Mercedes-Benz India had a stellar 2022 and started this year with a bang. In fact, the company reported record sales in India during the first quarter of 2023, with its top end cars priced above one crore seeing accelerated growth. It was also around this time that Lance Bennett took over as sales and marketing chief of the German auto maker here in India. In an interview with Storyboard18’s editor Delshad Irani, Bennett spoke about the brand’s marketing strategies and where he sees consumers of luxury vehicles going. 

Watch. 

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India recorded highest growth globally for Mercedes: Lance Bennett

A Storyboard18 exclusive conversation with Lance Bennett the new VP of sales and marketing at India’s leading luxury car maker Mercedes Benz India.

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GOZOOP HAWK, and online reputation management and customer support agency under the GOZOOP Group, has bagged the listening and digital response management duties for Amazon miniTV, a leading free entertainment service in India.


As part of the mandate, GOZOOP HAWK’s key responsibilities will include handling digital customer support, monitoring online brand chatter, amplifying positive stories, measuring sentiments, providing timely resolutions and deriving actionable business insights for the brand by understanding and tracking valuable web conversations to delight customers. 


Amazon miniTV offers a large library of popular web series, movies, reality shows, dubbed international content, in multiple genres like comedy, romance, slice of life, thriller and more.


Commenting on the partnership Aruna Daryanani, director and business head, Amazon miniTV said, “ORM is an important component of brand building and reputation management. With the right strategy, ideation and creative thinking we can further strengthen our brand presence. We are excited to partner with GOZOOP HAWK and look forward to their expertise to continue to raise the bar on customer experience.”


Commenting on the win, Premkumar Iyer, president, GOZOOP HAWK said, “HAWK has always demonstrated capability of delivering some of the most unconventional listening and online customer support solutions. This habit to push boundaries coupled with Amazon miniTV's disruptive approach towards the dynamic OTT space makes the relationship click. We have already done some stellar work e.g. during Amazon miniTV’s recent launch of dubbed K-dramas, we turned the whole response management strategy to Korean language generating shift in outreach. We look forward to doing more such unconventional work for them in times to come.”


GOZOOP HAWK bags listening and digital customer support mandate for Amazon miniTV

The marketing team within media giant Cox Media Group (CMG) claims it has the capability to listen to ambient conversations of consumers through embedded microphones in smartphones, smart TVs, and other devices to gather data and use it to target ads, according to a review of CMG marketing materials by 404 Media and details from a pitch given to an outside marketing professional. Called “Active Listening,” CMG claims the capability can identify potential customers “based on casual conversations in real time.”

The news signals that what a huge swath of the public has believed for years—that smartphones are listening to people in order to deliver ads—may finally be a reality in certain situations. Until now, there was no evidence that such a capability actually existed, but its myth permeated due to how sophisticated other ad tracking methods have become.

It is not immediately clear if the capability CMG is advertising and claims works is being used on devices in the market today, but the company notes it is “a marketing technique fit for the future. Available today.” 404 Media also found a representative of the company on LinkedIn explicitly asking interested parties to contact them about the product. One marketing professional pitched by CMG on the tech said a CMG representative explained the prices of the service to them.

“What would it mean for your business if you could target potential clients who are actively discussing their need for your services in their day-to-day conversations? No, it's not a Black Mirror episode—it's Voice Data, and CMG has the capabilities to use it to your business advantage,” CMG’s website reads.

The part of CMG advertising the capability is CMG Local Solutions. CMG itself is owned by Apollo Global Management and Cox Enterprises, which includes the ISP Cox Communications. CMG operates a wide array of local news television and radio stations.

With Active Listening, CMG claims to be able to “target your advertising to the EXACT people you are looking for.” The goal is to target potential clients or customers based on what they say in “their day to day conversations,” the website adds. Specifically, those could include:

Clients can “claim” a territory where they want to use CMG’s services, which are available in a 10 or 20 mile radius, the website says. After setup, “Active Listening begins and is analyzed via AI to detect pertinent conversations via smartphones, smart tvs and other devices,” the website adds. CMG also claims it installs a tracking pixel on its client’s website to monitor the return on investment (ROI).

With an audience created, CMG then delivers adverts to these people through streaming TV, streaming audio, display ads, YouTube, and Google and Bing search, the website says.

“The result? Unprecedented understanding of consumer behavior, so we can deliver personalized ads that make your target audience think: wow, they must be a mind reader,” another section of CMG’s website reads.

Claims about this capability raises obvious and immediate legal concerns; intercepting communications without proper consent can violate wiretapping laws. CMG’s website addresses this with a section that starts “We know what you are thinking…”

“Is this legal? YES- it is totally legal for phones and devices to listen to you. That's because consumers usually give consent when accepting terms and conditions of software updates or app downloads,” the website says.

Beyond CMG’s website, very little information is available about the capability, including how exactly the data is gathered, be that via a software development kit (SDK) bundled into apps, or via collection at another point. For its part, Apple does alert iPhone users when an app is accessing the device’s microphone with a small icon in the UI.

