<strong>Cooling period </strong>

The richest cricket board in the world was in the fix hunting for sponsors as its current sponsor, a  trouble-ridden edtech firm is on its way out. Flushed with funds, a fantasy sports platform came to its rescue as the only serious contender in the race, with only two other companies showing interest by picking up the tender document. It was a close save. Industry insiders believe that it is basically an indication of a hot market cooling. With investor money drying up, lesser and lesser number of ‘couldn’t-care-less’ tech, gaming and fintech startups are now staying away from high value properties.

<strong>No Cannes do  </strong>

Indian adwallahs try everything to get a ticket to Cannes to attend the festival, not the film one but it’s other cousin, the Lions. They go through budget hoops and find loops and ways to get themselves, their key team members and a smattering of worthy juniors, to the French Riviera every year. But there was one agency executive who wasn’t too keen to swirl Rose with the global ad crowd at all. So, while this adman’s boss, a constant and regular at Cannes, attended the festival, the said adman preferred to be hundreds of miles away in an Asian paradise. We wonder why. 

<strong>Cannes Do Better </strong>

An award-winning creative director who has broken records at international advertising festivals over the years wasn’t at all impressed with the work from India this year. He called the campaigns ‘uninspiring’.  The adman also felt that causevertising is formulaic. We wonder if this is genuine critique or a case of sour grapes. But hey, when life gives you grapes, you know what to make.

Storyboard18 Insider: Startups' cooling period; uninspiring ideas from Cannes Lions; and more

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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”.


<strong>Read More:</strong> <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

<em><strong>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.</strong></em>


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.


<strong>From logic to magic</strong>


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.


<strong>Re-energising the brief</strong>


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


<strong>Insightful -</strong> Packed with gems and nuggets that bring the strategy to life.


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


<strong>Igniting -</strong> 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’.


<strong>What makes a great brief</strong>


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.


<strong>Keep it simple and sharp</strong>


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).


<strong>Pull out little nuggets</strong>


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’.


<strong>Bring your target person to life</strong>


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’?


<strong>Dramatise it</strong>


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!


<em><strong>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.</strong></em>



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.

<strong><em>The writer is the founding member and chief business officer of Atomberg. Views expressed are personal.</em></strong>

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

<strong>MAST</strong>

<strong>Brand:</strong> Oakley

<strong>Campaign:</strong> Be Who You Are

<strong>Agency:</strong> Brandmovers India

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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.

<strong>MEH</strong>

<strong>Brand:</strong> NutriGlow

<strong>Campaign:</strong> NutriGlow

<strong>Agency:</strong> In-house

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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.

<strong>Mast</strong> 

<strong>Brand</strong> - Thums Up

<strong>Agency</strong> - Ogilvy India

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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!

<strong>Meh</strong>

<strong>Brand</strong> - Casio India

<strong>Agency</strong> - In-house

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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. 

<strong>Mast</strong>

<strong>Brand:</strong> Tata Motors

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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. 

<strong>Meh</strong>

<strong>Brand:</strong> Hindware

<strong>Agency:</strong> In-house

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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 

<strong>MAST</strong>

<strong>Brand:</strong> Cadbury Dairy Milk

<strong>Campaign:</strong> Cadbury Dairy Milk Bodyguard – Kissi aur ki Khushi mein shaamil hokar dekhiye

<strong>Agency:</strong> Ogilvy India

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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. 

<strong>MEH</strong>

<strong>Brand:</strong> Myntra

<strong>Campaign:</strong> Myntra Big Fashion Festival

<strong>Agency:</strong> 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.

<strong>Mast</strong>

<strong>Brand:</strong> Coca Cola

<strong>Agency:</strong> 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. 

<strong>Meh</strong>

<strong>Brand:</strong> Pantaloons

<strong>Agency:</strong> Production: KITCHEN, Concept: Ogilvy

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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. 

<strong>MAST</strong>

<strong>Brand</strong> - The Body Shop

<strong>Agency</strong> - In house

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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. 

<strong>MEH</strong>

<strong>Brand</strong> - Levi’s India

<strong>Agency</strong> - Spring Marketing Capital

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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. 


<strong>MAST</strong>

<strong>Brand</strong> – Bombae Fuzz Off Trimmer | Painless hair removal for women

<strong>Agency/Production House</strong> – Talented, StudioFry

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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.


<strong>MEH</strong>

<strong>Brand</strong> – Manyavar | Taiyaar Hokar Aaiye

<strong>Agency</strong> - Shreyansh Innovations

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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. 

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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.  

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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:

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

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.

<strong>What kind of research went behind picking the theme for this edition of the campaign?</strong>

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. 

<strong>Where did the inspiration for the execution of the campaign come from?</strong>

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>



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

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.

<strong>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?</strong>

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.

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

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. 

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

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.

<strong>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? </strong>

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.

<strong>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.</strong>

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. 

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

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.

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

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. 

<strong>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?</strong>

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.

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

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.

<strong>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?</strong>

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

<strong>Leo Burnett and Jim Beam</strong>

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. 

<strong>Hashtag Orange and Signify India</strong>

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.

<strong>Carat India and TimesPro</strong>

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.

<strong>Bharat Media Group and Newell Brands</strong>

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.

<strong>Option Designs and CFS Vision</strong>

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.

<em><strong>Compiled by Kashmeera Sambamurthy</strong></em>

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.

<strong>Acute sleep deficit</strong>

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.

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<strong>Market potential</strong>

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.

