Tag: India

India – Gatsby/Gardenia, a lifestyle brand distributor, has announced a strategic relationship with Bidmath, a digital marketing solutions firm. The collaboration intends to strengthen their e-commerce presence and drive significant development across India’s Online market.

This cooperative endeavour, which leverages Bidmath’s expertise in AI-powered programmatic advertising and data-driven marketing techniques, marks a significant turning point in Gatsby/Gardenia’s digital transformation path. 

Through this partnership, Bidmath will be in charge of Gatsby/Gardenia’s marketing initiatives on Amazon, the e-commerce site in India. Later on, it is anticipated that the partnership will develop to include additional major markets, providing a comprehensive plan for boosting online business visibility and encouraging sales growth. 

The team at Bidmath, which consists of digital planners and data scientists, will use AI and machine learning approaches to optimise bids, improve targeting, and customise campaigns to maximise effect and efficiency.

Through the use of data-driven insights and efficient campaign methods, the partnership aims to boost Gatsby/Gardenia’s gross merchandise value (GMV) and overall e-commerce sales. 

Speaking about the partnership, Puneet Motiani, director at Gatsby/Gardenia, said, ”We are excited to partner with Bidmath to unlock the full potential of our online presence. Their innovative solutions and data-driven approach perfectly align with our vision of maximising brand reach and driving sales across Amazon and other major marketplaces. We are confident that this partnership will be instrumental in expanding our customer base and achieving sustainable growth in the Indian ecommerce landscape.” 

Meanwhile, Rakesh Singh, regional managing director at Bidmath, commented, ”We are thrilled to be chosen as Gatsby/Gardenia’s e-commerce marketing partner in India. Their commitment to innovation and excellence resonates with our own values, and we are confident that our expertise in AI and programmatic advertising will deliver exceptional results. We are excited to collaborate with their team to develop data-driven strategies that optimise campaign performance and maximise return on investment.”

Lastly, Pankaj Bhawnani, advisor to the Gardenia Board at Northstar Consultings, stated, “E-commerce marketplaces are completely different environment with immediate impact on ROAS (Return on Advertising Spends) having an international specialized partner like Bidmath who works with Marque brands like Procter and Gamble, Suntory, and many more in the region and now Gatsby male grooming and Nabeel perfumes in India, is a win-win situation.”

Mumbai, India – Former chief creative officer at Dentsu Creative West and Dentsu Creative Experience India Aalap Desai, has recently launched the official inauguration of a newly-established advertising agency poised to revolutionise India’s advertising scene.

Named TGTHR, this initiative is driven by the goal of combining exceptional work with an unparalleled culture, creating a space where happiness meets creativity to yield extraordinary results. It draws on expertise from diverse domains, including mainline (TVC, print, outdoor), digital, film production, design, content, and media. 

Boasting an impressive collective experience of over 110 years in advertising, said agency has also secured more than 550 international and national awards and a proven track record of delivering over 12,000 campaigns.

Reflecting on the recent launch, Aalap shared, “The advertising industry is often filled with a sea of sameness. The saviours of this industry are the sparks of creativity that we see scattered here and there. It is challenging to find the right people for the job.”

“The one who knows how to create a great TV ad might not know how to increase followers on a social handle. The one who has mastery over social media may have no idea about master branding. What if all these talents could come together to form a cohesive whole? If one great creative person is a force, imagine what could be achieved when they all combine as a force multiplier! This is especially true when you create an environment where they can thrive,” continued Aalap.

“That’s the idea behind TGTHR. Bring together expertise, talent, and passion to deliver clients unparalleled quality, connectedness, and effectiveness. All the while ensuring that we love where we work,” he concluded.

Aalap’s journey at Dentsu included being the National Creative Director at Dentsu McGarry Bowen India and co-heading the creative team at Dentsu Webchutney Mumbai. His creative prowess has even garnered over 200 international and national awards, including 10 Cannes Lions and 42 shortlists.

New Delhi, India – Advertising agency Cheil India has recently announced its latest significant business win with Indian fashion-led hypermarket Vishal Mega Mart with a mandate to focus on integrated advertising and marketing solutions.

