Tag: McCann Erickson

  • Omnicom names Anil Jayachandran as communications planning head, Malaysia

    Omnicom names Anil Jayachandran as communications planning head, Malaysia

    MUMBAI: Omnicom Media Group has appointed Anil Jayachandran as head of communications planning in Malaysia.

     

    In his new role, Jayachandran will be working on key client accounts across OMD and PHD to drive thought leadership and best strategy practices.

     

    Jayachandran brings with him a diverse skillset on board, with over two decades of experience working across marketing, advertising, and research functions in strategy-related roles, including tenures at the likes of JWT, Unilever, Lintas, Ogilvy & Mather, McCann Erickson and Omnicom Group.

     

    With a career that spans geographies, Jayachandran has previously been based in India, Egypt, Malaysia, Bahrain and Dubai.

     

    He joins the Omnicom Media Group team from his role as strategy planning director at Leo Burnett.

     

    Omnicom Media Group Malaysia CEO Andreas Vogiatzakis said, “Anil’s incredible strategic mind, deep in-market knowledge and breadth of experience working alongside clients to produce innovative solutions makes him a valuable addition to the team. I am certain his hire will be instrumental in strengthening Omnicom Media Group’s strategic output for our clients, and we are more than delighted to welcome Anil on board.”

     

    Jayachandran added, “I am excited to be joining the talented team at Omnicom Media Group, and hope my experience and background will be able to complement current and future offerings.”

     

    Jayachandran reports to Vogiatzakis in his new role, and his position is effective immediately.

  • More than just an ad…

    More than just an ad…

    MUMBAI: To tell a brand’s philosophy in just 30 seconds isn’t an easy task. But everyday creative minds oil their machines to do just the same. While some click with the viewers, others are muted by them or flipped through without a second glance.

    While the year began with the political parties going all out to woo the voters – there were television commercials, digital films as well as hoardings pasted all across the country, Airtel’s Boss film led the charge with the Twitterati going crazy over it. 

    With the e-commerce sector war heating up, the companies too launched TVCs throughout the year to cash in the most, especially during the big sales offered by them. Digital as a medium to connect with the correct audience was optimised well. For instance, Honda for Mobilio released a 2.5-minute ad on YouTube featuring stand-up comedian Kapil Sharma as a salesman.  

    Promos of Indian Premium League (IPL), Pro Kabbadi League, Indian Super League (ISL) as well as Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC) were able to catch people’s fantasy and created enough buzz before the game started. The right mix of sentiments and music made the films popular especially on the social media.

    2014 saw many ads which were more than being just a promotional feature and as the year comes to an end, Indiantelevision.com lists down some of the best ads of 2014.

    BJP election campaign

    Creative agency: Soho Square

    Purpose of the ad: After the Delhi gang rape case and many more that followed it, the campaign highlights the fact that the government has failed to provide safety to the women of the country and worse, hasn’t been able to punish the culprits.

    Storyboard: The black and white advert highlights how even though the country has progressed and people have sent there girls for higher education and work in other cities, they are not at ease. The woman/mother in the ad, stresses on the fact that the country isn’t safe in current government’s hands as women aren’t safe.

    Airtel Boss film

    Creative agency: Taproot

    Purpose of the ad: To strengthen Airtel’s legacy of identifying fresh and relevant insights around relationships.

    Storyboard: Relationships often get strained due to professional demands. At such times, smartphones transcend their role of being a mere communicating device, and play cupid.

    The TVC shows a woman boss ordering her subordinates to finish an assigned job no matter what. It turns out that the woman boss is the wife who goes back home to cook for her husband who happens to be the junior she had ordered.

    Fortune oil, ‘Ghar Ka Khana’

    Creative agency: Ogilvy & Mather

    Purpose of the ad: Adani Wilmar’s campaign for its Fortune Oil brand, shifting from ‘The joy of eating’ to a more personal ‘Ghar ka khana, ghar ka khana hota hai’ (Home cooked food is home cooked food after all).

    Storyboard: When you are away from the comfort of your space, braving the rigours of everyday life, all you need is two morsels of tasty home food cooked with a lot of love and affection. The gush of emotion that you feel when you have the first bite, only makes you thank your good ‘Fortune’!

    Idea, ‘No Ullu Banaoing’

     

    Creative agency: Lowe Lintas and Partners

    Purpose of the ad: To educate the masses about how some people cash on the other’s unawareness.

