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Tag: MSLGROUP

  • MSLGROUP India wins mandates of six new clients

    MSLGROUP India wins mandates of six new clients

    MUMBAI: MSLGROUP, Publicis Groupe’s flagship strategic communications and engagement company, has announced the partnerships with six new clients across a range of industries, which includes, Tata Motors, Changi Airport Group (CAG), Monster Energy Drink, Videocon D2H, Sobha Developers, and Kinetic Group, for strategic brand communications and integrated engagement campaigns.

     

     MSLGROUP India CEO Jaideep Shergill said: “The industry is evolving and clients are looking for strategic and integrated communications that will differentiate them in the marketplace. At MSLGROUP, we have the pulse of the communications space and are constantly evolving to cater to clients’ changing requirements. We are pleased to partner well-known and established players like these.”

     

     Tata Motors Ltd

     

    Tata Motors has entrusted MSLGROUP in India to create and implement an integrated social and digital media strategy with a comprehensive, creative and content-driven solution for the corporate mandate.

     

    Changi Airport Group (Singapore) Pte Ltd (CAG)

     

    Changi Airport, the world’s most awarded airport with more than 450 accolades to its credit since it opened in 1981, has chosen MSLGROUP as its partner for strategic advisory and engagement solutions in India. The programme objective is mainly strategic guidance in creating and building brand awareness in India.

     

     Monster Energy Drink

     

    MSLGROUP joins forces with the Narang Group to launch Monster Energy Drink (the second-largest maker of energy drinks in the world) in India. MSLGROUP has been tasked to provide targeted integrated communication strategies based on experiential, along with communications counsel.

     

     Videocon d2h

     

    MSLGROUP will provide strategic counsel for the brand across India as well as advise and execute communication around unique product innovations, creating several ‘firsts’ in the category.

     

     Sobha Developers

     

    MSLGROUP will provide strategic corporate communications advisory to Sobha Developers, a leading real estate player. MSLGROUP will develop a comprehensive communication strategy that will accentuate the brand value in the media and build on brand credentials. The communication plan will include thought leadership initiatives highlighting the firm’s backward integration model, while showcasing its key differentiators.

     

     Kinetic Group

     

    The group has entrusted MSLGROUP with strategic advisory for corporate reputation management as well as counsel around the introduction of business verticals in 2014.

     

     MSLGROUP will provide strategic communications consultancy programmes to help all these clients in the areas of brand building, corporate reputation management, corporate responsibility and crisis and issues management.

  • MSLGroup’s Renee Wilson to lead PR jury at Cannes Lions

    MSLGroup’s Renee Wilson to lead PR jury at Cannes Lions

    MUMBAI: The final names that will make up a collection of outstanding jury presidents at this years’ Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, were yesterday announced by the Festival organizers.  Renee Wilson, President of MSLGROUP’s North America operations will be one of four female Jury heads this year, and will lead the PR awards selection.

    “Never before in the history of the public relations industry, has there been more of an opportunity for the PR function to demonstrate leadership, and the many multi-faceted contributions it can make to the broad world of communications and engagement. I’m thrilled to serve as PR jury president for Cannes Lions at this transformational moment in time,” said Wilson.

    Commenting on the Jury heads announced in the last two weeks by the festival, Terry Savage, Chairman of the Lions Festivals added, “Cannes Lions sets precedents and benchmarks in creative communications the world over. This is only made possible by pulling together the greatest and most respected minds from across the industry. 2014 sees a collection of leading names coming together in Cannes to preside over their respective juries and it’s a real privilege to have them working alongside us.”

     

  • Media depends on PR agencies for quality inputs: MSLGroup report

    Media depends on PR agencies for quality inputs: MSLGroup report

    MUMBAI: We have heard stories about people struggling to make a mark in their chosen fields. Somehow, the number of such stories seems to be reducing. Thanks to the public relation work!

     

    The PR professionals work behind the scenes to bring their clients to the forefront, also making reaching out to concerned people easier and accessible.

     

    The “communication” industry has changed over the years and has become an integral part of today’s business. Be it brands or individuals, everyone needs that additional push to make it all work. But even the wand of the PR fairies would work only when one comes with a fat wallet! Considering the economic slowdown that has impacted almost all the sectors, even the PR sector must have been affected. Let’s see how…

     

    As per the report by MSLGroup on ‘Public Relations in India: The impact of the economic downturn and the 2014 outlook’ highlights the tough time, the paradigm shift and the new possibilities.

