Movado, the Swiss watchmaker has announced a new partnership with the Rajasthan Royals. 

Through this collaboration, Movado becomes the Official Time Partner of the Rajasthan Royals for the 2024 season.

"We are incredibly proud to partner with the Rajasthan Royals, a team that embodies the energy and passion of Movado," says Xavier Gauderlot, President International at Movado Group Inc. "This collaboration allows us to connect with millions of cricket fans across India and overseas to showcase our commitment to excellence and innovation.”

Jake Lush McCrum, Chief Executive Officer, Rajasthan Royals, said, “We are thrilled to welcome Movado as our Official Time Partner for the season. Movado’s dedication to precision and style is renowned, and we are looking forward to showcasing their modern and innovative designs in front of our global fan base.”


Movado partners with Rajasthan Royals, becomes official time partner for Tata IPL 2024

Through this collaboration, Movado becomes the Official Time Partner of the Rajasthan Royals for the 2024 season.

Embracing change and suffering for transformation: Dentsu’s Jean Lin

Goafest 2024 opens delegate registrations: Early bird rates available until May 15th

News and live sports platforms experiencing significant traction amidst IPL and elections: Interactive Avenues' Harish Iyer

Motilal Oswal AMC announces leadership changes; elevates Prateek Agrawal, Akhil Chaturvedi and Niket Shah

A CFO can be an integral part of decisions including client pitches and business development meetings: Sumit Agrawal, Cheil India

Bookstrapping: The Dirty Dozen by N Sundaresha Subramanian

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

Bombay Shaving Company's 'opportunistic', 'desperate', 'laughable' Dear Prachi ad slammed by internet users

Bombay Shaving Company's 'opportunistic', 'desperate', 'laughable' Dear-Prachi ad slammed by internet users

Storyboard18 Visionaries - Mumbai chapter: An epic evening of celebrating marketing masterminds

Is Tanmay Bhat’s net worth Rs 665 crore? Comedian and creator shares the truth

Crompton Greaves’ Pragya Bijalwan: If you fall seven times, stand up eight times & you’re sure to win

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

Mumbai's hustle couldn't keep a good crowd away. On April 26, at the Four Seasons in Worli, the city's marketing elite gathered for Storyboard18 Visionaries. Forget dusty rulebooks - these visionaries quoted their own success stories. From iconic brands to cutting-edge AI, the room buzzed with builders of household names and tomorrow's marketing marvels.


Construction, traffic, sirens, even the Friday night club pull - none of it mattered. This wasn't just about networking, it was about celebrating marketing excellence, in all its messy and marvellous glory.


Shampoo, music, makeup, glue, artificial intelligence, biscuits, even fixed deposits - the range of celebrated brands spoke volumes about the boundless creativity in the room.


The Mumbai chapter of Storyboard18 Visionaries was a night of shared stories, sharp minds, and the unwavering pursuit of success.


Industry stalwarts like Bharat Puri, MD, Pidilite, Santosh Iyer, CEO and MD, Mercedes Benz India and Prasoon Joshi, chairman APAC, McCann Worldgroup, and CEO & CCO McCann Worldgroup India, shared anecdotes from their journeys of building iconic brands and  on marketing, leadership and focus on consumers.


“When people tell you brands are tired, it's never true, it's just the managers who are tired,” said Puri while explaining how sometimes brand managers need to step out of their comfort zones and meet the end user to revitalise a product.


“Spend time with the consumer, don’t be afraid to make mistakes,” Puri added. A good brand starts and ends with the consumer, said the legendary marketer who has built Asian Paints, Cadbury and Fevicol.  


MVS Murthy, CMO of Federal Bank, also spoke at length about not being afraid to make mistakes. According to Murthy, “If you are not living on the edge, you are occupying too much space.”


The amount of knowledge shared in the room on Friday night could easily fill pages of a book on marketing. 


Mercedes Benz’s Iyer, who started his journey in sales followed by marketing and later became the German auto major's first-ever Indian chief for the market, summed up his key takeaway from the journey succinctly: “Don’t be a cost centre. Whenever there is cost cutting, marketing is the first money that is cut. To prevent that from happening, be a revenue driver." 


The Visionaries who were recognised in the Mumbai Chapter included Mukta Maheshwari, Chief Marketing Officer at P&G; Neha Ahuja, Director and Head of Marketing at Spotify; Sujatha V Kumar, Head of Marketing for India and South Asia at Visa; Nitin Saini, VP Marketing at Mondelez International; Harman Dhillon, Vice President, Haircare at Unilever; Lance Bennett, VP Sales and Marketing at Mercedes-Benz India.