This expansive partnership comes at a pivotal juncture where the agency is poised to grow its roster of clients through its assortment of creative, media, data, activation, and retail capabilities.

Talking about the partnership, Hanish Batra, head of marketing, Vishal Mega Mart, said, “We look forward to our association with Cheil India and a great partnership in our ambition of making aspirations affordable for our customers.”

Meanwhile, Neeraj Bassi, chief growth officer, Cheil India, commented, “Vishal Mega Mart is a retail powerhouse enabling consumers to experience high end fashion across India. We are elated to partner with them in their quest to make fashion accessible to masses.”

“We are eager to create a benchmark creating work that sets a new standard for the fashion retail industry. This partnership will mark our foray into managing retail clients, which is a dynamic category in itself,” he added. 

India – Indian content distribution platform Tata Play has just recently dropped its latest digital campaign to celebrate World Television Day, giving homage to the enduring role of television in bringing joy and connection to families across generations.

Conceptualised and developed by Chimp&Z Inc, Tata Play’s campaign embraces the nuances of old vs new televisions, while ensuring that Tata Play’s connection keeps entertainment a constant fixture in people’s lives.

The campaign features an old TV set that is being replaced by a new TV set, wherein the old TV mirrors the experience of a family member that has to say goodbye after being a part of it after a long time. 

On the other hand, the new and more advanced TV expresses excitement and promises fun with it as part of the family, with the dialogue between the two showcasing the good things that they can offer such as news and plenty of entertainment. 

Surprisingly, the film ends with a twist wherein both TV sets would still be in the same home as the old TV will simply be moved to another location, and both TVs will be connected with use of Tata Play. 

Mumbai, India – Web3 technology company OKX has launched its newest cricket-themed  ‘Be a Crypto Player’ ad campaign in India to encourage people to explore the Web3 community.

The campaign features a digital film revolving around the character of Ajay, who is watching the international cricket championship final. Ajay then hears the voice of OKX, which encourages him to become a crypto player and join a community of millions in a new economic system powered by Web3.

OKX’s campaign aims to inspire a wider audience to try and embrace the world of Web3 with the OKX all-in-one Web3 wallet as their choice. It showcases the benefits one can get if they choose OKX’s wallet, including access to 200,000 tokens via its DEX aggregator as well as thousands of NFTs and DApps across nearly 80 blockchains.

Taking it a step further, the ad is also available in Hindi in addition to English, marking OKX’s recent addition of Hindi support to its Web3 wallet to cater to a more diverse audience.

The company is pushing efforts for its expansion in India. With this campaign, OKX aims to position itself as a key Web3 player in India with its comprehensive suite of Web3 products.

The campaign was originally launched on X (formerly known as Twitter) across the Indian market, in time for the 2023 international cricket championship final between India and Australia.

Haider Rafique, chief marketing officer at OKX, said, “India’s growing enthusiasm for crypto and its position as a significant market for Web3 users have made us prioritise the country in our expansion efforts. The campaign aims to introduce the Indian market to the world of Web3, encouraging users to explore the countless possibilities offered by blockchain technology. It also reflects our commitment to driving the widespread adoption of this revolutionary technology in the country, while encouraging people to learn about Web3 and its applications in a responsible way.”

Mumbai, India – The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) has released its half-year report on complaints on the local Indian advertising scene, and has noted that healthcare emerged as the most violative sector, constituting 21% of all processed ads, followed by classical education and personal care at 18% each.

The report shows a 34% increase in complaints (4491) processed, coupled with a corresponding 27% rise in the number of ads processed (3501).

Moreover, Out of 3,501 ads processed, 564 (16%) were flagged as potential direct violations of the law, which represents a 22% increase over the previous year. 35% of the total ads processed were not contested and were promptly withdrawn or modified. 

A further 47% of ads were found violative of the ASCI Code and the advertisements were recommended to be withdrawn or modified. Only 2% of complaints were dismissed.

