We have heard of prominent mainline agencies as well as digital and indie agencies, from Lintas, Ogilvy and McCann to newer independent firms like Gozoop and Spring. 


However, on February 22, Vaishakh Jhunjhunwala, a senior advertising professional took to LinkedIn to make a revelation. There are a whopping 40,275 advertising agencies in India.


Read More: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/how-it-works/indian-adlanders-have-mixed-feelings-about-in-house-ad-agencies-heres-why-17924.htm">Indian adlanders have mixed feelings about in-house ad agencies. Here’s why</a> 


He said, “Now let's take 10 percent of even that number which is 403 agencies which are not just doing things right, but maybe doing things in the best possible way as per industry standards.”


Read More: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-makers/how-small-and-mid-sized-indian-ad-agencies-find-their-mojo-and-grow-5657.htm">How small and mid-sized Indian ad agencies find their mojo, and grow</a> 


He went on to state that awards functions, industry events or in the media, only the top 30 to 40 agencies are spoken about or are acknowledged in ‘passing statements’.


His post ended with, “Is there something seriously that good that these companies are doing, or is the gap seriously that big between the top 0.1 percent and the rest 99.9 percent. No industry I think has this big a disparity or even remotely close to this.”


Read More: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/how-it-works/are-ad-agencies-becoming-bargain-basements-19949.htm">Are ad agencies becoming bargain basements?</a>

How many advertising agencies are there in India?

Vaishakh Jhunjhunwala, a senior advertising professional stated that ad industry initiatives only focus on the top 30-40 agencies.

Greenply's Sanidhya Mittal on leveraging IPL, partnership with Lucknow Super Giants and more

How to making a winning pitch: Your input defines your output, says 22feet Tribal Worldwide's Shikha Davessar

How to make a winning pitch: Your input defines your output, says 22feet Tribal Worldwide's Shikha Davessar

Ipsos Strategy3 appoints Rajashree Ivaturi as partner

75 percent people use AI at work: Report

HT Media reports net loss to Rs 31 lakh in the fourth quarter

Zoomcar hosts earn $4 million in Q3 of 2023

Representational image via Unsplash

Zee-Sony merger saga ends: Timeline of the failed merger

Why are Indian brands advertising in NYC's Times Square?

What Herman Melville’s Moby-Dick teaches us about leadership

Advertising is in the position where tobacco was: IPG's Arun Kumar 

Biz Moves: Interactive Avenues, Verve Media, Foxymoron and Grapes

There is an opportunity for building a better agency, not just a different one: Manja's Prajato Guha

Reliance-Disney merger likely to close by first half of 2025

Patanjali misleading ad fiasco: Are celebrity endorsements about to get real?

Disney and Warner Bros. to team up: Streaming bundle to challenge Netflix and Amazon

Dentsu appoints Abhinay Bhasin as senior vice president - product and technology

Piyush Pandey

Adtech regulation a priority for Modi govt in third term: MoS Rajeev Chandrasekhar

Credibility of news and platforms are as important as monetisation challenges: Anurag Thakur

HUL: Meet the leaders who have emerged from "The CEO Factory"

Punit Goenka addresses Zee employees; ensures no layoffs due to failed merger

Disney's strategic sale to Viacom18 set to boost market share to 40 percent

The Leader's Edge: Storyboard18 in conversation with leaders, decision makers and disruptors

Nobody’s Perfect Retro Porsche Ad

In Conversation With Raja Rajamannar, Mastercard

Shahid Kapoor And Varun Ganjoo Speaks On PokerBaazi's Campaign

In conversation with IHCL’s Puneet Chhatwal & GroupM’s Kate Scott-Dawkins

Why are brands including e-sports in their sports marketing itinerary?

Storyboard18 x The English Nut: How to pronounce these 10 brand names

Experts' Take On Reinvention Of Ad Campaigns Through Technology

Experts Speak On Key Emerging Trends In Cannes Lions Entries

Leaders of the future have to be outstanding human beings: Nestle MD

In conversation with VMLY&R’s Hari Ramanathan

Virat Kohli is a name that resonates with cricket fans worldwide. From his audacious stroke play to his fiery on-field demeanor, Kohli has redefined the game with his sheer passion and commitment. However, Kohli’s is a story of controversy and confrontation, a narrative that has shaped his journey to greatness. Whether it's his heated exchanges with fellow cricketers or his outspoken nature off the field, controversies are no stranger to him. 

Clash with Gautam Gambhir: One of the most memorable incidents involving Virat Kohli occurred during the 2013 IPL match between Kolkata Knight Riders and Royal Challengers Bangalore. As the captain of RCB, Kohli engaged in a heated argument with Kolkata's skipper Gautam Gambhir, resulting in a tense standoff that was eventually diffused by umpires and players.

Middle Finger Incident: During his early days in international cricket, Kohli courted controversy during a tour to Australia when he was seen showing the middle finger to the Sydney crowd. Kohli later explained that his actions were in response to abusive language directed at his family, highlighting his fiercely protective nature off the field.


Outburst at Journalist: The 2015 Cricket World Cup saw Kohli embroiled in another controversy when he lashed out at a journalist whom he believed had written an unfavourable article about him and his then-girlfriend, now wife, Anushka Sharma. 

Umpiring Controversy: In a Test match against Australia in 2017, Kohli accused Australian captain Steve Smith of seeking illegal assistance from the dressing room for a review.


Sunil Gavaskar Controversy: During the 2020 IPL, Sunil Gavaskar made a comment about Kohli’s performance, suggesting that he only practiced batting during the lockdown with Anushka Sharma bowling to him. Sharma’s public response underscored the challenges of being a public figure in the age of social media scrutiny.


As Virat Kohli continues to etch his name in the annals of cricketing history, his journey serves as a reminder of the complexities of success. While controversies may have punctuated his career, they have also been a testament to his unwavering spirit and fierce determination. Kohli's story is not just about cricket; it's about resilience, passion, and the relentless pursuit of excellence. As he continues to push the boundaries of the game, Kohli remains a symbol of inspiration for aspiring cricketers and sports enthusiasts around the world. His legacy is not just in the runs he scores or the matches he wins, but in the indelible mark he leaves on the hearts of fans everywhere.


Virat Kohli: A brief history of controversies and confrontations

Microsoft owned LinkedIn was down for a brief period, impacting thousands of users on Wednesday after a brief outage.


According to outage tracking website Downdetector.com, there were 48,000 reports of outages related to LinkedIn in the US.


March 5 saw the global outage of social media platforms Facebook and Instagram. Following the outage, as per multiple reports, parent company Meta’s chief executive officer Mark Zuckerberg net worth declined by $ 2.79 billion, in a day, to hit $ 176 billion on the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.


However, he continued to maintain his position as the world’s fourth richest person.


The global outage of Meta-owned apps Facebook and Instagram sent users rushing to Twitter now known as X to check about the outage. The apps were not working for users across the globe who experienced problems with Meta's popular apps. #InstagramDown started trending.


Elon Musk, the owner of X (formerly known as Twitter) and Meta boss Mark Zuckerberg’s rival, shared a series of tweets about the outage stating, “we know why you’re all here now”.


Read More: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/digital/metas-facebook-instagram-down-for-thousands-of-users-worldwide-25534.htm">Elon Musk reacts to Instagram and Facebook outage</a>

After Facebook and Instagram, LinkedIn sees brief outage

Note to readers: Our latest column Marketing Mocktail breaks down and explains the big ideas, new disruptions and old concepts and marketing practices that matter in the modern age.


The creative brief is one of the most integral parts of advertising.


Yet, of late, briefs have become griefs - sterile and unimaginative.


We keep indulging in the over optimism of giving a bland brief and hoping for exciting creative work in return. Garbage-in, garbage-out.


Putting together a good brief is a dying art which needs to be revived.


From logic to magic


A brief is the inflection point in creating advertising and communication.


It’s the point where logic (the strategy) starts turning into magic (the idea).


It’s where planning ends and creativity begins.


Re-energising the brief


Definition of the brief should read, ‘The most insightful, inspiring, and igniting point in the creation of advertising’.


Insightful - Packed with gems and nuggets that bring the strategy to life.


Inspiring - Makes the creative team go ‘Wow!’ and take ownership of the brief.


Igniting - Triggers the creative to buzz with ideas that they can’t wait to get cracking on.


In fact, a good brief is like ‘an ad for creative people’.


What makes a great brief


While most agencies have their own briefing formats, based on their conceptual frameworks and creative philosophies, the basics of a great brief remain the same.


Here are a few key ideas that can help re-energise creative briefs.


Keep it simple and sharp


Don’t try to impress with mumbo-jumbo or jargon. Make it simple.


Rather than saying, ‘Increase TOM (Top-of-mind awareness) and brand salience’, it’s much better to say, ‘Make the brand famous.’


Instead of ‘Enhance width and depth of consumption’, why not ‘Get more people to use more’.


Also, never overload - stay focused, sharp and crisp. A brief should not be more than a page or two (that’s why it is called a brief).


Pull out little nuggets


Don’t dwell on information, instead dive for gems that bring your strategy to life and tell a story. Embed your brief with evocative and powerful nuggets.


When Taj Mahal tea bags were being launched, the nugget in the brief was to position them as ‘The Walkman of Teas’ to encapsulate the mobility, convenience and modernity of the format.


When Dabur honey was being repositioned as a health food from a home remedy, the brief summed up the challenge as moving the brand from ‘the medicine chest to the dining table’.


Bring your target person to life


One of the biggest sacrileges in briefs is the vague and rather generic definition of the target audience. You really can’t get a handle of who you are talking to until you bring that person alive.


This is how a bland brief will define the target audience for Axe deo:

Young men aged 16-25, who are concerned about their appearance and how they attract the opposite sex. They buy deodorants to smell fresh and feel confident. Axe with its masculine fragrance is the perfect choice to be attractive to girls.


