ITV

Tag: Vipul Prakash

  • Dentsu Webchutney wins digital mandate for MakeMyTrip

    Dentsu Webchutney wins digital mandate for MakeMyTrip

    Mumbai: Dentsu Creative India’s digital creative agency Dentsu Webchutney on Thursday announced that it has won the digital mandate for online travel company MakeMyTrip. The account was won following a multi-agency pitch and will be serviced from the agency’s Mumbai office.

    As per the mandate, the agency will focus on further building MakeMyTrip’s already-vibrant digital presence by implementing an aggressive creative growth strategy.

    Speaking on the win, Dentsu Webchutney associate vice president Upasana Naithani said, “MakeMyTrip is a big win for us, not only because it shows faith by the best of the industry in our agency but also because their values align with ours beautifully. We are very excited to work on campaigns that move both the business and the brand in the right direction.”

    Dentsu Webchutney creative director Chaitanya Joshi added, “While we plan to bring the edge to larger travel occasions, modern creativity means that we are nimble enough to target the micro-occasions in an effective manner. I am glad that the good folks at MakeMyTrip share our zest, and we look forward to a lot of clutter-breaking stuff in the future that not only pushes creative boundaries but also impacts business positively.”

    MakeMyTrip chief operating officer Vipul Prakash commented, “Today, travellers seek more when consuming and engaging with brands across channels. Together with Dentsu Webchutney, we hope to introduce new, innovative ways and concepts that can help engage with Indian travellers better. Our goal remains to be authentic in what we say and innovative in how we connect with the new-age traveller.”

  • MakeMyTrip users can now book Covid-19 vaccine slots on app

    KOLKATA: As travel picks up, MakeMyTrip is rolling out new functionality on its mobile app to allow customers to book their vaccination slots through its app. Customers can also download the vaccination certificate and link it to their profile to avail special travel offers and value adds on travel bookings made through the platform.

    The initiative is a step towards supporting vaccination drives while making travel hassle-free, seamless, and more rewarding for vaccinated travellers, said the company on Thursday.

    As part of CoWIN integration, MakeMyTrip users will now have access to all relevant travel documents anytime and anywhere. The new functionality further allows users to view the linked certificate offline and also schedule reminders for their second vaccination slot. The option to book slots on CoWIN and to download the certificate for both, online and offline viewing will go live on the homepage of the MakeMyTrip app on 28 June. The downloaded certificate will be visible within the ‘My Profile’ section under the ‘Saved Vaccination Certificates’ option. Vaccinated travellers will also be able to avail special offers while booking travel on the platform.

    Speaking about the API integration with the CoWIN portal, MakeMyTrip COO Vipul Prakash shares, “As travel opens up and the vaccination certificate gains more currency, the functionality will allow travellers to have quick access to the document at all times.”

    The company has also released a digital film titled ‘Make the Trip’ – with an encouraging message from children to elders on the need to get vaccinated for the safety of all.

    MakeMyTrip group CMO Sunil Suresh says, “The most important trip all of us need to take this year is to the vaccination center. The digital film is a plea from children to the ones eligible to take a vaccination shot at the first available slot to protect them and everyone around them – a trip that will help everyone to bring back safe and pleasant days soon. We can all do our bit by encouraging people around us to take a shot and with this film, we hope to make sharing this message even easier.”

  • MakeMyTrip launches new campaign with its brand ambassadors Alia & Ranveer

    MakeMyTrip launches new campaign with its brand ambassadors Alia & Ranveer

    MUMBAI: MakeMyTrip, India’s leading online travel company has launched a new campaign, with its brand ambassadors – Ranveer Singh and Alia Bhatt, to encourage Indian travellers to choose and book from a wide range of alternative accommodations including Villas, Apartments, Homestays, Hostels, Cottages, Farm stays and more through its app and website. Targeted at aspirational Indian traveller, the campaign spotlights the salient benefits of Alternative Accommodations, in a fun and light-hearted manner through its brand ambassadors Alia Bhatt and Ranveer Singh.

    The multi-platform campaign underlines how alternative accommodation options on MakeMyTrip will cater to varied travel interests and needs. From offering privacy to couples, value for money and sense of freedom to a group of friends, access to a private kitchen to a family with kids, the segment provides options to all travel cohorts to get an accommodation that aptly fits their needs.

