By Ravi Balakrishnan Struments and Other Distractions That Keep Them from Academic Greatness

CCI NG 3.7 Product: ETMumbaiBS PubDate: 14-03-2018 Zone: BrandEquity Edition: 1 Page: BEFP User: kailash.korade Time: 03-09-2018 23:26 Color: CMYK

THE ECONOMIC TIMES MARCH 14-20, 2018

INSIDEBE On XX 2 HITTING A HOME RUN When Exams Why Bournvita staged a Become The Enemy garage sale e suspect the drill sergeant like Can Hipcouch and Lockated woo After years of celebrating exams and valorising consumers and realtors with their mum from a Bournvita ad a de- home offerings? Wcade ago would snort contemp- pushy parents, several brands are headed in the tuously at the kids in its latest film. The HORN OK PLEASE opposite direction, all at once. children host a garage sale in a mall. On offer: free toys, games, musical in- By Ravi Balakrishnan struments and other distractions that keep them from academic greatness. or the bulk of young India, What started with a trickle a couple Curious passers-by react with disbelief exams are the stuff of late of years ago is now a flood. From the and finally question India’s academic nights and early morn- usual suspects in the milk food drink priorities. Inspiring campaigns from Mattel around Barbie run even ings, screaming sessions category to a brand focused on pure in- So why did Bournvita drop mums who less than skin deep and emotional blackmail at dulgence like Mirinda, to tech giant H P, ran their children right off their feet home, ‘dark sarcasm in the questions that were ignored for several for something Fclassroom’, total blankness followed decades are being asked: should win- like this? For the the twitter by panic in the exam hall, and linger- ning be a zero sum game? Is there only FOR BRANDS, THE brand, it’s the index ing nightmares that haunt our adult a single path to success? If a child pos- LOGICAL NEXT STEP logical next step existence. Already studious, whether sesses artistic or storytelling skill does to its Tayaari On 3 XX by choice or compulsion, exams made it matter if they fail math? (In advertis- IS TO MOVE INTO THE Jeet Ki proposi- us religious, superstitious and finally ing, where the so called math men are tion, moving it fatalistic. Many of us know or know of replacing the mad men, the answer, is a PROGRESSIVE PAR- into a progres- people who, by the time they were 15 or resounding ’Yes!’) sive parenting 18, decided they’d had enough of life and To the point where even the Prime ENTING TERRITORY territory. To opted out. Minister has written a book of ad- Amit Shah, asso- And for the bulk of its history, Indian vice for young students called Exam ciate director – marketing (gum, candy BEST & WORST OF society and its advertising appeared Warriors (which a few in the ad busi- & beverages), Mondelez India, it’s an to be fine with this. Ads, especially ness suspect is a salvo aimed at em- extension of the brand’s emphasis on FEMPOWERTISING for health supplements, promised the pathising with a young demographic all round development: “We’ve been smartest, fastest, strongest overachiev- who will be old enough to vote in 2019, running specific campaigns focused er on the block. but that’s another story for another on ‘learning’ rather than ‘scoring Which makes the sudden change in time). marks’, being prepared for success in tenor we’ve seen over the last few years We spoke to three brands on why they life and not just exams.” The campaign baffling. Exams and pushy parents are embraced this platform, where they are also taps into parents being more being acknowledged as a source of per- taking it and the move from category willing than before to give children a

haps unnecessary stress and tension. buster to almost category cliché. THINKSTOCK chance to pursue their passion. Can Livpure make cutting paani as The kids in the ad were pre-selected ubiquitous as cutting chai? he sand tiger shark begins the country’s most prestigious controversial communication. actors, admits Shah, adding, “Most of Why life in a fascinating if ut- colleges. It’s also famous for In the film, a bunch of moth- the people interacting with them are Tterly horrifying way: a sending them hurtling towards ers from across India surprise actual shoppers which makes it look Horlicks dominant embryo consumes all a premature death, spawn- their kids going through the real.” Quite possibly the most real ele- but one of its siblings in utero, and ing several documentaries academic rigours at Kota. The ment of the ad is a lady who says ‘Well, BY INVITATION Took Mums finally the last sharks standing, and news segments that dub it children get home cooked food, your parents are right.” That sounded Forwarded swim free, a lot larger and tough- India’s suicide capital. The pres- some gentle loving advice and all too familiar. We’d wager that’s still As Deceived to India’s er than the average shark pup. sure cooker environment starts a cup of Horlicks. We assume the prevailing attitude in India. Every Young Indians experience some- early: we’ve heard of Day One Which makes it a surprising dads weren’t picked because brand in India with the temerity to take Narayan Devanathan Suicide thing similar at Kota: a town full orientation sessions in which location for a film from Horlicks, the idea was to lessen and not on the autocracy of parents or the pri- of coaching classes, proud of its students are told they have no the market leader in the Indian heighten the stress. macy of exams will come up against it, On XX 4 Captial strike rate at sending children to friends, only competitors. MFD space, not known for edgy, >Continued on Page 4 sooner than later.

