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Tag: One Day

  • India’s World Cup heroines set for brand bonanza

    India’s World Cup heroines set for brand bonanza

    MUMBAI: The tears, the tricolour, the trophy. When Harmanpreet Kaur’s side defeated South Africa by 52 runs on Sunday night to claim India’s first-ever women’s World Cup , they didn’t just etch their names in cricket history—they opened the door to a commercial windfall that could redefine women’s sport in the country.
    With a packed stadium erupting as the final wicket fell, and millions more watching across the nation, the brand equity of several players is set to soar. Marketers and advertising agencies are already sharpening their pencils. Amongst the players who look to be front-runners in this dash for sign ups figure: 

    Smriti Mandhana: There’s no denying her talent or her appeal. Good looks, certainly, but above all, world-class batting skills have made her a hero for millions. Mandhana is second in the tournament’s run charts. The World Cup triumph will only cement her cult status.  Her endorsement portfolio includes giants like Hero MotoCorp, Hyundai, Red Bull, Garnier, Wrangler, and PNB MetLife, but expect it  to expand dramatically.

    Harmanpreet Kaur: She showed tenacity as captain, leading from the front and taking a fantastic catch to end the South African innings. More importantly, she steered her team through three losses during the tournament—defeats that could have derailed any side. But not Harmanpreet. She kept the team’s belief intact, insisting they weren’t looking left or right, only at their end goal. That grit under pressure is precisely what brand managers look for. She has done endorsement for brands like HDFC Life, ITC, Boost, Ceat, Puma, Tata Safari, Asian Paints, Jaipur Rugs, The Omaxe State, Big Flex, and Hapipola.  That surely is set to balloon exponentially now.

    Jemimah Rodrigues: This bundle of talent is energy personified on the field, whether fielding or batting. Her unbeaten 127 in the semifinal showed she’s a match-winner, forming a crucial 167-run partnership with Harmanpreet that swung the tie against Australia  Her transparency about emotional upheavals after being dropped earlier brought out her determination. She plays the guitar and has an excellent sense of theatre—the perfect combination for brand campaigns seeking authenticity. Her endorsement portfolion includes Red Bull, Hyundai, Gillette, Dream11, HMD (Human Mobile Devices), boAT and Platinum Evara.

    Pratika Rawal: The 25-year-old became the joint-fastest cricketer to score 1,000 runs in ODIs (23 innings) and was the tournament’s second-highest run-scorer with 308 runs before injury ruled her out ahead of the knockouts. The image of her in a wheelchair, draped in the tricolour, celebrating with teammates became one of the most powerful moments in Indian sporting history. That resilience and passion will resonate deeply with brands seeking emotional connect.

    Shafali Verma: She scored a blistering 87 in the final and picked two crucial wickets, becoming the first player to score 50-plus runs and take two wickets in a World Cup final Recalled after Rawal’s injury, she had been out of the ODI side for nearly a year Her extraordinary display capped an extraordinary week. The 21-year-old’s redemption arc makes her a natural choice for brands focused on perseverance and comeback stories. She has featured as a brand ambassador for the likes of Bank of Baroda and Ceat. In a few months this will surely swell. 

    Radha Yadav: The left-arm spinner grabbed her opportunity in the final league match against Bangladesh after warming the bench for six games, ending with a three-wicket spell. She was part of the playing eleven in the final. Her steady bowling alongside Shree Charani helped contain South Africa’s dangerous middle order. Her journey from twelfth player to World Cup winner embodies the team ethic that brands increasingly value.

    The World Cup win  isn’t just a trophy. It’s a watershed moment for women’s cricket and for Indian cricket as whole.

    And for these players, the real game—the endorsement game—is only just beginning.

  • Lodestar UM collaborates with LGBTQIA+ owned businesses for impact day

    Lodestar UM collaborates with LGBTQIA+ owned businesses for impact day

    Mumbai : Lodestar UM, the India unit of UM, a global media agency network of IPG Mediabrands, has announced its participation in the seventh global Impact Day, under the theme, “ONE Day, ONE UM, ONE Better World.” Launched in 2016 under UM’s corporate social responsibility unit, Better World, Impact Day reflects the agency’s commitment to its core values of community, curiosity and courage.

    UM employees will participate in activities around three Impact Day pillars:

    ·     Equity – Acts of service that directly impact underserved communities.

    ·     Sustainability – Acts of service that directly impact our planet, locally or globally.

    Wellness – Acts of service that directly impact the well-being of another person’s physical or mental health.

    In India, Lodestar UM has collaborated with LGBTQIA+ owned businesses such as Kai By Mangi, Dopamore, Arttitty, Sabarshh, Ash.Co, Embarque.co, Queergaon, Astitva Jewelry, Podi Nan Maga, and Scoby Labs. These businesses offer a variety of products, including natural lip gloss and oil, stylish handcrafted accessories, elegant bags and purses, vibrant shirts, handmade exquisite stone jewellery, ceramic ware, fashion apparel, bags, stone and bead accessories, lip-smacking pickles, podis and snacks, resin art accessories, and fermented drinks. By providing a platform to showcase and sell their products, the agency aims to create meaningful, tangible benefits for the community.

