ITV

Tag: Ola

  • Ola’s Arun Srinivas joins Facebook India

    Ola’s Arun Srinivas joins Facebook India

    NEW DELHI: Facebook has appointed Arun Srinivas as the director of global business group to lead the strategy and delivery of the India Marketing Solutions charter that is focused on large advertisers and agencies. Srinivas’ appointment comes after a series of senior and leadership recruitments in recent months across marketing, partnerships, communications, and other keys verticals demonstrating the company’s expanding charter and commitment to India.

    As a part of his role, Srinivas will spearhead the company’s strategic relationship with the country’s leading brands, agencies, and partners to drive Facebook’s revenue growth in key channels in India, and partner the media and creative ecosystems for accelerating the adoption of digital tools by businesses. He will have the company’s key business vertical teams, agency teams, and business solutions teams reporting to him. 

    Srinivas comes with 24 years of experience in senior sales and marketing roles at companies such as OLA, Unilever, and Reebok. He also did a stint at an investment firm WestBridge Capital Partners where he led the consumer vertical. His last assignment was with OLA, where he was the Chief Operating Officer (COO), and Global Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) at OLA Mobility. Srinivas started his career with Reebok and then moved to Unilever where he spent more than 15 years across food, beverages, skin-care, and personal care categories. He is an alumnus of the Indian Institute of Management, Kolkata.

    Read our coverage on Ola's

    Facebook has taken several steps in recent months, especially since the pandemic began, to enable the economic recovery of the country by supporting and working closely with businesses, both large and small. In the last one-year Facebook has made minority investments in Meesho, Unacademy, and most recently into Jio Platforms to enable meaningful opportunities for small businesses in India while fueling the acceleration of digital adoption in the country. Recently the company also announced that Instagram had launched its own short video feature called Reels in India that lets users create videos on the app, add creative filters and music, and share it beyond their regular followers. Facebook is also working with the government, not-for-profit, and other industry partners to help people and businesses navigate the current health and economic crisis.

    Facebook India director and head of global marketing solutions Sandeep Bhushan said, “Facebook is committed to enabling economic opportunities for businesses, and this charter is more important than ever before as we navigate COVID-19 and the economic crisis. Large businesses and agencies play a crucial role in the country’s digital economy and are critical to driving ecosystem standards for media. I am thrilled to welcome Arun as he joins our team as Director GBG, and leads the mandate to shape the role the Facebook family apps can play in enabling businesses, supporting India’s economic recovery, and building the digital advertising ecosystem of the country.”

  • Ola COO & global CMO Arun Srinivas quits

    Ola COO & global CMO Arun Srinivas quits

    NEW DELHI: Ola COO and global CMO Arun Srinivas has reportedly stepped down from his position. He had joined the company last year. There are reports that senior VP corporate affairs Sanjiv Reddy has also resigned.

    Prior to joining to Ola, Srinivas was with West Bridge Capital Partners for two years and before that he had spent more than a decade at Unilever. He began his career with Reebok India in 1996.

    The news has come at a point in time when the cab-hailing service has been witnessing revenue loss due to the pandemic.

    In May 2020, the company reportedly announced a lay off employees due to the Covid2019 crisis. As per sources, both of them will be pursuing other opportunities post their exit from the organisation.

  • ‘Heroes of Ola’ campaign enables customers to share experiences with driver-partners

    ‘Heroes of Ola’ campaign enables customers to share experiences with driver-partners

    MUMBAI: Ola, India’s largest ridesharing company, announced the launch of its ‘Heroes of Ola’ campaign which sheds light on the efforts made by their driver-partners who continue to contribute beyond their call of duty. The company is currently out to its 200 million+ consumers through different platforms, where they can share their experience with Ola drivers who through their small or big gesture have gone out of their capacity to serve customers, or have displayed a gesture of goodwill.