SIDETAKE How famous companies got their quirky names Source: Business Insider Amazon Canon: Originally Yahoo Sony: The name is derived from "so- Jeff Bezos Pepsi called "Kwanon" for a Yahoo is Oracle nus," the Latin word for sound and a reportedly Originally named Buddhist goddess, the both an This name start- slang expression "sonny boy," which CAN PINK BE THE wanted a name Brad's Drink after company changed its acronym for ed as the code in 1950s Japan described "smart, that began inventor Caleb name to Canon in 1935 "Yet Another for a project presentable young men. with "A" so it Bradham, Pepsi- to appeal to a world- Hierarchical that cofounders would appear Cola got its name wide audience. Officious Larry Ellison Starbucks Reebok The coffee giant took near the top of in 1898 from the Oracle" and and Bob Oats An alterna- NEW WHITE? its name from the an alphabetical word "dyspep- an imaginary worked on for tive spelling Ikea: Founder Ingvar first mate in Herman list. He thought sia," which means species de- the CIA. It was of "rhebok," Salt upstart Puro is trying to do what Captain Cook Kamprad formed Melville's "Moby the world's indigestion, scribed as a database that the Afrikaans- this name by combin- Dick" in an effort to couldn’t. Can it whitewash the market with its ‘healthier’ largest river meant to repre- rude, noisy, was supposed Dutch word ing his initials, I.K., evoke "the romance was an apt sent Bradham's and violent to be able to for a type of pink offering? with the first letters of the high seas and name for what belief that it in Jonathan answer any antelope, this of Elmtaryd and the seafaring tradi- he hoped could was a healthy, Swift's question about name is meant digestion-aiding Agunnaryd, the farm anything. tion of the early cof- works on the concept of namak healthy be its biggest Lego: LEGO combines the Danish words "leg "Gulliver's to evoke speed cola. and village where he fee traders." BY RAJIV SINGH | DELHI toh family healthy,” says Modi, who business. got,"or "play well." Travels." and grace. grew up rolled out a TV blitzkrieg by roping A personal crisis made Ruchir Modi in Bollywood veteran Anil Kapoor. turn ‘pink.’ The idea was to jolt the consumers out How Indian ad men A few years back, Modi’s father suf- of their comfort zone by questioning fered a massive heart attack while on a white ‘refined’ salt. Reason: hyperten- overcame squeamishness cruise from Atlanta to Miami in the US. sion—processed salt being one of the Advertising’s Pad Men to build a category Fortunately, he was airlifted, adminis- main culprits—has spread like wild tered medical care and survived. A year fire in India. later, Modi was detected with high blood It’s estimated that mean salt con- pads work and why women need panty pressure. Both father and son were sumption level in India ranged from BY DELSHAD IRANI | MUMBAI liners. asked to give up something they loved: 5.22 gram to 42.30 gram per day be- “Oh!” papad and pickles. tween 1986 and 2014.This means that It was the early 90s, a few years after At this point Vira’s expression is akin “The other change we made was to per-capita salt intake far exceeds the the process of economic liberalisation to one often seen on people watching switch from white refined salt to pink WHO-recommended maximum of 5 of India began, a time when Mumbai a bleeding Carrie being attacked by salt,” recalls Modi, founder of Puro, gram per person per day. What makes was still called Bombay. Amitabh school girls wielding weaponized tam- a salt upstart that claims to be 100% the situation alarming is that Indians Vira, founder and CEO of NetProphets pons. natural, unrefined, rich with 84 miner- mostly consume refined salt, which is Cyberworks, was a young creative “Are you saying that you are, as I speak, als, and free from any chemicals or ad- high on sodium and lacks minerals. employed at the South Bombay- you’re sort of you know menstruating or ditives. The salt gets its pinkish orange Excess salt consumption, on an aver- headquartered Lintas. Vira’s boss Lata whatever? You two are ‘discharging’, as texture due to iron and other minerals age, causes over 6 lakh deaths each Subramanian describes him in a blog we speak?” naturally present in it. year, and is one of the top reasons for as “a guy who had guts in spades”. A The ordeal ends with Vira begging the “Puro is India’s first health salt that heart attacks and stroke. defiant young writer, one time he went women to keep the conversation secret. However, what compounds the prob- against Subramanian’s orders to pitch lem in India, Modi lets on, is an abysmal a rejected creative to Nikos Kardassis, Mamgain recalls Vira’s appearance; level of awareness: while sugar being then CEO of Jet Airways. It was “He turned green as he slowly made unhealthy is widely known, very few

rejected again. BORA ANIRBAN his way to the door, mumbling ‘as we know about harmful effects However even Vira’s cour- speak…’” of chemically manufactured age faltered once he was as- To be fair, Vira’s humiliation hap- THE SALT salt that one consumes every signed to handle Stayfree, pened at a time when it was still early day. People also don’t know Johnson & Johnson’s sani- at Lintas, Vira “couldn’t awkward conversation that's become days for the category. ‘Period Power’ MARKET IS that white salt doesn’t come tary towel brand and the get his head around” the an ever-green joke among friends. movements were decades away. Indian RIPE FOR from the sea, but is processed undisputed market lead- product and its use. women, save a small number in big in chemical factories and is a er in 1994. Meanwhile, flippant Vira musters the courage to approach cities, mainly used homemade sani- DISRUP- by-product of soda ash. Stayfree’s domination male colleagues, on Mamgain and Bhandari at work. “Hey tary towels (cloth and cotton, for those The Indian market, con- in the nascent category the agency and the guys… you know (long pause) I’m on this who could afford it), just the way their TION, BUT tends Modi, does not have a was under threat from client side used ex- sanitary towel thing.” mothers and grandmothers did before. healthy alternative when it P&G’s superior and cost- tra pads lying around Bhandari laughs. Period was a dirty little word, a daag PURO WILL comes to salt. “We wanted to lier Whisper. But the only office to clean up cof- Mamgain drops everything she’s doing even Surf hasn’t managed to erase yet. HAVE TO make the consumers aware red-alert Vira saw were the fee spills. Just one of its and gives her undivided attention to a In fairly “progressive” and “enlight- about the USPs of unrefined panty liners and pads many uses. Sanitary bumbling Vira, famous for self-inflicted ened” circles, too, like advertising agen- CRACK THE salt,” he adds, explaining that on his desk. He shud- pads also make great bloopers. cies, people, men and women, needed the packaging supported the dered at the prospect PERIOD WAS A collar sweat absor- “I’m asking Maddy,” says Vira. coping mechanisms to handle the job of DISTRI- claim made by the company of writing ads for a DIRTY LITTLE WORD, bents, we’re told. “Whatever you ask Maddy you ask me,” talking about and marketing sanitary to own the healthier plank. product he knew noth- Before Vira and his says Mamgain. towels. People used humour to diffuse BUTION Unlike pillow packs available ing about. A condition ADAAG EVEN SURF gut, by now dimin- “Well… how…” he mumbles under his their discomfort. And where comedy PUZZLE in the market, Puro cre- exacerbated by his in- ished in spades, plead- breath, “why do you use a sanitary nap- failed, science succeeded. Creative di- ated 5D standee packs with ability to handle the HADN’T MANAGED ed to be taken off the kin?” rectors deployed quasi-scientific tech- TO TAKE transparent window. The sight of blood perhaps. account, he tried to get Both women laugh hysterically. Maddy niques for in-house product research to structure was created in a Furthermore, he was TO ERASE an education. That, in laughs some more. give the process a touch of seriousness. ON THE manner through which the born in a household hindsight, was a ter- “No. Please yaar. I don’t know,” says For instance, they would often have up product’s distinct orange, where men outnumbered women (he rible idea because he sought the help Vira, as hope for mercy all but dies. to three differently calibrated intrave- BIGGIES pink and rose colours could has three brothers) and an education of two women who, in his words, were “Alright. What do you want to know?” nous drips dropping coffee on pads to be experienced. “Puro is avail- at an all-boys school significantly con- the “barracudas of our time” - Vatsala say the women. test absorption and leakage and study able in 100 cities across 1 lakh tributed to a total lack of knowledge of Mamgain and Madhu Bhandari. The “Okay explain the why first.” stain patterns. stores,” he claims. female biology, according to him. Back following is an edited transcript of an They explain why women bleed, how >Continued on Page 4 >Continued on Page 4 CCI NG 3.7 Product: ETMumbaiBS PubDate: 14-03-2018 Zone: BrandEquity Edition: 1 Page: BEPER1 User: kailash.korade Time: 03-09-2018 23:22 Color: CMYK

