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Tag: Maruti Suzuki

  • Hotstar targets Rs 150 crore plus revenue from IPL 2017 streaming

    MUMBAI: Is video on demand streaming service Hotstar cooking up a good revenue platter this IPL 10 season? Well, if some media reports are to be believed, then, it is. Anywhere between Rs 150-200 crore is what it is likely to serve onto the Star India top line. The figure for IPL was a much lower estimated Rs 65 crore.

    The Novi Digital-owned service yesterday announced the on-boarding of Chinese mobile maker Vivo and auto major Maruti Suzuki as presenting sponsors for Vivo IPL 2017. The sticker price has not been specified. All that the release states is that the sponsorships are “believed to be sizeable investments from companies of a scale that has not been seen in the Indian digital market to date and indicate their belief in Hotstar’s promise of delivering the largest global sporting event on digital this summer.”

    Media reports have speculated that the figure each is anteing up is Rs 20 crore.

    According to Hotstar, advertisers and media agencies are signing fatter cheques because of the fact there has been a meaningful shift from television to digital — especially, as far as cricket viewing is concerned. The release states that “the most recent India vs England ODI series saw Hotstar’s reach challenging that of television consistently. The reach hit 120 per cent of television in cities with more than a million in population and 147 per cent reach in the largest six cities in India (M15+, NCCS AB). At the same time, the platform has seen new records established for digital with the short format cricket matches regularly exceeding 20 million in viewership.”

    Hotstar CEO Ajit Mohan is quite confident that the pioneering app is going to be the primary screen for this IPL season considering the 130 million viewers who are streaming video nationally.

    “Marketers are recognizing that these are audiences that are TV light or not present on television at all,” he points out. “We are reinventing the experience of cricket on a mobile and India is changing the way it watches its favourite sport.” Mohan told the media that the OTT player crossed had 200 million downloads by end February 2017. This is against the 50 million downloads, Star India CEO Uday Shankar had announced during the FICCI Frames inaugural keynote in March 2016.

    The streaming service’s contract with the BCCI is slated to end this year as it had paid Rs 302.2 crore to acquire the global internet and mobile rights three years ago.

    Vivo India CMO Vivek Zhang says he took the decision to partner with Hotstar as it appeals to the youth and enjoys tremendous brand recall. “Its desire to constantly invest on innovative technology which is in line with Vivo’s marketing objectives made it a preferred choice for Vivo We are truly excited about the delightful cricket experience that the platform is driving and were indeed keen to be a part of this drive,” he stated

    Maruti Suzuki marketing head Sanjeev Handa acknowledged that an increasing number of the auto firm’s target customer is engaging with the company’s products on digital. According to him, almost 50 per cent of users are researching cars online and hence a diffusion of the purchase cycle is taking place here. “Hence, our approach is integrating offline and online, (it is a ground sponsor of this year’s IPL),” points out Handa.

    “We wanted to embody the spirit of Play Glamourous for Vitara Brezza across the markets, and found a perfect fit by reaching out to the audiences via their closest screens, i.e. mobiles. An average user is spending over 150 mins each day on mobile. Our tie-up as co-presenting sponsor on Hotstar will give us the mileage and the engagement with the most glamourous sport in the nation!”

  • Swati joins Dentsu Impact to strengthen digital leadership

    Swati joins Dentsu Impact to strengthen digital leadership

    MUMBAI: Dentsu Impact, the full-service creative agency from Dentsu Aegis Network that was in news recently for launching two new divisions of Digital and CRM under the strategic leadership of senior VP & head – strategy, digital and CRM Kartikeya Srivastava has strengthened its team by roping in Swati Ratnakar to lead content & strategy on its digital mandate for Maruti Suzuki.

    She joins as VP – planning on the account and will be reporting directly to Srivastava. Swati began her career as a journalist with India Today Group. Looking for a more strategic role and long-term approach to brand building, she moved to main stream advertising as a planner and later moved into digital space as a content strategist. With a total of 12 years of experience she has worked in India, Singapore and Paris on brands like VW, Spotify, Samsung, Airtel, Maruti Suzuki, L’Oreal, Bacardi, PepsiCo and others. Some of the organizations she has worked with are DDB, Weber Shandwick and contract.

    Srivastava commented, “At Dentsu Impact we are looking at this medium not so much as technology or process led, but rather as brand and experience led. We want to focus strongly on creating connected brand experiences. In Swati we have found somebody who can join the dots seamlessly between offline and online, creative and content, design and experience.”

    Dentsu Impact president Amit Wadhwa said, “We at Dentsu Impact are looking towards seamless digital integration in creativity and hence are looking to invest in talent that will help us do that. Swati does that beautifully for us.”

