Tag: social media

Tonic Worldwide bags social media mandate for SBI General

Mumbai: Digital-first creative agency Tonic Worldwide has bagged the mandate of social media management for SBI General, after a multi-agency pitch.

As part of the mandate, the agency’s Mumbai office will manage the social media platforms and craft integrated digital creative strategies for the brand.

Speaking on winning the mandate, Tonic Worldwide chief strategy officer Unmisha Bhatt said, “Our strategic and creative strengths will help us add value to the brand’s ambitions and business objective. We are looking forward to partnering the marketing team to help differentiate the brand in the cluttered category and build a modern and futuristic personality for the brand on digital and social so as to be relevant to the audiences today.”

SBI General head brand and corporate communications Shefali Khalsa said, “With Tonic Worldwide’s digital-first and data-driven strategic thinking abilities, we aim to build a futuristic presence for the brand on social media and be relevant to the evolving consumers, consisting of traditionalist and modernists both. We look forward to doing some innovative work that resonates with SBI General’s ethos. With an experienced team, I am confident that together we will not only build on the vanity metrics of engagement but build on a growth story for the brand”

SBI General offers general insurance products in the retail and commercial space ranging from motor, health, personal accident, travel and home insurance in the retail space and products like aviation, fire, marine, package, construction & engineering and liability insurance in the commercial space.

September 15, 2021
Neeraj Chopra’s social media valuation reaches Rs 428 cr: JSW Sports

Mumbai: More than a month after Olympic sensation Neeraj Chopra created history by bagging the sole gold medal for India in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, the athlete’s stock has been on a perpetual upward trajectory. The win has turned Chopra into a household name overnight across the country. His stellar on-field performance has now spilled over seamlessly onto the digital arena, catapulting the 23-year old javelin-thrower into the social media spotlight.

According to a report by research consultancy firm YouGov Sport, Neeraj Chopra recorded over 2.9 million mentions from over 1.4 million authors, making him the ‘most mentioned’ athlete globally on Instagram during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. These numbers also represent a whopping 1401 per cent and 2055 per cent increase in his mentions from separate authors online, respectively. As a result, Chopra’s reach on social and digital media has come to a staggering 412 million, spanning several geographies over the world. These numbers have combined to take the athlete’s social media valuation to a total of Rs 428 crore.

“Neeraj has been a consistently outstanding performer in his discipline over the last five to six years, resulting in his phenomenal success at the Tokyo Olympics. He has now become a recognisable personality for the Indian masses on a scale that was hitherto unseen. This, in turn, has brought about a growing interest from brands and institutions looking at a long-term sustainable collaboration,” said JSW Sports head of sales and marketing Divyanshu Singh.

The agency which represents the javelin thrower and manages Chopra’s endorsements shared that the athlete has created inroads into mainstream commercial success as a result of his performances on the field, and his growing popularity off it.

According to the report by YouGov Sport, Chopra’s total interactions on social media since bagging the gold medal have risen to 12.79 million, at a rate of 86.3 per cent. A key factor in the increased engagement on the athlete’s profile has been the steady increase in his video views, which is recorded at 4.05 million, nearly thrice the average for an elite Indian athlete on social media. Naturally, the number of account followers for Neeraj Chopra has also seen a swift upswing, with his Instagram following now recorded at 4.4 million, representing a 2297 per cent increase in his followers.

Chopra has presently eclipsed even established international cricketers like KL Rahul and Rishab Pant in terms of total interactions and overall reach on social media, as per JSW Sports.

The Olympic gold medallist last week signed his first set of endorsement deals after the Tokyo Games, which include edtech firm Byju’s, Tata AIA Life Insurance, and a top pharma brand. Welcoming Chopra on board, Tata AIA Life Insurance executive vice president and chief distribution officer Venky Iyer said, “As a VSM awardee in the army and a national icon today, Neeraj symbolises incredible passion for excellence and a great commitment to serving the nation. For us at Tata AIA, his sports journey echoes greatly with our vision of enabling dreams and inspiring healthier and happier lives.”

According to reports, JSW Sports is in advanced talks to finalise more deals with luxury auto and apparel brands in the coming weeks and a series of digital-only pacts, at fees ten times higher than what Chopra charged before the Games.

The fact that the 23-year-old can deliver value has been well established in the days since his remarkable success. This has opened a new opportunity with brands that can innovate with strategies built around the young sensation.