“If Barbie is so popular, why do you have to MADE FOR INDIA 2 THE ECONOMIC TIMES buy her friends? ” - Steven Wright, comedian MARCH 14-20, 2018

HORN OK PLEASE

HITTING A HOME RUNBHARAT CHANDA Can two startups — Hipcouch and Lockated — woo consumers and realtors with their unique home offerings? By Rajiv Singh Taking The Ouch Out Of The Couch Is Hipcouch the solution to a seemingly impossible to resolve home décor problem? t took Pankaj Poddar a was his earlier stint as entre- while to find the missing preneur. He cofounded Dwll — an Life In Plastic. piece in a triangular jigsaw. online portal that connected inte- Customers wanted hon- rior designers to customers buy- est pricing when it came to ing furniture online—and sold Icustomised interior design and the venture to Livspace in 2015. furniture, but trust was a big is- “There were ample learnings It’s Fantastic sue. Designers yearned for more which led to spotting of a massive Why inspiring campaigns from Mattel projects, but managing execu- opportunity,” says Poddar, ex- tion posed a challenge. Vendors plaining his big idea. There was around Barbie run even less than skin deep demanded timely payments, but a clear need to build a platform were habitual offenders, not stick- that provided standardised ex- BY RAVI BALAKRISHNAN In the Dreamhouse, a TV show ing to a deadline. Poddar found the ecution of design along with entirely devoid of imagination, answer: Hipcouch. bringing price transparen- For International Women’s Day possibilities or difference. For Founded by ISB alumni Parikshat cy in an opaque market. this year, we had Barbie-fied those of you without young kids Hemrajani and Pankaj Poddar in Hipcouch, he claims, likenesses of artist Frida Kahlo, at home, this is a violently pink 2016, Hipcouch is an online custom- guarantees that if aviator Amelia Earhart and coloured TV advert for the ex- ised interior design and furniture a consumer doesn’t make any “India doesn’t have a national boxer Nicola Adams, among oth- tended Barbie universe, that startup that works on a simple mod- changes to the original design, PROVIDING SERVICES WITHOUT PROVIDING player providing custom furni- ers. Barbie’s #MoreRoleModels ran a full eight seasons and is el of being a fulcrum in between de- the startup will stick to the cost ture across the country,” he says, range was received with shouts scheduled to be rebooted later signers, vendors and consumers. and deadline. THE USER CUSTOMISATION IN FURNITURE OR adding that the startup advertises of approval, cutting through this year. Sourcing design from specialists, With online sales of furniture online, primarily on Google and the din of ‘the more feminist We sat through more episodes of Hipcouch executes the project estimated to touch $700-million DESIGN IS LIKE BUILDING AN UBER OR OLA Facebook, to drive growth. “Our than thou’ messaging that this show than is strictly safe for through its extensive vendor net- mark by 2020, Poddar reckons LIKE SERVICE WITHOUT GOOGLE MAPS customer acquisition cost is over brands of various stripes felt adult sanity. After a consolidated work. The Mumbai-based startup that players providing cus- 40% lower than others,” he claims. compelled to trot out on and two hours of viewing, there was raised $375,000 in angel funding tomised services have an edge. Can Hipcouch take pole position around the 8th of March. no trace of the empowering ava- last year, has empanelled over 100 “Customisation is the key,” he like service without Google Maps. operating in the same segment, in customised furniture and inte- The effect was spoilt somewhat tar of Barbie that’s so familiar to vendors, and soon plans to expand avers, adding that providing ser- “One size doesn’t fit all,” he adds. Poddar asserts that what gives rior design market? Well, it’s quite by a relative of Frieda Kahlo an older audience. What we saw to other cities such as Bangalore, vices without providing the user Though Sequoia Capital-backed Hipcouch an edge is its focus on possible, only if Poddar makes it objecting to how light-eyed and instead was Barbie and her seem- Pune, Delhi-NCR and Chennai. with her kind of design or furni- Homelane and Livspace are other consolidating in one market be- happen by design. non-Frida like the doll looked (it ingly endless range of BFFs (who What made Poddar’s job easier ture is like building an U ber or Ola online home design providers fore taking an expansion leap. [email protected] was missing the artist’s distinct we suspect are all purchasable unibrow and her facial hair). action figures in their own right) But to most people, it was a sign in ditzy, stereotypically ‘girly’ rates, Lockated acts as a commu- made it necessary for people and that Mattel, the maker of Barbie, situations. Lock, stock and barrel nity management tool that helps real estate players to adopt home was doubling down on its rela- It turns out Barbie can use her to manage their day-to-day living automation and smart solutions. tively recent flirtation with em- skills as a vet, only after chang- Can Lockated bridge such as receiving communication, What Lockated is also doing, powering messaging. Readers ing into an appropriate cos- the gap between home booking of facilities, making pay- claims Bafna, is drilling in the will remember ‘Imagine The tume. Barbie as a filmmaker is a ments, visitor management, and concept of customer loyalty and Possibilities’ from a few years paper-thin setup for dressing up buyers and realtors by home automation. engagement among real estate and preening at a automation? “Lockated is a modern-day soft- players. Every industry and busi- party. A real world ware designed and developed, ness follows strong practices for equivalent would be hetan Bafna’s experi- keeping in mind the customer engage- all the coverage of ence as a cofounder needs of realtors and LOCKATED CAN ment. “Referrals Katherine Bigelow’s of an online fashion consumers,” says from an old customer Oscar win, focusing startup in 2011 made Bafna, adding that ONLY UNLOCK has huge potential of on what she wore and him realise the futil- the bootstrapped ven- being converted into how great she looked. ityC of working in the B2C space. ture is in final stages ITS POTENTIAL sales,” he says. We realise this is Reason: mad scramble to burn of closing a funding Though Lockated a clever, horses for insane amounts of cash to acquire deal. Lockated, he IF REAL ESTATE is homing in on an courses approach: consumers. lets on, bridges the GETS BACK unexplored terri- highfalutin commer- “Startups were selling below cost gap between the ex- tory, the challenge cials that make the as excess capital was available pectations by mak- ON ITS FEET for the startup lies in right noises about from venture capital firms,” he re- ing the offerings of the muted growth of “empowerment” and calls. The success of a firm, he lets realtors more mobile AND PLAYERS the real estate sector “imagination” for on, was determined by the capital friendly and digital. BECOME MORE in the country. The WOULD IT KILL MATTEL TO guilt-racked, time- it raised and not by looking at real The Mumbai-based trust deficit between strapped parents; business numbers and matrixes. startup is also plan- CONSUMER the buyers and con- INCLUDE EVEN A SMIDGEN psychedelically co- Bafna soon exited his fashion ning to make an over- sumers might also loured ‘must-have’ venture due to differences with seas foray. FRIENDLY hit the expansion OF ITS GRANDIOSE products and acces- cofounders. In 2015, he founded What makes plans, particularly sories, around story- Lockated, a B2B (business to busi- Lockated unique is its focus on since it is banking on realtors POSTURING INTO THE SHOW lines bursting at the ness) startup that keeps consum- home automation. With IOT and realising the need to be more con- WATCHED BY THE BULK OF seams with cliché ers at its core. home automation solutions, consumer friendly. Lockated can only for kids. Lockated, explains Bafna, serves sumers get control over surveil- unlock its potential if real estate ITS YOUNG AUDIENCE? But would it kill as a customer management tool BHARAT CHANDA lance, managing lights and ap- gets back on its feet and players be - Mattel to include for realtors who use it for project ers. At the same time, the startup old customers, which might lead pliances. Emergence of nuclear come more consumer friendly in even a smidgen of differentiators and offer custom- provides a platform for customer to potential sales. For residents families, points out Bafna, and offerings and approach. ago, a film that featured little its grandiose posturing about ized automation solutions to us- loyalty and communicating with or end consumers, Bafna elabo- double income households have [email protected] girls as a vet, a college professor Possibilities and Role Models and a football coach. into the show watched by the It’s a truly remarkable transfor- bulk of its young audience? Is it so mation for Barbie: one that’s a hot hard to come up with something SIDETAKE Big ad agencies are shoving ad tech companies under the bus favourite with marketing and ad that walks the line between being Ad agencies are under intense pressure to ad tech middlemen, particularly a collection are calling “ Supply Path Optimization .” folks who like their brands to be entertaining for children and yet make sure their marketing clients’ budgets of companies knows as “SSPs,” or “supply This is one of several major trends identi- of the purpose-driven, do-gooder seeding the idea that there’s more are being spent safely, efficiently and ef- side platforms.” These ad tech firms typi- fied in Accordant’s new Pulse report, which variety. And it possibly papers to life than parties, shopping, get- fectively. So they’re cutting out the middle- cally bundle together ad inventory from also breaks down the potential for block- over the concerns of parents ting the perfect selfie, and never man. The ad agency holding company multiple web sites and make that inventory chain in advertising and the regulatory cli- buying their child a doll long as- leaving home without a tiara? Dentsu Aegis Network, through its digital - often coupled together with data - acces- mate in Europe when it comes to using data sociated with an unattainable What we’d like to see next from subsidiary Accordant Media, is looking to sible to buy via powerful software. to target people with web ads. “2018 will and very Caucasian standard of Mattel is a real change where it buy more ads directly from web publishers, According to Brinkmann, these SSPs and be the year where we will see a lot of new beauty. The #More Role Models actually matters – on shows like cutting out several layers of ad tech com- other ad tech firms have for years charged products in the market, which leverages di- panies which have traditionally acted as a advertisers exorbitant, often hidden charg- rect publisher relationships and the power film, set to a rousing score and Barbie: Life In a Dreamhouse. go-between in digital ad deals. es. So, his agencies are starting to offer of scaled buying,” reads the Pulse report. featuring an ethnic smorgasbord Give us a less vacuous, brain- Kenneth Brinkmann, EVP marketing & their own digital buying tools for minimal This will effectively cut out the traditional of children, ends with the inspir- dead show and we won’t mind business development at Accordant, told cost. “We are taking out pretty massive fees sales side platforms. Brinkmann predicted ing lines “Because imagining if we don’t see a single ‘inspir- Business Insider the company’s pushing for and reducing them by staggering amounts,” there will be a lot of consolidation in the ad she can be anything is just the be - ing’ adult oriented ad film from a level of preferred access to ad space on he said. Brinkmann predicts that most of tech sector as a result. Driving down hidden ginning. Actually seeing that she Barbie ever again. several top media companies’ websites. The the other major global ad agency holding ad tech fees has been a big topic of late. can, makes all the difference.” [email protected] company is promising its clients that these companies will follow a similar path this arrangements will reduce fees paid out to year, embracing what ad industry insiders Source: Business Insider Which brings us to Barbie: Life

