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MakeMyTrip gets Alia Bhatt & Ranveer Singh to share tips for international travel in new ad

MakeMyTrip India has released two new brand films starring its ambassadors, Alia Bhatt and Ranveer Singh. These films highlight the ease and convenience of booking flights and hotels for international travel through MakeMyTrip, targeting both first-time and experienced international travellers. The first film presents Alia and Ranveer as a newlywed couple on their wedding night, still trying to find their footing with each other. The conversation veers towards both sharing their apprehensions about their 'first time'. As the film unfolds, viewers find out that the first time in question is in fact their first time travelling internationally. As a solution, they turn to MakeMyTrip for their flight and hotel bookings, both taking on the planning/research responsibility equally and with great enthusiasm. Additionally, in the second film, viewers are drawn into the middle of a suspenseful scene where Ranveer Singh , playing an international spy/agent, unearths the location of the most wanted person. When Alia Bhatt , his commanding officer, discloses that the mission is in London, Ranveer , with his humorous style, argues that the criminal should be let go as he isnt bad at heart to save himself an international trip. Alia s character senses his apprehensions and introduces him to the MakeMyTrip international booking experience, highlighting its tension-free experience. Raj RishiSingh , Chief Marketing Officer & Chief Business Officer - Corporate, MakeMyTrip said, We at MakeMyTrip believe in making the world more accessible, one trip at a time. In the past few months, we have introduced a suite of tools, features and benefits, some of them industry-firsts, designed for every international traveller, be it a first-timer or a seasoned globetrotter. Our aim is to ensure that everyone can partake in these benefits, making their travel booking and post-sales experience seamless and enjoyable. Our new films highlight the value addition we bring to the table, demonstrating how MakeMyTrip can be a game-changer when it comes to international bookings. The campaigns have been conceptualized by the creative agency, Moonshot and films have been written by Devaiah Bopanna, Puneet Chadha, Deep Joshi and Tanmay Bhat.

Snapchat Q1 revenue reports an 85% YOY increase in small & medium-sized advertisers

Snapchat Inc. has announced its financial results for the quarter ending March 31, 2024, showcasing its revenue along with the application's daily usage, new content to build community, along with its revenue diversification initiatives. Here's a summary along with the key highlights of Q1 of 2024: Revenue and Daily Usage: Revenue amounted to $1.195 billion, marking a 21% year-over-year increase from $989 million in the previous year. The net loss stood at $305 million, an improvement from the $329 million loss reported last year. Adjusted EBITDA reached $46 million, up from just $1 million in the prior year. Operating cash flow decreased to $88 million from $151 million the previous year, and free cash flow dropped to $38 million from $103 million. Community Engagement Growth: Daily Active Users (DAUs) reached 422 million in Q1 2024, a 10% increase from the previous year. Total time spent watching Spotlight content rose by more than 125% year-over-year. The Snap Star program saw significant engagement growth in North America, with over 1,500 new Snap Stars joining in Q1. New creative tools were introduced, including longer video posts, Creative Templates, and AI-powered AR Lens creation. Revenue Diversification Initiatives: Snapchat+ subscribers more than tripled to over 9 million in Q1. The number of small and medium-sized advertisers on Snapchat increased by 85% year-over-year. Sponsored AR Filters launched, allowing advertisers to overlay branded AR content on user Snaps. New and improved Conversions API (CAPI) released to all advertisers, with integration partnerships and a 300% year-over-year increase in CAPI adoption. New brand safety solutions were announced, including a third-party measurement tool and a first-party tool for ad placement control. New developments in Content and Augmented Reality: Snapchat's investments in Generative AI and automation led to a 50% year-over-year increase in ML and AI Lenses viewed. New relationship-centred AR formats like Friend Lenses and Q&A Lenses drove higher engagement and sharing among US Snapchatters. A revamped AR Carousel ranking model boosted discovery, with a 50% increase in new Lenses seen by users since its launch. Improvements in Lens Studio included an AI Assistant for developer support, a Compression tool to optimize assets, and an Animation Curve Editor for enhanced animation editing. Snapchat's Camera Kit technology was integrated at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas during Super Bowl LVIII, marking a significant collaboration with the NFL. The value we provide our community and advertising partners has translated into improved financial performance, said Evan Spiegel , CEO. Our large, growing, and hard-to-reach community, brand-safe environment, and full-funnel advertising solutions have made us an increasingly important partner for businesses of all sizes. As Q2 begins, Snapchat anticipates continued growth in its global community, leading to an estimated Daily Active User (DAU) count of approximately 431 million for the quarter. The company is focused on executing its roadmap to deliver enhancements to its direct response (DR) advertising platform, aiming to improve results for advertising partners and drive faster topline growth. Snapchat's revenue guidance for Q2 is in the range of $1,225 million to $1,255 million, suggesting year-over-year revenue growth of 15% to 18%. Given this revenue guidance and the planned investments for the quarter, the company estimates that Adjusted EBITDA will be between $15 million and $45 million in Q2.

Best Social Media Brands: SAMMIE 2024 guidebook

In the ever-changing digital marketing landscape, Social Samosa returns with the sixth edition of the Best Social Media Brands Awards, SAMMIE 2024. This platform celebrates the success of Human Brands that have contributed to the growth of the Social Media Ecosystem. Social media is no longer just about sharing your brand messages, it has become a platform for genuine connections and authentic conversations between brands and consumers. A vast majority of Agencies, Platforms and Tools thrive because of Brands and Businesses who are invested in the power of social media. At its core, SAMMIE Best Social Media Brands is a platform to celebrate the success of Human Brands, that have contributed to the growth of the Social Media Ecosystem. A vast majority of Agencies, Platforms and Tools thrive because of Brands and Businesses that are invested in the power of Social Media. And from that lens, Brands are the true evangelists of Social Media. SAMMIE Best Social Media Brands is a our token of respect and admiration for Influential Brands who lead the pack on Social Media. For the unacquainted, BSMB comprises 23 Main Categories, 30 Special Categories, and 6 Individual Categories. The guidebook also provides a detailed explanation of how to upload the entry with relevant details and material. The Nomination Deadline for the same is 26th April 2024. What is the eligibility criteria? Who can nominate? Anyone working as a brand marketer can nominate himself/herself for the Individual Category. Brands across the above-mentioned sectors can nominate themselves for the awards. For further information, refer to the guidebook here: Now that you have all the information, get started on the nomination processes. To nominate in the Main category, click here and the nominations for the Special category can be done through this link . To nominate in the Individual category, use this link . Have more queries? Write to us at events@socialsamosa.com. In case of suggestions, feel free to drop your comments below.

Meta doubles profit in Q1, observes 7% YOY growth in its user base

Meta's Q1 results reported a remarkable surge, more than doubling its figures. The company's profit for the January-March period doubled, reaching USD 12.37 billion, or USD 4.71 per share, up from USD 5.71 billion, or USD 2.20 per share, in the corresponding period last year. Additionally, revenue experienced a 27% increase, climbing to USD 36.46 billion compared to USD 28.65 billion the previous year. In terms of ad revenue, Meta saw a significant jump to USD 35.365 billion from USD 28.101 billion in the same quarter of the prior year. Moreover, the company noted a 6% rise in average ad prices on its platforms. Meta also observed a 7% year-on-year growth in its user base across its suite of apps, with an average of 3.24 billion users in March across Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and WhatsApp. However, Meta announced its decision to discontinue disclosing user figures specifically for Facebook. It's been a good start to the year, said Mark Zuckerberg, Meta founder and CEO. The new version of Meta AI with Llama 3 is another step towards building the world's leading AI. We're seeing healthy growth across our apps and we continue making steady progress building the metaverse as well. The company additionally announced plans to boost its capital expenditures mainly attributed to investments in AI. It also anticipates expenses ranging from USD 35 to USD 40 billion, surpassing its previous estimate of USD 30 to USD 37 billion.

How Cadbury collaborated with 140+ sweet outlets across Bengal for Gaane Mishti campaigns S4

Cadbury Dairy Milk partnered with over 140 sweet outlets across West Bengal for its fourth edition of the Gaane Mishti campaign, blending traditional Bengali sweets with Cadbury Dairy Milk. The campaign also featured revitalized folk songs, aiming to deepen the brand's cultural association and drive category development in the region. It included expanding partnerships beyond Kolkata, training traditional artisans, and digitizing the Mishti shops. Execution involved a mix of social media, on-ground activations, TV promotions, and collaborations with online platforms. The campaign achieved significant quantitative and qualitative impact. Here is how it was carried out: Category Introduction The Indian chocolate market is poised for growth, with its size expected to escalate from USD 2.21 billion in 2024 to USD 3.05 billion by 2029, growing at a CAGR of 6.64 % according to a report by Mordor Intelligence . The rise of e-commerce platforms across the country, the easy access to a wide range of domestic and international chocolate products, and the introduction of new flavours and packaging formats is poised to drive the market growth. Brand Introduction First launched in India in 1948, Cadbury Dairy Milk has become synonymous with chocolate for generations of Indians and over time defined the taste of chocolate in the country. Since then, Mondelez India with Cadbury Dairy Milk, has continued to build on its 75-year legacy. Cadburys first cultural infusion was at the back of its association with the campaigns like 'Khaaney ke baad kuch meetha ho jaye' , and 'Shubh Aarambh' . Since the 1990s, Cadbury Dairy Milk has tapped into various occasions by building up cultural nuances and driving relatability for the brand. The brand has leveraged this strategy regionally as well and successfully infused the brands relevance across different occasions, celebrations and rituals. In 2011 the brand introduced Cadbury Dairy Milk Mishti campaign, catering to the inherent love for sweets in Bengal and marrying it with everyones childhood favourite flavour, Cadbury Dairy Milk. What began in 2011 as a simple vote for the best sweet shop in Bengal has evolved into a delightful fusion of essential Bengali elements football, cinema, cricket, and music, over the years through various renditions of CDM Mishti campaign. From the unique union of Cadbury and Misht, commemorating the FIFA World Cup, hosting a chocochef contest, introducing 'Mishti Classics', and more, the journey of Cadbury Dairy Milk and Bengal has been a fulfilling one. Finally, in 2020, the brand unveiled 'Gaane Mishti', blending the two passion points of Bengalis Music and Mishti. Cadbury Mishti marked a significant evolution in Cadbury's engagement with Bengali culture, blending tradition with contemporary creativity. It not only celebrated the rich heritage of Bengal but also underscored the brands commitment to continually evolve and innovate in its cultural connections. With Cadbury Dairy Milk Mishti campaign, the brand initiated an innovative concept of reimagining ten Bengali songs across diverse genres, featuring artists and promoting them through digital platforms. The campaign extended to sweet shops, where signature sweets inspired by the theme of each song were created. Following an overwhelmingly positive response, the brand continued the campaign in 2021, solidifying the association between the jugalbandi (fusion) of iconic Bengali melodies with a modern twist, and the delightful fusion of Cadbury and Mishti. In 2022, seeking to broaden its impact beyond Kolkata, the brand embarked on an expansion strategy, incorporating regional songs and embracing West Bengal's rich folk culture. This approach involved segmenting the state based on its geographical diversity and intertwining it with traditional Mishti offerings, effectively reinforcing the campaign's core concept. Additionally, traditional Bengali sweets were reintroduced under the Cadbury Mishti banner, further enhancing the campaign's cultural resonance. Following the success of its preceding three seasons, Cadbury Dairy Milk unveiled its fourth edition of Gaane Mishti with an artistic tapestry weaving together the diverse flavors of Bengal's sweetness harmonized with the rhythm of its vibrant festivities, portrayed through music. Collaborating with over 140 sweet outlets scattered across Bengal, the brand embarked on a journey to reimagine age-old Mishti, blending it with the enduring sweetness of Cadbury Dairy Milk. Simultaneously, the campaign introduced a melodic ensemble of lesser-known folk songs deeply entrenched in Bengal's cultural fabric, now revitalized with a contemporary twist by skilled music composers. Thus, this latest season ingeniously intertwines tradition and modernity, crafting an unforgettable sensory experience. Summary As part of the fourth season of Cadbury Gaane Mishti campaign, the brand partnered with over 140 sweet outlets from different corners of Bengal to recreate the age-old mishtis and home-made desserts of varied festivals using Cadbury Dairy Milk as the key ingredient. Additionally, five folk songs from five vibrant festivals of Bengal that have been lost in the sands of time have been recreated with modern musical instrumentation - a fusion replete with distinct regional cultural flavours. Further, consumer engagement legs at the mishti outlets have been planned. For instance, tasting their favourite Cadbury mishtis from the different outlets, the mishti lovers can vote for mishtis of their favourite festival through a QR code based voting mechanism available at the participating mishti outlets across Bengal and win exciting gifts from Cadbury Dairy Milk. The 6-week long campaign will culminate with a two-day Mishti Mela (Carnival) around the third weekend of April where the artists associated with the campaign will perform live for the audiences on both days. Along with the performances, the consumers would also get a chance to indulge in savouring mishtis from the participating brands. Objective The objective of this campaign was to drive brand relevance by seamlessly infusing the sweetness of Cadbury Dairy Milk into West Bengals local sweet culture. Further, the campaign also aims to facilitate category development by building cultural and taste affinity in West Bengal and thereby bringing a new cohort of trialists by establishing the cultural association of Cadbury Dairy Milk with meetha. Brief The brief was to strengthen cultural and taste affinity in West Bengal by expanding partnerships with on-ground Mishti outlets beyond Kolkata from 120 outlets in 2023 across 12 cities to 140 outlets across 15 cities in 2024. Further, the objective was to scale the digital property Gaane Mishti. Challenges Navigating the successful execution of our initiatives presented multifaceted challenges. Expanding and onboarding the brands partnership with Mishti outlets beyond Kolkata necessitated meticulous planning. Equally crucial was the task of training the traditional 'Karigars' to seamlessly incorporate Cadbury Dairy Milk into their craft without compromising the authenticity and essence of the traditional mishti . Further, digitizing the Mishti shops on online platforms like Swiggy and Zomato and linking the Mishti creation on the websites to maintain a seamless offline-to-online customer experience was another task to be master Acing technological intricacies was another task due to the transition from traditional ballot-based voting to a WhatsApp Chatbot for finding and voting for favorite Mishti outlets Execution The brand took a multifaceted approach to drive the campaign leveraging social media as well as on-ground activations. The promotional video launched aimed to establish a harmonious connection between Mishti and music, employing a fusion of realism and animation. This approach added life, realism, and excitement but made the experience immersive and engaging in itself. Additionally, five music videos, each tied to one of the five new Mishti offerings, were released on social media as short, engaging clips spanning 10 to 30 seconds to enhance audience interaction. The campaign's reach was further extended through television promotion, leveraging a prominent show in West Bengal 'Dadagiri Unlimited'. Moreover, the brand established 'Gaane Mishti' as a dedicated platform across JioSaavn, Spotify, and Instagram Reels. Collaborations with quick commerce apps such as Swiggy and Big Basket facilitated wider accessibility. Employing data-driven marketing techniques, including a WhatsApp Chatbot feature, users could seamlessly locate and vote for their preferred Mishti outlets. As a grand finale to this celebration of music and sweets, a two-day Mishti Mela (Carnival) was organized, featuring live performances by artists associated with the campaign, delighting audiences across both days. Results The campaign yielded exceptional results across various metrics, marking a significant impact on household penetration, regional growth, and product distribution. Notably, it emerged as the highest penetrated market in the East, with strong year-over-year gains in household penetration attributed to the activation efforts. Retailers and customers provided positive testimonials regarding the qualitative impact of the campaign on consumer preferences and purchasing behavior. Some of the sweet shop owners emphasized the popularity of Cadbury Mishti variants, particularly among children, highlighting swift sales and active participation from customers in voting for their favorite Mishti options. Such testimonials underscore the campaign's success in resonating with consumers across demographics, driving both consumption and engagement within the market. Nitin Saini , VP - Marketing, Mondelez India, said, West Bengal boasts of a rich cultural tapestry of music and cuisine, with Mishti being emblematic of this. For the fourth year, we aim to ride on the overwhelming success of the past Cadbury Dairy Milk Gaane Mishti seasons and elevate this years celebration by capturing the hearts and taste buds across generations, blending traditional sweets with modern twists and lesser-known folk melodies with contemporary arrangements. In Season 4 of the Cadbury Dairy Milk Gaane Mishti campaign, we have partnered with over 140 sweet outlets from various corners of Bengal to reimagine age-old Mishti, by bringing it together with the unforgettable sweetness of Cadbury Dairy Milk. Simultaneously, the campaign introduces a repertoire of lesser-heard folk songs deeply rooted in Bengal's cultural heritage, now revitalised with contemporary flair by talented music composers. Thus, truly weaving together tradition and modernity to create an unforgettable sensory experience with season 4.

ByteDance leans toward shutting down TikTok in US rather than selling

Despite pressure from the Biden administration to sell the app within a year or face a ban, ByteDance is leaning towards shutting down TikTok rather than relinquishing control. The company views TikTok's algorithms as integral to its operations and is hesitant to sell without them. ByteDance is facing a dilemma over TikTok in the US. A report from Reuters suggests that ByteDance is prepared to exhaust all legal avenues to challenge the legislation, with CEO Shou Zi Chew expressing confidence in winning such a battle. Despite TikTok's relatively small contribution to ByteDance's overall revenues and user base, the company is reluctant to sell to a US-based firm due to concerns about losing control over its core algorithms. The recent bill passed by the US Senate, which threatens to ban TikTok unless sold to an American company, reflects ongoing concerns about data security and surveillance. TikTok's popularity in the US, with 170 million users, underscores the significance of this issue. President Biden has set a deadline for ByteDance to act but may extend it if deemed necessary. Detaching TikTok from its algorithms, considered a trade secret, would be highly complex and undesirable for ByteDance. The company's assets extend beyond just algorithms to include user data and operational aspects. Despite interest from investors, such as former Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, the absence of algorithms could deter potential buyers. ByteDance's valuation, backed by prominent investors, further emphasizes the company's reluctance to part with TikTok without safeguarding its core technology.

Rohit Bhasin of Kotak Mahindra Bank on bringing consumer-centricity from FMCG to BFSI