     

    With moderate growth and economic situation buffeting the currency, corporations have started working on the mantra: work leaner, battle for every square inch of the market and reduce budgets.

     

    Till two years ago, the Indian PR industry was different from what it is today. It was battling with numerous questions – how to come together to find solutions to the talent crisis? How to ensure fees are commensurate with value delivered? What can be done to underscore the sector’s strategic value and change its image from that of a media manager to brand builder?

     

    To keep a tab on how things have changed and how the industry is being perceived, not only from outside but within itself, the group put a pulse on the finger of the industry by commissioning a national survey of PR professionals. The focus was on the business environment, the challenges a slowdown presents and ways to negotiate it.

     

    Numerous questions were posed to the participants (67) across cities (Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad, Ahmadabad, Pune and Mumbai). For instance when asked about which part of the marketing ecosystem has been most affected by the downtown, the respondents thought that the PR industry was second after the advertising agencies.

     

    The report also quotes Eureka Forbes Marzin Shroff saying, “While it is true that businesses are facing turbulent times, the first thing most do is significantly reduce their marketing budget. We, however, are against this practice…. There are low-cost and even no-cost ways to market your product in order to keep your business on track even during difficult times. In view of this, our marketing budgets have not been significantly affected.”

     

    The report also talks about the way forward – the industry needs to keep the focus on issues like adapting to new modes of communication, innovative thinking, talent, targeting the right industry, product mix and building relationship with clients.

     

    The main learning from the responses stated in the report are:

     

    1.There is an increase in the media’s dependence on PR consultants for coverage

    2.Media is looking increasingly to PR agencies for quality inputs and content

    3.Competition between media houses has made it tougher for PR consultants

     

    The report goes on to focus on how there is a rise in the number of cheap smartphones and what it means for communications.

     

    Since consumers are using smartphones to communicate in multiple ways, marketers need to take note of how smartphones are helping consumers in their purchase decisions. Considering that smartphones sales saw a record 167 per cent annual growth, the market was projected to hit $1 billion by the 1013 end as per industry estimates.

     

    Click here for the full report…

  • MSLGROUP makes 16 new appointments to strengthen its Asia team

    MSLGROUP makes 16 new appointments to strengthen its Asia team

    MUMBAI: It is a big day for the MSLGROUP. The strategic communications and engagement consultancy of Publicis Groupe, and the largest brand and reputation advisory network in Europe, Greater China, India and Asia overall has announced 16 new hires in Asia. The new appointments have been made within corporate advisory and reputation management, marketing communications, financial communications, public affairs and social engagement across Greater China, India and Singapore.

    Some of the key appointments include Amit Misra as the executive vice president and director of public affairs, MSLGROUP in Delhi; Rekha Rao has been hired as general manager, 20:20 MSL in Mumbai; Gaurav Trivedi will be working as a managing director, CNC in Delhi; Lusha Niu has been appointed at the position of director of Financial Communications and Corporate Advisory, MSLGROUP in Shanghai; Lan Jie will be working as director of Marketing Communications, MSLGROUP in Shanghai; April Chang will be taking the charge as director of Learning & People Development, MSLGROUP in Taipei; Fu Yumei has been hired as senior associate director of Healthcare, MSLGROUP in Singapore.

    The appointments were planned much in advance, informs MSLGROUP Group CEO Jaideep Shergill. “Since our annual year begins from January, we wanted to be all set for the New Year. In these two months, the new hires will get enough time to get a hang of how we function and they will be ready to take complete charge of their responsibilities by the time the annual year begins,” says Shergill, also informing that most of the positions have been specially created in order to make an efficient progress.

    In fact, Shergill adds that some of the appointments like Amit Misra and Rekha Rao are the senior most appointments at MSLGROUP in many years. “Plus, all the appointments are in different sections of the company and the new hires would be working out of different locations like Delhi, Bengaluru and Mumbai, which would add to our growth as we will be capturing different markets,” he says.

