March 1-15, 2019 Volume 7, Issue 17 `100
The Buzziest Brands Awards are all about excitement. A close look at the top 10 brands of India and what happened in this year’s edition.
16 To know more, visit www.printistheanswer.com Source: ABC Report 2017; IRS 2017 PRINTIS THE REACH SEGMENTATION CREDIBILITY ENGAGEMENT INNOVATION ANSWER e o l
This fortnight... Volume 7, Issue 17 n the world of brands, it’s often the intangible that guides choice and preference EDITOR Sreekant Khandekar I more than the tangible. When two products plateau out on the quality front, PUBLISHER March 1-15, 2019 Volume 7, Issue 17 `100 both are easily available – ruling out convenience as a determinant of choice – and a Sreekant Khandekar consumer has no special affinity towards one over the other – say, a pleasant memory EXECUTIVE EDITOR attached to the last time she interacted with one of the products – then, it’s something Ashwini Gangal else that guides the decision to choose one over the other. Something one can’t quite ASSOCIATE EDITOR Sunit Roy explain as simply as ‘it fits better’. Brand buzz is one such factor. PRODUCTION EXECUTIVE Andrias Kisku This year, at the 14th edititon of India’s Buzziest Brands, our very own annual ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES The Buzziest Brands Awards are all about poll of the most popular brands out there. Amazon topped the charts, dethroning last Shubham Garg excitement. A close look at the top 10 brands of India and what happened in this year’s edition. year’s winner Jio, which slipped down to the second place. Sustaining buzz is not 81301 66777 (M) easy, so I’ll say – Well done Jio, hang in there. Last year Amazon stood fifth, so Apoorv Kulshrestha 9873824700 (M) this is a great comeback. The latest buzz around Amazon has much to do with the Noida high profile induction of former PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi onto its board. And the Nikhil Jhunjhunwala 16 9833371393 (M) headlines founder Jeff Bezos has been grabbing for various reasons. Mumbai [email protected] Swiggy stood third; not bad for a brand’s very first outing at the buzzies. There’s MARKETING OFFICE so much anecdotal evidence to suggest that Swiggy is one of the hottest names in its B 3, Ground Floor, Sector 4, Noida -201301 Uttar Pradesh cohort of young, mobile-first brands. MUMBAI 302, Makani Center, 3rd Floor, Few fortnights back we released a bumper issue ‘The Agency Special’ in which Off Linking Road, Bandra (W), we published 40 interviews with India’s top agency executives. One of the questions Mumbai - 400050 was around their favourite advertising campaign over the last 12 months. I’ve lost SUBSCRIPTION ENQUIRIES count of the number of interviewees who named Swiggy’s IPL campaign. Of late, [email protected] the brand’s been raking in a lot of buzz through its engaging social media posts. The Owned by Banyan Netfaqs Pvt Ltd and latest one asked people to use Instagram’s voice note feature to make weird sounds, Printed and published by as part of a larger campaign. Sreekant Khandekar, at 7-A/13, Ch. Ratan Singh Complex, Jawala Heri Market, Paschim Vihar, New Delhi-110 063.
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Ashwini Gangal Cover Design [email protected] Arti Virmani CONTENTS 14 6 PEPSI Rebellion with a Cause What has Pepsi got to do with jeans? Find out.
UMA TALREJA 8 10 12 “Digital helped with Footfalls” Shoppers Stop uses AR to promote a tie-up with Kendall ALL OUT XIAOMI SOULFULL and Kylie Jenner’s range of bags. A chat with its customer Melodrama Queen? Ranveer gets a Call Hunger Busting care associate, chief of The repellent brand releases an That’s the plot of this new Soulfull has rolled out its first 13 marketing & customer officer. intense long form story. teaser film. ad film in a three-part series.
afaqs! Reporter, March 1-15, 2 0 1 9 5 e PEPSI Rebellion with a Cause Pepsi recycles the1950s’ funda of jeans as a symbol of rebellion... By Sunit Roy
hat was once considered Rediffusion Brand Solutions, says , a classic symbol of the “For an old-timer like me who has WAmerican West is now a grown up on ‘Nothing official about staple in everyone’s wardrobe. In it’, ‘Mera number kab aayega’ and the 19th century, jeans were first ‘Yeh dil maange more’, there is a lot manufactured as workwear for of nostalgia with Pepsi advertising. labourers of America’s Western So, ‘welcome back’ is what I would states. With time people adopted say. But is the brand’s TG watching them as casual wear. They then TV anymore? Not sure about that.” became a symbol of rebellion - the According to Chatterjee, the spirit captured by the likes of Marlon ironic thing about this ad is that Brando in ‘The Wild One’ (1953), while it is developed for today’s and James Dean in ‘Rebel Without a millennials, in many ways, it is Cause’ (1955). about Pepsi returning to its roots. Now, what if a beverage brand “Pepsi was the brand that portrays jeans or ‘casual wear’, as would usually be the first a symbol of rebellion for youth in to reflect pop culture and its marketing communication? sometimes even shape it; Pepsi has released an ad campaign the use of the word ‘swag’ through which it attempts to convey is an attempt at that. I the message that wearing jeans in a expect the word to be used college campus is not wrong; rather, and subsequently abused it’s a symbol of style for millennials by many other brands in and that every college-goer has the the days to come,” he says. right to dress that way. Shekhar Mhaskar, EVP, Through its latest Isobar India, opines that ‘#HarGhoontMeinSwag’ campaign, today’s youth is more Pepsi celebrates the spirit of the new brand’s strongest asset, the iconic cognizant of cause-led generation. The TVC opens with blue bottles and cans. Pepsi will also campaigns. They are rebellious for a bunch of students protesting the “It is all about be the SWAG partner on ‘The Voice’ a cause, not vanity. He says, “In principal’s notice announcing a dress - a reality music show that premiered today’s day and age, it’s not about code - ‘NO CAP, NO JACKET, living in the recently on StarPlus - over summer. a strong lineage of a brand coming NO T-SHIRT, NO JEANS’. One moment, seizing The brand will even bring together out with a campaign like this that of the students, Pepsi bottle in hand, two of India’s most loved activities - resonates with the TG. It is the swag decides to challenge this, but in a new opportunities music and cricket - by having one in the content that makes the impact, rather round-about way by removing and doing it all popular performer announce the irrespective of the brand.” his clothes to comply with the rule. ‘Swagstar of the Match’ award after He adds, “This TVC might be Naturally, the principal stops him with swag.” each match in the on-going India sticky for a brief while because it before he can remove his jeans, pulls ARUN HAGAT vs Australia series. Popular rapper comes from Pepsi (denim is a blind off the notice and begins to walk T B Naezy announced Jason Behrendorff spot anyway) after a long time. In the away defeated. And so, the brand as the ‘Swagstar of the Match’ during larger scheme of things, the TG’s attempts to target Gen-Z consumers, the championship’s first match in attention is volatile and will move to in the age group of 18-24, through its conceptualised and created the latest marketing initiative. campaign that resonates with youth. Pepsi is celebrating the spirit of a new “This summer, Pepsi is The TVC has been produced by acknowledging and celebrating a Pari Films while Vivek Kakkad has generation with this campaign. word that defines today’s millennials directed it. - SWAG. ‘Har Ghoont Mein Swag’ is Vizag. The new campaign will also any other communication from any all about living in the moment, seizing WELL-STRATEGISED see collaborations with new-age other brand that lures them away.” new and interesting opportunities The campaign was launched heartthrobs like Tiger Shroff and Kaizad Pardiwalla, president and and doing it all with swag,” says, last month. The TVC will be aired Disha Patani, whom the brand also chief operating officer, The 120 Tarun Bhagat, director-marketing, nationally over the course of summer leveraged on Valentine’s Day. Media Collective, believes that “Har Hydration and Cola, PepsiCo India. this year. There is also a 360-degree Ghoont Mein Swag”, as a thought, The Pepsi model is built on two marketing rollout in place through OVER TO THE EXPERTS has legs and this execution too, is a parts - fame and crave. Fame is which the brand is activating Millennials are exposed to a different take from what the others what the brand wants to give youth, consumer passions such as music, plethora of content. They pay are doing, so Pepsi will surely stand while crave is about driving product sports, Bollywood as well as ‘away attention to brands which have a out amongst the other cola ads. As far sensorials during summer. Further, from home’ consumer hangouts - personality and speak about the as execution is concerned, Pardiwalla the focus is on leveraging both fixed such as Domino’s, KFC, Pizza Hut, things which are most relevant says, “Today’s youth is vocal about and fluid moments throughout the Burger King, Subway, and PVR. to them. We asked the experts if what they believe in and make their year while there are concerted efforts Packaging is the first point of the campaign will turn out to be a voice heard. Pepsi has leveraged that to tap into key moments during a contact for consumers with the brand challenger for Pepsi in the days ahead. insight successfully.” n youth’s life. Wunderman Thompson and ‘Swag’ will be interpreted on the Navonil Chatterjee, joint president - [email protected]
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e ALL OUT Melodrama Queen? As dengue threatens lives, the mosquito repellent brand releases an intense long form story. By Aishwarya Ramesh arenting has been at the centre of advertising messaging Pand campaigns for many years now, and All Out is carrying that thought forward. A new campaign titled #IDidntKnow / #MujheSabNahiPata was released, addressing mothers who are tough enough to acknowledge that they don’t know everything. The ad aims to make Indian mothers more vigilant against the threat of dengue and the campaign’s highlight is that it takes a tough mother to admit that she doesn’t know everything. The ad was shot by filmmaker Shoojit Sircar who said “This film is the blame for her and fulfil that gap, did not like the ad either. “I personally “Housewives live about the toughness of mothers who then everybody knows that mothers find it offensive, confused, and poorly acknowledge that they don’t know it can’t do everything… Imagine if All executed. It tries to play up a mother’s in a perennial fear all and are willing to seek support to Out had a crying husband in this ad, grief, desperately trying to get us to of ‘Am I doing be able to protect their children. With taking the blame, telling us he has not believe she has lost her child, and this film, All Out wants mothers to done his duty, and he’s put too much then makes a fairly inept connection enough?’ The come together and share their stories pressure on his wife. That could’ve with a clumsy peek-a-boo. In all this husband has to be more vigilant in the future.” broken the glass ceiling,” he says. manufactured drama, mothers not KV Sridhar, founder and chief He talks about how this is a being infallible seems completely absolutely nothing creative officer of Hyper Collective stereotype that has persisted in extraneous to the basic story, and to worry about.” (a cross-disciplinary innovations advertising for nearly 40 years. appears force fitted. On the execution company) or Pops, as he’s better “Housewives live in a perennial front, there is only one golden rule K V SRIDHAR known as, liked the film but fear of ‘Am I doing enough?’ The in ‘real stories’ – that it feels real, and wondered why only the woman was made to feel guilty. Is this ad guilty of victimising the point of this ad.” “That’s what I didn’t like. The The opinion that they both share performance is good, the intent may mother and isolating her? is that Sonali Bhendre does not be good, but are you saying the father husband has absolutely nothing to not acted. And this is clearly ‘acted’ - work as a brand ambassador for this has no role to play, and then you worry about. I didn’t like that at all.” desperately, embarrassingly so. And campaign. Pops goes on to say that make the women feel guilty and “Somebody has forgotten to see the the script is about as manufactured he launched Bhendre in 1992 with lesser beings for a child’s illness?” he larger picture. The creative people, as you can get – in an effort at a commercial for Parachute hair oil, asks. Pops goes on to point out that the account planning guys, they need great cleverness; any semblance of but that he didn’t recognize her. the ad ends up victimising the mother to open their eyes to the society believability goes out the window Chax also says “Sonali would seem to and isolating her. and what is happening; especially the in the roller coaster of emotions the add no value at all – she is certainly “It all lies with how people decode prevailing socio cultural tensions.” film tries to capture. Fighting dengue not an instantly recognisable face, and the communication. If the husband Adman KS Chakravarthy, who seems to be a fleeting excuse for some adds very little to the message.” n or someone were to come and take co-founded Tidal7 Brand & Digital, pointless melodrama, and not the [email protected]
2400/- 2016/-(inclusive taxes). 4 00/- 3495/-(inclusive taxes).