Picture this: You are a bank competing with some of the largest public-sector banks in the country. You witness a trend: Even though the market interest rates are at an all-time high, a massive one-third part of the total deposits in banks is in low-yielding savings accounts rather than high-yielding fixed deposits. You wonder why is that the case. The answer seems to be the attitude Indians have when it comes to saving money. India has always been a land of savers due to the uncertainty of emergencies. Now that you know the situation, what do you do about it? Your CMOwho has an experience working in FMCGalong with the marketing comes up with an idea for an account which could provide the liquidity of a savings account while also offering the interest of a fixed deposit. Such is the perspective one brings when coming from an industry that sells tangible household products into one that offers financial services. Understanding your consumers needs becomes indispensable when trying to tailor your products accordingly. Rohit Bhasin , President - Retail Liabilities & Chief Marketing Officer, Kotak Mahindra Bank joined the bank a year ago, switching from an illustrious career in the FMCG sector. Bhasins addition to the banks leadership team was driven by the intention of bringing consumer-centricity to the banking sector. Rohit Bhasin has had a diverse career journey, starting in sales and marketing at Unilever before moving to various roles across different regions and brands. His notable experiences include leading initiatives in sales and marketing, such as promoting handwashing with soap to reduce child mortality rates and rejuvenating the image of Ponds. His approach involves understanding consumer needs, creating tailored products, and utilising marketing strategies to meet those needs effectively. In this interview with Social Samosa, he discusses Kotak's marketing strategy, key campaigns, and adaptation to industry trends like digitalisation and premiumisation. Additionally, he highlights the role of AI in marketing and the essential skills for a CMO, emphasising a consumer-first approach and understanding digital channels. Edited excerpts: Can you walk us through your journey in the industry, from your beginnings to your current role as CMO at Kotak? I started my journey in the corporate world back in 1998 after graduating from B-school. I joined Unilever as a management leader and took on various roles across sales and marketing. One memorable experience was as a young sales manager in East Uttar Pradesh, where I led a team older than me. Building rapport and driving thought leadership among them was a significant leadership challenge, but it forged lasting friendships. Transitioning to marketing, I began in brand management, focusing on the laundry sector. I led the brand Rin during a pivotal period when Tide and Ariel entered the Indian market. Crafting a winning portfolio against this competition was a highlight. Later, I moved to the UK to establish a Global Innovation Center for one of our brands, emphasising a global-local approach to product development. Subsequently, I headed the skin business for Unilever in Africa. Recognising the unique needs of African consumers, we tailored products accordingly, leading to a successful venture. Returning to India in 2011, I worked with Lifebuoy on promoting handwashing with soap to reduce child mortality rates. This initiative was personally rewarding, knowing it could save lives. We did the campaign Gondappa, which was one of the first campaigns from India to win at Cannes. Afterwards, I led the Glow and Lovely brand, then known as Fair and Lovely, empowering women through education initiatives. Witnessing the impact of scholarships on rural girls was particularly gratifying. As the global head of Ponds, I faced the challenge of rejuvenating its image among younger consumers. By embracing digital strategies and creating relatable content, we successfully repositioned the brand, achieving strong growth. I had been doing that for 25 years and wanted to do something different. Incidentally, there was a calling from Kotak wherein they wanted someone from the FMCG background to bring consumer-centricity to the banking sector. Drawing from my FMCG background, I aim to shift the bank towards a more demand-driven approach, focusing on consumer needs and tailored products. What prompted your transition from the FMCG sector to BFSI, and how has your experience in FMCG influenced your approach to marketing in the banking sector? The opportunity was wonderful, it was the vision of Uday Kotak, KVS Manian, and Shanti Ekambaram. When we had this conversation a year and a half back about how to build consumer-centricity in the bank, we were moving from more of a supply-side thinking to a demand-side perspective. That was really the trigger for me. I've always been interested in the world of finance and have experience in consumer understanding and marketing. So, am I getting an opportunity to combine the two and apply what I've learned over the last 25 years on household brands to the banking industry? Can we build differentiation and create products and propositions that genuinely meet consumers' needs? That could be very relevant in the industry. The journey has been very interesting; challenging, yet very interesting. It's a cultural and mindset change; Rome was not built in a day. Therefore, we will take time to change culture and mindset. But we've already started on that journey. If you see the last few campaigns we've run since I started, we took a different approach. Instead of starting with our product's features, we began by understanding the consumer's needs. We realised that even though market interest rates were at an all-time high, a significant portion of deposits i.e. INR 65 lakh crores, around one-third of the total, were in low-yielding savings accounts rather than high-yielding fixed deposits. We wondered why people weren't moving their money. When we did more consumer research, we found that India has always been a land of savers due to the uncertainty of emergencies. People were hesitant to lock their money into fixed products. We asked ourselves, What if we could provide the liquidity of a savings account while also offering the interest of a fixed deposit? So, we created ActivMoney as a product that provides higher returns than a fixed deposit while maintaining the liquidity of a savings account. We built a campaign around that, and consumers responded positively by purchasing it in large quantities. We substantially increased our active money in one year, something we hadn't achieved in 20 years, by genuinely addressing consumer needs and raising awareness through the right messaging and channels. Another lesson I learned is that banking is very push-based. So, my current endeavour is to create products based on consumer needs rather than banking activities. If we can do that, consumers will want to buy those products, and they will be successful. The journey involves understanding consumer needs, creating differentiated products and propositions, testing them until they're truly unique, investing in marketing to raise awareness, and using distribution channels to fulfil the demand created by marketing. What does Kotak's overall marketing strategy look like? What is the larger objective behind each marketing activity? What is the tonality that the brand has taken in its communication and the reason behind it? As a financial conglomerate and a bank, we address five fundamental consumer needs. Firstly, we cater to savings requirements. Secondly, we provide solutions for obtaining loans. Thirdly, we facilitate various forms of payments including UPI, credit cards, and debit cards. Fourthly, we offer investment opportunities for those looking to grow their funds. Lastly, we provide insurance for protection against life's uncertainties such as accidents. Now, let's shift our perspective to that of the consumer. Consider this scenario: A young professional has just entered the workforce. Initially, they may not have a strong inclination towards saving, as they are focused on immediate spending. For instance, an early jobber might receive a monthly stipend during college, which they promptly share with family upon starting work. As their income grows, they face the dilemma of wanting to both spend and save. With a monthly salary of INR 50,000, but a desire to purchase a INR 70,000 iPhone, they seek ways to manage their finances responsibly. This might involve seeking discounts or cashback offers to bridge the gap between income and expenditure. To avoid falling into debt, that person may also require access to credit, such as through a credit card or payday loan, to smooth out fluctuations in their cash flow. Eventually, they would aspire to invest in stocks and mutual funds, aiming for long-term financial growth. However, they would need guidance and support to navigate this new territory, preferring an easy and accessible investment platform. Our task is to tailor our offerings to meet these evolving consumer needs. By bundling products and services such as investment options, payment solutions, credit facilities, and savings accounts, we can create a compelling proposition for individuals. Our marketing efforts will play a crucial role in communicating these tailored solutions and driving demand among our target audience. In essence, our strategy revolves around identifying key consumer segments and crafting bundled propositions that address their specific needs. Through targeted marketing campaigns, we aim to position ourselves as the go-to financial partner for individuals at every stage of their financial journey. Could you highlight some of Kotaks key campaigns that have resonated with consumers and contributed to the brand's success? There are a few that come to mind. Kotak is relatively young with a 20-year history as a brand. We began with an iconic campaign focused on investments, leveraging our background vis-a-vis Kotak Securities. Our initial campaign emphasised investment thinking, and as we transitioned into banking, we recognized the primary consumer need: depositing and withdrawing funds. Our next significant campaign addressed the deregulation of interest rates, where we distinguished ourselves by being the first bank to raise rates to 6%. This was accompanied by a series of communications emphasising the benefits of a 6% rate over 4%. We developed the character of Subbu, representing a streetsmart neighbour who is a knowledgeable advisor on financial matters, which became central to our branding for the next decade. Following a major merger, doubling our distribution network, we launched the 'Kona Kona Kotak' campaign to assert our expanded presence across the country. During the demonetisation period, we innovated by enabling customers to open accounts in just three minutes via online processes and video KYC, in alignment with government initiatives. Our 'India Invited' campaign reinforced our inclusive stance, emphasising that all Indians were welcome, regardless of background. Subsequently, we introduced the ActivMoney campaign as well as the senior citizens campaign. Currently, we're developing a new brand positioning campaign, slated for release in the coming months. Kotak 811 has been a game-changer in the digital banking space. How has the bank leveraged social media to drive awareness and adoption of this product? Kotak811 is a digital-only product. You can't open an 811 account by going to the bank. From building awareness at the top of the funnel about the line, as well as digital, we leverage our performance marketing and social marketing to offer an economic proposition. We provide consumers with a link to open the account digitally. We engage extensively in performance marketing; we open close to six lakh accounts a month. We understand the importance of performance marketing in driving the user journey to open the account. Additionally, we are active on social media and digital channels to raise awareness of our propositions, including account opening and other products like credit cards, to drive digital acquisition. When it comes to consumer segmentation, what factors does Kotak consider, and how do you decide on the most effective media channels to reach each segment? Imagine you're my target audience, and I need to map-out how you spend your day. Let's break it down. In the morning, perhaps you start by reading a physical newspaper. That's a challenge for me as more people are shifting to digital. Then you move on to social media, checking out Instagram, following influencers, scrolling through reels. Advertisements on social media become significant here. Later in the day, you might watch TV, say, streaming IPL on a connected device. Maybe on weekends, you go to the cinema. Once I know who my target audience is and their daily routine, I can choose the right channels to engage them. It's about crafting messages tailored to each channel. Remember, scaling from one consumer to millions isn't straightforward. It's a science. We need to carefully plan our approach, ensuring we reach the right people with the right frequency. Understanding media habits helps us drive message delivery and action. What are some recent trends you've observed in the BFSI sector, particularly in terms of consumer behaviour and preferences, and how is Kotak adapting to these changes? One trend that I have noticed is that consumers are moving a lot more towards digital. Its not just happening in BFSI, its a trend that is evident in all sectors be it FMCG, entertainment, shopping, food delivery, etc. In BFSI, consumers are gravitating towards digital. They dont want to visit the bank to take out a loan, get a credit card, etc. And we are tackling that by simplifying consumer journeys. The banking app has thus become our biggest branch. The other trend I am seeing is the disruption of banks by fintechs or other unique-product categories like the platforms Groww and Zerodha. Insurance has been disrupted by the emergence of the likes of ACKO and PhonePe. More lending is being done by fintechs than banks today. Essentially, were seeing people coming up with single-product use cases and building a simplified end-to-end acquisition-to-servicing digital experience on those. And that is where we have been left behind a bit and have some catching up to do so that we can provide all journeys end-to-end digitally to consumers. Banks have the advantage of having all the services in one place but they have not been able to leverage that because they havent been fast enough to move from the physical to digital space. There has been an ongoing trend of premiumisation in FMCG. Do you think that the BFSI industry can move into that direction? A lot of categories are getting premiumised, the same applies to BFSI. The idea of moving up the ladder on premium banking, usage of more premium cards, and upgrading from a zero-balance public-sector bank to a bank that asks you to keep a balance but provides services against that balance are trends we are witnessing. People are willing to pay more premium in order to get better services and experiences. There is a faster growth in wealth management premium banking than at the mass level. What can BFSI learn from FMCG in terms of marketing? One is moving from a supply-side thinking to a demand-side thinking. Dont start from creating a product and finding the right consumer for it but rather identify the needs that the consumer has and build your product accordingly. Second is always search for differentiation, dont build a me-too product. The next thing is to use marketing dollars to build awareness about that differentiated product. A key element is building trust as this category has a deficit of trust. How has AI impacted marketing? How is Kotak adopting it in its marketing strategies? The first best use case of AI is being able to provide better algorithms to build better credit rules and principles. AI can be used to build data algorithms to define the optimal level of credit that you can give to someone. If you can build that optimum level, you can maximise the amount of credit you can give without increasing the risk of delinquency. The other use of AI can be to analyse the past spending habits of a consumer and you could define the right propensity of the consumer for the future. Thus, you can provide the right product to that consumer rather than having a one-product-fits-all approach. Once you have that, one key use of AI could be to design the apt communication strategy for that consumer. Thus it can be used to better understand the psyche of the consumer and tailor customised messaging. How is the role of a CMO changing on an industry level? What do think you are the must-have skills for a CMO? What skills do you believe are timeless? I think the role of a CMO remains the same. It is essentially to use marketing to drive business growth. If you cannot build effective campaigns that do not translate into growth, it is not of any use. Any creativity that does not translate into growth becomes inessential. The CMO is the voice of the consumer in the organisation. Their job is to help the product team to build better products as per the consumer needs. And then build campaigns to drive awareness about those products in the language and personality of the brand. That role does not change. What is changing is the understating of the news channels. Digital is emerging as a new channel. A CMO who does not understand digital, is living in a lost era. It really boils down to how you use digital as a channel to drive awareness and to drive acquisition. Understanding the science of performance marketing is key as it proves to be a cost-effective way of converting people to buy your product. At the same time, it is important to to not lose sight of the top of the funnel awarenessif you do not do that, you will not have a big enough pool to convert from. As both the President of Retail Liabilities - Product and Chief Marketing Officer, what key skills do you believe are essential for success in your dual role? How do you balance the strategic aspects of product development with the creative demands of marketing? I am a marketer who thinks consumer-first. If you keep the consumer at the heart of it, you can do a marketing or a product role quite easily. Always start with the consumer, always be a consumer evangelist, make sure you understand the needs of the consumer and then work with the product team to build the most simplified and delightful product. How has the agency client relationship changed from the time you started? What is a good client brief according to you? A lot of times what happens is that agencies think their job is to do creativity but what they need to understand is that their job is to help me drive business growth. Every penny I spend on creating campaigns, I could have used it somewhere else. So, if Im spending that money on campaigns, it should translate into tangible growth. Successful agencies are those who keep business growth as the output of their creativity and unsuccessful ones those who focus solely on creativity without linking it to business growth. In essence, the agency-client relationship has not changed, it remains the same. Could you share Kotak's long-term and short-term goals in terms of marketing? How do you plan to achieve these goals amidst the evolving landscape of the banking industry? The long term goal is to be the most loved financial brand in the industry and well do that by understating the consumers needs and building relevant products and campaigns. Building optimal user experience across all touchpoints remains the key goal. We want to fulfil the aspirations of the consumers.

WPP's Q1 2024 revenue saw a 1.4% decline compared to Q1 2023, India notably achieved a 6.6% growth: report

WPP experienced a 1.4% decrease in Q1 revenue, while its like-for-like (LFL) revenue saw a 2.1% increase. The growth in India at 6.6% was particularly notable, driven by the strong new business momentum from the previous year (2023). However, the Q1 LFL revenue, excluding pass-through costs, declined by 1.6%, contrasting with the 2.9% increase seen in 2023. While the UK and Western Continental Europe regions saw increased sales, North America and Asia Pacific witnessed decreases. Notably, India performed well in the Asia Pacific region, although China did not. Despite these fluctuations, the company secured a net new business worth USD 0.8 billion, down from USD 1.5 billion in Q1 2023. Significant wins included contracts with AstraZeneca, Canon, Molson Coors, Daiichi Sankyo, Nestl, Perfetti, Perrigo, Rightmove, and Telefnica. Mark Read , CEO, WPP, commented, The first quarter of 2024 was very much in line with our expectations with performance reflecting the toughest comparator of the year. Strategically, we have progressed well on the priorities set out at our Capital Markets Day at the end of January. Our outlook for the full year is reiterated. We remain on track to return to growth in the balance of the year, supported by an encouraging new business pipeline and the strength of our business creatively and in media, both powered by new AI capabilities, while our simpler structure will drive organisational flexibility and stronger cash conversion, he added.

Googles Gemini AI could get upgrades such as floating window and live prompts

Google's Gemini AI assistant is set to receive a series of enhancements aimed at bringing it up to speed with its counterpart, Google Assistant. Initially introduced as a voice assistant for Android devices earlier this year, Gemini AI faced criticism for lacking certain on-device functionalities compared to Google Assistant, despite its inherent advantages. However, recent reports suggest Google is actively addressing these shortcomings by integrating new features into Gemini AI. One notable addition is the introduction of a floating window feature, as reported by PiunikaWeb via AssembleDebug. This feature aims to refine how the assistant presents information by displaying it in a floating window over the active app, rather than opening a separate screen. This streamlined approach is designed to minimize disruptions for users, particularly for queries that don't necessitate extensive text generation. Additionally, a feature dubbed Live Prompts is reportedly in development, as detailed by Android Authority via AssembleDebug. This functionality appears to offer prompt scheduling capabilities, enabling users to automate tasks and create routines similar to those supported by Google Assistant. For instance, users may be able to configure Gemini AI to deliver weather updates at specific times. Moreover, Gemini AI may soon support file uploads, including PDF documents, as noted in a report by Android Authority. While this feature is currently inactive, it is speculated that Gemini AI could analyze uploaded files to provide summaries and answer related questions. However, it remains unclear whether this capability will be accessible to all users or limited to Google One AI Premium subscribers. Lastly, Gemini AI is poised to gain real-time generation capabilities, according to PiunikaWeb. This feature would enable the assistant to generate text responses in real-time, line by line, reducing the waiting time for users. A button to activate this feature was reportedly discovered within the app by AssembleDebug. Overall, these planned enhancements signify Google's commitment to refining Gemini AI and expanding its functionality to better compete with established assistants like Google Assistant.

Joe Biden signs bill paving way for TikTok sale or ban in the US

President Joe Biden recently signed a bill that could have significant implications for the future of the social media app TikTok. The bill, which is part of a larger foreign aid package, stipulates that if TikTok's Chinese parent company, ByteDance, doesn't divest ownership of the app within a year, the app could face a ban in the United States. This move comes amidst growing concerns among policymakers about potential national security risks associated with TikTok's ownership by a Chinese company. Many fear that the Chinese government could exploit TikTok's vast user base for espionage or propaganda purposes. While the bill was initially met with resistance in the Senate, it gained momentum when it was packaged with foreign aid provisions for American allies. This strategic move forced the Senate to consider the bill alongside the aid package, ultimately leading to its passage and enactment into law. Under the new law, ByteDance has a nine-month window to divest ownership of TikTok, with the possibility of a three-month extension if there is progress towards finding a buyer. However, ByteDance has indicated that it plans to challenge the law in court, a move that could potentially delay the enforcement of the ban. The situation also raises questions about how China will respond to the pressure to divest TikTok. There are concerns that China may not allow ByteDance to sell TikTok, especially its proprietary algorithm, which is a key component of the app's success. In response to the bill's passage, TikTok's spokesperson Alex Haurek emphasized the company's commitment to providing a safe and enjoyable platform for users of all backgrounds. They also expressed confidence in their ability to navigate the legal challenges ahead and ensure TikTok remains accessible to its millions of American users. Meanwhile, TikTok's CEO Shou Chew condemned the ban, characterizing it as an infringement on the rights of TikTok users to freely express themselves on the platform. He stressed that TikTok is more than just a Chinese-owned app and plays an important role in connecting people and fostering creativity worldwide.

Anupama Ramaswamy, Ashish Chakravarty & Rajdeepak Das appointed as jury chairs for The Abby Awards 2024

Anupama Ramaswamy , Chief Creative Officer, Havas Worldwide India, Ashish Chakravarty , Executive Director, and India Head of Creative, for McCann Worldgroup and Rajdeepak Das , Chief Creative Officer, Publicis Groupe, South Asia and Chairman, Leo Burnett, South Asia, have joined as the Jury Chair's for Still Digital category, Audio category, and Film category respectively, at The Abby Awards 2024 powered by One Show. Anupama Ramaswamy, Chief Creative Officer, Havas Worldwide India has been appointed Jury Chair of Abby Awards 2024 powered by One Show in the Still Digital category. Anupama Ramaswamy is touted as one of the most celebrated creative minds in the country. She has made an indelible mark through her work, passion for art direction and pure play advertising. Throughout her career, she has worked with some of the agencies in India and several global brands across sectors including Maruti Suzuki, Reckitt, Ikea, Vivo, Paytm, Subway, Tata Tea Digital, Samsung Mobiles, Airtel, Dabur, Lacoste, and many more. Her recent campaigns, which include the Paytm Divide and Chotu, made her win the One Show, a couple of Spikes, and New York Festivals and she was also featured as one of the Impact Creative Stars '21. During her stint at JWT Delhi as senior creative director, Anupama led the Delhi office to its first Cannes Lions and Clio Gold. She has also been a recipient of awards including Cannes Lions, Clio, Adfest, New York Festivals, Abby, Effies, Spikes, Global Healthcare Awards, IAA Awards and The One Show and her work for Fuji Film has been featured in the prestigious Gunn Report as one of the top 20 most awarded print campaigns in the world. Anupama Ramaswamy has been on the jury of several awards like The One Show and Spikes Asia and the grand jury at AME awards, and New York Festivals. Additionally, Ashish Chakravarty, Executive Director, and India Head of Creative, for McCann Worldgroup, has been appointed Jury Chair of Abby Awards 2024 powered by One Show in the Audio category. Ashish has worked in most of the major agency networks and on some of the biggest global, and Indian brands. He is the recipient of more than 400 national and international awards on advertising shows like One Show, Cannes, D&AD, Clio, Ad-fest, Spikes, Kyoorius, and Goafest, among others. Ashish Chakravarty has served as jury or jury chair, at many international advertising awards, as well as all the top Indian award shows. He has been recognized as one of the top 10 Creative Directors in India by the Economic Times and was also ranked among the top ECDs in the world in industry rankings. Similarly, Rajdeepak Das, Chief Creative Officer Publicis Groupe, South Asia and Chairman, Leo Burnett, South Asia has been appointed Jury Chair of Abby Awards 2024 powered by the One Show in Film (below 1 minute)category. Rajdeepak Das firmly believes that the true potential of creativity and technology is finding human-centric solutions for the biggest brands because whats good for people is good for brands. And his body of work reflects his vision for creativity. He was the force behind the iconic work for P&G Whisper Touch the Pickle - one of the first social movements to break the taboo around periods in the Indian sub-continent. His recent work for Whisper the Missing Chapter which won him a Grand Prix in Sustainable Development Goals at Cannes Lions 2022 an award which is very close to his heart as it made a real difference in the lives of young girls by breaking period taboos and getting the chapter on periods added in school books, helping 23 million girls stay in school. He and his team gave every Indian a piece of national treasure, by building Bajaj motorbikes out of the legendary warship INS Vikrant. In collaboration with Indias biggest petroleum brand and the government of India, they innovated the worlds first anti-collision road management system to reduce road accidents on Himalayan Roads. For one of Indias biggest financial brands, he created Indias 1st social media-based microfinancing system. Raj was featured in the Netflix Docuseries Creative Indians Season 4 a series which showcased the most talented Indians from Oscar winners to Bollywood Stars and artists to Grammy Awards-winning musicians. He has led and been a part of several jury cohorts at some of the biggest platforms including Cannes Lions, Spikes Asia, Dubai Lynx, and One Show to name a few. His approach to creativity led Leo Burnett India to win multiple Grand Prix and metals at prestigious platforms like Cannes Lions, One Show, D&AD and Spikes Asia. But he believes his biggest creation to date is Apollo 11 a specialised division of Leo Burnett India, consisting of what he calls the mutant creatives. Team of young people in their 20s with backgrounds in aerospace engineering, product design, data analysis and environment scientists solving human and brand problems with him. I have always believed that an award is as good as its jury. This year too, the Abby Awards powered by One Show have a stellar lineup of both domestic and international luminaries as Jury Chairs, across 23 categories. Over the last 2 years the number of women jurors has been significant, and this year, with over one-third being women masters of their craft. To win recognition from such respected Jury Chairs is a matter of immense pride for the AdClub, the participating agencies and brands. said Ajay Kakar , Chairperson, Awards Governing Council, Abby Awards 2024 powered by One Show and Managing Committee Member, The Advertising Club.

Agencies weigh in on ownership of rejected ideas

In the cut-throat world of advertising, where creativity is currency, the question of ownership looms large. Recent events, such as the clash between Bang In The Middle and Medanta, highlight the ongoing debate in the industry over who rightfully owns the rejected campaign idea. In a recent LinkedIn post , Bang In The Middle shared their experience with Medanta, shedding light on the challenges that agencies endure when their ideas are used without permission. According to the agency, they proposed several campaigns to Medanta, only to see them rejected and then implemented without credit. This story, however, is not unique; similar incidents have plagued the industry for years. It brings us back to the murky waters of ownership. But this time, the question is: does the client have a right over the ideas they rejected and the agency they didnt onboard? The lack of clear guidelines in contractual agreements makes it even harder to figure out. Defining ownership of an idea Naresh Gupta , co-founder of Bang In The Middle, emphasises the importance of contractual agreements in defining ownership. He said, The contracts define who owns the creative work. All the contracts that are signed today have a specific scope of work, and the agencies are paid for the delivery they make. He shared that every rejected idea means that the brief is not fulfilled and the task is incomplete. Therefore, once the client approves the work, then and only then can the client claim ownership. This is often clearly stated in the contracts that are drawn up and signed, Gupta added. Nisha Singhania , co-founder of Infectious Advertising, shares a similar opinion, emphasising the necessity of upfront agreements to avoid disputes. She said, There is always a contractual agreement between the client and agency. This point is often included and should be clarified in the beginning itself. However, in case it is not specified, then the agency should have rights to the rejected ideas. Jay Morzaria , Former Creative Head, Rephrase.ai compares the ownership of creative ideas to a transactional process. Morzaria said, The ownership of the creative ideas remains with the agency until the client purchases that particular idea. Drawing parallels to everyday transactions, Morzaria simplified the concept further. He said, If you go to a shopkeeper to purchase a toy, the ownership of the toy belongs to the shopkeeper till you explicitly pay money to purchase it. Only then the ownership is transferred to you. Morzaria's analogy extends to subscription models. He explains that if the client has taken a retainer and the agency presents an idea, it's similar to a Netflix subscription. He said, Just like if you wanted to watch a movie on Netflix and the subscription ended, you can't watch the movie unless you renew the subscription. Similarly, if the subscription period has ended, you cannot use that idea. Compensation on reusing the rejected idea As concepts are pitched, declined, and potentially revisited, questions of ownership, credit, and fair compensation arise. Chaaya Baradhwaaj , Founder of BC Web Wise said that the clients cannot use rejected ideas without the agency's consent. She emphasised the role of copyright law in protecting the agency's intellectual property rights. Baradhwaaj said, Copyright protects the expression of the idea, not just the idea itself. If the client wants to use a rejected idea, they should negotiate with the agency for a licensing fee. This licensing fee acts as compensation for the rejected idea. Similarly, Shantesh Row , Chief Creative Officer, Slant Advertising also believes in the agency getting compensated. He said, It's best to keep an open channel of communication to sort issues. But in no way should an agency not be compensated by a client in case the latter uses a rejected idea after severing a relationship with an agency. While compensation could mend relationships and help both parties find a middle ground later, Gupta, on the other hand, is strongly against clients using rejected ideas. The client has zero rights on work it did not buy. To reuse, modify, redo, the client first needs to own the work. What is not owned, how can that be reused? - Naresh Gupta Better communication Singhania believes that the client should not be able to use the rejected idea at their discretion and if the client wants to use the rejected idea it can be done keeping the agency in the loop. Similarly, Prashant Gopalakrishnan , Founding Partner of Talented, advocates for collaborative decision-making. He said, The client retains authority to reintroduce a rejected idea for consideration, but this process should ideally be done collaboratively with the agency. Gopalakrishnan suggested a few measures to secure the intellectual property (IP) of an agency. He suggests integrating a clause for reintroducing rejected ideas into the contract and consistent inclusion of disclaimers regarding agency IP reinforced across idea presentations. He believes in initiating open discussions about IP during negotiation phases. He also suggested getting closure for each rejected idea to enable its potential utilisation elsewhere, thereby safeguarding the agency's creative assets. Taking a legal recourse In the past, when campaign ideas were used without authorization, agencies have resorted to legal recourse to protect their intellectual property rights. In 2019, Ogilvy India took smartphone maker Vivo and creative agency Dentsu Impact to court over allegations of plagiarism . Ogilvy claimed that Vivo had used their creative ideas without consent, leading to a long legal fight that ended with an out-of-court settlement. Row highlighted that most agencies tend to voice their frustrations when such things happen in the open or on social media. If there is a signed contract, then a legal recourse is a viable option, said Shantesh Row. Agencies can take action, have taken action and will take action. The clients feel that they are the clients and they can get away with it, they can't. -Naresh Gupta Gupta pointed out that the reputational damage and negative publicity resulting from such actions can significantly harm a business. He added, Forget penal action, just the loss of reputation and bad news is bad for business. The loss of personal reputation for the client team too is bad for themselves personally. The battle over ownership of rejected ideas highlights the complex dynamics within client-agency relationships. By establishing clear contractual agreements, fostering open communication, and advocating for industry-wide standards, agencies can strive towards fair treatment and protection of intellectual property rights. Although Social Samosa attempted to contact clients to get their opinions on this debate, they chose not to participate. We encourage clients to contribute their insights to the longstanding idea debate and propose a path forward. Please feel free to reach out to us at content@socialsamosa.com.