    In his new role, Amit Misra will serve as the overall market leader for MSLGROUP in Delhi and the practice leader for Public Affairs across India. In addition, he will work in close conjunction with 20:20 MSL in Delhi for business development, talent training, key client relationship management, and providing public affairs counseling to clients.
    Amit is a seasoned communications professional with over 18 years of experience spanning corporate and consulting roles in several international agencies, and is experienced in leading operations, building portfolio of marquee clients, and strengthening the company’s strategic communications practice.
    Jaideep Shergill-MSL

    Shergill says that they have observed that Delhi is a very potential market and thus they needed somebody with enough experience to grow in the region. “Amit would do just that,” he says.

    Rekha Rao would take up responsibilities that include operational performance, growth, profitability, talent management and client engagement. Rekha has over 17 years experience and specialises in FMCG, consumer and lifestyle PR and she has the distinction of working with global giants like Unilever & P&G. She has also managed PR campaigns for major MNCs like Monsanto (BT Cotton Seeds), Revlon, Porsche, and Right Choice. Rekha’s work has also been awarded. She has 6 India SABREs and AFAQS awards in her kitty.

    The advantage for the company is that, Rao also has a strong creative background, having spent 12 years with advertisement agencies such as Leo Burnett, Lowe and Triton. “Rekha comes from a non-technology background and would really help us grow. 20:20 MSL was a tech PR agency till sometime back and thus most of the employees on board are from a technological background. Now that the focus of the company has changed, we needed somebody from the consumer background and Rekha is just apt for that position,” says Shergill.

    Hitesh Malhotra would be responsible for managing the social media marketing portfolio to develop integrated communications and engagement strategy for the online community. Prior to joining MSLGROUP, he worked at MakeMyTrip.com with social media marketing.

    Rahul Lakhpati has over 12 years experience in public relations and journalism, specialising in strategic communications and content-focused storytelling. Prior to joining MSLGROUP, Rahul has worked at several international agencies and Lokmat, one of the largest Indian daily newspapers as a Sub Editor and Reporter.

    The company has hired Madhavi Mukherjee for its Bengaluru office and they are really looking forward to grow with this new recruit. Madhavi has 10 years of professional experience, specialising in providing advisory in marketing communication and branding, media verticals, CSR strategies and digital communications. Prior to this role, Madhavi worked for MSLGROUP in India as well as other communications agencies.

    MSLGROUP Asia president Glenn Osaki said in a press release: “Our strategy of bringing together the region’s best-in-class agencies across multiple disciplines has created a highly dynamic network to drive change in our industry. Our high-value strategic communications advisory, award-winning experiential, 360-degree marketing, digital and creative hubs, and integrated solutions in tandem with our investment in career development programs have set the standard in Asia. We are happy to see that the region’s top talent from diverse backgrounds including advertising, strategic consultancy, public affairs, and social media and digital marketing, have chosen to join the MSLGROUP family.”

  • MSLGROUP announces two senior hires

    MSLGROUP announces two senior hires

    MUMBAI: MSLGROUP, Publicis Groupe’s strategic communications and engagement consultancy, has appointed two industry veterans to its fold – Amit Misra comes on board as executive vice president & director – public affairs in Delhi and Rekha Rao, as general manager in Mumbai of 20:20 MSL.

     

    Amit Misra will be the overall market leader for MSLGROUP for the Delhi market & the practice leader for the public affairs practice across India for MSLGROUP. In addition, he will also strategically collaborate with 20:20 MSL in Delhi for business development, PA, key client relationships and talent development.

     

    In her role, Rekha Rao will report to Ian Sequeira, senior VP at 20:20 MSL and her key responsibilities will include operational performance, growth, profitability, talent management and client engagement.  

     

    On the appointments, MSLGROUP CEO Jaideep Shergill said: “We warmly welcome Amit and Rekha to our family and eagerly look forward to their contribution in helping us grow in both reputation and expertise. Each of them comes with capabilities necessary to provide the more value-adding, strategic and content centric offerings that our clients increasingly are looking for in India. MSLGROUP is a people centric agency. We invest in our talent by giving them exceptional opportunities to work on exciting client engagements, attend world class trainings and pursue an international career. We see that this is appreciated: never before have had so many of the industry’s top talent wanted to join MSLGROUP, where Misra and Rao are very notable examples. By appointing Amit Misra and Rekha Rao in their new roles, we are strengthening MSLGROUP’s core functions, which will further add impetus to our continuing growth story.”

