ITC's Minakshi Handa: There is a need to embed Generative AI in early stages of creative journey

Zee-Sony merger to take place by December this year

“We will scale our organics portfolio in a short time”: Amul’s Jayen Mehta

Sanjay Dutt and Arshad Warsi reprise their roles as Munna Bhai and Circuit in Acko's latest ad campaign

Watch out Ajay Gupte and Amin Lakhani, says EssenceMediacom CEO Naveen Khemka

Introducing ‘The Visionaries’: The highest honour for the brightest and most innovative marketing minds in India

In Conversation With Raja Rajamannar, Mastercard

Shahid Kapoor And Varun Ganjoo Speaks On PokerBaazi's Campaign

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

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

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

Experts' Take On Reinvention Of Ad Campaigns Through Technology

Experts Speak On Key Emerging Trends In Cannes Lions Entries

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

In conversation with VMLY&R’s Hari Ramanathan

Sunil Kataria, who is the chief executive officer - Raymond Lifestyle (India and International) has been elected as the chairman of Indian Society of Advertisers (ISA) for the year 2023-2024.


The other members who are a part of the executive council are Narendra Ambwani, director, Agro Tech Foods; Bharat V. Patel, advisor to BIC Cello (India); Paulomi Dhawan, independent director, Whistling Woods International; Anuj Poddar, managing director and chief executive officer, Bajaj Electricals;  Angshu Mallick, managing director and CEO, Adani Wilmar; Subhadip Dutta Choudhury, chairman of the Board of Directors and CEO, Hawkins Cookers; Srinandan Sundaram, executive director, food and refreshment, management committee member for Hindustan Unilever; Ramakrishnan Ramamurthi, advisor, J. K. Enterprises.


The list continues: Shashank Srivastava, senior executive director (marketing and sales), Maruti Suzuki India; Chandru Kalro, managing director, TTK Prestige; Tarun G. Arora, chief executive officer and whole time director, Zydus Wellness; Ashwin Moorthy, chief marketing Oofficer, Godrej consumer products; Gaurav Tayal, SBU chief executive – matches and agarbatti business, ITC; Somasree Bose Awasthi, chief marketing officer, Marico; Gunjit Jain, executive vice president – marketing, Colgate-Palmolive (India); Adrian Terron, VP – corporate brand and marketing strategy, TATA Sons; and Ranjani Krishnaswamy, general manager - Tanishq marketing, Titan Company.

Raymond’s Sunil Kataria re-elected as chairman of ISA

The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) announced the appointment of Saugata Gupta, the managing director and chief executive officer of Marico Limited, as the new chairman of the ASCI Board of Governors. Gupta's association with ASCI spans several years; two years on the Board of Governors and four years as a special invitee on the Board of Governors.


Partha Sinha, president, response, Bennett Coleman & Company Limited, was elected vice chairman, and Sudhanshu Vats, deputy managing director, Pidilite Industries, was appointed honorary treasurer.


In his role as ASCI's new chairman, Gupta sharing his vision, stated, "Leading ASCI at this juncture is a privilege. We are in the midst of an extraordinary opportunity to reimagine what responsible advertising means and how consumers need protection in the digital age. ASCI is at the very forefront of this effort as it collaboratively shapes the industry."


He added, "With the advent of the ASCI Academy, we are active architects shaping a more responsible future. Our mission is to instil the principles of self-regulation into the very heart of the creative process. I eagerly look to take further the ambition we have drawn for ourselves. With the support of my board colleagues and ASCI's exceptional team, we are all set to raise the standards of responsible advertising."

Recalling his tenure at ASCI, the outgoing chairman, NS Rajan said, "Leading ASCI over the past year has been an immensely fulfilling journey. I am proud that, as a collective team, we have strengthened our abilities to be ready for the future. The launch of the ASCI Academy is a significant event that I am sure will yield positive results. In an environment of rapid technological advancements and shifting consumer expectations, ASCI has remained agile and forward-thinking. The complaints management part is now highly streamlined and efficient, and we are developing significant expertise in digital monitoring. 