Here’s an inspiring definition of the Axe target person:
Imagine Benjamin… he thinks about women a lot. A lot, a lot. But he’s not dreaming of romance, he’s a dirty boy who can’t stop thinking about sex with extraordinarily welcoming women. Yet in the real world, women are a completely different country - it’s somewhere he’s never been, it may be a while before he gets to go there, and you’re guaranteed he won’t be able to speak the language when he does. 
Deep down he wishes he could just be himself around girls and that it wasn’t so complicated, that he didn’t have to try so hard. What he wants isn’t deodorant at all, but a secret babe-magnet.


Which one do you think created the ‘Axe Effect’?


Dramatise it


A brief is more than just a piece of paper. It’s a piece of theatre.


Once, a bunch of creative people were packed like sardines into a cramped car and were told they were being taken to the client’s office for a briefing. Midway, they were intercepted by the account supervisor, driving a Maruti van (a move that was engineered). 


They were immediately transferred into the more spacious confines of the van and as they sprawled themselves, someone exclaimed, “Guys, this is the brief - travel in space.” How’s that for a powerful demonstration?


Here’s what a leading creative director told me, “I once had an account executive give me a brief with a hole burnt into it. That got me curious. Then I noticed it was for a fiery hot pizza. Right there, she got me.”


It’s time we changed the way we look at briefs, because great advertising is born out of great briefs. It may be a good idea for the industry to introduce an annual award for the best briefs as an incentive to encourage and reward great briefs. 


Can we bring the glory back into briefs? Can we have more briefs than griefs?


Yes, we can!


Anand Narasimha is a corporate turned academician with over three decades of experience spanning Brand Marketing, Advertising, Consulting, and Teaching. He writes the column Marketing Mocktail for Storyboard18. Views expressed are personal.

Marketing Mocktail: Brief or Grief - the creative brief explained

Most brands divide their advertising budget between creative development and media buying in a ratio of 1:10. However, when recalling famous advertising campaigns, it's likely that people remember the creative teams behind the ads, rather than the media planners and buyers who ensure that the ads reach the right audience with the right frequency.

In the past, when advertising was limited to one or two mediums such as TV and print, media planning and buying were relatively straightforward. However, with media becoming increasingly segmented, this is no longer the case. The role of media in the success of any campaign has therefore increased significantly. Without proper alignment between the creative campaign and media plan, the chances of failure are high.

Traditionally, advertising campaigns were conceptualised by establishing business objectives, which were translated into marketing objectives, and then communication objectives. Based on these, a brief was created, and the creative agency would uncover consumer/category insights and develop a core campaign idea. This idea would be presented alongside the TV commercial script, which formed the centrepiece of the campaign. The campaign idea would also be extended to other media such as print, digital, and OOH.

Although media objectives and planning would also be carried out concurrently, they were often not considered inputs or constraints for the creative agency.

Now, there are three problems that happen with this approach:

1. This leads to some campaign ideas/scripts which are not native to the primary platform as per the media plan. Because of a digital native TG, you might have a media plan which is heavily skewed towards Youtube to build awareness. And the best way to build awareness on Youtube is by using the 15-second non-skippable ad. Now if your hero creative is a 30 sec one and impossible to tell a coherent story in the 15-second cut, the campaign will fail.

2. Sometimes you have a wonderful clutter-breaking script, but it is not going to be registered by consumers when they watch it only once/twice. You might have a budget constraint which will limit the input GRPs in your markets. That would mean that at best you can optimize your plan to maximize reach at a three-plus frequency instead of 5/6. Now if your hero creative is witty/difficult to understand easily, your campaign will fail because of lack of enough number of exposure.

3. You might have a media plan which is skewed towards a certain region, but the core insight/communication might not resonate with that region. For Example, 50 percent of your sales might come from the five Southern States, but your campaign idea/core insight resonates more with the Hindi belt. If the TVC is also conceptualized in Hindi and only translated later to regional languages, the chances of the campaign failing will be higher.

All of these problems could be solved by making only a single change in the approach to rolling out a campaign. Include a tentative media strategy/plan, and the constraints that come with it as part of the brief that goes to the Planning team of the creative agency. This will ensure ideas and creative outputs which fit like a dream with our media strategy and plans.

If you want to use Meta in your media plan, your creative agency will ensure that vertical videos that seem native to the platform( Reels) are part of the creative output. If you have a reach plan to maximize reach at three plus frequencies, your creative agency will ensure that the communication is simple enough to understand in one go. If Kerala is a major market for you, your creative agency might recommend creating a separate campaign altogether conceptualized and taught in Malayalam using insights from the Kerala market.

The real magic happens when creative and media teams work together on a brief right from day one. This used to happen few decades back. Maybe it's time to go back to the same practice to ensure that brands get the highest RoI from their marketing spends.

The writer is the founding member and chief business officer of Atomberg. Views expressed are personal.

The power of collaboration: How including media planning in briefs can improve RoI

MAST

Brand: Oakley

Campaign: Be Who You Are

Agency: Brandmovers India

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Egz46FeBKAM" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Growing up, we were constantly asked to fit into the mould of societal expectations. Somewhere, amongst the increasing noise, doubts, aspirations and constant chatter, ‘being ourselves’ took a backseat. We forgot to focus on ourselves, be comfortable with making mistakes, and taking risks.

The latest commercial by Oakley stays true to its value of “Be Who You Are.” As the ad film rolls on, right from the hopes of 1.3bn people being shouldered by cricketer Rohit Sharma, to the doubts and noise surrounding him, the commercial shows how Sharma does not let the people’s uncertainties stop him from always giving his best. The ad film conveys the message of being your authentic self, and the importance of knowing “Who you are", where every frame of the film radiates courage and confidence. Overall, the ad film gets a thumbs up for its realism on a crucial subject.

MEH

Brand: NutriGlow

Campaign: NutriGlow

Agency: In-house

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/oLn-NzVs_so" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

For years, most of the ads that touched upon the subject of beauty have either been explanatory in nature, or had a pair of girls dancing to stress upon the brand, and convey positive effects. NutriGlow’s latest campaign follows the same unsatisfactory pattern. Actor Genelia Deshmukh along with a bunch of girls are portrayed as ‘GlowGirls’ who are moving to a beat to highlight NutriGlow’s varied range of products. However, Deshmukh, who serves as the brand ambassador for the brand and is known for her bubbly and fun loving nature could not save the commercial from being a dull and disappointing one to watch. An engaging and different storyline could have prevented a Meh.

Mast 

Brand - Thums Up

Agency - Ogilvy India

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/FSFd3mw8oIg" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

From sitting on tree-tops, listening to radio commentary to gathering around paan shops, Indians have found many unique ways to tune in to their favourite cricket matches. Cola brand Thums Up, plans to provide cricket fans in India with a never seen before, innovative experience through in its feature. The ad featuring Jasprit Bumrah, Umran Malik and Brett Lee, showcases an option that allows you to experience watching an ICC T20 World Cup match through a camera fitted in a wicket. Fans will have to scan a QR code on the Thums Up bottle to get access to the camera feed and become part of this immersive experience. That is as close as one can get to being present at the actual game. If this works, it is bound to leave all cricket fans stumped!

Meh

Brand - Casio India

Agency - In-house

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/NDSigcUw4mw" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Are you an over-thinker? Yes? Then Casio’s latest ad is definitely one for you. The film opens with a student, who asks his father to buy him a Casio calculator. When his father asks if he can get any other calculator if he doesn’t find one by Casio, the son starts to overthink a series of probable events and scenarios that might impact his life, all due to the repercussions of using an ordinary non-Casio calculator. While the concept works well on paper, the execution doesn’t translate well onto screens. A great concept, poorly planned and executed resulted in us providing this spot, a meh. 

Mast

Brand: Tata Motors

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/vjS4Q_np3KY" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Festive ads can seem too filmy and over the top with all the songs, dances and unnecessary drama around festivities. However, sometimes there are ads that truly have a feel good factor to it. The Durga Puja TVC from Tata Motors is a perfect example. The ad features the most celebrated actor of Bengali cinema, Prosenjit Chatterjee for the spot but not in a way you’d normally expect. His presence is subtle. His role is of the narrator who acts like a catalyst, adding a slight hint of glamour to the ad without being completely involved in it. The narrative is clean and well packaged with the integration of car features that seamlessly blend in. In true festive fashion, there is a sweet story, a great song and a product that is being rightfully celebrated. All the fun elements work perfectly in unison which makes this new TVC from Tata Motors a good one to watch. A definite Mast in our books. 

Meh

Brand: Hindware

Agency: In-house

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ipgCpOTvrHQ" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Hindware has a new TV campaign – ‘Go Larger Than Life’ starring actor Tamanna Bhatia and The Great Khali. This is the first ever TVC from Hindware Italian Collection since the company forayed into the tiles segment. The tiles shown in the spot look beautiful and appealing for sure but unfortunately, the same cannot be said for the spot itself. With an inane narrative and an unnecessary objectification of a tall man being compared to huge tiles is unimpressive and doesn’t leave a good lasting impression. A very poor concept and even poorer execution awards this spot a MEH 

MAST

Brand: Cadbury Dairy Milk

Campaign: Cadbury Dairy Milk Bodyguard – Kissi aur ki Khushi mein shaamil hokar dekhiye

Agency: Ogilvy India

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ugp1IhxHT48" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Tigmanshu Dhulia never fails to impress viewers with his performances. In this spot, his appearance as a politician paints him as a ‘larger than life’ character. Dhulia, who is seen making his way towards the dais along with his bodyguards amidst the cheering crowd, to celebrate the success of one of his guard’s daughters who cleared the medical entrance exam is warm and comforting to watch. He is seen feeding the daughter a piece of Cadbury Dairy Milk as a token of appreciation and celebration. The ad film stays true to its message “Kissi aur ki Khushi mein shaamil hokar dekhiye.” A ‘Mast’ watch in our opinion. 