The marketing professional pitched by CMG told 404 Media that after a call with the company, they disabled microphone access on much of their own technology: “I immediately removed all my Amazon Echo devices and locked down microphone permissions on things like my phone as receiving confirmation they are doing things like this have confirmed my worst fears and I, for one, will not take part in it,” they said.

CMG says “the ROI is already impressive” and is actively soliciting potential customers, though. On LinkedIn, Chris Marxmiller, a senior sales consultant at CMG, invites people in his bio to “Ask me about our NEW product - ACTIVE LISTENING.” Marxmiller did not respond to a request for comment which asked for more information on the Active Listening product.

CMG lists a number of other companies as its partners and publishers. These include Amazon, Microsoft, and Google. Microsoft declined to comment. Google told 404 Media in a statement that “For years, Android has prevented apps from collecting audio  when they're not being actively used, and whenever an app activates a device’s microphone, there is a prominent icon displayed in the status bar.” Google did not answer 404 Media’s question in its statement.

Amazon said in a statement that “the advertising product being described would not be possible with Echo devices. We do not share voice recordings with third parties.”

CMG said in a statement that “CMG Local Solutions markets a wide range of advertising tools. Like other advertising companies, some of those tools include third-party vendor products powered by data sets sourced from users by various social media and other applications then packaged and resold to data servicers. Advertising data based on voice and other data is collected by these platforms and devices under the terms and conditions provided by those apps and accepted by their users, and can then be sold to third-party companies and converted into anonymized information for advertisers. This anonymized data then is resold by numerous advertising companies.”

“CMG businesses do not listen to any conversations or have access to anything beyond a third-party aggregated, anonymized and fully encrypted data set that can be used for ad placement. We regret any confusion and we are committed to ensuring our marketing is clear and transparent,” the statement added.

Cox Media Group claims to have capability to listen to ambient conversations of consumers for targeted ads

On June 1, 1945, Fritz Sennheiser, a German inventor and entrepreneur, founded the audio equipment manufacturing company that bears his name and went on to become a global brand. Today, Sennheiser has three business units: Pro Audio, Business Communication and Neumann.Berlin. 


In a conversation with Storyboard18, Andreas Sennheiser, the company’s chief executive officer, said, “The first thing is you have to hit a ‘need’. To not get complacent and to not be happy with what we've achieved, we have to keep listening to the customer and at the same time have a creative dissatisfaction with the status quo. So, the achievements of the past should always be seen as just the new standard. From there, we can iterate again.”


Edited excerpts:


<strong>Tell us more about Sennheiser’s India story.</strong>


We started bringing good audio to India in 2007. At the time, it was really hard to understand where the general public was with audio consumption. We found out that listening to music via headphones wasn’t a known principle. 


So, over the last 16 years, I think we've done quite well in developing the taste of enjoying music on the consumer side. For two years, we focused on the pro business only, along with business communication, and then our Neumann products also.


Particularly, in the last one-and-a-half years after the pandemic, we've seen very strong growth. On the live part, everyone wants to enjoy music, festivals, weddings and all kinds of corporate events. But on the business communication side, government, corporate and also higher education facilities are gearing up significantly for hybrid meetings, for remote lectures and also for a digital government.


<strong>Where do you see India in Sennheiser's growth map?</strong>


In the last two years, India has had one of the highest growth levels, with more than 50 percent annual growth.


As far as the general business globally is concerned, we could supply all our customers with products even during the pandemic. So, we were never really out of products.


<strong>From a product lens, what’s the focus?</strong> 


We have several focuses. There’s a general common focus that more and more of the technology that we’re using—it is highly advanced—is hidden behind very simple user interfaces. 


So, we want to make it as simple as possible, come up with seamless integration, plug and play with our installed business like ceiling microphones… This is so that an integrator, a consultant or the end user really doesn’t need to deal a lot with technology but actually can focus on the experience.



<strong>Many global CEOs are surprised by the way Indian consumers have evolved over the last few years. From a price-conscious market, we now are a value-conscious market. So, what are your observations and what is unique about Indian consumers?</strong>


Well, you just gave the right keywords. 


It has evolved from a price sensitive market of buying at the lowest possible level to now buying the highest possible value. So, with that, we are in an excellent position because we love competition. We love the direct comparison of our products with competitive products because usually this is when we win.


That's why value-based buying decisions are very much in our favour, because we provide superior audio quality. 


<strong>Globally, what are the trends in the audio space and do you see the adoption of those trends in India anytime soon?</strong> 


One of the big trends is that high–quality audio is being more and more appreciated. This is particularly when it comes to immersive audio and spatial audio. In the studios, we have more and more Atmos installations with our Neumann speakers. Also, on the playback side, we see a lot of venues now having full arrays of speakers for an immersive experience.