<strong>Agency speak</strong> 

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

Hyundai Motor India Ltd. (HMIL) has launched its latest multi-channel media campaign for Hyundai EXTER, titled ‘Dil mein Bas Jaye EXTER’. The campaign, featuring a series of six films, aims to significantly enhance brand recall and generate buzz surrounding the EXTER. This is while effectively highlighting its key safety, convenience and comfort features like six Airbags standard with 40+ safety features, Paddle Shifters, Sunroof, Cruise Control, Hill Assist Control, and more, highlighted the company.


Virat Khullar, AVP & vertical head, marketing, Hyundai Motor India Limited, said, "The ‘Dil mein Bas Jaye EXTER’ campaign exemplifies Hyundai’s commitment to creativity and innovation in marketing. With a focus on creating high brand recall and amplifying awareness about EXTER, these TVCs effectively communicate the unique value proposition of our SUV. By leveraging humour and relatable narratives while establishing an enhanced regional connect through Hindi, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, Telugu, Marathi and Bengali languages, we aim to resonate with our target audience and further strengthen the brand value and recall of the Hyundai EXTER.”


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He added, “In addition to the TVCs, we've developed concise, social media-specific content featuring familiar characters and settings. This targeted strategy aims to boost awareness and reinforce the 'Dil me bass jaye EXTER' positioning digitally, maximizing engagement and resonance, particularly among the Gen Z demographic. By extending the campaign's reach to social platforms, we anticipate heightened participation and advocacy for Hyundai EXTER."


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The campaign will be promoted across TV, digital, radio and social media channels, including YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram. Targeted towards driving higher website visits and video views, the campaign will utilize programmatic platforms to reach in-market auto enthusiasts, news channels, family-focused individuals, sport enthusiast, and travel affinity audiences, stated the company.


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Since its launch in 2023, Hyundai EXTER has garnered phenomenal customer response and critical acclaim. Boasting over 100,000 bookings and capturing a remarkable 34 percent segment share, EXTER has firmly established itself as a top choice in its category. Notably, the higher trims featuring enhanced convenience features, including a sunroof and Hyundai Bluelink Connected Car technology, have contributed to over 70 percent of EXTER sales.


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<strong>Read More:</strong> <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-marketing/hyundai-launches-new-initiative-to-increase-rural-reach-in-india-29539.htm">Hyundai launches new initiative to increase rural reach in India</a> 

Hyundai Motor India rolls out ‘Dil mein bas jaye EXTER’ campaign

Dentsu, in partnership with Amdocs - a leading software and services provider, has launched the brand’s first-ever campaign in India. The campaign, ‘Live Amazing. Do Amazing.’, aims to showcase the unique work culture and opportunities that Amdocs offers to its employees and prospective candidates. The campaign is conceptualised and executed by Dentsu Creative India - the creative agency within dentsu, along with iProspect - the integrated media agency under the dentsu umbrella.


Dentsu Creative India has created music film featuring Raja Kumari, a Grammy-nominated Indian American rapper and singer, who delivers a rap showcasing the opportunities and culture at Amdocs. Additionally, the film highlights the contributions of three historical figures renowned for their extraordinary achievements: William Shakespeare, Aryabhata, and Leonardo Da Vinci. The film acknowledges the creative spirit and commitment to excellence embodied by these iconic figures, while also celebrating the similar ethos embraced by Amdocs employees.


Speaking on the campaign, Gil Rosen, chief marketing officer, Amdocs said, “As technology advances rapidly, so do the expectations of our workforce. Amdocs leads the way by offering more than just jobs; it provides platforms for employees to drive change and shape their futures, making an impact on the world with today’s most cutting-edge technologies. Through this innovative employer brand campaign, kicked off with the Raja Kumari video, we aim to showcase the dynamic work culture of Amdocs and celebrate our people.”

 
Amit Murthy, vice president, Dentsu Creative India added, “In our business, briefs like this come once in a lifetime, allowing the agency to think creatively and uniquely. It is a great collaboration between two major companies in the world transcending borders. The high level of trust and independence we received was genuinely unparalleled, and I feel it is reflected in the ideas and work we have produced.”


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Siddharth S, group executive creative director, Dentsu Creative India commented, “The ask from the client was to make a music video that invites potential talent to join Amdocs. A company that gives its employees a conducive environment to grow and pursue their interests too. From the outset, we knew it could not be just a typical recruitment ad or just another song and dance piece. We also knew that Amdocs wanted to pitch themselves as creators and not just a solution provider. And this led us to 3 amazing creators from the past - William Shakespeare, Aryabhata and Leonardo Da Vinci. Put the super-talented Raja Kumari in the mix, and you have an idea that resonates with the amazing talent from the world of technology. Because it takes amazing to know amazing."


iProspect has played a pivotal role in giving shape to the campaign by implementing a distinctive media strategy that effectively engages with the audience across various touchpoints. This includes Out-of-Home (OOH) advertising, social media platforms featuring influencers from diverse domains such as fashion, music, and dance, and hyperlocal media solutions. Through the strategic integration of digital and offline media channels, the campaign maximizes its reach and impact, encouraging meaningful conversations around Amdocs.

 
Jay Mehta, associate vice president, iProspect India said, “To bring this theme to life, our strategy was based on three key pillars: captivating, engaging, and innovative. We crafted a media architecture intended to seize the audience's attention through visually striking and immersive experiential platforms. Our aim was to create a holistic brand experience that reaches audiences across multiple touchpoints, igniting engagement and nurturing connections with the brand's consumers.”