    Swati commented, “My current role at Dentsu involves understanding the commercial and brand challenges of clients businesses, and ensuring that creative solutions support their business objectives.”

  • Swati joins Dentsu Impact to strengthen digital leadership

    Swati joins Dentsu Impact to strengthen digital leadership

    MUMBAI: Dentsu Impact, the full-service creative agency from Dentsu Aegis Network that was in news recently for launching two new divisions of Digital and CRM under the strategic leadership of senior VP & head – strategy, digital and CRM Kartikeya Srivastava has strengthened its team by roping in Swati Ratnakar to lead content & strategy on its digital mandate for Maruti Suzuki.

    She joins as VP – planning on the account and will be reporting directly to Srivastava. Swati began her career as a journalist with India Today Group. Looking for a more strategic role and long-term approach to brand building, she moved to main stream advertising as a planner and later moved into digital space as a content strategist. With a total of 12 years of experience she has worked in India, Singapore and Paris on brands like VW, Spotify, Samsung, Airtel, Maruti Suzuki, L’Oreal, Bacardi, PepsiCo and others. Some of the organizations she has worked with are DDB, Weber Shandwick and contract.

    Srivastava commented, “At Dentsu Impact we are looking at this medium not so much as technology or process led, but rather as brand and experience led. We want to focus strongly on creating connected brand experiences. In Swati we have found somebody who can join the dots seamlessly between offline and online, creative and content, design and experience.”

    Dentsu Impact president Amit Wadhwa said, “We at Dentsu Impact are looking towards seamless digital integration in creativity and hence are looking to invest in talent that will help us do that. Swati does that beautifully for us.”

    Swati commented, “My current role at Dentsu involves understanding the commercial and brand challenges of clients businesses, and ensuring that creative solutions support their business objectives.”

  • Maruti Suzuki, Ola tie up to train drivers

    Maruti Suzuki, Ola tie up to train drivers

    MUMBAI: Maruti Suzuki India has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Ola to train aspiring drivers-partners. Under the ‘Maruti Ola Training Program,’ the company aims at benefiting 40,000 Ola partner-drivers in safe driving, over a period of three years.

    Maruti Suzuki and Ola partnership will create entrepreneurship opportunities for aspiring drivers¬ partners as well as make urban transportation safe, reliable and convenient. The pilot phase of the initiative will be rolled out in Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai and in NCR. The driving training programme will be gradually rolled out in Mumbai, Ahmedabad and Pune.

    Ola, as a technology platform will help create opportunities for these trained drivers by giving them access to infrastructure, financing and continuous revenue. Over the last 5 years, Ola has been successful in on-boarding over 5 lakh skilled driver-partners onto its platform.

    Maruti Suzuki marketing and sales executive director R S Kalsi said, “Maruti Suzuki is committed to promote quality driving training in the country. Studies show that driver’s fault’ is the biggest reason of road accidents. We have evolved a comprehensive training program comprising simulators, theory and practical sessions, imparted through 370 Maruti Driving Schools and six IDTRs across India. The curriculum, besides driving skills, offers soft skills like grooming, manners, etiquette that develop a positive attitude among the drivers. We are glad that through this partnership with Ola, we will be able to expand quality driving training while creating opportunities for employment and entrepreneurship. We target to train 40,000 individuals over three years.”

    Ola COO Pranay Jivrajka said, “Mobility in India is a huge need and the industry has the potential to empower aspiring individuals from all walks of life to become micro-entrepreneurs. This partnership falls in line with Ola’s goal of skilling five million drivers in the next five years and continue to build a conducive ecosystem for them to grow as entrepreneurs. We are delighted to work with a trusted Indian brand like Maruti to create a unique solution to skill tens of thousands of aspiring driver entrepreneurs realize their dreams. This is yet another initiative from Ola towards creating a robust and balanced driver ecosystem; which is vital to realize our mission of creating mobility for a billion Indians.”

    According to the MoU, Maruti Suzuki would help the individuals/Ola partner-drivers obtain commercial license and also assist in availing vehicle financing to purchase their own car, after the completion of their course. Ola will also provide qualified leads of potential driver-partners to Maruti Suzuki for facilitating them with commercial driving training.

    All the aspiring drivers will undergo a 30-day driving training which includes a pre- and post- assessment tests to gauge the driving skills of these individuals.

    The classroom sessions will familiarize the trainee with basic requirements such as vehicle controls and mechanisms, road signage, rules and markings, driving in difficult conditions, maintenance and fuel efficiency tips and traffic laws. Besides these dedicated sessions on soft skills like being a good road user, interactive case studies on the effect of bad driving habits, the importance of positive attitude, grooming tips, etiquette and good manners are imparted to instill safe driving habits and become a responsible driver.