the twitter index The weekly Twitter Advertiser Index lists the brands which have generated most engagement with users on the platform

PRESENTING THE BRAND ENGAGEMENT INDEX A S ON MARCH 7, 2018 1)@SamsungMobileIN 2)@MercedesBenzInd 3)@oppomobileindia 4) @MahindraRacing 5) @TataSky The index looks at the live list @SamsungMobileIN got fans in India ex- @MercedesBenzInd unveiled the new To promote their recently launched @MahindraRacing ran a promoted conversational To promote the movie Tiger Zinda Hai on of all advertisers on the platform and measures the total cited for the #GalaxyS9 launch with tweets Mercedes-Benz-S-Class live on Periscope mobile phone #OPPOF5, @op- card to get fans to show their support for Swedish Tata Sky Bollywood Premiere, the brand number of user engagements that included details of the functionality so fans online were are also able to catch pomobileindia ran polls on Twitter racing driver #FelixRosenqvist of Mahindra for ran a simple activity on Twitter with the with all the tweets that they and features of the phone. Their tweets the launch on Twitter. They also live where fans who participated could the #MexicoCityEPrix. The conversational card hashtag #TigerIsComing. @TataSky posted sent out that week - specifi- cally this is a sum of all the re- also gave fans a glimpse of how the smart- tweeted throughout the launch event and win prizes. Spread over a couple of included an image of Rosenqvist and his achieve- a couple of questions related to the movie plies, retweets and favourites phone would look and a link to pre-order shared tweets and articles about the car days, @oppomobileindia tweeted a ments. Upon engaging with the Tweet, fans would and fans who participated and got all an- across all tweets that week. before the official launch. throughout the day. poll a day. get a digital autograph from the driver. swers right stood a chance to win vouchers. CCI NG 3.7 Product: ETMumbaiBS PubDate: 14-03-2018 Zone: BrandEquity Edition: 1 Page: BEPER2 User: kailash.korade Time: 03-09-2018 23:29 Color: CMYK