The list doesn’t end with Bennett though. They were Ajay Dang, President and Head of Marketing at Ultra Tech Cement; Ankit Kapoor, Head of Marketing and International Business at Parle Agro; Arvind Iyer, CMO of Piramal Finance; Asha Kharga, Chief Customer and Brand Officer of the Mahindra Group; Gaurav Ramdev, CMO of Protean Egov Technologies; Manish Dubey, CMO of Pidilite; Tushar Malhotra, Director of Sales and Marketing at Bisleri International Private Limited; Rathin Lahiri, Head of Marketing and CSR at SBI General Insurance; Udit Agarwal, Global Marketing Head at EXOTEL; Vaibhav Mehrotra, Head of Marketing at CashFree; Anuradha Aggarwal, Director and CMO of Amazon Pay; Chandra Mohan Mehra, CMO of Bajaj Allianz; Vaishali Iyer, Country Head, Communications at Novartis, Amrit Raj; CMO of Zetwerk; Prabhakar Tiwari, Chief Growth Officer at Angel One; Arpan Biswas, Head of Marketing at Ajio; Mayank Shah, Vice President at Parle; and Saloni Shah, Chief Digital and Marketing Officer, L’Oréal India. 


The pièce de résistance for the night though was a conversation with Prasoon Joshi. Joshi’s signature wit, poetic flair, and marketing knowledge were on full display, but this time he added another dimension – a song.


Before Joshi set the stage on fire humming ‘Mile Sur', he dropped some ad wisdom too. He said, “I don’t write ads, I write short stories. I am a storyteller.”


Its election season and the night didn’t end without discussions on political visionaries.


Did you really think we'd wrap up the evening without diving into some NaMo pe charcha? Of course not.


For the uninitiated, Joshi has been working with the Bharatiya Janata Party on their Lok Sabha elections’ campaigns.


When asked about brand Modi, the creative mastermind Joshi summed it up perfectly. ”From hope to trust, asha se vishwass tak, that’s the Modi brand story." 


<strong>Read More:</strong> <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-marketing/indias-leading-marketers-to-meet-at-storyboard18-visionaries-mumbai-chapter-29962.htm">India’s leading marketers to meet at Storyboard18 Visionaries - Mumbai chapter</a> 

Hero Vired,  the learntech start-up under the Hero Group, unveiled its expanded focus on delivering tailored educational programs across three key sectors: Business to Business (B2B), Business to Institution (B2I), and Business to Government (B2G). This  move is designed to provide customized training solutions that cater to a broad range of domains, functions, and skill sets aimed at enhancing organizational capabilities and facilitating the recruitment and development of talent. The initiative is set to revolutionize learning & development systems and processes to address India's growing need for a skilled workforce.

The newly launched offerings include personalized and hybrid learning experiences, conducted by leading industry experts. The programs leverage a state-of-the-art Learning Management System (LMS) offering flexible subscriptions, contemporary Learning and Development (L&D) frameworks, and project-based learning geared towards achieving tangible outcomes at the workplace. For educational institutes, Hero Vired has planned employability bootcamps complete with placement support, alongside residential training programs hosted at the BML Munjal University campus. Additionally, for large corporations and startups, the initiative will encompass skill enhancement and talent development workshops. In the public sector, the company aims to equip PSUs and government agencies with cutting-edge skills essential for workforce advancement.

Akshay Munjal, Founder and CEO of Hero Vired, stated, “In today’s rapidly changing employment landscape, which demands speed and agility, we are intensifying our engagement in the B2B sector. Our focus will be on bridging skill gaps, forging deeper connections with organizations, and diversifying our revenue streams. With strategic positioning to bolster the B2B segment, we aim for over 100 partnerships and to facilitate over 100,000 man-hours of upskilling. Our goal is to be the preferred training partner for both corporations and educational institutions, fully equipping our learners with the essential skills and knowledge for the future of work in Industry 4.0.”

The demand for specialized training and upskilling programs is becoming increasingly apparent across various sectors, particularly as large corporations emphasize engineering and technical training, while tech startups focus on advanced technological skills. Notably, with the recognized shortage of Artificial Intelligence (AI) talent and high attrition rates, more companies are opting to invest in training their current employees rather than hiring new ones. Consequently, Hero Vired’s expansion into the B2B sector reflects a growing awareness of the challenges related to skilling and adaptation within different industries. This segment is projected to contribute to 50% of the company's total revenue in the coming year.