     

    With these two hires, MSLGROUP wants to forge ahead.

  • ‘Best Corporate Consultancy in the World 2013

    ‘Best Corporate Consultancy in the World 2013

    MSLGROUP, Publicis Groupe’s strategic communications and engagement consultancy, was named the ‘Best Corporate Consultancy in the World 2013’ by The Holmes Report, one of the most authoritative commentators in the communications industry. The recognition is a testimony to the consultancy’s strengths in helping its clients establish, protect and expand their business through strategic reputation management and corporate advisory practices.

     

    Paul Holmes, editor of The Holmes Report, said of the award, “MSLGROUP has quietly pulled together one of the most formidable corporate capabilities in the world…providing an impressive range of financial communications and corporate and public affairs counsel.” This highly prestigious acknowledgment comes within weeks after The Holmes Report appointed MSLGROUP as ‘Asia-Pacific Consultancy of the Year.’

     

    Glenn Osaki, Asia President, MSLGROUP, said: “In Asia, more and more of our clients are turning to MSLGROUP for higher value communications advisory. This has given us the opportunities to provide counsel beyond communicating a business strategy but for the shaping of it. To ensure that we stay close to our clients’ business, we have focused on strengthening our Strategic Communications Advisory in Asia, including investing to ensure that we have the strongest talent in public affairs and government relations in China, India and Singapore, as well as establishing our regional Financial Communications practice in Hong Kong in 2012.”

     

    Highlights from MSLGROUP in Asia include multiple high-level and cross-market advisory work across the region for clients including P&G, Coca-Cola, Walmart, Business Software Alliance, and Invest in France Agency. MSLGROUP is playing a large role to provide integrated communications for leading companies in India, including Dell and United Technologies (UTC). The China team regularly advises C-suite executives on all issues related to communications with significant impact on business strategy, including its 15+ year client, IKEA. Since 1997, Genedigi Group in China has been providing strategic public affairs and corporate communications counsel to a large number of Fortune 500 companies and Chinese firms.

     

    On the global scale, examples of MSLGROUP’s world-class advisory includes its strategic corporate counsel for UTC across its diversified aerospace and building systems industries, which has helped UTC to become one of the most admired companies in the world; a 15-market thought leadership and public affairs campaign for the World Gold Council; Kekst’s work on the American Airlines bankruptcy and subsequent merger with US Airways; reputation and issues management for Google in Germany and Italy; and CNC’s work on the Vodafone/KDG takeover and Lufthansa’s sale of BMI to British Airways.

     

    Olivier Fleurot, CEO of MSLGROUP commented, “We have long believed in the power of a holistic and truly global group offering that is based around the expertise of best-in-class regional entrepreneurs. Knitting these units together with our dynamic teams in the fast-growing economies of India and Brazil is providing us with a leading edge for our clients worldwide today.”

