Tag: South Asia

Bangalore, India – Graphic India, a character entertainment creator company in India, has announced the launch of Toonsutra, a homegrown webtoon comics platform for mobile devices, which will officially launch in April.

The new platform aims to bring high-quality webtoon and comics optimized for mobile devices. It will feature different genres such as superhero, fantasy, and romance, as well as sci-fi, and Bollywood, among others.

Prior to its official launch, the platform will release new free stories daily from well-known webtoon creators and biggest comic hits in the country, as well as global comics translated in Hindi and other regional languages. Furthermore, the platform will also showcase and promote emerging rising star creators across India, giving them a home to tell their stories.

According to Sharad Devarahan, co-founder of Graphic India, Toonsutra will become the country’s new storytelling home for disruptive Indian creators to experiment, innovate, and create engaging webtoon comic stories.

“Webtoon platforms have become an explosive phenomenon across Asia with top webtoon apps cumulatively reaching over 70 million monthly users and over 100 billion views a year. For the first time, we want to make a webtoon app dedicated for Indians and spark a mobile webcomic revolution,” said Devarahan.

The app is exclusively for India and is available on IOS and Android.

India – Global broadcasting news company BBC News in India has teamed up with AliveNow, a global creative tech studio, for a campaign that sees the fusion of both OOH and augmented reality.

BBC news has launched its very own Instagram AR effect that will give users the opportunity to be part of the BBC News billboard, with the BBC audio track even playing in the background.

The campaign is to encourage its audience to ‘make more of their world’. BBC News said the initiative reflects its ambition to represent all those that come to them for trustworthy, impartial journalism. 

“Through this initiative, we are taking our commitment to ‘make more of your world’ to our audiences in the comfort of their own homes. With the help of this idea, we intend to engage with our audience at a deeper level and offer an honest opportunity to be part of our campaign. For this innovation, we’ve worked closely with the AliveNow team and are pleased with the fantastic outcome. I invite everyone to join in and be part of our campaign,” said Tejash Kothari, marketing manager of BBC News in the Asia Pacific.

The campaign is a first of its kind. The new Instagram AR effect is made available in six Indian languages, and offers three different billboard styles in various environments to select from.

Raghav Sharma, account manager at AliveNow India, shared, “It was exciting to partner with BBC News India to bring to their audience for the first time ever, a chance to see themselves on a BBC billboard through an Augmented Reality filter on Instagram. We hope that users are delighted by this Spark AR experience and tune-in to BBC in their regional language.”

The news company also encourages users to tag them when posting Instagram stories using the new filter for a chance to be on an actual BBC billboard.

India – OPPO in India has launched a new television commercial (TVC) for its F19 Pro Series, showcasing the new ‘AI Highlight Portrait Video’ feature, done in collaboration with dentsu international’s creative agency Taproot Dentsu India.

The new F19 Pro Series aims to capitalize on the rising trend of creating video content among Generation Zs, which pushed OPPO to create a new feature for shooting quality videos in the dark, empowering content creators to film videos in challenging light conditions. 

Taproot Dentsu Agency was tasked to build on the popularity of OPPO’s F-series and highlight the key features of the F19 Pro series that would find a meaningful interpretation for ‘Flaunt’ which connects to video content creation.

The film focused on nightfall, reiterating bad lighting a common barrier for content creators. The spot demonstrates the OPPO F19 Pro series’ stellar solution to the said age-old problem. To build on the night-time atmosphere, the film made use of a remix track of an old cult classic Bollywood song. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ZASsldLPqc

Damyant Singh Khanoria, the chief marketing officer of OPPO Mobiles India, said, “As a leading technology brand, we take pride in creating products which delight consumers. ‘Flaunt Your Night’ spotlights the joy of capturing magical moments on the OPPO F19 Pro series even in low light conditions. We loved Taproot Dentsu’s approach of weaving the story of friends creating unforgettable memories with the iconic ‘So gaya ye jahan’ track. The film is the perfect embodiment of the F-Series product series.”

Meanwhile, Abhinav Kaushik, the executive vice president and account management of Taproot Dentsu Gurgaon, also said, “OPPO’s F19 Pro Series is a game-changer in its segment of the mobile handset industry. With its innovative features that empower content creators to break the low-light obstacles in their path, the brand is poised to drive real, tangible value to millions of aspiring creators across the country. The creative interpretation of the brief helped to isolate and effectively communicate these features and demonstrate that OPPO’s F19 Pro Series is here to push the envelope further.” 

India – In celebration of International Women’s Day, Paytm, India’s e-commerce payment and fintech, has partnered with creative agency Dentsu Impact India to launch an impactful social experiment that centers around financial literacy and gender disparity in Indian society.

A total of 30 participants of different genders and ages were invited to join the social experiment. In a short film released by Paytm, individuals were made to stand in line and were asked questions that may seem simple at first but further, became more probing. At the end of the experiment, there emerges the wide gap of financial literacy between men and women.

The campaign’s aim is to bring to light that until now, the significance of financial knowledge among women lacks further discourse. 