    Storyboard: A common phenomenon in almost every part of India, is how some people in order to make money or gain benefits, tend to take advantage of the ill-informed by coloring the truth or concealing the facts.

    In the TVC, a guide lies to tourists who then search on the web and the truth is exposed.

    Nescafe stammering standup comedian

    Creative agency: McCann Erickson

    Purpose of the ad: While perfection is what people chase these days, this ad feeds on a different meaning.

    Storyboard: The TVC shows a stammering stand-up comedian who faces rejection, but doesn’t give up and turns the same weakness into his strength.

    Fevicol Crazy chairs

    Creative agency: Ogilvy & Mather

    Purpose of the ad: Takes a humorous take on the current election scenario.

    Storyboard: A chai-wallah enters the shop of a carpenter who is making the next Prime Minister’s chair. He points out to three variations – one with BJP’s lotus, another with Congress’s hand, and a group of chairs joined unevenly symbolic of the Third Front.

    OLX Kapil

    Creative agency: Lowe Lintas and Partners

    Purpose of the ad: To promote selling off ‘unused or under-used’ products.

    Stoaryboard: Kapil Sharma stars in the film and plays a ‘juicer’. In the kitchen, he addresses the lady of the house urging her to use him (the juicer), or sell him. The lady notes that no one would buy him, telling him he’s useless. He corrects her, saying he has been ‘used less’. He proceeds to tell her how things are sold on Olx.in, and finds buyers in no time.

    Imperial Blue Men will be men

    Creative agency: Ogilvy & Mather

    Purpose of the ad: To carry forward the 17-year-old catchy tagline and philosophy.

    Storyboard: The campaign opens with a ghazal, “Pyar ki raah mein”, playing in the background as a beautiful young woman is seen talking on a phone in a lift. The camera reveals the torso of two men standing with her. The minute the woman exits both the men heave a sigh of relief and exhale, letting their stomachs hang out again. The film ends with both of them sharing a friendly high-five.

    Tata Docomo Bhalai ki Supply

    Creative agency: Contract Advertising

    Purpose of the ad: To encourage its subscribers to ‘Open Up’ and share happiness using their customised data offers.

    Storyboard: The advertisement features a ‘social media queen’ who appears to have lost her loyal online following. She pouts and preens in order to post the perfect profile picture that could restore her lost glory, but is continually disappointed, till one virtual ‘Like’ makes her day.

    Cadbury Snow Fight

    Creative agency: Ogilvy & Mather

    Purpose of the ad: To make the consumer aware of the fact that life lies in the ‘now’; that joy resides in the act of letting go, and that one should live like no one’s watching.

    Storyboard: The TVC shows a couple walking on a snowy mountain. While the man is busy oh his phone, the woman decides to change the situation by throwing a snowball on the man. The man too throws a snowball at her. The fight continues as they enjoy it.

    Titan Raga #HerLifeHerChoices

    Creative agency: Ogilvy & Mather

    Purpose of the ad: To tell that Raga is an evolved watch for the evolved woman of today – a woman who’s self-respecting and confident. 

    Storyboard: The film begins with Nimrat Kaur sitting at an airport reading a book. She is interrupted by an ex-lover who asks her if he could join her. When Kaur asks him how he has been, he makes a reference to Kaur leaving him. As they talk and catch up, it is revealed that Kaur is still single. On being asked why it is so, Kaur tells the man that she never gets time from work. This being something he knew all too well, he makes a passing comment about how their relationship would have worked had Kaur stopped working. Kaur retorts by saying that he could have also quit. Offended, he tells her that he could not have quit, seeing how he is a man.

  • Vote! Because you must

    Vote! Because you must

    MUMBAI: For every Indian citizen, who is escaping the power to use their own weapon for change, ET NOW India’s #1 Stocks and Business News channel has launched an election special initiative by Brand Equity called ‘Vote, India! with an intent to mobilize voters to cast their franchise.

     

    Under the initiative, three impactful TV films (created by India’s finest advertising agencies – McCann Erickson, Publicis and Leo Burnett) urging India to cast their vote, are now up in the race to be Voted as the Best one.