Meanwhile, of the 3,501 complaints processed, digital media remained the primary source of violations at 79%. Print media and television contributed 17% and 3%, respectively, while other mediums accounted for 2% of the reported violations.

Lastly, consumer complaints comprised 21.3% of the total complaints, indicating significant public engagement in upholding advertising standards. 75.4% of complaints were initiated suomotu by ASCI.

It is also worth noting that in the digital advertising sphere, influencers contributed to 22% of total ads complained against at ASCI. 99.4% of advertisements processed for influencer guidelines were found to be in violation. ASCI received compliance with its recommendations in 92% of influencer cases taken up v/s 86% in previous years, signalling greater compliance with ASCI’s CCC recommendations.

Manisha Kapoor, CEO and secretary-general at ASCI said, “ASCI remains committed to addressing the challenges posed by digital advertising. All stakeholders need to come together to tackle the issue of online safety of consumers given that they spend high amounts of time there, and where there is a proliferation of objectionable advertising.”

She added, “Our constant vigilance of the online space helps call out the advertisements and brands that violate the ASCI code requiring ads to be truthful, decent and safe. We hope that the various sectors recognise the breaches and commit to more responsible advertising.”

India – Interactive indoor theme park chain KidZania has announced the appointment of Hasmukh M. Gorava as its new marketing head in India.

In his new role, Gorava will lead KidZania India’s marketing efforts, including building campaigns and communication strategies in interactive media and direct marketing programs.

His remit also covers developing pricing strategies to maximise KidZania’s profit and monitoring trends to identify new offers and services to boost visitor attendance.

Gorava will leverage his more than 13 years of experience in consumer marketing, brand promotions, and 360° media planning to achieve KidZania’s goals for brand expansion and enhanced engagement.

Prior to his new appointment, he played several key roles, including serving as DGM of marketing at themed entertainment destination Imagicaa, where he was pivotal in planning the go-to-market strategy. His strategic efforts aided the company in achieving 70 percent market share within three years.

Gorava’s track record spans developing and growing companies with an emphasis on defining and executing brand-building strategies, leading cross-functional teams, and driving revenue through effective marketing activities.

Rahul Dhamdhere, chief marketing officer of KidZania India, said, “We are excited to welcome Hasmukh M. Gorava as the Marketing Head. His extensive experience and strategic approach will undoubtedly enhance our marketing initiatives. Hasmukh’s commitment to driving brand visibility and consumer awareness resonates with KidZania’s mission to provide enriching experiences for children.”

Meanwhile, in his appointment, Gorava shared, “I am truly honoured to be a part of KidZania, an esteemed organisation that has consistently led the industry. I look forward to utilising my expertise to contribute to KidZania’s success, both in India and on the international stage.”

India – Volkswagen India has partnered with integrated marketing agency DDB Mudra Group for its latest ‘Whatever Diwali Brings You, We Got You’ campaign that explores the chaotic fun of last-minute Diwali preparations.

The new campaign featured a series of digital films that encapsulated the imperfect yet memorable moments of Diwali plans that don’t turn out the way they are supposed to. The humorous storytelling highlights Volkswagen as the key to saving the day.

In the first film, ‘A Decoration Situation, a family attempts to put up the Diwali lights. However, upon realising they picked the wrong size, they immediately made a dash to the store to rectify the situation.

Titled ‘Same Pinch’, the second film, on the other hand, shows a girl finding an unexpected outfit clash with someone at the party. She immediately goes back to change, only to later find out that someone else brought the same gift as hers.

Meanwhile, in the third film titled ‘Forget-me-nots’, a family that’s on their way to celebrate Diwali suddenly makes a swift U-turn after the husband recalls leaving behind the festive gifts. And lastly, in the ‘Tight Spots’ film, a young boy makes a spontaneous trip to buy a new pair of pants when his own pair doesn’t fit him well anymore.

Volkswagen India’s new campaign aims to show the automobile brand’s capabilities to fix last-minute festivity problems in a more seamless and enjoyable way, showcasing the brand’s safety and fun-to-drive features.