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XIAOMI Ranveer Singh gets a Call That’s the plot of this new teaser. Once you get past Ranveer Singh’s mad moves, don’t miss the way team Xiaomi has inserted its India boss Manu Kumar Jain into the film. By Sunit Roy
ndian adland’s golden boy, - VOOT and SonyLiv, as well as appeal and inspire consumers to buy Ranveer Singh is having a dream two days of advertising on TikTok. the Redmi Note 7? Irun and every brand wants to The film was conceptualised and Ronita Mitra, former senior bank on his consecutive box office executed by Xiaomi India’s brand vice-president and head of brand, hits. His lineup? Durex Condoms, marketing team led by Karan Shroff. media, digital and consumer Thums Up, Colgate, Make My Trip, Ranveer’s association with Xiaomi insights at Vodafone, who recently Royal Stag, Set Wet, Kotak Mahindra does not mean that he is endorsing a launched a strategic marketing Bank, Siyaram’s, Ching’s, and even particular product; he has joined the consultancy firm, Brand Eagle, feels Vivo smartphones, to name a few. Xiaomi family as the chief disruptive that appointing Ranveer is a smart Now, Xiaomi India has roped officer. Throughout the excitement choice and will play a role in the new in the star to endorse its line of in the web film, viewers can also launch’s success, given the actor’s smartphones. The actor will spot seven Xiaomi items such as Mi popularity. She believes that Ranveer be responsible for bringing the Luggage, Mi Air Purifier and a Mi will get the brand a lot of “relate- disruption factor across the entire Soundbar, depicting the number 7 ability” along with an aspirational Xiaomi smartphone series. The brand that aligns with the Redmi Note 7. value. announced Ranveer’s association She says, “However, the through a digital film where the actor A CHALLENGER BRAND “It was only apt to messaging in the TVC is not clear showcases the new Redmi Note 7 As per a recent Canalys Report, - is it trying to establish music and while dancing his heart out to the India accounted for over 10 per cent consider a brand sound credentials, while all phones track ‘I’m sexy and I know it’. growth in its smartphone market endorser who talk about cameras and selfies? What The teaser ad was launched globally. The recent IDC Quarterly needs to be seen is if a “music video” through Ranveer’s twitter handle report for Q4 2018 says that the would resonate like Ranveer’s ad will be able to @RanveerOfficial. The end reveals Indian smartphone market saw a with Xiaomi’s sustain interest without any clear Ranveer and Xiaomi’s association healthy growth of 14.5 per cent year- messaging? Will it generate any as Manu Jain, managing director on-year compared to 2017. unconventional, tangible preference towards the of Xiaomi India, calls Ranveer and Xiaomi India began operating in disruptive approach.” product and make the consumer want to reach out to the product Ranveer has joined the Xiaomi family as ANUJ SHARMA in a highly competitive smartphone market?” the chief disruptive officer. According to Ranjeet Kumar, the two seal the alliance. Explaining 2014 and became the top brand in its Quarterly Report), with a shipment creative director at Isobar, Xiaomi why Xioami India chose Ranveer segment, beating Samsung in the last of 10.5 million units. India is a brave brand. Says Kumar, as its new face, Anuj Sharma, chief quarter of 2017. Since then, Samsung “Most of Xiaomi India’s target “The work is well-made compared marketing officer, Xiaomi India, is leaving no stone unturned to regain audience would be millennials who to typical Bollywood star-driven says, “Having established itself as the its lost crown. In fact, to tackle the tend to be tech enthusiasts too. But it campaigns. The content of the teaser brand that is known to disrupt the rising competition, the Korean tech is important to note that the majority video is intriguing and eggs me on industry it pursues, it was only apt giant announced the launch of the of this Indian consumer segment is for the reveal. From a messaging to consider a brand endorser who Galaxy M and Galaxy A series. Also, heavily offline-based. It is essential point of view, one campaign would would resonate with Xiaomi’s strong the Indian smartphone market has to connect with them through not be enough. Consistency with the tide of an unconventional, disruptive some strong players like Motorola, marketing channels that serve offline narrative, coupled with frequency at approach.” Oppo, Vivo, Nokia, and, of course, modes and gain important brand scale will be the key. Only time will While the teaser was launched Apple. Taking the competition head- visibility,” says Sharma. tell if Xiaomi India is able to create last week, the complete web film on, Xiaomi India has dominated the brand love that was enjoyed by the was released on February 24 across Indian smartphone market for six WHAT OTHERS SAY likes of Oneplus and Micromax in Xiaomi channels, including social quarters in a row with a current By roping in Ranveer Singh, will the past.” n media, YouTube and OTT platforms market share of 29 per cent (IDC the brand succeed in creating a mass [email protected]
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SOULFULL Hunger Buster with a Difference Soulfull has rolled out its first ad film in a three-part series. By Abid Hussain Barlaskar illet Smoothix, the instant “While it is easiest for a marketer to drink mix from cereal provide a large packet, we found that Mbrand Soulfull, is a quick people want freshness. A 500-gram food companies here to introduce on-the-go snack. The product is pack stored in a jar would take 15-20 health-oriented offerings with new targeted at hasty office goers and days to consume and people can skip companies also entering this space,” adds a cool quotient to the cereal- consumption for days. The sachets Sinha adds. based powder which is traditionally help in habit-generation, category “Smoothix is targeted at sold in boring cereal boxes. After creation and delivering fresh.” 25-40-year-old busy-bees looking for launching in mid-2018, the brand Parameswaran further explains a quick bite between work hours.” recently rolled out its first ad film, that while the sipper serves the “Since the product seems to part of a three-part series. The ads functional purpose, it also connotes be designed and marketed as have been conceptualised by People an active lifestyle. “It has the emotive healthy on-the-go food, its closest Design & Communications India. quotient of a lifestyle that the brand competition is likely to come from Soulfull sells the Millet Smoothix speaks about. It creates relevance for granola bars as well as packaged fruit/ product in 30-gram sachets (unlike the active consumer,” he says. vegetable juices, smoothies and milk- the larger Soulfull cereal packets and based drinks. Being cereal-based, it boxes) which are accompanied by a SO WHAT IS MILLET fits best into the breakfast segment. branded sipper. The powder is either SMOOTHIX UP AGAINST? “The sachets For many, especially students and mixed with water or milk inside The Soulfull co-founder stresses help in habit- office-goers, this meal is often the sipper before consumption. The that the brand isn’t competing with compromised due to lack of time, brand has also coupled cereals with another product or a brand and is generation, category so there is definitely a need-gap jaggery as an alternative to sugar. concentrating on building a category creation and for a healthy breakfast-on-the-go. While the powder-mix format puts around itself. It aims to be part of a With the huge number of diabetics the brand in a healthy and corrective particular time of a consumer’s day delivering fresh.” and pre-diabetics in India, sugar is area (like protein/vitamin-based and the market communication and PRASHANT increasingly being perceived as the powders), the sipper adds the active- strategy is aligned around this. new villain, so offering jaggery is not gymgoer’s swig to it. “Everybody has an 11 o’clock and PARAMESWARAN a bad idea. However, the presence or Smoothix is targeted at 4 o’clock hunger situation and people absence of jaggery per se is neither a 25-40-year-old busy-bees looking go after chowmein, samosas, vada pao clincher nor a deal-breaker,” Sinha for a quick bite between work hours. or maybe a slice of pizza. Smoothix, a (Instagram and Facebook) for the signs off. The brand is particularly looking at competing alternative here, provides launch. MG Parameswaran (Ambi), brand plugging the gap between scheduled complex carbohydrates, keeps the consultant and founder, Brand- meals, i.e. breakfast and lunch sugar level constant and lasts till INDUSTRY SPEAK Building.com maintains that the Samit Sinha, managing partner, consumer has to see value for money The brand has also initiated time-based Alchemist Brand Consulting, is of in the product. the opinion that while there is a “While the `30 pricing is good, a targeting in its digital campaigns. need of such a product, Smoothix’s consumer can still pick up a pack of success depends on - health, taste, juice for `20 or a tetra pack milkshake (around 11.00 am) and before dinner the next meal. Ours is more of convenience, and price. for `20. The consumer might not be (4.00 pm-5.00 pm). Several food situation-based advertising, unlike “Health, considering almost the ready to pay `30 and then add the brands have pulled such moves in other snacks which people decide entire category of foods is moving milk or water and prepare the drink,” the past. Nuts and caramel-based when to consume them. The ads tell in that direction. Taste, because it’s he states. bar, Snickers, was positioned as a consumers about the product’s role food and not medicine. Convenience “But the concept is interesting snack food to fight the 4 o’clock in their lives,” Parameswaran says. is the need of the hour as people and there is a lot of action in the hunger with the tag line ‘’Hunger The brand has also initiated are leading busier lives and there area of on-the-go beverages today. Bajaye Chaar, Snicker Khol Yaar’. time-based targeting in its digital is less time for preparation and There is Raw Pressery, Cavin’s QSR (quick-serve restaurant) brand campaigns. Parameswaran reveals consumption. Ultimately, price Milkshakes and Nestle’s cold coffee KFC tried to own lunchtime with that the digital ads go live at specific becomes crucial if a brand wants to among others. Consumers are also its ‘Rice Bowlz’ while also projecting times (around 11.00 am and 4.00 deeply penetrate the market and not spending time outside and all of the hasty professional as the target. pm) and the ad copies ask questions just cater to the urban affluent,” he them are trying to get a slice out of Knorr soup played up the hunger- like “Non-stop work hunger?” and explains. the approaching summer,” he adds. between-meals phenomenon with “Stuck in traffic hunger?” “The market for healthier dietary “Coming to jaggery, is it really its “Chhoti chhoti bhook bye bye” The brand also executes offline alternatives has been growing healthier than sugar? It also contains campaign. promotions via print, radio and internationally for many years and a lot of calories, so maybe not,” Prashant Parameswaran, CEO on-ground activations. It also created the trend is fast catching on in India. Parameswaran signs off. n and co-founder, Soulfull says, a microsite and social media handles Therefore, we can expect major [email protected]