  • “Now & Next”- MSLGROUP Publishes Report on the Future of Engagement

    “Now & Next”- MSLGROUP Publishes Report on the Future of Engagement

    PARIS, 29 May 2013: MSLGROUP – Publicis Groupe's strategic communications and engagement network – today published its latest global report titled "Now & Next: Future of Engagement." The 94-page report identifies the ten most important evolutions pushing forward the frontiers of communications in today's Social Age.
    Conceived of to help the network's clients navigate the complexities of today and prepare themselves for the even greater complexities of tomorrow, 'Now & Next' synthesizes rich crowd-sourced insights to provide the reader with invaluable foresight into what successful engagement will entail in the future.
    Pascal Beucler, Chief Strategy Officer at MSLGROUP commented, "Looking to help our clients build increasingly rich connections with consumers and stakeholders, we have studied hundreds of web platforms and brand programs in the areas of social data, crowdsourcing, storytelling and citizenship; looked at the interconnections between them, identified the patterns that form, and then extrapolated these patterns to the future".
    Glenn Osaki, President, MSLGROUP Asia, commented, "In a fast-moving region like Asia, it's imperative for businesses and brands to plan not only for today, but also for tomorrow. This is why it is no big surprise that the report points out that big emerging markets like China and India are producing innovations that are often amongst the best examples in their categories anywhere in the world. Our MSLGROUP Asia team is geared towards working with our clients to push limits and advise solutions which in their nature encompass Now & Next".
    A year in the making, MSLGROUP's 'Now & Next' takes an in-depth look at what the company considers the ten key frontiers shaping engagement today: Crowdfunding, Behavior Change Games, Collaborative Social Innovation, Grassroots Change Movements, Co-creation Communities, Social Curation, Transmedia Storytelling, Collective Intelligence, Social Live Experiences and Collaborative Consumption.
    Analyzing these ten frontiers, a number of important patterns emerge, namely:
    It's a People's World: Entrepreneurs and changemakers, not organizations and corporations, are creating the future of engagement. One consequence is that organizations must learn best practices from entrepreneurs and changemakers, and adapt them to their own engagement efforts.
    It's a Purpose-led World: Engagement is increasingly being ignited by a shared purpose and a sense of citizenship. There's an urgent need for organizations to collaboratively redefine what they stand for and design purpose-inspired platforms and programs.
    It's a Boundless World: Engagement is increasingly unbound by channel. Media organizations are often at the forefront of digital media innovation. Corporations must follow their lead and create platforms and programs that are truly unbound by channel.
    It's a Social World: The shared purpose that fuels engagement is often a societal purpose — like sustainability, wellness and learning but also self-interest and self-improvement. Corporations need to tap into both these motivations.
    It's a Complex World: While entrepreneurs, changemakers and media organizations are creating long term platforms, corporations often limit themselves to creating short-term programs that are easier to fit into the framework of a campaign. Corporations must learn the skills and mindset needed to create long-term platforms.
    It's a Demanding World: Media organizations and corporations are beginning to acquire innovative startups to engage people in more meaningful ways. Corporations will increasingly need to behave like venture capitalists, with a portfolio of investments in the future.
    It's a Fragmented World: Entrepreneurs are creating specialized software solutions to help organizations engage people using specific tools, in specific verticals. Such engagement solutions will become even more niche, even as bigger players try to position their engagement solutions as more integrated.
    It's a Global World: The platforms and programs that point to the future of engagement are originating not only in the US, but from all over the world, including Europe, Asia and Latin America, with the Nordics contributing a disproportionate share of path-breaking projects.
    'Now & Next: The Future of Engagement' by MSLGROUP is available to download here.

  • Market leader MSLGROUP invests further to strengthen its India leadership position in social and digital communication

    Market leader MSLGROUP invests further to strengthen its India leadership position in social and digital communication

    MUMBAI :MSLGROUP India, Publicis Groupe’s flagship strategic communications and engagement company and the largest public relations and social media network in India, today announced the launch of its global digital and social practice in the country, Social Hive.

    Alongside Social Hive, MSLGROUP has also launched a new proprietary and social tool: the Social Hive Index, which can benchmark a company’s social engagement and compare it to its peers.

    The Social Hive team in India is led by Senior Vice-President Parveez Modak and Vice-President Narendra Nag. The team comprises of more than 40 consultants in Mumbai and Delhi who manage 5 million people across communities.

    Social Hive’s strategic storytelling approach helps brands create stronger connections and relationships with the consumer.

    MSLGROUP India’s social and digital communications is the leading practice of its kind, advising clients such as Sony, Monsanto, Volkswagen, KPMG, Singapore Tourism Board, Australian High Commission (OzFest), Whirlpool and eBay. The network has also won several international awards which showcase world class, outstanding performance in digital and social media, such as the International Business Awards (Bronze, Social Media Focused Campaign 2012, Sony Mobile) and the Bees Awards (Winner, Best Social CRM 2012, eBay India).

    Jaideep Shergill, CEO, MSLGROUP India, said: “While MSLGROUP India has been a leader in digital and social engagement for years, the launch of Social Hive means that we are taking the practice to a new level, with even tighter connections across the globe. Digital and social capabilities are central parts of idea -based and fully-integrated client communications solutions. Our top talent at Social Hive makes us well positioned to continue to create award-winning work for our clients across all platforms”.