    The practical training sessions cover intensive training on safe and efficient driving, pre-checks before starting to drive, risk perception, defensive driving techniques, driving in difficult conditions, rules of the road and emergency handling.

    Ola works closely with multiple state governments to create a skilled workforce that has access to capital, insurance and vehicle at discounted prices. Ola aims to add 50 lakh driver-partners on its platform by 2022 by mobilising, training and engaging with aspirants through such partnerships.

  • Maruti Suzuki, Ola tie up to train drivers

    Maruti Suzuki, Ola tie up to train drivers

    MUMBAI: Maruti Suzuki India has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Ola to train aspiring drivers-partners. Under the ‘Maruti Ola Training Program,’ the company aims at benefiting 40,000 Ola partner-drivers in safe driving, over a period of three years.

    Maruti Suzuki and Ola partnership will create entrepreneurship opportunities for aspiring drivers¬ partners as well as make urban transportation safe, reliable and convenient. The pilot phase of the initiative will be rolled out in Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai and in NCR. The driving training programme will be gradually rolled out in Mumbai, Ahmedabad and Pune.

    Ola, as a technology platform will help create opportunities for these trained drivers by giving them access to infrastructure, financing and continuous revenue. Over the last 5 years, Ola has been successful in on-boarding over 5 lakh skilled driver-partners onto its platform.

    Maruti Suzuki marketing and sales executive director R S Kalsi said, “Maruti Suzuki is committed to promote quality driving training in the country. Studies show that driver’s fault’ is the biggest reason of road accidents. We have evolved a comprehensive training program comprising simulators, theory and practical sessions, imparted through 370 Maruti Driving Schools and six IDTRs across India. The curriculum, besides driving skills, offers soft skills like grooming, manners, etiquette that develop a positive attitude among the drivers. We are glad that through this partnership with Ola, we will be able to expand quality driving training while creating opportunities for employment and entrepreneurship. We target to train 40,000 individuals over three years.”

    Ola COO Pranay Jivrajka said, “Mobility in India is a huge need and the industry has the potential to empower aspiring individuals from all walks of life to become micro-entrepreneurs. This partnership falls in line with Ola’s goal of skilling five million drivers in the next five years and continue to build a conducive ecosystem for them to grow as entrepreneurs. We are delighted to work with a trusted Indian brand like Maruti to create a unique solution to skill tens of thousands of aspiring driver entrepreneurs realize their dreams. This is yet another initiative from Ola towards creating a robust and balanced driver ecosystem; which is vital to realize our mission of creating mobility for a billion Indians.”

    According to the MoU, Maruti Suzuki would help the individuals/Ola partner-drivers obtain commercial license and also assist in availing vehicle financing to purchase their own car, after the completion of their course. Ola will also provide qualified leads of potential driver-partners to Maruti Suzuki for facilitating them with commercial driving training.

    All the aspiring drivers will undergo a 30-day driving training which includes a pre- and post- assessment tests to gauge the driving skills of these individuals.

    The classroom sessions will familiarize the trainee with basic requirements such as vehicle controls and mechanisms, road signage, rules and markings, driving in difficult conditions, maintenance and fuel efficiency tips and traffic laws. Besides these dedicated sessions on soft skills like being a good road user, interactive case studies on the effect of bad driving habits, the importance of positive attitude, grooming tips, etiquette and good manners are imparted to instill safe driving habits and become a responsible driver.

    The practical training sessions cover intensive training on safe and efficient driving, pre-checks before starting to drive, risk perception, defensive driving techniques, driving in difficult conditions, rules of the road and emergency handling.

    Ola works closely with multiple state governments to create a skilled workforce that has access to capital, insurance and vehicle at discounted prices. Ola aims to add 50 lakh driver-partners on its platform by 2022 by mobilising, training and engaging with aspirants through such partnerships.

  • Dentsu: Be ‘Swift’, #PushYourLimits

    Dentsu: Be ‘Swift’, #PushYourLimits

    MUMBAI: From the day of its launch, Maruti Suzuki Swift has redefined performance across the automotive industry. This desire to face any challenge thrown at it has strengthened the brand’s image as a leader in the last 10 years.

    Having been there and done that, the brand now has plans to go the next level by challenging its own limits. It aims to shift from the performance of the car to the performance of an individual who is behind the wheels. Thus, the new brand campaign celebrates the idea ‘Push Your Limits.’

