ITV

Tag: United Spirits

  • Virat Kohli joins campaign to encourage Indian athletes through video

    Virat Kohli joins campaign to encourage Indian athletes through video

    NEW DELHI: Cricket skipper Virat Kohli and Royal Challenge Sports Drink have joined together to make a ‘Made of Bold’ video aimed at pay tribute to the bold journey of Indian athletes who play bold against all odds and need to be given the much deserved recognition and spotlight.

    “Jis desh ki ragon mein khoon se zyada cricket daudta hai
    Wahan kuch ansune ankahe irrade bhi daudte hain, khamoshi se.
    Ansune anjaane par kisi se kum nahin”
    Link to watch the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNtg92ULcAA

    These opening lines from the ‘Made of Bold’ video narrated by Virat Kohli and written by Sonal Dabral give a perspective on the behind-the-scenes challenges of Indian athletes, who strive for success against all odds in a country that primarily worships cricket.

    They do not have packed stadiums with screaming fans, but they still give it their all, every single day not for a tour, not for a tournament but for 4 years at a stretch and against all odds: only because they are ‘made of bold’.

    Link to download the video: https://fil.email/iAAGt

    Kohli said: “Every successful athlete has a journey made up of a bold spirit, grit and mental strength. I took up cricket at an early age and today it has given me people’s love and respect. There are champions in the country who have taken up sports other than cricket but the fact is that their commitment and sacrifices are not known to many. They silently endure the test of times in their sporting journey putting a lot at stake and unafraid of consequences. They are indeed “Made of Bold”. This video is an attempt to give everyone a glimpse into the never-say-die spirit of these athletes.”

    United Spirits Sr. VP – Marketing Subroto Geed said: “Virat is a supreme and world class athlete. The “Made of Bold” film from Royal Challenge Sports Drink is about Virat, the athlete, paying tribute to the countless other athletes of India for making a bold choice of their sport and pursuing it despite all the odds. It brings to life the brand’s purpose of inspiring the spirit of taking on life through one’s bold choices.”

  • Virat Kohli joins campaign to encourage Indian athletes through video

    Virat Kohli joins campaign to encourage Indian athletes through video

    NEW DELHI: Cricket skipper Virat Kohli and Royal Challenge Sports Drink have joined together to make a ‘Made of Bold’ video aimed at pay tribute to the bold journey of Indian athletes who play bold against all odds and need to be given the much deserved recognition and spotlight.

    “Jis desh ki ragon mein khoon se zyada cricket daudta hai
    Wahan kuch ansune ankahe irrade bhi daudte hain, khamoshi se.
    Ansune anjaane par kisi se kum nahin”
    Link to watch the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNtg92ULcAA

    These opening lines from the ‘Made of Bold’ video narrated by Virat Kohli and written by Sonal Dabral give a perspective on the behind-the-scenes challenges of Indian athletes, who strive for success against all odds in a country that primarily worships cricket.

    They do not have packed stadiums with screaming fans, but they still give it their all, every single day not for a tour, not for a tournament but for 4 years at a stretch and against all odds: only because they are ‘made of bold’.

    Link to download the video: https://fil.email/iAAGt

    Kohli said: “Every successful athlete has a journey made up of a bold spirit, grit and mental strength. I took up cricket at an early age and today it has given me people’s love and respect. There are champions in the country who have taken up sports other than cricket but the fact is that their commitment and sacrifices are not known to many. They silently endure the test of times in their sporting journey putting a lot at stake and unafraid of consequences. They are indeed “Made of Bold”. This video is an attempt to give everyone a glimpse into the never-say-die spirit of these athletes.”

    United Spirits Sr. VP – Marketing Subroto Geed said: “Virat is a supreme and world class athlete. The “Made of Bold” film from Royal Challenge Sports Drink is about Virat, the athlete, paying tribute to the countless other athletes of India for making a bold choice of their sport and pursuing it despite all the odds. It brings to life the brand’s purpose of inspiring the spirit of taking on life through one’s bold choices.”

  • NDTV and Diageo launches second season of Road to Safety campaign

    NDTV and Diageo launches second season of Road to Safety campaign

    MUMBAI: After a successful launch, United Spirits-NDTV Road to Safety, a Diageo initiative returns in its second year to address one of the biggest concerns for the Indian government and society today the appalling state of road safety in our country.  Last year, to make India’s roads safer, a 7-point road safety agenda was presented to the government. The agenda covered a lot of aspects ranging from the laws that need amendment to the traffic police force that needs training.