“Women challenge the status quo because we GLOCAL BUZZ 23 THE ECONOMIC TIMES MARCH 14-20, 2018 are never it.” - Cindy Gallop, IfWeRanTheWorld The Best & Worst Of Fempowertising 2018 More brands than ever before jumped aboard the International Women’s Day special ad Rashi Goel Ruchira Jaitly Jasneet Bachal bandwagon. We Bidisha Nagaraj Delna Avari Nirmal Kaur VP - Consumer Communications and Director - Strategy and Nutrition Sr VP & Head Marketing, Product and Vice President Marketing, Management Consultant Marketing Consultant E-commerce, Nestlé Challenges, Royal DSM Ecommerce, Kotak Mahindra Old got an expert Schneider Electric Mutual Life Insurance Biba Change For Progress Tanishq My Solitaires PC Chandra and Jewellers panel to pick their Franklin Templeton he storyline was simple, impact- Uncelebrate Reebok #BruisesAreGood #InvestForProgress Tful in its surprise element and here is a visceral appeal to he #BruisesAreGood campaign favourites and a good attempt at bringing out a Tit. There is a ring of truth to Tbreaks the clutter with a social- least favourites. strong unconscious bias. While I the need to stop tokenism and experiment for a rampant yet under didn’t particularly like the start, the state obvious, uncomfortable the wraps societal issue. It ties back By Amit Bapna overall communication displayed truths. Equally, time to confront to a purpose-driven social cause for a nice subtle brand connect whilst accepted ‘norms’, which the film delivering an important mes- states unambiguously. Fresh sage without being in-your-face. Royal Enfield #RideOn faces and little nuances lift what Definitely a #PressForProgress he Tanishq campaign is majority of advertising on could have been trite, though communication. Tsweet. It’s nice they didn’t feel Awomen’s issues is patronising one wonders if it does end a little his communication is relat- the need to exaggerate to make and comes from a patriarchal view preachy, and doesn’t quite close Table and happy. It’s progres- a point. There is no fight in the of “allowing” and “accepting” that the loop. sive because it shows an entire film, and in a lovely way, it rep- women are equal. All of us are party family rooting for the daughter/ resents a woman with the ability to thinking an ad must be a tearjerk- grand-daughter’s aspirations. to make her choices. The mes- er and only long format executions The brand gets integrated seam- sage is clear: you can do what will evoke deep emotional reactions. girls / women to stand-up against lessly with a happy twist. you want to. Having said that, I And so we put out self-important physical violence and in the same rom Jane Walker am not a big fan of the storyline. pieces of long format films and go to breath, suggests bystanders stop - the first-ever All Out #StandByToughMoms Going back to college at that age female iteration bed patting ourselves on the back on being just bystanders and passing egressive and unpleasant at All Out #StandByToughMoms is an equally difficult decision of Johnny Walker making a difference to society and judgment. The drive is to garner F Rmany levels. The portrayal his ad is annoying at so many for a man or woman. In fact, since – to a McDonald’s outlet doing our bit for gender equality. This votes for making self-defense edu- of the woman in such a subser- levels; typical older women women in a patriarchal system in California f lipping its T ad breaks all these stereotypes. It is cation mandatory - a larger agenda trademark golden arches vient and servile role (serving being catty; man being unsup- are not expected to earn, it makes short, pithy and puts forward a point than just celebrating Women’s Day. dinner while it a relatively easier choice. My Solitaires upside down (to make the of view that is the right spirit on not Tanishq The brand has attempted to bring M look like W) brands the rest of the #BruisesAreGood just gender equality, but any equality. Clearly Tanishq seems to have about change in the daily life of a are in a tearing rush to family feasts) Reebok The bike and roads do not differenti- lost its golden touch for me. The woman by empowering her so she appear inclusive. There because she is ate: for the road, a Rider is a Rider. tentative execution, and clunky can protect herself from physical are some spectacular hits the daughter- The product connect is powerful. A integration make this less wor- violence. It leverages the power of and some catastrophic in-law seems truly intelligent piece of advertising. thy of belonging to a stable of social media to get people involved misses – look no further rather spirit- by signing a petition. It is about giv- than Doritos widely less and regres- PC Chandra and Jewellers ing hope to silent victims and seed- mocked ‘lady-friendly sive. This is not Uncelebrate ing the thought of empowerment. chips’. We got some an example of his ad is a poster child for a lazy The brand has clearly stayed away practitioners to pick what the woman of portive and then we need the Treaction to the equally lazy brief of from leveraging Women’s Day as they loved and hated modern times. patriarch to step in and every- “let’s do something on Women’s Day”. a marketing gimmick to garner from the lot served up Women are try- one bows to his higher author- Taking a contrarian stance on a large sales. From a brand fitment lens, to us by advertisers and ing to get away ity. And if he really did sup- movement is not fresh, and neither is it ties back well in the physical fit- their agencies in India. from these port her being strict with her the execution of a montage of women, ness zone. What follows are some stereotypes and son, then he absolutely should covering the length and breadth of great dissections and for a brand to represent the pro- have honoured the punishment India, questioning clichés around Reliance Fresh #JeeLeZara takedowns but very little tagonist in a backward mindset instead of asking the child to eat. women’s issues. The issues raised some truly he brand stance for women’s consensus. family is not relatable. What And what’s with the woman serv- are not surprising and don’t tug at the bold state- Tday reflects a missing connect. [email protected] also worries me is that the brand ing food and not eating with the don’t understand the point. heart. What makes it worse is that ments in Live a little is showing this situation as a family? There’s no attempt to even IIf they had put a man in her the brand connect is tenuous at best the past. In today for her- new normal! fix that perception as being truly place everyone would have said and comes too late into a near three- a category self - is meant I am sure there were other ways flawed. Also, what happened to the same things associated with minute ad, with the line “celebrating that lives to be a celebra- to have positioned the ‘tough brand connect? Maybe if she had men who are heavily bruised; women everyday”. It unravels the and breathes the idea of self- tion for women mom’. The narrative also shows a put it on in the dining room and accident, bar brawl, etc. I don’t logic as to why the brand wants us to expression, it is disappointingly but misses the joint-family set up in an unpleas- all the people had vanished like think anyone would have uncelebrate women’s day, you see, be- f lat and predictable (not to men- point and only ant light which may not reflect insects, someone might have no- thought of boxing. Separately, cause when a woman buys jewellery, tion it reinforces the classic further accentu- reality. By the way, what does ticed the brand! We definitely did it’s obvious from her appearance it is women’s day for her. tech challenged women stereo- ates stereotyped this have to do with a mosquito not #PressForProgress with this that she is an athlete, so bad cast- type! Oof!) gender roles. repellent? communication. ing I guess.

