Samir Kumar takes helm as Amazon India's new country manager

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Representational image via Unsplash

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Piyush Pandey

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In conversation with VMLY&R’s Hari Ramanathan

Amazon's Samir Kumar will now take over the reins of the e-commerce giant's Indian operation. Kumar has been appointed as Amazon India's Country Manager, following the resignation of Manish Tiwary. Kumar will continue overseeing the consumer businesses of the retail giant across the Middle East, South Africa, and Turkey. 

Kumar joined Amazon in 1999 and was part of the core team that launched Amazon.in in 2013.  Kumar is an engineering graduate from the National Institute of Technology, Rourkela. He got his master's degree from Utah State University in 1995.

Ami Agarwal, Amazon’s Senior Vice President for Emerging Markets, announced the leadership transition. Amazon.in leadership team—Saurabh Srivastava (Categories), Harsh Goyal (Everyday Essentials), Amit Nanda (Marketplace), and Aastha Jain (Growth Initiatives)—will now report to Samir. Additionally, Kishore Thota (Emerging Markets Shopping Experience) will report directly to Amit Nanda.
 
Kumar will work closely with Manish Tiwary during the transition period. Tiwary, who has been with Amazon India for eight-and-a-half years, announced his decision to leave in early August. 

Kumar will assume his new role on October 1, 2024.

Snap Inc on Wednesday launched fifth generation of spectacles, and 'Snap OS'. According to CEO Evan Spiegel, the spectacles will work seamlessly on mobile devices via the 'Spectacles' application.

The Snap spectacles, powered by Snap OS, are packed into AR glasses that weigh less than half the weight of a typical VR headset at only 226 grams. They are equipped with four cameras and enable hand tracking.

On the other hand, the Snap OS has been designed and built from the ground up and leverages its proprietary technology,  Liquid Crystal on Silicon (LCoS) micro-projectors, and waveguides, creating vivid, sharp images both indoors or outdoors - even in direct sunlight.  The Optical Engine delivers a 46-degree diagonal field of view with a 37 pixel per degree similar to a 100-inch display just 10 feet away, according to Snap.

The other features of the spectacles include its dual system-on-a-chip architecture.

With two Snapdragon processors from Qualcomm, this infrastructure splits the compute workload across the two processors. The spectacles work alongside titanium chambers to improve heat dissipation. 

Spectacles deliver up to 45 minutes of continuous standalone runtime. The company has partnered with OpenAI, "to give developers access to powerful multimodal large language models".


The CEO said that spectacles will be available from today onwards as part of the Spectacles Developer Program.


According to Snap Inc., more than 375,000 AR creators, developers, and teams from nearly every country in the world have built over 4 million lenses. In just the last year, Snapchatters have engaged with Lenses made by our AR community more than 4.5 trillion times.

On creators, the company said the posting has more than tripled over the past year.

"Creators have garnered trillions of views on the Snaps in their Stories, and now, more than 500 million people watch Spotlight videos. Every day, there are nearly 15 billion interactions between creators and their fans on Snapchat,"Snap Inc said. 

Snap Partner Summit 2024: Snap Inc launches new AR glasses spectacles

Entrepreneur Mayank Bidawatka, the co-founder of India's defunct microblogging platform Koo, has started a new venture called 'Billion Hearts Software Technologies'.

Bidawatka informed in a LinkedIn post by writing, "I’m happy to share that I’m starting a new position as Founder at Billion Hearts Software Technologies!".


According to Bidawatka, the Billion Hearts will build digital products. He wrote on LinkedIn, "Billion Hearts as a name represents the dreams of many. And hopefully the usage of billions of users around the world for whom this startup will build beautiful digital products".


Bidawatka will launch the startup in a few months as per his LinkedIn post.


<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/digital/a-product-customers-never-wanted-the-rise-and-fall-of-koo-36220.htm">A product customers never wanted?: The rise and fall of Koo</a>


In a previous post, he said that his upcoming venture has secured funding from several founder friends who have established big consumer tech startups in the country. He added, "We are busy talking to some known VCs for seed funding".


Koo, similar to the X platform, was shut down this year due to unsuccessful talks on mergers with several companies and high maintenance costs. 


Backed by Tiger Global, Koo was founded in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic by Bidawatka and Aprameya Radhakrishna. It was last valued at $274 million.

Before founding Koo, Bidawatka had also started companies like Goodbox and The Media Ant.

Koo co-founder Mayank Bidawatka starts new venture 'Billion Hearts Software'

Jennifer Dulski, the Founder and CEO of Rising Team and a prominent lecturer at Stanford Graduate School of Business, has shared insights into her unconventional career journey, emphasizing how taking strategic demotions plays a pivotal role in her success.

Dulski began her career in 1999 with Yahoo, accepting a marketing position that offered significantly less compensation that other opportunities she had at the time. "Most of my peers didn't understand that choice at the time, but I was excited about getting started in tech," Dulski told Business Insider. Her passion for technology and business outweighed the financial considerations, setting the stage for her future achievements.

Her career has been marked by a series of bold decisions, including her willingness to take a demotion. When Dulski chose to transition into a general management role at Yahoo, she took a step down from her marketing position. "People looked at me and said, 'what are you doing?' But I knew I wanted to try to run a business," she recalled. This move, though seemingly counterintuitive, proved to be a strategic one. "It set my career on a different path. I ended up being promoted. And in around 18 months, they gave me six businesses to run."

Dulski's journey continued with a stint at Dealmap, a startup she joined after leaving her senior executive role at Yahoo. The startup was later acquired by Google, where she continued her career before making another unexpected move to become president and CEO of Change.org. Her path eventually led her to Facebook, where she managed groups and communities. 

After 25 years in leadership roles across major tech companies, Dulski launched Rising Team in 2020. Reflecting on her career, she noted, "I've taken what I consider the unexpected or less obvious career option at many points along the road. In 2020 I started my own company, which feels like the culmination of my career."

Ex-senior employee of Yahoo, Google, and Facebook reflects on career decisions

Radhika Gupta, the CEO and Managing Director of Edelweiss Mutual Funds, has shared the surprising reason behind her decision to forgo luxury cars, even though she can easily afford them. 

Speaking on a recent podcast, Gupta revealed that her reluctance to own an expensive car stems from her belief that such vehicles are depreciating assets.

Gupta, who currently drives an Innova, explained that her perspective on luxury items has evolved significantly over the years. "I can't get myself to buy a luxury car. I can afford it, but I can't buy it," Gupta said. "Every time I tell myself 'I'm going to get a bonus, I'll buy myself a fancy car,' I think a car is a depreciating asset. I don't drive, and if I drive it out of home, 30 percent of the value will be gone."

Reflecting on her journey from a middle-class upbringing to becoming one of India's youngest CEOs, Gupta admitted that she once felt insecure about not owning designer items. However, her outlook has changed dramatically. "Eighteen years ago, when I graduated from college and people would say 'Oh! You don't have a fancy handbag?' I would feel insecure about it. Now, it someone says: 'Why are you driving an Innova?' I'm at a point where I can say, 'My place, my life'. I think it's because I don't have anything to prove [to anyone]."