He further stated, "I have no doubt that Team ASCI will continue to shape policies, drive innovation, and champion causes that are not only important to the industry but also to our society at large.”




Marico’s MD Saugata Gupta named ASCI chairman

Ahead of the ICC Cricket World Cup, Pernod Ricard India-owned brand Seagram's Royal Stag has launched an immersive AI-led fan experience. It’s a piece for the brand’s packaged drinking water. The campaign features cricketers Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah and Surya Kumar Yadav. Royal Stag is an associate partner for all ICC or International Cricket Council events.



The fan experience called “A Billion Films for a Billion Fans” has been curated keeping simplicity at its core. With selfies and voice samples coupled with the power of regenerative AI or AI systems that use feedback to continuously learn and adapt, the brand will use machine learning to create a platform that will enable fans to feature themselves as part of the Royal Stag Live It Large star cast and can create a personalised edit of the film. Face-mirroring algorithms will map the unique facial features of fans onto the characters in the main film. 


The campaign will be amplified through a high-decibel 360-degree plan spread across digital, print, radio and OOH or out of home. The brand has conceptualised the campaign in association with creative agency FCB India, digital agency Dentsu India, technology partner Artizens Events, and experiential solutions and media partner Wavemaker.



According to Kartik Mohindra, chief marketing officer, Pernod Ricard India, AI is only going to make marketing immersive and personalised more than ever before. He adds, “It’s a new tool of engagement that is evolving rapidly. Probably the only thing that it is giving jitters to marketers is to keep pace with it. We have been experimenting with AI for a while and we think it has become the tool that integrates our marketing activities in a much more efficient way.”


Mohindra, says AI gives brands like Royal Stag and others in Pernod Ricard India’s portfolio the opportunity to engage with consumers differently. Though user-generated content (UGC) is a wide concept, companies like Pernod Ricard India are using it because there is a certain level of brand love coming its way. Mohindra explains, “With UGC, a brand has very little control on the content. That makes it authentic. In our new piece of communication, we are also adding the layer of celebrity engagement that will elevate the campaign. It’s a combination of UGC and brand content with AI at the centre.”


The brand has been using celebrities in marketing communication strategies since 2000. “We have always made sure that our brand is at the core of the communication and the celebrities we partner with don’t overshadow that aspect,” says Mohindra.


Earlier this year, Royal Stag Packaged Drinking Water launched a theme song with actor Ranveer Singh. Now, after the World Cup campaign, the brand is planning to roll the second edition of its on-ground music IP Royal Stag Boombox. The music property is a multi-city concert event that plans to go to not just metro markets but also smart cities. “India is no longer about metros. The defining youth of today are coming from smaller cities. If you are a pan-India brand, you have to capture the sentiments of all the markets. With Royal Stag Boombox we plan to get that in order,” concludes Mohindra.



<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/jNNlztUUkTg?si=eUi173ywklifweB1" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Seagram's Royal Stag infuses AI in new campaign featuring Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Surya Kumar Yadav

Festive season is always a time of excitement for people to not just cherish blissful moments with their loved ones but to also shop to their heart's content. The festive period also marks the time when brands deep dive to strike a chord with the audience through their offerings and campaigns.

 

Meesho, the online shopping app, has unveiled the Diwali campaign ‘Mega Blockbuster 2023’, in an attempt to create preference for the platform and instill confidence that they will provide the best deals, says Nilesh Gupta, senior director - growth, Meesho.

 

Conceptualised by Moonshot, the commercial features actors Pooja Hegde and Kapil Sharma, with the aim of giving access to buyers to have quality products at the best rate. 

 

Speaking of the genesis, Gupta mentions how they got into consumer research and understanding the preferences of the buyers during this period. “I'm glad with the kind of work the team did over the last two – two-and-a-half months. I think there were maybe 10, 15 or more focus group discussions, individual customer interviews, wherein the team tried to understand what is the user's mental model.”

 

The research revealed some insights. For example, the festive period is the time when they are happy to shop for themselves and their family. This was followed by another insight, that a lot of people have some kind of disbelief on the discounts that are on offer, both online and offline, said Gupta.