    However, this strategic shift from an aspirational brand to an inspirational one could not be complete without one critical element – personalities who are admired as symbols of unconventional achievement. Personalities like Vijender Singh, AB de Villiers, and the man who jumped out of a plane without a parachute, Luke Aikins. Using these unique ambassadors, brand Swift wants to tell the world that only those who go the extra mile inspire people, not the ordinary.

    The brand plans to launch and embed this philosophy with an action packed TVC. Filled with quotes, match-cuts, high-octane shots and electric music, the commercial is all set to get the pulse racing.

    After, giving its consumer the much-needed adrenaline rush, Maruti Suzuki Swift will further compliment and spread its philosophy through a 360-degree surround. The campaign is all set to launch by the end of this month and is expected to push its past limits.

    Maruti Suzuki marketing & sales executive director R S Kalsi, “Since the last two years Maruti Suzuki has made a definitive shift in its offerings and positioning in India. Today we have a host of new offering which are at par with international products all the while making them more relevant for the Indian consumer today. With products like CIAZ and Brezza becoming one the highest selling models, its proof to the fact the consumer today has appreciated the new product offerings. This excitement and effort has to be taken to the existing portfolio of brands also. With Swift being one of our star brands, it was important we bring in the sheen and attention back on the brand. The new commercial is just the right step on that route, where we bring in the dynamism on to Swift in a way like never done before.

    Maruti Suzuki marketing associate vice-president Vinay Pant said, “The new Maruti Suzuki Swift campaign is here further our mission of being seen as new and more dynamic Maruti Suzuki. With a strong message like ‘Push your limits’, the brand aims to shift from the performance of the car to the performance of an individual who is behind the wheels. This strategic shift from an aspirational brand to an inspirational one will surely connect with our target audience.”

    Dentsu Impact executive creative director Anupama Ramaswamy said, “With the new campaign of ‘Push Your Limits’, we aim to go beyond the mundane ‘product-talk’. It’s an attitude that symbolises the people who drive the car, those who challenge and push themselves. And that’s why the personalities shown in the commercial are not your regular models, but heroes who inspire. The car moves exactly like them in the commercial while the match-cut editing maintains the tempo and adrenaline rush from the word ‘go’.”

  • Dentsu: Be ‘Swift’, #PushYourLimits

    Dentsu: Be ‘Swift’, #PushYourLimits

    MUMBAI: From the day of its launch, Maruti Suzuki Swift has redefined performance across the automotive industry. This desire to face any challenge thrown at it has strengthened the brand’s image as a leader in the last 10 years.

    Having been there and done that, the brand now has plans to go the next level by challenging its own limits. It aims to shift from the performance of the car to the performance of an individual who is behind the wheels. Thus, the new brand campaign celebrates the idea ‘Push Your Limits.’

    However, this strategic shift from an aspirational brand to an inspirational one could not be complete without one critical element – personalities who are admired as symbols of unconventional achievement. Personalities like Vijender Singh, AB de Villiers, and the man who jumped out of a plane without a parachute, Luke Aikins. Using these unique ambassadors, brand Swift wants to tell the world that only those who go the extra mile inspire people, not the ordinary.

    The brand plans to launch and embed this philosophy with an action packed TVC. Filled with quotes, match-cuts, high-octane shots and electric music, the commercial is all set to get the pulse racing.

    After, giving its consumer the much-needed adrenaline rush, Maruti Suzuki Swift will further compliment and spread its philosophy through a 360-degree surround. The campaign is all set to launch by the end of this month and is expected to push its past limits.

    Maruti Suzuki marketing & sales executive director R S Kalsi, “Since the last two years Maruti Suzuki has made a definitive shift in its offerings and positioning in India. Today we have a host of new offering which are at par with international products all the while making them more relevant for the Indian consumer today. With products like CIAZ and Brezza becoming one the highest selling models, its proof to the fact the consumer today has appreciated the new product offerings. This excitement and effort has to be taken to the existing portfolio of brands also. With Swift being one of our star brands, it was important we bring in the sheen and attention back on the brand. The new commercial is just the right step on that route, where we bring in the dynamism on to Swift in a way like never done before.

    Maruti Suzuki marketing associate vice-president Vinay Pant said, “The new Maruti Suzuki Swift campaign is here further our mission of being seen as new and more dynamic Maruti Suzuki. With a strong message like ‘Push your limits’, the brand aims to shift from the performance of the car to the performance of an individual who is behind the wheels. This strategic shift from an aspirational brand to an inspirational one will surely connect with our target audience.”