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UMA TALREJA “Digital helped footfalls” Shoppers Stop uses AR to promote a tie-up with Kendall and Kylie Jenner’s range of bags. By Aishwarya Ramesh
hat would you do if you saw an unclaimed wanted everybody to have a great time with bag? Normally, you’d call the police, but the bag as well,” says Talreja. Wat Shoppers Stop, it was a virtual bag Talreja states that the execution was fairly that was unclaimed and many wanted to pose with smooth. “The only challenge we faced was it! Shopper’s Stop latest announcement is about the weekend we wanted to do this, Facebook an exclusive association with Kendall and Kylie was doing the WhatsApp integration and we Jenner’s line of bags titled KENDALL+KYLIE, for had to push it by a week. Otherwise, it was an in-store launch. fun and I don’t think there was really any We spoke to Uma Talreja - customer care major challenge. I think people also took to associate, chief of marketing & customer officer, it and they enjoyed taking part,” she signs Shoppers Stop. “We used Facebook’s augmented off smiling. n reality technology for the AR installation in the [email protected] store. It’s an augmented reality activity where the customer is in the real world, but the bag is virtual. We had a lot of influencers come in and pose with the bag. This is the kind of innovation that would Form IV (See Rule 8 ) make sense for the product because the audience is 1. Place of Publication : New Delhi very new age. Kendall and Kylie already have an aura, 2. Periodicity of Publication : Fortnightly but we wanted to make sure it is matched with an 3. Printer’s Name : Sreekant Khandekar appropriate innovation. It is offline-online in a very Whether citizen of India? : Yes big way for us,” Talreja explains. If foreigner, state the Shoppers Stop has been innovating with its country of origin : Does not apply messaging and communications since Diwali 2018. “Brick and mortar is the key Address : 565, Mandakini Enclave, Some of its campaigns that have garnered attention Alaknanda, in the past include a Wardrobe Refresh campaign experience that we offer. But we New Delhi 110019 for Diwali and a woman-centric campaign called 4. Publisher’s Name : Sreekant Khandekar “All About Her”. Its newest campaign is titled want to be where our customers Whether citizen of India : Yes ‘Goodbye Ex, Hello New’; a tongue in cheek take on If foreigner, state the are. So, when our customers country of origin : Does not apply Valentine’s Day. Address : 565, Mandakini Enclave, “The millennial generation is who we want to want to do something online, Alaknanda, influence now at Shoppers Stop. What we are trying you want to give them the same New Delhi 110019 to do is be increasingly, more contextual to what’s 5. Editor’s Name : Sreekant Khandekar happening in customers’ lives and their environment Shoppers Stop experience.” Whether citizen of India? : Yes and reach new audiences and therefore, change the If foreigner, state the perception of Shopper’s Stop from being for the She also states that the brand is open to working country of origin : Does not apply parents and the slightly older crowd,” she adds. with Indian influencers in the future. “We’re Address : 565, Mandakini Enclave, Alaknanda, Talreja also points out that Shoppers Stop was looking at a lot of avenues in terms of co-creating New Delhi 110019 one of the early retailers that implemented an a new collection, whether it is with influencers, 6. Name and Address : Owner omnichannel strategy which includes a mix of online designers, entrepreneurs etc. Our efforts on product of individuals who own the Banyan Netfaqs Pvt. Ltd. sales and offline retailing. “We’re also the first retailer development are ramped up. We’ve also got a whole newspaper and partners 565, Mandakini Enclave, to tie up with Google for virtual store visits. We’ve new team on leadership and on the buying and and shareholders holding Alaknanda, launched a personal shopper appointment booking merchandising side who are working on many new more than one per cent New Delhi 110019 engine; we will soon also be launching makeover things - launching international brands, co-creating of the total capital engines,” she informs. brands, movie merchandising or digitally co-created Shareholders holding more than one per cent of the total She points out that even though the brand has ideas. In the next financial year there will be a lot capital an online shopping presence via its site and through of new things which one will definitely see from an app, it’s role is not the same as marketplace apps Shoppers Stop,” she promises. 1. Sreekant Khandekar, 565, Mandakini Enclave, Alaknanda, New Delhi - 110019. like Myntra or Jabong. “I think for us, our business The brand’s digital efforts are paying off as its agility is offline. And brick and mortar is the key business results have been good and footfalls have 2. Sandeep Vij, E 98, Greater Kailash I, New Delhi - 110048. experience that we offer. However, the strategy is increased, according to Talreja. “This is encouraging 3. Shyam Khandekar, Secr Runsinkbrink 1, 2731 AG, that we want to be where our customers are. A lot for us and I always value the feedback of the Benthuizen, The Netherlands. of our customers want information and they want to on-ground staff. They’re very charged up by the 4. Sanjay Kapoor, 8/1 Shanti Niketan, New Delhi - 110 021. shop online. I think the larger play is that when our campaign and I think a charged up on-ground staff 5. Prasanna Singh, 72, Aravali Apartments, Alaknanda, customers want to do something online, you want to is always good for sales,” she claims. New Delhi - 110019. give them the same Shoppers Stop experience.” The idea of an augmented reality setup was 6. Anurag Dixit, S16 Ground Floor Eldeco Greens Meadows The brand’s digital sales are approximately 2 in-house and Attero labs had designed the Augmented Sector Pi Greater Noida per cent of the total sales it makes. “We do see an Reality lens on Facebook for the KENDALL + I, Sreekant Khandekar, hereby declare that the particulars influence on footfall. We see that customers are KYLIE handbag launch in-stores. “The brief to my given above are true to the best of my knowledge and belief. actually going online, they are actually discovering team was - when you already have an iconic brand, the product and they are able to attribute that visit, how do we make it participative? One can always which is not culminated in a sale online, into an do the regular influencer way of posting tweets and Dated: March 1, 2019 Sreekant Khandekar Signature of Publisher offline footfall,” Talreja tells us. leveraging social influence and followers, but we
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VINEET BAJPAI “We did not Pitch to Anyone”
have just delivered twins and I am in the Harinder Sikka’s ‘Calling Sehmat’ (filmed hospital. I am reading your book and it as ‘Raazi’), the book-to-screen journey I is helping me forget the pain; the book was limited to films only. Because of the takes me to another world and gives me the certification and censorship involved, just strength to endure this. a few, particular types of books found a This was a letter written to author cinematic projection. Vineet Bajpai, founder of Magnon eg+ With the emergence of the digital who says that it is just one e-mail medium and large digital video platforms among the thousands he received after in India, the dynamics have changed. the release of his Harappa trilogy. Balaji Telefilms’ digital video on demand Anil Dhirubhai Ambani’s Reliance platform - ALTBalaji made an episodic Entertainment recently announced the series - ‘Bose: Dead/Alive’ based on Anuj acquisition of the media rights to the Dhar’s novel ‘India’s biggest cover-up’. Harappa Trilogy. Actress Vidya Balan bought the media “While I cannot reveal the value of rights of Sagarika Ghose’s book ‘Indira the deal with gratification, what I can - India’s most powerful Prime Minister’ share is that the Harappa deal is one of and actor/producer Shah Rukh Khan is the biggest book-to-screen transactions producing an eight-part-series for Netflix ever, in India,” Bajpai shares. It has only based on Bilal Siddiqi’s book ‘The bard been a week since Reliance made the of blood’. announcement and reports are already Last year Netflix released ‘Sacred suggesting a `200-crore budget that has Games’ based on Vikram Chandra’s book been earmarked to film a movie on with the same title. While famous Indian Harappa. Other reports suggest that filmmakers directed the series - Anurag Reliance is planning to make a multi- Kashyap and Vikramaditya Motwane - season web-series for premier OTT Netflix roped in Chandra as a consultant, platforms. “The output, whether it is often seen in the writers-room which had two films like Bahubali or a multi- National Award Winner writer Varun season web-series, will perhaps, be the Grover, Smita Singh and Vasant Nath biggest scale anyone from the advertising working on the screenplay. space has touched before,” says Bajpai. Bajpai too will work closely with the makers The best-selling Indian author released the “We should be when the project kicks off. “The leadership at first edition of the trilogy - ‘Harappa: The Lure Reliance is cognizant of the fact that I am not of Soma’ in Mid 2017 followed by ‘Pralay: The able to produce just an author but also an advertising leader Great Deluge’ in early 2018 and ‘Kashi: Secret something who spent two decades in the advertising of The Black Temple’ in September 2018. industry. So I don’t just write books, I also Before the trilogy, he wrote three books - which is comparable have the experience of building brands, target ‘Build from Scratch’ in 2004, ‘The Street to to Game of Thrones.” marketing and the entire creative process. From The Highway’ in 2016 and the business-cum budget to casting to the number of episodes the motivational book ‘The 30 Something CEO’. VINEET BAJPAI web-series needs, I will be working closely “There is one thing where a book becomes with Reliance Entertainment throughout the popular. There is another where the book starts process,” says Bajpai. finding a cult following and that is what has readers’ reaction told us that the movie move Bajpai is upbeat about the book-to-screen happened with Harappa. I have been invited to ought to happen. We