    As part of the campaign, Ola has also disclosed a digital film that shows how Ola driver-partners are superheroes without a cape, in spite of the trials and turbulent they face in day to day life. The film sheds light on the sense of responsibility these Ola driver-partners showcase by always putting their customers first.

    The launch program also informs us about the fact that a driver partner’s heroic act can come in various forms, like going extra miles to ensure that the customer reaches the intended destination to sometimes returning a wallet or a phone that they may have left behind to the instances of showing empathy and compassion towards injured animals on the road.

    Commenting on the program Ola chief sales and marketing officer Arun Srinivas said, “Ola is focused on providing a platform that is equally convenient for its driver-partners as well as its customers. More often than not, the contributions of driver-partners go unnoticed. We find thousands of instances around us of courage, compassion, and empathy from our service providers. Heroes of Ola is one such platform to bring these inspiring experiences to the forefront.”

    “The ‘Heroes of Ola’ platform aims to showcase and appreciate the efforts of Ola’s driver-partners who ensure that customers have a delightful experience, even if it means going beyond their call of duty. These experiences can serve as an inspiration to fellow driver-partners as well as every one of us in whatever we do,” he added.

    Ola’s customers can use #HeroesofOla to share their stories on the company’s social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. They can post their views through their in-app feedback section as well.

    The Heroes of Ola film can be viewed here –

  • Ola redefines two-wheeler mobility with new ‘Ola Bike’ campaign

    Ola redefines two-wheeler mobility with new ‘Ola Bike’ campaign

    MUMBAI: Ola, India’s largest mobility platform, is looking to criss-cross its way through labyrinthine roads and gridlocks of India in a big way. The company has recently launched a campaign to showcase its micro-mobility offering called Ola Bike that’s now present in 150 cities and towns. The new video campaign, under the slogan “Ab Khulenge Naye Raaste” (new paths open up now) positions Ola Bike as an agile, affordable and hassle-free solution to everyday travel and last-mile connectivity.

    Conceptualized and executed by Leo Burnett Orchard, the campaign is designed to strengthen Ola Bike’s core proposition of agility, convenience and accessibility. The campaign is spearheaded by a short video ad using a humorous storytelling arc to drive home the message. The video features protagonist ‘Inder’ smooth-sailing through a small town’s gridlocked roads and serpentine lanes on an Ola Bike, pitted against his not-so-smart counterpart ‘Parminder’ who struggles through traffic in sweaty shared rides. Ola invokes the user to make the smarter choice like Inder, who has chosen convenience, affordability and a quicker way to commute with Ola Bike. The narrative plays on the brand’s mission of providing access to customers across all forms of mobility that are tailor-made for the Indian road conditions and the targeted user base.

    An interesting detail to notice in the ad is the presence of helmets worn by both the rider and the customer, and a reflective jacket worn by the driver; both prominently displaying the Ola logo- underscoring the company’s commitment to safety and adherence to road discipline.

    The campaign will not only resonate with commuters in big cities where Bikes help navigate through narrow lanes and congested roads but also find special relevance across small towns and cities in India where two-wheelers are ubiquitous and are an affordable and more readily-available alternative to cars and autos.

    Commenting on the campaign, Aishvarya Murali, Head of Marketing at Ola said, “Ola Bike is now in 150 cities and rapidly expanding into more cities and towns across India. The campaign reinforces Ola’s understanding of the needs of commuters across the country and establishes Ola Bike as a simple solution to a real-world problem. We believe that the TVC hits home with every Indian, whether in large metropolitan areas or in the smallest of towns. She further added, “Since its introduction in 2016, Ola Bike has seen rapid adoption across the country amongst both consumers and bike-partners. We’ve seen tremendous demand arising from both, cities and towns, a clear indication of the success of the offering and the value it offers to consumers.”