MEH

Brand: Myntra

Campaign: Myntra Big Fashion Festival

Agency: In-house

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ssr69nZDWKE" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

The absence of any fun factor for an ad that aims to be comical is very evident right from the start. The campaign, which aims to promote Myntra’s Big Fashion Festival does not really generate any curiosity to check out how interesting the fashion festival might be. Even the presence of celebrity couple Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma, does not seem to add any drama to the dulness. Ironically, Myntra’s idea of using ignorance to draw attention not only tanked on screen but also failed to attract audiences in real life. An interesting build up to the story along with some festive cheer to promote the fashion festival could have prevented a Meh.

Mast

Brand: Coca Cola

Agency: In house

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/WWaOTJ_E3xc" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Durga Puja for Bengalis is like a five-day long party. Like any party, food and soft drinks are an important part of this celebration. So if you are telling a Durga Puja story and you add food and soft drinks to it, you definitely make for a good storyteller. This new puja anthem from Coca Cola is a perfect spot for the pre-festive weeks. Casting the OG cool guys of Bengal (read members of Bengali band Chandrabindoo) and the catchy song add to the festive mood and cheer. The ad comes with its share of glam factor too, with Bengali superstar Dev adding spark and being a part of the 39 second screenplay. Overall, Coca Cola has done a great job with capturing the mood of the Bengal market right now with everyone preparing for the upcoming celebrations. 

Meh

Brand: Pantaloons

Agency: Production: KITCHEN, Concept: Ogilvy

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/vAitIkoGJqs" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Rap songs and hip/hop as a genre are very popular with millennials and Gen Z. However, when used in an ad, it resonates only if executed and performed well. Unfortunately, this new Durga Puja spot from Pantaloons banks on a below average rap jingle that pulls down the overall vibe of the piece. Moreover, the Bengali voice overs are heavily accented. It could’ve been done on purpose to go with the background score but doesn’t help the tune in any way. It stands out as a noticeable blunder. The song, the script and overall performance of the cast makes this a wannabe number desperate for attention. We’re still on the look out for an ad that captures Gen Z mentality correctly and executes it well. 

MAST

Brand - The Body Shop

Agency - In house

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/FkFmgjTZJ4g" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Breaking the popular notion that young citizens are becoming increasingly apathetic towards societal issues, The Body Shop launches a campaign calling upon policy makers to evaluate lowering the age of candidacy in the Lok Sabha from 25 to 21 years of age. The goal is to get greater youth representation in the Lok Sabha. To spread the message, the brands video campaign features young leaders from across the country including Sudhanshu Kaushik, founder, Young India Foundation (27), Jalandhar High Court lawyer Inderpreet Kaur (24) and Sachin Rathod, independent panch ingalangi (29) talking about their efforts in bringing change in society thereby inspiring others. The ‘Be Seen Be Heard’ initiative is being rolled out through a partnership with Young India Foundation. The WHY25 drive has been launched across India at all The Body Shop stores in September 2022 and will run till end 2024 in over 25 states with offline and online petitions to support the cause. Now, that's what you call a brand with a purpose. A mast ad, definitely a great watch. 

MEH

Brand - Levi’s India

Agency - Spring Marketing Capital

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/vZ8pJXzA1h0" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Levi's India’s series of ads with Deepika Padukone follow a pattern that has become repetitive and boring. In the new ad Padukone is seen in a space that needs to be set up and decorated. The camera follows her doing various chores like pushing a sofa into place, sticking a poster on a wall while ambling around with her friends, etc dressed in a new baggy Levi’s jeans of course. The spot ends abruptly leaving viewers confused. While Levi's baggy collection might be in vogue, its advertising seems really last season! It’s time for a refresh. 


MAST

Brand – Bombae Fuzz Off Trimmer | Painless hair removal for women

Agency/Production House – Talented, StudioFry

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/tJdv1KX0cPY" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

This 30 seconder is an edgy one. It’s probably the only hair removal brand that has shown body hair before women shave/wax/trim it off. Bombae says #FuzzOff to societal expectations. It shows the pain women go through to go hairless and attempts to normalise never-seen-before body hair imageries. An empowering ad that breaks boundaries. It’s a mast watch because it is changing the narrative of the category.


MEH

Brand – Manyavar | Taiyaar Hokar Aaiye

Agency - Shreyansh Innovations

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/FmSZL1LByzE" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

The hyperactive actor Ranveer Singh for the new commercial of Manyavar is featured as a spunky wedding photographer. For a change, he is dressed perfectly fine. However, he singles out a suit-clad ‘mausaji’ by saying he is ruining the perfect family photo in his western outfit. Okay, we get it, this was all supposed to be in good fun and maybe for the sake of advertising. However, we think the brand could have picked a better line of thought to stitch the script. After all, isn’t fashion a personal choice? Shouldn’t Singh know that better than anyone else?

Mast & Meh: Oakley, Thums Up, Tata Motors, Myntra, Levi's India

The biggest test Indian girls face in their school years is the "beauty test", says Unilever-owned beauty brand Dove in its latest campaign released on International Daughters Day 2022 (25 September). The ad has been viewed by millions of netizens, garnering over 12 million YouTube views in four days. 

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/mv_1W3ss408" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

While the campaign gained appreciation for starting a conversation about deeply ingrained beauty biases, a section of audiences also criticised the company for double standards. Unilever sells Glow & Lovely (earlier called Fair & Lovely) which largely hinged its communication equating fair/light skin with success. However, in 2019 Unilever changed the product name and also its advertising strategy to be more inclusive and conscious. 

This is reflected in the new Dove ad as well. 

Made by advertising agency Ogilvy India, the ad shows how young girls are subjected to socially accepted standards of beauty which drastically impact their confidence and self-esteem. The Stop The Beauty Test 2.0 is an extension of its previous campaign that was focused on beauty judgements faced by women during marriage. 

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/E3kWzRB6Yy8" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

To be sure, Unilever said that Dove launched a study which stated that 80 percent of Indian school girls have faced unjust beauty tests as a teenager. Hence, this year the conversation has shifted focus from prospective brides to the stage where it all begins – adolescence.

 In an exclusive conversation with Storyboard18, Harman Dhillon, vice president, hair care, Unilever talks about the backlash on its new campaign, changing ideas of beauty and how Dove is striving to stay relevant among Gen Z consumers.

Edited excerpts:

There is a certain set of audience that have criticised the new campaign. How does the brand deal with the negative feedback?

Our intent with #StopTheBeautyTest campaign was clear - to make society aware of a prevailing issue faced by young girls on a daily basis. To bring about a tangible impact with the Dove Self-Esteem Project, we are training teachers to deliver educational modules around body confidence and self-esteem to young minds. Our purpose of the campaign is to create awareness regarding when these beauty biases start, and the impact it has on women. We respect everyone's point of view and hope they see that our objective is to redefine the scope of beauty - celebrating it in its authentic and diverse form.

What kind of research went behind picking the theme for this edition of the campaign?

At Dove, we’re constantly working towards making beauty a source of confidence and not anxiety. Last year, we brought to light beauty-based judgements women especially faced during marriage and the impact it had on their confidence. However, during our research we uncovered a key moment of truth wherein societal standards of beauty are imposed on women much earlier on - as young as adolescence. Capturing this sentiment, we shifted our focus on the root of the problem - moving our communication from prospective brides to teenage girls. At a time when these girls should be concentrating on education, they are being unknowingly subjected to beauty biases by society. We felt that this was a crucial stage of intervention and wanted to bring about a tangible change. Thus, with #StopTheBeautyTest 2.0, we aim to raise the self-esteem of these young girls and break through beauty led stereotypes. 

Where did the inspiration for the execution of the campaign come from?

As always, we wanted to share real stories enacted by real girls and feature the real-life implication beauty judgements have on their self-esteem. So, the brand film is a portrayal of exactly that. We want to highlight how family and peers, in the guise of guidance, are pressuring young girls to fit prescribed beauty standards and how this can lead to body image issues in their young minds - eventually stunting their confidence. The #StopTheBeautyTest movement is an attempt to bring awareness about this issue so we can stop subjecting young girls with beauty-based report cards and grading them on external appearances. The focus instead should be on building their self-esteem so that they can be comfortable in their own skin and realise their potential to the fullest. 



<blockquote>While Dove’s global markets may be slightly more evolved, we’re not far behind where customers are demanding equal representation and opportunity. Brands no longer can superficially support progressive social movement but need to be actively engaged and be true drivers of change.</blockquote>



What is Dove doing to stay relevant among the Gen Z? How do they define beauty and is it different from older consumers?

The Dove Self-Esteem Project is aimed at the Gen Z with a vision to empower 8 million young minds by 2025. As part of the initiative, we partnered with experts in the fields of psychology, health and body image to create educational modules around body confidence and self-esteem which will be delivered by teachers under the life skills curriculum. Through this we will be reaching girls and boys in grades 6, 7 and 8 in selected schools across 8 states.

The ultimate goal is to change ‘beauty’ from its conventional lens and redefine and realign what it means to be beautiful. In comparison to the older generation, the younger audience is demanding an ethical, inclusive and diverse representation of beauty in media and Dove’s Real Beauty motto stands tall to deliver on the ask - ensuring beauty is not defined by shape, size or colour but being beautiful is to be the best version of yourself.

Any unique trends in terms of advertising or consumption you are witnessing among your TG in India? How's it different from Dove's global markets?