 

Gupta explains that people witness 80 percent-90 percent off, but since a lot of consumers are tech savvy, they know that sometimes prices get jacked up and a very deep discount is shown on top of it.

 

Since Meesho is a low price app, and not in the business of deep discounting, that became their core insight to provide the best price for users. “And how do we bring that out in a quirky way is what became the foundation,” says Gupta.


<strong>Evolving target audience</strong>

 

From 2020-2021, women were the target audience of the platform. But since July 2021, the platform has been a horizontal e-commerce app where their target has been both men and women. From a share of incoming users also, there is a 50-50 mix of men and women. And, in terms of city tiers, a very healthy share is coming from metro tier one cities. “Whether people were new to e-commerce or not, there was a 30-40 percent app open jump,” states Gupta.

 

<strong>Media and marketing mix</strong>

 

Gupta entered the world of Meesho in 2021, which was then a very ‘women-centric’ or ‘women-focused’ platform. Since the platform’s target was the digital medium, television went unseen. But as the platform, which was very performance-marketing heavy, became horizontal, the focus on television was brought in. “Television and branding in general has been very instrumental in increasing our top-of-mind awareness. I think it's a very good balance between branding, performance marketing and some newer areas like influencers,” says Gupta.

Speaking of their media mix, television and digital are their two strongest pillars. This is followed by them making good use of WhatsApp and their website. But this year, their focus is not on print.

 
The reason for this, Gupta claims, is to be more from the return–on–investment maximisation point of view followed by the clutter seen in the print space. 

 

<strong>Power of influencer marketing</strong>

 

From 2019-2022, Meesho invested heavily into influencer marketing. Gupta added that on YouTube, every month, the reach of #meeshohaul is worth upwards of 300 million. “So, we are reaching a substantial proportion of the YouTube audience purely from #meeshohaul videos. And more than 90 percent - 95 percent of them are all organic,” he states.

 

The senior director of Meesho explains that in the first two to three years, the platform partnered with influencers to create #meeshohaul trend and property. Gupta adds, “A lot of nano creators start making a lot of content on it to grow their channels. And, that's been a big plus point for us.”

 

<strong>Meesho Mall: Genesis and Goals</strong>

 

With the emergence of a variety of brands in different spheres catering to various needs, the authenticity of the brand and assurance stemming from it plays a vital role in the minds of the consumers. As Gupta puts it, there are a lot of regional and some national brands that keep coming out strongly as a need for their users. 

 

This led to Meesho paying attention to the search trends on their platform. They understood that these are some of the things that users are on the lookout for. Hence, they spoke to the users, began working with brands last year to try and slowly create the right product market fit for brands and how they should succeed on their Meesho app. 

 

Today, around 400 brands are working on Meesho Mall, covering categories like beauty and personal care, footwear, electronics, accessories, and a little bit of fashion.

 

<strong>2022 v/s 2023: What is different in the festive campaigns</strong>

 

In 2022, Meesho launched a festive sale campaign which featured well-known personalities like Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone, Rohit Sharma, Rashmika Mandanna, Kapil Sharma, Trisha Krishnan, Karthi Sivakumar, Ram Charan and Sourav Ganguly.

 

When Storyboard18 connected with Meesho’s Megha Agarwal, CXO, Growth, last year, she mentioned that the genesis of the campaign stemmed from their mission statement which was to democratise internet commerce both from the perspective of suppliers and users.

 

Gupta added to this. “I think last year was very grand for us because we were working with almost nine pan India celebs and there was a lot of buzz. And we wanted to truly showcase the grandeur of the festive season and in a way, bring out the scale of Meesho,” he said. 

 

“For a lot of us, despite Meesho doing the kind of staggering order volumes it does, a lot of people didn't know how big it was. And that's what a lot of big A-league celebs actually help in bringing out. So that was the key job last year and hence we needed that kind of an army,” he adds.