Gupta's net worth is estimated to be around 41 crore, according to reports. Despite her considerable wealth, her approach to spending and investments remain grounded in practicality rather than luxury.

Edelweiss leader Radhika Gupta opens up about choosing practicality over luxury cars

China's Lenovo Group revenue rose to $15.4 billion, for the three months ending in June. Lenovo was among the first to unveil AI PCs, when it launched two models in May 2024. The company projects 10% of Lenovo’s shipped PCs will be AI PCs by year-end and the number is expected to rise to 50-60% by 2026. 

With AI and GenAI technologies proliferating, the layers of complexity for marketing practitioners increase. Emily Ketchen, global Chief Marketing Officer and VP of Lenovo’s Intelligent Devices Group (IDG) and International Markets, unravels the global media and marketing trends that are disrupting how brands and businesses engage with consumers. These trends and complex media times are also making the CMO's job a lot harder but exciting as well. 

Ketchen discusses media disruptions, the advance of AI, evolving role of the marketer and the power of leaning in, with Delshad Irani on Media Dialogues With Storyboard18.

WATCH 

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Curators of Attention: How tech marketers navigate a new media world

"Veracity and politics of the allegations aside, we may be witnessing the side effects of what happens when the worlds of government and the private sector collide."

Sudhir Sitapati, Managing Director and CEO of Godrej Consumer Products Limited (GCPL), offered his perspective on the complex dynamics between the Indian government and the private sector, using the recent controversy surrounding Madhabi Puri Buch, SEBI Chairperson, as a launchpad for a broader discussion. Sitapati took to LinkedIn to share his views.

The controversy centers on allegations that Buch's husband, Dhaval Buch, received significant sums of money for consulting work with high-profile companies, which some have implied and alleged could have been quid pro quos for favours extended by SEBI.

Sitapati, however, was quick to defend Dhaval Buch's integrity, having worked with him for over two decades at Hindustan Unilever. "In a company known for its integrity, his reputation for integrity stood out," Sitapati stated, affirming Dhaval's professional standing and demand in the corporate world post-retirement.

Beyond the specific allegations, Sitapati highlighted the inherent tensions between the government and the private sector, especially when professionals transition between the two worlds. "In the West, especially the US, it's very common for folks from the private sector to move into government jobs, and vice versa," Sitapati pointed out. 

Sitapati shared a personal anecdote to underscore the vast differences in remuneration between the sectors. Recalling his early career days, he noted that as a young management trainee, his salary surpassed that of his uncle, a Cabinet Secretary, illustrating the stark contrast in financial rewards.

<iframe src="https://www.linkedin.com/embed/feed/update/urn:li:share:7240943790713171968" height="1313" width="504" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="" title="Embedded post"></iframe>

He also addressed the differing ethical frameworks that govern these sectors. In the private sector, the guiding principle is often "trust and declare," where professionals disclose potential conflicts of interest and proceed under transparency. In contrast, the government sector operates with a stricter adherence to rules, where even the hint of private sector engagement can raise eyebrows. 

Sitapati's broader concern is that India's talent pool from the corporate world could remain untapped if biases and misunderstandings persist. "Given the cusp of change India is at, there's a lot of talent in the private sector that the government could use," he observed, warning that unless these differences in context and culture are respected, professionals from the corporate world may be deterred from taking up government roles. 

The post ends with a reflective note, underscoring the importance bridging this divide. For India to truly benefit from its corporate expertise, a shift in mindset is essential. Otherwise, as Sitapati cautions, "We could have a situation where no senior person would ever consider a government job. That would be a real pity."

GCPL boss Sudhir Sitapati on Dhaval Buch and what happens when govt and pvt sector worlds "collide"

Paytm founder and Chairman Vijay Shekhar Sharma on Thursday spoke about how Artificial Intelligence (AI) will revolutionize the fintech industry. Sharma, during the 24th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of Paytm's parent firm One97 Communications Ltd, said, "Companies and businesses that will start adopting AI at a very early stage will become successful," and added, "GenAI will have a profound impact on every industry across the country".

The Paytm chairman also mentioned, "Just like India has taken the lead in the financial technology, the same way it will do it in the AI space. Paytm will lead the industry with AI capability".

Talking about Japan's PayPay, Sharma said Paytm has adopted AI in Japan, supporting risk management and fraud detection.

"Our risk management and fraud detection systems not only enhance our payment solutions in India but also support one of the largest mobile payment companies in Japan (PayPay), where we are also a potential shareholder. There is strong demand and high expectations for us to continue advancing our AI-powered risk management solutions," Sharma added.

	
<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-makers/paytm-money-appoints-venkatesh-srinivasan-as-non-executive-independent-director-40670.htm">Paytm Money appoints Venkatesh Srinivasan as Non-Executive Independent Director</a>

He said that the company's goal right now is to harness AI in the fintech space.

"Our goal is to harness these technologies to improve our core business operations and drive down expenses," Sharma said.

Notably, the company laid off more than 1,000 employees from its operations, sales, and engineering teams in December after adopting AI in most of the operational work.

Apart from AI, the Paytm boss said he would reapply for a payment aggregator (PA) license to reserve Bank in due course.

Recently, the Centre allowed Paytm to invest in its payment services business.

<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-marketing/paytm-agrees-to-sell-entertainment-ticketing-business-to-zomato-for-rs-2048-cr-cash-40159.htm">Paytm to sell Entertainment Ticketing business to Zomato for Rs 2,048</a>

“We would like to inform you that PPSL has received approval from the government of India, Ministry of Finance, Department of Financial Services, vide its letter dated August 27, 2024, for downstream investment from the company into PPSL. With this approval in place, PPSL will proceed to resubmit its PA application. In the meantime, PPSL will continue to provide online payment aggregation services to existing partners,” Paytm had informed the stock exchanges earlier.

RBI had rejected Paytm’s PA licence permit application in November 2022 and instructed the company to reapply with Press Note 3 compliance under the foreign direct investment norms.

One97 Communications stock closed at 0.083% up at Rs 667.05 on the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) on Thursday.

AI will have profound impact on every industry: Vijay Shekhar Sharma, Paytm

In a traditionally male-dominated industry, Ogilvy is standing out by fostering an inclusive culture where women are not only thriving but leading the charge. From Devika Bulchandani to Maria O'Keeffe, these inspiring female leaders are at the helm of creative innovation, brand strategy, and agency growth, pushing boundaries and redefining what success looks like in the modern advertising world. From managing global accounts to steering ground-breaking campaigns, the top women at Ogilvy are paving the way for future generations, while contributing significantly to the agency's renowned legacy of creativity and impact.

Let's get to know the woman leaders at Ogilvy:

Devika Bulchandani - Global Chief Executive Officer

Devika Bulchandani (popularly known as Dev) is a globally renowned advertising leader known for her passion, purpose, and unwavering commitment to creating meaningful impact. As the Global CEO of Ogilvy, she oversees all aspects of the agency's expansive business, spanning advertising, PR, Consulting, Experience, and Health across 124 offices in 88 countries. Prior to joining Ogilvy, Bulchandani spent 26 years at McCann in various leadership roles including President of McCann North America. 