 
<strong>Read More:</strong> <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/advertising/dentsu-creative-bags-the-integrated-creative-mandate-of-popeyes-24805.htm">Dentsu Creative bags the integrated creative mandate of Popeyes</a> 



Dentsu India launches ‘Live Amazing. Do Amazing’ Campaign For AMDOCS

Myntra Jabong, the wholesale entity of ‘Myntra has announced Bollywood actor, Ayushmann Khurrana, as the brand ambassador for renowned global lifestyle brand, Nautica in India. Khurrana will spearhead the brand's latest Spring Summer collection campaign which will be visible across regions nationally. 


Nautica is available in physical stores and online on Myntra and Flipkart.

 
With Khurrana as the face of the campaign, Nautica aims to tap into the actor’s popularity and build deeper salience with premium fashionistas nationwide, stated the company.

 
The ad campaign highlights Nautica's latest season's collection, with Khurrana's visual montage emphasising the ease and style of a Nautica man. The campaign is being launched nationally across mediums, including, print, outdoor, social media and leading digital platforms. The Spring Summer collection is aimed at men between the ages of 22-60.


<strong>Read More:</strong> <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/quantum-brief/amazon-vs-myntra-who-will-win-over-more-gen-z-shoppers-in-india-8247.htm">Amazon vs Myntra: Who will win over more Gen Z shoppers in India?</a> 

Nautica India ropes in Ayushmann Khurrana for Nautica India to launch SS-24 campaign

Prachi Nigam topped Uttar Pradesh’s Class 10 board exams and her success catapulted her to national fame. But the best moment in her life so far quickly turned out to be the worst, in a sense, as trolls on social media had a field day commenting on her appearance after her photo appeared in the press. Nigam came in for widespread criticism because she had facial hair, which these social media users deemed to be unacceptable in a female, leading her to wonder in an interview if she would have been better off not being a topper, and remaining anonymous.


Many netizens fought back, voicing their support for Nigam. Several internet users raised serious concerns about online bullying and the impact of social media trolling and abuse on the UP board topper.


This incident also led to some brands jumping on the ‘moment marketing’ bandwagon. On April 28, homegrown personal-care brand Bombay Shaving Company released a print advertisement addressing Nigam, mentioning Bombae, its female-focused brand.


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Bombay Shaving Company’s founder Shantanu Deshpande shared the ad on LinkedIn, with a post that said, “It was shocking to see the amount of hate targeted at a teenage girl who had TOPPED AN EXAM because of her facial hair. Our simple message to this amazing young woman with such a bright future.”


He added, “Love to see my team ooze class. No opportunistic sale, QR code, nothing. Just a heartfelt message to a fellow Bae.”


What followed was a severe backlash that drew the attention of the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI). “While moment marketing seems very exciting for advertisers, they often slip up, because in their hurry to launch their ad to ride the wave, there is very little diligence,” Manisha Kapoor, CEO and secretary-general of the council, told Storyboard18 in an interview. “The usual protocols of approvals within an organisation may be overlooked in a race against time. It may also be the case that companies that indulge in mindless moment marketing do not have enough checks and balances in their creative development or approval process.”


<em>Edited Excerpts</em>

<strong>What did you make of Bombay Shaving Company’s ‘Dear Prachi’ ad?</strong> 

The ad is being examined by ASCI due to concerns regarding its potential violation of ASCI codes, particularly regarding exploitation of the vulnerability of children and vulnerable populations. The ASCI jury will examine the ad and the advertiser’s response should the company choose to contest it (the jury’s finding).

<strong>Did the ad violate any ASCI code?</strong> 

The ad has been picked up for examination in potential violation of the ASCI code that states: Advertisements shall not contain anything, whether in illustration or otherwise, which might result in their (children’s) physical, mental or moral harm, or which exploits their vulnerability.  

<strong>Read More:</strong> <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/advertising/bscs-dear-prachi-ad-ascis-manisha-kapoor-says-brands-misteps-in-moment-marketing-giving-advertising-a-bad-name-30408.htm">BSC's Dear Prachi ad: ASCI's Manisha Kapoor says brands' missteps in moment marketing giving advertising a bad name</a>


<strong>Your take on moment marketing? What are its do's and don’ts?</strong> 

Moment marketing presents exciting opportunities for advertisers, but missteps often occur due to rushed launches without sufficient diligence and oversight. This can lead to poorly-thought-out ads that may breach laws or advertising guidelines, and that may lack alignment with broader brand strategies.


● <strong>Do's:</strong> Conduct due diligence, ensure approvals within the organisation, and align the ad with the brand strategy.

● <strong>Don'ts:</strong> Rush the process, overlook approvals, use other peoples’ or brands’ goodwill, or create poorly conceived ads that exploit situations.

<strong>Are startups more lax about advertising codes than established brands?</strong> 

It would be unfair to generalise. So long as an organisation has adequate checks and balances in its creative development and approval processes, and culturally believes in honest advertising, there should not be an issue. Having said that, there could be greater valuation and customer acquisition pressure, which could lead them to take shortcuts that eventually get their brands in trouble.

<strong>Why do we see so many missteps by startups when it comes to advertising?</strong>

Missteps by startups can stem from rushed moment marketing launches without proper consideration of broader brand strategies and potential legal or ethical implications. The priority of being first rather than being right is a misplaced one.

<strong>Has ‘moment marketing’ by companies violated ASCI codes? Are there any examples you can provide?</strong> 

Moment marketing gone wrong can lead to potential violations of ASCI codes. Many moment marketing ads that we see have poor linkages with the larger brand strategy and approach, and may sometimes breach the law or advertising guidelines. The result is a social media backlash as well as scrutiny from regulators. During the last Olympics, we saw many brands being sued by a noted sportsperson for using her image. 

<strong>Are any new laws likely to come up for agencies and brands after this fiasco?</strong>

The ASCI Code as it stands today is well placed to handle such problematic advertising. 