    Dentsu Impact executive creative director Anupama Ramaswamy said, “With the new campaign of ‘Push Your Limits’, we aim to go beyond the mundane ‘product-talk’. It’s an attitude that symbolises the people who drive the car, those who challenge and push themselves. And that’s why the personalities shown in the commercial are not your regular models, but heroes who inspire. The car moves exactly like them in the commercial while the match-cut editing maintains the tempo and adrenaline rush from the word ‘go’.”

  • Colors to air season 2 of ’24’ with sponsors Maruti Suzuki and Oppo

    Colors to air season 2 of ’24’ with sponsors Maruti Suzuki and Oppo

    MUMBAI: Featuring an intense and rugged looking Anil Kapoor as Jai Singh Rathod, Colors unveiled the first look of its much- anticipated espionage thriller 24 season 2 or 24s2. The first trailer revealed much about the upcoming season, leaving the audience awestruck.

    The trailer makes it evident that Jai Singh Rathod has isolated himself from the world to become a recluse in self-imposed exile. It shows that his dark past has made him a fugitive; while his daughter Kiran supports him, his son Veer, who has become a part of the intelligence bureau, does not. Season two will also show how drug-lord Haroon Sherchan threatens to release a contagious airborne virus which could eradicate humanity unless his brother Roshan is released from prison. Setting in motion a series of events, the one man- army Rathod returns to thwart every sabotage attempt and face political blackmail, while battling an unseen enemy with a personal vendetta at the same time.

    The Indian adaptation of the US series 24 has been co-produced by Anil Kapoor Film Co and Ramesh Deo Productions and directed by Abhinay Deo & Rensil D’Silva.

    Season 2 of 24 is to be a weekend show. Though the channel didn’t officially announce the date, it is believed that the show would launch on 16 July at 9pm on Saturday- Sunday.

    Speaking with Indiantelevision.com, Colors CEO Raj Nayak said, “24 Season 2 is a weekend show, while the time and date has not been decided as yet, it is most likely to be in July. Also deciding the time slot is more of challenge for us because we have so many shows on the channel and it’s difficult to decide which show 24s2 will replace. It is likely to be a 9pm show.”

    Nayak expressed, “The first edition of 24 was an unprecedented game- changer, it conquered the Indian television industry with its freshness and gripping narrative. The show pushed the traditional boundaries with the device of presenting the plot within a real time format. Anil Kapoor and the team have an incredible job as the second season looks even more riveting in terms of storytelling and very international in terms of look and feel. Every time when we make show on Colors our expectations are very high. We worked hard towards making the show and try making it big.”

    The show will see a robust multi-media promotional plan across key markets, including a 360 degree marketing campaign. “We are looking at this show as a film. We won’t leave out any medium be it radio, digital, outdoor, cinema, television or print. The weightage will differ, but visibility will be there across the channels,” informed Nayak.

    The show has also earned the support of the advertising community with Maruti Suzuki coming on-board as the presenting sponsor and Oppo Mobiles as the ‘powered by’ sponsor for the second season of the show. According to industry guestimates, Maruti Suzuki had agreed to invest close to Rs 23 crore for the title sponsorship.

    A source close to the development informed Indiantelevision.com, “The show’s ad rate is Rs 2.5 lakh per 10 second slot and the production cost of per episode is between Rs 1.5
    crore- to Rs 1.7 crore.” Tthe production cost per episode of the first season has been estimated around Rs 1.4 crore.

    Divulging details about season 2 of the show, actor and producer Anil Kapoor said, “The real star of 24 is the concept which will compel viewers to think about national sensibility and sentiment. We have devised a complex plot which when combined with Jai Singh Rathod’s volatile relationships, strong instincts and adrenaline- fuelled action, will be the perfect setting to foil a devastating terrorist plot. We are exploring different plotlines to enhance content relatability, shooting at multiple real locations outside Mumbai, and anteing up the production scale to enhance to overall television viewing experience.”

    Commenting on its association, Maruti Suzuki India Ltd executive director (Marketing and Sales) RS Kalsi said, “We always like to associate ourselves with the brands which are equally powerful, synergistic and reinforce our relevance. Talking about these three factors, 24 is a premium content based on international format following a global standard. S-Cross is a premium offering, which offers a unique combination of power and performance of a SUV and the comfort and refinement of a sedan. The target audience that 24 caters to and its genre allows us to draw synergies between the brands of S-Cross and 24.”

    Oppo MD of International Mobile Business and president of Oppo India Sky Li also added, “We are thrilled with this partnership with the popular show 24-the most awaited show this season on Colors. Oppo Mobiles has been a game-changer in the mobile devices industry through its innovation and leadership in selfie technology and camera performance and so is show 24 with its action packed drama amid twists and turns. Our alliance with the show enables us to draw synergies with the its target audience and cater to their needs while increasing market penetration and brand recall.”