Anand Verma, Head of Enterprise Sales at Hero Vired, expressed, "Our strategic expansion is a proactive response to the evolving playbooks in talent management by organizations. This initiative is crucial as we aim to build human capital in futuristic domains, diversify our offerings and revenue sources. We are committed to molding the future workforce and establishing ourselves as the go-to skilling partner in the B2B sector. Our programs are designed to deliver significant outcomes, enabling organizations to improve their existing performance and create new growth in a rapidly changing business world."

 


 


 

Hero Vired aims for 100+ associations across corporate, institutes and government bodies

Mars Wrigley India's fruity bubblegum brand, BOOMER returns with its latest innovation, BOOMER Jelly on Top. BOOMER introduces Jelly on Top with the fruity flavor of strawberry.

 

BOOMER is set to unveil a TVC featuring Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah and delivering on the brand promise of <em>"Har Pal Fun Kar"</em> enhancing every moment with its unique and enjoyable consumption experience, stated the company.

 

The primary packaging of BOOMER Jelly on Top features a transparent design. 

 

The TVC has been conceptualised by DDB Tribal. Viewers witness Indian cricket star Bumrah turning a challenging situation into a moment of joy by leveraging the playful nature of BOOMER Jelly on Top, further added the company.

 

Nikhil Rao, chief marketing officer at Mars Wrigley India, expressed his excitement about the new launch, stating, “Since its launch 30 years ago, BOOMER has become synonymous with Bubblegum and Fun. BOOMER®️ Jelly on Top is testimony of the same. This exciting new offering brings together the best of both worlds in a distinctive offering. We are leveraging this distinctive innovation to widen the price pack architecture of the bubblegum market to Rs 2/-. The launch will be supported by a multimedia campaign featuring none other than Boom Boom (Jasprit) Bumrah.”

 

Iraj Fraz, creative head, DDB Tribal said, “Our favourite, Boomer is out in a Jelly Bubblegum avatar that’s sure to make everyone say ‘yes’ to fun. In this edition of the brand’s ‘Har Pal Fun Kar’ campaign, we find Boom-Boom-Bumrah, Boomer’s endorser-in-chief on a gully cricket pitch, tricking the opponent just as he’s known to outsmart the world’s best batters.”

 

BOOMER Jelly on Top is set to hit store shelves nationwide.


The films are available in eight languages including Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu & Assamese which will be aired on TV. The film will also be available on digital platforms. 


<strong>Read More:</strong>  

Mars Wrigley's launches BOOMER Jelly on Top Boomer

Pooja Asar, who led Paytm as vice president - marketing, has joined Tata Passenger Electric Mobility as head of marketing.

She started her career at Kotak Mahindra Bank and went on to work at Unilever too.

She has managed large brands in foods (Kissan, Knorr, Hellmann's Annapurna) & beauty segment ( Glow & lovely erstwhile Fair & Lovely) across South Asia, SE Asia & Middle East. She has demonstrated capability in driving new category innovations as well as scaling large established brands by leveraging emerging market trends & developing winning marketing campaigns impacting brand power & equity.

<strong>Read More:</strong> <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-makers/bacardi-elevates-sameeksha-uniyal-as-regional-head-brand-29937.htm">Bacardi elevates Sameeksha Uniyal as regional head - brand</a> 

Paytm's Pooja Asar joins Tata Passenger Electric Mobility as head of marketing

The Visionaries - Mumbai Chapter kicks off with a stellar line-up of leaders who are reimagining the future growth of their organizations through a progressive approach and purpose-led strategies. After two blockbuster editions in Delhi and Bangalore, the next Visionaries edition in Mumbai spotlights the power of building enduring brands and accelerating 'good growth' in India's decade. All from the financial and creative capital of India - Mumbai. India Inc leaders and leading marketers will come together to celebrate the growth engine that is Marketing and the people driving brands and businesses forward.

The conversations at Storyboard18 Visionaries will be led by industry stalwart Bharat Puri, MD of Pidilite Industries, Santosh Iyer, CEO and MD of Mercedes-Benz India, Nishant Kalra, vice president, Salesforce Digital, and Prasoon Joshi, chairman APAC, McCann Worldgroup, and CEO & CCO McCann Worldgroup India. From FMCG juggernauts to BFSI icons, marketing and growth leaders across a spectrum of companies and industries will gather at the Storyboard18 - Visionaries Mumbai edition on April 26. These include companies such as Mondelez, HDFC, SBI, Hindustan Unilever, P&G, Mahindra Group, Aditya Birla Group, L'Oreal, Parle, and Amazon. 