Bulchandani's leadership is characterized by her belief in creativity as a powerful tool for social good. She has championed several notable campaigns at the intersection of brand-building and social impact, including the iconic "Fearless Girl" campaign promoting female leadership, the "Morning After Island" initiative that helped overturn a Honduran ban on emergency contraception, and the "WOMAN CORP" effort in support of the Equal Rights Amendment in the U.S. She also led Ogilvy's work with Dove to combat race-based hair discrimination through the CROWN Act.

She was the driving force behind Mastercard’s long-running “Priceless” campaign as well as “True Name,” a first-of-its-kind feature launched in 2019 that empowers transgender and non-binary people to display their chosen name on their Mastercard. Known for ideas that capture the cultural zeitgeist, Dev also helped launch “Fearless Girl,” an iconic and beloved symbol of women’s equality; the campaign became one of the most awarded campaigns in the history of the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. 

Born in India, Bulchandani earned her Bachelor's degree in English and Psychology from St. Xavier's College in Mumbai, followed by a Master's degree in Communications from the University of Southern California.

<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/watch-listen/ogilvys-devika-bulchandani-liz-taylor-on-their-relationship-with-each-other-personal-goals-and-more-9786.htm">WATCH: Ogilvy's Devika Bulchandani and Liz Taylor on their relationship, personal goals and more, in conversation with Storyboard18's editor Delshad Irani</a>

Liz Taylor - Global Chief Creative Officer

Liz Taylor is one of the most-awarded creative leaders in the advertising industry, renowned for her championing of borderless creativity and ideas. As the Global Chief Creative Officer of Ogilvy, she oversees the creative output across 131 offices in 93 countries, guiding the agency's five business units: Advertising, PR, Experience, Health, and Consulting. Under her leadership, Ogilvy has achieved unparalleled success, being named CLIOs Network of the Year in 2023, Cannes Network of the Year in 2022, and WARC Creative 100's top-ranked Network in 2022 and 2023.

Prior to Ogilvy she was Global Chief Creative Officer for Leo Burnett and Chief Creative Officer for Publicis Communications North America where she was a Founding Partner at Le Truc, a new business model threaded across the Publicis Groupe. 

Taylor has an Emmy nomination to her credit for her ground-breaking campaign "Lost Class" with Change the Ref, which was honoured in the Outstanding Commercial Category.

Taylor's influence extends beyond her own work, as she has served on numerous prestigious juries, including Cannes Lions, The One Show, and D&AD. She is also an advocate for workplace equality, serving as an inaugural chair for the Athena Advertising Awards in partnership with the 3% Movement.

A graduate of the University of Wisconsin and Portfolio Center, Taylor is based in her native Chicago, where she lives with her husband and her two kids when they are home from college. When she’s not writing for work, she’s writing a memoir that she hopes will one day be published. And when she needs a break from writing, you can find her indulging in any number of her favorite things—whether binge-watching, fashion obsessing, pop culture devouring, vintage t-shirt collecting, mid-century modern furniture shopping or poker playing. 

Stacey Ryan-Cornelius - Global Chief Financial Officer

Stacey Ryan-Cornelius serves as the Global Chief Financial Officer at Ogilvy, where she oversees all financial operations across the company's global network. 

Prior to her current role at Ogilvy, Ryan-Cornelius was the Global Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer of Geometry Global. Before that, she held the position of Global Chief Financial Officer at WPP Health & Wellness.

Ryan-Cornelius first joined Ogilvy in 1999 and held several regional and global leadership roles, including Worldwide Controller, until 2018. Her career debuted at PriceWaterHouse Coopers, where she consulted on financial statement audits, mergers, and acquisitions, and IPOs for clients such as Simon & Schuster and Viacom's MTV Network.

Recognized as one of Black Enterprise Magazine's 75 Most Powerful Women in Business, Ryan-Cornelius is a vocal advocate for diversity and inclusion in the marketing and communications industry.

Fiona Gordon - Global Chief Executive Officer of Advertising

Fiona Gordon has been recently promoted to Global CEO of Advertising at Ogilvy. She will be responsible for ensuring the creative network's advertising, brand, and content capabilities are constantly adhering to meet the demands clients face in today's dynamic marketing landscape. 

Gordon will report to Devika Bulchandani, Global CEO of Ogilvy, and join the agency's Global Executive Committee. Previously, Gordon has served as CEO of Ogilvy UK since 2021.

Gordon has been with the Ogilvy Group and WPP across her career and previously led the WPP team for WBA in the UK for 4 years, leading on Boots and Global Brands. Prior to that she was Group Transformation lead at Ogilvy London. 

Gordon was in Asia for seven years, first in Hong Kong in a regional brand management role and then as Group Chairman of Ogilvy Singapore. Gordon also sits on the Advisory Board of Stella, WPP's Women's Network.

Sophie Hoffstetter - Chief Client Officer

London-based Sophie Hoffstetter is the Global Chief Client Officer at Ogilvy, responsible for working with leaders across the network to nurture and grow the agency's top 20 global clients. During her tenure, she has led two of Ogilvy's top five global clients, including Nestle and Unilever, to remarkable success. 

In addition to her client-focused responsibilities, Hoffstetter is a key leader in Ogilvy's Sustainability Practice, where she helps clients develop impactful sustainability strategies at both corporate and brand levels. She is also a passionate advocate for diversity, evidenced by her mentorship and recruitment efforts, as well as her commitment to building diverse teams.

Hoffstetter is an active member of Stella, WPP's female leadership group, where she champions female empowerment and leadership growth. With an international background that spans France, West Africa, Canada, and countries such as Morocco, Spain, and Thailand, Hoffstetter's global perspective enriches her approach to leadership and client partnerships. 

Maria O'Keeffe - Global Chief People Officer

Maria O'Keeffe is a seasoned executive leader specializing in innovative talent programs and inclusive workplace strategies. As Global Chief People Officer at Ogilvy since March 2022, O'Keeffe has been instrumental in reshaping the employee experience to be very modern and inclusive.

Before Ogilvy, O'Keeffe spent 25 years at Edelman, where she held various talent leadership roles, including Global Chief Talent Officer of Practices, Sectors & Clients, and CTO for the U.S., Canada, and Latin America regions. 

O'Keeffe is highly skilled in change management, mediation, and organization design. She is a certified trainer in Situational Leadership® II and the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® and holds her SPHR certification. She has earned her Bachelor's degree in Management from Illinois State University.

Patou Nuytemans - Chief Executive Officer EMEA of Ogilvy

As Chief Executive Officer EMEA of Ogilvy, a post she has held since September 2021, Nuytemans is responsible for driving all aspects of Ogilvy’s business across Europe, the Middle East and Africa, spanning public relations, consulting, advertising, health, and experience. 

