Tag: South Asia

India – Healthcare-focused advertising agency Medulla Communications has appointed Rajesh Mehta to be its new chief strategy officer.

Mehta brings in over 25 years of experience across India and the SEA region. He previously worked as the head of strategic planning for media agency Triton Communication, the national planning director for advertising firm Contract Advertising, and vice president and strategic planning director for marketing communications brand J. Walter Thompson. 

Mehta has also worked with brands such as food manufacturer Kellogg’s, dairying company Fonterra, and medical device company Johnson & Johnson, as well as private banking company HDFC Bank, among others. He has created award-winning ideas which were recognized by juries across the world.

Commenting on his appointment, Mehta said, “While I have worked on many consumer health brands, I believe that this is an area with a lot of potential and a huge impact on consumers’ lives. Being part of a specialist healthcare agency can help me meaningfully contribute, with better solutions”.

Meanwhile, Praful Akali, the founder and managing director of Medulla Communications, shared, “I welcome Rajesh Mehta to Medulla Communications and am confident that his leadership experience along with his industry experience and approach will assist in solidifying Medulla’s core values i.e. to make healthcare communications more consumer-friendly.”

India – While the awareness on breast cancer is one that is said to be in its full form, Marks & Spencer in India thinks that you can never gain too much knowledge on the disease, launching a new campaign that aims to add to people’s vigilance on breast cancer. 

Being a lingerie brand, Marks & Spencer in the country aims to leverage its top-of-mind position among women consumers, releasing a special set of imprinted bra straps, that helps women be reminded to be on top of their breast health.

Done in collaboration with its charity partner Women’s Cancer Initiative and digital agency Isobar India, the transparent bra straps, called ‘Straps That Remind’, are imprinted with an important reminder – ‘With regular check-ups, the chances of late-detection of cancer can diminish, just like this message’.

‘Straps That Remind’ aims to be a helpful nudge for every woman to examine herself for early signs of breast cancer. Printed with thermochromic ink, the message will start to diminish due to body heat when the straps are worn and reappear when the straps are taken off.

Furthermore, the straps also come with a detailed leaflet from the Women’s Cancer Initiative to encourage women to look out for the symptoms of breast cancer, and to provide advice around where to get support when they notice anything unusual.

Marks & Spencer has been working with the Women’s Cancer Initiative at Tata Memorial Hospital since 2016 to raise awareness and educate women about the cause, signs, and symptoms of breast cancer. ‘Straps That Remind’ is another prominent action towards the same cause, as both believe that regular awareness is created via disseminating key messages, asking women to self-examine themselves all year round.

James Munson, the managing director of Marks & Spencer India, said, “‘Straps That Remind’ is a unique tool to remind women to check for the unusual in their own personal space. I feel proud that we have been able to support such an important cause innovatively.”

Meanwhile, Deveika S. Bhojwani, the vice president of the Women’s Cancer Initiative at Tata Memorial Hospital, shared that breast cancer is the most prevalent cancer among women in India, which if detected at the early stages, can be cured. 

“‘Straps That Remind’ is an excellent step in that direction to help women read the early signs of breast cancer and get them checked. It can be a life-changing product for so many women out there and it is such a personal way to remind them of their well-being,” added Bhojwani.

“With ‘Straps That Remind’, we have set out to achieve that with the Women’s Cancer Initiative and Marks & Spencer. I am proud of the team for coming up with an entirely new means of communication to spread such an important message. I hope that the straps reach women across the country and can help detect the disease right at the start,” said Anadi Sah, the executive creative director of Isobar India.

The lifesaving bra straps are accessible to all women on selected M&S India stores and come free of cost.

Mumbai, India – India’s cookware manufacturer Vinod Cookware has awarded its digital communications duties to Mumbai-based digital marketing agency Chimp&z Inc. The agency won the account following a multi-agency pitch that involved several other leading agencies.

Vinod Cookware is a trusted household brand in the country, with a commitment to design innovative products for contemporary kitchens and is devoted to enhancing the consumer experience, using state-of-art technology to create premium quality stainless steel products for intelligent cooking.

Through the new partnership, Chimp&z will be leading the social media strategy, creatives, and digital PR, as well as performance marketing for increasing the brand’s digital footprints. The agency will also be responsible for designing digital campaigns and content that will boost the brand’s recall value, while also emphasizing the ways it caters to the modern lifestyle of the target group.

Commenting on the win, Lavinn Rajpal, the managing director and co-founder of Chimp&z Inc, said that they are delighted that the agency’s integrated communication strategy for the brand was appreciated, saying that they look forward to actioning their plans for the brand.

“Vinod Cookware has successfully won the trust of its consumers over the last few decades. In the digital ecosystem too, we plan to take the loyalty the brand has gained and use it to create digital connections with the new-age consumers,” added Rajpal.

Meanwhile, Sunil Agarwal, the director of Vinod Cookware, said, “Vinod Cookware has established a good reputation offline and currently we’re on a pursuit to digitally engage with our consumers, who are in various stages of their purchase journey. Chimp&z Inc brings a fresh perspective to our vision for the way forward and we are excited to explore the many potential routes on digital platforms.”