did not pitch the trilogy adaptation and believes that the trilogy has almost all the literature festivals of the country to anyone, but three of the biggest production everything necessary for a blockbuster. “Is it a and everybody is quite stunned that within 18 houses in India’s media and entertainment historical thriller - yes, does it have mythology months, a franchise became so popular and space approached us and we felt Reliance is - yes, fantasy - yes, modern day crime - achieved such massive sales,” Bajpai asserts. the best partner for various reasons,” explains yes, elements of romance - yes, action - yes, More than 2 lakh copies of the trilogy have Bajpai. conspiracies - yes. A lot of the people have been sold so far and the books have managed to From Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay’s compared the trilogy to Lord of the Rings; cut through all age groups. ‘Devdas’, the book which has been made Times of India called it India’s answer to Bajpai recollects reading a student’s email into a film in different languages by different George R R Martin’s Game of Thrones,” he where she was complaining that her mother directors to the recent release ‘The Accidental shares. took the books away from her as she was unable Prime Minister’, based on Sanjay Baru’s book “I hope with the Harappa trilogy a whole to take her eyes away from them. There were ‘The Accidental Prime Minister: The Making new spectacular standard will be set because snaps of people taking the books to temple and and Unmaking of Manmohan Singh’, India has we are expecting that with this trilogy, we worshipping them while some of them were seen a number of book-to-screen adaptations. should be able to produce something which kept with other gods and goddesses in their But, be it the Chetan Bhagat books that were is comparable to Game of Thrones,” Bajpai homes. Readers also shared their expectation made into films, Hussein Zahidi’s ‘Black Friday’ concludes. of the trilogy being made into a film. “The which went on screen with the same name or [email protected]
afaqs! Reporter, March 1-15, 2 0 1 9 15 ASSOCIATE PARTNER PRINT PARTNER CO-PARTNER DIGITAL PARTNER
AMAZON IS THE BUZZIEST BRAND OF 2019
Last year, Jio toppled Patanjali from the top slot. This year, Amazon beat Jio down to No. 2. The Buzziest Brands Awards are all about excitement. A closer look at what happened at the 14th edition. By Debashish Chakraborty
16 afaqs! Reporter, March 1-15, 2019 BUZZY D U B A D
A A B A D A Y A A AZ his year, the Jeff Bezos-led e-commerce giant has bounced back (its Tlast win was in Buzzies 2016) and topped the chart. Though the 1 5 Amazon E-commerce | Services 100.0 audience votes were low, the jury votes gave this brand a big push in its 2 1 Jio Telecom 74.6 win over the last year’s champ, Jio. 3 - Swiggy E-commerce | Services 53.7 A prominent jump from last year’s fifth spot makes us wonder 4 - Netflix Content Platforms 42.4 what went right for Amazon. Was it the exclusive sale of products, 5 - Google Websites 34.0 particularly mobile 6 - Flipkart E-commerce | Services 29.5 handsets, the Great 7 4 Apple Computer & IT Sector 26.0 India Festival Sale or 8 7 Xiaomi Mobile Handsets 19.3 its video-on-demand 9 - Tata Motors Automotive 16.9 service Amazon Prime 10 9 Airtel Telecom 16.6 Video? 11 3 Paytm BFSI...3 16.1 In a cluttered OTT 12 29 Samsung Mobile Handsets 15.9 market, Amazon Prime Video has been trying to break in by offering its 13 - Hotstar Content Platforms 14.5 viewers originals like the Breathe and Mirzapur TV series and the latest 14 - Royal Enfield Two Wheelers 14.1 Bollywood and regional movies (Tamil, Telugu and Bengali, primarily). 14 - Thums Up Cold Beverages 14.1 In addition, last year, it rode the comedy wave by partnering with 14 top 16 - Horlicks Hot Beverages 13.8 Indian comedians for their specials and creating the stand-up comedy 17 - Uber E-commerce | Services 13.7 reality competition series - Comicstaan. 18 56 Nike Apparel, Fashion, ...2 13.5 What’s noteworthy is that in e-commerce category, rival brand 18 - OLA E-commerce | Services 13.5 Flipkart has filled its ‘cart’ with gold, but in the main list, Amazon has 20 11 INDIA TV News 13.4 defeated it by a huge margin in both audience and jury votes. 20 - Twitter Content Platforms 13.4 22 - Ching’s Foods 13.3 23 - Bajaj Auto Two Wheelers 13.0 23 - Government of India 13.0 BUZZY 23 16 IPL 13.0 26 - Adidas Apparel, Fashion, ...2 12.5 27 - PUMA Apparel, Fashion, ...2 7.8 27 10 Vivo Mobile Handsets 7.8 ince its entry into the Buzzies Brand Awards 29 - Sony Entertainment 7.5 Sin 2017, Jio has managed to retain a position 30 - Reebok Apparel, Fashion, ...2 7.3 in the top 3 every year. It was the second- 31 6 OPPO Mobile Handsets 6.8 runner up in 2017, the winner last year, and a 32 - OnePlus Mobile Handsets 5.5 runner-up again this year. This showcases the 33 8 Maruti Suzuki Automotive 4.8 customer’s trust in the brand which introduced 34 - Nokia Mobile Handsets 4.7 them to the term ‘Free data’, ushering in a data 34 - INDIA TODAY News 4.7 revolution. 36 44 Honda Automotive 4.2 This year, a major announcement was made 37 - Coca-Cola Cold Beverages 4.0 by the third largest telecom brand in India (subscription as the base), 38 - Microsoft Computer & IT Sector 3.9 to launch Jio Fiber - a highly advanced fibre internet option. The 39 42 Hero Two Wheelers 3.6 ultrasonic speed of 100 Mbps is provided for 100 GB and it is free for 39 - Zee News News 3.6 three months. 41 48 Reliance Retail 3.5 Additionally, it also offers JIO TV which has content from over 575 42 - Pepsi Cold Beverages 3.3 channels across genres including kids, entertainment, sports, devotional, 43 - Fastrack Apparel, Fashion, ...2 3.2 movies, regional channels and more. 44 - Colgate Cosmetics, Toiletries..1 3.0 44 - ASUS Computer & IT Sector 3.0 46 2 Patanjali Cosmetics, Toiletries...1 2.8 47 - Aaj Tak News 2.7 BUZZY B Z 48 - Amazon Prime Content Platforms 2.6 48 - Zara Apparel, Fashion, ...2 2.6 Y 48 - Blackberry Mobile Handsets 2.6 hat a year this brand has 48 - BMW Automotive 2.6 2 Whad! This is the first time 52 - Levi’s Apparel, Fashion, ... 2.5 that the leading food ordering 53 - Lenovo Computer & IT Sector 2.4 and delivery provider has 53 - Micromax Mobile Handsets 2.4 entered the Top 10 Buzziest 55 13 Facebook Content Platforms 2.3 2 Brands list and ended up with 55 52 Bata Apparel, Fashion, ... 2.3 a bronze to boot. The brand continues to dominate the market with 55 38 Motorola Mobile Handsets 2.3 top-in-class customer service, frequent discounts while partnering with 55 - realme Mobile Handsets 2.3 2 over 40,000 restaurants (premium, mid-range and small scale). 59 - Titan Apparel, Fashion, ... 2.2 2 Belonging to a cash-pumping domain, the brand’s recent billion- 60 - Woodland Apparel, Fashion, ... 2.1 dollar funding has elevated it to the top of the valuation chart in its 60 - ABP News News 2.1 segment. And how can we miss its quirky campaigns, mainly across Moved Up Moved Down New Entrant digital and social platforms? The list is long, but these two have clicked the most - the video thanking its delivery partners (boys) on their 1. Cosmetics | Toiletries | Personal care 2 Apparel | Fashion | Accessories fourth anniversary and the ‘What’s in the name’ campaign, which asked 3. Banking & Financial Services, Insurance customers to call delivery partners by their name.
afaqs! Reporter, March 1-15, 2019 17 U Y
4 | The global leader in online streaming platforms entered the Indian OTT market last year with a bang! Considering the high number of ‘online users’ in India, the decision to offer premium content to the ‘desi’ audience has been fruitful. This will be the brand’s first entry into the Buzzies Top 10. The major breakthrough for Netflix came through its original, Sacred Games. The perfectly plotted crime-drama series starring Nawazuddin Siddiqui created a buzz which has only grown. In addition to its originals, the distinct advantage that this brand has over other OTT players is a distinguished and massive inventory of shows across AMARDEEP SINGH JASKARAN KAPANY NINA ELAVIA JAIPURIA the globe, cultures and languages. CEO Vice President, Marketing Head - Hindi and Kids TV Interactive Avenues-A Reprise Paytm Network Viacom18 Media Currently, the monthly subscription of Netflix is the most expensive Network Company among all the OTT players, but it seems like the Indian audience knows the worth of good content. 5 | Google became the second brand, after Airtel, to feature multiple times in the ‘Top 10 Buzziest Brands’ list with 8 entries. It was also crowned the Buzziest Brand in the website category. In the ad world, Google’s Creative Intelligence Partnership with
RAJDEEPAK DAS ROHIT OHRI SANJEEV BHARGAVA Chief Creative Officer, Group Chairman Director - Brand Managing Director and CEO TOI, TIMS and Leo Burnett FCB India Mirror brands
Ogilvy created waves by being a first-of-its-kind. In the tech world, its premium mobile, the Pixel 3, launched at a jaw-dropping `60,000 (starting price). And in the real world, with constant innovation across segments and products, the brand has created a reputation of being a when-all-hell-breaks-loose friend rather than just a brand. Its constant improvements in Artificial Intelligence to provide users TARUN JHA VIKAS MEHTA VIKRAM SAKHUJA with accurate and helpful information seems to have its users quite Head of Marketing CEO Group CEO happy. and Product Mullen Lintas Madison Media & OOH Skoda Auto India Madison World 6 | A The homegrown e-commerce giant, despite being in the top 10 Buzziest Brands list six times, failed to find a spot last year. This year, Flipkart 7 | A With underdog Xiaomi and old-time competitor Samsung maintaining a strong foothold in the mobile handset category, Apple’s loyal customer base still seems to be holding on to their favourite fruit. With numerous launches in the mobile, laptop and accessory segment (iPhone Xs, Xs Max, XR Updated MacBook, Watch Series 4, iPad Pro) the brand has definitely stayed is back making it the third brand to appear more than five times on the in the news. top 10 list since the Buzzies’ inception in 2006. Recently acquired by Apple also entered the $1000 price bracket with its iPhone X, Walmart for a whopping $16 billion, the successful exit of one of the critiqued as one of the best in the ultra-premium category. The brand Bansal duo and the resignation of the other created quite a stir. There had the highest number of votes submitted for a brand by the audience was also the discount-marathon - Big Billion Days - where products but lacked the same from the jury. What is commendable is that as per were offered at hard-to-pass-up prices. market share, though the brand did not make it to the top 5 mobile Though the brand may be trending for some not-so-good reasons, it handsets in India, it has created substantial buzz to be on our main created enough buzz to land on the sixth spot. Buzzies list.