Nuytemans joined Ogilvy in Belgium in 1993, and has steadily risen through the ranks of Ogilvy, taking on management roles of increasing responsibility. She has worked on three continents across a broad range of disciplines, categories, and clients. Her multidiscipline expertise has helped her serve as a leading contributor to Ogilvy's global digital strategy, integrating the group’s digital capabilities across the network. Prior to being named CEO of EMEA, Patou was Global Chief Growth Officer of Ogilvy Consulting from January to September 2021. In the short period she was in that role, she made significant impact to that business, operationalizing the network and its marketing function for growth. 

Before bringing her talents to Ogilvy Consulting, Nuytemans served as CEO of the Middle East and North Africa region for four years, where she grew Memac Ogilvy financially, operationally, and reputationally. Prior to her move to Dubai, Nuytemans combined her role of EMEA Chief Digital Officer with that of CEO Ogilvy & Social.Lab Brussels. As Chief Digital Officer, a role she had for over 15 years, she played a pivotal role in developing and implementing the strategy that transformed Ogilvy into a digital-age agency group and led numerous digital transformation projects for some of the world’s leading brands, including British Airways, IBM, IKEA, Nespresso, Nestlé, Philips, Unilever, Vodafone, and many more.

Julianna Richter - Global CEO of Ogilvy PR

As Global CEO of Ogilvy PR, Richter oversees all aspects of Ogilvy’s earned, social and influencer communications which span brand, advocacy, media, corporate and employee experience. Richter also serves as Chief Communications Officer of WPP Open X where she helps to assemble and lead integrated global teams across the agency network and partners with global clients to scale their business. 

An industry veteran, Richter is a strategic communications and operations leader with over 20 years of experience. Most recently, Richter was a partner at Waypoint Partners, a global growth advisory and M&A firm, that works with high growth companies to scale their business by increasing capabilities, capacity and capital. 

Prior to that, she spent over 17 years at Edelman. Before departing in 2018, she served as U.S. Chief Operating Officer responsible for driving growth and operational efficiency of the largest region and had management oversight of US practices and business functions including human resources, diversity and inclusion, client excellence, marketing, innovation and learning and development. Prior to her role as Edelman’s U.S. COO, Richter was President of Global Client Management where she was responsible for strategic growth and market expansion of the firm’s global client portfolio. Richter has worked with leading brands such as AstraZeneca, Genentech, Paypal, Campari, Cigna, Starbucks and Taco Bell to develop PR and communications strategies, launch consumer campaigns and manage company-wide issues and crises.

Meet the female trailblazers at the top of the world's most famous ad agency - Ogilvy

Starbucks has onboarded Brian Niccol, a seasoned leader in the restaurant industry, as its new CEO. Niccol, who has been hailed as a "dream hire" and a "hall of fame restaurant CEO," credits much of his success to a simple yet powerful piece of career advice he embraced in his 20s: "Believe in yourself."

In a May 2024 commencement speech at Miami University in Oxford, Niccol, 50, shared insights into the mindset that shaped his career. "I know it's a cliché, but you absolutely have to believe in yourself and have the grit to not give up when it at first might not be going your way," he said. 

The newly-appointed Starbucks chief is known for carrying a "beat-up notebook" with him, a tool he uses to track his progress toward career goals. 

His message to young professionals is clear: "Whatever it is you need to do to keep yourself focused on your goal, do it, and believe you can do it."

Niccol has also emphasized the importance of trusting one's instincts. "There will be times in your career when your gut will be tingling," he told CNBC Make It. "Make space for that instinctive intelligence and take action. Trust your instincts."

What truly set Niccol apart during the Starbucks CEO selection process was a phrase that resonated with the company's board. Speaking to CNBC, former Starbucks chair Mellody Hobson, who recently passed her position on to Niccol, revealed that his confidence was captured in five simple words: "I know what to do."

"He said, 'This is a speed bump in the company's history. This is not something that I fear going into,' and that was something for our board that was extremely encouraging," Hobson noted. 

Starbucks' new CEO Brian Niccol's "beat-up notebook" and simple success mantras

Avinash Pandey, chief executive officer, ABP Network has been re-appointed as the president of News Broadcasters & Digital Association (NBDA). Pandey started his career with The Indian Express assistant manager. He has also worked at TV Today. 

 

MV Shreyams Kumar, who is the managing director of Mathrubhumi Printing & Publishing has been re-elected as vice president, a media report states.

 

For the year 2023-2024, Anuradha Prasad Shukla, chairperson cum managing director, News24 Broadcast India, will continue to be the Honorary Treasurer of NBDA.

 

Avinash Pandey re-elected as president of NBDA

MV Shreyams Kumar is re-elected as VP and Anuradha Prasad Shukla will continue as Honorary Treasurer of NBDA for the year 2023-24.

The Union Cabinet has approved the establishment of the National Centre of Excellence (NCoE) for animation, visual effects, gaming, comics and extended reality (AVGC-XR) as a Section 8 Company under the Companies Act, 2013 in India with Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry and Confederation of Indian Industry representing the industry bodies as partners with the Government of India.

The NCoE will be set up in Mumbai, Maharashtra and is in pursuance to the Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs’ budget announcement for 2022-23 for setting up of an AVGC Task Force in the country.

It is to be noted that AVGC-XR sector plays an important role in the realm of media and entertainment including filmmaking, OTT platforms, gaming, advertisements and several other areas including health, education and other social sectors. With rapidly evolving technology and increasing internet penetration all across the country, coupled with one of the cheapest data rates, the usage of AVGC-XR globally is poised to grow at an exponential pace.

To keep up with this, the NCoE is being established to act as the pinnacle institution to anchor the AVGC-XR ecosystem in the country. 

Along with offering specialised training-cum-learning programs to equip both amateurs and professionals with the latest skill sets in cutting-edge AVGC-XR technologies, this NCoE will also foster research and development and will bring together experts from various fields like computer science, engineering, design and art that can lead to major breakthroughs in the field of AVGC-XR. 

NCoE will also extensively focus on the creation of India’s IP for both domestic consumption and global outreach, overall leading to creation of content based on India’s rich historical and cultural heritage. Further, the NCoE will function as an incubation centre by providing resources for nurturing startups and early-stage companies in the AVGC-XR field.

By positioning this NCoE as the driving force for the growth of the AVGC-XR industry it will serve as one of the biggest sources of employment for the youth from all parts of the country. This will give an enormous push to the creative arts and design sector and make India the hub for AVGC-XR activities.

The NCoE for AVGC-XR will also position India as a content hub for providing state-of-the-art content thereby enhancing India’s soft power globally and attracting foreign investment into the media and entertainment sector.

Cabinet clears establishment of national centre of excellence for AVGC-XR

Criteo, the commerce media company on Wednesday announced a partnership with Swiggy to power its offsite retail media campaigns, across the open internet and OTT platforms. 

According to Criteo, the collaboration has already delivered successful outcomes for brands such as Kellogg’s. Criteo created commerce audiences to meet the brand objectives which include behaviors focused on convenience and nutrition. The campaign achieved a return on ad spend (ROAS) of 1.9, a new-to-brand rate of 25%. It reached over 50% of the target audience, with further improvements anticipated as the attribution window matures.