What makes Visionaries by Storyboard18 truly exceptional are the insightful discussions, surfacing winning strategies for forward-thinking marketers. Through candid conversations and dialogues at the Visionaries' chapters, our industry leaders share their views on how to reshape the marketing landscape. Their wisdom offers invaluable insights into what lies ahead, shaping the aspirations of industry and inspiring the marketing and advertising leaders of tomorrow. The Visionaries’ evenings are a unique opportunity to witness the convergence of brilliant minds, all focused on one goal – mapping how enduring brands are built and how to make India’s marketers future-ready.  

<strong>About The Visionaries program</strong>

The Visionaries initiative recognises leading lights who have transformed our approach to media, marketing and advertising. They are women and men scripting some of the most exciting chapters in Indian marketing, media and advertising. They are marketing leaders with responsibility for a category, brand or innovation-led practice within their organisation. They also exhibit a purposeful approach to building sustainable businesses and enduring brands, using the new bottomline, People-Planet-Profits, as their guide.

Storyboard18’s The Visionaries program presents opportunities for the sharpest minds in the brand marketing ecosystem to convene, celebrate excellence and exchange ideas that power growth. In addition to the recognition programme, which honours individuals driving marketing, media and advertising excellence, Visionaries chapters across cities feature curated dialogues, spotlighting key issues and surfacing winning strategies.

The Visionaries programme for CXOs and executives provides an unparalleled view and deep insights into how the best and brightest function in complex times. So, meet us at the point where cutting-edge ideas and visionary leaders who are changing our approach to media, marketing and advertising, converge to power transformation.

India’s leading marketers to meet at Storyboard18 Visionaries - Mumbai chapter

MakeMyTrip, an online travel company, has launched two new brand films featuring beloved brand ambassadors, Alia Bhatt and Ranveer Singh. These films showcase the simplicity and convenience of booking flights and hotels for international travel with MakeMyTrip, catering to both first-time international travellers and seasoned travellers.


Raj Rishi Singh, chief marketing officer & chief business officer - corporate, MakeMyTrip said, ”We at MakeMyTrip believe in making the world more accessible, one trip at a time. In the past few months, we have introduced a suite of tools, features and benefits, some of them industry-firsts, designed for every international traveller, be it a first-timer or a seasoned globetrotter. Our aim is to ensure that everyone can partake in these benefits, making their travel booking and post-sales experience seamless and enjoyable. Our new films highlight the value addition we bring to the table, demonstrating how MakeMyTrip can be a game-changer when it comes to international bookings.”


<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/27EZLMhg_yI?si=yPAGt9JLynRsOCcQ" 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 first film presents Bhatt and Singh newlywed couple on their wedding night, still trying to find their footing with each other. The conversation veers towards both sharing their apprehensions about their “first-time”. As film unfolds, viewers find out that the ‘first-time’ in question is in fact their first time travelling internationally.  As a solution, they turn to MakeMyTrip for their flight and hotel bookings, both taking on the planning/research responsibility equally.

 
In the second film, viewers are drawn into the middle of a suspenseful scene – where Singh, playing an international spy/agent, unearths the location of a most wanted person. When Bhatt, his commanding officer, discloses that the mission is in London, Singh, with his humorous style, argues that the criminal should be let go as ‘he isn’t bad at heart’ to save himself an international trip. Bhatt’s character senses his apprehensions and introduces him to the MakeMyTrip international booking experience, highlighting its ease and tension-free experience.


<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/FomMMTGRHyc?si=SCwmOebfvHsEzQ5t" 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>


This campaign was conceptualized by the creative agency, Moonshot and films have been written by Devaiah Bopanna, Puneet Chadha, Tanmay Bhatt and Deep Joshi.


<strong>Read More:</strong> <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-marketing/bank-of-baroda-rolls-out-pehchaancon-3-0-banking-fraud-awareness-campaign-featuring-actor-kunaal-roy-kapur-29848.htm">Bank of Baroda rolls out 'PehchaanCon 3.0 Banking Fraud' awareness campaign featuring actor Kunaal Roy Kapur</a> 

Alia Bhatt and Ranveer Singh highlight the convenience of booking flights and hotels in MakeMyTrip's new campaign

Nestlé India Limited and Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories Ltd today announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement to form a joint venture (“JV Company”) to bring innovative nutraceutical brands to consumers in India and other agreed territories. 