“While modern Indian women do not lack ambition or ability when it comes to financial conversations, many are still surprisingly uncertain and not confident. It is primarily believed and followed that men handle financial matters better and are the ones who should be in control,” said Dentsu Impact in a press release. 

The campaign, spearheaded by director Ruchi Narain, was created to make viewers realize that financial independence and literacy among women in India is a major step in practicing gender equality. The campaign seeks to encourage the viewers to separate gender from finance.

Mumbai, India – JL Stream, a proudly India-made social live streaming app, has announced its official launch, enabling users to stream their talent, get discovered, chat, and earn.

The live streaming app carries a unique feature called ‘Keep It Simple Streamer’ or K.I.S.S., which gives the users the option to share a short video of their talent along with their introduction and to connect with an audience. 

The ‘earn’ feature of the app refers to streamers’ ability to be paid by viewers, where those using the app to watch talents can purchase coins in-app and pay streamers via virtual gifts during the live sessions. Streamers can withdraw their earnings instantly via multiple digital payment options.

The app currently has 100,000 downloads. Its CEO Raj Kundra has noted that in the last five years, India has seen a substantial amount of growth in the way locals consume data and watch content.

“Jaldi Live is a major part of the new internet culture giving every person with any talent a platform to become a star. We have crossed 1 Lakh installs already. I am proud to say that the app is made in India and will be available worldwide,” Kundra said.

Singapore – Global telecommunications company Telstra has appointed Geraldine Kor as the new managing director for South Asia, and at the same time, as the company’s country managing director for Singapore. 

Under the new role, Kor will be responsible for South Asia markets including India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. She will also be responsible for Telstra’s Australian and New Zealand customers expanding internationally, wherein she will be leveraging her expertise in technology domain and customer market development.

Prior to joining Telstra, she has worked with technology company DXC Technology, where she assumed the role of  director of global alliances and partnerships, as well as regional business operations director for Asia and director of marketing and communications. She also previously was the senior sales director of mapping technology company HERE Technologies, and managed the product and channel development of telecommunications and consumer electronics company Nokia Mobile for Asia Pacific.

“I am very excited to join Telstra and work with this amazing team of people. The current and post-COVID world demands more technology for companies to adapt to the new digital normal. We are committed to helping our clients accelerate their digital transformation and making it easy to do business in the region and beyond,” Kor commented. 

Meanwhile, Oliver Camplin-Warner, CEO for Telstra International commented, “The pandemic has accelerated the shift to digital transformation and companies are turning to us to help improve their ICT and security resilience. We believe Geraldine’s strong technology background will help our customers to adopt adaptive technologies for their new remote workforces. She is an exemplary professional who embodies excellence and brings with her a variety of skills. Geraldine will use her drive and passion to play a crucial role in our future success.”

The Australia-born company currently operates in over 20 countries outside its headquarters. 

India – With the festive season already kicking off, shoppers are getting geared up for their holiday spend. In India, consumers have revealed that during this time, they are more likely to buy a product online when it is discounted and have an easy return policy, according to a study by global marketing company OMG and international research group YouGov.

The two came out as the top priorities for online shoppers in India, coming after good quality of products, which inevitably reigns their purchase specifications. On-time delivery is also a top priority for majority, or 32%, of consumers. Meanwhile, about the same percentage, 20%, is reflected across those who stated the following factors in their holiday purchases: products being in a single place, authenticity of products, brands that are homegrown, flexible payment options, and e-commerce that have varied brands. About 9% of consumers, on the other hand, stated ease of navigation among e-commerce as a priority. 

The study also probed into the kind of products Indian consumers are buying the most online. Food essentials came out with the highest percentage of consumer intent. Groceries and health food drinks for children led the list. Indian shoppers were also shown to depend on e-commerce when looking for household entertainment products.

India – The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) has released on Tuesday an official advisory for brands and companies in releasing COVID-19-related advertisements.

The authority said the guidelines are in response to a proliferation of ads with misleading claims around coronavirus cures and preventions.

In the statement, ASCI cautions ads that claim destruction or removal of any virus other than COVID-19, a violation of the authority’s clauses 1.4, and 1.5, pertaining to the distortion of facts and the misframing of information for consumers. 

In cases that an advertiser opts to include such claims, ASCI reminded that the disclaimer “claim not applicable to coronavirus (COVID-19),” or a similar message, must be displayed, and shown in the size and position aligned with ASCI’s specifications. 

Advertisers are also likewise warned to be extra conscientious in making, whether direct or indirect, claims in reducing the chances of becoming infected with the virus, or gaining immunity against it. In such cases, advertisers should be able to substantiate such claims with technical support by recognized or approved health authorities such as the World Health Organization (WHO), Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), and Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), or any health organizations of similar stature. Support may also come from well-recognized medical and technical literature or by regulatory-approved clinical research conducted by a recognized medical institute and laboratory.

Similarly, the authority made mention that brands offering products that are not internally consumed or applied to bodies hence, those not requiring a license under the Drug & Cosmetic Act, must be particularly careful in making claims regarding the prevention, immunity, and treatment for the virus unless supported with sufficient data. 