Commenting on the partnership, Amitkumar Banka, Head of Growth Marketing at Swiggy, says “Quick commerce is growing rapidly in India, with a 77% YoY growth, and is expected to continue growing at a rate of 40-45%. Our partnership with Criteo will allow our partner brands and non-endemic brands to reach and engage with quick commerce shoppers across the open internet". 

	
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Kashish Vasandani, Director of Growth, Swiggy, added, “The success stories with Kellogg's and other CPG brands showcase the effectiveness of Criteo's retail media capabilities that can unlock value for all players in the advertising ecosystem".

	
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Medhavi Singh, Country Head, of India, added, “Criteo has a leading market footprint in retail media, including 65% of the top 30 retailers in the Americas and 50% of the top 30 in EMEA, and we are broadening our retail media presence in India and APAC.​ We are proud to partner with Swiggy, one of the leaders in the quick commerce space, to power their offsite retail media campaigns to further scale in the industry. As the needs for retail media in India grow rapidly, Criteo’s retail media solutions powered by its advanced AI and commerce data enable businesses to make informed decisions and optimize media planning for better results in one unified platform".

Criteo and Swiggy collaborate to boost quick commerce advertising

The independent homegrown advertising agency— Schbang— has acquired Amsterdam-based design agency— Addikt— to become AddiktSchbang and offer fully integrated marketing solutions. 

Securing a strong agreement, Schbang has acquired 50% of the shares with a combination of call-and-put options and aims to work together for the next 10 years. 

Founded in 2015, Schbang closed the FY24 at Rs 225 crore in terms of revenue— up from Rs 175 crore in FY23 on a consolidated basis and is close to achieving Rs 275 crore. Addikt, on the other hand, is currently running at about 2 million euros annually (around Rs 20 crore) and aims to grow to 4 million euros within two years, with the expansion into the Indian market.

“We see Addikt adding a reasonable top line to Schbang— about 8%. We also see an India hub for the Netherlands team being built over the next few months,” Harshil Karia, MD and Founder of Schbang told Storyboard18, in an exclusive conversation.

Additionally, the agency is expecting its UK set up to be on a 750,000 pounds-a-year run-rate, soon. 

“AddiktSchbang will also be able to help build more business in the UK because of the depth of the portfolio and the credibility and the experience,” Karia shared. 

Going forward, in terms of its global ambitions, the creative, media and technology transformation agency expects to grow into Africa and the Middle East.

Addikt, which claims to have over 20 years of experience in the European market, has worked with brands like AkzoNobel, Rabobank, Prada X Armani, StarSports IPL and Booking.com. For its part, Schbang has already contributed to brand identities for the likes of PhonePe, Tata Motors, and Maruti Suzuki.

Schbang currently has over 150 brands on retainer and looking to add 12 more brands by the end of the current fiscal. 

Karia further noted that the acquisition will enable the agency to offer the best of global design to Indian corporates looking to scale internationally.

"The Dutch design influence from Addikt elevates our capabilities, empowering us to create culturally immersive experiences, such as the visual takeover for Pride Amsterdam or Fabrique Lumiere’s "Girl with a Pearl Earring" exhibit. We foresee similar innovation in Indian contexts, like Diwali or Ganesh pandals- where we can blend tradition with global creative excellence,” he highlighted.

Barry Schwarz, Co-founder of Addikt, shared that he is hoping for retainer relationships to expand significantly with the partnership, which will further enhance the base of its international clients.

“For our international clients, we see that we often have to turn down work with international clients in areas such as retainerships because talent in the Dutch market is pretty hard to come by. So, we definitely see those retainer relationships expanding significantly with our ability to deliver more. Apart from Amsterdam combined with the London office, we want to be working more for the entire European market or even global clients; and then from India, we can target Asian accounts,” he added. 

Addikt's current client base is mainly Dutch and Indian-based with some US clients, at present.

With the entry to the Indian market, Schwarz expects Addikt’s revenue to grow 100% in the next two years and subsequently to get stabilised at 20%. 

The agency offers services mostly around branding, content creation, storytelling, and experiential design and events. With Schbang now, it is hoping to add a layer of technology.

Upon being asked if Schbang would continue to be on the lookout for another acquisition, Karia shared that the agency remains in an 'exploratory phase'. 

“While we explore potential avenues- whether through an acquisition or another model- we remain proudly independent and homegrown. Acquisition is not a strategy unless it makes sense for us. We’re not the largest player in this market, but we have a clear vision of building a global Indian company. As a small business with big ambitions, the agency is focused on achieving this vision without taking external investments for now,” he shared.

At present, the agency employs more than 1,300 professionals and has seven agencies including Django Digital, SchbangQ, 88GB and Spek Digital, as network partners.


Schbang acquires Dutch design agency Addikt to form combined entity with turnover Rs 300 cr

The family-friendly OTT platform by Prasar Bharati which was first announced in 2023 is likely to be launched on October 3, according to the sources close to the development. The reason, however, remains undisclosed at the moment.

It was earlier scheduled for an August 15 launch, which then got pushed to September 15. 

Read more: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/how-it-works/prasar-bharati-ott-likely-to-be-launched-on-september-15-exclusive-41501.htm">Prasar Bharati OTT likely to be launched on September 15: EXCLUSIVE</a>


The postponement comes at a time when challenges are mounting for the pubcaster with cable TV operators and a handful of private broadcasters raising red flags and pushing for more clarity in the existing guidelines for its OTT platform. 

Reportedly Prasar Bharati has received applications from 106 channels, out of which 44 were selected and 40 agreed to join the platform- leaving four major television networks choosing not to stream their linear channels on the pubcaster's upcoming OTT.

Prasar Bharati's move into the OTT space not only is poised to stir up competition for the other OTT players but is also distressing linear TV channels in the market. For top broadcasters, it is the conflict of interests as they already run their own subscription-based or ad-based OTT platforms. Additionally, some seek holistic regulatory review because of the pubcaster’s ability to integrate its OTT with traditional TV offerings, potentially leading to market distortions.

As per a source close to the development, handful of broadcasters are expected to actively lobby for regulatory changes over the next few weeks.

Read more: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/how-it-works/broadcasters-prep-legal-arsenals-to-challenge-prasar-bharatis-ott-plans-41670.htm">Broadcasters prep legal arsenals to challenge Prasar Bharati's OTT plans</a>

In its letter to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, dated September 2, All India Digital Cable Federation (AIDCF) has in fact urged the Ministry to withdraw Prasar Bharati's notice inviting TV broadcasters for its soon-to-be-launched OTT platform, as it believes the same disrupts uplinking and downlinking guidelines, and also disrupts the traditional TV distribution.

DTH operators too, reportedly are planning to write a similar letter to the information and broadcasting ministry on the placement of linear TV channels on Prasar Bharati's OTT platform.

Storyboard18 earlier reported how the main issue lies in the ambiguity around whether the current guidelines, which are designed for satellite TV apply to digital platforms like OTT. There’s a lack of clarity on this, and Prasar Bharati’s OTT venture might push the boundaries of these regulations, necessitating a need for updated guidelines.