 

This year, from January to June 2023, the e-commerce platform recorded $400 million in revenue, a media report states. Gupta noted that when it comes to categories, ethnic wear grabs maximum attention and the uptake is little bit higher. Thus, he highlights that in this festive sale, his goal is to get users to check Meesho before any purchase. He is confident that they will be elated with the best deals the platform would offer.

 
 <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/hJUVfm8srBs?si=mwq7R08uqmltzLOy" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Meesho not in the business of deep discounting, focus on low cost app, says Nilesh Gupta

Prasoon Pandey and Piyush Pandey, the brother duo are the makers of India’s most iconic ad playlist. They are best known for the commercials made for adhesive company Pidilite, among other consumer brands in the country. The duo was the first Asians to pick up the Lion of St. Mark, an award for a lifetime of services to creativity in communications, at Cannes Lions 2018.


As Pandey is stepping into an advisory role and giving up his position as executive chairman of Ogilvy India, Storyboard18 caught up with his brother, to understand what makes Piyush Pandey an incredible brother, leader, and human being.


Edited excerpts.


<strong>Did you get into advertising because of Piyush?</strong>


Piyush got into advertising when I was at the National Institute of Design (NID). When I was in my third year I wasn’t sure what I wanted to take up as a career. I used to hear him talk about the work he was doing and that made me inquisitive. I remember Piyush was working on a Sunlight ad campaign and he asked me if I had any ideas. That made me super excited about this industry. It was a turning point for me. So, yes, you can say in a way he is responsible for why I am in the business.


<strong>Which was the first campaign that the both of you jammed together?</strong>

 
It was ‘One Black Coffee Please’ ad for Ericsson (This commercial got India its first Cannes Lion, in 1996). What makes it special is that it was not for Ogilvy but for Enterprise. Rajiv Agarwal, who was the managing director of Enterprise Nexus then, called me and shared some ideas. I wasn’t too happy with those, and decided to write the script. Piyush and I were at my mother’s place. We weren’t allowed to drink at home. Often we would go out to a friend’s hotel nearby called Narayan Niwas. The both of us jammed on various ideas in the middle of the day over beers. ‘One Black Coffee Please’ was one such piece of work where the two of us intensely discussed and the idea got its green shoots. It is a great indication of the kind of man he is. He believes creativity is one universe and agencies are different branches coming out of it. If there is a good creative exercise he always wants to help.

 
<strong>Your favourite campaign with Piyush?</strong>

 
The SBI Life ad, it will always be special because it was inspired by a real-life incident. Both of us were visiting my mother for her birthday. We got her a pair of earrings. She was overwhelmed and said it was not her age to wear diamonds. That’s when Piyush said, ‘heere ko kya patha teri umar’. Piyush’s work is exactly like his personality. Everyone talks about how he has an incredible mind, but I often tell people what an incredible heart he has. He thrives on relationships. A lot of his work is about the joy of being together.


<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/YvO6KmhyXF0?si=uXHnLt_7x3NpKqdG" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>


<strong>What according to you makes Piyush’s innings in advertising the best in the country?</strong>

 
The kind of human being he is sets him apart. We all know that he is brilliant with his ideas, what makes him special is he values the relationships he builds, and that reflects in the teams he leads. He not only protects them, he nurtures them and takes care of them.


<strong>What’s the best advice that Piyush has given you as a brother and as someone who he has worked closely with over the years?</strong>


He always tells me, think from your heart, don’t chase money. If you do something from your heart, money will anyway follow. He has also told me don’t say no to a job if you think you will not be able to make time for it and make a 100 on 100 on it. It’s about building relationships and trust. For instance, Sachin Tendulkar will always be remembered for his centuries but he has also made great 60s and 70s.

 
<strong>What impresses you about Ogilvy’s current leadership team?</strong> 


They have been in the business for a really long time. Piyush has always maintained that if these guys weren’t brilliant they wouldn’t be here. He says the problem of being the face of Ogilvy is that people often think all great work done by the agency is done by him, and that’s not true at all. He always acknowledges and gives due credit to his team.