September 15, 2021
Apollo Tyres appoints Reprise Digital as its social media agency

Mumbai: Apollo Tyres has appointed Reprise Digital, which is part of the media conglomerate Mediabrands India, for the brand’s social media duties, following a multi-agency pitch.

The mandate for Reprise Digital includes services such as social media, online reputation management (ORM), social listening and content marketing. The account will be handled by the Gurugram team of Reprise.

Headquartered in Gurgaon, Apollo Tyres, a multinational brand, aims to further strengthen its social media footprint. With the brand tagline ‘Go the Distance’, the company is the global tyre partner of Manchester United Football Club, and has the sports icon, Sachin Tendulkar, as its brand ambassador. Apollo Tyres plans to scale up its social media presence across all touchpoints, prompting an increase in brand affinity and business outcomes.

Apollo Tyres Ltd, vice president, marketing, sales and service (India, SAARC and Oceania), Rajesh Dahiya said, “Social media marketing being our one of the topmost marketing pillars, we are constantly focusing on utilising it in the most impactful way. We were looking for a strong social media partner who possesses a comprehensive understanding of our business and audience segment, and can successfully craft and execute the best social media strategies. Reprise Digital seems to be one of the best fit and we are looking forward to a goal-oriented & exciting partnership ahead.”

Reprise Digital, India- director, Amardeep Singh said, “Our partnership with the brand is beginning at a time when the social ecosystem is undergoing a major metamorphosis. Social advertising redefined the advertising industry in this pandemic and Reprise is one of the harbingers of this change. We are confident that our future-proof tools, research and data will make the partnership with Apollo Tyres extremely rewarding and long-lasting.”

September 3, 2021
Chimp&z Inc wins social media mandate for The Derma Co

Mumbai: Merge Infinity Network’s full-service digital advertising alliance, Chimp&z Inc has won the social media marketing mandate for the science-based skincare brand, The Derma Co. The account was won post a multi-agency pitch and will be handled by the agency’s Gurugram office keeping social communications a notch up to drive digital sales.

The agency will also be responsible for social content and product photoshoots, along with creating, managing, and executing end-to-end digital campaigns and strategies.

The Derma Co employs Artificial Intelligence to accurately diagnose consumers’ concerns and their team of dermatologists curate regimes to address the issues. The advanced clinical formulations contain potent ingredients in the right concentration that are safe and effective to heal skin concerns, the brand stated. Chimp&z Inc will craft social media strategies for a science-backed filter-free communication with the consumers to highlight the brand’s vision, innovation, and offerings.

On the association, The Derma Co, co-founder, Ghazal Alagh said, “Chimp&z Inc resonates very well with our approach and through this partnership, we aspire to keep our audience engaged on social media and create a paradigm shift in skincare. We are delighted to partner with Chimp&z Inc for handling strategic and creative responsibilities for The Derma Co.”

Chimp&z Inc, CEO & co-founder, Angad Singh Manchanda said, “We are elated to work on creating powerful social communications for a brand like The Derma Co, which thrives on making the Indian market vocal, and top-notch in skincare solutions. The dedicated team at Chimp&z Inc is excited to work on their social media amplification front and aspires to achieve game-changing results.”

August 27, 2021
Grapes Digital bags integrated marketing & communications mandate for Luxury Ride

Mumbai: Multi-brand pre-owned luxury car player, Luxury Ride has assigned its first-time integrated marketing and communications (PR) mandate to Grapes Digital. The digital-first agency will service the account from its New Delhi office.

As per the mandate, the agency will be responsible for executing integrated marketing duties of the brand such as marketing and branding strategies, creative conceptualisation and execution, media planning and buying, content planning for social media marketing, technology services, along with public relations, said the statement.

Grapes will also aim to scale up the brand’s social media presence, and persistence will be built and managed on platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, and Twitter, it added.

Luxury Ride, MD & co-founder, Sumit Garg said, “India is a huge market for vehicles and poses a very high potential for luxury cars. The sales of pre-owned luxury cars in India have witnessed a sharp increase over the past few years, and the demand continues across varied markets. The pre-owned luxury vehicle market is getting more organised with easy access to finance, annual maintenance contracts, and lower entry prices. We want to work towards strengthening Luxury Ride presence in the media landscape and chose Grapes to facilitate the same for us.”

Grapes Digital, founder and CEO, Himanshu Arya said, “Pre-owned luxury car market has seen a significant surge in their growth- the industry is evolving and taking the route of digitalisation to serve its customer better. We look forward to charting the brand’s journey and strengthen its position in the market.”