    “Our idea for Impact Day goes beyond commerce; we aim to foster enriching connections and meaningful experiences that positively impact the community,” said Lodestar UM CEO Aditi Mishra. “By supporting LGBTQIA+ businesses, we are not only contributing to economic empowerment but also celebrating diversity and inclusion in a tangible way. Impact Day is a powerful reminder of how our collective efforts can drive meaningful change and create a better world for everyone.”

    “UMers from all over the globe look forward every year to volunteering as one connected team for our beloved Impact Day tradition,” said Global CEO, UM Andrea Suarez. “Our theme this year, ‘ONE Day, ONE UM, ONE Better World’ highlights the incredible impact we can have when we harness the power of our collective action to give back to the communities in which we live, serve and flourish.”

    “Impact Day is a powerful reminder of the positive change we can create when we come together as a global community. It’s a chance for UMers across APAC to make a real difference in the lives of others, and I’m incredibly proud of the diverse and impactful initiatives happening across the region,” said APAC president UM Kasper Aakerlund.

  • ‘Rolling out of Cas has been the most significant development’

    ‘Rolling out of Cas has been the most significant development’

    One of the most significant developments of the year has been the re-emergence of Zee Network and especially Zee TV as a clear market leader in the entertainment segment when it surpassed its closest rival Star. Its ‘reality show’ Sa Re Ga Ma Pa registered an all time high TRP/viewership amongst different age groups.

    Zee Network has also launched a new youth centric family entertainment channel ‘Zee Next’ in December 2007. With BAG Films, NDTV, UTV and TV-18 also planning to bring channels of different genres, the viewers can expect a wide variety of content in 2008.

    However, the year has not been so good for sports channels having cricket/BCCI rights as after losing legal battle they had to compulsorily share their feed with Doordarshan in respect of One Day and Test matches under the downlinking guidelines.

    The attempt on the part of government to create consensus on the Broadcast Bill received a setback when certain entertainment channels and news channels opposed to the introduction of the Bill, forcing the government to defer its introduction. Most of the media houses have expressed the view that rather than the government stipulating content code by way of legislation, they would like to have a self-regulatory content code.

    With BAG Films, NDTV, UTV and TV-18 also planning to bring channels of different genres, the viewers can expect a wide variety of content in 2008
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    They apprehend that proposed bill and content code is an attempt on the part of the government to curb the freedom of press through the back door. However, at the same time there has been a vociferous demand from various section of society to impose some kind of control on the ‘unregulated content’ being currently beamed.

    I am of the view that there is an imperative need to have a regulatory regime in the broadcasting sector and the Broadcast Bill is a step in the right direction. The proposed legislation contains various provisions which are not only in the public interest but also in the interest of the broadcast sector, which would not only bring order in the sector but would also stimulate the much needed investment so as to provide an opportunity to the sector develop and grow in a focused manner.

    While there are certain provisions in the bill e.g. provisions pertaining to cross media ownership and restriction in holding shares within electronic media and distribution sector which may act as an impediment to the overall growth of the sector, the media sector has brought to the notice of the government that the present era is that of globalisation and consolidation by way of merger and acquisition, and these kind of restrictions act as barriers for accessing and optimally utilising the resources of capital formation for the growth and development of the sector.

    The Indian media industry, especially Indian broadcasters have to compete with global media companies. In order to match the might of those companies, they must have adequate technology, capital and manpower resources. Thus, the process of capital formation is one of the key ingredients to acquire and accumulate competitive strength and these kinds of restrictions are unwarranted. The government has fairly agreed to review these provisions and has also entrusted the task of developing a draft content code to News Broadcasters Association.

    In my view the industry should welcome the Broadcast Regulator, as an effective Regulator protects both consumer interest and the industry from arbitrariness
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    In my view the industry should welcome the institution of a Broadcast Regulator in as much as an effective Regulator protects the consumer interest and also protects the industry in question from arbitrariness and interference of the government of the day. The media industry has grown too large and too complex and as such it is in the interest of broadcasting sector itself to have a Regulator. However the Regulator must be autonomous, and independent of the Executive.

    Towards the fag end of the year certain court orders and judgments have also come, in which there have been observations that Broadcasters/Media need to observe general community standards of decency and civility in news content, taking particular care to protect the interests and sensitivities of children and general family viewing. The Courts have directed the government to expeditiously bring the content code in the Broadcasting sector.

    It is high time the industry responds to this and effectively works with the government in finalising an appropriate self-regulatory content code at the earliest.

    There have been a lot of regulatory developments during the year. Trai has brought out Quality of Service Regulations for DTH which outline service bench marks to be followed by DTH operators. This particular Regulation mandated the commercial inter-operability for Set Top Boxes (STB) in DTH service.