<strong>Read more: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-makers/piyush-pandey-steps-into-an-advisory-role-at-ogilvy-signalling-the-end-of-an-era-14794.htm">Piyush Pandey and Ogilvy: A look back at Indian advertising’s greatest innings</a></strong>



Best advice Piyush Pandey has given to his brother Prasoon Pandey

At a time when client-agency relationships are vendor-zoned in the advertising business, there are still partnerships that tell a different story. Ogilvy’s Piyush Pandey is one of the few creative professionals who is known for maintaining rock solid bonds with his clients. As Pandey is stepping into an advisory role and giving up his position as executive chairman of Ogilvy India, Storyboard18 caught up with Pidilite’s (makers of Fevicol, Fevikwik) managing director Bharat Puri to understand what makes their bond an unbreakable one.

Pandey and Puri have worked together for 36 years on some of India’s most loved brands like Asian Paints, Cadbury and Fevicol. Here’s what Puri had to say about his long-term partner-in-crime Pandey. 


Edited excerpts.

 
<strong>Do you recall your first meeting with Piyush?</strong>


Of course. I was a young marketing manager at Asian Paints. It was the time when English was still the primary language used for advertising. We wanted to change that because mass media had just started to take off. We decided to advertise in local languages, and wanted to start with Hindi.


Those days the practice was that agencies would present the ideas and copies in English and later after approvals would translate them. Ogilvy presented an idea around the lines ‘Celebrate with Asian Paints’, which we really liked, and asked the agency to get a Hindi translation. They came up with the tagline, ‘Asian Paints ke saath jashan manaye’. It didn't work out at all for us. 


<strong>Read more:</strong> <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-makers/best-advice-piyush-pandey-has-given-to-his-brother-prasoon-pandey-14931.htm">Best advice Piyush Pandey has given to his brother Prasoon Pandey </a>


I asked Madhukar (Sabnavis) who was the account manager to get a good Hindi copywriter for us. He got Piyush, who was then the Hindi copy chief of the agency, to our office. He had a chat with me and called me the very next morning and said, “Crack hogaya, partner.” That’s how we got the line, ‘Har khushi mein rang laye, Asian Paints’. I told Madhukar that I want this guy on the account. And rest is history. I think the two of us have the longest agency-client relationship in the country. We have worked together for 36 years.

 
<strong>What has not changed about him from then to now?</strong>


Piyush’s passion and childlike enthusiasm has never changed. I think he is always going to be like that. In the days of landline phones, he used to have a deadly habit of calling me early in the morning while having his cup of tea just to discuss ideas that he would wake up with. His energy for work hasn’t changed even a bit.

 
<strong>What’s the best advice that Piyush has given you as a friend and as a client of his?</strong>


Both of us are cricket enthusiasts. As someone who has maintained solid client relationships over the years, he often…tells me, “At times as partners we would hit a century and sometimes we may get out at zero. If we are not ourselves and not make our strokes, then we will only play safe. So take your chances, we are right with you.” He has taught me how I should be playing on the front foot and how I should push the envelope and do better. 


<strong>Read more:</strong> <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-makers/they-are-happy-that-im-not-going-away-to-the-himalayas-ogilvys-piyush-pandey-14823.htm">They are happy that I'm not going away to the Himalayas: Ogilvy's Piyush Pandey</a> 

 
<strong>As a client who has worked with him over the several years, what makes Piyush’s pitches convincing even today?</strong>


Piyush owns the brand he works with. He doesn’t enter a pitch room just to present ideas. He takes ownership and that sets him apart. When the Cadbury’s worm controversy broke, Piyush used to come into our office every day to be with us and come up with ideas. Piyush is not in the business of selling idea, he is in the advertising business for his pure passion.


<strong>Read more:</strong> <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-makers/piyush-pandey-steps-into-an-advisory-role-at-ogilvy-signalling-the-end-of-an-era-14794.htm">Piyush Pandey and Ogilvy: A look back at Indian advertising’s greatest innings</a> 

 
<strong>What impresses you about Ogilvy’s current leadership team?</strong>


They are people who I have known for years now. The only difference is that have newer designations. They have a sense of the history of the agency. They may have become leaders in the last few years, but each of them have behaved like a leader since they entered the agency. Ogilvy India is an agency that truly knows to home-grow its talent.


