MUMBAI: Sony India has appointed McCann World Group as its new creative agency in India after an extensive selection process.
McCann will be responsible for planning and executing 360-degree creative branding mandate for the overall brand. The contract signed for a period of two years will involve the agency performing all creative duties from making a TVC to branding at retail.
“Our decision to appoint McCann World Group follows an extensive selection process whereby we reviewed presentations from some of the leading agencies in India. The re-pitch journey is a platform for us to assess and examine the latest market scenario,” said Sony India head of marketing communication and retail Yuichi Hasegawa.
Hasegawa further said, “The evaluation criterion ranging from creative inputs to execution ideas enabled us to take the final decision on the choice of agency. We look forward to working with McCann, an agency which understands the Sony as a premium brand and which has developed a reputation for creating powerful advertising that engages consumers. We believe McCann can help us take the leap in our creative strategy.”
McCann World Group CEO and chief creative officer Prasoon Joshi said, “Pitching for Sony was a brilliant experience. There was clarity in the Company’s vision and deliverables right from the beginning and am happy that we at McCann could put our expertise and talents together to win their trust.We are looking forward to doing some meaningful work together.”
MUMBAI: Milo Ready to Drink is a recently launched cocoa-malt milk beverage crafted specially for growing children, and has lower sugar with less than 10 grams of added sugar per pack (180 ml).
Milo has unveiled its national advertising campaign ‘Milo — Grow with sports.’ Milo believes that sports helps imbibe life values that set the foundation for a child’s future. With this new TVC, it aims to underline the importance of sports in the growing years, making it a must-have nourishing beverage for kids, to excel in the same.
In the new ad campaign, Milo is building on the fact that a mother’s greatest wish is to see her child succeed and fulfill his/her potential. While she does her best to prepare the child for life ahead, she knows that success in life needs more than skills learnt from books. Through sports, children will learn to persevere through hardship, find courage over fear, work as a team, find self-belief, be respectful and learn how to lead.
Dairy, Nestlé India GM Arvind Bhandari said, “Milo believes that sports is critical for personality development and helps kids grow holistically in their formative years. We hope that mothers understand our message and nurture their children with Milo as they grow with sports.”
The 45-second TVC features children participating in various sports like Football, Basketball, Athletics and Kabaddi with a voice over that highlights the prominence of sports in life. The video leads to a child’s victory in a race post which his mother gives him Milo to replenish his energy. Towards the end, the ad highlights the much loved international taste of Milo RTD, based on our unique ingredient ACTIV-GO™, which contains PROTOMALT™, Vitamins (B2, B3, B6, B12), and minerals (Calcium, Iron, Phosphorus). Milo RTD has lower sugar with less than 10 grams of added sugar per pack (180 ml).
‘Milo — Grow with sports’ campaign is being aired across prime time on National & Regional TV (Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam) as well as Facebook and YouTube.
MUMBAI: TVS Motor Company launched a new advertising campaign for its motorcycle brand — TVS Sport. The campaign has been conceptualised by Mullen Lowe Lintas Group and follows the journey of a young boxer from a small village straight to the National Sports Training Facility in the city. He is abetted by TVS Sport, the perfect partner in his pursuit of success; the product’s unmatched fuel economy of 95 km/l, five-year warranty and affordable pricing; one that is an ideal fit for his requirement.
The film opens with a young man riding out of his village on TVS Sport, reminiscing how his humble beginnings never stopped him from chasing his dreams. He rides past the local gym in the village, smiling at how his goals have changed over the years. Riding on the dusty roads in the outskirts, he passes by a broken bike and continues unperturbed on his TVS Sport. His determination is fuelled by the confidence that his bike is high on mileage and durability and is ready to be pushed to new limits. As the film closes, we see him take off his jacket, revealing his jersey with National Boxer imprinted on it thus cementing his position as a go-getter.
The concluding voiceover reinstates that we must never let distances or difficult roads get into the way of achieving our dreams.
TVS Motor Company VP – marketing (motorcycles) Arun Siddharth said, “The youth residing in small towns, harbour dreams of making it big in life and surpass every obstacle. TVS Sport with its unmatchable mileage, and durability gives them an edge on their path to achieving success beyond the prescribed boundaries. The film is an attempt to celebrate the spirit of such people who set their sights higher and overcome challenges.”