India – Automotive company Maruti Suzuki in India has launched its latest campaign for the all-new 2021 Swift, done in collaboration with dentsu international’s creative agency Dentsu Impact India. 

The campaign aims to introduce the latest and improved edition of India’s best-selling hatchback, following the vision of pushing oneself to go the extra mile and challenging one’s limits with a noticeable attitude.

The all-new 2021 Swift offers a sporty driving experience that is complemented by its enhanced looks, featuring a new and appealing front fascia with sporty dual-tone exteriors. It is powered by the advanced powertrain Next Gen K-Series 1.2L dual jet dual VVT engine with idle start-stop.

Furthermore, Swift also offers cruise control and auto foldable ORVMs with key sync. It comes with an electronic stability program and hill hold assist, to be offered as standard in AGS variants. The enviable feature list makes the 2021 Swift a car that not only performs but also leaves a lasting impression for all.

Shashank Srivastava, the executive director of marketing and sales at Maruti Suzuki India, shared that the idea behind the campaign is pure performance and enhanced style, which makes the driving experience limitless.

“The new Swift is perfectly poised to take the breath away of those who like a wow drive, and also of those who have an eye for great designer looks. Swift has always been a car that has challenged all kinds of limits. With the ‘Limitless Thrill’ campaign, we look forward to set new benchmarks, and win even more hearts and minds,” added Srivastava.

Meanwhile, Amit Wadhwa, the president of Dentsu Impact, said, “Swift is synonymous with car enthusiasts who love to push themselves beyond limits. With the new 2021 Swift, Maruti Suzuki has taken the pedestal a notch higher with new looks to match the aspirations of a modern-day customer. As their partners, we are excited to be a part of Swift’s launch and create newer milestones with them.”

The campaign has already been released on television, OOH, and social media, as well as in print.

Mumbai, India – Infectious Advertising, India-based integrated creative agency, has appointed Nitin Sharma, former marketing director at UAE Exchange in Dubai, to be its new vice president of business.

The new appointment will see Sharma leading important businesses for the creative agency. He will work closely with Nisha Singhania, the co-founder and director of Infectious Advertising, to consolidate existing businesses and develop organic growth.

Sharma brings with him two decades of work experience in advertising and marketing. He has previously worked with companies such as creative agencies Ambience and O&M, marketing communications company DDB Mudra, and advertising agency Leo Burnett. Sharma has also handled key clients like McDonald’s, Johnnie Walker, HDFC Life, and Philips, as well as Kamasutra, among others.

Commenting on his appointment, Sharma said, “I am delighted to be a part of the Infectious family. Our purpose here is not about creating fancy ads, but exploring the unique calibrations of communication, technology, and data to shape consumer behavior and move businesses.”

Meanwhile, Singhania together with the agency’s other Co-founder Ramanuj Shastry, jointly commented, “Nitin brings with him the experience of working on big brands across markets. We look forward to having him on board as we have a shared vision for the agency. We are sure Nitin will help in taking Infectious to the next level.”

India – Dentsu international’s media agency arm dentsu X India has been appointed by Roca Bathroom Products Private Limited (RBPPL), also known as Roca Parryware, the subsidiary of Roca India that produces bathroom products, to be its strategic media partner.

The appointment will see dentsu X leading RBPPL’s media strategy, planning, and buying for the entire portfolio of both brands – Roca India and Roca Parryware.

Sharing on how the company landed the decision, KE Ranganathan, the managing director of Roca Parryware, said that the company was impressed by dentsu X India’s understanding of their target audience and the bathroom space, and that the company believes their proprietary tools and strategy will help them optimize each platform and enhance their reach. 

“Our company is back to healthy double-digit revenue growth since October 2020. Looking into the year ahead, there is huge optimism to sustain and grow even higher. To drive this growth momentum we are embarking on a focused brand campaign through mass media for our power brands – Roca and Parryware. While these two brands enjoy high brand recall among our customers, it is important for us to continue to stay on top-of-the-mind and embed relevant brand attributes. With this agenda, we looked towards dentsu X for a solution,” added Ranganathan.

Meanwhile, Divya Karani, the chief executive officer of dentsu X India, commented, “We are delighted to be the strategic media partners to Roca Parryware. We look forward to partnering them in scaling new heights.”

India – Global software company InfoVision Labs (IVL) has recently appointed Indian media company Krescendo Communications as its 360-degree marketing communications and alliance partner, with the aim to build a reputation and engage with stakeholders.

IVL is a startup digital transformation company that provides numerous solutions, such as enterprise mobility, and legacy modernization, as well as cloud migration, and predictive analytics, among others. The company’s digital transformation strategies are planned to ensure that the clients get more than just a new technology.

The partnership will see Krescendo Communications managing IVL’s markets, including Singapore, Thailand, and Malaysia, as well as India, and the United States, among others.