The Indian woman has gone through a complete metamorphosis in the recent time, especially when it comes to her portrayal in advertising and media. We’ve come a long way from women being conditioned to believing their self-worth is dictated by the perception of others, to now where they are seen taking charge and having a voice of their own. At Dove, we’re proud to have been one of the leading contributors to this change and are glad that brands across categories are following suit.

Today, our TG makes their own choice and has the spending power. Beyond expecting brands to deliver high-quality products, they also demand the brand drive a thought-provoking dialogue. While Dove’s global markets may be slightly more evolved, we’re not far behind where customers are demanding equal representation and opportunity. Brands no longer can superficially support progressive social movement but need to be actively engaged and be true drivers of change.

How do you measure the success of a campaign now? Has the benchmark changed over the years?

Today, the success of a campaign, especially when it comes to the type of campaigns Dove has been leading, is very different from the benchmarks traditionally set in place. The impact is no longer purely number driven. The campaigns of the current era are heavily driven by the impact they have on people and the type of change we can drive through the efforts of the campaign. 

Are the days of big splash TV campaigns long gone? What works for new gen consumers?

Television is a relevant medium even now, in my opinion. There is still a large set audience in the deeper pockets of our nation who yet rely on television for entertainment as well as information. Thus, given that our target isn’t just the metro markets but pan India, TVC’s are a prime medium for us to bring our narrative alive. On the other hand, speaking about the new generation of consumers, social media has emerged as a stronger medium of communication than most others since it allows a two-way communication unlike TV. Thus, it is essential for us to keep the balance while strategising our media plan.

Exclusive: Unilever’s Harman Dhillon responds to feedback on viral Dove ad

Two years ago, YouTube introduced Shorts in India. Today, Shorts are generating 30 billion views per day, which is four times more than one year ago. Ajay Vidyasagar, Regional Director, APAC, YouTube Partnerships, says the language platter and the content genre is only growing in the market and Shorts is fueling the growth. He also talks about monetization on the platform and more. 

Edited excerpts.

Shorts completed two years in India. How has it been? And what has the growth story been like from where you started to where you are now? 

YouTube as a platform is over 14 years old in India. When we got started, our primary mission was to democratize video creation. Until that point, the world really saw storytelling as being the forte of a few. Our goal was to really, truly, truly democratize this in a manner that anyone who is interested in sharing a story should be able to share it. Our role in that was to use technology to take out all the friction in the operationalization of it and help good stories to be discovered, consumed and engaged with. That is really what we’ve been able to do in scale over these many years.

YouTube Shorts was announced two years ago; we flagged that off in India. The YouTube Partner Program (YPP) program was only available and enabled for long form and mid form content. So, we launched a YouTube Shorts fund, in which we worked closely with content creators to help them see a line of revenue for their work.

While we see a lot of entertaining content on the platform, what is the kind of interest you have seen brands? Are brands using Shorts like they are using other UGC platforms for integrations? Help us understand with some examples.

YouTube has enabled so many different formats to co-exist and speak to one another: long form videos, snappy Shorts, livestreams and deep dive podcasts. Advertisers can, therefore, choose to talk to their target audiences- in as many forms of stories, across as many devices, as many languages and as many times a day - effectively and at scale. 

YouTube Shorts are generating 30 billion views per day globally. India was the first country where we launched Shorts and we’re proud of how quickly YouTube Shorts have become popular in India. Brands are starting to see results too. For instance, Oreo, which started its very first Shorts Challenge in Tamil Nadu with 10 of our top creators in the market to launch Oreo Double Stuf during Pongal last year. With 8 million views on their content, the brand was able to build salience in the market, improving branded searches and household penetration in a key market for them. 

How important is India as a market for YouTube when it comes to Shorts? How does it compare to other markers?

We saw the great potential and engagement short form content has for today’s increasingly mobile viewer. That’s why two years ago, we introduced YouTube Shorts, first in India, to make it easier to watch and create short-form content on YouTube. It was where our journey began, and it’s encouraging to see the adoption and excitement the product brings to both creators and viewers. 

We truly believe that what moves India, has the potential to shape the world. Digital video has become a gateway to the world for millions of Indians. In particular, short form video, which is easy to consume and create, represents opportunity like no other - to be entertained and inspired, to learn and earn, to connect and grow. 

When we introduced Shorts, we knew that we were bringing an important new format for creators and that our creators are leveraging Shorts to help breathe new life into their existing channels or inform a new content and engagement strategy is testament to their creativity.

We’re constantly impressed that creators are getting really innovative with how they use the full breadth of video formats that YouTube offers to meet their personal and business goals: from growing views and subscribers, reaching out to new audiences and growing their earning potential. 

Shorts has helped capture the interest and imagination of mobile-first creators and viewers who from whom a smartphone is a window to a world of opportunity. In India, Shorts is lowering the barriers for under-represented voices to come to the fore and pursue their passions; many of whom may otherwise have not had a platform to do so. We’re seeing creators across languages, socio-economic backgrounds and even India’s hinterlands turn to Shorts to share their passions, grow their channels and build successful careers.

Shorts has introduced a new monetization format. Please help us understand how it will benefit the platform and the creators?

We recently unveiled the next chapter in rewarding creativity on the platform by expanding the platform’s monetization system, YPP, to allow more creators to join the program, introducing new ways for creators to earn revenue through Shorts, and re-imagining the music industry and creator dynamic by opening up ads monetization for those who feature music in their videos. 

Starting in early 2023, Shorts-focused creators can apply to YPP by meeting a threshold of 1000 subscribers and 10 million Shorts views over 90 days. These new partners will enjoy all the benefits YPP offers, including ads monetization across Shorts and long-form YouTube videos. This is another option to the existing criteria where long-form creators can still apply to YPP when they reach 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours. Creators can choose the one option that best fits their channel while YouTube maintains the same level of brand safety for advertisers. To support creators who are early in their YouTube journey, YouTube will also introduce a new level of YPP with lower requirements that will offer earlier access to Fan Funding features like Super Thanks, Super Chat, Super Stickers and Channel Memberships. 

To reward the new creative class, beginning in early 2023, we’ll be moving away from a fixed fund and doubling down on a unique revenue sharing model for Shorts for both current and future YPP creators. Because ads run between videos in the Shorts Feed, every month, revenue from these ads will be added together and used to reward Shorts creators and help cover costs of music licensing. From the overall amount allocated to creators, they will keep 45 percent of the revenue, distributed based on their share of total Shorts views. The revenue share remains the same, no matter if they use music or not. 

YouTube Shorts came to India at a very opportune time. It came right when UGC was becoming very popular and the market was expanding beyond metros. Throw some light on how you managed to gain footing in the Bharat market?

When you look at all of the digital platforms in the country, YouTube is fueled by voice, video and vernacular. So, because of that, the innate ability for the platform to go to every nook and corner of the country, and be understood, be loved, and be engaged, is very natural. It actually is the easiest form of communication that somebody can get on the digital connected platform.

We started off with a predominantly English language journey and then Hindi language content started to take off from India’s metro cities. If you remember, back in the day a lot of our creators were comedy centric and from urban centers.

Now in the last five to seven years, two very big things have happened with YouTube. The content creation has gone into the heartland of Hindi speaking markets. Hindi has become far more reflective of the evolving user base that has happened. Now it’s no longer a metro phenomenon.

We’re also seeing a host of other languages also doing very well on YouTube. Telugu and Tamil continue to be heavy-use cohorts for us. The richness of the language space has been unbelievable for us. From Punjabi, Haryanvi, Bhojpuri, Bengali, to Marathi, Gujarati, there is just an extraordinary breadth of languages. Shorts has helped these markets as well. We have seen extraordinary volume from these language markets.

Ours is a journey that is really about going wider and deeper and Shorts is helping us fuel that in even more in a significant manner.

Platforms that offer both long form and short format content often see the latter stealing all the limelight. Have you noticed any such pattern?

No creator says that I want to be a short-form creator or a long-form creator. They want to be storytellers and they want to express themselves and tell their stories in different forms. We might think about telling a story today that may need 10 or 20 minutes but tomorrow, we may have a story that may shine in 30 seconds.

Our role as a platform is to give a very versatile toolkit that can help a creator succeed in every format. That’s the core of what we do. When you think about video creation, our job is to give a toolkit that helps any video creator, do what they want to do, and express themselves with the least amount of friction. We do believe that both creators and users do not ever say that I’ll only consume a story, if it is, of this size or this form. They actually want a powerful story. The ability to have that sort of freedom with scale and the best technology is really what we do. That’s what we’re focused on. That’s what we’ll always be focused on.

What are your future plans for the offering? What are the top priorities when it comes to new plans for Shorts in India in FY-23?

Shorts is a natural evolution for us: YouTube Shorts is a new way to create and watch short, mobile videos. If you think about YouTube’s earliest days, we launched with a short 18-second video, ‘Me at the Zoo’. What changed since then is how easy it’s become to create and watch short-form videos. We wanted to make it even easier for people to create short videos on YouTube using their phones, so Shorts is a natural evolution for us. 

We’re building features that are unique to YouTube. We’re bringing all short-form video to YouTube, and all of YouTube to short-form video in a really significant way. There are billions of videos on YouTube - by unlocking those videos for features like remixing so people can sample from those in their own Shorts, we’re creating a real playground of creativity like never before. We have the ability to connect multiple ecosystems - YouTube as we know it today, YouTube Music, and now YouTube Shorts. You can imagine what this might look like in the future - it will allow people to connect more deeply with the content, creators, and artists they’re most interested in. This truly is just the beginning.