So, the whole appreciation for good audio has significantly increased over the last few years. At the same time, there’s also a strong trend of simplification of workflows. So, we try to focus on making the lives of our end users as simple as possible, particularly because there's also cost pressure on production, music production, news gathering etc. We want to give them the gear that they can operate with the least possible amount of people. 


<strong>What is the brand perception of Sennheiser?</strong> 


Sennheiser has a brand reputation of being extremely reliable, creating remarkable audio experience and being a highly innovative brand. 


The topmost factor is always reliability. In a meeting room, you don’t want to spend 20 minutes getting the system to work. An artist in front of 50,000 people, the only thing he or she can hold is a microphone, and that should not fail.


<strong>In terms of marketing, what are the big plans for India and what are the investments like?</strong> 

Our main investment is in people and education. So, it's people on our end and education on the customer side.

We see that the more there are highly talented technicians, audio engineers and people who know the difference between an okay system and a great system.

During the pandemic, we produced 200 tutorial videos: how to use our microphones, how to set up gear in general, and how to build a studio. A lot of things to just help the audio community do a better job.


<strong>In India, startups have been weaving a very different story in the last few years. As a family-owned company and one of the oldest startups in the audio space, do tell us what it takes to make a successful business and your advice for startups here. </strong>

The first thing is you have to hit a ‘need’. This is not only true in a startup, but also when a company like ours gets older. Now, we’re closer to the 80th year of our existence. To not get complacent and to not be happy with what we've achieved, we have to keep listening to the customer and at the same time have a creative dissatisfaction with the status quo.

So, the achievements of the past should always be seen as just the new standard. From there, we can iterate again. 

<strong>There are a bunch of profitable startups in the audio space here in India. What impresses you about them and are there any lessons that you can pick from them? </strong>

When startups have a platform economy in mind and then scale that up, they can very quickly cover a very broad demand, be it with fintech platforms or be it any other integration.


That is an approach that I find highly attractive because it's not product and gear oriented, but really platform oriented. And this is also a strategy that we're adopting more and more. We are not just selling gear to our customers, but we actually provide the control platform with it to make it as easy as possible. 


That has been a strategy for a couple of years—to have a lot of allies in the industry in order to allow a seamless integration for the end user. So, the platform is really the main focus. And, what we're selling in terms of gear is just an endpoint to the whole platform.

<strong>Has the target audience of Sennheiser evolved over time?</strong> 

Yes and no. Our target audience grows with us.

While there was an entry target audience a decade back that has now matured in age and in income, they are now being lifted to the next level.

I had a chance to meet with music composer duo Salim-Sulaiman. We had a chat about technology particularly, and they stressed upon how they started with simple gear and then moved to higher-grade gear.

Andreas Sennheiser: We have to keep listening to the customer and have a creative dissatisfaction with the status quo

Gen Z consumers are 50 percent more likely to take their friends' recommendation over an influencer or a celebrity when making a purchase decision, revealed a study from Yuvaa – the Indian Gen Z-driven youth media, impact, and research organization.

An Economic Times report states that the findings are based on a report titled 'Not All Gen Z'. The findings are based on responses from over 900 Gen Z participants, spanning over 20 cities across tier I, II, and III cities and towns of the country. Gen Z represents people born between 1997 and 2012 who show distinctive behavior in their lifestyle and shopping habits. At over two billion, Gen Z forms roughly 25 percent of the global population. It makes up for over 35 percent of India's population, according to Yuvaa.

Their estimated spending power is in excess of €235 billion, according to BCG. 

<strong>Influencers provide brand visibility</strong>

Karthik Srinivasan, a communications strategy consultant, believes that we trust the references and recommendations of the people we trust the most within our family or friends circle. However, influencers have a different role to play.

"They have come to usurp the role of mainstream media and advertising to a large extent and have become predictable sources of visibility more than influence. In other words, influencers (along with mainstream media and advertising) are sources of introducing products or services, use-cases, and giving them visibility, but they may not necessarily persuade people to make the purchase. That's where friends and family (known peers, colleagues too) would come into play," he explains.

Srinivasan tells Storyboard18 that influencers are merely shilling a product for a fee and have long stopped pretending to be actual users of a product to offer use-based/experience-based content/information.

"Even if they claim to offer personal experience-based recommendations, if viewers/followers see the disclaimer about paid content, they'd automatically discount that factor and take that recommendation with a pinch of salt," he adds.

Yuvaa's report findings also highlight a few key aspects of a Gen Z consumer who is not only willing to support brands that support social causes but also cares about sustainability. Around 63 percent of Gen Z shoppers surveyed said they prefer brands that support social causes. 

71 percent of Gen Z prioritize brands that are environment-friendly, and 77 percent consider price when buying something, even if it's not sustainable. Gen Zs are split equally between feminist and non-feminist brands, but 60 percent of women prefer them.