    Through an integrated digital approach, MSLGROUP Social Hive has seven service offerings:

    · Research and insights: Social listening and monitoring through the use of specialised tools, category analysis and regular reporting, social analytics and insights
    · Social media marketing: Influencer marketing, contests and activations, stakeholder outreach programmes

    · Content creation: Branded content, conversation calendars, community engagement

    · Digital design and build: Facebook apps, mobile apps, social application programming interfaces, websites, microsites, banner ads

    · Media planning and buying: Target-oriented digital media plans for specific audiences, buying media and release of ads, monitoring performance of ads, Facebook ads, portal ads

    · Social business: Social customer relationship management, social commerce, social enterprise
    · Proprietary platforms: People’s Lab, an MSLGROUP proprietary platform for crowdsourcing, 

    analytics and insights; and Social Hive Index, a proprietary social influence measurement tool

    Glenn Osaki, MSLGROUP Asia president,added: “In this fast moving industry, keeping up is not enough. We have to lead. This large investment in Social Hive might be surprising given that we are already an industry leader in the digital and social space in India. But if we want to continue to attract the best talent and create the best campaigns for our clients, we have to constantly innovate and invest. Our expanding content creation capabilities, tools and insights will drive our digital and social leadership into the future.”

    To learn more about Social Hive, please visit www.india.mslgroup.com/socialhive

  • MSLGroup launches global crisis network

    MSLGroup launches global crisis network

    MUMBAI: Publicis Groupe‘s flagship speciality communications and engagement company MSLGroup has launched a global Crisis Network of 50+ experts, to provide the best advice, guidance and support for clients in troubled times.

    Connected to each other by a proprietary real-time platform, the network is devised to help business leaders prepare for a “new normal”: today‘s fundamental reset in dynamics between individuals, influencers and institutions around trust, power, risk and crisis.

    Alongside 24-7 access to the platform, the crisis experts are also able to leverage the network‘s crisis planning framework and crisis simulation workshop – to help clients plan for and respond to crisis situations effectively.

    MSLGroup‘s chief strategy officer Pascal Beucler said, “Today, business leaders must master the three key interplays shaping crisis in the “new normal”: the interplay between mainstream media and social media, the interplay between local and global dynamics, and the interplay between crisis planning and response. MSLGroup‘s Crisis Network is a one-stop shop to help guide companies and institutions to do just that.”

    Marking the Crisis Network launch, the team has also published its first report, an e-book titled “When Every Crisis is Global, Social and Viral”.

    Section one explores how social media is changing trust, power, risk and crisis. Looking first at the role of social media in societal upheavals in the West (including the terrorist attack in Norway, the riots in London and the Occupy Wall Street movement in the US), the authors then move to the East and review how social media is changing the news ecosystem in China, eroding the wasta system of personal influence in the Middle East and uniting the Indian middle class in a grassroots movement against corruption.

    The second section outlines how corporations can leverage social media to manage risk and reputation. The team of experts then take a look at how social media can play a role at each stage in the crisis curve, describe the art and science of crisis simulation, recommend engaging third party influencers in crisis planning, share lessons from managing the global Crisis Command Center for BP, provide a playbook for handling a crisis on Facebook and end with tips and tricks on crisis management.

  • Publicis employee slaps lawsuit on gender bias

    Publicis employee slaps lawsuit on gender bias

    MUMBAI: In a curious case, Monique da Silva Moore, global healthcare director in the Boston office of the Publicis Groupe SA, has sued the company for $100 million saying that the French advertising company discriminates against women in pay and promotions.

    “A Publicis woman‘s place is in the back of the line, far removed from senior management positions, almost all of which are reserved for the men,” Moore’s complaint observes.

    The case, filed in the US District Court in Manhattan, seeks class-action status. Women make up 70 per cent of the company‘s public relations staff but hold only about 15 per cent of leadership positions, the lawsuit adds.

    The lawsuit says MSLGroup was in the midst of a reorganisation when Moore took her maternity leave. She says she was led to believe she had a position in her office in Boston, but that upon her return she was ordered to move immediately to New York without reimbursement for relocation expenses, forcing her to accept termination.

    In her lawsuit, Moore seeks damages of at least $100 million and is the latest of many accusing companies of systematically favouring men over women in the workplace.

    “We generally do not comment on pending litigation, but we can say that the fact that the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission dismissed Ms da Silva‘s charge reflects the lack of merit to her claims,” a spokeswoman for MSLGroup said.

    Da Silva Moore worked for MSLGroup from 1999 through January 2010, when she says she was unfairly terminated after a four-month maternity leave. She earlier worked for the company from 1991 to 1993, the lawsuit says.