    Sharing his thoughts on the new campaign, MakeMyTrip Group Chief Marketing Officer Sunil Suresh said, “A stay that suits your needs perfectly doesn’t just elevate your experience but is also a travel delight like no other. With over 1,70,000 choices of apartments, villas, hostels and homestays on our platform, everyone is sure to find a place that's just their kind of stay. It is this aspect of travel that we have brought alive through our campaign on alternative accommodations. We have expanded the accommodation choices to fit everyone’s travel needs. We are confident that the campaign will attract a large number of travelers to try these diverse stay options through our platform.”

    As part of the television commercial, Alia will be seen in a quirky avatar, advising Ranveer ‘not to worry about space constraints as the booked Villa or Apartment will have enough room for everyone’. First in the series, the two commercials targeted at ‘Group of friends’ and ‘large family’ – successfully delivers the message that ‘travellers will never have to adjust or compromise with space and other accommodation needs while picking these properties. The campaign will be run across social media platforms including Instagram, Facebook and YouTube among others.

    The campaign is well-timed as demand for Alternative Accommodations gains a strong foothold in the market. A recent survey by the company revealed that more than 48% of travellers are most likely to book an alternative accommodation for their next trip.

    Commenting on the growth of the category, MakeMyTrip Limited Group COO Vipul Prakash shared, “At a time when customers, especially millennials prefer experiential travel choices – alternative accommodations are offering quality yet economical, offbeat options and it is only set to grow more popular within Indian travellers. As a platform, our endeavour is to empower our customer with more and more choices so that they always find the best fit at their one stop travel shop.”

    Conceptualized by MagicCircle Communications, Hemant Misra, Managing Director of the company shared “The campaign breaks set expectations from accommodations. For years travellers know what to expect and where to compromise. With new accommodation offerings, MakeMyTrip breaks these ‘adjustments’ travellers make and delights them with new possibilities. The distinctive personality and styleof the brand is brought alive by Alia and Ranveer.”

  • MakeMyTrip appoints Sunil Suresh as CMO

    MakeMyTrip appoints Sunil Suresh as CMO

    MUMBAI: Sunil Suresh has been appointed as the chief marketing officer for MakeMyTrip and Goibibo. In his role, Suresh will be responsible for driving the company’s marketing efforts, supporting the overall strategic objectives, overseeing all initiatives across the marketing funnel, including brand, social, performance and innovation marketing tracks.

    MakeMyTrip COO Vipul Prakash said, “We are excited to have Sunil on board our leadership team as he brings to the table 18-years of rich experience in marketing, delivering growth across technology, consumer goods and retail businesses. With a unique blend of expertise in multiple domains, deep understanding of consumer behaviour and how businesses can leverage the power of digital, we are confident that he will help propel MakeMyTrip’s next phase of growth.”

    MakeMyTrip India chief marketing officer Sunil Suresh commented, “I am delighted to join MakeMyTrip, one of the most iconic Online Indian brands of our time. The growth story of the company has been synonymous with the growth of travel industry in India. With ambitious plans lined up for its next phase of growth, I am looking forward to be a part of this exciting trip.”

    A graduate from IIT Roorkee, Suresh holds a PG diploma from IIM Lucknow. In his earlier stint, he was working as the chief marketing and strategy officer at Capillar Tech. Prior to that, he has woked with brands like Yum! Brands (Pizza Hut) and Unilever.

  • Mountain Dew fuels gaming culture in India

    Mountain Dew fuels gaming culture in India

    MUMBAI: PepsiCo India today announced the launch of Mountain Dew Game Fuel in India – an exciting new and bold variant. Unveiled at a high decibel launch conference in Delhi, Game Fuel encourages you to take challenges head-on, test your limits and unleash the hero within you.

    As part of the grand launch, Mountain Dew announced the Dew Arena – India’s largest ever gaming championship that aims to engage 30,000+ participants during the entire campaign for a thrilling gaming experience by switching the ‘Hero Mode On’.

    The world of gaming empowers you to take on risks and challenges that allow you to experience the thrill and exhilaration of that extraordinary life, every day. The Dew Arena is a unique 9-week gaming championship which will give the best gamers in India a chance to have their profile on the Mountain Dew Game Fuel bottle, in addition to the prize pool worth INR 10 Lakhs.

    Game Fuel will also reach out to gaming enthusiasts physically in the form of a massive, 50-city gaming truck activation. The culmination of these events will result in the Dew Arena finale on September 25, 2016, among the best gamers of the country. Mountain Dew Game Fuel is also giving consumers an opportunity to win an ‘Xbox One’ every day.