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

<strong>E-com platforms chasing Gen Z</strong>

These trends are being closely followed and implemented in product and marketing strategies by e-commerce platforms in India. Storyboard18 reported that there has been intense competition between online retailers to woo the next generation of shoppers, with e-commerce platforms Amazon and Myntra actively investing in the Gen Z cohort.

Flipkart-backed fashion portal Myntra, for instance, announced the launch of FWD, an in-platform experience offering additional brands and styles curated for Gen-Z shoppers.

The move comes days after rival Amazon Fashion introduced the ‘Next Gen Store,’ catering to the unique needs of Gen Z shoppers, who seek to experiment with fashion and have varying preferences in terms of styles, sizes, brands, and fitting.

While Nykaa Fashion has not yet launched a dedicated platform for Gen Z shoppers, it has been onboarding brands that target this cohort. Recently, it added MIXT, which offers streetwear-inspired modern apparel options such as bodysuits, corsets, jumpsuits, jackets, cardigans, and footwear. It brought in Cider, a US-based label, expanding its global offerings to Indian consumers.

Gen Z segment has a distinct aesthetic that impacts their brand choices, which have been driving fashion trends – crop tops, ribbed dresses, chunky sneakers, and baggy jeans.

Unlike previous generations, which were heavily influenced by Bollywood and sports celebrities, Gen Z shoppers are more picky about who they follow. Social media influencers have emerged as a significant force in shaping their purchase decisions.

However, there is a catch. This group only follows influencers or celebrities who ‘walk the talk’ and are more trustworthy.

<strong>Value for sustainability, inclusivity</strong>

Bindiya Bhatt, senior director of category management at Myntra told Storyboard18 that for Gen Z, inclusivity, authenticity, and unconventionalism take centre stage as well.

"By embracing these values and catering to their specific needs, businesses can create more meaningful and impactful experiences that resonate with this important and influential demographic," she said.

Technopak Advisors' Ankur Bisen had a deeper insight, saying Gen Z shoppers are community-driven and seek better products rather than stay loyal to brands.

"...they are definitely seeking better products than brands and they are also looking at the consumption of fashion through communities. For example, there are communities towards gaming, nature, and even limited edition products. The spin-off from this trend could be the 'sneaker culture' in India and the craze to buy limited edition sneakers that are being sold online. These are some micro trends that one needs to notice," he said.

Influencers’ influence waning? GenZ listen to friends over social media influencers

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“We will have another incremental billion dollars in the next three years for the home-grown billion dollar brand Thums Ups,” says Arnab Roy, vice president and head of marketing, Coca-Cola India and Southwest Asia to Storyboard18’s Shibani Gharat. He also talks about the brand’s new advertising campaign #HarHaathToofan.

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Coca-Cola's Arnab Roy on Thums Up’s new ad campaign #HarHaathToofan

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Chat with IPG's Arun Kumar and Plum's Shankar Prasad and actor Ananya Pandey

Over the past few months, Metaverse has received a lot of attention. Some brands are viewing marketing in the metaverse as an opportunity to reach a larger audience in an engaging manner. Increasingly, automakers are getting onto the metaverse bandwagon to enhance their customer experience.

Mindshare India recently conceptualised and enabled the first ever electric vehicle (EV) launch in the metaverse for Volvo Cars in a space called Volvoverse. This is a first-of-its-kind collaboration across WPP agencies.

Watch to find out how and why they did it. 

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Meeting Amin Lakhani and Amit Jain in Volvoverse 

Network18’s TV news business has recorded a massive jump of 28% in its revenue in the fourth quarter of FY24.


The largest TV news network in India registered a revenue of Rs 461 crore in Q4FY24, as compared to Rs 360 crore for the same quarter in FY23.


The revenue for the full fiscal stood at Rs 1556 crore, as compared to Rs 1252 crore in FY23. 


The TV news business delivered a strong performance, demonstrating its readiness to leverage strong operating position in the election season. The network has been able to increase its ad rates steadily on the back of solid performance in terms of viewership. 


It continues to be the highest reach TV news network in the country, reaching 175 million people around the country every week.


With leadership positions across key markets, the network delivered industry-leading growth in display advertising. Monetisation of IPs and events also witnessed a strong revenue traction.


The network maintained leadership positions in key markets with CNBC TV18 being the number one business channel garnering 64.3% viewership share, News18 India has been the number one Hindi news channel in evening primetime with viewership share of 14.0%, and CNN-News18 continues to be the number one English news channel for more than 2 years with over 33.3 percent viewership share. 


The news network has had leadership in 4 regional markets of UP/Uttarakhand, Bihar/Jharkhand, Gujarat, and Jammu/Kashmir/Ladakh/Himachal. Its channels in West Bengal, Rajasthan, and Punjab/Haryana have also been strong number two players. Along with News18 Bangla which has seen a significant improvement in ranking during the year, News18 Lokmat has firmly established itself as a strong number three player.