Taboola unveils a new offering for advertisers to drive performance campaigns

Taboola, a brand powering recommendations for the open web, has announced Taboola Select, a new offering created for large advertisers that provides access to a curated selection of Taboola's premium editorial partnerships. For the first time, Taboola is offering advertisers a way to leverage a highly curated subset of just 15 percent of Taboolas most premium publishers in the U.S., to drive performance campaigns. It offers advertisers a way to connect with millions of daily active users on premium destinations including Yahoo, Business Insider, and The Associated Press in inventory that is highly visible, brand-safe and surrounded solely by trusted editorial content. Taboola Select allows advertisers to tap into standalone placements on nearly every part of esteemed publisher sites, including homepages, mid-article sections and in a new position called Featured Placements. Brands that choose it can harness the power of CPC buying and leverage Taboola's advanced AI, including the highly effective Maximize Conversions bidding technology, which consistently reduces CPAs by 15% on average. Taboola is giving advertisers the inventory they need, on the most trusted publishers in the world, to reach consumers, said Adam Singolda , CEO at Taboola. Reliable and effective performance advertising has always been crucial, as these types of campaigns continue to help brands stay resilient and drive results regardless of industry headwinds. Taboola Select is one of the industrys most unique packages for large advertisers to tap into, to run performance campaigns to reach consumers at scale. Were combining brand-safe environments via our direct relationships with the worlds most premium publishers, with prominent ad placements that brands simply cant get anywhere else.

JioCinema launches new ad-free premium plan

Solving for key consumer interruptions such as device restrictions, low-quality video and high-cost subscription plans, JioCinema announced its new subscription offering, JioCinema Premium. The new plans starting at Rs.29/month will offer an Ad Free experience. Members can access Exclusive Series, Movies, Hollywood, Kids & TV entertainment, on any device, including Connected TVs. With a focus on multi-segment consumption across Indian households, a Family plan was also announced at Rs.89/month which offers the additional benefit of four simultaneous screen access. Existing JioCinema Premium members will now enjoy all the additional benefits of the Family plan at no extra cost. While Sports content including the ongoing Indian Premier League and thousands of hours of entertainment content will continue to be available for Free as part of its Ad-Supported offering, heres what JioCinema Premium Members will get exclusive access to: International content in local languages: The global series and movie premieres from Hollywood, through partnerships with studios like Peacock, HBO, Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery. Titles such as Game Of Thrones, House Of The Dragon, Oppenheimer, Barbie and several more will also be available in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Bengali and Marathi. Kids and family entertainment: Home to one of the widest selections of Indian and International toons, with titles ranging from Motu Patlu, Shiva and Rudra to Pokmon, Peppa Pig and Paw Patrol, the Kids & Family hub houses thousands of hours of movies and series. JioCinemas Parental Control features also provide a safe space for content consumption. Originals and blockbuster movies: With upcoming original series including Ranneeti: Balakot & Beyond (Jimmy Shergill, Lara Dutta, Ashish Vidyarthi), Murder In Mahim (Vijay Raaz, Ashutosh Rana), PILL (Riteish Deshmukh) and several more to be unveiled, JioCinema Premium members will get access to series premieres every month, in addition to some of the Originals such as Asur, Taali & Kaalkoot. The platform also promises Bollywood Premieres every month with Zara Hatke Zara Bachke headlining the month of May. Before TV Premieres and Live Channels: Members will get early access to their favourite content fromColors, Nickelodeon and the entire Colors suite of local language channels, with serials now being made available for members even before their television airing. In addition, 20+ TV channels from the Viacom18 Network will be available to stream. Speaking on the launch of JioCinema Premium, Kiran Mani , CEO, of Viacom18 Digital said, Creating and building an entertainment ecosystem with a product that is made for every Indian household, is not just a business strategy, but a vision to empower our country and users with an unmatched entertainment experience. JioCinema Premium aims to redefine the narrative of premium entertainment for every Indian while building a daily viewing habit. He further added,The introduction of JioCinema Premium breaks the numerous cost and quality barriers that exist in accessing premium entertainment. With 4K streaming, best-in-class audio, offline viewing and no device restriction all at a customer-centric pricing is sure to democratise access to quality entertainment for all of India.

A marketing battle between time and targeting: IPL vs Elections

In a country where politics and Cricket reign supreme, the clash between the IPL and The General Elections is not just a scheduling conflict; it is a battle for the hearts and the minds of millions. Multiple reports from various agencies predict that the Indian advertising sector is poised for unprecedented growth in 2024. The combined influence of IPL and General Elections significantly boosts ad spending and earnings in this ever-growing industry. Marketers now face a dilemma: Should they focus on the sixes being hit by cricketing greats or take into account the powerful speeches of the politicians? Marketers need to manage the task of artfully juggling their marketing budgets. Before jumping onto either bandwagon, brands need to carefully consider these mega-opportunities and then allocate their funds to reach the right target audience. The IPL is a much-awaited yearly festival of cricketing brilliance. It is a 2-month-long carnival of pure sporting entertainment. The appeal of IPL is in the glitz, glamour and heart-pounding matches. In 2023, it shattered records with a staggering 51 crore viewers on Disney Star TV, highlighting its unmatched appeal and widespread popularity. IPL (Indian Premier League) is a powerhouse when it comes to offering opportunities for brands and marketers to enhance their visibility and engagement with audiences. It runs for over two months with daily matches, providing a sustained platform for brands to showcase their products or services. IPL matches attract intense engagement from viewers, creating numerous opportunities for brands to connect with their target audience during every moment of the game. With matches being broadcast on TV, OTT platforms, news channels, and live-streaming websites, IPL offers brands a wide range of touchpoints to reach diverse audience segments. IPL allows brands to be more creative with their campaigns and experiment with their strategy. It empowers a brand to create its distinct image and shape consumer opinions. The audience is more receptive to fun, interactive experiences during IPL. Brands can directly invest in IPL advertising through various channels such as ads, banners, and digital presence, ensuring their message reaches a large and engaged audience. Apart from direct advertising, brands can also leverage indirect IPL buys like sponsorships, player affiliations, and team affiliations, which not only enhance visibility but also associate the brand with the excitement and energy of the tournament. For IPL 2024, Jio Cinema has roped in 18 sponsors and 250 advertisers. Further, IPL allows the sponsoring teams to use the players for marketing purposes. It also helps the brands create more content. Elections, on the other hand, come every 5 years. Further, they cater to a certain niche as opposed to the IPL, which has a wider interest group. Having said that, there definitely can be an overlap in the audience. Elections present a stark contrast to the prolonged visibility of IPL. Elections are bursts of news offering very sporadic opportunities for marketing. News channels become hubs of activity when it comes to elections. Election coverage is mainly available across all news channels 24*7 with prime time at its peak. The viewers interest spikes further on key days like campaign rallies, voting days or during vote counting. Brands need to be smart and quick to capitalise on these pivotal moments and capture the ever-fleeting attention of the audience. IPL matches, despite having a run time of only three hours, have several moments that a brand can capitalise on. Brands have a unique opportunity to make a strong impact by strategically making the most of both the IPL and Elections. But if the brands were to choose between the two, IPL surely boasts of captivating a wider demographic and a dedicated fanbase. Brands should identify the immense potential within the sporting extravaganza of IPL and align their marketing strategies with the enthusiasm surrounding this event. By engaging with the IPL audience, brands can elevate their visibility and mark their presence. Ultimately, in the contest between the IPL and the elections, IPL emerges as a more vibrant platform, providing marketers with better and more opportunities to score big. This article is penned by Swati Nathani , Co-Founder and CBO, Team Pumpkin. Disclaimer: The article features the opinion of the author and does not necessarily reflect the stance of the publication.

Many marketing organisations lack strong first-party data to power their own AI engines: Kantars Puneet Avasthi

Despite Gen AIs commercial promise, most organisations arent using it yet. 90% of marketing and sales leaders think their organisations should be using AI often, while 60% said their organisations rarely or never do, as revealed by the recent Kantar AI research findings . Puneet Avasthi , Senior Executive Director, South Asia, Insights Division, Kantar, in interaction with Social Samosa, highlights two factors that contribute to organisations lagging in AI adoption. Many marketing organizations do not have strong first-party databases to power their own AI engines for understanding consumer behaviour. The second aspect is having the requisite understanding of how this ecosystem is evolving and the tools and techniques that need to be leveraged to maximize the advantage available to AI in this new age. While organisations are yet to catch up to AI technology, Avasthi notes that there are several initiatives in manufacturing when it comes to the usage of AI. It's an area focused on achieving zero-defect manufacturing and faster turnarounds. This domain benefits from ample data availability, allowing for modelling and machine learning training to create more effective routes. In marketing, the revolution is just beginning. Over the next couple of years, consumers are going to experience brands in unique ways, helping brands significantly in serving their brand objectives, Avasthi remarked, emphasising the potential of AI in marketing strategies. The study cites an ICUBE data showing that AI is already touching the lives of nine in 10 internet users in India, powered by the computing capabilities on their phones, connectivity, and cloud infrastructure. Among them, it is expectedly higher among the youth, primarily 1924-year-olds at 92%, and at a high 81% for the older age bracket, 45+-year-olds. Adoption in social media Kantar also found that fitness and social media apps are driving AI adoption with an average of 2.3 AI-led features embedded in these applications. Sharing how this is changing the social media landscape, Avasthi says that the need to communicate and share experiences is what AI is doing as it is creating more digital experiences, which in itself become memories. He cites the example of social media apps like Snapchat utilising augmented reality into their experiences. Instead of sharing real-life experiences, I can mix my real-life experience with augmented reality. These are the kinds of technologies that are going to be used because it creates great memories. It's not just one way, I'm not just creating a memory outside in the real world and transporting it into cyberspace. While social media apps are leading AI adoption with increasing features, interestingly, adoption appears to be slower in the short video apps segments, at an average of 1.2 features. Credits: Kantar Data by Statista reveals that the short-form video segment saw an increase in active users between 2019 and 2021, with the user base amounting to 290 million during the latter. The figure is further expected to grow to 600 million users by 2025. While India has been sharing content through Instagram reels, there are many more domestic video platforms, such as ShareChat, Roposo and Josh. Avasthi mentions that the space of short video is not quite as advanced as social media in India and believes that they should be looking at this very closely because the market is moving in that direction. He goes on to describe how marketers can effectively use short video apps, mainly through recommendations and image and video creation. From a global context, Instagram feeds or YouTube charts are using recommendation engines that power what needs to be served to the consumer. That recommendation engine is powered by AI, and it's predicting in real time what the consumer is seeking at that particular point in time and sharing more content. Avasthis second recommendation is for content creators, specifically in relation to creating images or videos that are unique and spectacular. He believes that the influencer economy, AI-led features that allow for better editing and creation of content for content creators on short video format apps or social media apps is crucial for marketers. Enhancing experience through virtual assistants Avasthi notes that AI is not just for one set of people, it is for everybody. It acts as an enabler that various people are using for their respective purposes. He, however, notes that there is an emergence of virtual assistants and smart home devices. 15% of users in 2023 enhanced their experiences through virtual assistants and the study suggests that it is growing at about 27% year-on-year. Credits: Kantar When looking at smart homes, tech-savvy South Indian cities and big cities are way ahead. They are clearly leveraging smartphone devices and integrating them with Alexa or various other virtual assistants, which is a lot more prevalent. That's something that marketers, both durable marketers and others, need to consider as they continue to develop their brand plans. The last year also saw chatbots being used by brands for communication with consumers. It's important for chatbots to be humanised, to answer the consumers in a language that they are comfortable with and to build rapport. Generative AI features will enable this, and brands that are looking to communicate with consumers will be leveraging generative AI as the underlying technology to power their chatbots and virtual assistants on their websites. Trends to note Puneet Avasthi points out a few trends where marketers will be utilising AI. Marketers will leverage first-party data sets and integrate them with market research data. The focus will be on building sharper consumer insights through predictive intelligence, leveraging small data from market research and big data sources. Assessing the quality of creatives and understanding ROI across different media channels is essential. Marketers will work to break down silos in data management and analysis for a more holistic approach. As AI continues to shape various sectors, its adoption in marketing is only beginning. While organizations are yet to fully embrace AI's potential, Kantars probe into the burgeoning AI market provides actionable insights for marketers. By embracing AI-driven technologies, marketers can navigate the evolving landscape and enhance consumer engagement.

WhatsApp to introduce offline file sharing feature

According to WABetaInfo, WhatsApp is reportedly developing a new update that could streamline file sharing for users, even without an internet connection. The messaging platform is working on a feature allowing users to exchange files like photos and documents using Bluetooth. To use this feature, users would simply need to keep their Bluetooth on, a familiar process for many Android users. However, it's important to note that certain permissions would be required, including access to storage and location, as well as the ability to connect with nearby devices. Privacy is a key focus, with shared files being encrypted to ensure security. While WhatsApp hasn't officially announced this feature yet, its current beta testing phase suggests it could be available to users soon, promising a convenient way to share files offline.

LS Digital appoints Vishal Sharma as DVP, Media Buying & Trading

LS Digital, a leading independent digital marketing transformation (DMT) company, has made a strategic move by appointing Mr. Vishal Sharma as their new Deputy Vice President (DVP) of Media Buying and Trading. With an impressive experience of over 18 years across various industries, Vishal brings a wealth of expertise in buying and trading as well as vendor management, digital marketing, strategy building for performance marketing, and branding planning. His expertise will be instrumental in enhancing the Media Buying division at LS Digital. Before LS Digital, Sharma was part of GroupM India Private Limited for eight years, playing multiple roles in the media partnerships unit; from being Director of Performance to Director of Buying and Trading to Senior Investment Director. Before GroupM, Vishal was at Netcore Solutions Pvt Ltd, where he introduced a new business division called Affiliate Program, which was a performance-driven buying model between clients and service aggregators. In these 18 years, he has managed and provided services to Aditya Birla Group, ICICI Lombard, Bajaj Finser, Booking.com, Hotstar, Gpay, P&G, Mercedes Benz, UTI MF, Tata Motors, Dell, and among many others in multiple genres. Commenting on Vishal Sharmas appointment, Maanesh Vasudeo , Leadership Team at LS Digital, At LS Digital, we recognize the ever-evolving landscape of media buying and the transformative impact it can have on businesses across industries. As we propel towards a landscape of digital marketing transformation (DMT), omnichannel presence and consistency, it is essential for us to continually integrate media and marketing practices to offer tailored solutions to our partners. This being Vishals second stint at LS Digital, Maanesh further added, Vishal in his earlier role at LS Digital was responsible for pre-sales, media planning and execution. In these years, I have seen Vishal grow as a professional and his strength in media buying will further help LS Digitals ambitious global growth plans. Expressing his thoughts on his appointment, Vishal shared, I am thrilled to be back at LS Digital, known for pioneering strategies that encompass the entire consumer journey through the DMT framework. In today's dynamic media and branding landscape, it is crucial to meet the evolving expectations of the new-digital-native audience. Commenting on specific requirements of the brands today, Vishal further said, Understanding the clients requirement which is not always about the best price but about the best buying metrics and right channel mix to drive best outcomes. I look forward to contributing to LS Digital's tradition of delivering impactful solutions tailored to modern brands and audiences. Vishal Sharma will be responsible for the growth of non-biddable media; branding and performance partnership solutions, building trading strength and brand planning for brands subscribing to media services and helping build trust in the minds of the clients.

Nishant Kedia of Rebel Foods on crafting customer experiences in the digital age

Restaurant major Rebel Foods houses a diverse portfolio of brands including Wendy's, Faasos, The Oven Story, Behrouz Biryani, and Mad Over Donuts, among several others. While each of these brands have found their niche and are quite different from each other, they have one thing in common consumer experience. The company has curated its communication strategies aimed at enhancing consumer experience. The Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) Market in India is expected to reach USD 25.46 billion in 2024 and grow at a CAGR of 8.74% to reach USD 38.71 billion by 2029. Operating in this robust industry, Rebel Foods has also grown speedily; its geographical and brand presence spans 70+ cities with 450+ kitchens, 45+ brands (own and partnered), and 3500+ internet restaurants. As the industry continues to evolve and finds a strong footing, understanding and prioritising the needs and preferences of consumers should be at the core of every marketing strategy, as per Nishant Kedia , Chief Marketing Officer at Rebel Foods. With consumers increasingly valuing convenience and personalised experiences, companies like Rebel Foods are leveraging digital-first strategies to reach and engage with their target audience. From leveraging AI-powered tools for content creation to personalising marketing strategies across consumer segments, Nishant Kedia walks us through the company's marketing strategy, as he shares how the company is navigating the ever-changing marketing landscape to enhance customer experience and drive business growth. Edited Excerpts: Nishant, you joined Rebel Foods in 2019 and have now completed close to 5 years there. In this period, you've held various roles at the company ranging from VP of Product & moving to category head role, then recently elevated position as CMO. What would you identify as the key learnings from these roles, and how have they influenced your strategic thinking in the current landscape of the advertising and marketing industry? Firstly, it has been a great journey - a lot of learning, and ups and downs. As you rightly said, Ive had the privilege of leading various roles - from VP of Product to Category Head, to my current position as Chief Marketing Officer. Throughout this journey, one key lesson stands out: the importance of placing the customer at the heart of every decision. Amidst priorities such as margins and organisational constraints, prioritising the customer's needs has been paramount, and something that is ingrained in every team member at Rebel Foods. My experiences have reinforced the value of innovation and agility in execution. Embracing experimentation, rapid iteration, and continuous learning has propelled our progress forward. Moreover, managing diverse brands across different consumer segments has deepened my understanding of consumer behaviour and effective communication strategies across various media channels. These insights have been instrumental in shaping my strategic approach to advertising and marketing, enabling me to drive meaningful impact in our dynamic industry. In taking on the role of CMO, how do you envision contributing to Rebel Foods' marketing? As Rebel Foods continues to expand its presence across 70+ cities with 450+ kitchens and 45+ brands, how do you plan to leverage this extensive network in your marketing strategies for 2024? There's a profound opportunity to connect with our customers in meaningful ways. Our focus remains steadfast on delivering exceptional customer experiences. We understand that it's not just about expanding our reach but about ensuring that every interaction with each of our brands leaves a positive and lasting impression. As we venture into newer territories, we approach each launch with humility, recognizing that building brand awareness takes time and effort. We value the importance of introducing our brands thoughtfully, leveraging the expertise of social media platforms and targeted offline advertising to generate excitement within local communities. Moreover, our digital marketing efforts help make an impact by reaching audiences in areas where our presence is growing. Through carefully crafted, geo-targeted ads and strategic use of platforms such as YouTube, we are confident of amplifying our message while remaining respectful of our customers' preferences and privacy. Considering India is a diverse country with diverse needs, how do you personalise marketing strategies for each of Rebel Foods' brands? Creating personalised marketing strategies for Rebel Foods' diverse range of brands involves deep research and keen insights into consumer behaviours. We start by delving into qualitative and quantitative research, often recalling an instance where our team conducted focus group discussions to understand regional flavour preferences for a new biryani category launch. These insights guide us in tailoring the right messaging and promotions to resonate with specific audience segments, ensuring that each brand maintains its unique identity while effectively engaging its target market. Direct customer feedback is another invaluable resource that we focus on. We recall a memorable instance where a customer's heartfelt email praised the authenticity of our regional cuisine, inspiring us to amplify similar narratives in our marketing campaigns. By actively listening to our customers through surveys, feedback forms, and one-on-one interactions, we take valuable insights into their preferences and pain points, enabling us to refine our marketing strategies accordingly. Moreover, leveraging third-party data analytics allows us to uncover hidden trends and patterns in consumer behaviour. For instance, analyzing customer reviews and order histories revealed a growing demand for healthy meal options among fitness-conscious consumers. Armed with this knowledge, we developed targeted campaigns promoting our healthier menu offerings, resulting in increased engagement and customer satisfaction. In light of Rebel Foods' recent partnership with Wendy's to expand its global QSR presence, how will you integrate this collaboration into your marketing campaigns to maximize brand visibility and consumer engagement? Integrating the recent partnership with Wendy's into our marketing campaigns presents an exciting opportunity to enhance brand visibility and engage consumers on a global scale. Collaborating closely with the global team, we ensure alignment with Wendy's brand ethos while also customizing our approach to resonate with the Indian market. By leveraging insights from previous successes in other countries, we can identify strategies that can be adapted to the unique preferences and behaviours of Indian consumers. This collaborative process enables us to launch impactful campaigns that combine global best practices with localized execution, ultimately maximizing brand visibility and consumer engagement. Could you share some trends in the QSR industry that have influenced Rebel Foods' marketing? With the emergence of new digital channels, there is a need for diversification of marketing tactics. One prominent trend that has shaped our approach is the shift from traditional TV advertising to digital mediums. Over the past few years, there has been a noticeable movement towards mobile and online platforms, with consumers increasingly consuming content on their smartphones and other devices. This transition has led us to prioritize digital marketing channels, such as social media and mobile advertising, to reach and engage with our target audience effectively. While platforms such as YouTube have long been popular, we've observed a rising trend in the usage of platforms such as Instagram. This evolution underscores the importance of staying agile and adaptable in our marketing efforts, as consumer preferences and behavior continue to evolve. As attention spans shorten and digital clutter increases, capturing the audience's interest within the first few seconds has become imperative. This necessitates the development of sharp and creative assets that not only convey brand messaging but also provide value and entertainment to consumers. It's essential to recognize that the QSR industry is multifaceted, with trends extending beyond marketing into areas such as product innovation and consumer preferences. Therefore, we continuously monitor industry trends and consumer insights to refine our approach and ensure that we remain at the forefront of industry developments. With consumers, especially youngsters, increasingly valuing convenience and seamless digital experiences, how is Rebel Foods incorporating digital-first strategies into its marketing approach to meet evolving consumer expectations? As we observe the increasing preference for convenience and seamless digital experiences among consumers, especially the younger demographic, Rebel Foods is strategically incorporating digital-first strategies into its marketing approach to meet evolving expectations. Our brands, like Faasos, are actively engaging with younger cohorts on social media platforms where they spend a significant amount of their time. We recognize the importance of meeting consumers where they are, and digital channels provide an effective avenue to connect with our target audience. A significant portion of our marketing efforts is directed towards digital platforms, leveraging delivery apps, social media channels, and emerging digital mediums to communicate our product offerings and promotions. Our presence spans various digital touchpoints, including our own apps, as well as third-party platforms such as Swiggy and Zomato. Moreover, our approach emphasizes tailoring communication to suit the preferences and behaviours of different consumer cohorts for each brand. This personalized approach ensures that our messaging resonates with our audience, driving engagement and loyalty. How does Rebel Foods ensure that its new flavour offerings are culturally relevant while maintaining its core brand identity and values, particularly during diverse cultural festivities? It's important to understand our customers' sentiments and preferences during various cultural celebrations. While our primary offerings may be Western-oriented, we recognize the importance of catering to Indian consumers' tastes. For instance, during Diwali, we might introduce flavours like Gulab Jamun Cheesecake to align with the festive spirit. Similarly, during Christmas, we could launch Plum Cakes and Brownies. Our approach is to launch offerings that resonate with local preferences while maintaining the essence of our brand. From a marketing perspective, our communication emphasizes these new offerings tailored to each festival, ensuring they are well-received by our audience. Could you share some of the innovative approaches or technologies Rebel Foods is exploring to enhance its media outreach and engagement? In regards to media outreach and engagement, we are constantly striving to be innovative in our approach. This involves focusing on both content creation and distribution strategies. Our goal is to create content that resonates with our audience, is highly shareable, and sparks engagement. We aim to stay true to each brand's core identity while exploring ideas that have the potential to go viral or generate widespread interest. One example of this approach could be organizing contests on social media platforms that encourage participation and spark meaningful discussions. Ultimately, our emphasis is on being creative and innovative in our content creation endeavours to enhance our media outreach and engagement efforts. Could you share how AI is changing your operations? For us, innovation is at the forefront of our strategies. We continuously try to create content that not only aligns with each brand's core identity but also has the potential to go viral and be shared across various platforms. We leverage various innovative technologies to augment our marketing operations. AI, in particular, is playing a significant role in transforming our processes. We utilize graphic design tools that employ AI to generate multiple creatives, both static and video, effectively and efficiently. Additionally, AI-powered social listening tools enable us to track consumer preferences, sentiment, and engagement, providing valuable insights for refining our marketing strategies. What are some important skill sets that marketing leaders of 2024 must have? In the dynamic landscape of marketing in 2024, firstly, having a customer-centric mindset is paramount. Understanding and prioritising the needs and preferences of consumers should be at the core of every marketing strategy. Secondly, the ability to create compelling and innovative content is essential. With the digital space becoming increasingly cluttered, marketers must stand out by producing creative content that resonates with their audience and drives brand affinity. Furthermore, staying abreast of technological advancements, particularly in AI, is crucial. AI is reshaping marketing operations and strategies, and marketing leaders must understand how to leverage these technologies effectively to stay ahead of the curve. Strategic thinking is also fundamental for marketing leaders. Aligning business vision with marketing objectives and strategies is key to driving success in the long term. A focus on data-driven decision-making is imperative, moreover, nurturing talent within the marketing team is essential. Building a team of skilled and motivated individuals who can drive innovation and excellence is critical for achieving marketing objectives. Lastly, fostering a culture of continuous learning and innovation is vital. Marketing is an ever-evolving field, and leaders must encourage a mindset of learning, adaptation, and innovation to stay ahead of industry trends and challenges. Whats your vision for Rebel Foods 2 years from now? Our vision has always been the same: to create the world's largest platform for launching, building, and scaling the most loved restaurant brands in every customer food mission. Looking ahead two years from now, we envision Rebel Foods standing as a beacon of innovation and excellence in customer experience in the food industry. We aspire to further expand our reach and influence, connecting with consumers on a global scale and offering an unparalleled array of culinary experiences.

