top football leagues in the world (Barclays and the Premier League, Santander and La Liga). How can Indian marketers/brands help fuel a similar integration at scale?

    I believe for any brand to truly see results, they should invest in these events and not look at it purely as an advertising campaign. At Amul, we have been associated with the event for the last 4 years and have supported this initiative. We believe milk is the world’s original energy drink and associating with Hero ISL has helped to strengthen this communication among the youngsters of India. So, for Indian brands, it would be wise if they continue to pursue sporting events with similar mindsets and in the days to come they will see the results.

  • Dentsu Impact launches brand campaign for Maruti Suzuki ARENA

    Dentsu Impact launches brand campaign for Maruti Suzuki ARENA

    MUMBAI: Dentsu Impact, the creative agency from Dentsu Aegis Network, has rolled out the first brand campaign for Maruti Suzuki ARENA.

    Positioning Maruti Suzuki ARENA as a ‘car buying experience designed with you in mind’, the campaign has Bollywood superstar Varun Dhawan as the face.

    Maruti Suzuki Channel has been the starting point of millions of new car journeys in India. It has constantly evolved to fulfil the needs and aspirations of Indian car buyers. This customer-centricity has led to the birth of the Maruti Suzuki ARENA experience, which has been designed for the young and modern India.

    With warm and friendly relationship managers, value-adding technology like car customisation screens, and thoughtfully designed spaces like coffee consultation zone and owner’s lounge, Maruti Suzuki ARENA experience has been truly designed keeping the customer in mind.

    Maruti Suzuki sells its vehicles through 4 sales channels, the existing Maruti Suzuki Channel, Nexa, Maruti Suzuki Commercial and Maruti Suzuki True Value. And since its launch on 31st August, 2017, all the existing Maruti Suzuki Channels are now being revamped to Maruti Suzuki ARENA.

    As their longstanding partners, Dentsu Impact has been involved to create a seamless car buying experience at Maruti Suzuki ARENA by redesigning showrooms, introducing online to offline consumer journey, implementing new brand identity and creating content at various touchpoints across the showroom.

    With this campaign, it intends to build awareness about the new Maruti Suzuki ARENA while showcasing the dynamic, trendy, social and connected aspects of the experience.

    The campaign brings to life the experience of ARENA by leveraging Varun Dhawan. Through Varun, the campaign depicts what each element of the showroom does for the customers. Whether it is the feeling of warmth, the ability to customise, or the seamless connectivity between digital and showroom – it is an experience that starts when you think about buying a car, but stays with you for life.

    The tonality of the campaign has been crafted based on the Brand Maruti Suzuki ARENA, as well as being cognisant of maintaining its distinction as a brand that caters to the new-age first-time car buyer who is a looking for a tech-enabled, friendly, trendy, and connected experience.

    Dentsu Impact national creative director Anupama Ramaswamy says, “Maruti Suzuki ARENA is a change which happens once in many years. In this case, it is not about a single purchase or transaction. Maruti Suzuki ARENA has been designed keeping the customer right at the center. Making it an experience that revolves around him or her. One which goes beyond the showroom, just like a relationship which is built to be cherished lifelong. This core thought is reflected in the campaign idea ‘A destination called you. A feeling called Maruti Suzuki ARENA’. The campaign is a celebration of the ARENA experience, which is trendy, connected and social. The reason for choosing Varun Dhawan as the brand ambassador is that he is young, talented, extremely energetic and socially wired, making him the perfect fit for Maruti Suzuki ARENA.