    Speaking at the launch of Mountain Dew Game Fuel and The Dew Arena, Vipul Prakash, Vice President, Beverage Category, PepsiCo Indiasaid, “Innovation is a key driver for Mountain Dew and we have always focused on connecting with consumers in a contextually relevant manner. Mountain Dew Game Fuel is a popular franchise globally and we are excited to add it to our India portfolio. Since gaming in India is gaining exponential popularity across platforms, the Dew Arena has been created to give enthusiasts a change to switch their Hero Mode On and unleash the hero within.”

    Priyadarshi Mohapatra, Country General Manager, Consumer Channel Group, Microsoft India, said, “Gaming, especially Social Gaming, is growing exponentially among Indian audiences. We have consistently received overwhelming response for our Xbox One releases in the country, underlining the expansion of the gaming community in India. We are committed to delivering unmatched and memorable experiences to Indian gamers and our partnership with PepsiCo for Mountain Dew Game Fuel is a step in that direction. We are confident that the platform will attract, and appeal to, the growing Indian gaming community.”

    Available in 600 ML PET bottle and 250 ml can, Mountain Dew Game Fuel is priced at Rs. 35 and 25, respectively.

  • Mountain Dew fuels gaming culture in India

    Mountain Dew fuels gaming culture in India

    MUMBAI: PepsiCo India today announced the launch of Mountain Dew Game Fuel in India – an exciting new and bold variant. Unveiled at a high decibel launch conference in Delhi, Game Fuel encourages you to take challenges head-on, test your limits and unleash the hero within you.

    As part of the grand launch, Mountain Dew announced the Dew Arena – India’s largest ever gaming championship that aims to engage 30,000+ participants during the entire campaign for a thrilling gaming experience by switching the ‘Hero Mode On’.

    The world of gaming empowers you to take on risks and challenges that allow you to experience the thrill and exhilaration of that extraordinary life, every day. The Dew Arena is a unique 9-week gaming championship which will give the best gamers in India a chance to have their profile on the Mountain Dew Game Fuel bottle, in addition to the prize pool worth INR 10 Lakhs.

    Game Fuel will also reach out to gaming enthusiasts physically in the form of a massive, 50-city gaming truck activation. The culmination of these events will result in the Dew Arena finale on September 25, 2016, among the best gamers of the country. Mountain Dew Game Fuel is also giving consumers an opportunity to win an ‘Xbox One’ every day.

    Speaking at the launch of Mountain Dew Game Fuel and The Dew Arena, Vipul Prakash, Vice President, Beverage Category, PepsiCo Indiasaid, “Innovation is a key driver for Mountain Dew and we have always focused on connecting with consumers in a contextually relevant manner. Mountain Dew Game Fuel is a popular franchise globally and we are excited to add it to our India portfolio. Since gaming in India is gaining exponential popularity across platforms, the Dew Arena has been created to give enthusiasts a change to switch their Hero Mode On and unleash the hero within.”

    Priyadarshi Mohapatra, Country General Manager, Consumer Channel Group, Microsoft India, said, “Gaming, especially Social Gaming, is growing exponentially among Indian audiences. We have consistently received overwhelming response for our Xbox One releases in the country, underlining the expansion of the gaming community in India. We are committed to delivering unmatched and memorable experiences to Indian gamers and our partnership with PepsiCo for Mountain Dew Game Fuel is a step in that direction. We are confident that the platform will attract, and appeal to, the growing Indian gaming community.”

    Available in 600 ML PET bottle and 250 ml can, Mountain Dew Game Fuel is priced at Rs. 35 and 25, respectively.

  • PepsiCo spins the chip this Cricket World Cup 2015

    PepsiCo spins the chip this Cricket World Cup 2015

    MUMBAI: In a country where cricket is a religion, the upcoming ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 is the most awaited event. However, the timings are likely to play spoilsport.

    With the tournament taking place in Australia and New Zealand, the matches will be aired anywhere between 3:30 am and 12 noon, IST. This means that most fans will be stuck at offices, day jobs and their daily schedules during match time.

    To keep the excitement level high and to entice, enthrall and entertain all of India, Lay’s has introduced its new campaign ‘Yeh Game Hi Hai…Taste Ka.’ The campaign captures the frenzy, which grips India when the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 is on and how mismatched timings of the matches this year will create a dilemma for viewers.