<strong>Show reel – Some of the iconic ads Puri and Pandey have worked on together</strong>


<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/EmYz_whcnv4?si=KXethfaMwcrwbhGM" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>


<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/DK3FCkf8xZA?si=vh19N2Z_ZYthZHE1" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>


<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CTDqVnd7zXw?si=UzFbox-Sx_1RFzoq" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Why Ogilvy’s Piyush Pandey and Pidilite’s Bharat Puri have an unbreakable bond

Avinash Pandey, CEO of ABP Network, was re-elected as the President of the India Chapter of the IAA (International Advertising Association) during the Annual General Meeting held on September 27.


The AGM also saw the unanimous selection of the following members to key positions: Abhishek Karnani (President, Free Press Journal Group) as Vice President, Nandini Dias (Independent Advisor) as Honorary Secretary, and Jaideep Gandhi (Founder, Another Idea) as Honorary Treasurer. Five members were elected as voting members, including Srinivasan K Swamy (Chairman & Managing Director, R K Swamy Ltd), M.V. Shreyams Kumar (Managing Director, Mathrubhumi Printing & Publishing Co Ltd), Prasanth Kumar (CEO-South Asia, GroupM), Anant Goenka (Executive Director, The Indian Express Pvt Ltd), and Janak Sarda (Director, Blue Logic Systems).

 
Pandey said, “The India Chapter of the IAA is arguably the most active industry Association of its kind in the country. Its initiatives cover a wide spectrum of areas including saluting excellence in Marketing, Creativity and communicating Sustainability. In the year gone by, we also started Tech Pulse to cater to the growing digital market"

IAA India AGM and Elections: Avinash Pandey, Abhishek Karnani, Nandini Dias, Jaideep Gandhi elected

Cadbury Gems has launched a new campaign with Bollywood actor - Tiger Shroff. As a part of this campaign, the brand has created a microsite – www.cadburygems.in which allows children to create music in easy steps. All they need to do is select at least three unique Gems buttons on the screen to mix and match tunes of different genres and create a unique music track to dance to. Users who create the best tune will witness Shroff dance to their tunes. Additionally, there will be weekly winners in the campaign who can win musical instruments.

 

The Cadbury Gems #MyMastiMyMusic campaign film showcases today’s reality of children imitating and grooving to music which is not particularly appropriate for their age. It goes on to show a bunch of ‘Gems Kids’ who stop the inappropriate music and instead nudges the viewer to log on to cadburygems.in and create their own music which is suitable for children. It concludes with the announcement of Shroff dancing to the best tunes created by children.

 

Nitin Saini, vice president, marketing, Mondelez India said, “Cadbury Gems has always been about bringing that child-like masti and excitement to life for all. However, as a brand, we couldn’t ignore that there was not enough music for children to express their happiness and for them to dance to. Leading to conceptualization of #MyMastiMyMusic, which also addresses our brand’s larger objective to empower children to express themselves, be creative and embrace their colourful imagination. Through this innovative initiative, we hope to continue spreading joy, one musical note at a time.”

 

Shroff, talking about this new association, said. “I’m so excited to be a part of the Cadbury Gems family! Cadbury Gems is such an iconic brand and always reminds me to have a little fun. I am elated to be associated with them to bring this fun and unique campaign for children everywhere encouraging them to bring out their creative side through music.”

 

Sukesh Nayak, chief creative officer, Ogilvy India said, “Today’s kids are exposed to music across genres. And they enjoy it without an understanding of what it means. But is it appropriate for them? It’s no fun to watch kids groove and dance to songs meant for adults. I am delighted to be partnering with Cadbury Gems to introduce a digital platform that not only addresses this problem, but also empowers children to create their own music to dance to.”

 

Cadbury Gems collaborated with the musical director, Sameer Uddin.