EXCLUSIVE: What moves India has the potential to shape the world, says YouTube's Ajay Vidyasagar

Leo Burnett and Jim Beam

Publicis Groupe-owned Leo Burnett has been appointed as the global agency-of-record (AOR) for Beam Suntory’s Jim Beam, an American brand of bourbon whiskey. The account, which was won following a multi-agency pitch, will see the agency develop a new global positioning and creative platform. This is the second time Leo Burnett has been appointed as the AOR for Jim Beam. 2016 marked the year when the agency was first selected as the AOR for the American brand. Recently, Beam Suntory announced that it would invest $400 million in renewable energy systems while boosting bourbon production. 

Hashtag Orange and Signify India

Digital marketing company Hashtag Orange has won the creative mandate for Signify Innovations India, erstwhile lighting division of Philips Eindhoven of Netherlands. Their responsibility would include ideation, development, and execution of the company’s creative campaigns for both online and offline channels. As per a media report published in June, Signify was looking to grow by 18-20 percent during 2022 in India. Last month, Hashtag Orange appointed Shraddha Iyer as the branch head of its Hyderabad office. Further, the agency bagged mandates across several key accounts. They include GMR Hyderabad International Airport, Monte Carlo, Rock-It, Hype Ryno, EDGE by Pearl Academy, HOUSR co-living and Tulips Hygiene.

Carat India and TimesPro

Marketing agency Carat India has won the integrated media mandate of TimesPro, an edtech initiative of Times Group. The responsibility of the agency would include managing TimesPro's omnichannel media services, and this will be handled by the agency’s Mumbai office. The account was won following a multi-agency pitch.

Bharat Media Group and Newell Brands

Newell Brands has appointed Bharat Media Group, a 360 degree marketing agency to handle its brands - Reynolds and Sharpie's strategic and creative duties. The mandate includes co-creating the growth roadmap for both businesses in the Indian market. Three weeks ago, Bharat Media Group was appointed as the Agency-Of-Record (AOR) for Super4, Indian fantasy sports platform. The role of the agency will include overseeing the integrated strategy and media mandate which includes creative, performance and experiential marketing, media planning and buying (across medium, traditional and digital), OOH, and cinema. Bharat Media Group has recently made key hirings including Unilever’s former head of Trading and Partnerships, Rohin Desai, who joined as national buying head in August. Desai will head the group’s entire media buying activities across India. He will be based out of the Mumbai office and will report to Anand Charles, CEO, Bharat Media Group. In May, Debarghya Mitra joined as national head of planning. Mitra was VP of client services and head of South at WPP-owned Essence.

Option Designs and CFS Vision

Creative and digital marketing agency Option Designs won the creative and digital mandate of CFS Vision, an optical retail chain of Center for Sight Group of Eye Hospitals, which is backed by Mahindra Partners. Their responsibility would include developing creative digital branding strategies for the company. By 2027, CFS Vision aims to create 500 retail locations. In the coming years, the brand will also begin manufacturing frames and lenses under the Make in India initiative.

Compiled by Kashmeera Sambamurthy

Biz Moves: Bharat Media Group gets cracking; Carat India, Hashtag Orange and Option Designs win accounts

Dating app Tinder, in a recent survey, reveals that most young adults in India have little or no confidence in navigating consent and find it hard to have conversations on the subject. Amongst those surveyed in Mumbai, more than 64% of young adults are hesitant to give consent, ask for it, and to withdraw consent when dating someone.

When asked about situations when their consent was violated, 65% of young Mumbaikars chose not to speak to their date/partner about it and turned to a friend and looked for resources online, illustrating the need for continuous dialogue on this subject. In fact, 83% of these young adults in Mumbai believe that consent should be discussed more openly with partners.

The findings are based on research conducted by YouGov which surveyed  1,018  young adults (18-30 years) across  Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Pune, Kolkata, Chennai and Hyderabad.

Young Indians want to learn and discuss consent with 1 in 2 recognizing themselves as the biggest channel for normalizing conversations around consent.

Around 8 in 10 young adults in Mumbai believe that consent should be discussed more openly with partners, 76% want it to be even taught formally in schools and colleges, and 72% have taken steps to personally understand the concept of consent.

More than 7 in 10 young adults in Mumbai seek more resources and safe spaces (both physical and online) on consent to be more educated and aware in their personal settings. Amongst a broad group of stakeholders potentially responsible for normalizing conversations on consent, young people identified parents (55%), themselves (44%), and schools and colleges (39%) as the top three influencers responsible for that conversation.

Across various aspects of consent education, most of the young Mumbaikars are most interested in learning about how to give consent (44%), understanding their own boundaries and limitations (41%),  followed by how to ask for consent (40%), emphasizing the need for consent education in the city.

The survey highlights that there are a myriad of factors that prevent young adults from communicating consent or the lack thereof to their dates or partners. The most frequent reasons include: afraid of hurting the date/partner’s feelings (41%), themselves are awkward having such conversations (36%), not knowing how to say no (33%) and anxious about not being liked (30%).

Young adults in Mumbai also have clear categorisation of widely understood metaphors for warning signs.They listed top three red flags include making fun about your interests/beliefs, asking for personal/intimate pictures, and not being empathetic towards others.

Yet putting them into practice proves harder than imagined: 3 in 5 young Mumbaikars say that they would hesitate to say no to a kiss and an almost equal number say they would hesitate to dismiss intimate advances even though it might make them uncomfortable.

Young adults in Mumbai believe that consent extends beyond intimacy and includes a larger concern for privacy and emotional boundaries.
 
The survey was a part of Tinder’s effort to create awareness around the importance of consent.  The platform is bringing back ‘Let’s Talk Consent’, its initiative to encourage conversations around consent and safe dating. This year, the campaign launches with “We Need To Talk”, a short film that explores the nuances of consent in interpersonal relationships amongst young Indian adults.

This will be followed by a Consent and Safe Dating curriculum, developed by experts and available online and in person in select universities, to give young adults access to appropriate information and a safe space to have a healthy discourse on the subject.
 
''Our Let’s Talk Consent initiative aims to give young adults the tools and resources to understand how consent equates freedom in making choices, mutual agreement and normalizes open discussions on tough topics. Coupled with safety products in the app and initiatives such as these, we are committed to working towards creating a healthy dating ecosystem in the country,” says Taru Kapoor, GM, Tinder & match group, India.

Young adults don’t know how to give, ask or withdraw consent while dating, Tinder study

Sleeping disorders are so common and yet there is not enough awareness about them in India. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), for instance, is a disorder caused by the repetitive collapse of the upper airway during sleep which leads to difficulty in breathing while sleeping. While it's one of the most common sleeping disorders, not many people know about it.

To tap this massive gap in the market, medical equipment company ResMed India has launched a campaign featuring singer and rapper Baba Sehgal.

Created by advertising agency Bang in the Middle, ResMed’s #AwakenYourBest campaign is aimed at creating awareness on sleeping disorders like sleep apnea and emphasis on sleeping well.

In the video, Sehgal, in his quintessential rap style, is seen crooning a rap or sleep anthem that talks about taking a simple at-home test to diagnose sleep related disorders. The purpose of the campaign is to create awareness about the importance of good sleep in a full-filled manner.

“There’s a great gap when it comes to talking about sleep disorders and we wish to start the conversation and create awareness,” says Seema Arora, business head - consumer and digital, South Asia, ResMed.

Acute sleep deficit

ResMed conducted a study, speaking to over 5000 people digitally to understand the impact on sleep post-pandemic. The findings show that Indians take a long amount of time (close to 90 minutes) to fall asleep which is far higher than Japan (25 minutes), China (42 minutes) and Korea (30 minutes). The longer duration is equated with extended screen time on devices.

“Data also confirmed a severe pandemic impact on sleeping habits in India. The survey also stated that 62 percent Indians agreed that stress has impacted their sleep during the pandemic as well as post pandemic. Erratic work schedules, excessive digital exposure and unhealthy lifestyle is contributing to poor sleep quality,” shares Arora.

Although ResMed is targeting consumers aged 30-69 years residing in the top 20-25 cities, it is also looking to connect with young Indians (under 25 years) who could be potential influencers in their household.

“We do wish to speak to audiences above the age of 25 years to have the information and encourage their loved ones to take the test and check about the quality of their sleep,” says Arora.

Social media and digital platforms are the likely places where ResMed is hoping to engage with potential customers.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/DLyzgN_IKEQ" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Market potential

India is a huge market for ResMed. Arora quotes a Lancet Respiratory Medicine 2019 study, which states that an estimated 5.4 percent of all Indians ages 30-69 years (28.8 million) have moderate to severe sleep apnea. The level of sleep awareness continues to remain low in a country like India, with only a handful of sleep labs for a population of over 1.3 billion.

The study states that people are often unaware about sleep issues and even if diagnosed with sleep disorders, they tend to hide them. Hence, there is a need to create awareness about the importance of sleep and sleep related disorders.

“The potential in the India market is huge. 28.8 million people could be dealing with sleep apnea. Diet and workout can have a positive impact but it is not the gold treatment for a sleeping disorder. It requires a proper sleep check-up followed by a CPAP (Continuous positive airway pressure) machine to treat sleep apnea. As we start creating awareness we foresee a demand for these products,” says Arora.  

Currently, there are barely 30,000 to 35,000 odd CPAP devices which are being sold in a year. Compared to the population the penetration of these devices is still less. ResMed is looking to change that.

Agency speak 

Naresh Gupta, co-founder and CSO, Bang In The Middle says that Obstructive Sleep Apnea is a life-threatening condition and it's easy for the brands to be in the zone that is a bit scary.

“All our consumer chats pointed towards the fact that instilling fear doesn't work as well as creating a happier curative story. Baba Sehgal has a unique style of telling the story, we merged it with an interesting way of taking the consumer on a journey with us," says Gupta.  

"The way the music flows and the way the scenes change in the commercial brought the audience into the brand fold,'' he says, adding, "The simple call to action of asking for a Home Sleep Test was made possible with the magic that was weaved through earworm quality of the music." 

