Tag: India

India – National steel company ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India (AM/NS India) has recently launched a new campaign called ‘Reimagineering’ which fuses reimagination and engineering–two key levers that will shape India’s growth and development over the next several decades.

Conceptualised alongside dentsu India’s iProspect, the campaign’s objective is to raise awareness and build imagery of a global new-age steel manufacturer committed to creating a brand-new future for the industry, people, and the planet. iProspect India has created a multi-media campaign architecture with an aim to accelerate the brand’s key vision in the market.

In addition, the campaign covers key touchpoints such as television with dominance in the news genre and front jackets in leading English and vernacular dailies to drive credibility. As a result, AM/NS India is associated with the ongoing FIFA World Cup as one of the digital sponsors.

Speaking on the campaign, Bibek Chattopadhyay, head of communications at ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India said, “We embarked on a journey almost a year back to craft the corporate identity and design for AM/NS India – a venture between ArcelorMittal and Nippon Steel, two of the most valued brands in the metal and mining space worldwide.” 

He added, “With the 360-degree campaign, entailing media formats, we unveil a Young, Dynamic, Smart, Thoughtful, and Global architecture that elevates the brand presentation. Reimagineering – one world that eloquently puts forth our ambitions for the market we are privileged to serve – is rudimentary to our concept and reflects our brand philosophy, ‘Smarter Steels, Brighter Futures’.”

Meanwhile, Vinod Thadani, CEO of iProspect and chief digital growth officer at dentsu Media commented, “We are extremely proud to be part of this amazing campaign. The beauty of the campaign is in synchronisation of 6 very impactful KVs, a powerful and visually delighted TVC with melodious background score and multiple format renditions across touchpoints.” 

He added, “We planned the campaign [in] such a way so that each touchpoint [complemented] each other to establish the core proposition of the brand. I am confident post this campaign, AM/NS brand awareness will be enhanced significantly.”

Mumbai, India – CleverTap, the modern, integrated retention cloud, has recently launched CleverTap for Startups (C4S). C4S provides a full-stack retention platform to all smaller digital-native businesses that could assist in personalising and optimising all customer touchpoints, thereby increasing user engagement and conversion.

Startups can now choose from a variety of flexible plans with no minimum scale requirement and use the platform with as few as 5000 monthly active users.  They will also be able to customise the platform by purchasing add-ons and only pay for the services they use.

CleverTap’s goal is to make solutions for pre-launch, early-stage startups even more affordable, and  y by the end of 2025, C4S intends to be a growth partner for more than 100,000 new businesses.

Anand Jain, co-founder & chief product officer at CleverTap, stated about the initiative, “Every small business needs an ecosystem of stakeholders that are supportive and will help them get on their growth journeys. Be it small or big, startups can use all the help they can get. In our effort to bolster new businesses globally we are excited to launch CleverTap for Startups.”

Jain added, “Customer retention for consumer brands is one of the key components to building a successful business. By offering our solutions to startups at a lower cost with flexible options, we want to create an atmosphere where we can support new businesses from their 0 to 1 and then 1 to 100 journeys.”

The initiative follows the recent completion of the company’s acquisition of Leanplum, a global multi-channel customer engagement platform.

Mumbai, India – Madison World’s digital arm Madison Digital has recently launched its digital creative unit ‘Madison Loop’, which will offer social media management, digital creative development and solutions, SEO, ASO, website development and management, technology solutions, influencer management and content collaborations.

Madison Loop has already developed a portfolio of work for clients including McDonald’s, Vicco, Joy Cosmetics, Raymonds, Pidilite, ePay Later, Godrej Properties, Bandhan Bank, Asian Paints, Zee5, Glide Invest, and Zee Bangla, amongst others.

Madison Loop will be led by Kosal Malladi, vice president at Madison Digital who will continue to report to Vishal Chinchankar, CEO of Madison Digital and Madison Media Alpha.

Vikram Sakhuja, Group CEO at Madison Media and OOH said, “For any creative idea to be successful it needs to be adapted to the syntax of the platform. In Digital the creative idea needs to be expressed across platforms as varied as Instream video, Breakbumpers, display, social media posts, microsites, social messaging, influencers, content etc. Under Kosal’s leadership we are very excited to launch Madison Loop that will not only create a platform relevant expression of a creative, but also link it to outcomes using data and tech.”