The partnership will bring together the well-known global range of nutritional health solutions as well as vitamin, minerals, herbals and supplements of Nestlé Health Science (NHSc) with the ­­­­strong and established commercial strengths of Dr. Reddy’s in India. The joint venture will help JV Partners combine their strengths and grow their complementary nutraceuticals portfolios in categories such as metabolic, hospital nutrition, general wellness , women’s health and child nutrition for consumers across India.

<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/quantum-brief/nestle-to-launch-global-brand-nespresso-in-india-by-2024-end-29938.htm">Read More: Nestlé to launch global brand Nespresso in India by 2024-end</a>

The JV Company will be headquartered in Hyderabad. The JV Company will leverage the capabilities as well as services of the Nestlé Group and Dr. Reddy’s.

Select brands will be licensed by the JV Partners to the JV company. The Nestlé Group will license brands such as Nature's Bounty, Osteo Bi-Flex, Ester-C, Resource High Protein, Optifast, Resource Diabetic, Peptamen, Resource Renal and Resource Dialysis. Dr. Reddy’s will license brands such as Rebalanz, Celevida, Antoxid, Kidrich-D3, Becozinc in the nutrition, and OTC segments. The JV Company is expected to become operational in Q2 of FY’25. 

Commenting on the joint venture, Suresh Narayanan, Chairman and Managing Director, Nestlé India said, “I am very happy to share that we are entering into a joint venture with Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories Ltd. We have been on a journey where we strive to add value to the lives of our consumers through powerful brands and products. This joint venture is another important step in that direction, allowing us to bring our science-backed nutritional solutions to more people across the country. Dr. Reddy’s is a trusted name in the pharmaceutical space and shares our commitment to provide access to high quality products. This joint venture will enable us to build a robust retail and distribution network to take our brands closer to consumers and making a meaningful difference to improve the quality of life.”

<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/quantum-brief/nestle-india-sales-crossed-rs-5000-crore-march-quarter-29942.htm">Read More: Nestle India sales crossed Rs 5,000 crore in March quarter</a>

M.V. Ramana, CEO – Branded Markets (India & Emerging Markets), Dr. Reddy’s said, “This joint venture is a novel approach by two companies that have a shared purpose of good health. We are pleased to partner with Nestlé India to bring innovations from the Nestlé Health Science global portfolio to consumers in India. This novel approach of leveraging mutually complementary strengths of both parent companies will enable better access and affordability for consumers.”
 


Nestlé India and Dr. Reddy’s form JV to bring nutraceutical brands to consumers across India

FMCG major Hindustan Unilever has re-named its 'health food drinks' category as functional nutritional drinks (FND). The move comes after the Ministry of Commerce and Industry directed e-commerce websites to remove drinks and beverages like Horlicks and Bournvita from 'health drinks' category on their platforms.

"We have changed the labels of the category to FND which is a much better way to call it," said Ritesh Tiwari, chief financial officer of Hindustan Unilever at the earnings press conference on April 24.

The FND category is under-penetrated and hence there is a big opportunity for growth, Tiwari said, adding that HUL will focus on increasing customers and usage, and giving more benefits for consumers to upgrade in the FND category. The company is seeing better growth in its premium FND range which caters to Diabetes and women's health, Tiwari stated.

The Ministry of Commerce and Industry on April 10, asked e-commerce websites to remove Mondelez-owned Bournvita, among other drinks and beverages, from the ‘healthy drinks’ category on their platforms.

The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) said that there is no "health drink defined under the FSS Act 2006, rules and regulations as submitted by FSSAl & Mondelez India.”

The Ministry in a notification said, “NCPCR, a statutory body constituted under section (3) of the commission for Protection of Child Rights (CPCR) Act, 2005 after its inquiry under Section 14 of CPCR Act, 2005, concluded that there is no "Health Drink defined under FSS Act 2006, Rules and regulations as submitted by FSSAl and Mondelez India Food Pvt Ltd.”

It therefore, advised all e-commerce companies and portals to remove drinks and beverages that included Bournvita from the ‘healthy drinks’ category.

Earlier, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) had informed all e-commerce platforms to refrain from labelling dairy-based, cereal-based or malt-based beverages as ‘health drinks’ or ‘energy drinks’.

The reason behind this is because ‘health drink’ isn’t defined in Indian food laws. ‘Energy drink’ on the other hand, by law, refers to flavoured water drinks - carbonated and non carbonated, under the FSS Act 2006.

According to the FSSAI, the use of these terms can mislead consumers. Hence, the body has asked all Food Business Operators (FBO) that operate via e-commerce to dissociate themselves from such terms by removing their drinks and beverages from these categories.