MullenLowe Lintas Group executive director Rajesh Ramaswamy said, “We wanted to position the TVS Sport, which offers great mileage and durability, as the perfect partner for these young, go-getters who will stop at nothing to achieve their dreams. It’s a perfect fit and the ad captures both the mind-set of the youth today and the salient features of the bike.”
MUMBAI: Airtel has filed an application before the watchdog The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) for the review of decision with additional material to support its advertisement campaign. ASCI had concluded the ad claiming Airtel to be “officially” fastest network as misleading and asked the company to withdraw or modify the commercial by 11 April.
Telecom major Bharti Airtel filed the appeal seeking review of ASCI’s decision that sought modification or withdrawal of the company’s ‘fastest network’ campaign. Airtel had come out with a television commercial (TVC) claiming to be India’s fastest network based on Ookla’s finding. Its new competitor Jio had contested the claim and moved the ASCI against the commercial.
ASCI’s Fast Track Complaints Committee (FTCC) upheld Jio’s complaint on 29 March that Bharti Airtel’s commercial depicting it as having the fastest telecom network in the country is misleading. The committee of ASCI ruled that the “TVC and website advertisement contravened” ASCI rules. Bharti Airtel had said it will file an appeal against the order.
Upholding the complaint filed by rival Reliance Jio Infocom, ASCI said the Airtel TV commercial (TVC) was “misleading” and “contravened Chapters” of its Code as well as guidelines on disclaimers clauses.
Ookla had also responded to ASCI decision saying that it fully stands behind the reliability and accuracy of the methodology used to designate Airtel as ‘India’s Fastest Mobile Network’.
MUMBAI: Haier, a global leader in Home Appliances & Consumer Electronics, is ready to welcome the summer season with the launch of its new TV commercial campaign for its recently launched inverter technology, ‘Smart Eye’ air conditioner.
The TVC went live on television recently and is being aired across all metro cities in six different languages across leading English, Hindi, GECs and other regional entertainment, movies and music channels. The new TVC primarily highlights the consumer centric smart features of Haier’s ‘Smart Eye’ Air-conditioner. Haier partnered with Scarecrow Communications, Delhi as the creative agency for conceptualizing and executing the TVC.
The story revolves around different characters including renowned actors such as Jugal Hansraj who plays the role of a progressive prince bringing the new Haier AC in the house and the lead character Remotu kaka played by Vaibhhav Mathur. The film has been directed by renowned Ad Film director – Pradeep Sarkar of Apocalypso Film Works.
The story is of a royal family living in a palace where every member has different demands when it comes to the cooling intensity of the AC and Remotu Kaka holds the utmost responsibility in the house to adjust the temperature, the air throw direction, cooling intensity etc. of the each air conditioner with his multiple remotes. The TVC stars striking characters with unforgettable quirks. From Remotu Kaka who is wearing a jacket loaded with remotes to a Rajmata who plays polo sitting on an electric wheelchair to a king’s family wielding Japanese fans. Not only this, but also the entry of Haier Air Conditioners in the film is quite unique where they are escorted into the palace placed on a series of royal palanquins.
The commercial details out the user benefits of the ‘Smart Eye’ air conditioner by Haier, which comes with Inverter Technology, energy saving capabilities and is designed to add comfort and convenience to the lives of the consumers.The Cooling intensity and temperature adjustment in an AC is a primary concern many consumers have, but to understand what the human body wants is also very difficult. Therefore, the TVC focuses on the recently introduced ‘Smart Eye’ AC by Haier, which comes with a human sensor where the AC automatically adjusts its cooling efficiency depending on the number of people in the room, their exact position as well as external light conditions. Moreover, the storyline of the commercial also highlights how constant manual adjustment of temperature or cooling intensity leads to wastage of electricity. Thus, with the introduction of Haier’s new ‘Smart Eye’ AC, “Remotu Kaka” does not have to manually adjust the temperature and other functionalities of the AC anymore and his life is now like a cool breeze of air as against the earlier times, when he had to constantly manage various things through multiple remotes.
The campaign will run across all digital and social media platforms of Haier based on the theme “#Remotukaka”.
Haier India president Eric Braganza said, “The demand of air conditioners will considerably increase, therefore, our aim is to create a top of mind recall amongst consumers for Haier air conditioners through the launch of this TV commercial. It is targeted towards consumers who intend to upgrade or purchase a new home appliance that is efficient and adds extra comfort to their lives.”