Prasar Bharati's plan to foray into the OTT space, despite the presence of several international private OTT platforms like Amazon Prime Video, Disney+ Hotstar, and Netflix in the country, stemmed from the need to showcase clear and family content. One of the government officials was reported saying, "Currently, some of the content on OTT platforms are bordering on vulgar, abusive language. It becomes embarrassing to watch it with your family. We want to offer a platform which is decent and promotes India’s culture and nationalist values," last year.

It is to be noted that the BJP manifesto also promised a plan to launch an OTT platform as part of its 100-day agenda if it returns to power for the third term.

Prasar Bharati's OTT launch date pushed to October 3: Exclusive

Meta has banned Russian state media outlets such as RT, Rossiya Segodnya, and others on Facebook, WhatsApp, Threads, and Instagram, according to several media reports.


The social media giant mentioned, "After careful consideration, we expanded our ongoing enforcement against Russian state media outlets-Rossiya Segodnya, RT and other related entities are now banned from our apps globally for foreign interference activity".

Meta alleged that the Russian media outlets used deceptive tactics to carry out influence operations while evading detection on its social media platforms.

<a href="https://stgwww.storyboard18.com/digital/exclusive-metas-global-business-head-says-too-early-to-look-at-returns-on-ai-spends-41838.htm">Meta’s global business head says ‘too early’ to look at returns on AI spends</a>


The ban would roll out over the coming days.

Earlier Meta had blocked the outlets from running ads and reducing the reach of their posts. However, the ban on the Russian media outlet marks the sharpest action by the social media company.

Meta's ban has come after the US filed a money laundering case against two RT employees for launching a scheme to influence the 2024 presidential election, according to The Guardian report.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinen announced new sanctions against the Russian state-backed media company after it was revealed that it was functioning like a de facto arm of Russia's intelligence apparatus.

	
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"Russian weaponization of disinformation to subvert and polarize free and open societies extends to every part of the world," Blinken said.

The US secretary claimed that the Russian government established a new unit in RT in 2023 with "cyber operational capabilities and ties to Russian Intelligence" to spread Russian influence in countries around the world through information operations, covert influence, and military procurement.

Blinken accused RT of crowdfunding weapons for Russian soldiers in Ukraine. He said RT had funneled nearly $10 million to conservative US influencers through a local company to produce videos meant to influence the outcome of the US presidential polls.

Meta bans Russian state media outlets for foreign interference activity

The European Union has set a probe into Google’s artificial intelligence (AI) model, Pathways Language Model 2 (PaLM2). 

Commenced by Ireland’s Data Protection Commission (DPC), the investigation aims to determine if Google has adhered to the requirements of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). 

"DPC has commenced a Cross-Border statutory inquiry into Google Ireland Limited (Google) under Section 110 of the Data Protection Act 2018. The statutory inquiry concerns the question of whether Google has complied with any obligations that it may have had to undertake an assessment, pursuant to Article 35[2] of the GDPR (Data Protection Impact Assessment), prior to engaging in the processing of the personal data of EU/EEA data subjects associated with the development of its foundational AI model, Pathways Language Model 2 (PaLM 2)," DPC said. 

"This statutory inquiry forms part of the wider efforts of the DPC, working in conjunction with its EU/EEA (European Economic Area) peer regulators, in regulating the processing of the personal data of EU/EEA data subjects in the development of AI models and systems," the statement added.

The investigation led by DPC against Google was initiated on September 12.

Last week, the Luxembourg-based Court of Justice of the European Union smashed Google's appeal against a 2.42 billion euro fine levied seven years for various anti-competitive practices.

Apart from Google, other tech giants including X and Meta have also been probed by DPC. 

Earlier this month, DPC ordered X (previously Twitter) to stop using user data to train its AI chatbot- Grok, until it could verify GDPR compliance. Meta was asked to halt plans to use European users’ content to train its current language model. 

In 2022, Italy’s data privacy regulator also temporarily banned ChatGPT due to privacy violations.

Google's AI model under scrutiny from EU regulators

In a special chat, Storyboard18 caught up with the top women leaders at Dentsu. Amanda Morrissey, global president, iProspect, and chief growth officer, media, Dentsu and Shenda Loughnane, global brand president, dentsu X, the arm of the Japan-headquartered agency that delivers customised marketing services, were on their India visit and were joined by Prerna Mehrotra, chief client officer and CEO, media, Asia Pacific, and Anita Kotwani, CEO, media, South Asia, at a special all-women Dentsu roundtable.


Morrissey outlined the pillars that have shaped the agency’s growth trajectory this year: a focus on clients, talent development, growth and capability building.


She said that Dentsu has made commendable progress in each of these areas, enhancing its operational structures to better serve clients in a fast-changing environment.


Morrissey explained that in 2024, Dentsu concentrated on realigning its teams and structures to adapt to ongoing geopolitical shifts, post-pandemic recovery and a rapidly evolving media landscape. This reorganisation, coupled with integrating client leadership at the highest decision-making levels, has strengthened the agency’s client partnerships.


On her part, Loughnane highlighted that the company has successfully transitioned from the broadcast era to the precision era and now into the algorithmic era, where AI controls much of the digital experience.


Kotwani underlined India’s role in the company’s growth strategy. As one of the fastest-growing markets for global media agencies, Dentsu’s approach in India focuses on deepening client relationships and expanding service offerings in areas like commerce, retail, content and data analytics.


"We have added 80 new clients so far this year, and this growth has been supported by a dedicated squad focused on driving new business," Kotwani shared.


Below are the excerpts of the discussion.


What are the plans set out for Dentsu for 2024 and how much of that has been achieved so far?


Morrissey: The real focus areas for us as we have come into 2024 were number one, clients. We always put clients at the centre of our business. As we have come into 2024, there's a lot of insecurity. Obviously, because we've come out of COVID, there's a lot of geopolitical change within the environment. There's a lot of media landscape shifting.


So how do we really make sure that we are creating the right team structures, the right operational structures for our clients? We spend a lot of time doing that to give them the flexibility and resources that they need. We have been very successful at that. We have reorganised our top clients globally and how they fall in regions and markets.


We have also put client leadership on the board within Dentsu as well, making sure they are part of the decision making, that their point of view and conversation is important for us as an organisation. So that's been a really big strategic priority for us and one that has really helped us drive growth for Dentsu and for our clients and build that business partnership because that's really what is at the heart of our business. 


Our second one was around talent. I am relatively new to Dentsu, I was amazed by how long people have actually been here. And one of the things that's really surprised me when I first arrived was just the generosity of spirit and the quality of the talent here. 


People are having to upskill all the time, the geopolitical landscape and the way people are having to work is having to change. So how do we set our talent up for success, make sure we train and develop them and make sure we've got the right talent capabilities within our business to move forward?


The third part for us with Dentsu has been growth. We need to grow our business and so we've been really focused on growth and we've achieved fairly significant growth this year. We've seen really good growth as we've come into the first eight months of the year. 


You asked about the industry trends, we've really focused this year on capability building. When we thought about capability building, it's very much been around our clients and what's going to drive growth for them and for us as well. And so we've been looking at those really fast currents for growth. And obviously, a lot of that is in retail because everything is commerce. So retail, media and commerce have been big focus areas.