<strong>Read More:</strong> <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/advertising/bombay-shaving-companys-opportunistic-desperate-laughable-dear-prachi-ad-causes-a-storm-30049.htm">Bombay Shaving Company's 'opportunistic', 'desperate', 'laughable' Dear-Prachi ad slammed by internet users</a> 


In the rapidly evolving digital marketing landscape, mobile marketing and app advertising have emerged as crucial strategies for businesses aiming to connect with consumers in India. With the widespread adoption of smartphones and the growing popularity of mobile apps, brands are leveraging innovative approaches to engage users effectively. 


According to the ‘State of Mobile-2024’ report released by data.ai, Indian shoppers accounted for 13 percent of the total hours spent by mobile users across the globe on their shopping apps in 2023. Mobile devices offer convenience and instant access to information, making them indispensable tools in consumers' daily lives. So, businesses are adapting their marketing strategies to meet changing consumers’ preferences and behaviours in a mobile-first world.



 
<strong>Rise of in-app advertising</strong>



In-app advertising has gained significant traction in India, offering brands a direct channel to engage users within their preferred mobile applications. In 2023, India accounted for over 5 percent of global in-app advertising spend, with categories like gaming, e-commerce, and finance leading the way. 


According to a report by the ‘Business Research Company’, the market size of in-app advertising has witnessed significant growth in recent years, with projections showing a rise from $120.95 billion in 2023 to $146.24 billion in 2024, reflecting a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 20.9 percent. The significant growth is led by the proliferation of mobile devices, shifts in user behaviour, increased monetisation opportunities for app developers, the evolution of app stores, and the expansion of app ecosystems.


Looking ahead, the in-app advertising market is poised for continued exponential growth, projected to reach $305.09 billion by 2028 with a CAGR of 20.2 percent, states the report. 



The key aspects of in-app advertising are-


<strong>Reach:</strong> With millions of apps available across app stores, this allows businesses to reach a wide and diverse audience of mobile users. There are several types of app advertising formats that businesses can utilise to reach their target audience such as display ads, video ads, native ads, playable ads, interstitial ads etc. Through this, businesses can effectively target users based on their interests, behaviours, and demographics, ensuring that their ads reach the right audience at the right time.


<strong>Engagement:</strong> App advertising allows businesses to create highly engaging and interactive ad experiences that capture the attention of mobile users. From interactive videos to immersive AR experiences, businesses can leverage app advertising to deliver compelling and memorable brand experiences. Mobile apps can be used for various activities like gaming, social networking, utility, and entertainment so it offers businesses a direct avenue to connect with consumers.



<strong>App install campaigns:</strong> App advertising is particularly effective for driving app installs and increasing user acquisition for mobile apps. App install campaigns allow businesses to promote their apps across various channels, including social media, search engines, and ad networks, to attract new users and expand their user base. By optimising ad creatives, targeting parameters, and bidding strategies, businesses can drive high-quality app installs and maximise return on investment (ROI) for their app advertising campaigns.



 
<strong>Adoption of programmatic advertising</strong>


Programmatic advertising is rapidly gaining popularity in India, enabling real-time bidding and automated ad placements across mobile apps. The programmatic ad spend in India is projected to exceed $1 billion by 2024, driven by increased demand for targeted and efficient ad delivery. Advertisers benefit from granular audience targeting and data-driven insights, enhancing campaign performance and ROI.


With the rise in programmatic advertising, advertisers can use Dynamic Creative Optimisation (DCO) to create and serve personalized ads to individual users based on real-time data. DCO builds multiple iterations of an ad using the same creative while tailoring elements of the ad based on the audiences, context, and past performance.
 



<strong>Mobile optimisation</strong> 

As people are getting more and more comfortable with shopping on their mobiles, optimisation has become a crucial aspect of mobile-first marketing approaches. It ensures that websites, content, and digital experiences are seamlessly accessible on mobile devices. As mobile usage surpasses desktop usage, businesses must prioritise mobile optimisation to provide a positive and engaging experience for mobile users.



<strong>User experience:</strong> Mobile optimisation enhances the user experience by ensuring that websites and content are visually appealing, easy to navigate, and load quickly on mobile devices. Mobile users have limited screen space and attention spans, so optimising for mobile ensures that users can find what they're looking for quickly and efficiently. Designing your website with a responsive design that adapts to different screen sizes is also essential for seamless user experience.



<strong>Page load speed:</strong> Mobile optimisation improves page load speed, which is critical for retaining mobile users. Slow-loading websites could make users lose interest before even checking out the site. By optimising images and leveraging caching techniques, businesses can ensure that their mobile websites load quickly and provide a seamless browsing experience.



<strong>Conversion rates:</strong> Mobile optimisation directly impacts conversion rates, influencing how users interact with websites on mobile devices. Mobile-friendly websites with clear calls-to-action and streamlined checkout processes are more likely to convert mobile users into customers, subscribers, or leads. 
Mobile optimisation is also essential for improving search engine rankings. Websites that are not optimised for mobile may experience lower visibility and search rankings, thereby missing out on valuable organic traffic and leads.


 
<strong>Location-based targeting</strong>

 
This marketing approach utilises a mobile device’s location to target consumers. This includes geo-targeting, geofencing, beaconing and proximity marketing techniques to deliver relevant offers, promotions, and content to users when they are near your business or a specific location of interest. Location-based marketing can help drive foot traffic to your brick-and-mortar locations and enhance the overall customer experience. Wifi, Bluetooth, GPS, IP addresses etc can be employed for these location-based techniques. Like in Geofencing, it employs GPS technology and creates a ‘virtual fence’ around a specific area and when the target audience enters that radius, they will receive offers from that brand. 