Scarecrow Communications founder-director Raghu Bhat said “The AC market is getting increasingly cluttered and hyper-active. The first requirement for any communication is disruption and memorability. Hence the story line and the characters in the plot – have to appeal to consumers instantly. That’s why we created a character and a name – “Remotu Kaka” that consumers can remember and talk about. To communicate the propositions of the Smart Eye AC, we have used vivid visual demonstrations that bring alive the differentiated features like 50 feet cooling and Human Eye where the breeze follows a moving person.”
MUMBAI: Pass Pass Pulse, the candy from DS Group that stormed the hard-boiled candy market with its launch in 2015, has rolled out its first TV commercial. Pulse Candy, with a tangy twist, makes it standout! It offers an experience that starts with a fruity taste and peaks with a tangy surprise. A mouth full of fun and peculiarity, the consumers love. This irresistible fervor for Pulse candy is extended to the brand communication, with a tag line of ‘Pran jaaye par Pulse na jaaye’, with quirky and humorous examples of how far people can go to save their favourite Pulse Candy. After all, one does not like to part with precious belongings.
The first TVC, conceptualized by J. Walter Thompson Company, is the master commercial that outlines the length to which people will go to hide their Pulse Candy and also the extent people will go to get their hands on a PulseCandy.
The film opens on the protagonist who is asleep in his room – this is when his house mates, on a day off, decide to play a prank on him to get their hands on his Pulse stash. We suddenly see his roommate run in and wake him up, screaming that the house in on fire. The protagonist, in a blurred sleepy state on seeing smote and sparks, actually assumes that the house is on fire, as he sees his friends running to collect their precious belongings. This is when our guy springs to action, rushing to save his hidden Pulse Candies; from inside a remote, the one hidden in a DVD drive, to some, hidden in a trumpet. Once he has managed to get his hand on the stash, he rushes out. That’s when the plot unravels, a well-crafted ploy that has his friends creating the fire and smoke, amongst others. At the end, the plot succeeds and he has to give up his hidden stash of candies, but not until he manages to keep one for himself. The commercial ends with the tag line that says – ‘Pran jaaye par Pulse na jaaye’
DS Group VP – New Product Development Shashank Surana said, “Pass Pass Pulse has been a category disruptor and was an instant hit with the consumers across age groups since its launch. Thus, the idea was to create a campaign, which can reiterate the love of consumers for the Pulse candies. The TVC beautifully showcases this emotion, demonstrating the popularity of the candy .With the launch of this humorous TVC, our endeavor is to take the brand’s popularity to the next level and further strengthen the consumer connect.’’
J. Walter Thompson Company vice president & executive planning director Shujoy Dutta said “It’s well known that candy is an impulse purchase and normally we would assume that this would appeal to the children. But when we were commissioned to work on the brand we discovered that the appeal of the candy spanned all age groups. Consumers enjoyed it so much that they were also buying them in jars – and during the development of the campaign we heard that the demand outstripped the supply and it became difficult to get your hands on thecandy.”
J. Walter Thompson executive creative directors Sundeep Sehgal and Siddharth Prasad said “The challenge of working on a candy campaign is that the category has already seen a large volume of work and expectations from candy advertising are high. We were looking for a unique, fresh take that would give people yet another reason to love Pulse. We noticed that people in office wouldn’t keepPulse on their tables, but in a drawer or behind a book or something. A little game of hide and seek was playing out right in front of us, and that’s where the campaign idea came from.” Commenting on the line ‘Pran Jaaye, ParPulse Na Jaaye’ they said “it’s a quirky reflection of how people protect their Pulse candy.”
MUMBAI: Parle Agro recently announced the launch of Frooti Fizz, an extension of its flagship brand Frooti. The launch is supported by an integrated communication campaign #FrootiGoFizzy, exuberating its playful characteristics. Frooti Fizz seeks to refresh the category it created, of fruit plus fizz drinks in 2005.
The commercial, conceptualised jointly by S&W based in New York, produced by Hornet Inc., New York, directed by Clim, will go live on 1 April on TV. The music for the campaign is directed by Amit Trivedi.
The product and the campaign will connect to the young consumers who are looking for alternatives to synthetic drinks and are gravitating towards healthier options like fruit based drinks. The #FrootiGoFizzy campaign will move forward the expansion of Parle Agro’s fizz portfolio by creating an offering to the large set of Mango drink consumers with Frooti Fizz.