Meanwhile, Chinchankar commented, “We need creativity now more than ever. This digital multiverse finally allows us to have a dedicated division to cater to all our clients’ creative needs under one roof. The new expansion of Madison Digital under Kosal’s leadership will be a great step forward for the company.”

Lastly, Malladi said, “I have been a part of Madison since 2014. I have seen digital evolve from a good to have to an absolute must have. Digital, today, can no longer be just about that one video or banner. Media and creative need to work hand in hand to tap into the digital consumer. Madison Loop’s focus is on solving business problems by layering creative magic with ‘data and technology’ solutions. Madison Connect and Madison Automate are tools that have been built by Loop to scale Influencer management and Creative automation respectively. I am really excited to scale Madison Loop.”

India – Writing instrument brand Pentonic has released a new film, demonstrating its product Pentonic GumStik. The ad was conceptualised alongside Wunderman Thompson Kolkata.

The film tells the story of a nerdy 10-year-old who loves Airplanes. He creates a model with a Pentonic GumStik and throws it in the air, which then embarks on an epic flight. The visual story is complemented by a unique sound design as it builds on the idea of kids using vocal effects while playing with toys. 

Deepak Jalan, managing director at Linc Pens, said, “Pentonic as a brand is designed to be unique. The GumStik is a transparent gum in unique black packaging and comes with Super Sticking Power. We needed a unique film to expand our mindshare among the target audience which is school-going kids and their parents.”

Meanwhile, Vijay Jacob Parakkal, managing partner at Wunderman Thompson Kolkata, commented, “We have been partnering with LINC Limited on the brand Pentonic since 2019 across multiple product and format launches. We are happy and proud to be part of their growth story.”

Lastly, Soumya Chowdhury, VP & CSD for client servicing at Wunderman Thompson Kolkata, said, “Pentonic GumStik is a new entrant in a category that is defined and created by a behemoth. We had to do something to get noticed. This is a film that attempts to do that. It retells the story of adhesive power in a way that is likely to stick around in the mind a bit longer.”

Mumbai, India – Omnicom Media Group (OMG) India has been appointed to manage the integrated media mandate of Electrolux, a global brand for home and kitchen appliances. OMG will be in charge of developing end-to-end media solutions for the brand. 

The Swedish powerhouse, Electrolux, is set to make waves in the Indian market with its range of premium products, leveraging the agency’s analytics and insight-driven tools. Electrolux has catered to consumers for more than 100 years with its elegant Scandinavian design coupled with innovative technology.  Now, it is establishing its brand in India. 

According to OMG, they are excited to help Electrolux scale to new heights by drawing on its talent, strategic capabilities, and data-driven approach as the brand ramps up its proposition and presence in India to achieve sustainable growth.

Last July, OMG India named Anand Chakravarthy as its new chief growth officer.

New Delhi, India – Zoo Media Network, an independent agency network, has announced plans to open its first global office in New York in collaboration with marketing service agency, Dawn.

The Zoo Media network is an integrated multi-specialty media network made up of 11 agency brands, including the flagship full funnel creative and performance digital agency, FoxyMoron and Web3 rights and services companyMetaform, among others.

Founded by Pratik Gupta and Suveer Bajaj, which includes homegrown, acquired, and joint venture agencies in content, media, data, and technology. Zoo Media employs over 600 specialists who serve both domestic and international clients such as Netflix, YouTube, Tinder, Kellogg’s, P&G, and Unilever.

Meanwhile, Dawn is a portfolio of over 15 independent, specialist marketing services firms that specialise in centralised data science, advanced analytics, and econometric measurement. The collective includes agencies such as Barkley, Crossmedia, Definition 6, Co:Collective, and Rethink, among others.

Speaking on the partnership and the campaign for global expansion, Suveer Bajaj Co-founder of Zoo Media said “After having consolidated a stronghold position for ourselves in India and the Middle East as a leading integrated marketing technology network, expanding our offices into North America was the natural next step.” 