Effectiveness is a really big thing that clients are asking us for. Media's actually got onto the boardroom table. And so what a lot of our clients are asking for is business intelligence. How are my media dollars really driving my business impact so they can take it to the board?


Marketing ROI (return on investment) has been another area that we've really focused on. Not just media ROI, but marketing ROI. 


And I guess the final piece for us has been around content, and the emergence and proliferation of content around social influencer and live commerce as well. So we've been building those capabilities as well. So I think we've done a lot.


I have actually been here in India this week and seeing what the team have done and achieved here across those strategic priorities, it's just blown my mind.


Dentsu has been through quite a shapeshift, a turmoil, so to speak, over the past couple of years. Now, finally, we see some sort of stability. Over the past few months, how much of client trust have you regained? And how successful have you been in attracting talent?


Loughnane: The industry has changed quite fundamentally. We're seeing some really interesting developments, of course, in AI. Everybody's talking about AI. We say that we've come from an era that was very much the broadcast era, which was all about brand building, into the precision era, which was all about sort of performance marketing. And we're now in what we call the algorithmic era, which is all where AI is the gatekeeper and is controlling aspects of our lives and also deciding what content is displayed and what brands are displayed. That's required some changes.


So what we've done over the last, I guess a number of years, is to really look at how we reorganise our business to be ready for that change in the industry. We've done all of that work over the last number of years. We've done work to rationalise our brands. We went from 150 brands down to five key brands that we focus on. That's all been in the service of delivering for our clients and really thinking about how we drive growth for our clients.


So to your question about driving growth for our clients, that organisation is about facilitating how we build brands for our clients across media, creative, data and technology, and bringing those skills together really holistically to be able to drive that growth for our clients. So that's the journey we've been on. We're really starting to see the fruits of that. The growth that we've delivered over this year, I think, is really a testament to that, not just at a global level but also in India as well.


I think that is really what is now driving growth at a global and at a local and regional level as well.


What are the strategies you're focusing on to drive growth for Dentsu in India? Because we all know, whoever I speak to, everyone's focus is on India. They speak about how India is going to be the next big market for the holding company. So what are some of the things that you're focusing on to drive growth?


Kotwani: One of the most important parts that we've pulled in in our growth agenda is really saying, how do you define growth? For us, it's the depth that we get into with a client. How do we immerse ourselves into our clients' businesses? So the sheer depth gives us the expansion of services. The new-age ones that Amanda talked about are very much prevalent in our country.


Whether it's total commerce, retail, content, influencer marketing, data and analytics—these are all specialisations that we have very much in India as well. So that's one level of saying, I have a client, how do I expand my services to that client?


The other one is really around the new logos. How do I bring in the additional new logos that are going to give us the badge value that Dentsu really, really needs? We've added 80 so far in the year. So we're pretty happy with the momentum in growth that we are seeing.


There is a dedicated growth squad within the organisation that has helped us deliver a lot better momentum compared to, let's say, what probably other agencies are, where you have your client leaders striving to drive the new logo. But we've created a special team that's really helping us accelerate growth. So that's how we're looking at it from an India standpoint.


What are some of the things that clients are speaking about? How has the year been for Dentsu? What is the sentiment like for 2024? From conversations I've had with CMOs and CEOs, they are saying they are cautiously optimistic. Are you also hearing that?


Mehrotra: It's fair to say that it is cautiously optimistic because clients are moving in with a lot of caution when even dollars are being channelled to us, as agencies.


But what has happened in the last few years, I would say, is that there is a lot more accountability expected from agencies than ever before. So whether it's a review process or an existing brief, there is a demand that clients have where, as Amanda mentioned, media takes the front seat. But media also takes full accountability of how and where that money is being spent. So we need to ensure that the money being spent by these clients is in the right places to target the right consumers. Hence, a lot of the conversations have been around ROI and how media could become the growth driver for their business. I think there's a lot of linkages that we are seeing in that space.


But clearly, money's flowing when you're able to show value. So it's all about value creation. What clients are expecting from us is to show value through the full funnel experience that the consumer goes through in ensuring that from start to finish you're able to deliver the KPIs (key performance indicators). But eventually, deliver business results. So the expectation is you become a growth partner for them.


And if you are the growth partner, in my view, money flows.


Read More: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/advertising/dentsu-group-india-biz-showing-encouraging-signs-after-long-period-underperformance-39680.htm">Dentsu Group: India biz showing "encouraging signs" after long period underperformance</a>

To scale up the business of the recently set up FMCG entity Reliance Consumer Products Ltd (RCPL), Reliance Retail is reportedly planning to transfer most of its fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) brands to the former.

The brands under Reliance Retail include Campa, Sosyo, Snactac, Puric, Glimmer, Enzo, Get R, and Independence brand which has a presence in the packaged food, edible oil, and staples segment.

To scale up the business further, RCPL has also decided to set up up to five bottling plants for Campa, according to an ET report.

The report also claimed that some smaller private brands sold by Reliance Retail will continue under it since those will not be distributed to general trade.

On July 24, the board of RCPL unanimously approved special resolutions to raise capital for business operations during a general meeting.

Last month, Mukesh Ambani-owned Reliance Industries announced investing up to Rs 3,900 crore into its FMCG division to strengthen its position against major players such as Hindustan Unilever, ITC, Coca-Cola, and Adani Wilmar.

Reliance Retail Ventures, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Reliance Industries, is the holding company for all the conglomerate retail businesses, including RCPL.

During an annual general meeting held last month, Isha Ambani, Director of Reliance Retail Ventures shared that in the FMCG business, the company’s focus is on creating high-quality products at affordable prices to drive greater consumption across India. She added that the company had relaunched several popular brands including Campa Cola, Lotus Chocolates and Sosyo with early success.

Reliance Retail to transfer FMCG brands to RCPL to boost market share

Despite the dominance of decades-old brands from Emami, Marico, and Hindustan Unilever — Mamaearth has it written down in history to be considered one of the biggest disruptors of the traditional personal care space in India with its focus on natural, toxin-free products and a digital-first approach.


When launched in 2016, it came as a saviour to consumers looking for toxin-free products made with natural ingredients and a focus on sustainability. It is in fact known to be the fastest digital-first brand to attain a revenue of Rs 1,000 crore.


However, the brand now finds itself under scrutiny for all the wrong reasons- growing negative consumer feedback online, social media backlash, and concerns from distributors about large amounts of unsold inventory, have raised alarm bells.


Read more: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/advertising/repeated-ad-violations-by-honasa-consumer-may-adversely-impact-brand-trust-32954.htm">Repeated ad violations by Mamaearth parent may adversely impact brand trust</a>


The negative limelight has the brand slowly losing consumer trust, according to experts and consumers themselves. 


Read more: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-marketing/dark-side-of-dark-stores-q-comm-brands-like-blinkit-zepto-are-quickly-losing-consumer-trust-34430.htm">Dark side of dark stores: Q-comm brands like Blinkit, Zepto are quickly losing consumer trust</a>

The latest financial results of the brand, however, paint no less than a positive picture. 