The campaign builds an elevation in the level of fun of one’s’ life with its bubbly experience conveying how Frooti Fizz is different, with a unique combination of mango and fizz together. The campaign, conceptualised by Sameister & Walsh, includes a new TVC for its mass reach. Along with television, the campaign will include high impact outdoor, print and strong digital campaigns set in a world of optical illusions, targeting the brands core target audience.
To further fuel the growth for the brand, Frooti Fizz will also be a part of the largest on-air property, the Indian Premier League, coming on board as an associate on-air sponsor.
The campaign will also see focus on radio and cinema along with on-ground activations bringing out the spirit of the super cool, playful and fresh feel of the brand in all possible ways. Alia Bhatt’s, recently announced as the brand ambassador, palpable energy and bubbly persona in the campaign is a perfect representation of the young and trendy generation and will help amplify the playful quotient of Frooti Fizz.
Parle Agro JMT Joint and CMO Nadia Chauhan said, “We are confident that the power of both Frooti & Fizz in one brand, coupled with the aggressive marketing strategy for #FrootiGoFizzy, will be impactful for the brand growth and help us grow this category.”
Sagmeister & Walsh partner Jessica Walsh said, “The goal with the new branding we created was to merge the two visual languages from the existing brands so the consumer would feel the familiarity while also recognising it’s a fresh new evolution of these beloved brands. We chose to work with Alia Bhatt as the brand ambassador as she’s fun, funky, fresh and full of energy.”
Bhatt said, “I had an amazing experience and tremendous fun being a part of it. #FrootiGoFizzy is a quirky campaign & all about just having a whole lot more fun in life.”
Director Clim said, “The gift of creative freedom is something you don’t normally see much of in the commercial world. Collaborating with creative minds like Jessica. Nadia, Zak Mulligan (Director of Photography), the powerhouse that is Alia, and our amazingly talented and diverse crew was something unique.”
MUMBAI: Water Communications recently unveiled a new campaign for Dr Batra’s based on the concept of ‘live life to the fullest’. Additionally, the campaign also sought to dispel the perception that the brand was just a hair and skin specialist.
Calibrating the message to the choice of media, the print campaign explored a more serious and sophisticated delivery and message, focussing more on exploding the myth that Dr. Batra’s was just about hair and skin. The central headline message boldly dominated the layout and got straight to the core message, albeit in a sophisticated manner. It was smartly complemented by the equally dominant visual of a doctor, thereby lending it plenty of subliminal credibility.
The headline-visual combination having set the context, the copy then goes on to explain that Dr. Batra’s has treated lakhs of patients for over 120 medical conditions, far beyond the pale of hair and skin. Lifestyle diseases, women’s health issues, children’s diseases… it gradually skews towards the other core message: Dr. Batra’s enables you to live life to the fullest.
Deft touches like the little girl with ice cream (explaining how she used to get teased about her colds, but now she can eat all the ice cream she wants), or the middle-aged woman with her confidence and beauty queen ‘tiara’ (who is happy that several issues were sorted out for her), or the professional looking executive in a suit (talking about stress)… leave the viewer being able to empathise and associate with the TVC.
The ads take the rhetoric beyond skin problems and hair loss to the entire spectrum of problems like cold, obesity and stress among others. Reinforcing that the victims could be people of any age group – a child, a young adult, a working professional or an ageing parent.
Water Communications director Vandana Sethhi said, “Today, most often, it isn’t the complex problems but basic health issues faced by an individual in everyday life that deprive them the opportunity of living life to the fullest. Dr Batra’s speciality clinics offer solutions to these and many more health problems that are not only safe but also natural.”
MUMBAI: Moov, the market leader in pain management solutions today announced its new ad campaign ‘Apno ke liye Moov karo’. In one of the TVC, Olympic medallist, P.V. Sindhu will be seen standing up to the nation spreading the key campaign message that Moov enables you to live through the expectations of your loved ones. With this campaign, Moov reinstates its market leadership in pain relief solutions through its product range in ointment and spray categories. The campaign theme of ‘Apno ke liye Moov karo’ aims to enhance connect with the consumers.
RB India marketing head Rohit Jindal said ‘Moov has a legacy of helping people get instant pain relief. With the new campaign we want to say that pain is a sign of pushing yourself to try harder. P.V Sindhu is the pride of our nation and her dedication and determination towards her game is unmatched. We are proud to associate with her as a brand ambassador for Moov. She inspires all of us to moov beyond pain and stretch what is possible.”