     

    Practicing democracy to the last bit, the best TV film will be adjudged basis people’s votes; all one needs to do is to log onto the ET NOWs Brand Equity FB page on www.facebook.com/brandequity and cast their vote for the campaign they deem as most effective on or before 1st April.

     

    Along with, the films will be judged by a panel of esteemed jury comprising Akshay Raut, Director General, Election commission of India, Milind Deora – Minister of State Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (India), Anupam Kher – Actor, Amitabh Kant –Secretary, Dept of Policy & Promotion & Piyush Pandey, Executive Chairman & National Creative Director Ogilvy & Mather India.

     

    Hosted by Sonali Krishna, the election special Brand Equity episode, announcing the winning Film will feature on Wednesday, April 02 at 10.30 pm followed by repeats on Saturday 2.30 pm & Sunday at 11 am.

  • Contract gets a new head of art – India in Vineet Mahajan

    Contract gets a new head of art – India in Vineet Mahajan

    MUMBAI: Contract Advertising has brought on board Vineet Mahajan as head of art – India. Prior to this, Mahajan was heading McCann Erickson’s Delhi office as head of art. It would be his second stint at Contract after a gap of five years.

     

    Mahajan said, “Contract holds a special place for me and the new role will be far more challenging with lots of new opportunities. New city, new role, new place should be exciting.”

    Contract Advertising COO Rana Barua said, “Contract prides itself in offering the best talent available in the country to its clients. Vineet’s coming on board is yet another step in that direction as his impeccable credentials and skill sets will bring in a huge value add to our clients. Contract is well poised to take bigger strides in the industry as we get into the New Year with a lot of hope and zeal to partner our clients in their journey to success.”

     

    In the past, Mahajan along with Contract Advertising NCD Ashish Chakravarty was also instrumental in putting Contract Delhi on the International awards map after a gap of 10 years. “Well, frankly Vineet Mahajan needs no introduction, so let me just say that I am absolutely thrilled to have him on board. He will be based out of Mumbai, but will work closely with me on all key brands across all offices. There is much value he brings to the table in terms of art and aesthetics, and I feel all our clients should benefit from this. Plus he has such a colorful presence, it should certainly liven things up at Contract”, said Chakravarty.

     

    With over 15 years of experience, he has spent between O&M, McCann Erickson and Contract where he has worked on various award-winning campaigns.

     

  • DDB Mudra appoints Sambit Mohanty as creative head, North

    DDB Mudra appoints Sambit Mohanty as creative head, North

    MUMBAI: DDB Mudra has roped in Sambit Mohanty (fondly known as Sam) as creative head, North. Sambit will be based out of Delhi and will report in to DDB Mudra Group chairman and CCO Sonal Dabral.

    Sam joins DDB Mudra from McCann Erickson where he was executive creative director, New Delhi, instrumental in creating memorable work for Coca-Cola (Haan, Haan, Mein Crazy Hoon) and Aircel (Thoda Extra Milta Hai Toh Achcha Lagta Hai).

    With over 14 years in advertising and design, Sambit has worked with world-class brands in categories ranging from Telecom, Food & Beverage, Automotive, Retail, Media & Publications, Healthcare and Lifestyle. In his diverse career, Sam has been a part of well-known agencies including Leo Burnett, Publicis, Lowe and Elephant Design and worked on an envious list of clients such as Coca-Cola, GM, Nestle, HP, Pernod-Ricard, Virgin Mobile, Hitachi, Max Bupa, Godfrey Philips, The Indian Express, BBC World, Tanishq, Britannia, Reckitt-Benckiser and more.
    DDB Mudra Group chairman and CCO Sonal Dabral

    On joining DDB Mudra, Delhi, Sambit said: “It’s a privilege to be part of DDB’s creative culture that’s guided by play books not rule books. With Sonal’s help, I’m keen on creating a place where one looks forward to coming to work – even on a Monday morning. And also producing some glorious work along the way!

    An avid quizzer, Sambit is well-known on the Delhi quiz circuit. He has had the distinction of being a finalist in BBC Mastermind as well as a National winner of the Brand Equity Quiz.

    Sambit has won national and international awards including a Silver World Medal at New York Festivals. He has also been acknowledged by 4Ps business magazine as one of ‘India’s Gen-Next Creative Brains’.  
    DDB Mudra Delhi president Vandana Das

    DDB Mudra Group chairman and CCO Sonal Dabral said: “New Delhi is an extremely important market for us so I’m really happy that a talent like Sambit will lead our creative offering there. Sambit is among the rare breed of creative professionals in India who are equally comfortable with Hindi or English, with paper and pen or mouse and computer screen. I’m certain Sambit will play a big role in helping shape an exciting creative future for DDB Mudra Group.”