18 afaqs! Reporter, March 1-15, 2019 8 | A Topping the mobile handset charts, the A D brand’s extension into TV, fitness bands, smart home appliances, and accessories, have further added to its buzz. Though it has dropped a position since last year, the brand nonetheless, rules the mobile • The jury vote and popular vote, segment category. Credit goes to its both received an equal (50:50) premium quality product line which is available at economical rates. weightage. This edition had Seeing the overwhelming response, nine jurors. the brand has also found success in offline retail. The brand’s online exclusivity is now no longer limited to Flipkart - it can be bought from • The number of valid voters Amazon, as well as other e-commerce platforms. Despite jumping on to the advertising bandwagon of celebrity endorsements and TVCs quite for Buzzies 2019 was around late, Xiaomi seems to have touched Indian hearts and pockets. 5,000. This year, the brands were classified under 24 9 | A A Tata Motors, which could not make it into even the top 100 last year, product categories wherein bulldozed its way into the prestigious main list. The list which has been voters could choose three fairly dominated by e-commerce, FMCG products, mobile handsets, brands that they deemed the and networks, this time, saw one motor brand replacing another (Maruti Suzuki). Buzziest. Year on year, Tata Motors has been rolling high on the C-SUV • The votes of the jurors helped us create the main list of Buzzy Brands. For the category voting process, voters were required to select three brand category especially with its flagship product, Tata Nexon. As if this wasn’t enough, it recently became the first made-and-sold-in-India car names from a list, the length to achieve the Global NCAP’s coveted five-star crash-test rating. of which varied from category to category. They also had the 10 | A Airtel does not surprise us at the Buzzies anymore. With this year’s option of adding a name they entry, the brand owns the title of “Most entries in Top 10 Buzziest felt was missing. Brands”. It has been listed nine times (five-time winner, one-time runner-up and one-time second runner-up). Airtel was the brand that won the first edition of Buzziest Brands, back in 2006. • No shortlist of brands was From taking digs at competitors made in the case of the main in TVCs to offering Buzzy Brands list. The process 3-month Netflix was entirely unprompted. subscriptions to its post-paid While there was a prompt customers, the to help participants get the brand just can’t spelling of the brand name stop coming up with innovative, right, they were free to type customer-friendly the name of absolutely any ‘plans’ to add and retain customers. Other than its flagship mobile brand they wanted. network, the brand has also been doing fairly well with its extended arms - Airtel Digital TV, Airtel DTH, and Airtel Broadband.
afaqs! Reporter, March 1-15, 2019 19 BUZZ B A D
Other than the list of the top 10 Buzziest Brands of India, which are category-agnostic, we have also awarded the top three brands in each product category. With some old-schoolers and some new entrants, almost all brands were covered in the list offered to voters.
We studied 24 product categories in all. In each category, our voters (popular plus jury) chose three brands that they deemed to be the Buzziest, from a list. No new category has been added, but the ‘telecom’ category has been dropped.
A detailed look at how brands ranked within their respective categories this year.
Airlines Apparel | Fashion | Accessories Automotive Rank 2019 Rank 2018 Brand Relative Score Rank 2019 Rank 2018 Brand Relative Score Rank 2019 Rank 2018 Brand Relative Score 1 - Air India 100.0 1 4 Nike 100.0 1 - BMW 100.0 2 1 IndiGo 95.2 2 - PUMA 95.9 2 - Audi 90.0 3 - Jet Airways 75.5 3 - Adidas 89.3 3 - Jaguar 82.1 4 2 SpiceJet 71.0 4 - Levi’s 77.0 4 3 Honda 79.7 5 4 Emirates 68.0 5 4 Raymond 76.6 5 - Tata Motors 74.6
This year, Air India has dethroned two-time champ Indigo by Trends change. And so did the entries in this category. This ‘Luxury’ seems to have driven a lot of buzz in this category. a small margin. Indigo settled at the second position while Jet year, the awardees of this category are completely different Last year’s winner - Maruti Suzuki is out of the race and Airways, which was eliminated last year, bounced back to No. from last year’s. Global sportswear brand Nike dethroned was replaced by BMW followed by Audi and Jaguar. This 3. Last year’s runner up Spice Jet and new entrant Emirates 2018 winner, Titan-owned Fastrack (which failed to qualify year’s top 3 are all about class and luxury. Honda made it has to settle for the No. 4 and No. 5 spots respectively. in the top 5) to become the Buzziest brand in this category. to the fourth spot and is followed by Tata Motors. What’s Germany-based Lufthansa and Malaysian airline Air Asia, Marginally on the lower side of the votes, than the winner, noteworthy is that while Tata Motors stands last among the seem to have missed their flights this time. is Puma, followed by Adidas. New entrant Levi’s replaced top 5, it is the only brand from this category to make it to the Raymond and secured the fourth spot followed by the latter. main Buzzies list. It recently created quite a stir in the industry Bata and Jockey have been bundled out of this year’s top with its Tata Nexon, the first made-and-sold-in-India car to 5. It seems like sportswear and accessories were in fashion achieve Global NCAP’s coveted five-star crash-test rating. this year.
BFSI Building & Industrial Material Cold Beverages Rank 2019 Rank 2018 Brand Relative Score Rank 2019 Rank 2018 Brand Relative Score Rank 2019 Rank 2018 Brand Relative Score 1 1 Paytm 100.0 1 2 Havells 100.0 1 1 Coca-Cola 100.0 2 2 State Bank of India 47.3 2 1 Asian Paints 93.3 2 - Appy Fizz 88.9 3 - Ru-Pay 44.7 3 - Dulux 82.1 3 - Maaza 88.2 3 5 BHIM 44.7 4 3 Kajaria 75.6 4 - Pepsi 83.8 5 - Tez 36.7 5 - Berger Paints 70.9 5 3 Thums Up 81.5
Like last year, mobile-wallet-cum-e-commerce-cum- This category was introduced last year. This year we have Coke has topped this category for three years in a row payments-bank player, Paytm has been crowned the winner 3 paint brands in the top 5. Havells and Asian Paints now, dominating the cold beverages segment. The rest in this category. Beating off competition by a sizeable margin, swapped the top positions, with the former emerging of the spots have seen many ups and downs over the the brand has yet again proved its worth in an already winner. International paint brand, Dulux stood at No. 3. years including this year. New entrants - Appy Fizz and the cluttered market by acting as a one-stop portal offering From the bathroom fitting sub-segment, Kajaria climbed mango-flavoured drink, Maaza - have secured the second multiple solutions. Riding on the demonetisation wave, up one rank while Jaquar crashed out. The new addition and third positions respectively, while last year’s runner-up, Paytm wallet payment is now accepted by almost all online in this category is Berger Paints. Paper Boat was knocked out. Interestingly, Pepsi, which had shopping portals and major offline stores as well. The largest created quite a buzz last year for not making it into the top bank in India, State Bank of India bagged the second spot 5, has secured the fourth spot this year and is followed by while the third spot is shared by the Narendra Modi-launched Thums Up. payment app, BHIM and RuPay.
20 afaqs! Reporter, March 1-15, 2019 DU A
Computer & IT Sector Confectionery | Chocolates Consumer Durables Rank 2019 Rank 2018 Brand Relative Score Rank 2019 Rank 2018 Brand Relative Score Rank 2019 Rank 2018 Brand Relative Score 1 2 Apple 100.0 1 12 Cadbury Dairy Milk 100.0 1 - Samsung 100.0 2 - HP 87.9 2 3 Kit Kat 81.9 2 2 Sony 97.3 3 3 Dell 87.7 3 2 Snickers 65.1 3 1 LG 65.1 4 1 Microsoft 81.2 4 4 Parle 59.8 4 - Godrej 59.8 5 - Lenovo 68.8 5 - Cadbury 5 Star 53.5 5 - Nikon 53.5
Apple has bagged the top spot again after being beaten Cadbury (the 2018 winner) has, this year, dominated the Last year, Samsung had the most noteworthy exit from the by Microsoft last year. Round the year releases across its charts with two of its products in the top 5 categories. top 5. This year, it has come back with a bang to top the products (iPhone, iPod, Mac) seem to have kept the buzz Cadbury Dairy Milk stands tall at No. 1 while Cadbury 5 Star list. Such is the impact of this brand which is currently in a going for the brand. The brand was also successful in making is the new entrant. On the other hand, Kit Kat has replaced tussle with Xiaomi to regain its spot in the mobile segment it to the main Buzzies list at seventh place. HP is back again Snickers to bag the No. 2 spot. Parle bagged the No. 4 spot India. The brand is now bringing its focus back into the mid- at the second spot after being knocked out from the top 5 and Nestle is out. None of the brands in this category could price range category after retaining its position in the premium last year. Dell has managed to stay on third with a nail-biting make it to the main Buzzies list. category. At No. 2, Sony’s position is unchanged, but last loss (by votes) to the runner-up. It is followed by Microsoft year’s topper LG had to settle for the third spot. Philips and and Lenovo - Canon and Micromax could not find a place on Cannon are out while Godrej and Nikon are in. the list this year.
Content Platforms Cosmetics | Toiletries | Personal Care E-commerce | Services Rank 2019 Rank 2018 Brand Relative Score Rank 2019 Rank 2018 Brand Relative Score Rank 2019 Rank 2018 Brand Relative Score 1 2 YouTube 100.0 1 4 Patanjali 100.0 1 2 Flipkart 100.0 2 1 WhatsApp 92.3 2 2 Fogg 98.1 2 1 Amazon 99.1 3 3 Facebook 80.2 2 - Colgate 98.1 3 - Swiggy 55.2 e 3.8 4 - Dettol 91.9 4 5 Zomato 48.3 5 5 Hotstar 58.3 5 - Dove 90.0 5 - OLA 47.3
The brand names in this category have remained more or Baba Ramdev’s Patanjali has topped the charts yet again after The ball is in Flipkart’s ‘cart’ this time. It’s back again after less the same with just one addition. This year’s category securing the fourth spot last year. The brand’s aggressive being toppled by Amazon last year. All thanks to the huge winner is YouTube (2018’s runner-up). With a number of advertising and its entry into the apparel segment with Patanjali buzz it created last year with its acquisition by Walmart, the content platforms now charging a ‘premium’ for their content, Paridhan, makes one wonder what its next conquest will be. parting of the Bansal duo and, of course, ‘The Big Billion Day YouTube’s free offering has made it the next go-to option. With Ramdev himself being the prime brand ambassador, the Sale’. Last year’s winner, Amazon, settled for second place With content creators mushrooming, one is expected to find minimal spend of endorsements is a distinctive advantage the by scoring marginally lower than the winner on the voting something or the other worth watching. Other than likes, brand has over other FMCG rivals. By retaining its position board. What’s surprising is the entry of food ordering and comments and shares, one can also check the buzz quotient in the top 3, we now truly believe that Fogg ‘Chal Raha Hai’. delivery giant Swiggy in this category. The brand seems to of the brand at its annual YouTube fan-fest. Last year’s Initially starting with only a few fragrances, the brand now has a have cracked the code of getting to peoples’ hearts via their winner, WhatsApp settled for the second spot followed by number of variants including a premium segment. It is followed stomachs. Make My Trip and Myntra could not make it to its parent company Facebook. At No. 4 is new entrant Netflix by Colgate, Dettol and Dove; all of which are new entrants. the top 5 and the remaining positions were filled by Zomato while Hotstar’s position is the same as last year. ITC’s Engage and HUL’s Lifebuoy could not find a place. and Ola.