Mc Cann World Group India CEO Prasoon Joshi said, “Moov is a dynamic brand and this an insight campaign to further create a stronger brand connect. We really value our relationship with Reckitt Benckiser. We have already taken Dettol from strength to strength with a great partnership with the entire team. With this campaign Moov, am sure will come closer to our consumers”.
Olympic medallist P. V Sindhu said, “I feel overwhelmed to be associated with Moov which is spreading the important message of living a pain free life. I have used the product and recommend it to everyone for instant pain relief and hope that this association will bring relevance to their endeavour”.
In the stagnant category of rubs and balms, Moov decided to beat market leadership with thought-leadership. The category demanded a fresh perspective on pain and subsequently on relief. Pain has largely been depicted in clichéd narratives where the pain sufferer is shown as being unable to perform her chores or household responsibilities or has to compromise on an active lifestyle that gets interfered by incidents of pain. Consequently, even the depiction of relief has been around ‘restoration of normalcy’ – a homemaker back in the kitchen, a young couple back to playing sport, an executive running to catch a bus, etc. became markers of relief. All This demanded the depiction of pain with a fresh perspective. Moov has always understood not just pain, but the sufferer in pain. Falling upon its legacy, Moov understands the impact of pain on people’s lives and thus, the role of pain-relief. Thus was born the idea – ‘Apno Ke Liye Moov Karo’.
The ad campaign was launched in January with their first ad featuring a working mother engaging with her child and doing everything possible to bring joy to their family. The ad showcases that the protagonist chooses to apply Moov and get rid of pain, hence making a right choice for herself and her family. It depicts the essence of the communication which Moov is trying to bring forth.
In the series, the second ad campaign by Moov has been shot with the brand ambassador Sindhu. It brings alive Sindhu, an Indian athlete with huge fan following, practicing at one of the courts before a big match when she pulls her muscle while trying to pick a drop shot. The stadium starts filling with people in anticipation, the world starts preparing to watch the much awaited match (depicted in the TVC through various ways). That’s when P.V. Sindhu reaches out for a MOOV spray and shows her determination by rising for the occasion and kicks off the pain with her Moov spray. She takes a moment to settle and finally stands up for her fans and supporters, thus saying – ‘Apno ke liye Moov karo’.
MUMBAI: ShopClues, one of India’s largest managed marketplace known for its deals and unparalleled price points, is now ready to roll out its ShopClues Surety programme alongside its Super-Bargain Sale.
ShopClues Surety is an extension to ShopClues’ Buyer Protection promise, which ensures that lakhs of products undergo extensive 5 point quality check and have a secure dispatching. It also marks out products sold by brand authorised sellers, providing a hassle free and convenient online shopping experience. The Super Bargain Sale highlights this program by guaranteeing a smooth shopping experience, through products that have not only undergone the Surety checks, but are also available at the best-discounted price-points possible in the market. The sale began on 21 February and ends on 28 February.
The TVC, christened ‘Super-Bargain Sale’, focuses on the different kinds of bargaining with several characters, from a 20-something girl, to a married couple to Sisters trying to bargain for best deal. The film ends with a voice-over that relieves the audience by offering the ShopClues ‘Super-Bargain Sale’, where one can shop for products at Super-bargained deals without worrying about quality and bargaining. The film has been conceptualised by Enormous brands, the creative partner of Shopclues.
ShopClues VP – marketing Harneet Singh said, “ShopClues recently completed 5 years since its inception and through the years we have strived to offer the largest selection at the best price points. We Indians love to get the best prices and deals on our shopping, bargain is hence ingrained in our day to day shopping behaviour to achieve it. At the same time quality is also very important as we don’t want to compromise and want the best value for our money. Our Super Bargain Sale campaign, through the new TVC, promises to deliver on these two aspects for our consumers. A lot of hard work has gone in working with our Sellers in getting the best deals on lakhs of products which they sell on our platform. We really hope to delight our consumer through Super bargained deals on Quality checked products and we are sure they would enjoy the TVC.”
Enormous MD Ashish Khazanchi said, “It’s too easy to fall into the ‘just another sale ad’ club these days. Steep discounts have become table-stakes in the e-commerce world. 70% discount or a steep 80% discount, no longer cuts ice with the consumer. We set out to find new clothes for discounts and stumbled upon a fertile bazaar behaviour – ‘there’s a tireless bargainer in every Indian’. The new film hinges on this very insight to drive home the message of good quality products at already bargained prices.”