    DDB Mudra Delhi president Vandana Das added: “We have got to dot our “I”s in the creative business. I am looking at ushering, welcoming, embracing creative leadership in DDB Mudra Delhi through Sambit. He is a phenomenal talent and he has got the three Is – Inspiration, Imagination and Involvement. Many “I”s put together becomes “We” and I look forward to generating some more incredible work from our office.”

  • Rahul Mathew quits McCann

    Rahul Mathew quits McCann

    MUMBAI: Rahul Mathew, the executive creative director at McCann Erickson has put in his papers.

     

    Speaking about his association with the company, Mathew says, “McCann is more than just another agency for me. My two stints here account for eight years of my advertising career. It has also helped me shape a lot of my craft. It has not been an easy move to make. It became even more difficult because of the fact that I will also have to leave behind a great art partner in Akshay Kapnadak.”

     

    Mathew has been in the advertising industry for about 15 years. He has been a part of many award winning campaigns that have received acclaim at both domestic and international levels. At McCann, he along with his team has won three Cannes Lions, four One Show pencils, over a dozen Adfest metals and many metals and honours at International award shows.

     

    “But the pride of place on the very crowded mantelpiece belongs to the Grand Prix that the Mumbai office won at the recently concluded Spikes. Even at Goafest 2013, McCann Mumbai was one of the most awarded offices, accounting for a lion’s share of McCann’s metals including a Grand Prix. We also tasted similar success at effectiveness awards, both nationally and internationally,” he says proudly.

     

    Talking about his work at the agency, he adds, “We’ve had great fun creating work on brands like Parachute, ACC, Pears, Western Union and many others. And have managed to fill the creative pool with some rare talent. And thus, there is reassurance that I’m leaving after making a positive impact at the place. And that I leave it in a good place.”

     

    Prior to joining McCann, Mathew was with Rediffusion, Young & Rubicam, Ogilvy (Healthcare), Leo Burnett, JWT, Enterprise Nexus. He has been ranked among the top five creative professionals in India in 2009 by Campaign Brief Asia and was ranked the 8th most awarded copywriter in Asia (as per Haymarket Publications and Campaign Asia) in 2012.

     

    Rahul finds the building and reinventing process a lot more exciting and challenging. And thus, he will look for an opportunity that allows him to do that all over again.

  • Notching up visibility: News Nation

    Notching up visibility: News Nation

    MUMBAI: It’s already very crowded in the Hindi news genre, but this new entrant believes it can make a difference.

    Enter News Nation: the Hindi news channel launched in February, promoted by Newsnation Network, having Abhay Oswal as chairman and veteran journalist Shailesh Kumar as editor in chief.

    Targeted at an educated and sophisticated Hindi-speaking audience and offering insights into politics, crime, corruption, cricket and Bollywood, the channel is now preparing to announce its arrival on the Hindi news stage.

    While work on News Nation began one-and-a-half years ago, the marketing campaign only started taking shape three to four months back. According to sources, approximately Rs 10-12 crore have been spent on the entire promotional campaign.

     Of which, the TVC campaign branded ‘Khabrein Jo Banti Hai Aapki Power’ kicked-off on 18 September and will run till the end of this month on channels including Colors, Star Plus, Sony, Sab, Life OK, Sony Max, Star Gold, Movies OK, Times Now, CNN IBN, ET Now, CNBC TV 18, CNBC Awaaz, NGC, Discovery and Animal Planet. Both TVCs created by McCann Erickson sport a retro look and give the message that News Nation will keep audiences up-to-speed with ‘news they can use’.

    With HSM markets in the age group 15+ male across SEC A B and C as the channel’s target audience, advertisements have been placed in key spots during the day such as the popular show Comedy Nights with Kapil on Colors, the Lootera premiere on Sony, and the soon to premiere Once Upon Ay Time in Mumbai Dobaara also on Sony.

     

    Meanwhile, radio and outdoor campaigns are scheduled to begin mid-October, to run till the first week of November. Regular advertisements will run across prominent radio stations in Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad and Jaipur. Apart from these, contests will run either as contest on the TVC or as election-based.