<strong>TV18 News Business</strong> 


<img src="https://images.storyboard18.com/storyboard18/2024/04/Dug.png" alt="" width="3760" height="432" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-29490" />


<strong>Operating EBIDTA for TV News Business</strong>


<img src="https://images.storyboard18.com/storyboard18/2024/04/D.png" alt="" width="3760" height="432" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-29491" /> 


<strong>Digital news business sees 40 percent growth</strong>


The digital news business of Network18 also recorded strong growth. In Q4, it posted a total revenue of Rs 131 crore, 40% up as compared to Rs 94 crore for the same quarter in FY23. 


For the full financial year also, the digital news business saw a solid upside with revenues touching Rs 425 crore, as compared in Rs 356 crore in FY23. 


The digital news portfolio continued to be a strong number 2 digital news publisher in the country with 180 million plus unique visitors every month. 


Moneycontrol continued to be the number one player in terms of both reach and engagement metrics. Moneycontrol Pro crossed 7.5 lakh paid subscribers, making it the top subscription-based news platform in India and amongst the top 20 globally as per FIPP's Digital Subscription Report.


News18.com continued to expand its editorial coverage and analysis of events across the world along with adding new features for enhanced user experience. It was one of the highest reach news networks on WhatsApp Channels.


Firstpost launched a revamped website to enable video-first experience for the users with dedicated digital destination for its key shows. Firstpost’s YouTube channel saw a 70% QoQ growth in average monthly video views. 


<strong>Digital News Business</strong>


<img src="https://images.storyboard18.com/storyboard18/2024/04/Di.png" alt="" width="3760" height="432" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-29494" />


Network18’s TV news business posts 28% revenue growth in Q4FY24, full year revenue up by 24%

Bangur Cement unveiled a new multimedia campaign 'Vote Solid, Desh Solid', which highlights the importance of each individual's vote in making the nation more solid. The campaign is a sequel to the previous brand launch campaign featuring Bollywood actor Sunny Deol.


The key message of the campaign is ‘Vote Solid, Desh Solid.’


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Further, the brand encourages citizens to take a pledge to vote, through its “Vote ka Vachan” button on it’s website votekavachan.bangurcement.com. Bangur Cement has pledged to donate 1 KG of cement for every pledge to vote which would be used for social welfare purposes. Bangur Cement is tying up with NGOs and Self Help Groups to help fulfil this pledge, added the company.


Speaking about the campaign, Neeraj Akhoury, managing director, Shree Cement, said, "Bangur Cement’s ‘Vote Solid Desh Solid’ campaign and the ‘Vote Ka Vachan’ pledge are a continued reflection of our commitment for building a progressive nation with inclusive growth through our brands, products and network.”


<strong>Read More:</strong> <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/advertising/npci-unveils-rupays-link-it-forget-it-campaign-at-ipl-29478.htm">NPCI unveils RuPay's 'Link it, Forget it’ campaign at IPL</a> 

Bangur Cement highlights the importance of individual vote in 'Vote Solid, Desh Solid' campaign

The parent company of online news aggregator Dailyhunt and short-video platform Josh, VerSe Innovation, has acquired New York based digital magazine store, Magzter, a cross-platform global digital newsstand with a library of over 8,500 premium magazines and newspapers.


The deal is a cash and stock transaction and it marks VerSe's entry into premium content. "This acquisition is part of the company's efforts to diversify Dailyhunt's revenue streams from a pure advertising-driven model to include digital subscriptions. It is the first global acquisition for the firm, although the deal size was not disclosed," Moneycontrol reported. Through this acquisition, users will have access to publications available on Magzter such as Forbes, Time, The Economist, Vogue, Elle, Vanity Fair, Reader’s Digest, Cosmopolitan, New Yorker and Bazaar.


Dailyhunt also launched a subscription-based offering Dailyhunt Premium that would offer users access to content from international publishers in over 60 languages from Magzter. Subscribers will also get access to an ad-free experience across the Dailyhunt application.


Dailyhunt was founded by former managing director of Facebook India Umang Bedi and Virendra Gupta. The deal will be closed on April 30 and Bedi added that Magzter’s 75 employees will be fully integrated with VerSe Innovation’s 1,200 workforce.


Through this acquisition, Dailyhunt also aims to attract users from India's elite and aspirational upper-middle-class demographic to its application, as part of the company's increasing focus on monetisable users, Moneycontrol reported. Dailyhunt currently has over 350 million monthly active users (MAUs), of which 250 million are on the Dailyhunt app and the remaining 100 million on its website. People who use the app on a daily basis spend about 30 minutes each day, the company said.