     

    This year too, the campaign attempts to address this issue by encouraging citizens to take a pledge to never drink and drive. As a part of this initiative, in conjunction with the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways a special talk show was hosted with the honorable Minister of road transport and highways Nitin Gadkari at the Gateway of India, Mumbai.

     

    Union Minster for Road Transport & Highways, Nitin Gadkari stressed on the importance of making airbags mandatory in every type of car. It is the primary duty of the government to establish measures to protect the life of people irrespective of caste or creed. He further highlighted the significance of having a scientific process of issuing licenses. 30% of driving licenses are bogus. He promised to open 3000 centers in the country for driving and fitness measurement in order to procure those licenses He also requested people to identify accident prone areas on highways and report them on the government website. There are a total of 726 accident and black spots in the country. The government is investing 11,000 crores to improve the condition of these spots and working in the right direction to make Indian roads safer.

     

    In its second season, United Spirits-NDTV Road to Safety, a Diageo Initiative, a social campaign attempts to make our roads safer and reduce the number of ‘preventable accidents’ by encouraging citizens to demonstrate more responsible behavior behind the wheel. While lack of awareness, bad road designs, poor maintenance of roads is definitely a part of the problem, a majority of the accidents are a result of drunken driving too.

     

    This year, the event was attended by some of the country’s leading experts, policy makers, and NGO’s to highlight local issues, agendas and recommendations for the road ahead. 

     

    Speaking about this landmark initiative, United Spirits Ltd. business head luxury vertical and corporate relations Abanti Sankaranarayanan said, “The United Spirits-Diageo ‘Road to Safety’ initiative aims to create the necessary impact to address the abysmal state of road safety in our country. In collaboration with local and national partners – the government, civil society, individuals, families, and the industry; we aim to take Phase-II of the programme to greater heights by encouraging more people to drink responsibly and put safety first.”

  • United Spirits appoints Abanti Sankaranarayanan as business head

    United Spirits appoints Abanti Sankaranarayanan as business head

    MUMBAI: Spirits company United Spirits Limited (USL), a subsidiary of Diageo, has roped in Abanti Sankaranarayanan as business head for luxury and corporate relations, India.

     

    With this move, Sankaranarayanan joins the executive committee of USL. With over 20 years in the consumer industry, she has been managing director of Diageo India since July 2012, leading Diageo’s business mandate for international spirits in India. Under her leadership, Diageo’s brand portfolio in India delivered strong double-digit growth and high market share gains coupled with robust equity results.

     

    USL MD & CEO Anand Kripalu said, “We are delighted to have a leader of Abanti’s talent and global caliber to lead our luxury portfolio and drive our corporate relations efforts in India. Her extensive leadership experience and expertise will add strong momentum to the growth of USL’s business in India.”

     

    A new luxury unit is being set up in USL for the premium brands of the portfolio with the objective of maintaining Diageo’s premium brand leadership. Creating a center of luxury excellence will provide focus behind the fastest growing segment of the Indian alcobev market. The luxury business will encompass Diageo’s iconic brands such as Johnnie Walker, Ciroc and the Single Malts.

     

    In addition, Sankaranarayanan will lead the new corporate relations function that has been set up to drive USL towards strong leadership and execution on public policy, regulatory, tax and trade affairs, alcohol policy, corporate reputation & brand, and sustainability & responsibility.  In this role, Sankaranarayanan will build key stakeholder relationships with regulators, government, industry bodies, NGO partners and relevant members of civil society.

     

    Sankaranarayanan said, “I am delighted to take up this new position at USL as we continue the journey to make USL the most trusted and respected consumer goods company in India.”

  • Zee Entertainment Enterprises to be a Nifty 50 stock soon

    Zee Entertainment Enterprises to be a Nifty 50 stock soon

    MUMBAI: The Subhash Chandra-owned Zee Entertainment Enteprises Ltd (Zeel) is getting blue blooded once again. The Zeel stock is all set to get included in the 50-share CNX Nifty index, come 19 September 2014. It will be stepping into the spot left vacant by the eviction of the Diageo-controlled United Spirits Ltd (USL).  The latter enjoyed just a six month stay in the CNX Nifty 50 as it had been placed in it in April 2014.