    Across the HSM market, 10-11 cities will witness outdoor advertising from News Nation. Approximately 810 hoardings and bus shelters and transportation vehicles have been blocked to feature the channel’s ads. Trade sites are a priority on the digital front. A search engine optimisation will soon be conducted, allowing visibility to increase four-fold. The digital department, operated by a five-member team, aims to get more robust.

    The entire campaign is being handled by a marketing team comprising three of the 320 employees in the organisation which includes everyone in the head office in Noida and bureaus in Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata as also the Hindi-speaking states. As of now, News Nation has no plans to enter the southern market.
    Now that there’s a newbie in an already cluttered Hindi news space, only time will tell if it creates a unique identity or blends into the crowd. 

  • Birla Sun Life Insurance appoints Taproot India as its creative agency

    Birla Sun Life Insurance appoints Taproot India as its creative agency

    MUMBAI: Birla Sun Life Insurance (BSLI), the insurance arm of Aditya Birla Financial Services Group, announced the appointment of Taproot India as it creative partner.

    Birla Sun Life Insurance had invited four agencies to share their strategy and creative recommendations, namely, McCann Erickson, JWT India, Taproot India and Scarecrow. The incumbent agency is JWT India and has partnered BSLI for over five years.

    Speaking on the appointment, Aditya Birla Group CMO financial services Ajay Kakar said, “Today, the Life insurance industry is at an inflection point in India. There is an opportunity for us to redefine the role that this industry can play in the life of mass India. At Birla Sun Life Insurance, we remain committed to our chosen strategy to provoke mass India to self-realise the importance of life insurance in their lives, as a source of certainty in a rather uncertain world. With Taproot India, we have found an agency that not only guide and partner with us in the creative expression of our brand, but more importantly, also help us strategise for the way forward.”

    Taproot India co-founder and chief creative officer Agnello Dias said, “Birla Sun Life insurance, as a brand, is very passionate about its business and operates with great clarity, sharp insights and a strong point of view. As its communication partner, we look forward to making the brand even more relevant to consumers than it is.”

    “Birla Sun Life Insurance has done some brave work in the past in the insurance category. It is seen as a leader and we are very excited to work with the brand. Birla Sun Life insurance will also add a different dimension to the Taproot portfolio,” said Taproot India co-founder and chief creative officer Santosh Padhi.

    “Despite the presence of many players in this category, a strong brand with a clear agenda will always have the opportunity to create interesting brand conversations. We are more than delighted to partner Birla Sun Life Insurance in its journey ahead,” added Taproot India CEO Umesh Shrikhande.

  • McCann Erickson breaks ‘myth’ for Britannia cheese

    McCann Erickson breaks ‘myth’ for Britannia cheese

    MUMBAI: Britannia cheese has launched a new campaign conceptulaised by McCann Erickson.

    With the junk food gaining popularity and mothers’ considering cheese fattening and unhealthy since they usually link cheese to pizza, burgers etc, and the brand wanted to break away from the tag. The new TVC shows a young boy telling his mother about the nutritional components (protein, vitamin A and calcium) of cheese.

    Through the campaign the brand wants to fight the perception of it being unhealthy and the ad stays true to the actual nutrition in a slice of Britannia cheese. The brief given to the agency was to explore consumption of Britannia cheese in India by removing barriers. The film is the first effort in this direction to remove perceptional barriers. There are other barriers of category affordability and availability. In coming months there will be a series of activity focused to reducing these barriers.

     It takes the message of “A glass of Cow‘s milk in every slice” story one step further to define the goodness in cheese.

    On the new TVC, head of Britannia Dairy Products Ashok Namboodiri said, “Cheese in western countries is a part of the everyday meal with extremely high per capita consumption. It is part of manifold consumption occasions and is perceived as being full of nutrition. In India however, Cheese is largely slotted as a taste enhancer often associated with fast food and thereby perceived as fattening. Britannia wants to break this myth and talk about the wholesome goodness of Cheese. The basic proposition of ‘A glass of cow’s milk in every slice’ is now taken to the next level by positioning Britannia Cheese as a rich nutritious food packed with Calcium, Protein, and Vitamins and communicated in a popular Indian idiom that is both engaging as well as entertaining.”