The automobile manufacturing brand wanted to depart from the traditional product-centric approach of advertising and transition into more warm, human-centric stories, emphasising togetherness during the festive season.

The campaign aligns with the new brand positioning of ‘You’re in a Volkswagen’ which built robust emotional equity in the market, underscoring the joy of owning a Volkswagen and how it made owners feel when they drove it.

Rahul Mathew, chief creative officer at DDB Mudra Group, shared, “With ‘You’re in a Volkswagen,’ we aimed to capture the various emotions that we unlock in the lives of our customers. So for Diwali, we decided to look beyond the typical festivities and embrace the significance of little moments.”

India – Mumbai-based digital business-to-business (B2B) payments company PayMate has announced its expansion into the Asia Pacific region as part of its global growth journey.

With this expansion, PayMate is now launching its operations in Malaysia, Singapore, and Australia to provide digital payment solutions tailored to the specific needs of each market while maintaining a unified global strategy.

Businesses from the aforementioned markets will now also be able to access PayMate’s solutions, which include digitization and automation of financial processes, invoice discounting, and API-as-a-service for financial institutions.

PayMate’s platform offers seamless integration with existing systems and facilitates expedited payments and efficient cash flow analysis, which businesses can now leverage to improve their working capital management.

The B2B payments firm is also looking to explore potential expansion opportunities in other APAC markets, including Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines, Hong Kong, and New Zealand.

Meanwhile, in Australia and South Africa, PayMate operates under the name “DuNoMo” as a wholly owned subsidiary.

The B2B payments firm now has established subsidiaries in APAC and the Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East, and Africa (CEMEA) regions.

Ajay Adiseshan, founder and CEO at PayMate, said, “We are delighted to introduce PayMate’s innovative B2B payment solutions in Singapore, Malaysia, and Australia. Our rapid expansion into these countries highlights our commitment to enabling frictionless and highly secure B2B transactions for enterprises. We look forward to contributing to the thriving fintech ecosystems in these markets and to collaborating with local partners to drive the digital transformation of B2B payments.”

Amirreza Sawal, general manager for APAC at PayMate, also added, “PayMate is committed to expanding its footprint in the APAC regions, delivering local businesses with the means to elevate supply chain payments, minimise expenses, and optimise working capital. Our versatile APIs offer effortless integration with third-party functionalities, fostering innovation, scalability, and a competitive advantage. These B2B Payments APIs transcend industry boundaries, serving as an adaptable solution across diverse sectors.”

Bangalore, India – Indian energy solutions brand Luminous Power Technologies has launched a new campaign this Diwali that takes their philosophy of illuminating lives to the masses. Conceptualised by Grey India, the campaign was launched with a heartwarming film that highlights the difference such gestures can make in the lives of those around us.

The campaign via Grey India captures the essence of Diwali and shows the importance of spreading light and happiness in the lives of others, as Luminous urges India to make this Diwali about celebrating the spirit of giving and making a difference in someone’s life.

The campaign film features a father who works hard as a driver and takes errands to get his daughter through school, in which she’s having a bit of difficulty studying at night since power outages are common. Then the father’s boss helps him out by giving him a proper alternative light source for this Diwali, literally bringing light into their lives. 

Talking about the campaign, Neelima Burra, chief strategy and transformation officer at Luminous Power Technologies, said, “Luminous has always been at the forefront of innovation and social responsibility. The campaign highlights our deep commitment to lighting up not only homes but also lives to dream bigger and achieve higher. In a country where long power outages are common, we remain dedicated to lighting up lives in India.”

“This Diwali, let us join hands to express our gratitude and spread the joy of giving. Together, we can make this Diwali truly special by spreading light, happiness, and hope, ensuring that the light of progress reaches everyone, even in the darkest hours,” she added. 

Meanwhile, Anusha Shetty, chairperson and group CEO of Grey Group India, commented, “Power Cuts are real in India, and living in larger homes with inverters and solar solutions, we sometimes miss seeing a reality. Many of us already help with fees and clothes, but our extended family requires a bit more power in their lives. I am glad we could partner with Luminous on this Diwali vision.”