     

    India Index Services & Products Ltd, a NSE-Crisil joint venture that maintains the Nifty index, on 20 August, after market hours released a statement stating the same.

     

    Zeel  jumped to a high of Rs 300 during the early trade on 21 August. It opened 1.7 per cent higher than the previous close of Rs 293, while the stock of USL  was trading under pressure, following news of its being dumped from the Nifty. The stock opened 3 per cent lower at Rs 2,390 and ended 2.1 per cent lower than the close on 20 August 2014.

     

    This is not Zeel’s debut on the CNX Nifty 50 Index. It had an earlier stint which ended in March 2009 when  Axis Bank replaced it.  Another notable point is that while USL  has fallen more than 20 per cent since its inclusion in the Nifty 50 in April 2014, Zeel has risen around 35 per cent in the past one year.

     

    NSE also announced other inclusions and exclusions in the index; Aurobindo Pharma and Motherson Sumi Systems will be included in CNX Nifty 100 replacing Mphasis and Zeel.

     

    There have been changes in the CNX Nifty 200 as well. Companies such as CARE, Castrol India, Muthoot Finance, Edelweiss Financial Services, Kaveri Seeds, Marico among others will replace the likes of Adani Power, CRISIL, Bhushan Steel and Vijaya Bank etc.

     

    A total of 15 companies in the CNX 500 index, two from the FMCG and LIX 15 indices and one each from the CNX Consumption and NI15 indices have been replaced. All the changes will be effective from 19 September 2014.

     

    The CNX Nifty 50 index is reviewed every six months and a six week notice is given to the market before any changes are made to the index set.  As per the guidelines, only 10 per cent of the Nifty stocks (five stocks) can be reshuffled in a calendar year. Two stocks (USL and Tech Mahindra) were already included in the Nifty 50 in April 2014.

     

    In 2010 and 2012, four stocks from the Nifty were replaced while in 2011, two stocks and 2013, three stocks were substituted.

     

    Zeel also has been included in the recently launched CNX Media Index on the NSE and carried the maximum weight of 45.45 per cent in the index that comprises 15 media and entertainment stocks. The methodology for selection of the stock was based on free float market capitalisation.

     

    Click here for details of NSE’s CNX Nifty Index methodology

    Click here for CNX Media Index details

  • Star India targets Rs 100 crore revenue from Asia Cup

    Star India targets Rs 100 crore revenue from Asia Cup

    MUMBAI: Star India is believed to be  in line to raise Rs 100 crore from the upcoming Asia Cup cricket tournament which is to be held from 25 February to 8 March 2014 in Bangladesh.  The Asia Cup features the national teams of cricket crazy India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Afghanistan which will be vying to lift the trophy.

     

    The on-ground action is to be telecast on its Star Sports channels  and is believed to be attracting 10 second air time rates between Rs 1.80 lakh to Rs 2.50 lakh from advertisers.

     

    Star India sports business head Nitin Kukreja told agencies that 90 per cent of the channels air time inventory has been sold off. This apart, mainline brands such as Nokia India, Idea Cellular and United Spirits have come on as presenting sponsors.  Other brands which have signed up with Star Sports  as associate sponsors include Tata Motors, Birla Sunlife Insurance and Perfetti India.

     

    Star India which has both the on-air and on-ground selling rights had in early February announced that it had roped in Arise India as the ground title sponsor while  Cycle Pure Agarbathies, Daikin, Savsol Lubricants and Peps Mattress had also hopped on board as ground sponsors.

  • ‘We have no intentions of selling Deccan Chargers currently’ : Deccan Chargers COO Venkat Reddy

    ‘We have no intentions of selling Deccan Chargers currently’ : Deccan Chargers COO Venkat Reddy

    For IPL franchise Deccan Chargers, it has been a story of ups and downs. The team had a miserable run in the inaugural season but bounced back strongly in the second edition to walk away with the title.

     

    Even off the field, Deccan Chargers had to deal with uncertainty what with the main shirt sponsor changing hands every year. However in the fifth edition of the IPL, the franchisee has finally found its true calling striking a multi-million dollar three year sponsorship deal with Emirates besides roping in a host of other national and local sponsors.