Mamaearth's profits grew 33.3% to Rs 40 crore in Q1 FY25 from Rs 30 crore in Q4 FY24; revenue from operations increased to Rs 554 crore in Q1 FY25 from Rs 471 crore in Q4 FY24.


Ramkishen Y, Professor in Marketing, K J Somaiya Institute of Management, points out that the rise in net profit will provide Mamaearth with a financial cushion to tackle the current challenges that the company is facing. It might reinvest these profits into improving its inventory management, enhancing product quality, and addressing consumer concerns to sustain its growth trajectory in the near future. 


Interestingly, its investors including Peak XV (formerly Sequoia India) sold 1.23 crore shares worth Rs 610.98 crore, and Sequoia Capital Global offloaded 28.71 lakh shares worth Rs 142.12 crore in bulk deals, last week.

Anil Joshi, Managing Partner at Unicorn India Ventures, shared that given that the overall D2C space is looking good and will witness positive trends, so will Honasa, being a category leader they will continue to grow. "The company has been consistently performing well with both revenue and profits growing. It has found the right mix of product lines that resonates with the consumer and being the first mover in D2C brands they have mastered the business front as well."

Anand Mishra, Professor of Accounting and Finance, BITS Law School, remarks that people will continue to watch Honasa Consumer closely given the narrative of it being a “growth” company. In financial markets, the narrative has to be backed by numbers, eventually. 


He also adds that a company can show higher sales by pushing its inventory onto distributors but only for a few quarters. “If it is true that Mamaearth brand offtake is slow, numbers will catch up and the market will not like them,” he says.


The company reportedly is working double time to lower the holding period of its inventory from 90 days to 40 days. FMCG companies typically supply stocks for 20-30 days. Distributors have claimed that the company is sending too much stock to the market whilst also being slow to replace damaged, unsold, and expired stock, as per reports. 


Read more: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/quantum-brief/paytm-to-increase-marketing-spends-in-fy-25-experts-chart-the-comeback-plan-32455.htm">Paytm to increase marketing spends in FY 25; experts chart the comeback plan</a>


According to Anand Narasimha, Professor - Brand Marketing, generating positive numbers can easily be window-dressed — but if the focus isn’t on quality, there won’t be any long-term sustainable growth.


“In a large country like India generating volumes and numbers and profits is not a big deal because there are so many millions of consumers— you will always get somebody to buy the brand for the first time. Also, since the brand is starting from a very small base and acquiring new customers, so it is delivering the numbers. Retention rates could give a real picture,” he remarks.

Under the scanner

Experts tell Storyboard18 that most of the D2C brands, especially Mamaearth, are pretty savvy and aggressive with marketing online but are not putting adequate emphasis and focus on the quality of their products.

“Brand experience is always greater than brand frills. D2C brands are getting very carried away by the frills around their brand, be it all the marketing hype, the content, the influencers, and not paying adequate attention to the products and the product experience that their products deliver. They are making a lot of hyped-up promises in the media about their products and services. The result of this is consumer negative reviews,” points out Narasimha.

For its part, the company strives to inculcate feedback from its channel partners, consumers, and influencers on regular basis, and formulate, reformulate, or make amends as needed.

Narasimha adds that new-age D2C brands are getting a little carried away with marketing hype. Instead, they should be putting that kind of investment into the product development, R&D, and product testing process. 

“Also, they are outsourcing a lot of these products- unlike traditional companies that have historically invested a lot of resources and focus on developing good quality products and testing of the products,” he notes.

Read more: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-marketing/the-cred-point-relying-on-advertising-virality-without-product-virality-35179.htm">The CRED Point: Relying on advertising virality without product virality?</a>

The Gurugram-based start-up which made its market debut in 2023 amid noise around its valuation, spent around 39% of its sales revenue in advertising and promotions spends in FY21, which increased to 41% in FY22 and then decreased to 36% in FY23 — still much higher than traditional consumer companies that spend about 12% of their expenditure on advertising. In FY24, the spends stood at around 35%. A substantial chunk of its A&P spends is inclined toward online spending, especially in influencer marketing. 

According to the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI)'s annual complaints report (2023), Honasa had the highest number of advertising violations.

The ad industry body found the company to be the biggest violator with 187 such ads processed with its brand DermaCo range of products leading with 14, Mamaearth range of products with 10, followed by Aqualogica with 6, among other ranges of brands and products. In defense, the company revealed that almost 94% of the cases have been around influencer content, where the dynamics have rapidly been evolving.

<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/how-it-works/95-of-asci-ad-violation-allegations-are-influencer-posts-not-advertising-claims-varun-alagh-33091.htm">Read more: 95% of ASCI ad violation allegations are influencer posts, not advertising claims: Varun Alagh</a>

Ankur Bisen, Senior Partner at Technopak Advisors, has an interesting point to make. 

He believes that Mamaearth started its journey on a very high pedestal of customer expectations and tall claims, which further grew into a multi-channel business model with a house of brands.

“The equity that you created in the consumers' mind starts to get roughed up and get frayed once the brand extends itself into multiple businesses. Not necessarily the brand is doing something bad but customers will always have higher expectations from it. Had the brand not started as a disruptor, I don't think then the consumers would be so finicky about its brands, or near misses. However, the perception mismatch is real and it needs to look into that,” he concludes.

Unearthing Mamaearth: Decoding consumer feedback

Over four months after the Ghatkopar hoarding collapse, which killed 17 people and injured 80 others, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has yet to implement a comprehensive Out of Home (OOH) advertising policy. BMC officials are currently reviewing feedback and suggestions from OOH agencies and plan to exclude central agencies from the policy’s scope.

Outdoor advertising agencies and associations have claimed that the BMC has been unresponsive to their requests for in-person meetings to discuss their concerns about the recently released draft OOH policy. The newly drafted and revised policy has drawn mixed reactions from the advertising industry and sparked debates about the clarity of its guidelines.

When asked if the BMC is considering scrapping the OOH ad policy, Kiran Dighavkar, DMC (Special), stated, "We are reviewing the feedback and suggestions from stakeholders. There are no plans to scrap the OOH ad policy. We are ensuring that all relevant and legal measures are in place."

Another senior BMC official added, "The suggestions and feedback submitted by the OOH agencies and central agencies are under review. We will exclude central government agencies from the policy’s scope, as it conflicts with existing laws and court orders."

The official also mentioned, "We will soon convene a meeting with stakeholders. We have already identified certain changes that need to be made in the draft policy."

However, an OOH agency owner, speaking anonymously, said, "We work closely with the railways on OOH ad installations, and the BMC seems desperate to include central agencies like the railways in their OOH policy. Multiple senior railway officials have said that BMC is trying to leverage on the Ghatkopar incident to include the central agencies."

The Indian Outdoor Advertising Association had requested that the BMC extend the deadline for submitting suggestions by two months. The draft policy, released on August 9, was initially open for public suggestions until August 26, 5 PM. The deadline was later extended to September 9.

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Avinash Pandey re-elected as president of NBDA

MV Shreyams Kumar is re-elected as VP and Anuradha Prasad Shukla will continue as Honorary Treasurer of NBDA for the year 2023-24.

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