    Rajdeepak Das Managing Director India & Chief Creative Officer Leo Burnett South Asia at Leo Burnett Orchard said, “Following in the footsteps of previous campaigns, this campaign captures everyday situations in an Indian commuter’s life and reflects their thoughts in these moments. The idea was to take a step ahead and reiterate to our target audience why Ola Bike is the ideal choice for first and last-mile connectivity. We are very excited to present this campaign that reflects Ola’s commitment to offer its users hassle-free convenience and the power to choose their ride.”

    The campaign will be showcased on digital, video, social, OOH and broadcast platforms, covering a number of consumer touchpoints.

  • Ola promises fans a reliable ride to catch the match in its latest brand campaign, this World Cup

    Ola promises fans a reliable ride to catch the match in its latest brand campaign, this World Cup

    MUMBAI: Taking a fresh spin to the campaigns around the 2019 Cricket World Cup, Ola, India’s largest mobility platform and one of the world’s largest ride-hailing companies, unveiled its latest music video that embodies the enthusiasm of cricket lovers to watch the tournament promising them a reliable ride to their destination to catch the match.

    Conceptualised and developed by Leo Burnett Orchard, the campaign emphasizes on what is most important to fans – the sheer pleasure of watching cricket at their preferred location. Be it at home or elsewhere, the experience transcends beyond the peripheral aspects such as anthems, offers or free merchandise. In a simple yet hard-hitting way, the video showcases what the brand does best and highlights what cricket buffs truly want this World Cup season – reaching their destination to watch the match.

    The campaign film showcases how the craze for the world cup is to enjoy the match and not the plethora of offers and discounts that are given to the consumers. This is where Ola is not a part of the clutter. The message is conveyed in an effective manner by highlighting how the viewers are swamped with offers during the world cup but Ola is focussed on doing what they do best – helping people reach their destination with ease.

    Speaking about the campaign, Anand Subramanian, Senior Director, Marketing and Communications at Ola said, “This video reiterates Ola’s versatility and its long term commitment to meet the dynamic needs of Indian consumers. An extension of the brand’s promise, the campaign highlights how easily and seamlessly Ola gets you to your preferred destination.”  He further added, “With the World Cup being one of the most watched cricket tournaments in the country, this campaign is bound to strike a chord with cricket buffs, ensuring they’re able to get to where they want to be to cheer for their favourite team.”

    Amod Dani, ECD, Leo Burnett Orchard said, “We were looking for a unique and innovative way to capture the synergy between cricket and music. With this video, we not only showcased the emotion, zeal and excitement of cricket fans to watch the matches but also demonstrate how Ola is the ideal solution to fulfilling the commuting needs of Indians. This was a great opportunity for us and are pleased to have created this campaign with Ola.”

  • Indian brands show witty side on April fool’s day

    Indian brands show witty side on April fool’s day

    MUMBAI: April fool’s day gives everyone a chance to enjoy some hearty laughs and pranks at the expense of friends, colleagues or families. This is the day when you trust no one and nothing. But sometimes, the trickery is so fine that it takes forever for one to realise that they have been fooled. This 1 April, a number of brands played their best cards. Here are some of the best specimens we saw on our social media handles.

    Kingfisher

    Kingfisher announced the launch of a new product – Kingfisher’s Instant Beer mix, a revolutionary product which would change the beer industry. People were asked to register for free samples, which they did in abundant numbers. As per the brand, people also made WhatsApp groups discussing the product, hence making it a trending topic on the messaging app too.

    Netflix India

    Netflix India’s April fool’s prank started 14 days in advance as it started sharing cryptic messages that seemed to be pointing towards the much awaited season 2 of the popular original series Sacred Games.

    But on 1 April it turned out to be a very creative announcement of the launch of popular American sitcom F.R.I.E.N.D.S on its platform.

    Ola

    Ride-hailing platform Ola came up with an interesting solution to the one big problem that the generation, which is ‘always on the go’ faces, the lack of public toilets. It announced Ola Restroom facilities on its social media handles attracting a lot of eyeballs. However, after telling people that it was indeed an April Fool’s prank, they also shared that from now onwards, people can opt to donate Re 1 to Gramalya and help it build toilet across India.