Kulfi Collective appoints Divya Karani as Chairperson and Executive Director of its board

Kulfi Collective, functioning at the intersection of content, community and culture, has announced the appointment of Divya Karani as Chairperson and Executive Director of its Board. Karani's three-decade journey has shaped her into a pivotal figure in steering some of the advertising and media groups across India, South Asia, the UK and the Asia Pacific. Most recently, Karani was the CEO of Dentsu Media, South Asia, where she led the agency for over 12 years to become one of the dominant media agency networks in the region. Kulfi Collective, through its three divisions, Supari Studios, Post Office and Keeda Media, has partnered with various brands and platforms such as Spotify, Red Bull, Netflix, Lego, Flipkart and Zomato to deliver content, experiences and IPs that shape culture. The addition of Karani to the board brings strategic insights into the fusion of creativity, technology, and data that is at the core of Kulfis unique approach of bringing brands closer to consumers and culture through content, community and commerce. Divya Karani expressed her excitement about contributing to Kulfis vision, I am honoured to join Kulfi Collective at such a transformative time. Together, we aim to redefine the creative network model, with an emphasis on agility, authenticity and purpose that resonates with a connected generation. Divya joining the board will help us build the right governance frameworks as we scale globally. Further, her deep expertise will help us build upstream capabilities to bring brands closer to communities and subcultures in music, sports, gaming, entertainment and lifestyle, said Advait Gupt , Co-Founder & CEO of Kulfi Collective.

India's current AI user base of 724 mn set to grow by 6% YOY: Kantar AI study

Internet in India is democratized and widely used; but now the country sits on the cusp of an AI revolution. ICUBE data shows that AI is already touching the lives of nine in 10 internet users in India, powered by the enormous computing capabilities on their phones, connectivity, and cloud infrastructure. Kantar, a marketing data and analytics business unveils a probe into this burgeoning AI market to dish out actionable insights for marketers. Furthermore, the company also unveiled an AI-powered suite of research solutions that will enable brands and brand builders to understand consumer behavioural data better and stay ahead of the curve in future. The current AI user base of the country stands at 724 million and is poised to grow YoY at 6%. These are users who have used any of the AI features like image filters, personalized recommendations, smart devices, etc till now. Kantar also found that fitness and social media apps are driving AI adoption with an average of 2.3 AI-led features embedded in these applications. Entertainment apps are a close second, standing at 2.0 AI features on average. AI is also touching digital commerce and pharmacy apps at an average of 1.8 AI features each. Kantar also anticipates that many more digital commerce & entertainment apps will adopt AI features to enhance the quality of customer experience and stay in line with emerging trends. Adoption however is slower in the BFSI, job search and short video apps segments, at an average of 1.2 features each. Adoption of AI among users is currently high for popular features while enhanced AI functionalities are catching up. Incidence among AI users in 2023: 88 % of consumers used AI-based algorithms which analysed their preferences, behaviours, and interests to create personalized recommendations for tailored experiences. This segment grew at 6 % YoY. 88% of the consumer also automated various tasks and streamlined routines to enhance efficiency and productivity in their daily lives using AI. This segment grew at 6 % YoY. 86% used image enhancement filters so that the resulting image is improved in terms of sharpness, contrast, brightness or other features. This segment grew at 5% YoY. At 21%, smart home automation is a smaller segment but growing at 25% YoY. 15% of consumers enhanced their user experience through virtual assistants. This segment is the fastest growing at 27% YoY. While AI technologies are touching most internet users of India today, their usage is expectedly higher among the youth (1924-year-olds) at 92% and interestingly, at a high 81% for the older (45+ year old) age bracket as well. Speaking about AI and addressing the marketers , Soumya Mohanty , Managing Director & Chief Client Officer- South Asia, Insights Division, Kantar said AI is inevitable. Historically, technology adoption has always been a dominant determinant of a brands trajectory. We at Kantar feel that it is important to help marketers humanize AI to innovate successfully, help activate AI to predict future performance, maximize ROI and use AI strategies to build competitive advantage for sustainable growth. We have created a range of offerings which will benefit marketers and consumers by extension. LINK AI is one such solution, which helps evaluate creative effectiveness at scale and has helped uncover new insights into creating better video ads on YouTube which has a proven track record of growth, following Googles ABCD framework. Similarly, we have introduced best-in-class offerings like LIFT ROI, Trend AI and NeedScope AI for various stages of brand growth as well. Puneet Avasthi , Senior Executive Director, South Asia, Insights Division, Kantar added Generative AI is set to become a $1.3T market by 2034 with a possible 42% CAGR growth over the next 10 years. We are sitting at a point of inflection where the next few years will enable a competitive edge between businesses that adopt early and others. As the usage of AI grows rapidly, it is critical for marketers to not use AI in isolation and as a gimmicky fad, but weave in consumer behavioural data into it to remove biases, and continue to focus on building equity and not just run activations. Kantar is at the forefront of this AI revolution and is assisting brand builders to strengthen creative testing, and innovation using its AI-based solutions. The full report is available down below:

Brands turn the QWERTY keyboard into a moment marketing trend

When it comes to creative marketing, brands are turning to a place you might not expect - the QWERTY keyboard. Who would've thought that something so ordinary could turn into such clever advertising? Forget the old-school approaches, these brands took a different path, using the keyboard's quirky structure to hide jokes and clever messages that kept their audience engaged and guessing. Are you still confused about what we're talking about? Well, brands have found creative ways to play with our keyboard layout by using the keyboard's unique structure to share jokes with their audience. By using familiar keys in new ways, they turned the ordinary into something that could grab attention and make people laugh. Domino's, for example, decided to play with the QWERTY keyboard by asking its followers, ' What's the best duo after our famous cheese garlic bread and dips?' To find the answer, you just need to look between the 'Y' and 'O' keys on your keyboard. The answer? 'U and I.' Their tweet not only made their fans smile but also reminded everyone of Domino's delicious food. Meanwhile, Swiggy shared a rather controversial opinion, saying, Veg biryani is the best. Shortly clarifying and asking their audience to look between the 'H' and 'L' keys on a keyboard, where they'll notice a hidden message: 'JK,' which means 'just kidding.' Brands like HDFC Bank, Spotify, BlinkIt, and a lot more also got on this trend with some making memes that played with the keyboard's layout, while others used hidden messages to grab attention. Here's a look at a few other brand creatives that we came across. Swiggy veg biryani is the best look between H and L on your keyboard Swiggy (@Swiggy) April 23, 2024 Dominos India You know the best duo after Garlic Breadsticks and Cheesy dip? Look between Y and O on your keyboard #DominosIndia dominos_india (@dominos_india) April 23, 2024 BlinkIt guess who loves mangoes, look between Y and O on your keyboard pic.twitter.com/OdyKWEpOyw Blinkit (@letsblinkit) April 23, 2024 Swiggy Instamart You know what you need? Look between R and Y on your keyboard Swiggy Instamart (@SwiggyInstamart) April 23, 2024 Tinder India look between Y and O to know who needs to go on a date together Tinder India (@Tinder_India) April 23, 2024 Youtube India look between i and p on your keypad pic.twitter.com/it6lvPWwbx YouTube India (@YouTubeIndia) April 23, 2024 Zomato what can fix all problems? look between R and Y of your keyboard zomato (@zomato) April 23, 2024 Ajio Life Have you still kept your exs t-shirt? Look between T and U on your keyboard AJIO (@AJIOLife) April 23, 2024 Spotify India Tag your favourite artist and ask them to look between R and U on their keyboard Spotify India (@spotifyindia) April 23, 2024 Zepto were bring back hippo chips look between H and L on your keyboard Zepto (@ZeptoNow) April 23, 2024 Uber India Who needs to make this weekend a long weekend? Look between Y and I on your keyboard #UberIndia Uber India (@Uber_India) April 23, 2024 Shaadi.com Guess who is getting married this year? Look between Y and I on your keyboard Shaadi.com (@ShaadiDotCom) April 23, 2024 ixigo Who's planning your next vacation? Look between Q & R on your keyboard ixigo (@ixigo) April 23, 2024 Croma Retail Something we would have to update if we didn't post about this trend Look between X and B of your keyboard #Croma #Electronics #Gadgets #Trending #keyboard Croma (@cromaretail) April 23, 2024 Reliance Jio Who kept us glued to the TV till the last ball? Look between 6 and 8 on your keyboard. #CSKvLSG #Thala #WhistlePodu Reliance Jio (@reliancejio) April 23, 2024 HDFC Bank Whos going to get 1,200* CashBack on Payzapp? Look between Y and I on your keyboard. #PayZapp #HDFCBank HDFC Bank (@HDFC_Bank) April 23, 2024 Did you come across any interesting brand creatives that participated in this trend that we missed out on? If yes, then share it with us at team@socialsamosa.com or post it in the comments section below.

Google postpones third-party cookie phase-out once again

Google, once again, is extending the deadline for discontinuing third-party cookies in its Chrome browser. The announcement came on Tuesday, just ahead of Google's quarterly reports. This marks the third postponement by the tech giant since the initial deadline was set in January 2020. Despite previous assurances to implement changes 'within two years,' Google had yet to fulfil this promise. The statement made by the tech company read, We recognise that there are ongoing challenges related to reconciling divergent feedback from the industry, regulators and developers, and will continue to engage closely with the entire ecosystem. It's also critical that the CMA has sufficient time to review all evidence including results from industry tests, which the CMA has asked market participants to provide by the end of June. Given both of these significant considerations, we will not complete third-party cookie deprecation during the second half of Q4. The statement further noted that Google anticipates commencing third-party cookie deprecation early next year. We remain committed to engaging closely with the CMA and ICO and we hope to conclude that process this year. Assuming we can reach an agreement, we envision proceeding with third-party cookie deprecation starting early next year, the company stated.

Goafest 2024 unveils the festival theme

The Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) and The Advertising Club have announced the theme for Goafest 2024 - The Age of Adaptability. The event scheduled to take place from May 29-31 at Westin Powai, Mumbai, aims to highlight the resilience and innovative spirit of the advertising and marketing industries in an era defined by rapid change. Goafest 2024 is set to bring together the brightest minds from across advertising, marketing, media, and business to explore how adaptability is not just a skill but an essential strategy in todays dynamic market landscape. As industries continue to face unprecedented shifts influenced by technology, consumer behaviour, and global economic factors, The Age of Adaptability will serve as a platform to showcase and discuss how embracing change is crucial for success. The theme for Goafest 2024, 'The Age Of Adaptability', was chosen to reflect the current ethos of our industry. Adaptability is at the core of what we do - from adjusting to new media platforms to adopting innovative marketing strategies, said Jaideep Gandhi , Chairperson of the Goafest Organising Committee. This festival will not only celebrate creativity but also the ability to pivot and thrive amidst challenges. This year, at Goafest 2024, our central theme 'The Age of Adaptability' has a chameleon as a mascot. The chameleon is a creature known for its remarkable adaptive prowess. Like the chameleon, which adjusts its colors to match its environment, our industry too must continuously evolve its strategies and creative approaches to thrive in changing landscapes. This years festival will celebrate and cultivate the chameleon-like ability to adapt swiftly and effectively, ensuring our practices remain on the cutting-edge of creativity and relevance. The Age Of Adaptability concept has been created and designed by the young and very talented team at Abnormal Design Studios. Rohit Ohri, Chairperson Goafest Content Committee. This year's festival will feature a series of keynotes, panel discussions, and workshops led by international thought leaders and innovators. Attendees can look forward to gaining insightful perspectives on topics such as digital transformation, consumer engagement in the digital age, sustainable marketing practices, and the evolution of content creation. Moreover, Goafest 2024 will continue to host the Abby Awards, recognizing excellence and innovation in advertising.

Demystifying creative tech: A begginner's guide to revolutionising marketing with creativity

In the bustling world of marketing discussions, two distinct narratives often take centre stage. On one side, there's a fervent admiration for the triumphs of creativity, while on the other, there's a fascination with the transformative power of technology, particularly emerging tech like AI and XR. What sets these conversations apart is the perception of creativity and technology as separate entities, each wielding its influence over the marketing landscape. However, imagine the potential when these seemingly disparate forces are united. It's akin to blending ingredients in a masterful recipe to create a truly impactful dish. The result? An effective and innovative creative solution that transcends traditional boundaries. Brands are now recalibrating their strategies, recognising the immense potential in combining creativity with evolving technological toolsets. Picture brands use AR to create interactive experiences where virtual elements blend with the real world, as seen in IKEA's app letting customers preview furniture in their homes, boosting engagement and purchase decisions. AI-driven personalised content uses generative algorithms to analyse data, crafting tailored messages like customised emails or social ads. Netflix uses AI to suggest shows based on past preferences, enhancing viewer engagement and loyalty. Furthermore, dynamic storytelling uses technology to adapt narratives based on user interactions, like interactive video campaigns that offer a customised journey. Burger King's Whopper Detour campaign used geolocation to encourage users to visit rival McDonald's for a discounted Whopper, highlighting tech's role in innovative storytelling. Sans doubt, in today's rapidly evolving digital landscape, the fusion of creativity and technology has emerged as a game-changer in the realm of marketing. Creative tech, in essence, refers to the integration of technology into creative endeavours. While various technologies can be harnessed, the spotlight often falls on emerging innovations like AI, AR, and VR, which are reshaping the media landscape and paving the way for new dimensions of creativity and innovation. At MakeAR, we define creative tech as the driving force scripting a new future in advertising and marketing. It's about utilising technology to amplify creativity and deliver immersive brand experiences that captivate audiences and drive engagement. Here are some tangible examples to illustrate the power of creative tech in transforming marketing endeavours: 1) AI in newspaper ads (e.g., Classmate Ad): By leveraging AI algorithms, brands can personalise newspaper ads based on reader preferences, interests, and demographics, enhancing relevance and engagement. Our latest campaign for ITC Classmate allowed readers of Times of India to explore the complete range of ITC Limited's Classmate products in a whole new way! View this post on Instagram A post shared by Classmate (@classmatebyitc) By scanning the ad with AR technology developed by makeAR, viewers can see the products come to life right before their eyes. This innovative experience allows users to interact with and explore the entire stationery and notebook range from ITC's Classmate brand in vivid 3D detail. 2) Emerging tech in retail/e-commerce: From AI-powered skin analysis for personalised product recommendations to AR-enabled virtual try-ons for jewelry, creative tech is revolutionising the retail and e-commerce landscape. The Dhobi RUN game, tailored for Surf Excel Matic and Comfort, was crafted to captivate in-store shoppers at the point of sale, gather valuable shopper data, and incentivise them with Paytm cashback based on their gaming performance. The brand has noticed high engagement, accumulated leads for future marketing endeavours, and fostered a deeper connection with its audience. 3) AR for influencer campaigns (e.g., Ponds Glow with the Flow' AR experience): Empowering influencers with AR content not only amplifies reach but also drives engagement through interactive experiences, leveraging social media algorithms for maximum impact. For the Glow with the Flow AR, Ponds opted for a different approach from the typical influencer-led promotional strategy. They utilised Metas social AR technology to develop a mini-game showcasing the unique selling points of their new product. Influencers were able to use the filter to produce content, which their followers then shared, generating user-generated content (UGC) for expanded reach and increased impressions. 4) AI for social media ads (e.g., Colgate Visible White Web AR): Utilising AI models in social media ads, brands like Colgate showcase product benefits like whiter teeth, prompting immediate action and purchase consideration among consumers. Colgate Visible White O2 , a high-end product, begins whitening teeth in just 3 days. The brand aimed to kickstart a top-of-the-funnel engagement activity paired with incentives to boost purchase consideration. We introduced an AI-driven experience for Colgate-Palmolive in modern retail outlets. By scanning a QR code on the Point of Sale materials, customers can witness the impressive impact of the product on their teeth, encouraging them to make purchases right in-store. By simply scanning a QR code placed on #posm , users can view the difference on their teeth, building in-store purchase consideration. Plus, an additional feature allows users to generate content using this model, and UGC enhances authenticity and engagement, like no other activity. Note: The whitening effect is presented realistically, without resorting to flashy gimmicks. 5) Tech in product launch buzz (e.g., Ajio AR Sneaker Try-On): Innovative tech solutions like AR content for product try-ons create buzz and excitement around new launches, enhancing brand visibility and customer engagement. Creative tech is all about marrying technology with creativity to communicate effectively in the modern marketing landscape. It's about pushing boundaries, keeping content fresh and innovative, and leveraging emerging technologies to elevate brand experiences and resonate with audiences on a deeper level. As we navigate the dynamic intersection of creativity and technology, creative tech emerges as a catalyst for driving marketing success, unlocking new possibilities, and revolutionizing the way brands connect with consumers in the digital age. This article is penned by Srishti Jain , Founder of MakeAR. Disclaimer: The article features the opinion of the author and does not necessarily reflect the stance of the publication.

India questions Singapore & Hong Kong food regulators over MDH & Everest Masala ban

India, which leads the world in spice production, consumption, and export, has requested information from food safety regulators in Singapore and Hong Kong regarding their recent bans on certain spices from Indian brands MDH and Everest over quality issues. Additionally, the Indian embassies in Singapore and Hong Kong have been instructed by the trade ministry to submit a thorough report on the issue. Following the discovery of a cancer-causing pesticide, The Hong Kong authorities have recently banned several spice variants produced by MDH and one by Everest Food Products. MDH and Everest are prominent brands in India and have gained a strong foothold in the international market, exporting to regions like the United States, Europe, the Middle East, and the United Kingdom. The decision to ban these products was concluded by the Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region after routine testing found ethylene oxide, a harmful chemical, present in these spice mixes. Ethylene oxide has been classified as a high-risk carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. According to food safety regulations in Hong Kong, food products containing pesticide residues can be sold only if they are deemed safe for consumption. Violations of these laws can result in significant penalties, with offenders facing fines of up to $50,000 and a potential six-month jail term. The banned MDH products include Madras Curry Powder, Sambhar Masala Mixed Masala Powder, and Curry Powder Mixed Masala Powder. Additionally, Everest's Fish Curry Masala has also been banned. The CFS conducted its tests by collecting samples from three stores in Tsim Sha Tsui and subsequently found ethylene oxide in these samples. The authorities then instructed the stores to cease sales of the affected products and remove them from their inventory. Meanwhile, India's food safety regulator plans to carry out quality checks on products from well-known Indian spice brands MDH and Everest Group. The inspections will specifically look for ethylene oxide, a toxic pesticide that is not suitable for human consumption and can lead to cancer with long-term exposure. The aim is to ensure that these spice products meet safety standards and do not pose health risks to consumers. Hong Kong's regulatory action against these brands became public through the Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department, which posted the announcement on its website on April 5. However, it was not until Indian media reported on it recently that the news caught the public's attention.

Ice cream brands summer marketing recipe: A dash of nostalgia with oodles of star power

With temperatures soaring past 40 degrees Celsius in many parts of the country, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) predicts a scorching summer ahead. And as the sun beats down on us relentlessly, it seems everyone turns to one product for comfort Ice cream. In supermarkets, quick commerce platforms and local Kirana stores, ice creams have been stocked for consumers to relish. Swiggy has already seen a 43% increase in orders for ice cream since the summer began, and according to reports, ice cream sales are expected to rise 15-20% this year. For Mother Dairy, this expectation has already turned into a reality. Manish Bandlish, Managing Director, Mother Dairy Fruit and Vegetable Pvt. Ltd. told the media that the brands are expecting a multifold surge in demand for Ice creams, curd and beverages. Ice creams alone have witnessed a significant rise of 20% in demand in comparison to same period last year, he said. As demand increases and supply needs are met, brands are also ramping up their marketing efforts for summer. From capturing the true essence of the season in their summer campaigns and launching season-specific range of flavours, brands are enticing consumers with refreshing treats to beat the heat. And as they roll up their sleeves to go all out this season, we take a look at their summer marketing strategy. Setting the right tone for summer Giving a hint of nostalgia, this year, Amul brought back its long-running Chalo Chalo ice cream ad that showcases its wide range of products. In true Amul style, the ad has a summer hue to it, with floral backgrounds and pastel colours. The ad has multiple scenarios like a couple on a date, old people enjoying the weather, kids on vacation and teenagers watching a movie showcasing people from all age groups consuming its products. Following this, the brand released another ad that takes a dig at its competitors by calling their product frozen desserts. The ad asks users to check for the words real ice cream printed on the packs and the caption reads Always remember, Ice Cream khane se pehle, pack par Ice Cream word check karein. Prominent in the South of India, Milky Mist Dairys summer ad is a splash of vibrant and summery colours. The ad shows young people dancing to upbeat music while showcasing its products. The TVC is dubbed in Tamil, Telegu, Malayalam and Kannada. While other brands are playing with summer themes and colours, Cornetto India is banking on star power. The brands new ad features its brand ambassador Alia Bhatt, alongside her Gully Boy co-star Siddhanth Chaturvedi. The ad follows the two as they battle for a Cornetto in the wall of death while Diljit Dosanjhs Lover plays in the background. Meanwhile, Vadilal has launched a series of humorous ads as part of its summer campaign. These ads aim to highlight how significant moments in life can often be overlooked until Vadilal ice cream makes its appearance. In the first ad, a man enthusiastically delivers news of a spaceship's safe landing on Mars to his colleagues. Despite his efforts, they appear disinterested, focused on their tasks. However, when another colleague enters with a tub of Vadilal ice cream and delivers the same news, the atmosphere transforms instantly and the team finally celebrates. Similarly, in the second ad, a doctor shares the happy news of a safe delivery with a family, but they seem uninterested. Despite the doctor's attempts to engage them, the family remains unaffected. However, when someone enters with an ice cream cone and delivers the same news, the family's response changes, and they join in the celebration. Product Launches Creating a buzz around their products with ads, ice cream brands have added summer-specific flavours to their menus as well. Mother Dairy is launching 20 new ice cream products this year, the brand told media. Similarly, Noto, a homegrown D2C brand collaborated with Fast&Up India to launch a Cranberry Orange flavoured popsicle. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Fast&Up India (@fastandup_india) View this post on Instagram A post shared by NOTO Healthy Ice Creams & Desserts (@eatnoto) Apsara Ice Cream is another brand that has launched a range of fruit-flavoured popsicles, naming it Popsicools. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Apsara Ice Creams (@apsaraicecreams) Baskin Robbins has introduced a range of summer specials. The line of products falls under their Summer edition, Happy vacation category. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Baskin Robbins India (@baskinrobbinsin) In addition to the classic popsicles and refreshing flavours, many brands are capitalizing on another summer favourite mangoes. Natural Ice Cream and Apsara Ice Cream are leading the charge with dedicated reels and posts showcasing their seasonal mango-inspired flavours. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Apsara Ice Creams (@apsaraicecreams) View this post on Instagram A post shared by Natural Ice Cream - Official (@naturalicecream) IPL fever With IPL getting integrated with summer, brands also tend to leverage the massive marketing platform as part of their mix. This year, quite a few ice cream brands have become official partners for IPL teams. To deepen engagement with its audience, NIC Ice Creams, as an official partner of the Mumbai Indians, has launched a series of contests during the IPL season. These contests range from predicting the top-scoring player to guessing the previous year's milestones. Participants have been given an opportunity to win tickets to attend live IPL matches. View this post on Instagram A post shared by NIC Ice Creams (@nicicecreams) View this post on Instagram A post shared by NIC Ice Creams (@nicicecreams) Arun Ice Creams, the official partner for Sunrise Hyderabad, has released a TVC showcasing the team's players. They've also launched the 'Arun Ice Cream Creamier League Challenge' contest, featuring an on-ground activation where participants hunt for a specific van in Hyderabad for a chance to win match tickets. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Arun Icecreams (@arunicecreams) Additionally, the brand is actively sharing live match updates on its social media pages, further engaging fans during the matches. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Arun Icecreams (@arunicecreams) Similarly, Havmor has been connecting with its audience on social media through IPL-themed contests. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Havmor Ice Creams (@havmoricecreams) The brand has also introduced interactive IPL-special packs featuring QR codes. These innovative packs offer consumers the opportunity to win a range of prizes. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Havmor Ice Creams (@havmoricecreams) From nostalgic ads to star-studded commercials, summer-specific flavours and IPL-themed promotions and contests, ice cream brands are leaving no stone unturned to connect with their audience and enhance the summer experience.