Entertainment Foods Hot Beverages Rank 2019 Rank 2018 Brand Relative Score Rank 2019 Rank 2018 Brand Relative Score Rank 2019 Rank 2018 Brand Relative Score 1 2 Sony 100.0 1 1 Maggi 100.0 1 3 Nescafé 100.0 2 - Cartoon Network 93.8 2 4 Amul 82.3 2 - Bru 73.6 3 3 Star 88.0 3 5 Parle-G 77.7 3 1 Tata Tea 71.2 4 - Discovery 79.4 4 2 Patanjali 72.8 4 - Horlicks 66.0 5 4 National Geographic 78.5 5 - Lays 70.2 5 2 Bournvita 63.6
This category is always full of surprises. With cut-throat Maggi has been topping the charts for the last two years Coffee has ruled over tea and malt-based drinks in the hot competition where everyone tries to outcast another, Sony and has done the same this year. In spite of the growth of beverages category this year. Beating rival, Bru, by a large has managed to secure the winning spot by beating last the other players due to the lead-content controversy, the margin of votes, Nescafé held the top spot by replacing year’s champ, ZEE. This year, Sony also gave a push to its brand has popped back and continues to dominate the Tata Tea, which stands at No. 3. A tight battle between Bru video-on-demand service platform - SONY LIV by adding ready-to-make noodle market. Surprisingly, Patanjali has and Tata Tea was witnessed, where the former won by a Hindi TV shows, movies, music, sports and more. The been replaced by Amul which holds the second spot while minuscule margin. The last two spots have been filled by second position has a new entrant in Cartoon Network which Baba Ramdev’s brand has slid to fourth place. Parle-G has GSK’s Horlicks (bouncing back from last year’s exit) and seems to have created more buzz than most of the top replaced Tata Salt at No 3. The new addition to the list is Mondelez’s Bournvita. Premium coffee retailer, Starbucks GECs. Star’s third position remains unaltered. The third and Lays. In spite of its new flavours not making any big waves, could not make it to the list. fourth spot is secured by non-fictional television channels - it seems like its signature ‘green, blue, yellow and red’ chips Discovery and National Geographic respectively. are still buzz-worthy.
afaqs! Reporter, March 1-15, 2019 21 Hotels Household Products Mobile Handsets Rank 2019 Rank 2018 Brand Relative Score Rank 2019 Rank 2018 Brand Relative Score Rank 2019 Rank 2018 Brand Relative Score 1 2 Taj Hotels 100.0 1 4 Surf Excel 100.0 1 - Xiaomi 100.0 2 4 The Oberoi 69.4 2 1 Goodknight 95.1 2 1 iPhone 90.8 3 1 ITC Hotels 66.5 3 5 Fevicol 94.3 3 4 Samsung 87.4 4 3 JW Marriott 60.9 4 - All Out 80.7 4 5 OnePlus 60.9 5 - Hilton 59.8 5 3 Tide 75.5 5 3 OPPO 60.1
Introduced last year, this category has been immensely Last year, it was the war between detergent brands. This With the Indian market flooded with mobile handsets (both in popular, going by the votes. The boost in the travel industry year, the top 5 chart sees a mixed bag. Last year’s winner, the low budget and premium category) for the last few years, has provided a major push to this category, especially in Goodknight was pipped to the crown by Surf Excel. this category has been witnessing the same brands fighting the premium segment. Last year’s winner, ITC was pushed Interestingly, the growing concern regarding health and for the top spot. This year the fight was won by Xiaomi which, to the third position by the Oberoi. With a major presence diseases like malaria has brands like Goodknight and All in spite of not making it to the list last year, won the top spot. in metropolitan cities, they have been neatly spreading Out in high demand and thus, making the latter’s entry Offering premium quality handsets at economical prices seem across Tier-2 cities as well, where the capacity to spend has into the top 5. Pidilite’s Fevicol and P&G’s Tide filled the to have worked in the brand’s favour. Apple’s iPhone (the increased over the years. JW Marriott has beaten Hilton by a remaining spots. 2018 category winner) had to settle for the second spot while small margin of votes to secure the fourth spot. Le Meridien Samsung stood third. This was followed by One Plus and went out from the chart this year. OPPO, where the former won by a negligible margin of votes.
News OTC QSR Rank 2019 Rank 2018 Brand Relative Score Rank 2019 Rank 2018 Brand Relative Score Rank 2019 Rank 2018 Brand Relative Score 1 1 INDIA TV 100.0 1 - Himalaya 100.0 1 3 KFC 100.0 2 - Aaj Tak 29.6 2 1 Patanjali 90.3 2 1 Domino’s Pizza 94.7 3 2 NDTV 26.4 3 - Durex 86.2 3 - McDonald’s 90.9 4 - Zee News 19.1 4 - Vicks 79.9 4 - Pizza Hut 78.4 5 - INDIA TODAY 18.4 5 - Volini 77.9 5 5 Haldiram’s 64.7
This category lists news channel across languages and This year, two-time winner Patanjali had to settle for the From chicken wings and economical pizzas to coffee and verticals. Much like last year, this year too, the top spot was No. 2 spot as it was beaten by Himalaya by a fraction of namkeen, this category has seen it all. This year too, the list retained by the Rajat Sharma-led India TV, which beat its votes. Interestingly, Patanjali is back in the top 5 list after has a fun mix. The top spot is retained by Kentucky Fried competitors by a large margin. At No. 2 is Aaj Tak which has a hiatus of one year. In 2017, it was the winner in this Chicken (KFC), defeating last year’s champ Domino’s Pizza bounced back after being pushed out of the chart by BBC category. Other than that, Vicks, Durex and Volini are back which settled for the runner-up title. Tossed out of the list World last year (BBC, incidentally, did not make it to this in the spotlight standing tall at the third, fourth, and fifth last year, McDonald’s made it back at No. 3. Pizza Hut is year’s list). The second runner up is NDTV which slipped a positions respectively. Four of the last year’s entrants Moov, the new entry while Haldiram’s holds the fifth position – the position down from last year. Interestingly, TIMES NOW and Manforce, Prega News, and Revital could not find a spot. same as last year. Brands like Cafe Coffee Day, Subway and Times of India were replaced by new entrants – Zee News Starbucks, did not make it this year. and India Today. Yet again, none of the news channels could make it to the Top 10 Buzziest Brands list.
Retail Two Wheelers Websites Rank 2019 Rank 2018 Brand Relative Score Rank 2019 Rank 2018 Brand Relative Score Rank 2019 Rank 2018 Brand Relative Score 1 4 Big Bazaar 100.0 1 2 Hero 100.0 1 1 Google 100.0 2 - Reliance Fresh 71.6 2 4 Honda 95.8 2 5 CricBuzz 56.1 3 - Tata Trent 52.7 3 1 Royal Enfield 89.9 3 4 Times of India 51.4 4 - V-Mart Retail 42.9 4 - KTM 85.9 4 - Yahoo! 45.2 5 2 Spencer’s Retail 41.1 5 5 Pulsar 81.4 5 - Hindustan Times 38.8
Future Group’s Big Bazaar is back at the head of the list after Major swaps and drops have been witnessed in this In what is one of the youngest categories in the Buzzies, moving down four places last year. This year’s list is totally category. Riding high, the charismatic Hero bagged the top Google bagged the top spot again and by a notable margin. different compared to last year’s. Reliance Fresh placed spot by replacing last year’s favourite beast, Royal Enfield The leading search engine, along with its flagship products second in the top 5 list replacing Lifestyle Retail followed (a two-time winner, it is No. 3 this time). The runner-up spot like YouTube and Gmail, created a reputation of being less of by Tata Trent, V-Mart Retail and Spencer’s. This shows was bagged by Honda. A shift in this category is the addition a brand and more of everyone’s-anywhere solution partner. the consumer shift to the hypermarket-departmental store of a youth-driven brand - KTM (at No. 4 spot). This was Sports website CricBuzz holds the second spot (No. 3 and 5 model. Decathlon was forced out of the category’s top 5 followed by Pulsar. Harley Davidson, a premium brand, lost respectively in previous, consecutive editions). The live match brands this year. its place in this year’s list. score, ball-by-ball commentary, post-match breakdown and expert analysis seem to be a good hit. Others on the chart include Times of India, Yahoo! and Hindustan Times.
22 afaqs! Reporter, March 1-15, 2019 ASSOCIATEASSOCIATE PARTNER PARTNER A PRINT PRINTPARTNER PARTNER CO-PARTNERCO-PARTNER DIGITALDIGITAL PARTNER PARTNER
D D Powering some of the most influential news brands in the country, HT Digital Streams, Deccan Herald is Karnataka’s guide to the times we live in and is more with 85 million unique visitors a month and 550 million page views, is today poised as often than not the authentic voice of the community. While Karnataka and one of India’s fastest-growing digital media companies. Inspired by almost a century of Bengaluru hold a special place in the heart of the newspaper, the coverage fine journalism from the house of Hindustan Times, HTDS comprises hindustantimes. of national and world happenings is equally comprehensive. With over 1200 com , livemint.com , livehindustan.com , and desimartini.com. Among these four diverse stories published every day, we strive to create an honest dialogue with our digital platforms, it engages, entertains, and informs India’s most discerning audiences. community. The opinion pages present a variety of views on national, state HTDS is committed to building trusted brands on the back of great content and a deep and international issues and the editorials are known for their well-informed understanding of its customers—powered by the latest technology and a team of commentary. The feature sections give readers not only various perspectives young, passionate leaders. but also the emotions behind the stories. The Deccan Herald is often seen as the newspaper of record and has set the benchmark for high-quality journalism in Bengaluru and Karnataka.