August 24, 2021
Bombay HC stays parts of new IT rules

New Delhi: The Bombay high court has granted an interim stay to the implementation of parts of the Information Technology (IT) Rules, 2021 which require that all online publishers follow a “code of ethics” and norms of conduct.

According to the court, “prima facie” (on the face of it), sub-clauses 1 and 3 of clause 9 of the Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code Rules, 2021 violated the petitioners’ constitutional right to freedom of speech and expression under Article 19. Provisions of clause 9 also went beyond the scope of the substantive law (the Information Technology Act of 2000), it added further, according to PTI.

The court was hearing two petitions filed by digital news portal `The Leaflet’ and journalist Nikhil Wagle which had challenged the new regulations notified by the government in February this year. According to the petitions, the new rules are “vague”, “draconian”, and bound to have a “chilling effect” on the freedom of press and right to free speech guaranteed by the Constitution. The petitioners had also contended that the rules “go beyond the parameters set by the Information Technology Act and limits set under Article 19 of the Constitution”, and sought an interim stay on the implementation of the new IT Rules till the court gives its final decision in the matter.

Meanwhile, the high court has refused to stay clause 14 that pertains to the setting up of an inter-ministerial committee with powers to regulate online content and deal with grievances and breach of rules, and clause 16 which is about blocking of online content in case of an emergency.

The Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 seek to regulate dissemination and publication of content in cyber space, including social media platforms. The rules notified in February, also recommend a three-tier mechanism for the regulation of all online media. Under the rules, the digital publishers are required to take urgent steps for appointing a grievance officer, if not done, and place all relevant details in the public domain. They also need to constitute self-regulatory bodies through mutual consultation so that the grievances are addressed at the level of publishers or the self-regulating bodies themselves.

It is significant to note that similar petitions opposing the new rules have been filed in high courts across the country.

August 16, 2021
HDFC Securities gives social media mandate to Puretech Digital

Mumbai: Looking to leverage the opportunities in Indian capital markets, brokerage firm HDFC Securities is betting big on digital. To that end, the company has onboarded Mumbai-based digital marketing firm, Puretech Digital, to manage its content and social media mandate.

HDFC Securities will work closely with the agency to create compelling investor awareness campaigns across multiple digital platforms. Puretech will create and manage a wide variety and format of content across its various social media platforms. A large part of this content strategy will pivot around video and vernacular.

The goal behind the mandate is to use digital platforms to drive greater engagement with users and create financial awareness at a time when more Indians than ever before are investing in financial assets. With 2021 turning out to be a great year for the Indian capital markets, the secondary market indices are frequently testing new highs, while the primary market is buzzing with unprecedented interest in IPOs. First-time investors are flocking in large numbers to invest in the stock markets and brokerages are opening demat and trading accounts at a rate never seen before, said the statement.

The number of demat accounts in the country has increased sharply since the start of FY20, from Rs four crore to about Rs seven crore. The boom in equities, along with the COVID-19 lockdown, has incentivised people to learn about the stock market, it added.

“The rise in interest in the stock market presents an opportunity for and puts the responsibility on the financial-services industry to educate investors, especially as more youngsters try to navigate the world of equities in the hopes of achieving their financial goals,” said HDFC Securities CMO & CDO Gagan Singla, adding that social media, video and vernacular are great ways to reach both first-time and seasoned investors. “We are working with Puretech Digital on optimising and driving excellence throughout a customer’s financial decision journey while assisting them to leverage from our more than two decades of capital markets expertise and experience. We are sure that our leadership in research translating into digital content will provide ease of stock market picking for our customers and a wider audience,” Singla added.

Puretech Digital will drive the execution of this ambition, led by its team of growth marketing professionals, content creators, and digital marketers.

“Digital platforms offer an incredible opportunity to create greater investor awareness through knowledge-based content,” said Quantent president and Puretech Digital CEO & MD Prashant Deorah. “Puretech and HDFC Securities are working collaboratively to drive better outcomes across the marketing funnel, be it through content, search, or social media. “

August 11, 2021
Royal Enfield’s new ad-film kindles the joy of returning home

Mumbai: Royal Enfield has rolled out a new digital film capturing the joy of returning home after a long journey alone.

The film called ‘Home‘ is conceptualised and executed by Mumbai-based production house Coconut Films and was taken up by Royal Enfield. It follows a sole rider’s journey through Ladakh on a motorcycle, the wheels mapping out the circle of life beneath them.

