Tag: South Asia

Maldives – The Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC), the national tourism office of the Maldives responsible for carrying out promotional activities, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the flag carrier airline Qatar Airways, aimed at increasing inbound air traffic to the Maldives. 

The MOU was signed at the Qatar Airways Stand, on the sidelines of the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) last 9 May 2022, at the Dubai World Trade Center. It was signed on behalf of Thoyyib Mohamed, MMPRC’s CEO and managing director, and Thierry Antinori, Qatar Airways’ chief commercial officer.

As per the agreement, both partners will be launching joint promotional and marketing activities in key identified markets, with the objective of increasing inbound air traffic to the Maldives. The activities include launching joint B2B and B2C campaigns, organising familiarisation trips for travel partners and media influencers, and working on joint activities with trade partners. It further stipulates aligning on future plans, with both parties assessing and contributing in order to implement the activities within the target markets to promote the Maldives as a travel destination.

Speaking at a panel discussion held during the 9th Arab Aviation Summit in Dubai earlier this year, Mohamed noted that the tourism and the aviation industry should work closely together to overcome challenges. He had also referred to the important role the Middle East plays as a growing source market for the Maldives, as well as the central hub for a large number of tourists. 

MMPRC is currently representing the Maldives at ATM 2022, the global event for the inbound and outbound travel industry in the Middle East. It aims to support the travel industry and facilitate important business connections.

In January 2022, MMPRC has partnered with British mass media firm News UK, to launch a new campaign that aims to drive brand awareness for the country as a holiday destination.

Dhaka, Bangladesh – As Bangladesh has been hit by a dengue epidemic within a pandemic, Akash Digital TV, the country’s direct-to-home (DTH) service provider, has launched a new unique mosquito repellent curtain called ‘MosBlock’, aimed at providing uninterrupted entertainment in a safe and healthy environment.

Several reasons why the number of dengue victims is rising are that low-income people living in slum communities partake extensively in communal social practices, as well as many mosquito repellents are not approved by the health board, and their ingredients can pose a severe health threat. Therefore the only safe defence is a mosquito net which is often impractical as you need to stay indoors throughout the day. 

According to research done by the Aichi Agricultural Research Center, it has been found that in the animal planet, Zebras get less attacked by mosquitoes because of their black and white pattern. The pattern creates an illusion in the compound of the eyes of mosquitos, which derails their landing. Mosquitoes avoid journeying in the direction of this unique pattern.

With this insight, an initiative was started as a pilot project in Dhaka’s largest slum – korail slum. The program began with an awareness and activation campaign throughout the slums, followed by the distribution of MosBlock curtains amongst households- all free of cost. The curtains were put on the doors and windows of homes as well as on the boundary walls – thereby deterring mosquitoes from this area.

Mumbai, India – India’s lead-free additive brand, Silvin, has launched a new campaign for its new offering ‘All-in-One Super1Pack’. This campaign, which is centred around cricket, playfully highlights the disadvantages of not having the right mix of PVC additives and how that could affect the manufacturing process.

According to Silvin, the combinations and ratios of additives like stabilisers, lubricants, impact modifiers, and processing aids are indispensable to PVC and CPVC manufacturing. Manufacturers, however, measure their own combinations, also known as self-compounding, which can be detrimental to the process. Silvin’s All-in-One Super1Pack solves this problem by providing the right combination of additives for better output.

Developed in partnership with DDB Mudra, the film draws attention to the side effects of self-compounding by showing a field full of wicketkeepers struggling to play a game of cricket. While it somewhat works, it’s not the game we all know and love because it lacks the right mix of players that perform different roles.

Jagat Chokshi, Silvin’s director, shared that the PVC/CPVC industry is highly dependent on self-compounding when it comes to additives that are crucial to the manufacturing process. 

“At Silvin, we achieve the right combination of additives through customisation and innovation, which is not only cost-effective for our clients but is also environmentally friendly,” said Chokshi.

Meanwhile, Pallavi Chakravarti, DDB Mudra’s creative head – West, commented that they strongly believe that brands are built through engaging and effective story-telling – whether they be consumer-facing or industrial in nature.

“The Silvin campaign, created by our Ahmedabad office is a prime example of us realising that belief through a light-hearted execution that lands the product benefit sharply via a metaphor that is universally understood,” said Chakravarti.

The new campaign is now live across social media and digital platforms.

Mumbai, India – Laqshya Public Relations, the PR vertical under marketing communications Laqshya Media Group, has launched its news distribution service ‘NewsCoverage.in’ for brands seeking to tell their stories.

This offering aims to provide customised solutions in the print, online, and electronic media domains with the best placement opportunities for clients based on their specific requirements.

NewsCoverage.in is managed and developed by the in-house team of media experts and developers to offer its clients the press release distribution services and media coverage platform. It seeks to boost the client’s brand by immediate submission to major news sites at a very competitive price range.

Manoj Barman, Laqshya Public Relations’ VP and head, noted that NewsCoverage.in is a customer-focused news distribution platform which can become the one-stop-shop for all clients’ PR needs, and when they add in cutting-edge technology, one and a half decades of experience in the industry, a user-friendly interface, and transparent pricing, it’s easy to see why companies should trust them to tell their stories in the modern-day. 