SIDETAKE Rihanna’s new lingerie A GLASS HALF FULLOR HALF EMPTY? line to be sold by the controversial athleisure Can Livpure make cutting paani as ubiquitous as maker backed by Kate cutting chai? Or is it one of those ideas that is too Hudson clever by half? By Amit Bapna Rihanna has reportedly signed a deal to launch a lingerie line that could been a major win for Fabletics’ par- In the land of cutting — a half cup of tea ent company. The singer has struck usually brewed at a roadside tea stall a deal with TechStyle Fashion Group, — a water purifier brand is betting big as reported by WWD. According to a on the idea of cutting paani to curtail source, TechStyle has been working water wastage. on the project for more than a year Livpure is a challenger in a cat- and sample lingerie products have egory dominated by Eureka Forbes, already been produced. TechStyle, Kent and Hindustan Unilever. formerly called JustFab Inc., is the parent company of membership- #CuttingPaani extends the previ- based brands including Kate Hudson- ous campaign: #FinishYourGlass backed athleisure brand Fabletics, launched in 2017. That campaign FabKids, JustFab, and ShoeDazzle. urged people to drink adequate wa- The company did not respond to ter to improve health. The current Business Insider’s request for com- campaign strives to bring the mes- Tendulkar for previous campaigns where TOM (top of mind) determines ment on the reported deal. sage of water conservation centre including #FinishYourGlass. This market share, he adds. Rihanna’s involvement could be stage, backed by a simple act: half a time around, they have taken the com- In a category that has been celeb- a crucial boost for TechStyle as glass instead of a full one which often mon man route using regular people struck, a brand with challenger status it considers an IPO, a source told gets wasted. to talk of the half glass message. So is sticking its neck out and doing the op- WWD. The singer is on a roll in the Says Sushil Matey, director- market- far Livpure’s ambassador Tendulkar posite, albeit subtly. A little too subtly ing, Livpure, part of the SAR group, has not made an appearance, though for its good, as some have pointed out. “Water and air are two of the larg- sources claim he may come on-board. Dr. Renuka Kamath, professor - mar- est play-fields for organisations to The cricketing legend is more than keting, SPJIMR, Mumbai confesses to build trust.” We want to own every- just a standard endorser; he’s also an be quite taken in with the campaign for thing in and around water, he adds. investor in the company. its extremely earthy, appealing and re- Traditionally, water conservation The campaign will be driven by digi- latable thought. However, it has some has mostly taken a ‘larger than life’ tal and activation. The brand plans to brand differently. While the concept S Nair, CEO and managing partner, issues. For her #Cuttingpaani is not rhetorical stance, making it unrelat- target malls, food courts, cinema halls of ’cutting pani’ is based on a fresh in- Law & Kenneth Saatchi & Saatchi, connected to purifying water (which able to the common man’s life. The and offices with innovations like be- sight and does evoke interest, in her “We need category communication to is what a puri fier is meant for) but with current campaign has been conceived ing served water — like cutting chai view, the brand benefit depends on educate — the way AMFI (Association saving water, and the subtle branding by Famous Innovations. Says Raj — in the intermission, positioning perseverance and consistency. The of Mutual Funds in India) is doing for can be detrimental, since the cam- retail industry right now. Last year, Kamble, founder, Famous Innovations branded tent-cards at food courts, and campaign should not be a one-off, but mutual funds”. Currently buying a paign and brand need to ride together. Rihanna launched an instantly- “All other purifiers are fighting on large screens reinforcing and report- a long-term behaviour changing nar- water-filter is not a retail decision but The challenge would be in making successful makeup line called Fenty the basic premise and telling the RO ing water wastage on a daily basis. rative with a 360-degree backing. backed by advertising and marketing Livpure and #Cuttingpaani synony- Beauty. The brand was a buzzy, viral hit - something that TechStyle story. We didn’t want to do the same.” Views Anisha Motwani, managing In spite of decades in the market, mous. A confident Matey says, we have could use right now. TechStyle’s Livpure claims a 10% share in the partner, StormTheNorm Ventures, water purifiers remains underpen- purposely kept the brand subtle to best-known brand currently is branded RO water purifier segment “This category has experimented etrated. The biggest competition re- push the larger story thereby getting Fabletics, which was cofounded by pegged at `2500 crore. with several claims to establish mains boiled water; still seen as the wider acceptance. And also to ensure actress Kate Hudson, who also serves It’s also a category where sev- credibility. When all these con- most trusted mark of purity. Along the necessary preference for Livpure as a spokesperson for the brand. eral brands have drunk the fused the hell out of consumers with water conservation which is still as a socially responsible brand. In 2015, Fabletics was engulfed in celebrity Kool-Aid. Kent on- and stopped being a differen- a higher order calling, the challenge However Livpure is fighting in a scandal after being slammed for its membership-based business model. boarded Hema Malini almost tiator, out came the celebrities of the category is education around market struggling with low customer #FinishYourGlass Customers claimed they were tricked 7 years ago; Eureka Forbes re- to cut the clutter.” This is yet an- the need, and benefits of RO and why Campaign involvement on end and high decibel into signing up for memberships that cruited Madhuri Dixit other attempt to position the minerals are important. Says Anil celeb claims on the other. Dipping into were difficult to cancel, in addition to and HUL’s Pureit a cultural insight and encouraging being charged with surprising fees. was endorsed by behavioural change is brave but also The company attempted to reverse Farhan Akhtar “WATER AND AIR ARE TWO OF THE LARGEST PLAY-FIELDS FOR a little foolhardy. A dent in the current the narrative, doubling down on cus- and Prachi rankings in favour of Livpure will tomer service and revising its cancel- Desai. Even ORGANISATIONS TO BUILD TRUST. WE WANT TO OWN EVERYTHING IN prove that the glass was in fact half full lation processes. It also changed its name to TechStyle in 2016. Livpure de- and not half empty. AND AROUND WATER.” — SUSHIL MATEY, director- marketing, Livpure Source: Business Insider ployed Sachin [email protected] CCI NG 3.7 Product: ETMumbaiBS PubDate: 14-03-2018 Zone: BrandEquity Edition: 1 Page: BEPER3 User: kailash.korade Time: 03-09-2018 23:35 Color: CMYK

“If anyone around here starts secreting anything blue, the last thing we’re going to worry about is how absorbent their pad is.” CLASSIC BE 4 THE ECONOMIC TIMES MARCH 14-20, 2018 - Dave Barry , Comedian quoting readers Carla and Bill Chandler