Ganesh Somwanshi, the founder of Krescendo Communications, shared, “IVL is known as the Apple of India and is witnessing 60% YoY growth. We are delighted to work with these bunch of techies and assist them in building a reputation and in achieving milestones through strategic 360-degree marketing and insight-driven communications.”

Meanwhile, Vinay Barigidad, the managing director of InfoVision Labs, said, “Krescendo’s strategy aligns with our communications goals. As a startup, we have witnessed many success stories and transformed many businesses. With this partnership, we aim to enhance our corporate reputation, and use communication and public relations to reach out to all our stakeholders across the globe.”

Mumbai, India – Team Vitality, French esports organization, has revealed its first-ever all-Indian ‘Call of Duty Mobile’ (CoDM) roster, as a part of its venture into mobile esports and expansion in India.

Team Vitality’s CoDM team is comprised of well-established esports players, namely Arav ‘MonK’ Narang – the team captain, Armaan ‘Moonscope’ Dharni, Priyank ‘DEATH’ Birajdar, and Akshan ‘Argon’ Madhani, as well as Samartha Ganesh ‘JOKOs’ Ghadge, and Samruddha ‘SAMS’ Ghadge. The team will be coached by veteran CoD player Harnoor ‘Toxy’ Mutneja, and will be managed by content creator Melson ‘mello’ Miranda.

Furthermore, the organization is also planning a ‘PAN-India Talent Hunt’ to find and train new talents across multiple rosters in the country.

Nicolas Maurer, the CEO of Team Vitality, commented that their aim in India is to start an esports team that would have its own unique identity while imbibing core Team Vitality values, saying that they are happy with the roster as they have the right skills, as well as the potential to be the number one team, and that the team members are eager to create their mark in a brand-new category. 

“The ‘Call of Duty Mobile’ team is the first step towards the expansion of our presence beyond Europe, and in line with our vision of conquering the esports world,” added Maurer.

Meanwhile, Amit Jain, the principal of the Rewired.gg, the venture fund that has invested €34M into Team Vitality, shared that they are delighted to have a team that consists of esports talent from diverse parts of the country.

“There’s still a huge untapped base of talent who we feel deserve the chance to showcase their skills and represent Team Vitality. So while I’m personally extremely excited for the team who I’m confident will take on the world and make India proud, we will continue to explore opportunities to find aspirational talent to help create life-changing opportunities for them,” said Jain.

Team Vitality’s new roster will be participating in regional and international CoDM tournaments in the coming months. CoDM fans can follow Team Vitality India’s Instagram for more updates regarding the new team.

India – Global marketing and advertising company Zoomd Technologies and its subsidiary Zoomd, the marketing technology user-acquisition and engagement platform, has launched their sales operation in India, to promote its online advertising and user acquisition services in the new market.

Following this endeavor, the company has also appointed Parthiban Vairamudi as its business development manager for its India and SEA operations. Vairamudi has previously worked as the chief executive officer of the marketing and advertising company DigitalOOH. He brings with him over 18 years of experience in the digital and business development sectors. Vairamudi will now be responsible for Zoomd’s growth in the Indian and regional markets.

Zoomd seeks to position itself as a viable player in the country’s advertising industry. According to a report by Business Standard in February 2021, the Indian ad spend is expected to rise by 23% for the year after experiencing a 21.5% drop in 2020.

“The strong market recovery we have seen in this quarter made it a final decision for us. We intend to onboard new customers and publishers over the course of the year and become a meaningful player in the Indian ad space. We welcome Parthiban to lead our efforts in this region,” said Ofer Eiten, the CEO of Zoomd.

India – Facebook in India has launched the second film ‘Dhara’ as part of the platform’s ongoing ‘More Together’ campaign series, done in collaboration with dentsu international’s creative agency Taproot Dentsu India.

The ‘More Together’ campaign intends to celebrate the first anniversary of Facebook’s consumer marketing journey in the country. The campaign series showcases the platform’s power of connections and communities through inspirational stories.

The previously released film focuses on the life of ‘Richen’, a female football coach in Ladakh – a region in northern India, who shares her players’ videos on the social media platform. It highlights how the power of connections not only creates a fan-following for her team but also drives her and the team’s career forward.

The sequel, meanwhile, focuses on the life of Dhara, a book lover who rescues books from being consigned to the bin and that with the help of Facebook, finds homes for many of her rescued books.

The story continues to explain how people can do more together and that there are endless possibilities one can achieve through the power of Facebook.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxVMXXtGZjA

According to Neeraj Kanitkar, senior creative director of Taproot Dentsu, the film is a sweet and simple demonstration of Facebook’s inherent power which is to supercharge the efforts of one person when the community gets behind it. 

“It is quite rare to be in the advertising business without having some love for the written word. So when Gauri Burma – the most passionate book lover amongst us – came up with the idea, we knew we simply had to make it happen. We hope that it inspires people to consider using Facebook to give a new lease of life to old, forgotten, and about-to-be-turned-into-pulp books,” said Kanitkar.