<strong>Read More:</strong> <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/quantum-brief/dailyhunt-in-talks-to-acquire-homegrown-app-koo-24705.htm">DailyHunt in talks to acquire homegrown app Koo</a> 

Dailyhunt-parent VerSe aquires NY-based Magzter to enter into premium content and subscriptions

Amazon Pay's latest campaign titled <em>'Pay Karne Ka Smarter Way'</em>, demonstrates a shift towards a smarter approach to everyday transactions. It showcases the speed, convenience and reliability of Amazon Pay, emphasizing new features such as auto flash for scanning any QR even in low light, sending money to any UPI ID on any app, fast payments, Quick Refunds when using Amazon Pay Balance and 24/7 customer support for all customers. 


Bolstered by the presence of Bollywood actor Ayushmann Khurrana, the campaign aims to highlight Amazon Pay as the preferred choice for seamless day-to-day transactions, stated the company. The TVCs captures everyday payment challenges encountered by customers, which is resolved through Amazon Pay's Scan & Pay feature. 


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Speaking about the campaign, Anuradha Aggarwal, director, user growth and chief marketing officer, Amazon Pay India said, “Our <em>‘Pay Karne Ka Smarter Way'</em> campaign underscores Amazon Pay's commitment to simplify the digital payment experience, making it the faster, safer and hence smarter way to pay anyone, anywhere. With Amazon Pay UPI, customers can scan any QR, send money to any UPi ID on any App and receive money seamlessly. Just like Pay with Alexa in our last campaign, we have new smart features like ‘Auto-flash’ for low light scans to make payments more convenient. We also want to reassure customers with our unique 24/7 customer service.  Ayushmann Khurrana's versatile yet relatable persona and widespread appeal make him a natural fit for our campaign.

 
Speaking about the association, Khurrana said, “I'm delighted to partner with Amazon Pay for their ‘Pay Karne ka Smarter Way’ campaign. As someone who’s always on the go, I love finding smarter ways to do things, and Amazon Pay is definitely changing the game when it comes to payments. Through this ongoing collaboration, I have enjoyed showcasing Amazon Pay’s versatility in everyday situations – whether it’s the ability to function in low-light environments, or the ease of quick scan and pay or its robust refund policies enabled by Amazon Pay Balance. From streamlining everyday transactions to ensuring unmatched peace of mind, Amazon Pay transcends the conventional notion of a digital platform.”


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<strong>Read More:</strong> <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/advertising/savsol-lubricants-announces-actor-sidharth-malhotra-as-brand-ambassador-29296.htm">Savsol Lubricants announces actor Sidharth Malhotra as brand ambassador</a> 

Amazon Pay's new campaign 'Pay Karne Ka Smarter Way' highlights convenience featuring Ayushmann Khurrana

The Health Factory announced its latest collaboration with actor Uorfi Javed. 


Through this partnership, The Health Factory aims to captivate Gen Z and a broader audience through a social media reel. 


Javed said, "As an actor, I hold deep commitment to staying healthy.  I consciously opt for clean eating, prefer gluten free products as it is the way to go for a healthier gut, while propogating healthier lifestyle choices. The Health Factory's initiative is inspiring millennials and Gen Zs to reimagine their bread choices. It's been an absolute joy being a part of this campaign."


The message encapsulated in the slogan is <em>#Bread Badlo Aadat Nahi (Change the Bread, Not the Habit)</em>, and the aim through this collaboration is to disseminate this message to a wider audience across various digital platforms, highlighted the company. 


The reel showcases the brand's range of breads and with Javed leading the reel, The Health Factory harnesses the power of social media to spearhead a movement towards informed choices in daily consumption, stated the company.


<strong>Read More:</strong> <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/quantum-brief/the-health-factorys-new-campaign-stars-kunal-vijaykar-redefines-perception-of-healthy-eating-24000.htm">The Health Factory rolls out a new campaign starring food connoisseur Kunal Vijaykar</a>

The Health Factory collaborates with Uorfi Javed to inspire healthy eating habits amongst Gen Z

Greenply Industries has launched the Green-Rise initiative under its eco restoration and plantation drive at its Tizit facility in Nagaland, aiming to contribute positively to the environment while fostering self-reliance within communities. Under this project, a plantation of a sapling is being done in the name of an architect associated with the wood panel industry. 

The plantation project signifies the company's commitment to sustainable practices, particularly by embracing the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) forest management model. It is noteworthy to mention here that Greenply has attained the FSC® – FM (Forest Management) Certification from the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC®) for its sustainable plantation unit located in Tizit, Nagaland and it is the first company to have successfully achieved the certification in the interior infrastructure segment in India. This certification provides an assurance to consumers that the products they are buying come from a responsible/sustainable source and protects the rights of indigenous people to use the forest and helps to combat deforestation, forest degradation and illegal logging in certified areas.

The Green Rise  project's opening phase involved planting over 780 saplings in honour of architects from Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Tamil Nadu. Later, architects from Bihar, West Bengal, Jharkhand, and Madhya Pradesh and across India will be similarly honored. Each tree planted under this scheme is labeled with a barcode containing pertinent information such as the architect's name, address, plantation date and time, tree species, and contact number. These trees will mature over 7 to 8 years, and upon harvesting, proceeds will be bestowed to charitable organizations or schools in the architects' names.