“Brands must share their stories with relevant audiences to establish a collaborative partnership and efficiently and cost-effectively address their publishing needs. Our new offering allows companies to send their news to a curated network of journalists and media outlets. We believe that it will be the key to success for many organisations in creating an impactful brand narrative that drives brand growth and credibility,” he said. 

Barman added, “The future of PR is in strong storytelling in the digital world. Laqshya PR helps brands and organisations to identify, connect and engage with customers and stakeholders to drive business results.”

Meanwhile, Atul Shrivastava, Laqshya Media Group’s group CEO and executive director, shared that they are a group of diverse entities and have recently started their PR vertical under the able captaincy of Barman and NewsCoverage.in is his brainchild. 

“If you are someone looking for authentic and effective PR distribution and subsequent placements and more, avail of our bespoke packages to get the best-in-class results in the market,” said Shrivastava.

India – 22feet Tribal Worldwide, the media agency under DDB Mudra Group, has won the digital mandate of Porter, India’s marketplace for intracity logistics, with the primary focus on brand awareness and community building.

Porter offers on-demand Light Commercial Vehicles (LCV) and bikes, as well as logistics delivery for enterprises. packers, and movers. It is set to expand its presence to 35 to 40 cities by March 2023.

The mandate will see 22feet Tribal Worldwide helping Porter define a proposition and develop campaigns that will move the needle on awareness and consideration as the brand continues to grow. With 22feet Tribal Worldwide, the brand also hopes to tap into every logistics conversation and deliver on the promise of service and reliability.

Mohit Rathi, Porter’s AVP of growth and marketing, noted that Porter is built on the promise of quality, accessibility, and affordability of the service, and they plan to carry these values into their next phase of growth. 

“We are excited to bring in 22feet Tribal Worldwide to lead our digital communication as we continue to transform the logistics space,” said Rathi.

Meanwhile, Ken Sekhar, 22feet Tribal Worldwide’s EVP and national head of business, commented, “The brand has bigger ambitions now as it looks to cement its top spot in the market, and we are excited to partner with them in this mission. I’m sure we will create a beautiful story together.”

India – Food and beverage company Kraft Heinz in India has launched a new campaign for its latest offering Heinz Tomato Twizt. This campaign was inspired by the company’s purpose, ‘Let’s Make Life Delicious’.

Heinz Tomato Twizt is made with quality tomatoes and Heinz’s secret spice mix, keeping in mind the Indian consumer’s taste and preferences and to suit the Indian palate.

The 360-degree campaign, which was created in partnership with advertising agency BBH India, includes 2 films for TV and digital, OOH, OTT integrations, and social media outreach.

Titled ‘Chhota Twist, Bada Dhamaka’, the campaign brings to the fore how Heinz Tomato Twizt is a saviour, whether for yesterday’s leftover food or a kitchen experiment gone wrong. Its delectable flavours aim to elevate the taste and enhance flavours making it a great accompaniment with a variety of cuisines – Indian or international.

Aarti Srinivasan, BBH India’s executive creative director, said, “We often see picture-perfect shots of mouth-watering food in advertising. To break the clutter, we wanted to visually show just the opposite. Enter last night’s cold pizza and burnt pakoda, with the idea of how Heinz Tomato Twizt is a saviour of food gone wrong.”

Meanwhile, Rafal Walendzik, Kraft Heinz’s managing director of Asia Trading, commented that their campaign is built on a strong consumer insight – which is ‘It’s often the small twists that make a big difference’ be it in food or life. 

“We truly believe a small twist like adding Heinz Tomato Twizt can elevate the taste of any dish, and even be the saviour of food gone wrong or bland food,” said Walendzik.

India – Advertising agency DDB Mudra Group has appointed Aniruddha Deb, former senior vice president and executive business director at Wunderman Thompson, to be its new executive vice president and head of business for North. 

In his new role, Deb will be overseeing the integrated business between DDB Mudra and 22feet Tribal Worldwide in the North office.

Deb brings with him more than 19 years of brand stewardship experience in advertising and marketing. He has worked with global brands like Unilever, Nestle, Wipro, Samsung, LG, HSBC, and Vodafone, as well as KFC, and Subway. Aside from his recent stint at Wunderman Thompson, Deb has served as the chief marketing officer at smartphone brand Mobiistar. He has also worked with agencies such as Ogilvy, Publicis Groupe and Cheil Worldwide.

Deb shared that what got him is the company’s constant endeavour to grow and build great brands through recognisable and effective creative work and the ability and eagerness to provide integrated solutions irrespective of the kind of business they hold. 

“It really excites me to come on board and lead client partnerships across mainline and digital. I hope to play a significant part in the Group’s ongoing growth journey,” said Deb

Meanwhile, Ashutosh Sawhney, DDB Mudra Group’s managing partner for North, commented, “Aniruddha’s appointment is in sync with this growing need as he complements both these skill sets with aplomb and has a keen appreciation of what is effective, creative work. We’re excited to see what the future of this hybrid model at the group holds with him on board.”