Intellion Offices by Tata Realty debuts new sonic identity for brand resonance

Tata Realty & Infrastructure Ltd. has unveiled a sonic brand identity for its Intellion Office Parks . It is crafted by BrandMusiq and aimed at enhancing brand recognition and delivering a seamless experience across all touchpoints. Incorporating the archetypes of a Dominant Ruler and SubDominant Creator, Intellion offices new sonic branding initiative is aimed at resonating with courage, compassion, and laughter. The Tata Realty MOGO is an immersive sonic experience. With a melody, BrandMusiq's craftsmanship is evident in the Tata Realty MOGOSCAPE, a carefully curated soundscape that merges traditional elements such as saxophone, trumpets, and horns, symbolising authority and a commanding presence. Furthermore, subtle digital sound elements are woven into the soundscape. Sanjay Dutt , MD & CEO at TATA Realty & Infrastructure Ltd. , expressed enthusiasm about the launch, stating, The introduction of our new sonic branding represents a pivotal moment in our journey. Our auditory identity, encapsulated in the form of MOGO and MOGOSCAPE, is more than just a musical composition; it is about distinguishing Intellion as a brand. Through this industry first initiative, we merge the traditional with the contemporary, echoing the harmonious blend of leadership, innovation, and empathy that defines Tata Realty. As our sonic branding permeates every aspect of our brand identity, it will transcend from a mere melody to become an omnipresent symbol of our identity. It will serve as a cohesive and enduring expression of Tata Realty's Intellion commercial spaces brand, fostering a profound and lasting connection with our diverse audience. Realty's sonic branding at Intellion has been launched across all its operational assets. Visitors & occupiers will have the opportunity to immerse themselves in the music and share the emotions it evokes. The sonic branding is set to become an integral part of Intellion office space's brand presence, resonating through lobbies, lifts, and across various touchpoints such as videos and podcasts.

Sociapa secures the digital marketing mandate for Tennishub

Sociapa, the marketing agency, has bagged the digital mandate for Tennishub, an online tennis store. This partnership marks a milestone in Sociapa's journey towards enhancing digital footprints across diverse industries. Tennishub is a one-stop shop for all tennis enthusiasts, offering an array of tennis equipment, including racquets, shoes, apparel, balls, bags, strings, and accessories with a collection of brands such as Yonex, Wilson, Adidas, Asics, Tecnifibre, and more. Founder of Sociapa, Dheeraj Raj, expressed his profound excitement on the partnership with Tennishub. He said, We are truly elated to join hands with Tennishub, a brand that exemplifies excellence in its field. With his visionary perspective and unwavering commitment, Mr. Raj envisions this collaboration as a remarkable opportunity to synergize expertise and elevate brand resonance to greater heights. He also added, The prospect of embarking on this journey with Tennishub fills me with immense happiness and optimism. In response to the announcement, Ronak Sachdeva, Founder, Tennishub expressed equal enthusiasm for the collaboration, stating that We are equally thrilled to partner with Sociapa, recognizing the agency's expertise and innovative strategies in the digital marketing landscape. Sociapas services encompass a spectrum of Digital Marketing, Creative & Communication Services, Videography and Photography, PR services, Consultation, and Facilitating brands in conducting Focused Group Discussions and Central Location Tests (FGD/CLT). The agency has delivered campaigns for brands, including Apis Ramadan Campaign, Mint ChocOn's association with Bollywood actress Janhvi Kapoor, and successful influencer campaigns featuring figures like Chef Ranveer Brar and comedian Zakir Khan. Noteworthy endeavours include the Ramadan campaign for Apis honey and the Unity Run campaign with Milind Soman as the brand ambassador. The recent collaborations include projects with Modicare, Pansari Epicure, Luxor, and Alishaan Basmati Rice, showcasing the agency's prowess in integrating social media marketing, content marketing, website design, video advertising, SEO, and influencer campaigns to deliver results.

Ad Club Bangalore launches Inspiration Room: A series of thought leadership programs for A&M professionals

The Ad Club Bangalore has launched Inspiration Room , a new initiative designed to inspire and educate the advertising and marketing community in India. This series of thought leadership programs will offer a range of formats fostering a dynamic exchange of ideas. We are very excited to launch the Inspiration Room series, said Laeeq Ali , Founder of Origami Creative and President of Ad Club Bangalore. This initiative is conceived to be a series of high-quality masterclasses, talk shows, discussions and workshops, where creative professionals will get to hear from the experts and interact with the best. The first program in the Inspiration Room series was a round table discussion focusing on Generative AI, a rapidly evolving field with significant implications for the future of advertising and marketing. A panel of industry experts delved into the opportunities and challenges of Gen AI. Members of the panel were Ajay Joseph, Head of Sales & Channel Adobe, Varun Khiatani, Strategy, Lead, Talented and Azmina Poddar, Managing Director Accenture Song. The discussion was moderated by Ganga Ganapathi, VP International Marketing and agency practice Epsilon India. The event, held in partnership with Adobe, brought together senior leaders from the advertising and marketing community for a discussion in Bangalore. Speakers of the evening who shared their interesting perspectives included Shridhar Gopalan, Technology Marketing Evangelist and Founder of Billaway, Nishad Ramachandran, Partner Spread Design & Innovation and Vignesh Kamath, Manipal Digital. The advertising world is going through a rapid change, said Ali. We felt that Generative AI would be an apt topic for the fraternity to discuss, especially considering the rise of tools like LLMs and Adobe Firefly. We look forward to bringing more relevant topics like these under the banner of Inspiration Room. The Inspiration Room was not only inspiring but thoroughly insightful. The quality of conversation and maturity around topics like GenAI made me feel extremely bullish on the Indian marketing and advertising fraternity, said Varun Khiatani , Strategy Lead at Talented. The Inspiration Room by Ad Club Bangalore was true to its name. Adobe Firefly demos and use cases presented were amazing. A legally compliant creative accelerator is great to see. I have already referenced discussions from the meeting multiple times the very next day, said Shridhar Gopalan , Technology Marketing Evangelist and Founder of Billaway. The inspiration room is a lovely initiative by the Ad Club, Bangalore. I really enjoyed the very insightful session organised by Adobe Firefly. I went back richer with some great stories and ideas on Gen AI, said Azmina Poddar , Managing Director of Accenture Song. The Inspiration Room event was truly motivating, showcasing the boundless potential of GenAI through work examples, practical tools, and entertainment. My key takeaway? Never start from scratch again! said Ganga Ganapathi , VP, Head of International Marketing, Epsilon.

India's theatre-going population hit 157.4 mn in 2023, up 29%: Ormax report

A new annual report from media analytics firm Ormax Media, titled Sizing The Cinema: 2024 , sheds light on the growth of the Indian theatrical market. The report, based on research conducted in January 2024 among 8,500 Indian audiences across both urban and rural areas, reveals significant growth in the number of theatre-goers in India vis--vis the previous year. According to the report, India now has 157.4 Million or 15.7 Crore theatre-goers i.e., those who watched at least one film in a theatre in 2023. This not only marks a 29% increase compared to the previous year (12.2 crore) but also surpasses the pre-pandemic level (14.6 crore) by 8%. This 15.7 Crore audience contributed to the 94.3 Crore footfalls at the domestic box office in 2023, which comes to an average of 6.0 films watched by a typical theatre-goer in India, across all languages put together. The report also provides demographic (age, gender), geographic and language-wise breakdown of the theatrical audience. Hindi-language cinema has seen the most significant growth, with its audience rising to 9.2 crore, a 58% increase over 2022. Tamil, Telugu, and Kannada films have witnessed a minor drop in audience shares, while Malayalam cinema experienced a 19% increase in audience, rising from 1.0 crore in 2022 to 1.2 crore in 2023. Sanket Kulkarni , Head: of Business Development (Theatrical) at Ormax Media , emphasized the importance of such data for industry decision-making. Market sizing and audience data are as crucial as box office numbers when it comes to strategic decision-making, Kulkarni said. With a history of more than 100 years and 12,000 Crore plus box office, the Indian film industry needs and deserves a study of this nature and stature. While it is well understood that the theatrical business has made a sound recovery post the pandemic, this report quantifies the recovery, at the level of markets, languages and demographics, leading to a deeper understanding of Indias theatre-going population. The full report is available by subscription for film studios, production companies, investors, exhibitors, distributors, media agencies and other companies associated with the theatrical category in India.

Microsoft recruits former Meta executive to strengthen AI team

Jason Taylor , a former executive at Meta, is set to join Microsoft's AI supercomputing division, according to an announcement by Microsoft's CTO Kevin Scott on LinkedIn. In his new role as corporate vice president and deputy CTO, Taylor will contribute to the development of cutting-edge AI systems. During his tenure at Meta from 2009 to 2022, Taylor held various roles, culminating in his position as vice president of infrastructure. His responsibilities included overseeing AI, data, and privacy infrastructure, as well as managing server budgets. Additionally, Taylor served as the chair of the Open Compute Project Foundation from 2015 to 2017, advocating for open-source designs in data centers. Microsoft and OpenAI are gearing up to enhance their hardware capabilities to keep pace with the rapid advancements in AI technology. Recent report from The Information suggested plans for a monumental USD 100 billion supercomputer project dubbed Stargate, aimed at empowering OpenAI's models. However, Scott's LinkedIn post seems to refute some of these rumors, indicating that much of the recent speculation is inaccurate. In a separate move earlier this year, Microsoft appointed Mustafa Suleyman, co-founder of Google DeepMind, as the CEO of a new consumer AI division tasked with overseeing projects like Copilot, Bing, and Edge.

Let Women be Women: Moving on from the Good Girl trope

Wonderwoman, girlboss, supermom! It is the era of the pseudo-feminist marketing. Under the guise of empowerment, we pressurise women at every step. Let us talk about where it all began. The Good Wifes Guide is a magazine article rumored to have been published in the May 13, 1955 issue of Housekeeping Monthly , describing how a good wife should act, containing material that reflects a very different role assignment from contemporary American society. The article states in bullet points - Come evening, have dinner ready. Plan ahead, even the night before, to have a delicious meal ready, on time for his return. This is a way of letting him know that you have been thinking about him and are concerned about his needs. Look good for him. Touch up your makeup, put a ribbon in your hair and be fresh-looking. He has just been with a lot of work-weary people. Be more interesting for him. His boring day may need a lift and one of your duties is to provide it. Prepare the children. They need to look good. Minimize all noise. Listen to him. You may have a dozen important things to tell him, but the moment of his arrival is not the time. Let him talk first -remember, his topics of conversation are more important than yours. Dont complain if hes late home for dinner or even if he stays out all night. Count this as minor compared to what he might have gone through that day. A good wife always knows her place. All ads started off with the good girl, the good daughter, the good girlfriend and the good wife trope. Even today, many brands take this road, where domestic and cleaning/kitchen products and even kids' food items are endorsed only by women, as if hinting that it is her duty to manage these, because well, she does it better. Characteristics of good girl syndrome may include people-pleasing , always seeking external validation, chasing perfectionism , avoiding any kind of confrontation, self-sacrifice and all leading to a low self-esteem . It is still rare to see ads with women buying or driving cars, buying homes, shares or any financial products. It took me three years to convince a car brand to put a woman behind the wheel. While making the financial literacy campaign for Paytm , one of the most progressive campaigns Ive worked on, I realised the huge gap that exists in the most affluent homes. The Good Girl consists of several different stereotypes but the most popular one is the domestic goddess . She is loved by every single brand. Marketing has played a key role in creating her and painting her as a dream or a fairytale for the audience. And making them believe that she can achieve the Good Girl/ Wife status if she buys a particular product. Despite womens progress in many parts of the society, ads still send underhanded, secret messages about how the boss-woman, or the 'supermoms' or get-it-all-girl should always look. A subtle, perfectionist narrative tells women all through their lives that they are not good enough as what they are. They need to change their appearance, face, hair, clothes, and house. Whatever they do, it isnt enough. And this endless perfectionism can be very damaging. Brands appear to be presenting a more positive and progressive message for women, but in reality, all that they have done is, tricked us. How? Being thin is about wellness or fitness. Staying beautiful is being ageless. There is an expert who in his baritone voice tells the woman to be bold(er), strong(er), fit(er), health(ier). And we believe him, because it is years ofconditioning. Within board rooms, we still choose models, actresses or influencers who are fair, thin and young. It is still rare to hear the word dusky, or lets not do size zero. If we really have become progressive, why are anti-ageing creams or weight loss products still primarily targeted to women? Uh uh, no more fairness creams but brighter skin, blemish free skin, wrinkle free skin. Seems fine, isnt it? Historically there werent channels available to women to talk to each other about how objecti onable they found this stuff. But now, social media, despite all its faults, has also been a brilliant way for women to discuss. Think about the collective impact that it can have when the same things are being said over and over again, which are usually: Be thinner, be fairer, be more feminine, be this and be that Cumulatively, it does have an effect. But why not sell products in a way that is going to have a positive effect on women, not just young women but all women? Like the funny women. Or the older women. They seem missing from popular culture or ads. After all, the assumption is that women dont have a sense of humour. How about we start a series women will be women . Similarly, older women - above 50? How many of them do we see in advertising? Only one in 30 ads? May be lesser. Older women are also tired of looking at advertising that just features women under 30. You would hear, But wont that put people off if you show older women? First of all, older women have the money. Secondly, younger women would appreciate the fact that she will have some role models to look up to. So, the next time you see an ad, tell me, was she a good girl? This article is penned by Anupama Ramaswamy , Chief Creative Officer, Havas Worldwide India. Disclaimer: The article features the opinion of the author and does not necessarily reflect the stance of the publication.

Auto Sector's digital ad impressions surge 5x from 2019 to 2023: TAM AdEx report

TAM AdEx's recent report summarizes ad volumes in the Auto sector across TV, Print, Digital, and Radio for 2023. Titled '2023 Cross Media Advertising Recap - Auto Sector', the report provides an overview of advertising trends. Television - Ad Volumes As per the report, Television ad volumes in the Auto Sector declined by 18% in the year 2023 over 2019. October 2023 have observed the highest ad volume share of 11.8% on TV for the Auto Sector. Cars were the top category on TV from the Auto sector with a 50% share of ad volumes in 2023. Among top advertisers, Maruti Suzuki India secured the first position with a 12% share of ad volumes in 2023. Digital - Ad Impressions On Digital, ad impressions for the Auto Sector increased by almost five times during 2023 over 2019. October 2023 had the highest share of ad impressions of 16.1% on Digital for Auto Sector. The top 10 advertisers from the Sector together added 71% share of ad impressions with Kia Motors Corporation leading the list in the previous year. Programmatic topped with a 76% share of transaction methods for the Auto Sector in 2023. Print - Ad Space Ad space/publication in Print of the Auto Sector witnessed a de-growth of 20% during 2023 over 2019. In Quarterly Trends, ad space for Quarter four increased by 62% over Quarter one. For Auto Sector advertising in Print, North was the leading territory with a 32% share of ad space in the previous year. Sales Promotion for the Sector accounted for 58% of ad space in the Print medium. Radio - Ad Volumes Indexed ad volume on Radio reflected a growth of 51% in 2023 over 2019 for the Auto Sector. Both Quarter three and Quarter four of 2023 observed growth of 9% and 31% compared to Quarter one for the Auto Sector. Gujarat was the top state with a 19% share of ad volumes followed by Maharashtra with an 18% share. Advertising was preferred in Evening and Morning time bands on the Radio. You can read the full report here.

Brands advocate for sustainability this Earth Day

Since its inception in the 1970s, Earth Day celebrated globally on April 22nd has millions of people participating in a variety of activities to promote environmental sustainability. It's a day dedicated to raising awareness about climate change and promoting sustainable practices, such as tree planting, recycling drives, beach cleanups, and educational workshops. Earth Day is a day to take action to mitigate the damage caused by human activity. With our summers growing warmer, winters getting colder, and extreme weather conditions becoming more frequent and severe, climate change is affecting everyone, showcasing the importance of this day. Although projections indicate that by 2050, India could be one of the hottest countries in the world, we already seem to be dealing with its effects in 2024. Reflecting on our relationship with the environment, Earth Day, in recent years, has also become a key moment for brands to engage with their audiences through environmental campaigns and social media posts with them using this day to engage with their audience. Following the same, this year, Swiggy promoted its eco-friendly mode of delivery through a social media post, emphasizing the benefits of sustainable practices. Additionally, Shaadi.com took a humourous approach by tweeting, 'Tumne bataya nahi aaj tumhara din hai' personifying The Earth as a person.Similarly Britannia's 'Har Pocket Ab Dustbin' campaign attempted to encourage millions of consumers to join the brand in its commitment towards efficient plastic collection and processing, leading to 100% plastic neutrality. While brands like Ixigo and Blinkit kept their messages simple, here's a look at a few other brand creatives that we came across. Swiggy choose eco saver while placing your next order and help reduce pollution a little extra wait today means a brighter, greener tomorrow #EarthDay pic.twitter.com/YOs99ZY66O Swiggy (@Swiggy) April 22, 2024 Swiggy Instamart You only get mangoes on this planet, lets all pledge to save it together #EarthDay Swiggy Instamart (@SwiggyInstamart) April 22, 2024 Shaadi.com Tumne bataya nahi aaj tumhara din hai #EarthDay2024 Shaadi.com (@ShaadiDotCom) April 22, 2024 ixigo May we learn to protect the Earth in the same way that we protect our passport on a trip! #EarthDay2024 pic.twitter.com/cZpbaCLMba ixigo (@ixigo) April 22, 2024 Nat Geo India Lets adopt sustainable practices into our daily lives & inspire others. The Time To Act is Now! Adopt Sustainable Living. #OneForChange To learn how you can help, visit our wall on Instagram @natgeoindia . #OneForChange #EarthDay #NatGeoIndia pic.twitter.com/bnR0Ss4xTJ Nat Geo India (@NatGeoIndia) April 22, 2024 Croma Retail A day to realise that we need to use the recycle bin in real life too #WorldEarthDay #Croma #Electronics #Gadgets #EarthDay2024 #Topical Croma (@cromaretail) April 22, 2024 BlinkIt happy earth day #EarthDay pic.twitter.com/zKlbGVrf9h Blinkit (@letsblinkit) April 22, 2024 Intel India View this post on Instagram A post shared by Intel India (@intelindia) Noise View this post on Instagram A post shared by Noise (@go_noise) Britannia Did you come across any other interesting brand creatives or campaigns celebrating Earth Day that we missed out on? If yes, then share it with us at team@socialsamosa.com or post it in the comments section below.

Nandini faces criticism for sponsoring Ireland and Scotland teams

The dairy brand Nandini, affiliated with the Karnataka Milk Federation, has decided to sponsor the cricket teams of Scotland and Ireland for the upcoming ICC Mens T20 World Cup 2024. According to MK Jagadish, the managing director of KMF, the teams will prominently display the 'Nandini' brand during the matches. This initiative aims to enhance the brand's global presence, especially in regions like the United States, Middle East, and Singapore, as stated by Jagdish. However, this move has faced criticism from TV Mohandas Pai, the former Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of Infosys, who questioned the decision in a post on X platform. Pai suggested that instead of sponsoring foreign teams, KMF should consider supporting local entities such as the Karnataka Ranji team, athletes, artists, or providing scholarships to underprivileged children. He pointed out that KMF's funds primarily come from Kannadiga taxpayers, subsidies, and budgetary investments, but they choose to spend on foreign teams with less recognition. Why not sponsor the Karnataka Ranji team , Karnataka sports persons, Karnataka artists? Farmers children, scholarship for poor? Kmf is funded by Kannadiga tax papers money, subsidy and investments from budget but chooses to spend on foreign teams whom nobody knows! @siddaramaiah https://t.co/i8DFYl3Pcl Mohandas Pai (@TVMohandasPai) April 21, 2024 In response to Pai's criticism, KM Jagdish defended the sponsorship decision by highlighting that 85% of the federation's revenues directly benefit farmers in India.

Alia Bhatt uplifts her spirits through a bite of chocolate in Cadbury Perk's new ad

Cadbury Perk, one of Mondelez Indias brands, launches a playful campaign with Bollywood actress Alia Bhatt. Through a TV commercial, the brand encourages consumers to embrace life's challenges with a light-hearted attitude, echoing the mantra Take it lightly. With its latest campaign, crafted on the back of the brands purpose 'Take It Lightly,' it is on a mission to inspire individuals to approach life's twists and turns with humour and optimism. The ad starts with a group of friends sitting on a basketball court, watching their coach interact with one of the players, presumably giving instructions about gameplay tactics. The protagonist, Alia Bhatt, seems eager and hopeful, possibly anticipating her turn to play. However, when the coach calls her onto the court, it's not to join the game but to assign her an errand instead. Disappointed, she takes a moment to feel dejected. Her friends offer her a Cadbury Perk and as she takes a bite of chocolate, it seems to uplift her spirits. She decides to take the situation lightly, perhaps finding comfort and joy in the simple pleasure of the chocolate. Through an engaging narrative, the brand aims to resonate with its audience and encourage them to navigate life's ups and downs with a smile and a Perk in hand. Speaking about this, Nitin Saini , Vice President- Marketing, Mondelez India, said, Since its inception, Cadbury Perk has been rooted in the youth culture owing to its fun persona and lighthearted narrative. Continuing this legacy, our new film showcases how a simple change in attitude can make a big difference in positively navigating life's twists and turns. We believe this campaign will resonate with young consumers who live life with the same vivacity as personified by our brand ambassador Alia Bhatt, inspiring them to embrace a lighter and more joyful approach to everyday challenges. Speaking about the collaboration, Alia Bhatt expressed her excitement, saying, I have always been a fan of Cadbury Perk as I deeply resonate with their belief to ease through lifes small disappointments with humour and optimism. This long partnership has been an absolute delight! Sukesh Nayak , Chief Creative Officer, Ogilvy India said, We are very excited to create a new film for Cadbury Perk. This brand stands for the need of the hour - to take things lightly. There are everyday niggles that take over the best of us, dampening our mood. Perk with its light chocolate format helps us overcome such moments in life by making our mood lighter. We had fun collaborating with Alia Bhatt and Prasoon Pandey on this project, both known for always taking things lightly.