Location-based targeting are very effective because they work across consumer's life cycles - discoverability to purchase and retention. Retail, hospitality, travel, events, restaurants and many industries can use location-based targeting.




<strong>AI-based contextual advertising</strong>


Mobile Marketing is witnessing a revival of Contextual advertising. In recent years, due to privacy laws and regulations such as the App Tracking Transparency, behavioral targeting has been difficult to track. Therefore, marketers are returning to the tried and tested strategy of ‘Contextual advertising’. The application of AI in contextual advertising tailors ads to align seamlessly with consumer behavioral patterns, ultimately enhancing engagement.
 
 
<strong>Future outlook</strong>


Looking ahead, mobile marketing and app advertising will continue to evolve in India, driven by technological innovations and evolving consumer behaviours. Expected catalysts for this expansion comprise the worldwide proliferation of the app market, initiatives to combat ad fraud, improvements in the user interface, the rise of novel app genres, and the integration of data-driven targeting and analytics. Noteworthy trends in the projected period involve strategies centered around mobile platforms, inventive approaches to app monetisation, progressions in programmatic advertising, the the evolution of advertising styles and creativity, alongside heightened attention to data analytics and precise targeting. Advertisers utilise various ad formats—including banners, interstitials, rewarded videos, and native ads—to enhance user interaction and stimulate conversions.
 
In conclusion, key areas of growth include voice-activated ads, augmented reality experiences, and integrated omni channel strategies. Brands that prioritise mobile-centric strategies and embrace data-driven insights will be best positioned to capitalise on India's dynamic digital landscape. By embracing innovation, leveraging data analytics, and adopting mobile-first strategies, businesses can unlock the full potential of mobile marketing in the Indian market.



<strong>Bhavesh Talreja is the founder and CEO, Globale Media, a mobile advertising platform dedicated to helping advertisers with user acquisitions.</strong><em>

Mobile optimisation directly impacts conversion rates: Globale Media founder Bhavesh Talreja

Dabur, India's reported strong financials for FY 2023-24. Their full-year’s consolidated revenue touched Rs 12,404 crore witnessing a 7.6 percent year-over-year increase. On a constant currency basis, the growth stood at 10.1 percent. Net profit also climbed 7.9 percent to Rs 1,843 crore, compared to Rs 1,707 crore in the previous year.



There was a significant increase in their ad spends too. The advertisement and publicity spend for FY24 stood at Rs849.6  against FY 23’s Rs 640.3. Ad spends saw a 32.7 percent growth.



For Q4 of FY 24, ad spends stood at Rs 184.1 crore witnessing a growth of 21.4 percent against corresponding quarter of FY 23 where the same stood at Rs 151.6 crore.



As per the company their strong execution of  Power Brand strategy, increased focus on premium products, and expanded distribution reach, combined with their rigorous cost-reduction measures, fuelled Dabur India Ltd's steady performance in Q4 and FY 2023-24.



“Our operating profit has shown a 13.9 percent improvement during the quarter. Dabur quarterly net profit surged 16.2 percent to Rs 350 Crore, up from Rs 301 crore a year earlier. Q4 consolidated net profit, on a like to like basis, reported a 22.7 percent upsurge to Rs 370 crore,” said the financial report.



“We've ended the year with a steady performance underscoring the power of the Dabur's brands. We have been investing heavily behind our brands, which increased by 33 percent, to drive demand and also sustain the growth momentum. This has helped us deliver steady sales and profit growth in the fourth quarter despite multiple headwinds,” said Dabur India Limited Chief Executive Officer Mohit Malhotra.



“We continued to execute on our strategic playbook by driving operational excellence, delivering innovative and premium products, and expanding our retail footprint to build the foundation for long-term profitable, sustainable growth,” he added.

Premium products today account for 18 percent of Dabur's portfolio.



Dabur India boosts ad spend, closing FY 2024 with Rs 849.6 crore investment

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) has teamed up with Naukri to recruit their ultimate "Fan-in-Chief" through a quirky selection process that gets hosted as a 7-episode Instagram video series. The activity kicked off with RCB posting the Fan-In-Chief “Job” on Naukri, that’s home to millions of young professionals.

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transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)"></div></div><div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style=" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"></div> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"></div> <div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"></div></div></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"></div> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"></div></div></a><p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C6aR-5piEFV/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Royal Challengers Bengaluru (@royalchallengers.bengaluru)</a></p></div></blockquote> <script async src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script>

The first phase saw 100,000+ fans apply for the job and now the video series promises to chronicle the auditions & selection criteria tasks in a comical manner, and ultimately revealing the chosen fan in chief. The entire activity and content is conceptualized by Danish Sait.

“Doing content with or for RCB is always a pleasure for me because A) I am a fan B) the franchise has such immense faith in the creative process that it lets one be free. Naukri as well has had such an open minded approach to the whole journey that my team and I truly enjoyed penning this one down” Danish Sait.