    One Plus

    India’s premium smartphone brand One Plus released a small teaser of its Warp Car, an electric supercar printed using SLS 3D and ABS 3D printing that can also can be customised. The car doesn’t have a steering wheel and relies on smartphone control. It also asked people to participate on Twitter and Facebook with the hashtag #WarpCar to win one.

    Pepsi

    Pepsi used its influencer network to position its ‘Har Ghoont Mein Swag’ motto via a unique prank where a group of friends tricked a guy into a fake meet and greet with Bollywood actress Disha Patani. The video of the prank got viral as it was also shared on Disha Patani’s official Instagram handle.

    7 UP

    7 UP took its April Fool’s prank to the streets of Chennai as it teamed up with popular Tamil actor Sathish Muthukrishnan who posed as a local taxi driver in the city and drove around town, pranking unassuming passengers.

  • Ola and Cadbury Dairy Milk Silk join hands with Vertoz for a memorable Valentine’s Day

    Ola and Cadbury Dairy Milk Silk join hands with Vertoz for a memorable Valentine’s Day

    MUMBAI: Every year, Valentine’s Day brings an opportunity for brands to break out their creative sides and create special moments for their customers. With every brand out there trying to outdo each other with special offers, discounts and events, what often is missing is the creation of an experience to celebrate the actual emotion behind the day – Love. Cadbury Dairy Milk Silk (With WAVEMAKER ), Ola and Vertoz, keeping in mind the busy lifestyles their customers lead, have spent this Valentine’s Day creating a romantic experience for lucky couples across the city by taking away the hassle of late bookings and reservations.

    Although a cliché, sometimes there is nothing better than the simplicity of an event filled with chocolates, movie and a long drive. Ola and Cadbury Dairy Milk Silk made sure that select couples get to experience just that and have the most stress-free and easy date. Vertoz, India’s leading programmatic advertising company, came on board for this unique campaign to help reach the couples of Mumbai for a special contest held by Cadbury Dairy Milk Silk before Valentine’s Day. Vertoz being Ola’s preferred advertising partner, planned and coordinated the date along with Dairy Milk Silk and Ola. Lucky couples won a romantic date worthy of the special day. With a personalised car and personal driver arranged by Ola, the couples were taken for a movie with a gift hamper specially curated by Cadbury Dairy Milk Silk. 

    Aided by Vertoz’s programmatic expertise, Cadbury Dairy Milk Silk was able to reach out to people across the digital space giving them visibility with ads on Ola’s advertising platform. The campaign was targeted towards young millennial couples looking to spend the special day with their partners and create memories. The campaign was advertised on the Ola app and Ola Cabs. Vertoz successfully reached multiple couples who entered the contest and tried their luck at winning a beautiful evening.

    Talking about the association Ashish Shah, Founder & CEO, Vertoz says, “Valentine’s Day is a busy time for advertisers with campaigns being run by brands across sectors. What makes a campaign stand out is its uniqueness and Vertoz, Ola & Cadbury Dairy Milk Silk together have managed to create something simple yet memorable which is essential in the digital advertising space. We are proud to be on board with them and be able to offer such a unique experience for each of the winning couples.”

    “Silk has been activating Valentine’s Day for 6 years now, and while Indians have started celebrating the occasion, there is still a majority of people who find it difficult to express their feelings. In that spirit, we wanted to give consumers a way of expressing their true feelings and make their Valentine’s Day celebration truly memorable and special.  What we have managed to do with Ola and Vertoz is to create a very special experience for the day which helps them celebrate their love and have a great time with their partners” says the spokesperson of Cadbury Dairy Milk Silk

  • Ola collaborates with the makers of Gully Boy

    Ola collaborates with the makers of Gully Boy

    MUMBAI: Ola, a ride sharing platforms has collaborated with Excel Entertainment and Tiger Baby – the makers of upcoming film Gully Boy. Conceptualised with the intent of encouraging the people from all walks of life to showcase their talent, the participants are required to record a rap song while sitting in an Ola, using the Gully Beat app.