ResMed has kicked off its campaign with a song and dance and the hope that its rap track can help Indians sleep well.

ResMed hopes its rap track can help Indians sleep well

MediBuddy has unveiled a campaign -#MaaKiSehat. The inspiring campaign video aims to recognise the selfless, nurturing care mothers provide from the moment a child is born. 

The campaign urges viewers to actively participate in their mothers' well-being by encouraging them to seek medical advice whenever needed.

Mothers are the cornerstones of our families, often prioritising the health and well-being of their loved ones above their own. This dedication of theirs often leads to neglecting their own healthcare needs. Universally, mothers are observed to put their families' health first, potentially compromising their long-term well-being.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/hHzncyAxumo?si=nT4T5LlhMY_34flw" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>

The campaign acknowledges mothers' irreplaceable role in our lives, particularly regarding our well-being. While flowers and chocolates are cherished tokens of appreciation, this Mother’s Day MediBuddy's campaign encourages a more meaningful gift – the gift of health. 

By offering convenient access to doctors through its platform, MediBuddy allows mothers to become their own healthcare advocates, ensuring they receive the same level of care and attention they so generously provide to their families.

Saibal Biswas, SVP, and Head of Marketing, Partnerships & PR at MediBuddy- “Mothers represent humanity's first encounter with unconditional love and caretaking. We understand that mothers often put themselves last, but it is time to change that narrative. This campaign is a reminder to honour that and ensure every mother has access to the healthcare support they deserve. This empowers them to prioritise their own health and well-being while allowing them to continue showering us with love and care for years to come. We recognise that seeking healthcare can be daunting, especially when juggling the responsibilities of motherhood. This Mother’s Day,  let us help our mother prioritise her health – because a healthy mom is a happy mom.”

This campaign is conceptualised and produced by MediBuddy’s in-house creative team. The campaign video is titled #MaaKiSehat and is 1 Minute in duration. The video will be amplified across all social media platforms.

MediBuddy's Mother’s Day campaign #MaaKiSehat celebrates moms as eternal caregivers

Hero Vired, India's learning company for professionals and higher education aspirants, celebrates Mother’s Day with their new campaign, ‘A Letter to my Child’, a tribute to the resilience and love of working mothers. The campaign features real-life supermoms from Hero Vired’s learner community who penned heartfelt letters to their children reflecting the challenges these moms face while balancing work and family. 


Akshay Munjal, founder and chief executive officer, Hero Vired commented, "Mother's Day serves as a poignant reminder of the remarkable strength and resilience that mothers embody every day. At Hero Vired, we recognize the pivotal role mothers play within their families and in shaping the future workforce. We aim to celebrate and support mothers on their educational and professional journeys, ensuring they have ample resources and opportunities needed to thrive in their personal and professional lives."'


<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/AKMhqVNdwU4?si=mUULTKg4UOmX8ZeC" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 
With prevalent challenges faced by women, as revealed by the Women in Modern Workplaces in India report, which highlighted how 70 percent of women expressed difficulties in balancing work-life issues as a primary obstacle to career advancement and 55 percent advocated for specialized upskilling programs for women returning to work after a career break. 


Hero Vired launched the #EmpowerHer initiative, offering tailored benefits to women learners enrolling in program batches commencing in March and April 2024. 


Read More: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-marketing/biba-launches-mothers-day-campaign-kuch-nahi-collection-for-mothers-31129.htm">BIBA launches mother’s day campaign: “Kuch nahi” collection for mothers</a>

Hero Vired rolls out ‘A Letter to my Child’ on the occasion of Mother's Day

Prega News, the pregnancy test kit brand from Mankind Pharma has come up with a new video campaign titled #LetThemDecide. As an extension of that, Prega News takes a step forward by introducing its interactive OOH campaign "Deciding Benches" across the city of Delhi, inviting individuals to stand up for freedom of choice in family planning on the occasion of Mother’s Day.

#LetThemDecide, Prega News' poignant video campaign, delves into the societal pressures faced by couples regarding family planning decisions. The campaign emphasises the significance of empowering couples to make deeply personal choices without external coercion or judgment. With the innovative OOH campaign, the strategically placed benches in parks, malls, and other public spaces will serve as platforms for individuals to take a stand on the issue.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/S3H-AeKE5mM?si=eaFtJFMYwk-M9faj" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>

The benches had two sides representing different perspectives on family planning. One side supported a couple's decision in determining the number of children, emphasizing personal choice and respect. The other side represented traditional family decisions, underscoring the importance of a family's collective choice. By simply sitting on the bench, participants could voice their support for couples' autonomy in deciding the number of children they want, challenging societal norms and promoting respect for personal choices. People's selections sparked meaningful conversations about personal choice and community values, turning the bench into a platform for discussions on family planning decisions.

Joy Chatterjee, Associate Vice President, Sales and Marketing Head, Consumer Business Unit, Mankind Pharma, said, “With 'Deciding Benches,' we are sparking a vital conversation, empowering couples and families to make their own decisions regarding family size. This initiative challenges conventional norms and fosters acceptance of personal choices. Women have long faced undue pressures due to societal and familial expectations in this deeply personal matter. By introducing 'Deciding Benches,' Prega News is promoting open discussions across India, shifting the focus from pressure to support for family planning choices of a couple. A content mother contributes significantly to a harmonious family dynamic, and this Mother’s Day, we are honoring mothers' strength and love while standing by them in their family planning journey."

Prega News launches new video campaign #LetThemDecide

L&K Saatchi & Saatchi, part of Publicis Groupe India, has conceptualised the latest campaign for SRF Floron AC gas, a SRF Limited brand. 

Titled ‘Cooling Tomorrow Together’, the campaign comprises two films that will be aired exclusively on JioCinema at the Indian Premier League. 

SRF Limited seeks to highlight the role of AC refrigerants in staying cool during the summer. The two 10-second advertisements establish the "We Cool (AC): What Keeps You Cool" narrative. 

The films take an exaggerated, humorous route, depicting two extreme scenarios where the protagonists do not get angry despite provocation. 

Depicting everyday situations, the first ad shows a driver staying calm as his expensive car gets hit on an empty road. The second ad showcases a husband being saved from his wife’s fury when he forgets about his dinner date and falls asleep, all thanks to the cooling power of SRF Floron AC gas. 

Rohit Malkani, Chief Creative Officer, L&K Saatchi & Saatchi in India said, “It isn’t easy to advertise or tell a story about a product that is neither seen nor heard. We went in search of an ‘Oh! I never knew Floron did that!’ idea. We aimed to bring the AC refrigerant out of its hiding place and give it its rightful value in life situations. The result is a set of films that are fun, quirky, and delightful.”

A SRF Floron representative added, “’Cooling Tomorrow Together’ is more than just a campaign; it's a pledge of tranquillity amidst life's chaos. In collaboration with SRF Floron, L&K Saatchi & Saatchi has artfully captured our vision: to redefine comfort. This initiative aims to engage and enlighten consumers about the technology behind their home cooling appliances and car airconditioning, while cementing SRF Floron's status as the ultimate choice for AC cooling gas in the market.”
 


L&K Saatchi & Saatchi releases 'Cooling Tomorrow Together' campaign for SRF Floron AC Gas

Bringing on board a celebrity to endorse a brand to reach a large audience is the most common form of advertising today. And why wouldn’t it be? It’s highly effective. Celebrities not only pull a large audience but also bring along amazing personal brand value that acts as a catalyst to propel the brand forward.


But can this backfire? Can a famous, loved and respected celebrity’s association with a brand do more harm than good for the brand? Or rather, can the celebrity be affected due to their association with certain brands?


The Supreme Court on May 7 said that celebrities and social media influencers are equally responsible and liable if found endorsing products or services in misleading advertisements.


The apex court said this while dealing with the case filed by the Indian Medical Association (IMA) against Baba Ramdev’s Patanjali Ayurved in its ongoing misleading ads case.


"We are of the opinion that the advertisers or the advertising agencies or endorsers are equally responsible for issuing false and misleading advertisements. Endorsements by public figures, influencers, celebrities etc. go a long way in promoting a product and it is imperative for them to act with responsibility when endorsing any product in the course of advertisements,” said a bench of Justices Hima Kohli and Ahsanuddin Amanullah.


The court added that there are Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) guidelines in place that ask all influencers to be upfront and transparent about their paid partnerships with brands.


"We are of the opinion that the advertisers or the advertising agencies or endorsers are equally responsible for issuing false and misleading advertisements. Endorsements by public figures, influencers, celebrities etc. go a long way in promoting a product and it is imperative for them to act with responsibility when endorsing any product in the course of advertisements,” the court added.


The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) has issued guidelines requiring influencers to conduct due diligence before endorsing any product. They must ensure that all statements about the product or service are capable of scientific substantiation.


Furthermore, influencers are required to clearly disclose their material connections with the brand they are endorsing. This includes any personal or financial interests. Disclosures must be clear, prominent, and unambiguous, making it easy for the audience to understand the nature of the endorsement.


Sonal Alagh, Partner, Alagh & Kapoor Law Offices said that under the CCPA guidelines, advertisements should not contain false, misleading, or deceptive claims about the product or service. Any visual or voiceover in advertisements that misleads about the true nature of the product is also prohibited.


“The Consumer Protection Act, 2019 provides the framework for protecting consumer rights against unfair trade practices and misleading advertisements. It establishes the CCPA, which is tasked with enforcing the provisions of the act,” Alagh added.


Patanjali Ayurved however, isn’t the first case where celebrities are being held responsible for their endorsement choices.


Surrogate advertising, a concept that for a long time has helped brands sidestep the law, to promote products and services that are otherwise legally impermissible. Side step being the key words here. After all, surrogate advertising is completely legal, a lovely grey area so to say.