Tier 2 cities lead the way in fantasy gaming with 65% of revenue: Redseer report

The recent commencement of the Indian Premier League (IPL) marked the beginning of yet another captivating season. Beyond the spectacle of matches and on-field excitement, the IPL serves as a significant driver of economic activity, fostering growth and engagement across various sectors. As the IPL progresses, another notable player emerges in the economic landscape: the fantasy gaming industry. Leveraging the IPL's distinctive format and broad appeal, fantasy sports platforms are thriving during this lucrative period. Fantasy games, akin to sports betting, involve users creating fictional teams comprising real athletes from a specific sport, with winners determined by points accrued. Numerous organizations in India, such as Dream11, Games 24X7, My11Circle, Mobile Premier League (MPL), Fantasy Akhada, and MyTeam11, engage in fantasy sports. The surge in user engagement and investment during the IPL has directly fueled the rapid expansion of this sector, underscoring the transformation of fantasy sports from a niche pastime to a significant economic force. These gaming platforms offer more than just passive viewing; they invite active participation. Participants assemble their dream teams and earn points based on the performance of real players in actual games. The user base for these platforms is experiencing a surge during this IPL season, influencing everything from platform adoption to digital transactions. According to a report by Redseer Strategy Consultants, the fantasy sports revolution is gaining momentum in tier 2 cities and beyond in 2024, with over 65% of revenue originating from these local internet economies. With the current trends in the IPL season, fantasy sports revenue is anticipated to rise by 25-30% compared to 2023, reaching USD 500-525 million in IPL 2024. Impact on fantasy gaming industry The IPL's influence extends beyond cricket, catalyzing economic activity across industries, particularly in the fantasy gaming sector. This season witnesses a significant rise in revenue, with a substantial portion originating from tier 2 cities and beyond. Projections indicate a remarkable surge in revenue compared to previous years, reaching new heights. User Engagement Fantasy leagues have experienced a surge in popularity, with platforms like Dream11 and My 11 Circle offering immersive experiences that go beyond passive viewership. The IPL season sees a substantial increase in both daily active cash users and revenue per person, driven by enticing cash prizes and innovative initiatives. Explosive start With a fraction of matches already played, the IPL season demonstrates promising results for fantasy gaming platforms, achieving substantial revenue growth compared to business as usual. Successful marketing campaigns and new user adoption contribute to this early success. Innovative solutions and opportunities Fantasy gaming platforms have introduced innovative features and campaigns to enhance user experience and drive engagement. These include AI-powered features, higher cash prizes, engaging campaigns, and celebrity endorsements, making fantasy gaming more accessible and appealing than ever before. Macro view The surge in fantasy gaming during the IPL reflects a broader trend of integration between sports, technology, and economic activity. The IPL serves as a catalyst for this integration, benefiting various stakeholders and contributing to economic growth across different sectors.

JioCinema hints at new ad-free streaming plan

JioCinema has hinted at a potential shift with a new subscription plan. Speculation is rife that this plan could offer ad-free streaming of matches and other content. During the IPL match between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Delhi Capitals on April 20, an advertisement on X sparked curiosity among viewers. The ad teased a forthcoming change, stating, Change is constant, but your plan doesn't have to be. A new plan coming April 25th. The commercial depicted a couple watching TV with sports commentary in the background, interrupted by the question, To aaj kya plan hai? (What's the plan for today?), to which they reply, Aaj dekhenge series of ads (Today, we'll watch a series of ads). Change is constant, but your plan doesn't have to be A new plan. Coming April 25th. #JioCinema pic.twitter.com/aJ4FtsBl7J JioCinema (@JioCinema) April 21, 2024 While JioCinema's existing subscription plans cost INR 999 annually and INR 99 monthly, the platform has faced criticism for including ads despite subscription charges. Last year, when the platform streamed IPL matches for free, many viewed it as a strategy to acquire customers, anticipating a transition to paywalls in the future. While specifics of the new plan remain undisclosed, the ad suggests a forthcoming option to eliminate ads, catering to user preferences for uninterrupted viewing.

OpenAI onboards Pragya Misra as its first hire in India

OpenAI has hired Pragya Misra as its Head of Government Relations in India, as reported by Bloomberg. This comes amidst the General Lok Sabha elections, where AI regulations are under scrutiny. With a background in public relations, Misra previously worked at Truecaller, focusing on policy challenges and messaging strategies. Prior to that, she served as Communications Manager at WhatsApp India. Misra is expected to begin her role at OpenAI by the end of the month, indicating the organization's interest in navigating regulatory environments in India's AI landscape.

Meta AI blocks certain election-related queries in India

Meta has begun filtering out specific inquiries within its chatbot as the Indian general elections commenced. Last week, Meta initiated trials of its AI chatbot in India across WhatsApp, Instagram, and Messenger. Meta has acknowledged that it's limiting certain election-related keywords for the AI during this testing phase, with ongoing efforts to refine the AI response system, Techcrunch reported. This move aligns Meta with other major tech companies proactively adjusting the scope of their generative AI services ahead of significant elections. Concerns from critics revolve around the potential for AI to disseminate misleading or false information, impacting the democratic process. Last month, Google took similar steps by blocking election-related queries in its Gemini chatbot in India and other election-bound markets. Meta's strategy mirrors broader initiatives concerning content regulation in the run-up to elections. The company has pledged to halt political ads in the week leading up to any election globally and is actively identifying and disclosing AI-generated content in ads or other material. Meta's management of election-related AI queries involves a blocklist system. Queries about specific politicians, candidates, officeholders, and certain terms redirect users to the Election Commission's website. Meta has introduced a new Meta AI chatbot powered by Llama 3 in over a dozen countries, excluding India for now, where it remains in the testing phase. Currently, Meta AI isn't restricting queries related to U.S. elections, such as Tell me about Joe Biden. It remains unclear whether Meta intends to impose restrictions on Meta AI queries during U.S. elections or in other markets.

The Good Glamm Group's Sukhleen Aneja to move on

According to media reports,Sukhleen Aneja, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of The Good Glamm Group, is slated to depart from her role in July 2024. Aneja, who joined the direct-to-consumer (D2C) brand in 2021, brings nearly two decades of experience in the FMCG sector, having held significant positions at major companies such as Unilever, Reckitt, and L'Oral. In response to Aneja's departure, The Good Glamm Group has opted not to immediately appoint a new CEO. Instead, the company has announced strategic appointments within its leadership team. Ketan Bhatia and Ankita Bharadwaj have been named as Group Brand Director and Director of Brand and Marketing, respectively. They will spearhead the brand's business operations in tandem with Darpan Sanghvi, the group's founder and chief executive, reports stated. This transition signifies a shift in leadership dynamics within the company, as it navigates its future trajectory in the dynamic landscape of the consumer goods industry.

Havas Worldwide India strengthens its creative team with new appointments

Havas Worldwide India, the creative agency of Havas India, has strengthened its creative team with the appointment of Arjun Jetly, Neharika Awal, Ajitesh Verma, and Monish Gupta as Executive Creative Directors. Based out of Gurugram, all four will report to Anupama Ramaswamy, Chief Creative Officer of Havas Worldwide India, and will be responsible for further strengthening the creative offering of the agency. Speaking about the appointments, Anupama Ramaswamy , Chief Creative Officer, Havas Worldwide India, said, Now is the time for our work to shine. And I cant think of a better team to lead this than Neharika, Monish, Arjun and Ajitesh. Im delighted to welcome them into the Havas family. They are a dynamic bunch, brimming with new ideas, each having their own individual strengths, which will not just help the brands we work on but also the teams. I believe in their capabilities and mindset to take Havas Worldwide India to newer heights. In his second stint with Havas Worldwide India, Arjun Jetly was the brain behind some of Durexs most-loved campaigns including Mutual Climax and Invisible. He joins the agency from Cheil India and has also worked in agencies like The Glitch. Throughout his career, hes worked extensively on marquee brands from across categories including Durex, Veet, Mirinda, 7Up, Monkey Shoulder, Lays, Kurkure, Doritos, Cadbury, 5-Star, Horlicks, Eno, Happydent, Mentos, Adobe, MG Motor, to name a few. He has also won prestigious awards for his work, including Cannes Lions, Effies and ABBYs. Neharika Awal has joined Havas Worldwide India following an 8-year stint in Dentsu. Before Dentsu, she worked at Leo Burnett, Saatchi & Saatchi, Ogilvy and DDB Mudra. Through the course of her career, she has worked with leading brands including Honda Cars, OLX, Biba, Chaayos, Tasva, Canon and Dominos, to name a few, and has prominent awards including Effies and ABBYs to her name. Ajitesh Verma has worked with erstwhile Wunderman Thompson, BBDO India, McCann Worldwide and Leo Burnett before joining Havas Worldwide India. Some of his most accomplished work has been on brands from diverse sectors including Meta, The Times of India, Flipkart, PhonePe, Swiggy, Mountain Dew Global, Pepsi Foods, ITC, Britannia, Nestl and GSK. Throughout his career, Monish Gupta has managed a wide portfolio of brands, including some of the biggest names in Auto, Consumer Electronics, Lifestyle, Fashion, and Hospitality including Maruti Suzuki, Honda Bikes, Citron, LG, Samsung Phones, Myntra, and Burger King, among others. Monish who joins Havas Worldwide India from Leo Burnett has also worked at Dentsu, Lowe Lintas, erstwhile J Walter Thompson and Cheil.

Challenges of diminishing margins in the advertising business

There was a time in the golden era of advertising during the late last century (1975-1995) when high ranking management graduates straight from leading management institutes like the IIMs, XLRI used to queue up at campus interviews to join the advertising agency profession and make a mark in the industry. Some of the CEOs of leading ad agencies in the first two decades of the twenty-first century were actually from these premier institutes who had left lasting impact on the industry as well as the agencies they headed. How could agencies afford these management graduates who came at 50%+ premium over normal entries in the profession? The answer is simple: in those days agencies worked on 15% commission on conventional media and production, and were paid art charges based on rate cards. Media release costs have usually been 80-90% of the clients advertising spends and 15% compensation allowed the agencies to generate decent revenues and they could afford to pick up the best talents in the industry. The clients and their brands got far better quality of brand planning and strategies executed by teams led by these intellectually superior marketing driven advertising professionals trained at Indias best institutes. Compare these with the situation today as a result of depleting agency revenues. From the early part of this century, agency compensation models globally started coming under severe review by advertisers and the first victim was the slashing of the agency commission model. It started sliding down towards a deep gorge from 15% to 10% to 7.5% to 5% and even 2.5%. Over and above this, two other dynamics added to the woes of the agencies. With liberalization from the nineties, global agencies and their subsidiaries started following the big global brands that were entering the Indian market as well as proliferation of Indian agencies through breakaways of senior Indian professionals from MNC agencies as the advertising industry was maturing and somewhat saturating. My founding of BEI Confluence breaking away from McCann Erickson in 1998 is a case in point. With a large crowd of agencies, both international and indigenous, the dog-eat-dog phenomena in agency pitches began in full swing, and clients taking full advantage of this in getting many agencies and their pitch ideas as well as in commercial negotiations which in many cases started overtaking the professional considerations. This was the time when the retainer fee concept was globally introduced for agencies to protect their fixed cost, 50-60% of which was the salary cost as human talent is the only capital on which ad agencies can survive. In such competitive situations agencies often were compelled to accept sub-optimal compensation plans just to get the business and sustain. And quality of human resources became the first victim as agencies started compromising on quality and number of professionals to ensure their bottom-line. This model continues to be still the most acceptable one for creative and social/digital agencies, while the media agencies both in mainline and digital work on a media commission which is also on an ever sliding mode. Advertising as a business today is far more complex than it was a few decades back. The re-structuring of the larger MNC agencies into various specialized discipline based independent companies under holding groups have gained momentum and separate creative, media, digital, PR agencies today are the new order. As a result the 360 offering through a single window has now more to do with total services being offered by a Group or a Holding Company rather than one brand of the advertising agency. This being the trend of last 10 years or so, and the start-up agencies in India today are also being built on the platform of specialized skillsets and services, primarily in Digital. These start-up digital agencies built by advertising techies or tech buffs who may be rank outsiders in advertising, offer deep-tech services along with the basic hygiene like Social media are changing the rules of the game in many ways. They are far more experimentative and like to dabble with newer things and being fleet-footed and nimble, having lower overheads and working on a scale-up model, they offer a refreshing change from the conventional ad agencies with a Digital Division or even established Digital Agencies that are standalone or independent companies owned by large MNC groups. To survive in this complex advertising industry, existing and conventional 360 agencies need to re-invent and refersh themselves every few years to stay relevant and ahead of the curve. As tech-driven digital communication is the future of this industry, and agencies must invest in talent and technology to survive and grow. This is particularly applicable for fully independent Indian agencies some of whom are pretty large but lack access to the latest technology, while global agencies have the advantage of T&D, tools, technologies from the international Group HQ. Such refresh buttons can only be pressed by the larger Indian agency groups if they have access to adequate funds for investment and a vision to compete with the large MNC groups. With two Indian agencies in last one year going for IPOs is a sign that Indian agencies are alive to the challenge and are acquiring funds to make investments in tech-based domains to stay ahead and build their own brands of adverising agencies. While adequate finance is a continuing necessity to stay relevant, however every agencys core competence lies in the product it creates - the communication idea for its brands and its execution that positively impacts the brands life with the consumers. Impactful communication builds The Wow Factor that makes the agency stand apart from its peers and competition. These campaigns with The Wow Factor need to be suitably nurtured in the agency and selectively promoted through winning awards or publishing as case studies to help build the Agencys equity. The agencys professional equity and its robust financial standing is what I call The Worth Factor . While very few agencies can create The Wow Factor through their advertising consistently over a long period, The Worth Factor is a slow, brick by brick building process and while it substantially relies on The Wow Factor of their campaigns to build the agency brand, it also is dependent to a large extent on managing and controlling the business side of the agency on a sustained basis to build a strong organisation. Long term agency players have been built that way the world over. Sir Martin Sorrell was at the end of the day a businessman who built a huge advertising empire with an astronomical Worth Factor . This article is penned by Tapas Gupta , Chairman and Managing Director of BEI Confluence Communication Ltd. Disclaimer: The article features the opinion of the author and does not necessarily reflect the stance of the publication.

Brands creatives encourage citizens to exercise their right to vote

India's general elections, known as the Lok Sabha Elections, are a significant event in the country's democratic process. These elections determine the composition of the Lok Sabha, the lower house of India's Parliament, and play a crucial role in shaping the nation's future. With India's Lok Sabha Elections starting today, brands are actively encouraging citizens to exercise their right to vote. From social media posts to campaigns and digital ads, brands are emphasizing the importance of participation thereby urging citizens to step out and make their voices heard. By leveraging their platforms and influence, brands are playing an important role in promoting engagement and democracy in the country. This year, Manforce Condoms humorously asked its users to share the best use of their finger, indicating the importance of voting, Zomato emphasized the significance of voting by stating, 'Deciding what to eat is not as crucial as deciding who should lead.' With many brands sharing their own humorous takes on Election Day memes, here's a look at a few other brand creatives that we came across. Manforce Condoms View this post on Instagram A post shared by Manforce Condoms (@manforceindia) Zomato deciding what to eat is not as important as deciding who should lead. go out and vote in #LokSabaElections2024 zomato (@zomato) April 19, 2024 Swiggy Instamart Kuch daag acche hote hain. Do vote #LokSabhaElection2024 pic.twitter.com/R61TnbVxnR Swiggy Instamart (@SwiggyInstamart) April 19, 2024 Shaadi.com View this post on Instagram A post shared by Shaadi.com (@shaadi.com) Duroflex Mattress View this post on Instagram A post shared by Duroflex (@duroflexworld) Google India View this post on Instagram A post shared by Google India (@googleindia) Amul India View this post on Instagram A post shared by Amul - The Taste of India (@amul_india) Myntra The most stylish hand accessory you can flaunt: #ElectionDay pic.twitter.com/FFwqnEJJvY Myntra (@myntra) April 19, 2024 Eat Sure View this post on Instagram A post shared by EatSure - Foodcourt on an App (@eatsurenow) Extra Marks View this post on Instagram A post shared by Extramarks Education (@extramarks) Jeevansaathi.com For choosing For choosing right partner right leader pic.twitter.com/PySi2pqxoC Jeevansathi.com (@Jeevansathi_com) April 19, 2024 ixigo It's time to take the most important trip of the year Head out to vote in the #LokSabhaElections2024 ixigo (@ixigo) April 19, 2024 Did you come across any other interesting brand creatives encouraging citizens to exercise their right to vote that we missed out on? If yes, then share it with us at team@socialsamosa.com or post it in the comments section below.

Agnello Dias joins Spinach Experience Design as Co-founder

Agnello Dias , the former Creative Chairman of Dentsu and Co-founder of TaprootDentsu has joined Spinach Experience Design as Co-founder. Eshani Kumbhani , Co-founder at Spinach Experience Design, celebrated Dias' arrival in a LinkedIn post , considering it a transformative moment for the company. She expressed her pride in announcing Dias as the #cofounder of Spinach, emphasizing his invaluable role in taking the company to the next level. With over three decades of experience in creative excellence, strategy, and leadership, Dias has left a mark on the advertising industry. His previous role at Dentsu earned global recognition, positioning the agency among the top 20 independent agencies worldwide. Now serving as Director of Growth, Strategy, and Customer Experience at Spinach, Dias is poised to drive innovation and enhance the company's market position. Dias' journey in advertising includes notable contributions at agencies like JWT and Leo Burnett India, culminating in the co-founding of Taproot India, later acquired by Dentsu.

Iconic onboards ODN for e-commerce content management

ODN (Open Doors Now) has bagged the e-commerce creatives and content mandate for the E-commerce platform Iconic along with their in-house brand Iconic and international luxury brands including GANT, True Religion, Just Cavalli, DKNY, Antony Morato, Elle, Lindbergh, Brunn & Stengade and others. ODN has been tasked with creating and deploying comprehensive e-commerce Product Detail Page (PDP) content for Iconic. This includes conceptualising and conducting e-commerce catalogue shoots, crafting search-friendly and optimized product descriptions, taking listings live on all online marketplaces, and ensuring consistent content deployment across channels. The goal is to help Iconic get more conversions across all the e-commerce platforms. Narinder Mahajan , CEO and Co-founder of ODN, said, At ODN we are committed to delivering content that not only showcases each brand's unique identity but also focuses on growing their online presence. The strategy for ICONIC will be to maximize sales and engagement through Content Strategy and Creation of Commerce Content Iconic AVP of e-commerce and Social Media, Ujjawal Kothari said, ICONIC has always focused on creating a luxurious shopping experience for its customers. The onboarding of ODN will help in the quick go-live of the products and the shopping experience for our customers by providing them with accurate, informative, and visually appealing content. The transformative online content display will be strategically re-designed to give a completely new look aligned with the brand ethos.

Media.Monks India onboards Shouvik Roy as Chief of Brand Marketing

Media.Monks India has appointed Shouvik Roy as the Chief of Brand Marketing to spearhead business transformation. Bringing his experience and entrepreneurial spirit to the table, Roy assumes the role of orchestrating strategies, to fuel the expansion of the clientele at Media.Monks India. Roys role at Media.Monks will be working closely with Robert Godinho, the Managing Director at Media.Monks India, who was promoted to drive the companys renewed focus on growth in the Indian market. Reflecting on his appointment, Shouvik Roy said, Witnessing Media.Monks journey since its inception has been inspiring. I strongly believe that India is poised to embrace the transformative potential of a creative, tech-native content company. Collaborating with Media.Monks and the exceptionally talented team here is a thrilling prospect. With a career spanning over 25 years in the branding and marketing domain, Roy boasts a track record of heading and co-founding successful advertising, content, and design ventures, including names like Elephant, and YAAP. While he continues to lead Brand Marketing at G.O.A.T Brand Labs in a consultative capacity, he served as President at Ogilvy prior to that. His portfolio encompasses collaborations with global and regional clients across sectors. Robert Godinho , Managing Director at Media.Monks India commented, Transformative growth isn't merely a choice but a necessity and Shouvik's strategic foresight and innovative mindset resonate deeply with our vision for Media.Monks India. Shouvik's seasoned expertise in fostering boardroom relationships and his proficiency in harnessing data-driven insights tied in with our legacy strengths of Tech and innovations will shape creative solutions and fortify our journey with our clients. In the ever-evolving digital realm, Media.Monks India acknowledges the critical significance of addressing the nuanced requirements of high-value clientele, whose multifaceted demands necessitate tailor-made solutions. Through a concerted focus on this segment, Media.Monks endeavors to reinforce its stature as a top-tier collaborator for brands aspiring to amplify their digital footprint and achieve tangible business objectives. As we further integrate India into the global Monks ecosystem, leveraging the transformative AI capabilities of Flow.Monks and Persona.Flow, we are poised to deliver unparalleled value and innovation on both regional and global scales, remarked Matthew Godfrey , EVP, Head of Content, APAC.

Disney's Venke Sharma joins Sprinklr

Venke Sharma joined Sprinklr as VP - Global Head of Product Strategy. He will be responsible for refining the product narrative for Sprinklr Insights and improving GTM, simplifying implementation and driving adoption. Prior to joining Sprinklr, Sharma was a part of The Walt Disney Company for an 11-year tenure during which he handled various responsibilities including Digital Marketing, CRM, Consumer Strategy and Innovation. In 2013 he started with a mandate to build and nurture the Digital Marketing and CRM capability across Star India Network. He then executed numerous digital marketing campaigns including, 'Satyamev Jayate' for Star Plus, IPL, PKL launch campaigns and the iconic Mauka Mauka for Star Sports. He established 'The Distillery,' Disney Stars data-driven analytics nerve centre, which soon transformed into a global insights hub collaborating with various Disney teams worldwide. With more than 24 years of experience, Sharma started his professional career at Mudra Communications where he was the general manager for three years. He has also been a part of Arc Worldwide (India) and Leo Burnett Indonesia.

Cannes Lions unveils its 2024 programme

The Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativitys 2024 extensive content programme will showcase more than 150 hours of content, with around 500 speakers from across the spectrum of creativity. The Festival runs from 17 to 21 June, in Cannes, France. About this years line-up, Natasha Woodwal , Director of Content, LIONS, said, Our open call for content gives us unparalleled insight into what matters most to the industry right now, and weve used this to design a programme filled with a diversity of voices offering different perspectives of global challenges. Speakers include creatives, monks, comedians, artists, filmmakers, scientists, economists, trend forecasters and Paralympians its reflective of the multifaceted world of creativity. Simon Cook , CEO, of LIONS, added, Weve identified the key areas that are top of mind for our industry and community and used these to create five core content streams that will run throughout the Festival. This line-up of world-class talent will share the thinking, processes and techniques that led to the most successful and most awarded work and provide our community with the ultimate tools, insights and knowledge they need to drive personal and business growth. The content programmes five streams are: Insights and Trends: Strategic challenges, consumer behaviours, cultural shifts and creative thinking driving the industry forward are the spotlight in this stream.P&Gs Marc Pritchard, Tejal Vishalpura, SVP, Commercial Strategy and Marketing, Novo Nordisk, withQueen Latifah, Artist, Actor, Producer and Entrepreneur will take the stage to address how creativity and community are changing the way the world thinks about weight. Innovation Unwrapped: Providing an unmissable guide to the pioneers, technologies and transformations set to revolutionise tomorrow, the Innovation Unwrapped stream will welcomeVidhya Srinivasan, Vice-President and General Manager, Advertising, Google, andAlexander Chen, Director, Creative Lab, Google, VCCPs Clare Hutchinson, R/GAs Tiffany RolfeandIPGs Jeriad Zoghbywill urge delegates to embrace commerce as the next creative frontier. The Creativity Toolbox: The ultimate portfolio of craft, processes and techniques to help you achieve creative excellence explained by award-winning creatives and brands. The session will includeTrevor Robinson OBE, Founder and Executive Creative Director, Quiet Storm, Koji Yanai, Group Senior Executive Officer, Director of the Board, Fast Retailing Co., Ltd., andTakuma Takasaki, Growth Officer, Executive Creative Director of Dentsu Group Inc. Talent and Cultures: The people and practices behind creative organisations that thrive.Ali Rez, Chief Creative Officer, Impact BBDO,Nayla Tueni, Editor-in-Chief, AnNahar Newspaper,Jay Shetty, Global Best-Selling Author, Award-Winning Storyteller, Former MonkandJay Shetty,Lynne Biggar, BCG Senior Advisor at Boston Consulting Group and Former Global Chief Marketing Officer, Visa will be present at speakers. Creative Impact: Proving the value and effectiveness of creativity, speakers includeMarcus Collins, Professor and Author, University of Michigan, andKory Marchisotto, Chief Marketing Officer, e.l.f. Beauty, Keys Soulcare and Chief Growth Officer for Kraft Heinz, Diana Frost. As previously announced, Cannes Lions has launched LIONS Creators. This new experience includes a curated mix of exclusive learning and networking opportunities for creators and those in the wider creator economy. The programme will include a full day of creator-centric content on the Terrace Stage, recognising the creator economy as a rapidly growing and increasingly important part of the marketing mix.