     

    The franchise has also been in the news frequently that it is on the blocks. Deccan Chronicle Holdings had mandated KPMG Corporate Finance to find a buyer and was looking at a valuation of $250 million in 2008.

     

    In an interview with Indiantelevision.com‘s Ashwin Pinto, Deccan Chargers COO Venkat Reddy clears the air about the team’s sale reports by asserting that it is committed to the team and is not planning to presently sell the team. Reddy, a man of few words, also said that the franchise has broken even and is looking at good revenue growth this year.

     

    Excerpts:

    Will Deccan Chronicle sell IPL franchise if the valuation is attractive or will you wait for it to mature further?
    Presently, we have no intentions of selling the team. Deccan Chargers is very much owned fully by Deccan Chronicle Holdings Limited.

    Deccan Chargers posted revenues of Rs 1.15 billion in 2010. What has the growth been since then and have you operationally broken even?
    We have achieved break even and expect the growth to be good this year. It is an exciting season for us and we have got good response from sponsors.

    How did the deal with Emirates come about? Which are the other new sponsors who have joined?
    IPL 2012 is a huge opportunity to leverage revenues with the Deccan Chargers being a well known and growing brand. Strategic trading in auction without compromising on the team balance has brought in sizeable revenue in its kitty. We are privileged to have Emirates as our team sponsor. And our other main sponsors are Jaypee Cement, TVS Motors, United Spirits, Kingfisher, Xenoh and Puma. We were associated with Jaypee for the inaugural IPL season and are pleased to have them back. We are reaching out to our fan base, taking the matches to the catchment areas of Vizag and Odisha.

    Is the Telangana issue going to affect your ticketing revenues once again?
    This year we have three confirmed cities as Deccan Chargers home grounds – Vizag, Cuttack and Hyderabad. Our matches are well distributed in these three cities, which will see a considerable growth in gate revenues. Added is the special hospitality seating areas created for the spectators to enjoy the matches and have a great experience. The match entertainment is also very carefully planned, keeping the local flavour in view.
    ‘We have achieved break even and expect the growth to be good this year. Emirates is our team sponsor. Our other main sponsors are Jaypee Cement, TVS Motors, United Spirits, Kingfisher, Xenoh and Puma‘

    Given that it has been four years since IPL started, has licensing and merchandising become a serious revenue stream or is there still a long way to go?
    Yes, it is and there are challenges yet to be faced.

    Has Deccan Chronicle got what it aimed at when it decided to be involved with the IPL franchise?
    Deccan Chronicle has always supported sports and has nurtured the Deccan Chronicle cricket team for years. IPL was a great opportunity to get into big league and cricket is religion for us Indians. We are now a well known sports brand globally and want to extend further. T20 cricket is challenging. We have emerged as winners in 2009 after suffering a major setback in the inaugural season. We believe in working hard and motivating our team to perform well without putting any pressure. We have seen a tremendous growth trend in our fans base, which continues. As per the latest study on Top Ten Social Media Influencers by DataQuest, Deccan Chargers has been in the Top Ten Indian Brands.

    How do fans perceive the Deccan Chargers and how do you maintain a relationship with them across the year even after the IPL season gets over?
    Deccan Chargers is always full of surprises. We have a loyal fan base that supports us thick and thin. We maintain interaction through the social media sites like Facebook and Twitter.

    What marketing activities are being done to create excitement?
    Our local campaigns have already started. We recently organised events in Hyderabad and Vizag like the See U in Blue event, Buildings lit in blue, Cycle rally, Beach Corporate Cricket etc. A separate fans blog, selecting some active fans on social media sites and giving away DC goodies and many other fan engagement activities are lined up. unstoppabulls.deccanchargers.com/ featured a contest to find “Super Blogger, Photographer & Videographer” who‘ll be part of DC Crew to follow & cover team DC.

    Could you talk about your deal with My Rewards International?
    We have agreed to market membership based programmes under a co-branding arrangement. This will give our members and their family access to the My Rewards benefits which are available throughout India and the world. Similarly, over one million My Rewards members throughout India, Australia, Hong Kong, New Zealand and the Philippines will have the opportunity to join the Deccan Chargers and enjoy all the benefits of being a member of one of the premier IPL teams. I am sure our fans will enjoy the plethora of rewards.