BY INVITATION WhatsApp was among India’s most trusted brands this year. Forwarded As Deceived Does it deserve the trust asks Dentsu’s Narayan Devanathan In his recent sketch on the f i l m Padmaavat, Memes, GIFs, mindless videos and im- content. A dirty joke seems less offensive forms — WhatsApp being chief among stand-up comedian Varun Grover dis- ages cram WhatsApp, and indeed the from your school WhatsApp group, or an them — seem to turn argument into a bi- cusses the role of a central character in Internet, like some human species over- old uncle. A politically-loaded forward nary activity, with no time or space for nu- the original story — a talking parrot running a blue planet. The Wall Street seems reasonable because the colleague ance, indecision, or an outcome-less state. called Hiramal. When Raja Ratan Sen Journal recently pointed to Indians as a who sent it is otherwise “reasonable.” A And in that, it has exposed the limi- wants to act upon hearing of Padmini’s big reason for a creaking Internet. chain message seems worth forwarding tations of a medium’s intelligence. By great beauty from Hiramal, Grover ques- The worst offender is probably because, well, look at all the people you becoming an echo chamber, it makes it tions his sanity thus: the “Forwarded as know who’ve passed it along. appear like it both has a voice and gives “A lready married, ek WHATSAPP’S Received” pieces. And then, there’s the whole issue of others a place for their voices to be heard. tota aake usko bol raha They have become an group dynamics. Hard-boiled, cynical, But, like the talking parrot, it only picks hai…tota hai ki sasur CREDIBILITY aid to absolute abdica- zero attention span millennials stay put up and repeats what it hears, without the WhatsApp hai? Jo bola tion of responsibility in family WhatsApp groups because advantage of sentience or intelligence. tuney maan liya.” COMES FROM THE for content, perspective they might otherwise offend an aunty or Perhaps like with much of everything In many ways, that is SOURCES OF THE and morality. The two distant cousin somewhere. With older else in the world right now, its redemp- such an apt analogy for biggest drivers of in- people, there is a self-selection and self- tion lies in the hands of young people — what WhatsApp seems INFORMATION— novation in technol- exclusion that happens where you feel born with the power of choice, awareness to have become in India ogy — both creation you’re too old to argue with idiots who and the courage of conviction in doing the today. SOMEONE and adoption — have have opinions that are different from right thing. (Yes, yes, I’m talking about A talking parrot. been porn and politics. your own. Neither is exactly enhancing the same narcissistic, selfie-obsessed, At one point, WhatsApp PERSONALLY It’s no different with WhatsApp’s reputation. materialistic millennial generation.) felt like the great savior; WhatsApp either. But let’s return to that talking parrot Earlier this year, an innocuous-sound- a core part of the Dark KNOWN TO One of the first to exploit analogy. Its made for brevity template ing tweet from Kylie Jenner wiped out Web that marketers and THE RECEIVER this wonderful way to ab- makes WhatsApp perhaps as much of a nearly $1.3 billion from Snapchat’s other exploiters couldn’t solve responsibility while culprit in the dumbing down of society, as market value. WhatsApp probably penetrate, at a time when Facebook and retaining anonymity have been politi- it makes Twitter. doesn’t want her or her generation Google have become so insidious, they cians. And in an increasingly polarised Reasonable societies are built on plat- asking “Does anyone use WhatsApp know your every word and action regard- nation, where socio-political affiliations forms for reasoning and debate, where anymore?” only because its credibility less of whether you’re awake or asleep, — not facts or logic — drive what people BORA ANIRBAN time and space don’t limit the (sometimes comes into question. on the ground or in airplane mode. On read, watch and believe, “Forwarded as heated) exchange of ideas and perspec- Millennials, it seems, have the power WhatsApp, you could believe you were Received” has become a convenient way trusted brand. Perhaps a big reason for all corners of the web. tives. The argumentative Indian has re- and the discernment to tell the viral from having private conversations, talking of appearing unbiased while perpetuat- that is they still don’t allow paid ads. At WhatsApp’s credibility also comes from mained a thriving sub-species precisely the virus, and decide which one is worth about things firsthand with people you ing your belief system. It’s the equivalent least, not visibly. There are no retargeted the sources of the information— even because traditional platforms for argu- spreading. trusted. But now, WhatsApp feels exactly of the “If true, then this...” strategy that ads that incessantly stalk you the minute when it’s “Forwarded as Received,” it’s ment—without (violent) outcomes—have The author is group executive & strategy like Hiramal: a filter-less conveyor of in- some political Twitterati are fond of using. you utter key words (IRL or online) that from someone personally known to the always existed. They have allowed for the officer, Dentsu Brand Agencies | South formation regardless of veracity. And yet, WhatsApp continues to be a spark off programmatic campaigns from receiver, regardless of the nature of the exploration of shades of grey. Digital plat- Asia. Views expressed are personal.