Surrogate advertising itself usually doesn’t receive much flak, it’s the celebrities who endorse these products who face judgement.


The best example - Pan Masala. Some of the most well-known names in India from Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Akshay Kumar, Ajay Devgn and Ranveer Singh have all been associated with Pan Masala ads. And the flak they receive is constant. Yet, a lot of them continue to appear in these ads.


A few years ago, there was a case where popular Hollywood actor Pierce Brosnan endorsed an Indian pan masala brand. He received a lot of hate for it. And soon after, he released a statement saying that he was reportedly “cheated” and the company kept him in the dark about the “hazardous” nature of the product he was promoting.


The cases are not limited to just mainstream celebrities but extend to social media influencers as well. The debate between skill-based gaming and real-money gaming has been a fierce one for a while.


While the government has taken measures to curb real-money gaming to large extents, there are still companies that onboard influencers who willingly promote real-money games. A lot of big names in the influencer industry promote money-related games regularly.


“Gone are the days when celebrities could endorse pretty much anything ranging from Pan Masala and alcohol to other legally impermissible items. Expect endorsements to be closely monitored today under the changed legal regime. The law under the new Consumer Protection Act specially imposes a liability on celebrities and endorsers, such as influencers, who endorse prohibited goods morphed with permitted goods having the same branding. Such instances will be viewed strictly, under the law, going forward. Given that ignorance of law is no excuse celebrities have to understand the laws before they actually go ahead and accept endorsement contracts,” said Archana Balasubramanian, partner, Agama Law Associates.


She added that the nature of liability has evolved from tortious liability to statutory liability. Tortious liability is difficult to enforce in India, liability under a statute will enable charges of serious offence against celebrities.


At the end of the day, the views and opinions of celebrities and influencers have the power to sway consumer choices and preferences. The Guidelines for Prevention of Misleading Advertisements and Endorsements for Misleading Advertisements, 2022 require endorsers to do their own due diligence before they endorse a product, said Aarushi Jain, Partner, Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas.


“What this means is that the endorsers are expected to seek information about the product they endorse or claims they make in an advertisement, before they promote it to others. In addition, endorsers are also expected to disclose any ‘material connection’ with the advertiser if that connection can impact the credibility of their statements. Such checks are important in public interest and to ensure that followers are not misled,” Jain said.

In the realm of digital advertising, programmatic advertising has emerged as a game-changer, revolutionizing the way brands connect with consumers in India. With its ability to automate ad buying and targeting, programmatic advertising has witnessed exponential growth, reshaping digital marketing strategies and offering promising prospects for the future.

India's digital landscape has experienced a remarkable evolution in recent years, fuelled by increasing internet penetration, smartphone adoption, and shifting consumer behaviours. Amidst this transformation, programmatic advertising has gained significant traction, capitalizing on the vast pool of digital audiences across the country.

Programmatic advertising enables advertisers to leverage data and technology to precisely target their desired audience segments in real-time, optimizing ad placements across various digital channels. This data-driven approach empowers marketers to deliver personalized and relevant messages to consumers, enhancing engagement and driving conversions.

Impact on Digital Marketing Strategies

The advent of programmatic advertising has had a profound impact on digital marketing strategies in India, ushering in a new era of efficiency, effectiveness, and precision targeting. 

Key implications include:

Enhanced Targeting Capabilities:

Programmatic advertising enables granular audience targeting based on demographics, interests, behaviour, and contextual relevance. This precision targeting allows marketers to reach the right audience segments with tailored messages, maximizing the impact of their campaigns.

Real-time Optimization:

With programmatic advertising, marketers can monitor campaign performance in real-time and make data-driven adjustments on the fly. This agility allows for continuous optimization of ad creatives, placements, and targeting parameters, ensuring optimal campaign results and ROI.

Cross-channel Integration:

Programmatic advertising facilitates seamless integration across multiple digital channels, including display, video, mobile, social media, and even connected TV. This cross-channel approach enables marketers to deliver cohesive and consistent brand experiences across the consumer journey, driving engagement and conversion.

Cost-efficiency:

By automating the ad buying process and eliminating manual intervention, programmatic advertising offers cost-efficiencies and scalability. Advertisers can leverage auction-based pricing models, such as real-time bidding (RTB), to optimize ad spend and achieve better value for their investments.

Future Prospects and Opportunities

Looking ahead, the future of programmatic advertising in India appears promising, with several opportunities for growth and innovation:

Expansion of Programmatic Video and Mobile Advertising:

As video consumption and mobile internet usage continue to soar in India, there is immense potential for programmatic advertising in these segments. Marketers can capitalize on the popularity of video content and mobile apps to engage audiences effectively through programmatic channels.

Adoption of Advanced Technologies:

Emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, and predictive analytics are poised to enhance the capabilities of programmatic advertising further. These technologies enable advanced audience segmentation, dynamic creative optimization, and predictive modelling, driving more personalized and impactful campaigns.

Addressable TV Advertising:

With the proliferation of smart TVs and OTT platforms, there is a growing opportunity for programmatic advertising in the realm of connected TV and addressable TV. Marketers can leverage programmatic platforms to deliver targeted ads to specific households or individual viewers, revolutionizing TV advertising in India.

Embrace of Data Privacy and Transparency:

As data privacy regulations evolve and consumer privacy concerns rise, there will be a greater emphasis on transparency and compliance in programmatic advertising. Marketers must prioritize data ethics, consent management, and transparency initiatives to build trust with consumers and ensure responsible use of data.

In conclusion, programmatic advertising has emerged as a driving force in India's digital marketing landscape, offering unprecedented opportunities for marketers to reach and engage their target audiences with precision and efficiency. By embracing the power of data, technology, and automation, brands can unlock new realms of innovation and growth in the ever-evolving digital ecosystem.


The article is written by Yasin Hamidani, Director, Media Care Brand Solutions. Views expressed are personal.

The growth of programmatic advertising in India

Will the digital age impact agency-client relationships? Will the client see the agency differently? No, says Shikha Davessar, EVP and Head – Client Business, 22feet Tribal Worldwide, agency-client relationships in the digital age will continue to be long-term, although the terms of engagement may change.


“Within 22feet Tribal Worldwide, TTK Prestige has been our client for more than 15 years, Volkswagen has been with us for almost 10 years. Royal Enfield, which has been one of the first brand of the agency, has been with us again for more than 15 years. Whenever there are bigger projects, clients will eventually lean on digital agencies, and people who carry that experience with them.”


Edited Excerpts of a conversation with Shikha

How has the pitching process at DDB Mudra Group evolved over a period?

We are trying to bring back the old founding principles of advertising. There are certain things where we demonstrate that hunger, that ownership, that faith in what we're doing on the brand.

Over a period of time, we have lost that. The second aspect of it is, while at one level we can always overcommit, I think everyone somewhere knows what their worth is. So it becomes very easy for us to ask for their pitch. I'm very happy and I'm very proud that 70 percent of our pitches are paid pitches. So, most of the clients ensure that the agencies are being paid for the value and people they bring in. So, I think that's working really well. 

Over the years, we have also realised that it's very important to put the right kind of people in those pitches. I think, what we focus on, and what we seek for is, who's passionate about that X, Y, Z category. And we'll be able to add on. So that also works very well in our creative field.


So, we have started tailor making our pitches. And that has also been a good advantage for us. Some like finance. Some like technology. Some like consumer durables. Someone has enough experience in FMCG. So all those things work in our favour. 


What is the minimum duration of a pitch?


It varies. Last year, we were pitching for a brand, and we turned it out in one week. In an average scenario, we take two to three weeks minimum. Because as an agency, we make tissue sessions a practice and a process in our pitching process.


So when we are doing chemistry rounds with our clients at the beginning followed by filtration and understanding whether the client is serious or if they have just come for window shopping. The second step is when we crack strategic pieces. We prefer to have those tissue sessions with the client where we align them with the direction we are thinking and strategically move forward. So that helps.


If the pitch time is between two to three weeks on an average, we do take one week to align the clients on these tissue sessions which are strategic sessions. Because no matter what we do, those are the people who know their brands in and out. And it is going to take three weeks to learn. 


We won the Mars Petcare’s mandate in 1.5 to two weeks. We won the mandate of Spotify's online platform marketing and last year was a good year for us, where we had a good hit rate in terms of pitches. 


We won the mandates of Adani, ACC Ambuja, Lumina etc. There have been five to six brands which we have won and all those are market leaders.


What are the expectations from agencies during the pitching process?


In the case of a banking brand whose mandate we handle, we put down a plan on how we're going to go after that business. We won it. When we say we pitched, there are three ways of pitching.


When an agency is given a brief, 80 percent of the pitches happen at the back of clients giving us briefs, and so then we have to work on those briefs to create work. And that work creation is literally like us cracking a three-month long or a six-month long campaign in a month. 


The first way of winning a pitch is to show the client your (agency’s) credentials, especially the body of work that has been created. Second is when the client puts out a brief saying, ‘Listen, I'm going to be giving you this brief. You come back to me with what are you going to do with my brand and maybe a campaign or some long strategy. You come back and tell me what kind of work you're going to create.’ 


Third way of winning a pitch would also be sometimes like, “This is how we are going to handle your business. Plus these are the commercials.” That's the third way of winning a pitch.’ 


What is your learning experience from the mandates DDB Mudra Group lost?


Last year, we lost the mandate of Swedish home furnishing brand. Despite reaching the finals, which was very difficult, there has been immense learning. 


Sometimes, it could have been that we understood the brief better. And that's why now we have started nudging our clients towards tissue sessions, which was never the case earlier.


Sometimes, it's so important to understand the strategy of the brand, that if you don't get that correct, no matter what kind of output you deliver, they will never buy it.


Hence, the input defines your output. 