<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/C9r4nSUNxt4?si=JSB1ajK1Go1xRrmf" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Cadbury Gems rolls out #MyMastiMyMusic campaign; shows music creation in easy steps

BBDO has released key insights from the latest study on Brand Purpose in Asia, which was carried out under the agency’s BBDO Voices insights program by the agency's Asia team. The study explores the relevance and impact of using brand purpose as an approach to brand positioning and uncovers important by-country nuances that marketers in the region need to navigate to build their brands successfully across markets in the region.

BBDO Voices, now celebrating its 13th year, has provided insights to brand marketers, planners, and creatives in China. This latest study marks the expansion of the program’s coverage to also include other key Asian markets such as South Korea, Japan, Thailand, the Philippines, and India. 
TzeKiat Tan, CEO-BBDO Asia, highlights the pivotal role of India in the Asian brand landscape, owing to its rapid population growth and dynamic market. She stated, "India holds great significance for us, and in a market as dynamic as this, it's essential for brands to embrace diverse cultures and consumer perspectives for success. The insights from this study provide us with valuable knowledge to building a strong brand presence in markets like India."

Suraja Kishore, CEO-BBDO India, adds, “The report is revealing in the fact that unlike in developed nations, in developing countries like India people expect brands to go beyond selling. Indian consumers want brands and companies to do their best for the ecosystem they deal in, e.g. if you are an automobile brand then consumers expect you to also look at how can you improve the quality of roads, or how can you enhance safety on the roads or clean toilets on the highway. We believe that brands can have a meaningful impact on society and culture. BBDO Voices will further help marketers, brands and companies build effective purpose-driven brand narratives beyond their own gain when wanting to connect with consumers in India.”

Speaking about BBDO Voices, Josy Paul, chairman and chief creative officer, BBDO India, said “People are looking for meaning not brands. By combining the quantitative data and intelligence of BBDO Voices with the emotional data and deep listening understanding of BBDO India, we can deliver greater connection, conversation and conversion for brands.”

According to BBDO Asia's latest report, Asian consumers actively seek brands that align with their values and address critical societal topics, such as Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I), and women empowerment.  

Among the four major trends identified to watch are:

<strong>Climate change to likely speed up the importance of brand purpose:</strong> Environment and sustainability issues are the leading social topic Asian consumers want brands to champion the most today. As the effects of global warming intensifies, more consumers will look to brands to embrace a sense of urgency and be part of the solution rather than the problem. When this happens, brand purpose will significantly impact brand and customer relations much more than now.

<strong>Brand purpose will become de rigueur for marketers as Gen Z Asian consumers come of age and take over society: </strong>While traditional mindsets and narratives still persist in the region, those under 25 demonstrate progressive voices on issues like LGBT+ acceptance and advocacy. They will expect brands to be their voice, and brands that do not stand for a social purpose will lose social currency.

<strong>Brands will increasingly have the same accountability as quasi-government bodies:</strong> This is especially true in the developing regions of Asia where consumers are 20 percent to 40 percent more likely to have sought out brands due to its perceived impact on society. Here, citizens expect brands to step up and fill gaps which public governance systems often cannot. In this sense, consumers in developing parts of Asia will continue to expect brands to embrace the same agenda as governments.

<strong>Brand purpose in Asian will have Asian characteristics:</strong> Brand purpose in Asia can never exist in a vacuum. Among those who bought a purpose brand within the three months prior to the survey, 6 out of 10 also bought it for its functional characteristics. To be relevant to the region’s consumers, a brand purpose narrative will always need to be rooted in what the product or service is supposed to functionally deliver. It also needs to be supplemented by rational/functional content along the customer journey.




Asian consumers are serious about brand purpose: BBDO

As Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Maharashtra gear up for the assembly election due in these states, the campaign landscape is witnessing a surge in Meta and Google ad spending. Madhya -related political content topped the spenders’ list on both platforms in the last 30 days.