In April 2020, the Ministry of AYUSH has released an order for regulatory authorities in the states and union territories on AYUSH, drugs that have been launched without any rigorous pharmacological studies and clinical trial, to stop and prevent publicity and advertisement of AYUSH-related claims for COVID-19. In the guidelines, ASCI emphasized the order which restricts communications on print, TV, and electronic media. 

ASCI said the released directions are only the first of many steps to safeguard consumers from the plethora of misleading pandemic-related claims

Since the Ministry of AYUSH’s memo in April, ASCI has processed 250 violating advertisements and reported 233 from the healthcare sector to the ministry. 

General Secretary of ASCI Manisha Kapoor said that although the pandemic is a difficult time for everyone, even for brands, it isn’t a reason to resort to negligence.

“Manufacturers and brands have responded to consumer needs arising out of the pandemic. However, we want these products and advertisements to stick to claims and promises that are well backed by adequate substantiation,” said Kapoor.

Kapoor added, “We want advertisers to be more mindful in creating advertisements and making claims related to Covid-19. Given the pandemic and the extended lockdowns, people are obviously concerned.”

ASCI has already rolled out digital banners of the guidelines on its social media pages.

Mumbai, India – India’s short video platform Chingari and entertainment brand The Q India has formed a joint programming and marketing agreement that will enable content from the brand to be featured in the platform.

The partnership comes as Chingari expands its delivery of content to include short-form video on demand (VOD) together with games and news.

The Q India is a Hindi language channel and VOD provider delivering digital programming from social media stars and leading digital video creators with young Indian consumers as its target, mirroring that of Chingari’s main audience.

The content on the Chingari platform will be offered on an ad-supported basis.

Deepak Salvi, co-founder, and COO of the Chingari app said that India has evolved from being a consumer of traditional TV content to a creator of digital content.

“We share the ambitions of Q India to create a new and dynamic brand delivering the content that the young Indian audience is looking for on platforms that they can engage with all day every day. As we build our content offering across both [user generated content] and professionally produced content to our fast-growing audience, we are excited to add programming from Q India to the mix,” Salvi said.

Meanwhile, The Q India’s Chief Revenue Officer Krishna Menon commented, “Chingari has proven to be one of the fastest-growing apps in India driving millions of views daily across their platform. We look forward to co-marketing our brands to our respective users and continuing to deliver together great content for [young Indians]. We expect that offering Q India content across yet another major and fast-growing platform will increase our value to the brands and advertisers who we align with”

The Chingari app, which means “spark” in Hindi, was launched in 2018 and saw its user base surge when TikTok was banned in the country earlier in June.

Mumbai, India – Dentsu International has roped in Chief Data Officer and CEO of Dentsu Programmatic for South Asia Gautam Mehra to lead the APAC unit anew. He will be assuming the title Chief Data & Product Officer for the larger region.

The appointment comes as the marketing communications company moves to build a stronger and more unified APAC data and product offering across the network. Based in Mumbai, Gautam will report to Zhengda Shen, APAC president of Dentsu’s data-driven performance marketing agency Merkle.

Gautam joined Dentsu in 2013, where he later assumed the South Asia leadership three years after. In his recent role for the region, Gautam was responsible for driving the data quotient in the market both internally and with clients. Most notably, he led the unification of the Dentsu’s data sciences team and the team of programmatic marketing service Amnet to create Dentsu Programmatic.

Gautam also led the creation of Dentsu’s proprietary adtech product, the Dentsu Marketing Cloud ecosystem, which is a cohesive system that brings together a slew of Dentsu proprietary ecosystems such as the Facebook Marketing Partner (Ad-Tech) Badged DMC Explore, Dentsu Play, Dentsu TrueValue and other proprietary martech tools used in over 32 markets globally.

On the appointment, Ashish Bhasin, Dentsu Asia Pacific CEO said that data is central to the company’s business strategy as it ensures that advertising efforts are in the right direction.

“Having Gautam drive this data agenda for us is crucial in the era of data explosion. He has earned a reputation of developing and delivering highly innovative data-led initiatives while embodying the spirit of innovation and entrepreneurism. This is a well-deserved promotion and I look forward to working closely with him,” said Bhasin.

Merkle APAC president Zhengda Shen also commented, “Organizations are constantly challenged to evolve with agility and speed and adapt to ever-changing consumer dynamics. Providing leadership for clients by integrating data, media, content, and technology to navigate through this shifting landscape is a critical function of agencies. Gautam’s track record for driving innovations and developing globally scaled solutions makes him perfectly placed to help our clients in the region and to ensure that Dentsu International continues to lead through innovation.”

Meanwhile, Gautam, on his new role, said, “There are almost no limits to what we can uncover by studying consumer behavior and their interplay with brands. I’m excited to apply my leadership, knowledge, and experience in delivering globally adopted tech-driven products and solutions to further the data-driven culture of Dentsu International and to build the practice across APAC, further cementing our dominance in this area within the region in using cutting edge technology to solve everyday client challenges.”

Very recently, Dentsu announced its rebranding from Dentsu Aegis Network to now Dentsu International. The new brand will see the union of thousands of global employees under one Dentsu name.