Just recently, DDB Mudra Group has elevated Vanaja Pillai to be its new head of diversity, inclusion, and impact. She will be working on initiatives to grow a diverse and inclusive workplace, including talent acquisition, retention, training, and outreach to talent in underrepresented communities.

India – For women, it is a fact that there are structural and systemic barriers that get in the way of reaching senior leadership roles, especially for mothers, who have been on a maternity break. In this year’s celebration of Mothers’ Day, Indian jewelry brand Tanishq has launched a new campaign that aims to inspire moms to return to work.

The campaign was conceptualised by the new indie agency Talented, which was founded by former Webchutney CEO and CCO duo, Gautam Reghunath and PG Aditiya, and created in partnership with advertising film production Superfly Films. 

Titled ‘The Interview’, the film flips the narrative around the maternity penalty, offering a whole new perspective on what the maternity break actually means – an experience that can present a real competitive advantage at work, a bootcamp in leadership.

Ranjani Krishnaswamy, Tanishq’s general manager of marketing, shared that the woman of today is seeking to express herself with honesty and authenticity to confidently celebrate her realities, and she’s thriving in her vulnerability while rising in her power to change her world. 

“The brand believes these powerful stories build positive momentum in cultivating a world of equality and adding to her self growth. This film is an ode to women who challenge set narratives and inspire many others to follow the change,” said Krishnaswamy.

Meanwhile, Binaifer Dulani, Talented’s founding member and creative, noted that this is a long-overdue conversation in India, and Mother’s Day felt like a moment as good as any to further this narrative. 

“Studies reveal that it will take at least 136 years to close the global gender pay gap, and one of the biggest factors for this is the lack of representation of women in senior leadership. We need more workplaces to see beyond the dominant culture, value the incredible leadership transformation mothers undergo, and create equity for women so that they can make their comeback,” said Dulani.

Kopal Naithani, Superfly Films’ founder and director, said that a maternity break is not easy, it tests mothers at every level, and has a transformative effect, and there’s so much fear about what life will be like after, for working women. 

“I hope our character, Radhika inspires more mothers to add ‘Life Bootcamp’ to their own resumes and negotiate for better, more powerful roles when they make their comeback to work. At Superfly Films, furthering the arc on progressive womanhood is core to our mission, and we’re honoured to partner with Talented and Tanishq to put this discourse out there and inspire action,” added Naithani.

Mumbai, India – Advertising agency TBWA\ India has appointed Amit Kekre, former national strategy head at advertising agency DDB Mudra Group, to be its new chief strategy officer.

With 23 years of industry experience, Amit has worked with agencies globally, including Lowe, JWT, and Ogilvy, as well as Grey, and McCann in India, Malaysia, and Australia. During his recent stint at DDB Mudra, Kekre led marketing, brand, and business strategies for the group’s clients, namely Diageo, Pepsi, Unilever, and Future Group, as well as Godrej, amongst others. He has also championed the group’s diversity agenda – and has been pivotal in establishing diversity as a key strategic growth capability for the group. 

Moreover, Kekre is the chairperson for the India chapter of Open Pride, Omnicom’s ERG for the LGBTIQ+ community at the workplace, and will continue to lead these chapters from TBWA.

Kekre said, “We live in times when the question of growth cannot afford to be linear, it must be discontinuous. So must be the ways to achieve it, we need a fundamental shake-up from comfort zones – of how we see our brands, our businesses, the consumers they serve and the world they must create. No better place than TBWA, the @DISRUPTION company to make this happen.”

Meanwhile, Govind Pandey, TBWA\ Inda’s CEO, shared that Kekre is an exceptional leader and an impressive strategist, and his ambition to discover and understand goes well beyond the books, tools, and processes.

“Amit will be responsible for developing and executing an elevated strategic approach across our planning department while working closely with the agency’s portfolio of brands,” said Pandey.

Mumbai, India – Germany-based home solutions brand, Häfele, has launched its new ‘Let’s Reimagine’ campaign, aimed at strengthening the brand recall amongst its reach.

This new byline enables the brand to urge the customers to reimagine their homes with the blend of innovation and convenience and choose from the endless options from Hafele’s many product ranges – for creating or recreating their perfect homes.

The campaign, which was conceptualised and executed with Indian independent full-service marketing agency IdeateLabs, was launched in two phases. The first phase highlighted Häfele’s almost a century-old legacy, history, and milestones achieved globally and two decades of its existence in India. Meanwhile, the second phase consists of twenty-two ad films urging the customers to reimagine their homes with the highest quality of interior solutions.

Ashwini Vyas, IdeateLabs’ senior creative director, shared that the entire team aimed at streamlining the brand communication by linking all the future creatives and collaterals with the key message. 

“Our strengthened association with Häfele of over four years now has helped us understand what today’s consumers are looking for and how Häfele is a cut above the competition offering the best-in-class solutions. With the Let’s Reimagine campaign, we have successfully reached out to a wider customer base with the brand message,” said Vyas.

The campaign is available across Häfele’s digital platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn, as well as on the brand website, with ‘Let’s Reimagine’ being incorporated as the brand trademark.