The official page of the chief minister of Madhya Pradesh, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, has emerged as the highest spender on Meta. As per Meta Ad Library, over the past 30 days, this page has invested approximately Rs 78.9 lakh in running 23 ads related to social issues, elections or politics. As per Google’s Ad Transparency Centre, the Directorate of Public Relations, Madhya Pradesh, has spent Rs 1.49 crore.


Between August 24 and September 22, Madhya Pradesh has maintained its position as the leading spender on Meta, with an expenditure of nearly Rs 2.28 crore. On Google, the spending in the last 30 days was about Rs 2. 80 crore.



Overall, on Google ads, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) accounted for advertising expenditure of Rs 80 lakh, followed by Department of Information and Public Relations (DIPR), with about Rs 18.5 lakh approximately.


On Meta, after Chouhan's official page, the next largest spender has been Jansampark Madhya Pradesh, the official handle of the state’s PR department, with an investment of approximately Rs 57 lakh. The remaining top five spenders include DIPR, Rajasthan, which spent nearly Rs 43.7 lakh, BJP Madhya Pradesh with around Rs 32.5 lakhs, and BJP Rajasthan, which invested nearly Rs 23.3 lakh during the same period on Meta ads.


Interestingly even after X, the microblogging site formerly known as Twitter, lifted the ban on political campaigns, political ads are still gravitating more towards other platforms.



Shradha Agarwal, co-founder and CEO at digital marketing agency Grapes, explains why.



“If we simply take the case of X and Meta, considering they both have similar offerings, political parties are increasingly turning to Meta for their advertising campaigns due to the platform's immense reach and engagement potential,” she said.



With nearly 1.4 billion people in the country and a significant portion actively participating in elections, it's crucial to identify where these voters are concentrated. While some individuals may have predefined political leanings, a substantial segment remains open to persuasion and influence. This is where political campaigns come into play, targeting the swing voter seeking news, information and updates.



The shift from traditional TV advertising to digital is driven by the fact that both potential buyers and voters are now primarily active in the digital space. A closer look at subcategories within the digital realm reveals that X, for instance, has around 25 million users in India. In contrast, Meta boasts an audience of over 400 million.



“Just like any savvy marketer aiming to promote a product or service, political parties and politicians are opting for the platform with the broader and more diverse audience base. This strategic shift allows them to effectively communicate their political agendas to a larger and more engaged user base, making Meta a natural choice for their campaigns,” Agarwal added.



The platforms chosen for political campaigns are different for a general election and a state election. For state elections, platforms with regional reach like Instagram, YouTube and Facebook work best, said Shudeep Majumdar, the co-founder and CEO of Zefmo who has worked on multiple political campaigns.



“Typically, political campaigns are divided into four phases, with digital campaigns gaining the most traction during the third phase. This trend has been consistent since 2014. However, we are currently not in the third phase, but we've observed significant shifts in campaign strategies, focusing on which issues are prioritised and the platforms chosen for outreach,” Majumdar said.



“The X platform stands out due to its advantage in delivering short-format content but it has language limitations and for state elections, where content is more region-specific, platforms like Meta and YouTube prove to be the best for amplification,” he added.

ADVERTISING

Brand Makers

Raymond’s Sunil Kataria re-elected as chairman of ISA

Brand Makers

Marico’s MD Saugata Gupta named ASCI chairman

Quantum Brief

Seagram's Royal Stag infuses AI in new campaign featuring Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Surya Kumar Yadav

Quantum Brief

Meesho not in the business of deep discounting, focus on low cost app, says Nilesh Gupta

Brand Makers

Best advice Piyush Pandey has given to his brother Prasoon Pandey

Brand Makers

Why Ogilvy’s Piyush Pandey and Pidilite’s Bharat Puri have an unbreakable bond

Quantum Brief

IAA India AGM and Elections: Avinash Pandey, Abhishek Karnani, Nandini Dias, Jaideep Gandhi elected

Quantum Brief

Cadbury Gems rolls out #MyMastiMyMusic campaign; shows music creation in easy steps

How it Works

Asian consumers are serious about brand purpose: BBDO

Quantum Brief

Political ad spends on Meta and Alphabet properties surge as assembly election season nears