Harikrishnan Pillai and Manish Solanki of TheSmallBigIdea on scaling globally

In large boardroom meetings, often there is someone in one of the corners who diverts the discussion off topic and talks about healthcare, sports, movies, or some personal anecdotesomething very trivial. From these small insights, an idea is often picked that turns into something big. This Small idea which turns into something Big is the thought that the founders of TheSmallBigIdea had when naming the agency. What started as a home-grown creative agency has now completed 10 years in the industry and has ventured into the MENA region. In the span of 10 years, TSBI has made a name for itself and has bagged some notable clientele in the industry working on distinctive campaigns. As the agency celebrates 10 years in the A&M industry, Harikrishnan Pillai , Founder & CEO, TheSmallBigIdea and Manish Solanki , Co-Founder & COO, TheSmallBigIdea speak to Social Samosa about the agencys beginnings, trajectory, significant campaigns, expansion, technology, AI, state of the industry, managing people, building a business and more. Small idea, big agency Pillai candidly shares that the motivation behind starting TSBI was opportunitythe potential financial prospects. In the marketing space, you spot opportunities and money flowing in a certain direction, and you view that positively. When you want to grow faster, you pivot, he remarks. He says that from their (him and Solanki) B-school days and early jobs at Zee and Reliance, they were always driving the digital narrative. Sharing an instance from 2007, Pillai recalls that he created a project that advocated for advertising inside gaming. The CEO mentions that TSBI has solidified its standing in the entertainment space over the years. Over the years, TSBI has become established in people's minds as a strong agency in the entertainment category. We're sought after by broadcast, OTT platforms, music labels, and actors. Even non-entertainment brands approach us to help push the boundaries of storytelling, he shares. Mentioning the other reason behind TSBIs standing in the industry, he says, Another key pillar for us over the last decade has been our strong culture, leading to high client and employee retention. This has solidified our position as a reputable agency. Speaking about what have been the reasons behind TSBIs success and continued sustenance in the industry, Pillai lists down a few key elements. For any category or brand to grow, you have to focus on the basics. Regardless of how complex an industry may be, competence is key. At TSBI, we believe in mastering the basics. So, what are these basics? They involve being insight-driven, ensuring that your delivery matches the quality of your ideas. In my experience, agencies that simply present great ideas without solid delivery rarely succeed. That's where our focus lies. We prioritise insights, we're outcome-oriented, and we consistently deliver. This approach has led to long-term partnerships, he expounds. Secondly, we prioritise effectiveness over flashiness. Just because AI is trending doesn't mean it's the answer to everything. While we embrace new technologies, we're selective. Our clients appreciate that we focus on what works best for them, making their marketing investments efficient. This dedication to evolving and maximising returns has earned us trust, he adds and goes on, Ultimately, it all boils down to economics. Your creative efforts should drive tangible outcomes, not just accumulate awards. Building a strong brand requires a solid return on investment and a mutually beneficial relationship with clients. Talking about some of the memorable campaigns that have helped TSBI make a mark in the industry, Pillai points to the campaign that the agency did for the movie Badhaai Ho. TSBI claims to be one of the first agencies to introduce shoulder content to movie marketing and the entertainment arena overall. Prior to that, only trailers and songs of the movies were released before the movies release. He also mentions the campaign they did for GreatWhite Global featuring actor Varun Sharma. Solanki recalls a campaign TSBI did for Tourism Thailand titled The Great Girly Getaway. He recalls how it was the first country to promote itself as a women's first destination and was used by the government of Thailand for three years. An ad agency is only as good as its talent. To execute these small, big ideas that the agency believes in, finding the right employees is also of utmost importance. Sharing details about the agencys hiring process, Pillai says, When we're hiring for a senior position, accuracy is paramount. We're seeking individuals with subject matter expertise, a clear focus on their objectives, and a solid understanding of the relevant category. On hiring junior employees, the founders say that they look for individuals with intense passion and dedication to advertising. Regardless of the position, a key question they ask candidates is why they want to join the agency. Sometimes, even highly qualified candidates may not be the right fit if their career aspirations diverge significantly from ours. Ultimately, we prioritise subject matter expertise, genuine passion for the work, and alignment of career goals with those of the company. It's crucial for both parties to be on the same page regarding their professional trajectories, adds the CEO. Adapting to technology and thoughts on AI The founders mention that while adapting to changing technology has been a focus, the agency does not latch on to any novel technology just for the sake of it. Our primary focus has been on evaluating strategies that don't require constant adaptation. We aim to ensure that our approaches have a significant impact. For instance, when the Metaverse emerged, we took practical steps that could affect various aspects, such as press conferences or merchandise distribution for upcoming events. We evaluate each initiative based on its impact on the business, alongside ensuring cost-effectiveness. We prioritise impactful trends, albeit not too many at once, Pillai elaborates. He goes on, In terms of technology adoption, we follow a meticulous process. We initially experiment with new technologies through a trial phase with selected brands to assess their effectiveness. We then evaluate whether the technology saves time, enhances efficiency, increases revenue, and fits into our economic model. Any technology that doesn't contribute to scalable and profitable operations is not pursued further. For instance, while AI in cinema sounds promising, if it doesn't improve efficiency or profitability, it's not worthwhile. The founders emphasise scalability and mass adoption as factors one must consider when adopting new technologies. We must consider scalability and speed in adopting new technologies. Technologies like Generative AI show potential, but until they become scalable and faster, their mass adoption remains uncertain. Mass adoption of technologies, whether in advertising or any other industry, occurs when they become accessible and beneficial on a large scale. We've seen this pattern with mobile phones and 3G technology, where affordability and accessibility drove widespread adoption, remarks the CEO. In advertising, as in other sectors, mass scalability and adaptability are essential for the widespread use of AI. Therefore, we explore various technologies and adopt those that help us maintain agility, relevance, and profitability, he adds. Sharing his thoughts on generative AI, Pillai illustrates with an example, Around 15-20 years ago, if someone needed a print ad, they'd take a stencil and sketch it out. Then came tools like Photoshop, CorelDRAW, or Illustrator, and subsequently visual imagery evolved, seamlessly integrating into our workflow. This shift meant we went from producing a hundred creatives a month to a thousand. The technology not only created more jobs and opportunities but also increased our output significantly. The same principle applies to generative AI. As generative AI becomes more prevalent, people will pivot from being designers to becoming adept prompt engineers. They'll refine and streamline processes, turning out not just numerous creatives but quality ones too. However, he emphasises that AI cannot replace human creativity, remarking, It's crucial to note that while generative AI can replicate ideas, it lacks the ingenuity and nuance of the human mind. Take comedy, for instance. You can't replicate the timing and delivery of a joke with the same finesse as a human. Our minds have evolved over billions of years, whereas technology has only advanced for a few decades. So, while technology enhances our efficiency, it can't replace the creativity and complexity of the human mind. Similarly, sharing his perspective on generative AI, Solanki says, If you go and use MidJourney and generate images, after several repetitions, you start seeing a pattern, the results become repetitive and similar. That is why I think AI cannot replace human creativity. You need that emotion, that human ingenuity to create something remarkable. Client relationships, expansion, and industry On venturing into the MENA region, Pillai mentions that the motivation behind the move was the enormous potential the Gulf region holds. He says that the logistical challenges werent as much as understanding the cultural nuances of the region. Consequently, he mentions that one of the first hires that TSBI did in the MENA region was that of someone who could acquaint the agency with the intricacies of the Gulf culture and help formulate their product accordingly. TSBI has developed solid relationships with clients over the years and has witnessed a high retention rate. On the elements that lead to good agency-client relationships, Pillai says, When we work with clients, it's about having a partnership where we align with their objectives. It's about mutual respect too. We prefer clients who see us as experts in helping them build their brand. They outsource certain work because they're not looking to build capacities in-house. What's changed with the trials is that the brands we work with now have a lot of mutual respect. They recognize what we bring to the table, and we operate as partners. However, that doesn't mean we always agree on everything. We do have discussions and arguments, but ultimately, the end objective of the brands is clear in our minds. He further illuminates, Everything we do is measured. There's nothing we present to a client that isn't measured. This gives clear, objective clarity on our actions. We focus on ideas with clear audience measurability, ensuring success can be easily determined. These are the reasons why our partner relationships are so successful. Partners also act as mentors, helping us grow. We treat them exactly as we expect to be treated by clients as professionals. Most industry problems don't require high-level thinking; they lie in understanding objectives, delivering results, and being measurable. Ensuring these aspects are in place nurtures relationships and ensures success, - Harikrishnan Pillai. Foreseeing the future, the founders share the long-term and short-term goals of the agency. Solanki says that TSBI aims to go fully global in the long term and to become an India-born agency to operate on a global scale. In the short term, Pillai reveals that the agency is working with Mumbai Indians for the ongoing IPL. Along with that, TSBI has been working with JioCinema, which it aims to continue and amplify. The agency will be focusing on growing in Dubai as part of the MENA region expansion. As entrepreneurs, the founders have learned a lot of valuable lessons in the industry in the past 10 years. Sharing advice for upcoming entrepreneurs, Pillai says, Focus on building your own niche. You might end up delivering more services, but being an expert in one service is what will build your name. In management, its called building a T personality, which means you are good at a lot of things but you are best at this one particular thing. Besides this, Solanki says that as a founder, one should emphasise taking care of your employees. Its the biggest investment you can makeits not the technology or equipments, but the people that make your agency. Pillai also emphasises not undercutting and undervaluing oneself. He says that initially, you might think that it will give you business, but in the long run, youll be walking on really thin ice vis-a-vis sustaining financially. Always be margin-conscious because it would only take a snap of a finger for that cookie to crumble, he adds.

Meta rolls out its upgraded AI assistant powered by Llama 3

Meta has rolled out an upgraded version of its AI assistant, powered by Llama 3. Built with Meta Llama 3, Meta AI is readily available on users' phones, at no cost. It can be accessed on various platforms including Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Messenger, empowering users to accomplish tasks, acquire knowledge, unleash creativity, and foster connections with the subjects that resonate with them. The introduction of Meta AI was initially unveiled last year but its accessibility is now spreading across the globe, offering users in more than a dozen countries outside of the US the opportunity to engage with it in myriad ways. With Meta AI now available in Australia, Canada, Ghana, Jamaica, Malawi, New Zealand, Nigeria, Pakistan, Singapore, South Africa, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, its presence continues to expand. Meta AI is also extending its accessibility beyond mobile devices with the launch of meta.ai, the website. Users can now rely on Meta AI's assistance while working at their computers, offering support for a variety of tasks. Whether facing a challenging math problem or seeking guidance to craft a more polished work email, Meta AI is at your service. Additionally, users can log in to save their conversations with Meta AI for convenient future reference. The company has also expanded its presence into search functionality across Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Messenger with users now being able to access real-time information from various sources on the web without the need to navigate between different applications. For instance, when planning a ski trip within a Messenger group chat, users can utilize the search feature within Messenger to task Meta AI with finding flights from New York to Colorado and determining the weekends with the least crowds, all without exiting the Messenger app. Users can conveniently engage with Meta AI while browsing their Facebook Feed as well. If they encounter a post that piques their interest, they have the option to request additional information directly from the post itself. For example, if they come across a captivating photo of the northern lights in Iceland, they can inquire with Meta AI about the optimal time of year to witness the aurora borealis. Along with all the above-mentioned features, Meta AI is also introducing a faster image generation capability, enabling users to transform their text into images in real time through its Imagine feature. However, this feature is being rolled out in beta on WhatsApp and the Meta AI web experience in the US specifically. Through this new faster image generation capability, as users type, they will witness an image materialize, evolving with each subsequent keystroke, allowing them to observe as Meta AI brings their ideas to fruition. Moreover, the generated images boast sharper quality and higher resolution, with improved capacity to incorporate text within the images. Additionally, Meta AI offers helpful prompts suggesting ideas to modify the image, enabling users to refine their creations from the initial concept. Furthermore, the innovation extends beyond mere image generation. Should users come across an image they admire, they can task Meta AI to animate it, apply different artistic styles, or even transform it into a GIF for sharing with friends.

Sunil Narula on how Panasonic Life Solutions India engages consumers through an influencer-driven marketing strategy

Indias Electrical Materials market was valued at USD 6550.3 million in 2022 and is anticipated to project growth of 13.82% through the forecast period of 2024 to 2031. Although the products are technical, there is consumer interest in wiring devices, particularly switches that match the aesthetics of their homes. Consumers look for switches that complement the colour of their walls or match the look and feel of their rooms and the advertisements that follow this market emphasise the same. As consumer preferences evolve, many households make important decisions about electrical supplies such as wires, cables, switches, and lighting. However, generating excitement among end consumers, such as people renovating or building new houses, can be challenging, as per Sunil Narula , Senior VP Sales & Marketing, Panasonic Life Solutions India (PLSI). This is where the B2B business model plays a pivotal role as reaching out to consumers is directed through their network of 'influencers', mainly the electricians, architects, and interior designers, who guide consumer decisions. While these choices are important to a home's functionality, consumers rely on recommendations from professionals in the electrical construction materials and consumer durable markets. With the B2B model, they are more likely to engage in long-term business relationships with their customers. Research suggests that almost 30% of B2B clients are fully engaged, and up to 50% of companies have been using the same vendors over the last five years. The chance of selling to a new customer is 5% to 20%, whereas selling to an existing customer is 60% to 70%. This model helps brands generate up to 30% of its total revenue from existing customers. In an interaction with Social Samosa, Narula mentions that PLSI focuses on creating awareness and driving demand by offering products that cater to the needs and preferences of both consumers and these influencers. The company specialises in Switchgears, Wires, Cables & Tapes, Conduit pipes, Lighting, Solar, Housing, Power Tools and Indoor Air Quality and Narula highlights that influencers play a key role in driving sales. Narula shares how, through influencer engagement, tailored marketing campaigns, and a focus on both B2B and B2C channels, Panasonic Life Solutions India is shaping its marketing strategy. Edited Excerpts: Sunil, you have 20+ years of experience in the manufacturing and electrical appliances category. How has this journey shaped your approach towards crafting marketing strategies for Panasonic Life Solutions India? The products we offer at Panasonic are slightly different from those I worked with in the first 1516 years of my career. We are involved in the manufacturing and marketing of electrical construction materials such as switches, wires, and cables. While these products are driven by consumer demand and there is significant consumer involvement in purchasing decisions, a major aspect of our strategy also involves influencer engagement. As a marketer, my responsibility is crucial in bringing influencers on board and ensuring that we remain top of mind for them. Influencers play a key role in driving sales. In the B2C channel, the main influencer is the electrician, who plays a vital role in ensuring the acceptance of our brand at both the electrician and consumer levels. In the B2B channel, influencers include architects, interior designers, and electrical consultants. These influencers require different engagement strategies. For electricians, we focus on direct engagement to build brand acceptance. For architects, interior designers, and electrical consultants, we provide platforms such as exhibitions and events to help them understand our product offerings. This is a more evolved audience that requires a different approach. To summarize, we have two major sets of influencers: in the B2C channel, electricians play a key role; in the B2B channel, architects, interior designers, and electrical consultants are the primary influencers. Our marketing strategies are tailored to meet the needs of each group effectively. Could you walk me through some of the brand's advertising campaigns and the research and insights that shape these advertising campaigns? While I have discussed the role of influencers, we can't neglect the end consumer. In India, consumers play a critical role in decision-making, even for technically complex products they may not use regularly. Our marketing strategies are divided into two parts: one focused on consumers and the other on influencers. To engage with consumers and create brand awareness, we use above-the-line (ATL) advertising. We've conducted multiple campaigns, initially positioning ourselves with the tagline Naye India Ke Badhte Load Ke Liye where Anchor by Panasonic was positioned as a brand that supports the increasing load in growing India. Our recent campaign during Diwali was called Load Lega Leader, emphasizing our leadership in the industry and our ability to tackle challenges for our customers. On the other hand, we've been active in below-the-line (BTL) activations. We've introduced an app called Smart Saver, available to electricians, which helps them become part of our program. By joining the program, they receive incentives for promoting our products. For example, if an electrician buys a bundle of wire and is part of the Smart Saver program, they can scan the QR code on the wire box to earn points, which can then be converted to cash and transferred to their bank account. This year, we've enhanced our activation and engagement programs to offer greater benefits to electricians working with our customers. As a result, we've seen significant growth in our active electrician base, from 25,000 at the beginning of the year to over 35,000 by the end of the financial year. Could you share the target audience based on geographies and segments? Our target audience is primarily segmented based on geographies and market segments. We cater mainly to the entry-level and mid-range consumers, where most of our products are sold. We also have premium offerings, such as wiring devices, aimed at consumers in the premium space. Overall, approximately 90% of our products target the mass market, offering value-for-money products, while the remaining 10% of our business caters to the premium audience, offering products that deliver money for value. From 'Load Lega Leader' to 'Right Light' and more, could you elaborate on the themes that the brand aims to communicate through its marketing campaigns? Who is your target audience? As I've mentioned before, our category is heavily influenced by industry professionals. Generating excitement among end consumers, such as people renovating or building new houses, can be challenging. When it comes to products like wires, MCBs (Miniature Circuit Breakers), or switches, consumer decision-making is often limited due to the technical aspects involved. Typically, decisions are guided by the recommendations of retailers or electricians involved in the project. For instance, if something goes wrong with your home's electrical system, such as a faulty switch, you'd likely call an electrician to fix it. After paying for the repair, you might not know whether the electrician used the correct amperage for the replacement switch. Although our products are technical, there is consumer interest in wiring devices, particularly switches that match the aesthetics of the home. Consumers seek switches that complement the colour of their walls or match the look and feel of their rooms, such as their bedroom or living room. Our marketing campaigns focus on the aesthetics and variety we offer, such as glass plates or colour plates, which appeal to consumers making purchasing decisions during renovation or when buying a new house. By highlighting these features, we aim to engage consumers and encourage them to consider our products. How does the brand leverage various elements of the marketing mix to maximize its impact? Could you share the mediums utilised for the same? When it comes to large-scale consumer campaigns, we rely on two major mediums: television and digital. Television serves as the primary medium for our campaigns, while digital plays a crucial supporting role, especially when engaging with the new generation of consumers. Additionally, we use a mix of out-of-home advertising and print to supplement our campaigns. To engage with influencers, we focus on below-the-line activations. These activations primarily occur at retail stores and channel partner locations, driven by our ground sales team in the market. Various activations are conducted by the team to engage with influencers. These are the main mediums and approaches we use to reach our target audience and maximize the impact of our marketing campaigns. I read that the brand hiked its overall spends by 2.5x on social media marketing last year. What role does social media play for the brand? Could you share the allocation of ad spends across mediums? Below-the-line activations account for approximately 70-75% of our budget, while the remaining 25% typically goes to above-the-line (ATL) advertising. Within ATL, we've significantly increased our spending on digital media, expanding our digital budget by 2.5 times last year and planning to maintain a similar ratio this year. We may continue increasing our digital spending in the future as the market evolves. Regarding the increase in social media marketing, although television still has the highest penetration among our target audience, the growing internet audience and widespread smartphone usage mean a large portion of the audience is shifting to digital platforms. People spend significant time on their mobile devices, making it an effective medium for reaching consumers. However, the limited attention span on small screens presents challenges. Advertisers must determine the most effective methods of delivering messages. We work extensively to find the right campaign duration for platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp to keep the messaging concise and impactful. Like many other major brands, we are continuously learning how to best engage consumers through social media, focusing on delivering crisp and effective messaging. In your observation, what are the trends within the consumer durables and electrical equipment category, and how does Panasonic leverage these trends in its product development and marketing strategies? Over the last two to three years, I've observed two significant trends within the consumer durables and electrical equipment category. The first trend is the rise of regional players. Five or six years ago, competition in our industry was primarily between large national players. However, in recent years, many regional players have emerged, increasing competition significantly. This increase has affected both retailer choices and overall price points. The second trend relates to consumer preferences. There's a clear increase in demand for premium products, with higher sales and interest in that segment. On the other hand, entry-level products are also seeing a surge in demand. The middle space, which was stable five to six years ago, has seen a dip in overall revenue and offtake. So, while entry-level and premium products are experiencing growth, the middle market is struggling. These are the two major trends: the rise of regional players and the changes in price point dynamics. With events like the Indian Premier League and Elections happening around this time, does the brand plan on leveraging them for its marketing initiatives? If so, how does the brand intend to make the most of these opportunities? We were part of the previous Cricket World Cup last year and invested significantly in that platform. We leveraged it effectively and received positive responses from the audience, resulting in improvements in key parameters such as top-of-mind brand awareness and Net Promoter Score (NPS). Any association with major cricket events in India provides an advantage, and we strongly believe in the impact of such partnerships. However, we are not participating in this year's Indian Premier League (IPL) or election campaigns. Instead, we are in the process of formulating the right strategy for next year. This first quarter may not be very active for us in terms of above-the-line advertising, but we will focus heavily on below-the-line (BTL) initiatives for the next quarter. Could you elaborate on how you are planning out your marketing strategy for the next quarter? We are looking at extensively increasing our engagement with our influencers over the next quarter. This includes focusing on electricians, architects, and consultants. We are ramping up our investment in the digital platform we've established over the last five years, offering various incentives and on-ground activations for our influencers. This strategy will drive our investment in multiple programs for influencers over the next six to nine months. As we approach the festive season, around November to December, we plan to launch above-the-line (ATL) campaigns and explore available opportunities for advertising during that period. What specific skills do you believe are essential for marketers today, particularly in the rapidly evolving landscape of technology and consumer behaviour? AI has taken the marketing world by storm over the past year. Organizations and individuals are increasingly relying on AI for various tasks, such as generating ideas, crafting small content pieces for stakeholders, and more. AI is becoming a crucial part of marketing strategy, and its applications are expected to expand over time, including market segmentation, consumer behaviour analysis, and research that traditionally relies on external agencies and manual methods. In terms of essential skills, today's marketers must be tech-savvy. Those who understand technology well and grasp how new-age consumers use it will thrive. New-age marketers need to comprehend consumer behaviour and consumption habits, particularly in relation to digital content. Being able to adapt quickly to emerging trends and technologies is important. Marketers should aim to upgrade their skills every couple of years to stay current with market offerings and technological advancements. This approach mirrors the IT industry, where professionals regularly update their skills to stay competitive. Marketers in today's landscape need to be proactive in keeping their knowledge and skills up to date.