"This corrective action aims to enhance clarity and transparency regarding the nature and functional properties of the products, ensuring that consumers can make well-informed choices without encountering misleading information," the body said in a statement.



HUL renames its 'health food drinks' category; Horlicks is now 'functional nutritional drink'

FMCG major Hindustan Unilever Limited announced its results for the quarter and year ended 31st March 2024. Full year turnover was Rs. 59,579 crore and HUL delivered a resilient performance in MQ’24. 

Rohit Jawa, CEO and Managing Director, said, "In FY’24 we delivered a resilient performance with 3% USG and crossed Rs. 10,000 crores Net Profit mark. We remain focused on driving operational excellence and have continued to build back our gross margins whilst stepping up investment in brands and long-term capabilities. Looking forward, I am optimistic of consumer demand gradually improving due to a normal monsoon and better macro-economic indicators." 

Jawa highlighted that with rising affluence, under-indexed FMCG consumption and a strong digital infrastructure, he remains very confident of the medium to long-term potential of Indian FMCG sector. 

The CEO of the FMCG juggernaut who took over from former chief Sanjiv Mehta in 2023, said that the company has embarked on a journey of 'Transform to Outperform' to serve the evolving aspirations of Indian consumers. 

Elaborating further, Jawa added, "Our key thrusts of Growing our Core through Unmissable Brand Superiority, Market making and Premiumisation, Re-shaping our portfolio to high growth spaces and Leadership in Channels of future, backed by our distinctive capabilities will enable us to continue winning in the Indian FMCG sector." 

<strong>Categories snapshot </strong>

Home Care: Robust Volume led performance
Home Care grew 1% with mid-single digit UVG (Underlying Volume Growth). Both Fabric Wash and Household Care grew volumes in mid-single digit driven by strong performance in premium portfolio. The category continued to witness YoY price decline on account of actions taken during the year.

Beauty & Personal Care: Flat volumes
Beauty & Personal Care continued to witness premium portfolio growing ahead of the rest. Overall, the segment had a USG (Underlying Sales Growth) of -2% with flat volumes. Hair care delivered volume driven high-single digit growth led by outperformance in Dove and Tresemme. Skin care and colour cosmetics grew in low-single digit. Premium skin care continued its strong double-digit growth trajectory led by innovations in new demand spaces and formats. Skin cleansing declined due to impact of price cuts coupled with drop in volumes in the mass and popular segments while bodywash continued to do well. Oral care saw a double-digit broad based growth driven by pricing. A range of innovations under Lakme cosmetics, sun-care products under Glow and Lovely, Ponds and Lakme skin, and sensitive skin cleansing range by Dove were launched in the quarter.

Foods & Refreshment: Mid-single digit growth driven by pricing
Foods & Refreshment had a USG of 4% with flat volume growth. Functional Nutritional Drinks (Horlicks & Boost) delivered high-single digit growth driven by Plus range. Tea continued to strengthen value and volume market leadership. Category continued to witness consumers downgrading to loose tea. Coffee delivered double digit growth driven by pricing. Foods grew in mid-single digit led by strong performance in Soups and Food solutions. Mayonnaise and Peanut Butter continue to gain consumer traction. Ice Cream grew in double digit led by volumes. An exciting range of innovations including Cadbury crackle feast, American nuts and Mango Duet were launched ahead of the upcoming ice-cream season.

Building back Gross Margin and stepping up in Advertising & Promotion
Gross Margin improved 350 bps versus MQ’23. We continue to focus on building back our gross margins through improved price coverage, mix and net productivity initiatives. A&P investments increased 200 bps as we continued to step up investments behind our brands. EBITDA at 23.4% declined by 30 bps primarily on account of 60 bps impact from termination of GSK consignment selling arrangement and investments in long term capabilities.

HUL CEO Rohit Jawa: We've embarked on a journey of 'Transform to Outperform' to serve evolving aspirations of Indian consumers

JioCinema announced its new subscription offering, ‘JioCinema Premium’. The new plans starting at a market-defining Rs.29/month will offer an Ad Free experience delivered in up to 4K quality and off-line viewing options. Members can access Exclusive Series, Movies, Hollywood, Kids & TV entertainment, on any device, including Connected TVs. 

 

With a focus on multi-segment consumption across Indian households, a ‘Family’ plan was also announced at Rs.89/month which offers the additional benefit of four simultaneous screens access. Existing JioCinema Premium members will now avail all the additional benefits of the ‘Family’ plan at no extra cost.