As the campaign goes live, Shail Gaurav, EVP & Head of Marketing- Naukri, said “We wanted to tap into the IPL craze in a fun way but with an idea that could uniquely, unmistakably, only be from Naukri. Finding the sweet spot between our core proposition “Jobs” and IPL with a partner like RCB is what makes this so special & resonant with the younger audience base”

<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C6QbWsLhkEL/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:16px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C6QbWsLhkEL/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> <div style=" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div></div></div><div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display:block; height:50px; margin:0 auto 12px; width:50px;"><svg width="50px" height="50px" viewBox="0 0 60 60" version="1.1" xmlns="https://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><g stroke="none" stroke-width="1" fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd"><g transform="translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)" fill="#000000"><g><path d="M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631"></path></g></g></g></svg></div><div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style=" color:#3897f0; 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transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)"></div></div><div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style=" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"></div> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"></div> <div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"></div></div></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"></div> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"></div></div></a><p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C6QbWsLhkEL/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Royal Challengers Bengaluru (@royalchallengers.bengaluru)</a></p></div></blockquote> <script async src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script>

“We are delighted to partner with Naukri for this innovative campaign. This collaboration offers fans an exciting opportunity to engage with RCB and we are looking forward to a successful association together.” Commented Rajesh Menon, Vice President and Head of Royal Challengers Bengaluru.

“Rather than offering Naukri a conventional sponsorship deal, we presented an innovative concept aimed at resonating with fans while upholding Naukri's value proposition. Kudos to the team at Naukri for playing bold.” Said Shiv Burman, Founder, Burman Sports.

RCB teams up with Naukri to recruit their "Fan-in-Chief"

Thomas Cook (India) Limited, an omnichannel travel services provider has launched its Ghar Jao Vote Karo campaign. The Company’s strategy is two pronged: encourage citizens to vote and reward them for their efforts with a holiday discount & a free travel bag once they vote.

Election Commission data revealed that of the eligible population, 67.11 percent cast their vote in the 2019 general elections. A challenge impacting the turnout was the migrating Indian population, moving from Tier II and III cities into urban towns/metros. Thomas Cook India recognising the importance of every vote, has hence conceptualised its campaign to create awareness while gratifying the voter with incentives, stated the company. 


Thomas Cook India’s <em>Ghar Jao Vote Karo</em> campaign will extend till June 1, 2024, to encourage Indians to exercise their right to vote by flying back to their respective hometowns - where they have been registered as voters. 


As part of the campaign, the pre-election offer includes a discount of Rs. 1,000 off on return air tickets (per adult) on providing proof via any official document such as their Voter ID/ Aadhaar Card, etc. The last date of flight departure is June 1, 2024, synchronised with the last date of polling.

 
Several voting dates this year coincide with India’s summer vacation season. Hence, in its initiative to recognise and reward active participation in the electoral process, Thomas Cook India will offer a special post-voting holiday discount- for its domestic and international group tours (Rs. 3000 off on its Domestic Group Tours or Rs. 5000 off on its International Group Tours, per family). The process is simple: customers merely need to display their inked finger at any of Thomas Cook’s extensive retail outlets pan India and avail the offer. The exclusive post-voting holiday discount is valid up to July 31, 2024.

 
With many election dates falling on Mondays, Thomas Cook’s data reveals that with travel high on their consideration, Indians are likely to extend their weekends into ‘smart weekend holidays’ thus accelerating the emerging trend of ‘Election Tourism', added the company.


Abraham Alapatt, president and group head - marketing, service quality, value added services and innovation said, “With our Ghar Jao Vote Karo campaign, we want to inspire Indians to vote – especially if they need to travel to their hometowns to exercise their franchise. Our intent is two-fold - motivate Indians pre-voting to make the effort and to thank them post-voting, with a special holiday offer of a discount and a travel bag. The campaign message of Ghar Jao Vote Karo - also makes for engaging social sharing - that we believe, will not just encourage voters but also serve to amplify this important message to others as well.” 


<strong>Read More:</strong> <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/how-it-works/thomas-cook-india-foresees-continued-growth-in-leisure-travel-despite-elevated-costs-28239.htm">Thomas Cook India foresees continued growth in leisure travel despite elevated costs</a>

Thomas Cook India aims to motivate voters with its ‘Ghar Jao Vote Karo’ campaign

Shashi Sinha is a true Media Maven of India’s advertising industry and one of the key figures shaping its future, not only in terms of cultivating next-gen talent but also helping define the rules by which media companies play. Sinha is the CEO of leading media investments group IPG Mediabrands which has firms like Lodestar, Initiative and BPN, driving media planning and buying for the country’s biggest advertisers. He is also the current chairman of industry body BARC which is the Broadcast Audience Research Council. In a special candid chat with Storyboard18's editor Delshad Irani, Sinha revealed his succession plan for the first time as he shared his outlook on cultivating and fostering talent. He also shared his take on the sweeping changes disrupting advertising and the media landscape. 

Edited excerpts. 

<strong>The advertising industry is witnessing a talent bleed. What is your approach to cultivating and fostering talent?</strong> 

There are two parts to talent - quality talent and culture, and they are intertwined. Quality talent is how you compensate and the truth of the matter is that compensation in agencies is under pressure right now. We're competing with ourselves and we're undercutting each other. As a result you're not able to get the right talent and pay them well and retain them. The industry association led by PK (Prasanth Kumar of GroupM) has realised that and we are moving towards asking for what is rightfully ours from clients, and clients will also give, if you explain to them this is what it takes to have quality talent. But that's a long haul. 

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">In a special episode of Media Dialogues With <a href="https://twitter.com/BrandStoryboard?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BrandStoryboard</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/delshad_irani?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@delshad_irani</a> speaks to a true Media Maven Shashi Sinha, CEO of <a href="https://twitter.com/IPG_Mediabrands?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@IPG_Mediabrands</a> &amp; the current chairman of industry body BARC. <br><br>Sinha shares his outlook while giving his take on the sweeping changes disrupting AdEx… <a href="https://t.co/WxFKjsSEj4">pic.twitter.com/WxFKjsSEj4</a></p>&mdash; CNBC-TV18 (@CNBCTV18News) <a href="https://twitter.com/CNBCTV18News/status/1785655206476128531?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 1, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<strong>What are some of the steps?</strong> 

We undercut ourselves. We say, "Listen, I will give it to you cheaper." How do you get cheaper?... So, we are saying that there has to be some table stakes and you don't go below table stakes. We're working on it. But the other important part is culture. 