The pitching process is very costly because an agency puts a lot of energy into 2-3 weeks to create a campaign, which takes months to complete. The only sole objective is when you have gotten into the pitch, you need to win it. There is no option of losing the pitch. What we have also noticed is that there are many agencies that are so desperate to get the brand, that they don’t ask for a pitch fee. But, we need to be paid for the effort we are putting in. 

What are the pain points from an agency point of view during the pitching process? 

I don't want to call it pain points, because those are sweet pain points, aren't they? Because in the end, if I win, I'm getting a good brand to work on. The only thing is our effort doubles. 


Secondly, where the actual pain happens is after all the effort, when we realised that it was a window shopping exercise.

Many times, clients go cold and they take serious amounts of time to come back. If we pitch to them in two weeks’ time, they will take five weeks to come back. So these are those pain points. 


How different is the pitching process for start-ups as compared to established brands?

There is no hard core difference between a start-up and an established brand. In a start-up brand, the challenges always pertain to sales and growth. 

Whereas in an established brand, it could be about equity, building relevance and more about brand association. 


So, it depends upon the market challenges and what the brands’ objectives are. In the case of start-ups, we handle the social media mandate of Acko, Porter, 361 Wealth Management and Lumina.

I had heard that in the digital age, the relationship between a client and an agency is short-lived. What is your take on this?


I am of the opinion that the dynamics of the relationship will not change because of a change in platform or media. 


Within 22feet Tribal Worldwide, TTK Prestige has been our client for more than 15 years, Volkswagen has been with us for almost 10 years. Royal Enfield, which has been one of the first brand of the agency, has been with us again for more than 15 years.


Whenever there are bigger projects, clients will eventually lean on digital agencies, and people who carry that experience with them.


How serious is idea shopping in advertising?


Idea shopping exists. Lot of times, we see our ideas being out there as well. So, the whole pitch filtration process becomes very critical for us. That also gives us an additional responsibility to check whether we should even move forward with the pitch or not.

So we need to do our preparation, validation, and check whether the clients are serious about pitching or not. When we ask for a pitch fee and the clients agree to it, we understand their commitment to the process.

XYXX, a men's lifestyle brand in India, has launched a new campaign titled "Ultimate Undie-pendence," featuring KL Rahul, the brand's ambassador and investor. This campaign highlights an important issue faced by many men regarding discomfort with traditional cotton underwear.

Developed by Talented and produced by First December Films, the campaign showcases men who struggle with everyday tasks due to the discomfort caused by their underwear. KL Rahul intervenes by advocating for XYXX underwear, promoting liberation from discomfort.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/aR7hggnhEoU?si=CSGRsnN6UqXjDmwB" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>

The campaign underscores the significance of comfortable underwear in daily life, presenting XYXX as a superior alternative. The objective is to encourage men to explore modern, superior underwear options over conventional cotton.

Beyond the film, the campaign includes innovative outdoor advertisements and on-ground activations to engage with consumers effectively.

XYXX launches new campaign featuring brand ambassador and investor KL Rahul

Parksons Cartamundi has unveiled a new digital film titled "Asli Fan Khelta Hai!" This campaign celebrates the die-hard cricket fandom of Mumbai and how the joy of playing cards strengthens that passion. Parksons has amplified the excitement of cricket to the world of playing cards with the launch of the official Mumbai Indians Playing Cards.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/F6NqAOrxZxc?si=O9m6bLTZPYIXLaEO" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Produced by Schbang Motion Pictures, the film explores the essence of what it means to be an "Asli Fan." These are the passionate supporters who go beyond simply watching the game. They live and breathe their team spirit, actively participating in the experience. They are the ones proudly sporting Mumbai Indians jerseys, and now, owning a deck of these specially designed playing cards becomes another way to showcase their devotion. Understanding this, Parksons Cartamundi has launched a captivating digital film cleverly highlighting the shared spirit of competition that binds cricket and playing cards. Just like on the cricket pitch, where the best team emerges victorious, playing cards offer a fun and competitive experience that unites people.

The narrative follows Mumbai Indians fan navigating the vibrant city, encountering fellow fans from all walks of life – from taxi drivers to fishermen, dabbawalas to gully cricket players. United by their love for the game and their team, they connect through the joy of playing cards, showcasing the diverse and relatable characters that make Mumbai's fan culture so special. With the tagline "Asli Fan Khelta Hai!" (A True Fan Plays!), the campaign celebrates this passionate fan culture. The film beautifully captures how playing cards transcend boundaries, uniting fans in their shared love for the game.

Speaking about the latest film, Kapil Kejriwal, CEO & MD, Parksons Cartamundi Private, Limited, said, “At Parksons Cartamundi, we believe in offering the best experience for our consumers in the categories of Playing Cards and Card Games. Playing Cards plays an essential role in bringing alive the passion and competitive spirit among all sections of our country. Similarly, the new range of Mumbai Indians playing cards helps the Asli Fans support and play the match along with their favourite team. Our new film perfectly captures this spirit, showcasing how the joy of playing cards transcends boundaries and unites fans in a shared love for the game. Through this digital film, we aim to inspire fans to embrace their passion for cricket and card playing!”

Further adding to this, Jigar Shah, Head of Marketing-India, and Middle East, Parksons Cartamundi Private, Limited, mentioned that “We wanted to capture the vibrant energy of Mumbai's culture, the characters who make it special, and the way their passion for Cricket spills over into every aspect of their lives. From the friendly rivalry of a card game with a taxi driver to the electrifying atmosphere of gully cricket, the film celebrates the joy of playing and the spirit of being a true Mumbai Indians supporter. We believe fans will see themselves reflected in this film and be inspired to grab a deck and experience the thrill of the game in a whole new way!" 

Sharing his thoughts on the film, Stefaan Merckx, Group CEO, Cartamundi, said, “Having grown up in India, I am fully aware of the role of Cricket in every Indian's life, especially in Mumbai. For Cartamundi, we are always engaged with communities, and through this campaign we are engaging with the die-hard cricket fans and giving them an opportunity to express their fandom through these elegantly designed Playing Cards.”

The newly launched film conceptualized by Schbang Motion Pictures, highlights how Asli Fans are the true stars, capturing their energy and passion that truly defines cricket. With the tagline "Asli Fan Khelta Hai!'

Speaking on the film Ms. Rachaita Vyas, Head of Schbang Motion Pictures said, “We are delighted to announce our successful partnership with Parksons Cartamundi for the launch of an innovative project. Embracing the spirit of Cricket in India, we have created a captivating experience that resonates with the Mumbai-ya vibe. This collaboration has been a rewarding journey, and we are thrilled to have contributed to something special for our target audience.”

Parksons Cartamundi unveils new digital film "Asli Fan Khelta Hai!"

Spykar has announced the launch of its integrated campaign, dedicated to inspiring and mobilizing the nation's youth to participate in the upcoming general elections actively.

The Spykar voting campaign coincides with the upcoming election schedule in the target states. Commencing with Gujarat on May 7th, followed by Maharashtra (excluding Pune) on the same date May 7th, the campaign extends its reach to Pune on May 13th, culminating with Mumbai and Uttar Pradesh on May 20th. 

This campaign targets young voters aged 18-30 across targeted states, who are passionate about making a difference through their vote.

A brand film leads the campaign, and aims to ignite a sense of responsibility and enthusiasm among young and first-time voters, urging them to exercise their democratic rights. The film portrays the pivotal moment when two young girls, enamored by a boy at a café, choose to overlook him upon discovering his failure to vote. 

Through this campaign, Spykar aims to create a brand experience by offering rewards to those who visit Spykar stores and flash their inked fingers. Spykar is also urging voters to share their inked finger selfies on Instagram and other social media platforms for rewards from the brand.

Sanjay Vakharia, Co-Founder and CEO, of Spykar, commented, “Today’s youth is different from that of the yesteryears. Apart from being rebellious, fun-loving, and carefree, they are conscious and take their social responsibilities very seriously.” He further added, “We wanted to bring these virtues to the forefront. Choosing who should lead us to a better tomorrow is our right and to vote is our obligation towards protecting the future of our country; nothing less will do - that’s the mindset of the young and restless of our generation which this film intends to resonate with.”
Brandmovers India is the creative agency behind the latest Spykar election campaign. The integrated marketing campaign will be released across channels such as social, digital, retail POS, outdoor, digital outdoor, and print, for audiences across the country.

Suvajyoti Ghosh, MD & Chief Creative Officer, Brandmovers India, said: “When the team at Spykar approached us with a brief to create conversations around the Indian general elections and assert its relevance among its young, restless and opinionated audience, we took the opportunity to make a meaningful impact on the contemporary youth by urging them to vote instead of just having or sharing opinions on social media.”


How many advertising agencies are there in India?

Vaishakh Jhunjhunwala, a senior advertising professional stated that ad industry initiatives only focus on the top 30-40 agencies.

More from Storyboard18

How it Works

Disney and Warner Bros. to team up: Streaming bundle to challenge Netflix and Amazon

Quantum Brief

Reliance-Disney merger likely to close by first half of 2025

Quantum Brief

Disney announces Q2 results: Streaming hits profit milestone

Quantum Brief

Hulu valuation dilemma: Third-party to decide price tag?

Quantum Brief

Titan shortlists potential CEO candidates; CK Venkataraman to step down next year

Quantum Brief

Indian market has unexplored opportunities: Warren Buffett

Quantum Brief

Zee Media CEO Abhay Ojha moves on, Dr Idris Loya takes over

Quantum Brief

Prasar Bharati extends deadline for OTT platform’s marketing agency bid submission

Quantum Brief

Adobe expands partnership with ethical hackers for safe AI

Quantum Brief

CCI greenlights Airtel's acquisition of Warburg Pincus Affiliate's DTH stake: Reports