 

While Sports content including the ongoing Indian Premier League and thousands of hours of entertainment content will continue to be available for Free as part of its Ad-Supported offering, here’s what JioCinema Premium Members will get exclusive access to:

 

<strong>Top International Content in Local Languages:</strong> The biggest global series and movie premieres from Hollywood, through partnerships with the world’s biggest studios - Peacock, HBO, Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery. Top titles such as Game Of Thrones, House Of The Dragon, Oppenheimer, Barbie and several more will also be available in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Bengali and Marathi.

 

<strong>Wholesome Kids & Family Entertainment:</strong> Home to one of the widest selections of Indian and International toons, with titles ranging from Motu Patlu, Shiva and Rudra to Pokémon, Peppa Pig and Paw Patrol, the Kids & Family hub houses thousands of hours of top-quality movies and series. JioCinema’s Parental Control features also provide a safe space for content consumption.

 

<strong>Genre-defining Originals & Blockbuster Movies:</strong> With upcoming original series including the much talked about Ranneeti: Balakot & Beyond (Jimmy Shergill, Lara Dutta, Ashish Vidyarthi), Murder In Mahim (Vijay Raaz, Ashutosh Rana), PILL (Riteish Deshmukh) and several more to be unveiled, JioCinema Premium members will get access to top-rated series premieres every month, in addition to some of India’s most loved Originals such as Asur, Taali & Kaalkoot. The platform also promises blockbuster Bollywood Premieres every month with Zara Hatke Zara Bachke headlining the month of May.

 

<strong>Before-TV Premieres & Live Channels:</strong> Members will get early access to their favourite content from Colors, Nickelodeon and the entire Colors suite of local language channels, with serials now being made available for members even before their television airing. In addition, 20+ TV channels from the Viacom18 Network will be available to stream.

 

Speaking on the launch of JioCinema Premium, Kiran Mani, chief executive officer, Viacom18 Digital said, “Creating and building an entertainment ecosystem with a product that is made for every Indian household, is not just a business strategy, but a vision to empower our country and users with an unmatched entertainment experience. JioCinema Premium aims to redefine the narrative of premium entertainment for every Indian while building a daily viewing habit.”

 

He further added, “The introduction of JioCinema Premium breaks the numerous cost and quality barriers that exist in accessing premium entertainment. With 4K streaming, best-in-class audio, offline viewing and no device restriction all at a customer-centric pricing is sure to democratise access to quality entertainment for all of India.”

 

JioCinema has also rolled out a campaign asking consumers, “Toh Aaj Kya Plan Hai?”. The campaign highlights the core benefits of JioCinema Premium while showcasing the distress of today’s consumers when choosing their entertainment plan.


<strong>Read More:</strong> <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/quantum-brief/viacom18-and-jiocinema-announce-new-innovations-for-advertisers-ahead-of-ipl-22916.htm">Viacom18 and JioCinema announce new innovations for advertisers ahead of IPL</a> 



JioCinema rolls out its new subscription offering ‘JioCinema Premium’

Bank of Baroda (Bank), one of India’s public sector banks, announced the release of its #PehchaanCon 3.0 Banking Fraud awareness campaign. The latest campaign seeks to raise awareness about new-age financial frauds such as artificial intelligence-generated deepfake scams that can succeed in duping even the most vigilant customers, stated the company.

 

In Phase 3 of the #PehchaanCon campaign, the Bank has released two new ad films featuring actor Kunaal Roy Kapur. These videos illustrate how anyone – even the smartest and strongest amongst us – can end up getting conned. Using the latest deepfake tech to deceive individuals by masquerading as a family member/a close acquaintance or targeting online shoppers by posing as a delivery agent asking for an OTP, which is then used to hack into one’s personal data, fraudsters are using a range of methods to try and dupe people.



<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0hLV1brhLVo?si=j6kyDOWRXGaEgGCr" 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 ads showcase how anyone is vulnerable to falling prey to such an attack. Kapur plays the role of the quiet and compassionate doctor to whom his patients pour their hearts out to, while also contemplating how to protect themselves from such kinds of frauds in future. The ads emphasise that by being alert, watchful and being able to recognise a fraud/fraudster or Con, customers can protect themselves and their confidential financial information and enjoy a safe and secure online banking and shopping experience.