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afaqs! Reporter, March 1-15, 2019 23 A BUZZY DAY
Amazon’s golden moment
Jio receives the Silver Buzzy Team Swiggy with the Bronze. The smiles say it all
Apple finished at No 7 overall but was the category topper Xiaomi bags the No 8 slot in the Buzziest list
24 afaqs! Reporter, March 1-15, 2019 A BUZZY DAY
BMW came out on top in the Automotive category Hero is the leader in the Two Wheelers category
India TV topped the News category Cosmetics Toiletries and Personal Care: Patanjali it is Paytm tops the BFSI category
Sony moved up one rank to No 1 in Entertainment Taj Hotels Resorts Palaces and Hotels topped the hotels Xiaomi won in the Mobile Handset category category
afaqs! Reporter, March 1-15, 2019 25 e
PAISABAZAAR Cause and Effect Policy This film, crafted by Enormous Brands, features a hearing/speech impaired protagonist. By Sunit Roy
oday, the cause-vertising pie is getting a little warm, Tbut major brands still want a big piece. From campaigns around gender equality and women empowerment to bridging the communal divide and patriotism, big names like Nike, Fortis Healthcare, Parle-G are showcasing their creative talent through taking up a cause. The latest addition to the cause- vertising brigade are ‘inspired-by real life’ campaigns like Himalaya’s ‘#EkNayiMuskaan’ and HDFC Life Insurance’s ‘#BounceBack’. Brands are prominently featuring “We wanted to the differently-abled and launching explosion of OTT platforms and the the ‘#newlanguageoflove’ campaign campaigns with strong emotional binge-watching habit, India’s media was born.” take the narratives to engage their respective consumption has drastically changed. Paisabazaar brand audiences. Data suggests Indians spend more CORRECT CHOICE? The most recent to take this up than 1.3 hours per week watching There’s nothing irregular about a notch higher is online marketplace Paisabazaar. online video. If a piece of content is two (or more) brands riding a trend; and move com, with its new brand film - ‘The engaging and if it moves the audience but, to do so successfully, they would Wedding Speech’ - launched on the emotionally, they love sharing it need to be authentic and weave the ‘beyond money.” occasion of its fifth anniversary. The with their friends and family,” says trend/cause seamlessly into the story. SAI NARAYAN film, through a story of two brothers, Narayan. If the consumer is left wondering focuses on how correct advice can Ashish Khazanchi, managing what the brand was doing in that change lives. partner, Enormous Brands, adds, “A storyline, then that would be a case On a side note, Zomato’s latest story about a physically challenged of hopping onto the bandwagon, make a ‘different’ Valentine’s Day ad film, released on the occasion person was never the starting point. sans ticket. ad. In fact, if the boy could speak, of Valentine’s Day, is based on a We wanted to make a point about We asked the experts, that for any would the pasta have played the same quote by George Bernard Shaw - brotherhood - how elder brothers brand, how helpful is it to follow a role? If not, is the brand saying that “There is no sincerer love than the are often tough on their younger trend/ride the wave and what can the pasta can speak for the boy who love of food.” The reason we bring siblings only to make them stronger. they do to stand out? can’t? That food can help you express it up is because both films feature From there, we thought it would According to Saji Abraham, love? Yes, if you cook it yourself, a protagonist who has a hearing be even more interesting if the executive director, Lowe Lintas, the maybe; but to say that a pasta helped and speech impediment. The ads younger brother is someone who cause of the brand must be greater a mute boy express his love for the resemble each other so much that gets sympathy from the whole world, than the cause depicted in the ad. At girl, is a bit much especially with this one could find it difficult to recall but not his own brother. The idea of the end of the day, the brand needs execution.” which ad is for which brand. this contrast in behaviour gave birth to have a reason to be showcasing the Shouvik Roy, senior partner, afaqs!Reporter reached out to the speech impaired character.” cause and not look like it is latching YAAP, finds Paisabazaar’s ad quite Paisabazaar.com to better understand uplifting for a viewer as well as a the idea behind the film. brand. “It tugs at the heartstrings “The idea for this campaign was Brands need to weave the trend/cause without much effort. You can feel born from a simple insight - human seamlessly into the story. the emotion on many levels. And bonds are beyond money. We wanted unlike some other long-format ads to take the Paisabazaar brand a notch With this film, Paisabazaar. onto something to make itself salient. that I have seen in recent years - this higher and move ‘beyond money’ com also introduced its new brand Both Paisabazaar and Zomato fall one does have a stronger connect to talk about how a simple piece of philosophy, ‘Paison Se Badhkar’. In a short on this count. with the proposition of being an advice about money, can change your quick discussion with Zomato, who He says, “For Paisabazaar, what advisory service greater than what life,” explains Sai Narayan - associate launched its film on similar lines, we is the role of the product? Does it money can buy. I think it leaves a director and head of marketing, found that it is built on the concept give you advice that changes things? lasting impression on the viewer and Policybazaar.com and Paisabazaar. that love for food can bring people From watching that ad (a very similar brings Paisabazaar closer to you.” com. together. Sandeep Anand, chief premise and problem as that of a According to Roy, even if the Enormous Brands worked on the marketing officer, Zomato, shared, retirement solutions ad called the approach of using a ‘challenged’ script and Anand Karir directed the “Family, friends and even strangers ‘Best gift for your child’, from a protagonist has been used many film. The digital film, produced by often come together through their brand called ‘Income’) I cannot get times - this one stays with you K Silent films & A Glass of Whiskey shared love for food. Valentine’s Day, that impression because it is a mere longer. And, as far as Zomato’s ad is Productions, went viral as soon as it being a ‘celebration of love’, was analogy.” concerned, he feels that the brand is was released. an ideal occasion to show how the Abraham adds, “The mute trying very hard to play similar cards “Long is the new short, especially love for food can be the catalyst that person’s story is a laborious stretch - but fails at certain levels.n in the digital space. With the brings two people together. Hence, to get food into the picture and to [email protected]
26 afaqs! Reporter, March 1-15, 2 0 1 9 p o le
MANASI NARASIMHAN “Ad fraud is a Moving Battlefield” Mastercard recently tweaked its logo - the brand name was dropped. We profile Manasi Narasimhan, vice president of marketing and communications, Mastercard South Asia. By Aishwarya Ramesh
anasi Narasimhan, vice president of over 400 million people with our messages,” she marketing and communications, explains. MMastercard South Asia, has had a long To create awareness the brand signed on Irrfan and eventful journey getting here. Her career Khan and M.S. Dhoni as brand ambassadors began with Hindustan Unilever in 2005 post because of the appeal they have in small-town which she worked with Turner International for India and the high impact they have on audiences. almost three years before joining Godrej six years She also tells us that e-commerce and mobile ago. commerce are opening up in India in a big way. Her stint at Godrej saw her occupy the vice “We work with a lot of the major e-commerce president’s chair and she continued to work in that players to substitute cash-on-delivery with position when she joined Mastercard in 2017. online payments. As a brand and a leader in the She bore witness to a changing world, pre and space, it is our job to keep educating them. So, post digital marketing and tells us how the basic continuous communication, education, busting rules of marketing don’t change, irrespective of the myths, growing the acceptance universe - these medium you’re working with. “Your consumer is are some of the ways through which we believe a human being; irrespective of what you’re selling, the opportunity to create awareness is massive,” you need to understand what his desires and Narasimhan adds. aspirations are.” Mastercard is also a partner in the Digital India Narasimhan explains that the digital medium initiative. “We share with them the work that allows many levels of personalisation, but she we’re doing in consumer and merchant education. is wary of brand conversations on the digital For example, last year, we ran a campaign using front, “Earlier customers would physically talk to WhatsApp where we disseminated videos to whomever they met. Now, with social media, you merchants through our partner organisation - the can air your opinions to the whole world...” Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT). We Narasimhan follows and reads up on social work with them extensively and they spread the media to stay abreast with what’s happening, message to 63 million merchants to go digital,” including attending conferences and forums. “But she outlines. that’s also the beauty of marketing because you Narasimhan talks about sonic branding as a always work with an agency ecosystem. Part of it is defining mnemonic and says it is something she’s for them, to also keep you updated. There’s always excited about, adding, “In the whole transition to more to learn,” she states. We work with a lot of the digital payments, there’s a huge opportunity to Mastercard is scaling up its digital presence with insert the sonic brand at every stage. Imagine, if a newly opened Instagram page and Narasimhan major e-commerce players to every time you tap your Mastercard, you get that tells us that its ability to create content on digital, substitute cash-on-delivery signature sonic tune and it’s the same when you with bloggers and influencers, is incredible. “We “check out” from a website.” take our influencers seriously because they are with online payments. As The company changed its logo recently and an extension of the brand. We don’t pick them a brand and a leader in the we asked her why. She says, “Research revealed exclusively based on their reach; we also review that 80 per cent of consumers recognised the the content that they’ve published. It’s partly art space, it is our job to keep intersecting circles. The world is increasingly and partly a gut feeling,” she explains. moving to digital screens where real estate is Being very conscious of the brand image, ad educating them. limited. The logo change will be selectively rolled fraud is something they are vigilant about. “Ad out in mass-market advertising.” fraud is a moving battlefield. One of the benefits fraud to potentially damage that reputation,” she We asked Narasimhan about briefs that were we have as a global organisation is our standard elaborates. close to her heart. “The first campaign with Irrfan agencies that we work with. Our media is bought Beyond digital, Mastercard is also looking at was big because most of it in India was making a across the world with Carat, a part of the Dentsu creating awareness among both consumers and fundamental shift in its communication strategy. Aegis group. Because we buy on such a scale SME merchants from Tier II and Tier III cities Primarily, we had been only a B2B2C. This is the worldwide, we can engage with very specific about going cashless. “Digital transactions have first time we decided to put big money behind programmatic buyers and detection tools. It’s also doubled after demonetisation, but 90 per cent of TV. We work with McCann and Prasoon Joshi is my team’s job and mine, to be extremely vigilant India’s transactions are still in cash,” Narasimhan personally involved, it’s just incredible,” she says. and track the publishers and influencers we are points out. She also states that the most common “The other thing I push my team on constantly engaging with. It is a combination of our global reason for this is the misconceptions that surround is integrated content. We did an integration on scale, the kind of tools and techniques that we digital payments. Indian Idol. 9XM had a show called ‘Bakwaas have access to, constant training, and complete India is where the brand does a lot of B2C bandh kar’ with two animated characters - they vigilance both on the part of our media agency and work. “Our first customers are the banks and aired a full episode talking about using cards. ourselves. One of my worst nightmares is landing merchants. But in India, you ultimately have to These are things I’m very passionate about because on a fraudulent site. We’ve even blacklisted some change consumer behaviour to move away from they move the needle for the brand. It’s tough to publishers; we don’t work with them unless safety cash. We used ads that were targeted at mass do it right, but I’ve learned over the years, that it’s and fraud prevention measures are in place. It audiences, using only vernacular channels with extremely effective,” Narasimhan signs off. n takes years of effort to build a brand; it takes one eight languages across India and we reached almost [email protected]
afaqs! Reporter, March 1-15, 2 0 1 9 27 o e e
Rag rag mein Daude city THE MOST AUDACIOUS AD OF THE MONTH be heard
TATA NEXON KURKURE SOULFULL SMOOTHIX KFC In its latest ad, #SafetyFirst, the brand takes a Snack brand, Kurkure embarks on a Through its latest ‘#ShakeYourHungerAway’ On Valentine’s Day, KFC launched Bucket Bae jibe at Maruti Suzuki and tells customers to ask journey with its new positioning, ‘Khayal campaign, Soulfull Smoothix is promoting its campaign. On February 14, Bucket Bae, a ‘Kitni Safe Hai?’ rather than ‘Kitna Deti Hai?’. toh Chatpata hai’, celebrating ‘progressive new product that aims at plugging hunger gaps robot, mingled with fans across select cities Creative Agency: WATConsult thinking’. The ad features Taapsee Pannu. between breakfast-lunch and before dinner. with cute messages, witty flirting, and even Creative Agency: J Walter Thompson Creative Agency: People Design & Comms some PDA (for chicken of course)!