    Speaking on the activity, Ola senior director – marketing communications Anand Subramanian said, “At Ola, we are thrilled to bring unique experiences to our customers that go beyond their mobility needs. Every corner of this country is filled with youthful energy and gifted artists, and through this activity, aspiring rappers get a platform to showcase their talent. We are happy that we found a like-minded partner in Excel Entertainment and we hope to discover some great talent together.”

    Under the partnership, Ola, Excel Entertainment and Tiger Baby are offering a unique platform to the country’s aspiring rappers, wherein they are invited to share their songs and win a chance to showcase their talent to the entire country!

    Commenting on this initiative, Excel Entertainment head of marketing Vishal Ramchandani said “Ola as a new age brand has collaborated with ‘Gully Boy’ to inspire a generation of entrepreneurs to defy the status quo and make a career for themselves. We are proud to partner with Ola to encourage music enthusiasts to come forward and provide them with a platform to showcase their talent.”

    Videos can be submitted on Ola’s Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram; using #GullyGullyOla before 13 February 2019.

  • Ola ropes in Leo Burnett Orchard, Indigo Consulting to lead marketing

    Ola ropes in Leo Burnett Orchard, Indigo Consulting to lead marketing

    MUMBAI: Ride-hailing company Ola has roped in Leo Burnett Orchard and Indigo Consulting to lead the mobility brand’s marketing mandate in the country. The mandate includes brand strategy, new launches, content strategy, and digital communications, and was awarded post a competitive multi-agency pitch. The account will be managed by the agency’s Bengaluru office.

    Leo Burnett managing director – India and chief strategy officer – Asia Dheeraj Sinha said, “Ola is one of the few brands born in India that are defining the fundamentals of how we live. The brand is changing the rules of mobility for India, while enabling respectable livelihoods for over a million driver-partners. As an agency, we are really chuffed about this mandate, as this is an opportunity to take the story of a revolutionary Indian brand into their next stage. We are thrilled to partner with Ola and leverage the strengths of Leo Burnett Orchard and Indigo Consulting teams to build a unified brand platform.”

    Leo Burnett Orchard chief operating officer Prashanth Challapalli added, “Ola is a home-grown brand that has now become a global force in mobility. Very few brands can take pride in the deep impact they create, like Ola would, on its entire ecosystem of consumers, partners, and cities at large. We look forward to building a strategically sound platform for the brand that will help cement its leadership position. This is also a testament to the incredibly powerful ‘Power of One’ philosophy that we follow.”

    Ola senior director, marketing communications Anand Subramanian commented on the occasion, “We look forward to this partnership with Leo Burnett Orchard in our mission to build mobility for a billion people. Over the past eight years, the Ola brand has evolved to become one of the world’s largest mobility platforms, impacting the lives of millions of customers and partners alike. We are confident that this new partnership will help resonate the brand’s voice amongst Ola’s 150 million+ users and beyond.”

  • Sachin Bansal invests $21 mn in Ola

    Sachin Bansal invests $21 mn in Ola

    MUMBAI: According to a filing with the Registrar of Companies (RoC), Flipkart co-founder Sachin Bansal has invested around $21 million in the SoftBank-backed cab-hailing platform Ola in a Series J funding round. The move comes a week after it raised $74 million from existing investor Steadview Capital. The fund raised is expected to be a part of the $1 billion, the company has been trying to raise.

    The filing reveals that 70,588 fully and compulsorily convertible, cumulative ‘Series ‘J’ preference shares with a face value of Rs 10 have been allotted at a subscription price of Rs 21,250 at a premium of Rs 21,240.

    This is Bansal’s first major move after leaving Flipkart last May.