  • Woh Talent Hi Kya Jo Kisi Ke Kaam Na Aaye; COLORS Announces the Launch of India’s Got Talent

    Woh Talent Hi Kya Jo Kisi Ke Kaam Na Aaye; COLORS Announces the Launch of India’s Got Talent

    MUMBAI: Don’t let talent go to waste advocates COLORS’ flagship reality show – Maruti Suzuki Arena presents India’s Got Talent powered by Vaseline and Frooti as it returns to wow viewers with some mind-boggling acts in its eighth edition. Giving all those who dare to dream a platform to make it real, this show stands for talent that rises above sex, age, social status or place. Helmed by a jury that gives judgement par excellence, shares a camaraderie that is legendary and are trendsetters in their own right – the favorite trio Kirron Kher, Malaika Arora and Karan Johar reprise their roles as judges in this season as well. Produced by Fremantle Media Pvt Ltd, this chapter of India’s Got Talent is hosted by ace comedian Bharti Singh and the fun loving Ritvik Dhanjani who will add to the entertainment quotient. The show will premiere on 20th October 2018 and will air every Saturday and Sunday at 10 PM on COLORS.

    With ‘Woh Talent Hi Kya Jo Kisi Ke Kaam Na Aye’ as its credo, this season brings audiences stories that need to be seen and heard.  This year’s highlight will include performances like techno act, bike formations by the CRPF women, Water aerial acts, Spell binding Illusionist, Malkhambh and first time ever – 3D projection and Holographic interactive acts. The quest for finding the best of the best spans the length and breadth of the country and talent from different parts of the society will walk through the ‘Hunar ka Darwaza’ to reach this stage that sees everyone as equal and are judged purely based on talent.

    Speaking about launch, Nina Elavia Jaipuria – Head, Hindi and Kids TV Network, Viacom18, said: “COLORS has over the years established itself as a progressive brand brought to life through its evolved content strategy. All our shows and communication represents the dynamic social fabric of India and now with a high decibel property like India’s Got Talent we will once again provide an unique opportunity for best of national prodigies to showcase their passion and craft. We are sure that this iconic show without any prejudice has inspired many to pursue their passion will once again enthrall its audience with its immersive and diverse talent.”

    Manisha Sharma– Chief Content Officer – Hindi Mass Entertainment, Viacom18, said: “India’s Got Talent is a flagship brand for us and is an extreme delight to showcase unique and untapped talent from across the country. Bringing these beautiful art forms on stage and see their journey is what makes it complete. So, here is to another season of India’s Got Talent with our favorite panel, may the variety and journey be fulfilling to all.”

    Aradhana Bhola – Managing Director, Fremantle Media Pvt Ltd added saying, “The Got Talent format finds a place in the Guinness book of world records as the most successful reality television format. This is the 8th season that we are doing with Colors who continue to be our partners in every sense of the way. We are excited to bring forth talent from the most urban & rural parts of India to the audiences. We hope this amazing talent coupled with our experienced and fun filled jury will create yet another season of irresistible entertainment.”

    Speaking about her return to the show, Judge Kirron Kher said, “I eagerly await every new season because I love the courage and determination that the participants display in order to achieve their dreams, especially those who come from small towns and cities. Over the seasons, the show has witnessed unique talent that has also represented the country on international platforms. I’m proud to be associated with the show for all the 8 seasons, since its inception in India.”

    Fellow judge Malaika Arora further added saying, “My experience with the show gets better every season. Being able to witness acts that I didn’t know exist is something I look forward to. However, this year will see me dish out innovative hashtags for the contestants that manage to fascinate me with entertainment & talent”.

    Karan Johar concluded saying, “Every season has been inspirational, and I am looking forward to raising the judging parameters to ensure that contestants bring their best to the stage. We are on the lookout for the absolute best among the many that will showcase their talent on this mammoth platform that has turned many dreams into reality.”

    To enhance viewers engagement at every stage of the show, an integrated 360-degree campaign has been chalked out incorporating multiple mediums across the country. Our belief that real talent is that which is used for the betterment of society will be embodied by college students and citizens alike across 50 towns across the country the #TalentJohKaamAaye. The sea of talent mobilized through this campaign and amplified through Radio will spread joy to those who need it most the youth of this country to use their talent and spread joy to those who need it most.

    For India’s Got Talent, COLORS has roped in a volley of sponsors including Presenting Sponsors Maruti Suzuki, Powered by Sponsors Vaseline and Frooti and Associate Sponsors Macho Hint, Dish TV, Vim, Nirma Advance and Godrej Expert Rich Crème.