Bajaj, added, “Our prowess in the North American market, lies in the range of integrated services which include our best-in-class Web3.0, metaverse, and blockchain offerings. In light of this vision, we are happy to have partnered with Dawn and find ourselves among the leading independent agencies in and outside the US to bring our best-in-class marketing technology services to the shores of the US.”

Adding to that, Pratik Gupta, Co-founder of Zoo Media said “We’re well on our way to globalise our ambition of taking Indian creativity and technology to the world. We’re excited to work with the agencies within Dawn and bring them the scale of offshore Indian talent”.

Lastly, Dawn CEO Bob Kantor added, “Zoo Media has industry-leading technology and development expertise critical to today’s marketers and the modern marketing model. Our agency partners and clients recognize that modern marketing includes the complement of brilliant strategy/creative with marketing technology.”

Mumbai, India – BBH India, an advertising agency under Publicis Groupe, has appointed Himanshu Saxena, former executive vice president and head of integration at McCann Worldgroup India, to be its new chief operating officer and managing director.

In his new role, Saxena will be responsible for BBH India’s developing talent, organisational tools, and new services, as well as steering these to acquire future-facing businesses.

Saxena brings over 29 years of experience across the communication spectrum, including advertising, marketing and sales, brand management, digital and social, and PR, as well as design, and market research. He has helmed country and multi-office leadership for some of South Asia’s leading organisations, including Lowe, McCann, Trikaya Grey, JWT, and Edelman, as well as IMRB, and Reliance Jio.

Commenting on his appointment, Saxena said, “I am both excited and honoured to join BBH. With its legacy of creating stunning work that has transformed not only brands but also categories, BBH India is truly built for the modern age of marketing. I am looking forward to scaling this further and bringing my experience and a fresh perspective to leading such talented individuals and ambitious clients.”

Meanwhile, Dheeraj Sinha, CEO of Leo Burnett South Asia and chairman of BBH India, shared that BBH India, with its legacy of modern, creative and effective solutions that are well-entrenched in the modern Indian zeitgeist, has built a reputation as a creative firepower in the country. 

“I am delighted to welcome Himanshu onboard. A talented leader known for his deep client relationships, his commitment to business innovation, and his operational acumen, Himanshu embodies the black sheep and zag philosophy that will further fuel this brilliant creative engine,” said Sinha.

In September 2022, BBH India also elevated Priya Gurnani and Arvind Menon to become the new executive creative directors. Both Gurnani and Menon were previously senior creative directors, and will continue to report to BBH India’s CCO and CEO, Russell Barrett.

India – Tata Starbucks Private Limited is celebrating its 10 years with the opening of a Starbucks Reserve store in Mumbai, Maharashtra. Starbucks Reserve is a program by Starbucks, and involves operation of worldwide roasteries.

The new Starbucks Reserve store is designed to bring the coffee experience to life for customers. The premium coffee experience unique to Starbucks is evident in the new Starbucks Reserve store’s stunning aesthetics. Taking centre stage, the Starbucks Reserve bar is set off by renowned architect and artist Ankon Mitra’s undulating sculpture reminiscent of clouds. 

As customers enter beyond the twin arches, based on Mumbai’s architectural heritage with a modern colour palette, they are welcomed by a vibrant floor-to-ceiling mural featuring the Starbucks Siren, created by local Mumbai artists Sonal Vasave and Makarand Narkar. The mural comes to life at the tap of a finger through augmented reality (AR) when customers scan the nearby QR code with their Instagram camera.

At the Starbucks Reserve bar, customers can enjoy a lineup of Starbucks Reserve small-lot single origin coffees, some of the most exquisite and rarest coffees in the world, including Bolivia Sol de la Mañana, Rwanda Sholi and Sumatra Kerinci brewed and served by Starbucks black apron coffee masters.

Michael Conway, group president of international and channel development at Starbucks said, “India is one of Starbucks fastest-growing markets and we’re proud to open our first Starbucks Reserve store in Mumbai, where our Starbucks journey began a decade ago. Since entering India, our green apron partners continue to deliver the iconic Starbucks Experience across the market. We look forward to serving more customers and communities through different store formats, digital acceleration, and product innovation as we continue to grow in India.”