ALL OUT PATANJALI PARIDHAN DISCOVERY PAISABAZAAR All Out launches ‘#IDidntKnow’ / Baba Ramdev’s Patanjali is out with the Discovery Communications India (DCIN) is Recently, online marketplace Paisabazaar. ‘#MujheSabNahiPata’ campaign urging first ad film for its apparel wing offering their bouquet of nine channels at com launched its new brand film - ‘The moms in India to put aside the pressure of ‘Paridhan’ that attempts to evoke only `8. And to announce this, Discovery Wedding Speech’ - on the occasion of its having to know-it-all. Actor Sonali Bendre ‘Indiapan’. released an ad campaign. fifth anniversary. lends her voice to the campaign. Creative Agency: L&K Saatchi & Saatchi Creative Agency: Taproot Dentsu Creative Agency: Enormous Brands
PEPSI ZOMATO FEVICOL HORLICKS In an ad titled ‘Har Ghoonth Mein Swag’, Food-tech startup Zomato released ‘New Pidilite’s Fevicol has launched its second Horlicks became the latest brand to jump clearly designed to target millennials, Language of Love’ campaign on Valentine’s spot for ‘Fevicol Ezee Spray’, a spray-on on the ‘rap’ bandwagon with a video series Pepsi recycles the 1950s funda of jeans as Day. It is based on the concept - ‘There is adhesive that’s designed to offer conveni- titled ‘fearless songs’, featuring A.R. a symbol of rebellion. no sincerer love than the love of food.’ ence and speed for pasting laminates. Rahman, who tutors children using Music. Creative Agency: Wunderman Thompson Creative Agency: MagicCircle Creative Agency: Ogilvy Creative Agency: FCB Ulka
EDELWEISS TOKIO ARIEL HIMALAYA NOKIA In Edelweiss Tokio Life Insurance’s new P&G’s detergent brand, Ariel has released Himalaya Drug Company launched HMD Global, the maker of Nokia phones, has series of ads the brand promotes its term a new ad as part of its ‘Share the Load’ ‘#EkNayiMuskaan’ campaign as part of launched a campaign featuring Alia Bhatt, insurance offering titled ‘Zindagi Plus’, and campaign. The first ad raised the question - its social impact initiative – ‘Muskaan’ to where the actor is shown enjoying the latest how the plan provides double insurance. ‘Is laundry only a woman’s job?’ create awareness about cleft lip. innovations on Nokia smartphones. Creative Agency: Contract Advertising Creative Agency: BBDO India Creative Agency: Roadrunner Productions Creative Agency: McCann
Got some great campaign that has been published recently? Upload it on afaqs! for the world to see. Visit: www.afaqs.com/advertising/creative_showcase
28 afaqs! Reporter, March 1-15, 2 0 1 9 o
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afaqs! Reporter, March 1-15, 2 0 1 9 29 people
A round up of some major people >> MOVEMENTS/APPOINTMENTS<< movements in the last fortnight
ADVERTISING MARKETING
S4 Capital array of clientele including Preethi Pizza Hut black woman to serve on its Sir Martin Sorrell’s latest venture S4 Kitchen Appliances and Adidas. Yashodhara Lal joins Pizza board. Capital has appointed Poran Malani Hut (owned by Yum Brands) as director of its India operations. In Buzzinga Digital as director - marketing and is VMLY&R India a recent advertising and marketing Buzzinga Digital has appointed Adarsh presently based out of Gurgaon. Sujay Kar joins the agency as event in Kochi, Sorrell revealed that S4 Munjal (popularly known as The Big Prior to this, she was serving as commerce group lead, and will Capital is set to open offices in Mumbai Bhookad on the web) as creative director. the marketing head for Dyson, be instrumental in leading the and Bangalore. With over 30 years in Munjal brings with him extensive a British technology company agency’s growing Commerce the industry, Malani has had stints experience through his impressive track where she was in charge of Business in the region. Kar is with agencies such as Ogilvy India and record in creativity, digital media and spearheading marketing for based out of VMLY&R Mumbai McCann. advertising. His experience spans across Dyson India. but has remit of leading The Glitch, Zapak Digital Entertainment commerce strategy and building Carat Media and Zomato. In his last role, he was Amazon both the practice and business Carat India, the flagship media agency creative director at MSLGroup India. Amazon.com Inc has appointed across markets in SEA & India. from Dentsu Aegis Network, promoted PepsiCo’s India-born former Pramod PP to senior business director, Animal chief executive officer Indra Tata Sky Carat - Kochi. With this announcement, Sayantan Choudhury, former ECD Nooyi as a director, making Content distribution platform Carat intends to strengthen its consumer and VP JWT Delhi has joined Animal, her the second woman to be Tata Sky has announced the focus and business solutions for the an independent creative agency based named to the e-commerce appointment of Anurag Kumar Kerala Market. Pramod comes with over in New Delhi, as senior partner. With giant’s board this month. Earlier as its chief communications 15 years of experience in media. He has Choudhury on board as senior partner this month, the company officer. Kumar will lead been part of Carat India for over eight alongside founders Kunel Gaur and named Starbucks Corp’s chief marketing and communications years now. Prior to this move, he was Sharon Borgoyary, they hope to add operating officer Rosalind initiatives at Tata Sky for its Business Director, Carat - Delhi where another dimension to their portfolio Brewer as a director, the second products and services. he was responsible for managing a wide of work. MEDIA Viacom18 news agenda for the channel. DIGITAL Viacom18 has appointed Mahesh Shetty as the head Big Synergy - Network Sales. He will be Anil D. Ambani owned Google The Indian Express, Fortis Healthcare, reporting to Sudhanshu Vats, Reliance Entertainment’s Big Google Cloud recently announced Madhya Pradesh Police, SBI Cards, Group CEO & MD, Viacom18. Synergy has appointed Simmi the appointment of Amitabh Jacob as Twinings, MOHAN Foundation and Shetty, currently serving as Karna to their fiction content the head of partnerships and alliances Alzheimer’s and Related Disorders the COO of Entertainment team. for India. Jacob will be responsible Society of India. Network India (popularly for driving Google Cloud’s route- known as Radio Mirchi), has Discovery to-market strategy across the MobiKwik over 2 decades of experience. Discovery Asia Pacific has Indian region through partnerships Mrinal Sinha has quit as the chief appointed Megha Tata as with system integrators, resellers, operating officer (COO) of Gurugram- ZEEL MD - South Asia, Discovery technology partners, managed services based mobile wallet startup MobiKwik. Kartik Mahadev has joined ZEE Communications India, providers and distribution partners. Sinha joined the fintech startup in Entertainment Enterprises effective April 2019. Tata was Jacob joins Google with over 20 years December 2014 as the strategy head, (ZEEL) as marketing head previously leading BTVI’s of experience, including leadership after his co-founded food logistics - English Cluster. Prior to India Business. positions with Amazon Web Services, startup Brattle Foods was taken over this, Mahadev was serving as IBM, Sun Microsystems and Microsoft. by a unit of Kishore Biyani-led Future the VP, head of marketing - HT Media In his previous role, he was the head of Group. An alumnus of Harvard Star Sports. Throughout his Debabrata Mukherjee, partners and alliances at Amazon Web Business School, Sinha was elevated to stint with Star, he developed executive director at HT Services, where he was instrumental in the role of MobiKwik COO in August marketing and media strategy Media, has stepped down building and scaling cloud partnerships 2015. for brand ‘Star Sports’ and from his role. He had joined for the India region. drove business outcomes for HT Media from Coca Cola PayU the premium sports business. India in April last year. YAAP Naspers-owned PayU, a leading YAAP, a rainmaker-backed venture, online payments service provider, has TIMES NOW Mediacom has roped in Smriti Shadra as director- announced the appointment of Anirban TIMES NOW, the English Mediacom’s Priya Choudhary content. Shadra will be based out of the Mukherjee as chief executive officer of News channel from Times has been elevated as the head Mumbai office and will report directly PayU India. He will be reporting to Network, strengthens its of Mediacom West. In her to Deepak Singh - chief creative officer, Laurent Le Moal, CEO, PayU Global. primetime news band with new role, Choudhary will be YAAP. She has worked with agencies In his new role, Mukherjee will be the appointment of Padmaja leading Mediacom’s Mumbai such as Grey Worldwide, JWT, Leo responsible for all the operations and Joshi. In her role, Padmaja will office. Choudhary joined Burnett, Dentsu India Group and The business lines of PayU India. He will present the primetime show Mediacom in 2014 as national Social Street. During her previous also lead PayU into new fintech product The Newshour @ 10p.m. on director - media buying. In tenures, Shadra has worked on brands categories that are aligned with PayU’s Times Now and will closely 2016, she was chosen as the such as DHL, Star, MRF, Britannia, global strategy, such as remittances and work with the editorial team lead on one of their key Maruti Suzuki, Max Healthcare, Airtel, credit. leadership team in setting the portfolios - P&G.
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