    PepsiCo India marketing VP Vipul Prakash said, “Cricket has been a great unifying factor and the fever that grips India is unmatched. As the official snack partner of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015, Lay’s gets the perfect opportunity to start the year through a scale marketing campaign, ‘Yeh Game Hi Hai…Taste Ka’. This campaign offers a Lay’s spin on the powerful insight of mismatched timings to appeal to consumers. We are enabling consumers to enjoy the game of cricket using the great taste of Lay’s.”

    As the official snack of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015, the brand is coming to the rescue of bewildered cricket fans across the country.

    Conceptualised by JWT and directed by Ravi Udyawar from RU Films, the new ad features Ranbir Kapoor, Pankaj Kapur and Lisa Hayden. The ad is a light hearted and fun take on the distance a cricket fan is willing to go to catch every World Cup match, inspite of the hurdles, the timings, or any difficulties. The track is penned by Amitabh Bhattacharya and composed by Dhruv Ghanekar of Wah Wah Music.

    JWT Delhi VP and SCD Sumati Singh said, “The morning telecast timings for the ICC Cricket World Cup this year led us to the idea behind the Lay’s campaign. When a cricket loving nation looks for ways to catch the matches on television, Lay’s, with its irresistible taste, is the answer.”

    The campaign will unfold with a 360-degree outreach and engagement plan. In the last few years, consumption of media has changed and on the go viewership has gone up. Hence, the campaign will cut across multiple media vehicles. Taking the insight of mismatched timings Lay’s will have significant presence across digital, retail, radio, print and TV. Innovative consumer activations and engagement activities will enable consumers to win tickets to matches in Australia and LED TVs.

    Speaking about the campaign, PepsiCo India snacks category marketing head and director Rajiv Mathrani said, “The campaign will engage consumers across multiple touch points bringing the match closer to consumers.”

    Mindshare principal partner Ruchi Mathur added, “As the media consumption is increasingly fragmenting, this campaign will reach consumers across multiple touch points. With seamless integrations and activations across traditional and emerging media, Lay’s will create multiple viewing opportunities and bring the World Cup closer to its consumers.”

     

  • Pepsi launches cellphone portal ‘Pepsi Globe Smart Client’

    Pepsi launches cellphone portal ‘Pepsi Globe Smart Client’

    MUMBAI: Soft drink major Pepsi has launched a mobile portal called the ‘Pepsi Globe Smart Client’ for the youth. Powered by Yahoo! India., this portal will show on mobile handsets as a ‘Pepsi Globe’ and will provide easy access to the Pepsi Zone.

    With this, cell phone users can access Pepsi cricket, Bollywood and music previews, contests, television advertisements, promotions and purchase wireless content and also watch videos without actually having to log on to the net. With this initiative, Pepsi will triple its mobile user interface mediums with SMS, WAP and WAP Client, states an official release.

    PepsiCo India EVP marketing Vipul Prakash says, “We believe that by tailoring technological innovations to user comfort, Pepsi has been able to communicate its brand attributes to its target audience in a much more effective manner. In the past, Yahoo! has delivered on phenomenal user interface innovations for us, and the Pepsi Globe Smart Client reiterates our ‘dare for experience’ and innovative edge in developing mobile content. With this service, Pepsi promises to deliver a superior and unparalleled content browsing experience to subscribers.”

    Users can access the portal by sending ‘THIRST’ as SMS to 8243, a WAP site under the URL http://in.wireless.yahoo.com/pepsi. This is for the first time in India that a Pepsi Smart Client is being offered for high-end WAP subscribers that opens a new world of excitement and entertainment at one’s fingertips, states the release.

    The portal supports mobile content purchase through SMS, WAP and IVR, thereby enabling service providers to brand and market their data services more effectively. Pepsi supports handsets from all leading OEMs, including Nokia, Sony Ericsson, Motorola, Samsung, Siemens and Panasonic.

    While announcing the new initiative, Yahoo! India country manager Neville Taraporewalla says, “Pepsi has always challenged us to develop something special. The Pepsi Globe Smart Client has been developed keeping the end mobile user’s comfort in mind. With the help of this software a mobile user will now be able to easily access everyday information at the click of a button on his mobile.”

    The Pepsi Smart Wap Client is built on the following open platforms:
    * Symbian Series 60 and UIQ
    * J2ME MIDP 2.0 and JTWI