The film, which is extensively shot in the beautiful locales of Ladakh, touches upon various emotions and feelings attached to returning to one’s safe haven- one’s home. It captures a solo traveller’s emotions and what she feels through her journey back home like reminiscing the good old days and light-hearted moments that are experienced by her while travelling a long distance on her bike. It strikes a connection with its core message : ‘Going the distance is not about how far away you will get, but from what length you’re willing to return.’

Targeting all biking enthusiasts, the film has been released digitally across all social media platforms.

Shedding light on producing and shooting Royal Enfield’s new brand film, Coconut Films co-founder, Tushar Raut said, the team has put its soul into making the film. “The campaign idea was born out of conversations with our team which has a lot of biking enthusiasts. They all beamed a common passion around the bike, its looks and its performance. One thing we knew was to let the story emote itself while showing the bike in all its glory and yet create a narrative that touches the audience’s heart. As for the music, the choice of the folkloric vocals and background music is like an uplifting crescendo that gives a charismatic, authentic touch to the film,” he said.

Speaking about the film, Royal Enfield, global head of marketing, Shubhranshu Singh said, “As a brand we welcome creative expression and are fortunate to be at the heart of an evolved community of gifted creators. ‘Home’ is an evocative piece of content by Coconut Films that tells a heartfelt story in a very authentic manner”.

Speaking about the film, director, Aiman Ali said, “Seldom, we get to do projects crafted with so much perseverance, honesty, and love. Shooting at one of the humblest places in the world – Ladakh, and exploring the raw beauty and wholehearted emotions of its people was a side we hadn’t seen before. Their way of life made us wonder if we are missing a point when we say we need to go the distance in life. Maybe at times going the distance could mean taking a step back, towards your roots. This introspection is what fuelled our latest project ‘Home’ for the Royal Enfield Himalayan”.

August 4, 2021
Dentsu Webchutney wins digital & social media mandate for ACKO

MUMBAI: Dentsu Webchutney, the digital creative agency from the house of dentsu India, has won the social media mandate for digital insurance policy provider, ACKO General Insurance. The account was won following a multi-agency pitch.

In four years, the insurance brand, with its entire operations offered through the digital platform ACKO has set new benchmarks for customer experience in an otherwise slow-moving category. Dentsu Webchutney comes in with a specific goal to grow ACKO’s place in the market, with an always-on social excellence approach.

Dentsu Webchutney vice president GD Prasad said, “In a short time, ACKO has established itself as a disruptive brand that every player in the category will soon follow. To partner with them, is to take another step into the deep end of the impact of digital technologies. We have the enviable chance to build a brand whose actions are aligned with its values. We will continue to push the bar for them in what has turned out to be a year of fantastic partnerships with disruptive new brands for Dentsu Webchutney.“

ACKO General Insurance executive VP—marketing, Ashish Mishra added, “We are absolutely thrilled to be joining forces with Dentsu Webchutney. Partnering with them to lead our charter on digital marks the beginning of a journey that is filled with intent and backed by action. We are certain that Dentsu Webchutney, with their nuanced understanding of the digital landscape, will fuel our vision to be the country’s most loved general insurance brand.”

August 2, 2021
Netflix eyes foray into video gaming, hires former Facebook exec as gaming VP

New Delhi: Netflix is finally making the big move. Even as media conglomerates across the world slug it out to challenge its dominance in the streaming space, the US giant is gearing up for its next step. According to reports, Netflix is planning to expand beyond its traditional streaming business, and make its foray into video gaming.

On Wednesday, Netflix hired former Facebook, vice president, Mike Verdu, as VP of game development to lead its video games unit, reported Bloomberg. Verdu was previously Facebook’s vice president in charge of working with developers to bring games and other content to Oculus virtual-reality headsets.

He has previously served as senior vice president of EA mobile, president of studios and chief creative officer at Kabam, CEO of TapZen, and chief executive officer for Zynga from 2009 to 2012. At Netflix, he will report to chief operating officer Greg Peters.

The idea is to offer video games on Netflix’s streaming platform within the next year, Bloomberg quoted a person familiar with the situation. According to the report, the games will appear alongside current fare as a new programming genre — similar to what Netflix did with documentaries or stand-up specials.

The reports suggest Netflix will build its gaming team in the next few months, and it has “already started advertising for game-development related positions on its website”.

The company now has 208 million paid subscribers across the globe, up from 204 million last quarter, and the latest announcement could be its boldest move yet. The announcement comes at a time, when Netflix is looking at ways to catalyse its growth especially in saturated markets like the US. Analysts contend that the move could also enable the company to justify its price hike in the coming few months.

July 15, 2021