At present, Greenply's cumulative plantation across pan India is across 52,983 acres of land, utilized for this mission with over 41.57 million saplings covering the area. It is the company’s aim to plant 50 million saplings by 2025. Towards executing the initiative, Greenply has collaborated with the State government, and local communities and has achieved enthusiastic participation of the locals. 




Greenply Industries launches Green-Rise initiative under its eco restoration and plantation drive in Nagaland

They say, good marketing makes the company look smart. Great marketing makes the customer feel smart. Clearly, that takes intelligence and imagination. In other words – marketing is really all about creativity that breaks through the clutter and reaches the customer in unique ways that make an impression. 


Now, what if we were suddenly endowed with a superpower that makes it possible to come up with creative means to engage with our target audience more easily and faster than ever before? Is AI indeed that new creative superpower that can put human imagination on steroids? 


When it comes to amplifying human potential for creativity, AI, especially generative AI, can contribute significantly. Making written and visual communicating easier. Idea generation, thought-starters, personalized content development, image and video generation, even press release generation are all areas that gen AI can impact. 


Several brands, including Infosys, now routinely use gen AI to develop copy, design and video output. Brands like Unilever, in fact, have created their own gen AI tools suite, Homer, to develop promotional copy. In fact, entire campaigns can now hinge on artificial intelligence-powered execution. Remember how Cadbury Dairy Milk Silk used gen AI, and working along with filmmaker Zoya Akhtar, helped couples create beautiful memoirs on Valentine’s Day as part of their campaign? 


Hyper-personalizing outreach. Gen AI can also help make granular analyses of consumer behavior and then generate creative content based on this deep understanding of how customer segments engage with various messages. For example, Instacart, the American grocery delivery service, figured that questions around meal planning are common for people to ask ChatGPT. They created a plugin for ChatGPT with OpenAI. 


The plugin lets customers ask recipe-related questions like, ‘I have carrots and rice. What's a diabetic-friendly meal I can make, and what other ingredients should I buy?’ or ‘Give me vegan meal ideas for my picky toddler?’ A few clicks and the add-on ingredients can be added to the shopping cart. The promise of hyper-personalisation that has eluded marketers for years can finally be a reality.


<strong>Rapid ideation and experimentation:</strong> Gen AI is a great resource for marketers to stay abreast of emerging and changing consumer sentiments, and to test new opportunities to be creative. It is also accelerating idea generation, quickly improving ideas and helping brands speed up time to market. For example, Mattel, for their Hot Wheels product line development used Dall-e to generate four times as many product concept images as before, as also to inspire some of their coolest new features and designs. 


<strong>Making cocreation easier:</strong> Every marketer dreams of bringing in their community of buyers and potential buyers to be part of the brand promotion process and participate in advocating for and cheering the brand. Gen AI is a making this consumer-community flywheel truly work harder and smarter for brands. 


For example, we launched #RAFAFOREVER, an AI-first experience to give a billion tennis fans an opportunity to celebrate the greatness of Rafael Nadal, Infosys brand ambassador with a personalized artwork, powered by AI. The creativity it unleashed got thousands of tennis fans to join in the celebration and in the process shone light on the Infosys brand too. And yet, AI is only as good as the humans collaborating with it. 


Seasoned marketers have heard this said before, ‘A well-defined brief, is a campaign already half-complete’. Tight problem-framing is half of all creativity, and problem-framing – along with asking difficult questions and factoring in the sensitivities of context – is still firmly in the human domain. That said, gen AI is that wonderful amplifier that allows more and more marketers, to participate in the creative process more easily, in a more mature way. 


That’s why it is revolutionizing creativity in marketing and must be added to the power-tools in every marketer’s kit. However, what we know as true creativity – the ability to conceive a unique marketing solution to fit a unique context, something that has never been done before – is no commodity. And not something that gen AI is likely to democratize anytime soon.


<em><strong>Sumit Virmani is the Global Chief Marketing Officer of Infosys. He writes a fortnightly column series 'Brand Breakthroughs’ on Storyboard18.</strong> </em>


<strong>Read More:</strong> <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-marketing/purpose-the-cornerstone-of-timeless-brands-2-29294.htm">Purpose: The cornerstone of timeless brands</a> 


Brand Breakthroughs: Can gen AI make all marketers creative?

LightFury Games, a gaming company in India, announced the closure of its maiden fundraising round, securing a total investment of USD 8.5 million. The round was led by Blume Ventures and other investors including MIXI, Gemba Capital, and Angels, with participation from notable individuals such as Kunal Shah, and Gaurav Munjal.


Lightfury is founded by Karan Shroff, former chief marketing officer (CMO) and partner of Unacademy, Anurag Banerjee, gaming industry veteran and Tina Balachandran, former executive of Unacademy and Tencent Games.
 