Continued from Page 1 >> SIDETAKE Why are women When Exams Become The Enemy Can pink be the new white? abandoning Victoria’s The company also made a sizeable invest- “Puru is India’s Secret for American Why Horlicks ment in devising one-of-its -kind technology that detects particles that mimic the appear- first salt that Eagle’s Aerie Took ... ance of salt--clay, stone and rock--as well as salt works on the concept of namak Victoria’s Secret fashion shows by now crystals that have inclusions of rock or clay Speaking about picking Kota, and removes them with a jet of air. “Puro unhealthy toh family are legendary, watched by millions Vikram Bahl, area marketing dergoes several lab, metal detection, visual healthy” globally. Back in its home market, lead - nutrition & digestive health, and taste tests to ensure its purity as com- however, the brand is in trouble GSK consumer healthcare says, pared to other pink salts,” Modi adds. Ruchir Modi, founder, Puro “Nothing exemplifies a pressure Puro, reckon marketing experts, is try- Aerie is booming. The lifestyle brand owned by American Eagle reported record same-store cooker situation caused by signifi- ing to kill two birds with one stone. Firstly, mium for good health,” she says. sales growth for the fourth quarter of 2017 on cant competition more than Kota. in a market where salt is synonymous with Though the salt market is ripe for disrup- Thursday, marking its 15th consecutive quarter Chi ldren need physical and mental iodine and marketers have been focusing tion, Puro will have to crack the same puzzle of positive growth. “Aerie is resonating with nutrition, but also emotional nutri- on other attributes such as free flowing and which other challenger brands in the past young women and evolving into a true lifestyle tion that only parents can give.” low-sodium content, the brand questions — remember Captain Cook? — failed to do. brand,” Jennifer Foyle, global brand president While the pressure is perhaps most the quality of refined salts. It smartly brings “Distribution will be their biggest chal- of Aerie, said in intense in Kota, it is a nationwide to Swati Bhattacharya, chief cre- on students from a particular hos- back the focus on what salts are supposed lenge,” reckons Aggarwal. People should be a call with inves- tors on Thursday phenomenon. Says Bahl, “I’d be ly- ative officer at FCB Ulka and a vet- tel and then finding 30 mothers to do: keep you healthy, rather than add to able to get the brand at not just their regular morning. The ing if I said I haven’t experienced eran on Horlicks dating back to her willing and able to make the jour- stress. “Puro has disrupted the market by as- modern grocery retail outlet but also at the company con- this or even applied it. That’s the stint at JWT, “We focused on this ney. Adds Rohit Ohri, CEO, FCB saulting the whiteness quotient of salt,” says nearest kirana store. “That’s a huge task,” firmed it would society we are. Everyone is trying 11 years ago with exam ka bhoot Ulka group, “The surprise on the Ashita Aggarwal, head of marketing at SP she says. Low awareness about the healthy be opening 35 to get ahead and we should remain bhagao, getting a helpline in place. faces of the kids is real. This is not Jain Institute of Management and Research. proposition of pink salt will be another chal- to 40 new Aerie that way; but how we do it is what We even won an Effie.” just about selling but owning the “Its functional differentiation has the poten- lenge, she points out. stores during we are focusing on.” According The film was made by focusing conversation around nutrition.” tial to make pink the new white if marketed Modi, for his part, feels that creating a new 2018. properly,” she adds. category is worth every grain of salt. Puro’s Aerie has dou- bled down on its Though the brand is priced at a premium— primary focus, he underlines, is to empower efforts to appeal Release the Pressure had a a kg costs around `99—Aggarwal avers that consumers with a healthy choice. “Namak to female shop- resonance with PepsiCo’s own Puro won’t be stopped by the price barrier. healthy toh family healthy will drive Puro’s pers, ditching management team. Reason: health-conscious Indians are will- adoption across the country,” he asserts. photoshopped That resonance is ing to shell out extra to stay fit. With rising Well, looks like desh ka namak has got an- images and part- even greater this disposable income and increasing menace of other claimant as Puro gears up to throw salt nering with wom- time around, lifestyle diseases, consumers are not willing on the gameplan of its rivals. en activists to promote female according to to take a chance. “Indians are ready to pay pre- [email protected] empowerment. Prakash who has Meanwhile, rival two young daugh- brand Victoria’s ters: “My kids tell Secret has been me 30 or 40 times a day, accused of failing to appeal to customers with its half the time in a lighter vein, racy ad campaigns, which also threaten to nega- ‘Mirinda says don’t compare, tively impact its teen brand PINK. It reported and here you are, doing just negative same-store sales growth for the fourth that.” quarter of 2017. A d In January, Business Insider reported that Reacting to so many brands GROUP mothers of teenage children who shopped at its Why Mirinda rental pressure seriously, if now in the same space, teen-centric brand, PINK, were revolting online it came from Mirinda, a fun Prakash says, “Usually when because of the oversexualized ads in Victoria’s looked lightweight brand. “Within someone takes our campaign Secret’s stores. “It is basically pornography that two days of launch, all wor- idea forward we feel threat- everyone (children and teens) are subjected to o w ries disappeared,” he admits. ened. But in this case I am viewing because there is only one area to check beyond WHY TAKE THE PATLI GALI There was positive social com- gratified. All it takes is a small out between PINK and Victoria’s Secret, which WHEN MAINSTREAM CAN FLY happens to have the most obscene photos be- Paagalpanti mentary of 99.83% and views spark for people to talk. We hind the registers,” shopper Jessie Shealy wrote far in excess of PepsiCo’s regu- would like to take some credit 1 O CANNES? on Victoria’s Secret’s Facebook page. lar ad films. for this.” According to Ajai PINK has become one of the most successful ’d be the first to admit Which is why Release the Jhala, CEO, BBDO India, the THE BEST 1 PUBLISHED parts of Victoria’s Secret, reporting stronger we had doubts,” says Pressure is back. The focus is agency on Mirinda, “Everyone THE TIMES / IN D IA WILL WIN sales than other parts of the store in recent PepsiCo’s senior VP on kids whose parents compare showed kids in a more happy years. But it’s not only PINK customers who “I PASSES TO CANNES LI O NS. –beverages, Vipul Prakash, them with others; there’s even state, focusing on their life- are being put off by these racy photos. Some Victoria’s Secret customers are also talking about Release The a tie-in from hospital chain styles. This is about their lives; r complaining that its ads are targeted more at Pressure for Mirinda. The Fortis, featuring a helpline to what they go through as hu- men than women. doubt: whether consumers guide parents on how they can man beings.” Source: Business Insider would take a message on pa- encourage their children. [email protected] Real work that makes the audience sit up and VA take notice deserves to be celebrated.

Continued from Page 1 >> And so, we are rewarding the top 10 clutter breaking print ads released in the Times of India Despite their best efforts to on brands like Stayfree and other hand, was fairly secure. between Feb 20 2018 and 31"March, 2018. educate themselves, senior Whisper in the early 90s. Thus Though he became a sort of un- '" creative directors would ask Advertising’s Pad... he wasn’t entirely unfamiliar official supplier of pads to the If you think your work makes the cut, mail it to their female counterparts how with the mysterious workings women in office on days when pads are mounted on panties, of a uterus. Handling pads Aunt Flo and the Commies [email protected] “do they go longitudinally or was not as daunting for him paid surprise visits. horizontally?” as it was for the younger and A few weeks ago, Sridhar, Eligibility: When period jokes and sci- much inexperienced Vira. For his wife Srijayanthi and son ence didn’t work, they were starters, it was a relief he didn’t Saketh Kondiparthi watched Minimum half page ad in Mumbai, Delhi or all business-like. But, as one have to put his homework un- Sridhar’s friend and colleague Bengaluru editions of the Times of India woman who worked on a sani- der lock and key. Sridhar also R Balki’s feature film ‘Padman’. (full city run) tary product account back helped build other “taboo cat- At the end of the film his wife 20 in the day says, it might have egories” like contraception. was teary eyed, partly due to the Ads released between Feb "' 2018 and been “unbearable” if people He worked on brands owned stories of women whose period March 312018 will be considered had been overly sensitive. “We by TTK, the makers of Skore plight is all too real and relat- Decision of the jury will be final just wanted to get on with it.” condoms. To be safe, Sridhar able. The other reason was her A former chief creative officer tells us, he locked the drawer son, who is the assistant direc- T&C apply at agencies like Leo Burnett he kept the condom samples in. tor on the film. What they per- and SapientNitro, KV Sridhar Even then he’d often find con- haps failed to realise at the time Follow us on: or Pops, as he is more popu- doms missing. Further inves- is that they were seated next to larly known, was already a tigation was entirely futile. His one of the original Padmen. Q ®TimesResponse aResponse Solutions married man when he worked stash of sanitary towels, on the [email protected] ANIRBAN BORA ANIRBAN FEMOL WURBRAi1Yl

Regn.No.MAHENG/2002/6711Volume 17 Issue No. 11Published for the Proprietors, Bennett Coleman & Company Ltd. by R. Krishnamurthy at The Times Of India Building, Dr. D.N.Road, Mumbai 400 001Tel. No. (022) 6635 3535, 2273 3535, Fax- (022)-2273 1144 M 7116 TI MES and printed by him at (1) The Times of India Suburban Press, Akurli Road, Western Express Highway, Kandivili (E), Mumbai 400 101. Tel. No. (022) 28872324, 28872930, Fax- (022) 28874230 (2) The Times of India Print City, Plot No. 4, T.T.C. Industrial Area, Thane LIONS GROU P ( Belapur Road, Airoli, Navi Mumbai-400708 and (3) TIMES PRESS, Plot No. 5A, Road No. 1, IDA Nacharam Ranga Reddy District, Hyderabad-500076. Editor: Ravi Balakrishnan(Responsible for selection of news under PRB Act). © All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without the written permission of the Publisher is prohibited.