Meanwhile, Sushant Dash, CEO at Tata Starbucks, commented, “For 10 years, Starbucks has been elevating coffee craftsmanship and bringing unique experiences to our customers in India. We value the strong connections we have with our customers and will continue to innovate and develop to enhance India’s coffee culture.”

He added, “Starbucks Reserve is a selection of the rarest, most extraordinary coffees Starbucks has to offer, and transports customers and coffee aficionados to an immersive and personalised coffee journey. It is all about the customer experience and engagement, the story of our coffee and the craft of our baristas.”

India – Dentsu Creative India has announced the appointment of Dalip Daniel, as the new group executive creative, and Tulika Seth, as the new group creative director, to bolster its creative team. Both will be reporting to Joy Mohanty, chief creative Officer of Dentsu Creative India.

In their new roles, Daniel and Seth will be focusing on boosting the agency’s creative competence for its existing and prospective clientele. They will design ideas that ‘Create Culture, Change Society, and Invent The Future’ by keeping modern creativity at the heart of the business.

Daniel is a seasoned creative leader and has held leadership roles across agencies and radio stations like Ogilvy & Mather, GroupM ESP, and BIG 92.7 FM. He has worked for brands like Airtel, Nokia, Limca, Dabur, and Pepsi, as well as SONY, and Honda, amongst many others. In addition to this, he has also created branded content for TV shows and launched BIG 92.7 FM in North India.

Meanwhile, armed with over 16 years of experience, Seth has led creative teams at agencies like Lowe, TBWA, Grey, Innocean, and Humour Me in Delhi and Mumbai. Some of the brands she has worked with include Hyundai, Dunzo, LG, and National Geographic, as well as Henkel, and Anne French, amongst others.

Commenting on his appointment, Daniel said, “This is an exciting opportunity, and I am thrilled to be joining dentsu at such a pivotal time.”

Meanwhile, Seth also commented, “‘Wholly integrated’ is the key descriptor that has really got me excited. The work that has been coming out of the agency is truly inspiring, and I can’t wait to dive right in.”

Mohanty said, “Together with a superb body of work, Tulika & Danny bring with them a wealth of experience across formats. They will both play a key role in driving our agenda of creativity beyond silos. It is great to have them on board.”

Just recently, Dentsu Creative India announced the appointment of Benny Augustine as its new chief operating officer, where he will oversee the agency’s operations in India. His objective will be to build various frameworks, platforms, and business processes that promote efficiency and effectiveness for clients using modern creativity.

Mumbai, India – The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) and intellectual property (IP) boutique K&S Partners, have joined hands to release a whitepaper titled ‘Misleading Advertisements and Trademarks – A Registration Conundrum’, which identifies the practice and instances of brands making misleading claims and representations through the use of trademarks.

Brands and advertisers often cite trademark registrations as a defence, these words or phrases mislead consumers. With this paper, ASCI and K&S Partners argue that such a defence is not valid, as making misleading representations violates the ASCI code, the Consumer Protection Act, and the Trade Marks Act itself. 

Moreover, the paper calls for greater scrutiny and restraint in permitting descriptive trademarks to brands, and to ensure that such trademarks are not a false representation of the product.

“At ASCI we see cases where the advertiser uses a trademark registration to defend their direct or implied claims, asserting that a trademark registration means that the claim is good in law. This is not true, and we would ask brands to be cautious in using untrue, exaggerated or misleading phrases to describe their products, whether trademarks or not,” said Manisha Kapoor, CEO and secretary general at ASCI.

Meanwhile, Prashant Gupta, partner at K&S Partners, shared that the issue concerning false, unsubstantiated, and dishonest advertisements, under the guise of descriptive or laudatory trademarks, is grave. 

“Protecting consumers from deception is one of the principal tenets of the ASCI Code, the Trade Marks Act, and the Consumer Protection Act. The Trademark Office needs to raise the threshold for descriptive or laudatory trademarks, failing which, protecting consumers’ rights from fraudulent marks and making informed choices would be severely compromised,” said Gupta.