Shroff, CEO and Co-Founder of LightFury Games said, “I am thrilled to be joining hands with bonafide leaders and industry veterans to launch LightFury Games. The size of the gaming market in India is on the rise and it is an excellent time for us to bring our expertise into the industry. We intend to utilize the capital to focus on developing high-quality cutting-edge AAA titles in India, establishing our game studios in both India and in the UK; and hiring top-tier talent in the country to put India on the global map.” 


Shroff further emphasized the significance of creating AAA titles in the Indian market, stating, "Creating successful AAA titles in the Indian market and establish a Tencent-like presence originating from India, is what we are excited to bring to the fore.” He continued, “It would necessitate building the finest expertise and leveraging state-of-the-art technological innovations to ensure top-tier gameplay quality.” 


Banerjee joins as co-founder and CPTO, bringing expertise from studios like Ubisoft, Rocksteady Studios, WB Games Montreal and Improbable. Having built and shipped many Billion Dollar Titles, Anurag’s gaming prowess has already left a significant impact with multiple titles under the Assassin’s Creed franchise and Batman: Arkham franchise, his most recent AAA title being Suicide Squad-Kill the Justice League. 


Besides these, Anurag has also successfully shipped several other AA and AAA games in his journey. Tina, previously Senior VP at Unacademy and HR Director at Tencent Games, joins LightFury Games as Co-Founder and Chief People and Operations Officer. With a track record of scaling organizations and leading cultural initiatives, Tina brings invaluable expertise to LightFury Games. Her extensive experience in the gaming sector played a pivotal role in Tencent's expansion in India.


Karthik Reddy, co-founder and managing partner at Blume Ventures said, “We’ve known Karan and his passion towards work since his Unacademy days, we discovered a drive in him for translating this to a AAA gaming studio, thought through from an Indian lens. The ability to piece together the talent and bring in believers from the gaming and consumer universe make it one of our most exciting investments we’ve made in this space.”


<strong>Read More:</strong> <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-makers/unacademys-former-cmo-karan-shroff-joins-lightfury-games-as-ceo-28509.htm">Unacademy’s former CMO Karan Shroff sets up LightFury Games</a> 

LightFury Games secures 8.5 mn in its fundraising round

Cipla Health Limited India, which is the wholly owned subsidiary of Cipla, has signed a business transfer agreement (BTA) for purchase of the distribution and marketing business undertaking cosmetics and personal care business from Ivia Beaute Private Limited India.


The transaction is expected to be completed in 60 days, and the acquisition includes Ivia’s brands namely Astaberry, Ikin, and Bhimsaini on a worldwide basis. The transaction would enhance Cipla’s consumer healthcare and wellness portfolio. The cost of acquisition is Rs 130 crore on closing date and Rs 110 crore contingent upon achievement of certain financial parameters (milestones) for next 3 years. 


"Building on its strong presence through a cluster of brands in Tier 2-6 towns, CHL is strengthening its play in the fast-growing beauty and personal care sector catering to the aspirational consumer of India. The growing adoption of beauty and personal care products in Indian households signals a prominent trend, positioning the market as crucial for CHL’s expansion efforts," the company said in a statement.

"With a brand legacy of over 16 years, Astaberry caters to consumers through a wide range of unique products to help them address their skincare needs. These brands complement CHL's offerings in the skin care segment and enriches the portfolio with trusted and effective solutions for consumers," the statement further added. 

<strong>Read More:</strong> <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-marketing/indians-have-increased-their-spending-on-dieticians-by-125-percent-in-fy-24-report-29197.htm">Indians have increased their spending on dieticians by 125 percent in FY 24: Report</a> 

Cipla Health to buy cosmetics and personal care business of Ivia Beaute

Bengaluru-based fast-moving consumer goods company (FMCG), iD Fresh Food has recently released a campaign as part of their ‘TransparenSee’ initiative. 

Every year, PC Musthafa, founder and global CEO of iD Fresh Foods visits the company’s factory to conduct the annual live audit. However this year, he was unable to attend since he was travelling. 

GLN Murthy, chief manufacturing officer at iD Fresh Foods was given the responsibility of finding Musthafa’s replacement for the audit. They needed someone who was a higher authority in quality, and who their consumers would trust.

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The answer - grandmothers! The brand invited a group of grandmothers to visit the factory and conduct the audit. Do through quality checks and make sure that the end product was up to their expectations and standards. 

As seen in the video, the grandmothers did critical checks on various aspects like cleanliness, hygiene, packaging, types of rice and dal used, adulteration and preservative-free batter, time given to soak the ingredients, and most importantly, if they make the food like the grandmothers make at home. 

The group of grandmothers were more than satisfied with the processes, having all their doubts cleared and being able to put their trust in the brand. 

India recorded highest growth globally for Mercedes: Lance Bennett

A Storyboard18 exclusive conversation with Lance Bennett the new VP of sales and marketing at India’s leading luxury car maker Mercedes Benz India.

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