<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/NvQ8-cMu79Q?si=a5mHcVj5QqdziNu4" 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>


Shri Lal Singh, executive director, Bank of Baroda said, “Online frauds aimed at defrauding people have become more common nowadays and are an ever-present threat. Further, with the advent of new technologies, the modus operandi of financial cons also keeps evolving rapidly. Hence, all of us need to be extremely alert and learn to identify a potential fraud/scam. Bank of Baroda's PehchaanCon campaign emphasises the importance of self-vigilance to customers so that they can ensure the safety of their hard-earned money from the threats presented by cybercriminals.”


<strong>Read More:</strong> <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/advertising/greenpanel-launches-ipl-campaign-crafted-by-lk-saatchi-saatchi-29841.htm">Greenpanel launches IPL campaign crafted by L&K Saatchi & Saatchi</a> 

Bank of Baroda rolls out 'PehchaanCon 3.0 Banking Fraud' awareness campaign featuring actor Kunaal Roy Kapur

boAt, an audio wearable brand, has signed a new brand ambassador – cricket prodigy, Yashasvi Jaiswal. 
 

He amassed a staggering 712 runs in the Test series against England, including two double centuries.

 

"I'm thrilled to be partnering with boAt," said Jaiswal, brimming with enthusiasm. "The brand embodies the same spirit of innovation and perseverance that fuels my passion on the field. As a boAthead, I'm excited to connect with fans and inspire them through our shared love for music and sports."

 

Aman Gupta, co-founder and chief marketing officer of boAt, took to social media, seeking suggestions for the brand's next boAthead. Fans championed the inclusion of Yashasvi Jaiswal.
 

Gupta commented on the partnership, stating, "We are absolutely delighted to welcome Yashasvi Jaiswal to boAt. Together we have a shared passion for Innovation and Excellence. His journey to success remarkably mirrors boAt's own path – fuelled by ambition, relentless hard work, and a constant pursuit of excellence. Together, we're excited to embark on this adventure and inspire young people to chase their dreams with unwavering determination."

 

A video featuring Jaiswal and Gupta showcases their humorous exploration of various "in-trend" campaign launch concepts pitched by agencies. Amidst the laughter and creativity, the video effectively announces Jaiswal as the newest boAthead.

 
<strong>Read More:</strong> <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-marketing/boat-highlights-detremental-impact-of-women-objectification-through-new-campaign-25781.htm">boAt highlights detrimental impact of women objectification through new campaign</a> 

boAt brings Yashasvi Jaiswal on board as brand ambassador

Zepto and Simpl have engaged in a friendly billboard banter with their #SabseTezCampaign to highlight their unique combination of Instant Checkout and Fastest Deliveries offered to millions of customers. The billboards, put up at Karol Bagh and Gurgaon- sector 66 in Delhi-NCR, tap into popular meme culture with references to popular Bollywood dialogues and one liners from stand-up comedy such as “Aao kabhi haveli pe” and “Mai kya job chhod doon”.

The billboards are strategically located in high-traffic zones of the city, thereby showcasing humorous banter between the two brands. The campaign aims to highlight the benefits of an online kirana store and a unique khata-like experience online for commuters through Zepto which offers 10-min deliveries via Simpl’s 1-Tap or Instant Checkout. The campaign, which was amplified across social media platforms has already garnered over 500,000 impressions online (Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn) in less than 24 hours.

Commenting on the marketing campaign, Chandan Mendiratta, Chief Brand Officer, Zepto, said, “Fast checkouts with Simpl and Fast Delivery with Zepto is truly a match made in heaven. It's a great example of two brands that uphold convenience and speed as their values coming together. It was great to see our tone of voice also matching over and above our values. However, we still can’t agree on #SabseTezKaun!”.

Abhishek Rane, Vice-President, Marketing, Simpl said, “As new-age brands, we bring a judicious mix of traditional kirana and khata-like experience online and are highlighting its relevance for today’s customers through our #SabseTezKaun campaign. The speed and convenience that customers get with Zepto and Simpl’s partnership is unparalleled and we are excited to celebrate this with quick-witted billboard ads. By engaging in this playful banter in the physical world and amplifying it in the online world, we are tapping all relevant channels to keep our customers engaged”.  

Zepto partnered with Simpl in January 2022 and has witnessed over 13 million checkouts via Simpl’s Instant Checkout so far. It recently integrated Zepto Pass with Instant Checkout to enhance user convenience and has been offering great rewards and cashbacks to millions of customers across the country.


 

Movado partners with Rajasthan Royals, becomes official time partner for Tata IPL 2024

Through this collaboration, Movado becomes the Official Time Partner of the Rajasthan Royals for the 2024 season.

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