We have leaders who have been with us for years. The culture fosters it. Given half a chance I will promote a person from inside rather than get someone from outside. 

They play together, they work together, you're building teams, and that's true for the entire organisation. We were in a very large client review and we put up a slide saying in the last five years, 95% of the people on the account have been constant. So the team has gone up on that account from 40 to 80. But the old people are not gone, they're still there. That's a remarkable story to tell in this day and age.

Someone could have said 'but you're not getting fresh thinking'. I say the fresh thinking is there because there are new people coming on, but the leadership has been there, and that provides continuity. So there are two ways of looking at the data. 

Rightly or wrongly, as I said,  in my mind, I will always pick up an insider whether they are 80 or 70 percent ready rather than someone from outside. There are some clients who believe that and some who don't. Many clients like Amul see the value in such continuity. They've had changes from their side, we've had changes from our side, but they are all insiders and we're all insiders. To some clients (like startups) it doesn't matter. 

It's a large market. Those who believe in what I am staying will work with us.  

<strong>What do you think of succession planning? Have you thought about it?</strong> 

Without getting into names, I did speak to our global team and I said, it is for you to decide but this is the way I see it. We have charted out a future and I have said 'there has to be someone from within, you let me know and I am happy to handle the transition'. Hopefully, if all goes well, we will come back to you and talk about it. We have a plan. Whether the plan fructifies or not, depends on how the global environment is. 

<strong>Watch the full interview on Media Dialogues with Storyboard18 on CNBC-TV18.</strong> 

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MEjchrHpTlE?si=M9LZZihdoMxWQFAw" 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>

<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/interviews/barc-to-launch-new-meters-to-measure-premium-households-exclusive-29269.htm">Read more: BARC to launch new meters to measure premium households: EXCLUSIVE</a>

<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-makers/ipg-mediabrands-india-ceo-shashi-sinha-is-considered-a-pillar-of-the-ad-industry-heres-why-18238.htm">Read more: IPG Mediabrands India CEO Shashi Sinha is considered a pillar of the ad industry. Here’s why</a>

<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/interviews/d2m-will-be-the-upi-moment-for-content-shashi-sinhas-snap-take-on-me-growth-and-disruptions-26473.htm">Read more: D2M will be the UPI moment for content: Shashi Sinha's snap take on M&E growth and disruptions</a>

Kartikeya Tiwari, national creative director and senior vice president, FCB Kinnect, spent most of his working years in digital marketing agencies. From his observation and experience, the process of pitching has become way more process driven.

Earlier, agencies would be invited by the client’s brand team or by the pitch consultants. Today, it’s the client’s procurement department that sends out an RFP (request for proposal).

Agencies consider whether there’s enough money in the deal, whether they’d like to work with the brand, whether they have enough bandwidth in terms of people, etc., before they decide to pitch.

After the agency accepts the invitation, the next step is aligning the procurement team (of the brand) with a business development person (of the agency). The discussion ranges around budgets and costs. Then comes the briefing, where the marketing team explains the business problem that needs to be solved, and what they are seeking from the agency.

After the briefing session is done, the first round of "a tissue-paper session" is conducted, which is basically bouncing off of ideas. In an interview, Tiwari explained that though a very new concept, it’s not compulsory, and is asked by new-age clients who are running short of time to risk later. “It is conducted so that the output is very close to what they want to actually execute and not something just meant to impress them,” he said.

<em>Edited excerpts:</em>

<strong>This is the season of pitching. I was told that once the agencies accept the brand’s invitation, the first two days go in showcasing their portfolio. What is your take on this?</strong> 

The showcase of portfolio by brands happens at the RFP stage. And, based on the portfolio, the agencies get invited.

For example, some companies have a mandate that we need agencies that have at least 10 years of experience. So they look at everyone's portfolio and they will eliminate everyone with under 10 years’ experience.  

There is no fixed way of pitching. It varies from company to company. In new-age startups or mid-scale agencies, agencies go and introduce yourselves to the brand. For example, “Hi, we are FCB Kinnect. We are 13 years old. These are the kinds of brands we work with. Let us show you a few case studies of our work.” 

Sometimes in the case of bigger brands, they have already seen the work of the agencies, based on which they send out the invitation. But we still need to introduce ourselves. They might say, “We've seen this piece of work. Let's continue ahead.” Then they want to know other things like: “How big is your team? How many offices do you have?” Some may ask, “How much is your annual turnover?”  To which the CEOs say, “We can't disclose that to you.” But it often gets asked.  

Questions like “What's your attrition?” are also asked, and these days we are getting asked that question a lot. So, these questions do get asked at the introduction stage. Then we get the brief, which can be a written document. We always insist on a meeting, where we can ask them questions as well.

Then we get time to brainstorm, ideate, think of solutions, think of a creative route, make that into a campaign or a long=term strategy or a plan. 

<strong>Could you also touch upon the ‘tissue session’ in detail?</strong>

Before we create assets which is effort and time-intensive, we sometimes would like to do a tissue session with a client, or sometimes clients ask for a tissue session. This is just to make sure that when we meet the brand after one month or three weeks, it is in alignment with their expectations.

Then they will either sign off by saying yes, no or maybe and these are things one could think about. 

<strong>What is the duration of a creative pitch?</strong>

It depends on how big the mandate is and it is subjective. Sometimes, brands have two to three sub-brands with two to three mandates. Brands want to see how they will work for this brand, and how they will scale this brand. Preparation time can last for two to three weeks or sometimes a month. Again, it is subjective.

It depends on: How urgently does the client need it? How quickly can an agency turn around? If an agency is caught up during the peak advertising period, and if the brand asks for a pitch today and says, “Come up next week.” We'll say, “We can't. Sorry, we are very busy. We can come back in two weeks.” If that doesn't work, we will step out of this. 

Remember, I had said they filter, then they approach. To say yes, agencies need to consider: Do I want that business? Is this the kind of brand we want to work with? Do we have the bandwidth of people and do we need to take up more work right now?

<strong>If an agency loses the pitch, what are the steps to be considered to prevent ‘idea shopping’?</strong>

Sometimes idea shopping happens. And some agencies charge because of that, and some ask for an NDA (non-disclosure agreement). Brands send an NDA when they share the brief with the agency. 

Sometimes the clients love the ideas shared by us, but issues like finances and timelines not aligning usually crop up, among a list of other reasons, like the desire for a different execution, etc.

In that case, they pay us for conceptualisation, whereas, they make a deal for the execution part with another agency. 

In that case, they pay us for conceptualisation. And they execute it with someone else and then pay them for execution. 

<strong>Could you touch upon Round 1 and Round 2 of the pitching process?</strong>

In the case of a global company, an MNC or a government brand, they seek a long-term relationship. Then, they'll have two to three rounds of a pitch. In the first round they have 10 agencies. Based on the first round of presentations, they will eliminate some and come to the second round of smaller agencies who will pitch. Then, they will select the winner, which is based on the quality of work, the kind of people they met. That's a very big factor.

Third is the money factor. For some brands, money is the most important thing. Their decisions are taken based on who is within their budget.

Some brands are like, “We have enough money, we want to work with the best.”  So they will negotiate with the best. 

Then, maybe they will give the agency feedback. They will go back, make the changes and come back for Round 2. Hopefully there is no Round 3. Or after Round 2, maybe they say, “We have shortlisted you and one more.”

Then the negotiations happen after Round 1. Now, it's about cost, people and commitment. Then they negotiate on price with the finalists. Then they declare one as the winner, and the mandate is awarded.

It's a long process. Keeping oneself motivated during this period is tough. Maybe after three rounds of pitches, or after one and a half to two months, the brand may say no. In fact, for the creative and strategy and art departments, you literally put a chunk of your life into that pitch. You get attached to it emotionally. Creative work is emotional. 

<strong>What was your first pitch at FCB Kinnect? </strong>

I was a one-man army, doing everything, right from making the presentations and follow-up calls, to fulfilling certain other tasks. 

I remember telling everybody “Just believe, we'll figure it out." And it happened. We did the first creative campaign for them, and it was a big one for us at that time.

The learning for me was that we often think it's about the work, and the presentation we are going to do. But the learning is about way more than just that.  

<strong>What are the pain points when it comes to pitching?</strong>

Number one, sometimes I feel the reason for not finalising with an agency is the brand not giving an honest reason. Imagine, you've done a pitch for three rounds or two rounds. And you can sense that they love the work that you've presented. They have been discussing it with you even after the pitch. And then, they start negotiating with you. And if you've quoted X, they tell you, “We have 50 percent of X in the budget.” Then, they award the mandate to another agency. It's clear, that's why they went for that. They just can't say that openly.  

The other reasons are also like, one person has an ego problem with a superior, and are not awarding the mandate for that. But they can't say that honestly. And they will engage with an agency for two months on their pitch process.

So my biggest pain is not winning despite having all the ingredients to win.

A second pain point is multiple rounds of pitches. I know what the pitch process does to you. It leaves you exhausted mentally, physically, and emotionally. It's an energy-, time- and emotion-consuming task. 

Sometimes clients change the brief between round one and round two. Then it gets difficult. Let's say in round one, they've told the agency to come up with a broad digital strategy for the brand. So the agency works on a very detailed plan of what their next one year should look like as a brand. The agency has pitched for round one, and they qualified them for round two. And now a new brief comes in. You feel like you have put a lot of energy into something that is not useful at all. 

The work in the pitches never actually gets realised. It is something that never really happens. Now, <em>“Jo hum pitch karte hain, wo asli mein campaign banti hain. Aur hum wahi pitch karna chahte hain."</em> <em>(What campaign we have pitched, and if we win the mandate, that is the actual campaign that sees the day of light. And, we want to pitch that)</em>

We don't want to pitch what will never see the light of day. We would prefer brands to give us a brief for something that is a real problem, and if we win, we would execute what we have pitched. And that's what has started happening in the last few years.

<strong>How different is the pitching process for startups compared to established brands?</strong>

Some of the big brands now also include a pitch consultant. Their job is to just make sure that there's no bias in this process. What info was given to A agency must be given to B agency. 

We work with Amazon also, and we don't pitch to them because now we've worked with them for the last six years. But they're very proper about processes. While at a startup, the founder might be sharing his business problems while taking a walk with you. That's the difference. The involvement is way more casual and way more informal. In the case of established brands, it's much more structured.

<strong>Who are your longstanding clients?</strong>

Our longstanding clients are Asian Paints, HDFC Bank, Amazon and Lodha Group, among others.


<strong>Read More:</strong> <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/advertising/perfecting-the-pitch-for-ad-agencies-brands-and-consumers-28653.htm">Who are advertising 'pitch consultants' and what do they actually bring to the pitch table?</a> 
 

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