Publicis Groupe announces modifications in its governance structure

Publicis Groupe has announced a proposed change to the companys governance, that will be put to a shareholder vote at its Annual General Meeting on 29 th May 2024. Publicis has experienced sustained momentum in recent years, prompting Maurice Lvy, Chairman of the Supervisory Board, to propose changes to the company's governance to the Groupe's governing bodies, in anticipation of the end of his mandate in 2025, aimed at further supporting this dynamic and the leadership teams behind it. This change would see the company shift from a structure corporation with a Supervisory Board and Management Board (Directoire), and instead adopt the more widespread model of a single structure corporation with a Board of Directors. Following a lengthy and rigorous process, the Supervisory Board unanimously approved the proposal, which will be subject to a vote by shareholders during the upcoming Annual General Meeting. In this new structure, Arthur Sadoun would become Chairman and CEO of the Board. His appointment would be accompanied by the creation of the role of Lead Director, and the reinforcement of the Boards committees, as part of a well-balanced governance model and in line with AFEP-MEDEF guidelines. While, Maurice Lvy, Chairman of the Supervisory Board, would be named Chairman Emeritus for the Groupe to continue to benefit from his insight, experience, and leadership. In addition to attending board meetings, Maurice Lvy would preside over a mixed group of board members and executives, with a clear focus on innovation and foresight. These changes would allow for the continuation of the partnership formed by Lvy and Sadoun, which in the past seven years has seen Publicis become first in the industry on market capitalization. Publicis Groupe has a long history of anticipating change and transforming itself to face the future commented Maurice Lvy, Chairman of the Supervisory Board. The primary responsibility of any board is to ensure that a company has both the governance structure and the teams it needs to lead it forward. With this in mind, I proposed changing the governance of the Groupe to put in place a Board of Directors, with Arthur Sadoun as Chairman and CEO. Its the most effective way of maintaining the Groupes success, now and in the long term. Im delighted that the Supervisory Board was unanimous in its approval of this change, and confident that our shareholders will give it their support, seeing it as the means of preserving and perpetuating the outstanding results that have taken our group to new heights. The aim of this change in governance is simple: to preserve the driving forces behind Groupes success and maintain the model that has made Publicis our industrys most valuable company in terms of market capitalization. It will also allow us to continue the duo that we have formed with Maurice Lvy since 2017, which has seen Publicis extract itself from the pack and emerge as a clear leader in our sector. The continuity of our partnership, combined with the incredible talent of our teams around the world and our best-in-class capabilities make us more confident than ever in our ability to help our clients transform and thrive in this ever-changing environment, and drive even greater value and innovation for all of our stakeholders. For those reasons, I hope that our shareholders will support this proposal said Arthur Sadoun, Chairman and CEO of Publicis Groupe.

Uorfi Javed dresses up as bread for the collaboration with The Health Factory

The Health Factory announces its latest collaboration with actor Uorfi Javed. This partnership marks a significant step in the brand's mission to inspire healthier eating habits by advocating for the consumption of the right bread for daily nutritional needs. Partnering up with fashion and social media icon Uorfi Javed, known for setting fashion trends, The Health Factory aims to captivate Gen Z and a broader audience through a social media reel. The reel ad will be shared across various digital and social media platforms and major media channels, offering entertaining content to encourage viewers to choose healthier Original Zero Maida Bread over regular whole wheat or brown bread. Expressing her excitement about the collaboration, Uorfi Javed said,As an actor, I hold deep commitment to staying healthy. I consciously opt for clean eating, prefer gluten free products as it is the way to go for a healthier gut, whilepropogatinghealthier lifestyle choices. The Health Factory's initiative is inspiring millennials and Gen Zs to reimagine their bread choices. It's been an absolute joy being a part of this campaign. At the heart of this collaboration lies the message encapsulated in the slogan #Bread Badlo Aadat Nahi (Change the Bread, Not the Habit), reflecting The Health Factory's stance on reshaping attitudes towards bread consumption. Through compelling content, the collaboration aims to disseminate this message to a wider audience across various digital platforms.

Meta's Oversight Board investigates explicit AI-generated images on Instagram & Facebook

The Oversight Board, Meta's semi-independent policy council, is shifting its focus to the handling of explicit, AI-generated images on the company's social platforms. Two separate investigations have been announced concerning how Instagram in India and Facebook in the U.S. managed AI-generated images of public figures after Meta's systems failed to adequately detect and respond to the explicit content. Following these incidents, both platforms have removed the media. The Oversight Board intervenes in cases regarding Meta's moderation decisions. Users are required to first appeal to Meta regarding a moderation action before approaching the Oversight Board. Regarding the initial case, the board explained that a user flagged an AI-generated nude image of a public figure from India as pornography on Instagram. This image was shared by an account dedicated to posting AI-generated images of Indian women, with the majority of its audience based in India. Meta initially failed to remove the image despite the report, and the report ticket was automatically closed after 48 hours without further review by the company. Subsequent appeals by the original complainant also resulted in automatic closures without Meta's oversight. Consequently, despite two reports, the explicit AI-generated image remained on Instagram. Only after the user appealed to the Oversight Board did the company take action to remove the objectionable content, citing a breach of its community standards on bullying and harassment. The second case pertains to Facebook, where a user shared an explicit AI-generated image resembling a U.S. public figure within a group dedicated to AI creations. The social network promptly removed the image since it had been previously posted by another user, and Meta had categorized it under 'derogatory sexualized photoshop or drawings' in its Media Matching Service Bank. In recent years, some generative AI tools have expanded to enable users to generate pornographic content, although not all tools offer this capability. Deepfakes have emerged as a concern, particularly in regions like India, where data suggests that women are more frequently targeted in deepfaked videos. While India has contemplated introducing specific regulations addressing deep fakes, no definitive measures have been enacted yet. Although the country has legal provisions for reporting online gender-based violence, experts observe that the process can be cumbersome, and victims often receive inadequate support. Currently, only a limited number of laws worldwide specifically address the creation and dissemination of pornographic content generated using AI tools. Some U.S. states have enacted legislation targeting deepfakes. Recently, the United Kingdom passed a law criminalizing the production of sexually explicit imagery generated with AI technology. However, the Oversight Board has invited public feedback, with a deadline of April 30, regarding issues related to harms caused by deepfake porn, contextual insights into the spread of such content in regions like the U.S. and India, and potential shortcomings of Meta's approach in detecting AI-generated explicit imagery. Following an investigation into the cases and public input, the board will publish its decisions on the website in the coming weeks. These cases underscore the ongoing challenges faced by major platforms in adapting older moderation processes to the rapid proliferation of content facilitated by AI-powered tools. Companies like Meta are exploring AI-driven solutions for content generation, although there are ongoing efforts to enhance detection mechanisms for such imagery. However, despite these efforts, perpetrators continue to find ways to circumvent detection systems and share problematic content on social media platforms.

How are news channels prepping for the elections

The largest elections in the history of democracy are set to commence on April 19, 2024. The 2024 general elections will last 44 days to elect the 543 members of the 18th Lok Sabha. Approximately 970 million people out of a population of 1.44 billion people are eligible to participate in the elections. It will take in seven phases across the country. Anticipated to surpass previous records, the upcoming election is poised to become the costliest in the world. Expenditures by political parties and candidates aimed at garnering voter support are projected to exceed INR 1.2 trillion (equivalent to USD 14.4 billion). Campaigns are in full swing as the major players have unveiled their manifestos. From the INCs Haath Badlega Halaat to the BJPs Abki Baar 400 par, slogans and catchphrases are gushing across media and on the roads. And when parties try to sway the votes, they draw sizeable attention. As this colossal event unfolds, it is certain to draw nationwide eyeballs. And despite the substantial pace at which digital has grown in the last few years, TV, specifically linear TV still commands the attention of the masses. This once-in-a-five-year event puts TV news in a lucrative spotessentially becoming the crown jewel of media coverage. The 2019 general elections drew big bucks for linear TV news channels and advertisers alike. But 2019 feels like a bygone eraespecially considering the immensely rapid growth technology has witnessed in the past few years. The rise of Connected TV, AI, streaming, and the constant evolution of social media has altered the way news is consumed significantly. So, as the largest democratic elections linger on the horizon, a few questions remain as pertinent as ever: Do linear TV news channels still hold significance amidst changing consumption patterns? Will they draw big advertisers this time around? Will the immense popularity of the IPL divert eyeballs and, by extension, big advertisers? Advertisers still big on TV news TV news channels still remain the primary source of information about the elections for a large section of India. While the rapid adoption of technology might have affected consumption patterns in metro and upper-tier cities, the remaining population of the country continues to rely on linear TV news as their source for election updates. Consequently, advertisers continue to gravitate towards TV news. Gaurav Barjatya , Head of Marketing, NDTV reveals that a diverse range of brands have shown interest in linear TV news. Advertising interest from an array of sectors, including building materials, automotive, FMCG, consumer durables, paints, hosiery, and furniture materials, has surged to new levels. He further explains that the stage is not only dominated by established giants but also by the emergence of ambitious Pan India and regional challenger brands. Barjatya adds that the advent of new-age businesses such as mobile handsets and electric bikes is adding an extra layer of excitement and innovation to the mix. India TV has witnessed a similar trend. Ritu Dhawan, Managing Director of India TV reveals that industries such as Durables, Personal Care/Personal Hygiene, Hair Care, and Banking/Finance/Investment have significantly increased their FCT (Free Commercial Time) by more than 70% in the month of March. She affirms that new players have entered the advertising arena while sharing that established advertisers have expanded their presence by over 32%. Rahul Shaw , CEO - TV & Radio, TV Today Network discloses that established advertisers, including FMCG brands, cement, pan masala, automotive companies, and telecom giants, continue to maintain a strong presence. Additionally, there has been an influx of fresh entrants from sectors such as fintech, e-commerce, and healthcare, strategically capitalising on heightened viewership during this critical period. Despite these newcomers, the top spenders remain consistent, he adds. Even with the rise of the digital medium, industry leaders remain positive about the continuance of substantial advertising expenditure on the conventional medium. Barjatya estimates a surge in the AdEx. We anticipate a 20-25% surge for the industry overall, fueled by premium pricing surrounding election content, Barjatya . The 2019 cycle repeats and then some The 2019 general elections witnessed a significant rise in the TV news genre AdEx. Mainstream news channels are fairly confident that a similar happenstance will not only take place in 2024 but will also exceed the previous cycles numbers. We anticipate a lot more spends from companies across industries on our network, compared to previous cycles, says Barjatya. On similar lines, Shaw says the network is expecting a significant rise in AdEx as opposed to the previous elections. Advertisers are looking for a brand toxicity-free environment during elections on news genre and therefore hope to achieve reach somewhere close to covid era, he adds. Throughout the previous General Elections (2019), despite IPL, the genre observed a notable 51% surge in viewership during the three months preceding the counting day as compared to the previous year (2018). Capitalising on this surge in viewership, advertisers are eager to enhance their presence within the genre. Aligning with this pattern, it is anticipated that the genre will continue to expand during upcoming elections, Dhawan expounds. Does TV hold up against digital? The news genres share in overall TV advertising witnessed a decline over the years i.e. from 2019 to 2023, from 29% to 25% with a subsequent decline every year after 2020. One of the reasons behind this can be attributed to the rise of digital. The digital mediums prominence is not unknown to anyone. A large chunk of TV audience has migrated to digital given its convenience and advantages. Despite this, television holds its ground when it comes to election coverage and viewership. Shaw explains, TV has an extensive outreach, especially in countries like India, where it remains a dominant medium for information and entertainment. Digital is still underpenetrated in India and TV is the dominant medium. Unlike digital platforms that may have varying levels of penetration across different demographics, TV effectively reaches both urban and rural populations. Recounting televisions USPs that make it stand up against digital, Dhawan remarks, According to BARC, there are 210 million linear TV homes, highlighting the substantial audience base that cannot be overlooked. Despite the advancements in digital platforms, linear TV remains a matured medium with high credibility and trustworthiness in delivering information. As to why its relevance continues during elections, Shaw says that during elections, TV serves as a central hub for real-time news, debates, and analysis. It offers comprehensive coverage of election-related events, including rallies and polling results. Furthermore, he says that elections represent significant events that captivate public attention. Advertisers strategically time their TV ads during election-related programming to capitalise on this heightened interest. In order to go head-to-head against digital, and offer advertisers lucrative perks, many mainstream channels have planned a diverse range of programming formats for covering elections. NDTV is offering programs like India Decides and Chunav India Ka featuring over 100 anchors and providing 1000+ ground reports. Other programs such as Battleground with Sanjay Pugalia delve into key cities. #NDTV18KaVote focuses on first-time voters, offering youth a chance to participate. The channel has also planned Election Carnival, spanning 5000 km and 34 cities, highlighting local issues. Aaj Tak is launching Kiska Hoga Rajtilak, a show that is touted to go beyond traditional election coverage. Anchor Anjana Om Kashyap will travel to 100 cities in India, highlighting the importance of grassroots democracy. Rajtilak will focus on showcasing the dreams and aspirations of the electorate. Further, with initiatives like Suniye Netaji, where voters engage directly with their chosen leaders, Aaj Tak has laid the groundwork to increase offerings for advertisers and to maintain the relevancy of linear TV. In a similar fashion, India TV is focusing its programming on analysing key electoral battlegrounds, providing region-specific insights supported by data. Programs like Abki Baar Kiski Sarkar and Chunav Dhamaka focus on specific regions, with new shows like 400 Ka Route providing analysis of the South region. Linear TV news seems to still cater to an audience that lacks access to technology or lacks awareness about the offerings of the digital medium. Thus, giving advertisers an advantage in reaching an established set of audiences. Other advantages of linear TV news include the sense of trustworthiness that has been built over the years. Further, it restricts the conundrum of choice and indecisiveness as well as the reliance on external factors such as the internet, subscription cost, and technological awareness. For advertisers, these news channels offer several metrics to gauge ROI. Ritu Dhawan illustrates, Our approach involves optimising campaigns at a granular level, with measures such as spot positioning tailored to the target audience and efficient spot servicing. Additionally, we prioritise maintaining the brand's integrity through basic hygiene and quality checks. The assessment of campaign optimization and effectiveness relies on key metrics such as GRPs, reach, and impressions, leveraging data provided by BARC for comprehensive insights. She further reveals that as a broadcaster, they assess the financial efficacy of campaigns by matching pre and post-deliveries, Reach, and CPRP (Cost Per Rating Point) as key metrics. Rahul Shaw offers a similar input on assessing ROI. He reveals that Aaj Tak blends traditional metrics like reach, frequency, and GRPs with advanced analytics and attribution modelling. Does IPL steal the spotlight? In a country where cricket is practiced like a religion, IPL grabs the majority of Indias eyeballs during the months of April and May every year. This poses a challenge for news channels as big advertisers tend to shell out large chunks of money on the sporting phenomenon. Despite this, mainstream news channels see a silver lining. Dhawan concedes that while it's indisputable that the IPL enjoys high viewership and shares a significant audience overlap with Hindi news, this year's general elections have sparked considerable interest and fervour nationwide. It's worth noting that while the IPL operates on a fixed-time schedule, with telecasts occurring for three hours at specific times, news coverage is ongoing and real-time, ensuring sustained interest in the 2024 elections despite the concurrent IPL season, she adds. Shaw holds that despite IPLs immense popularity, channels like Aaj Tak maintain distinct strengths and loyal audiences. He says that general elections coinciding with IPL is not a novel occurrence, having happened previously as well. BARC data from 2019 underlines the resilience of news channels during such overlaps, with Hindi News Channels achieving record-high impressions. On May 23, 2019, they attained an all-time high of 62 crore impressions, and during Counting Day (Week 21), they were viewed by 27.9 crore people, marking a 30 percent increase compared to the previous four weeks' average, he reveals. The CEO further offers an interesting take. He says, IPL's fervour has waned over the years, while election news remains a stable platform. Advertisers find news during elections more cost-effective compared to IPL, utilising key events like polling day and government formation to reach the masses. Gaurav Barjatya holds a similar position that the IPL is a yearly event whereas the general elections in India are a once-in-a-five-year phenomenon, drawing unparalleled attention from viewers and advertisers alike. All in all, news channels seem to hold a consensus that the 2024 general elections are poised to draw in huge viewerships. Notwithstanding the impact of the digital medium and the ongoing IPL, linear television news channels continue to hold sway over advertisers and viewers alike.

Eleven Indians among Cannes Lions jury, Prasoon Pandey appointed Jury President for the Film Craft Lions

Cannes Lions has announced the roster of international specialists chosen to recognize outstanding creative and impactful endeavors worldwide this June. The Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, taking place from June 17th to 21st, will spotlight and honor remarkable work from various corners of the globe. The Awarding Jury comprises top-tier professionals spanning diverse fields, hailing from 54 marketsthe most extensive representation of markets ever seen on the Awarding Jury. Here is a list of Indian professionals who secured their spots on the prestigious Cannes Lions 2024 Awarding Jury. The following 11 Indians have been appointed to The Awarding Jury for Cannes Lions 2024: Classic Track Outdoor Lions - Anusheela Saha, FCB's National Creative Director Print and Publishing Lions - Anupama Ramaswamy, Chief Creative Officer at Havas Worldwide Audio and Radio Lions - Rahul Mathew, Chief Creative Officer at DDB Mudra Group Craft Track Design Lions - Mayuri Nikumbh, Conran Design's Head of Design Digital Craft Lions - Honey Bajaj, Accenture Song's Head of Design and Digital Products Film Craft Lions - Prasoon Pandey, Ad Film Maker at Corcoise Films Industry Craft Lions - Parikshit Bhattaccharya, BBH's Chief Creative Officer Engagement Track Creative Data Lions - Anushree Ghosh, ITC- Foods Division's Head of Digital and D2C Direct Lions - Sonal Chhajerh, Leo Burnett's Group Executive Creative Director Health Track Health & Wellness Lions - Mukund Olety, VML's Chief Creative Officer Strategy Track Creative Effectiveness Lions - Hephzibah Pathak, Ogilvy's Executive Chairperson However, at the forefront is Prasoon Pandey from Corcoise Films, appointed as the Jury President for the Film Craft Lions, underscoring his groundbreaking contributions to both advertising and filmmaking. Simon Cook , CEO, LIONS, said:Were delighted to have a balance and breadth of expertise and global representation across our Juries. The Awarding Juries represent the global industry's leading talent from a diverse range of disciplines, and we welcome the unique perspectives they bring. We thank them for their time, dedication and care in setting the global creative benchmark for our industry. Marian Brannelly , Global Director of Awards, LIONS, added:Its exciting to see representation from four new markets this year Armenia, Ghana, Pakistan and Panama as well as the highest-ever representation from the Middle East and Africa. Our Jurors play a crucial role in upholding the integrity of the Lions, and we thank them for everything they bring to the important task ahead.

65% of consumers in India are cancelling and resubscribing to services based on the availability of desirable content: report

Accenture has launched its Media Thrive Index to assess the impact of reinvention strategies on media and entertainment companies ability to succeed financially and strategically in an increasingly challenging industry. The Media Thrive Index is a response to the findings of Accentures third annual 'Reinvent for Growth' global entertainment study, which surveyed 6,000 consumers across 10 countries including India about their media consumption behaviors. The study highlighted a complex landscape of challenges facing traditional media companies in which marginal strategies wont restore them to economic or strategic health. While the media industry is growing, the industry players are not. This essentially means that the value is shifting elsewhere. It is amply clear that incremental actions taken with a survivalist mentality will not help media companies thrive in the future, said Neeraj Sharma , MD and Lead for Accentures Media industry in Growth Markets. For media companies, the need of the hour is to place big bets, go where consumers want to be while exploring new avenues of growth, redefining new roles in the entertainment value chain, and tapping new sources of revenue. The Media Thrive Index assessed 50 different strategic options for reinvention, identified from a range of initiatives launched by companies and from Accentures own strategic analysis. The assessment found most options so far are modest adjustments, which do not substantially alter a companys economic profile. Only radical moves show a path for legacy media companies to secure the sound financial footing needed to thrive and sustain success. Key findings from the study highlight some of the challenges facing media organizations: Tired of Browsing More than 35% of consumers in India say they struggle to navigate between different entertainment services, apps and devices while 72% say recommended content does not match their interests. Serial Churners Nearly 65% of consumers in India are cancelling and resubscribing to services based on the availability of desirable content. In 2023, 63% of consumers in India cancelled more subscriptions than the previous year. Shifting Preferences Two-thirds of consumers in India consider user-generated content to be as entertaining as traditional forms of media. In all scenarios presented to consumers, such as when I want something funny or when I want to relax, social media and social video platforms were consistently picked over streaming video services as the media of choice. The study also found opportunities for media organizations to expand beyond traditional content offerings, including aggregation platforms and lifestyle bundles. A majority (89%) of consumers in India said they would be inclined to use a single app to access all their digital services across both media and non-media categories. Additionally, Accenture projects lifestyle bundles to reach USD 3.5 trillion in consumer spending by 2030 with technology brands better positioned over traditional media brands to be the creators of these bundles.

BEI Confluence elevates Abhishek Gupta to Joint Managing Director

BEI Confluence has elevated Abhishek Gupta to Joint Managing Director (JMD) with effect from April 1, 2024. Gupta has been leading the BEI Confluence business operations as Dy. MD for the last 4 years. Under Guptas leadership, the agency achieved a 15% revenue growth and over 100% growth in the bottom-line, with many new business acquisitions like Total Energies, Mrs. Bectors Cremica Biscuits & English Oven bread, Wai Wai Instant Noodles from CG Foods, Rajhans Nutriments the makers of Schmitten Chocolates, ECE Lifts & Elevators from the Birla Group & Kerovit Bath Fittings from the Kajaria Group and more. The existing brands too accounted for substantial revenue growth in 2023/24. Gupta has been working with BEI Confluence since 2016 when he joined from Ogilvy & Mather. In O&M he worked for over four years as a Client Servicing Director leading O&Ms flagship brands like Sprite and Kinley from the Coca-Cola Company as well as the Lighting Division brands of Philips. Abhishek Gupta comes with around 20 years of experience in Creative and Brand Management having started his career with some of the top agencies in India. His first stint was with Euro RSCG (now known as Havas Media) where he was working on brands like Max New York Life Insurance, Makemytrip, Indiatimes.com and a few other brands. He then moved to Publicis India, leading the Nestle business on flagship brands like Maggi, A+ Milk, and the entire Dairy segment along with brands like Mcvities from United Biscuits. On this restructuring of BEI Confluence, Tapas Gupta , Chairman & MD commented, This is a generational shift in the agency. I am happy that the management of the agency is being passed on to a much younger professional who brings with him enormous modern-day skills and experience in steering & managing the agency and the large FMCG brands it handles. With Abhishek as JMD and partnered by Shahid Hussain as National Creative Director (NCD), the leadership team is now future- ready for further growth and consolidation. On his elevation, Abhishek Gupta said, BEI Confluence after a robust performance for last two years since COVID is now poised to further accelerate its growth and has set an aggressive target of 20% growth in the current year. We have ambitious plans for the next two years and hope to be amongst the top three fully independent advertising systems in India by 2026. To achieve this vision, I am clear on the way forward that invest in the right people internally and help them bring out their best, ensure SOPs are respected, and provide solutions to brands which impact their business in a positive manner and help them grow YOY.

Snapchat plans to watermark images created using its AI tools

The social media platform 'Snapchat' has announced its intention to incorporate watermarks into AI-generated images on its platform. This watermark will feature a translucent version of the Snapchat logo accompanied by a sparkle emoji. It will be applied to any AI-generated image that users export from the app or save to their camera roll. The company stated on its support page that removing the watermark from images would violate its terms of use. However, how Snapchat plans to detect the removal of these watermarks remains uncertain. Other major tech firms such as Microsoft, Meta, and Google have also implemented measures to label or identify images created using AI-powered tools. At present, Snapchat permits paying subscribers to generate or modify AI-generated images through Snap AI. Additionally, its selfie-oriented feature, Dreams, enables users to enhance their pictures using AI. In the blog post detailing its safety and transparency practices concerning AI, the company outlined that it indicates AI-powered features, like Lenses, with a visual marker resembling a sparkle emoji. The company also stated that it has introduced context cards to AI-generated images produced with tools like Dream to provide users with better information. Snapchat's initiatives to enhance AI safety and moderation follow the launch of its My AI chatbot in March 2023, which generated controversy when some users prompted the bot to discuss topics such as sex, drinking, and other potentially sensitive subjects. Subsequently, the company introduced controls in the Family Center, enabling parents and guardians to monitor and restrict their children's interactions with AI.

Leo Burnett Mumbai announces new appointments to its senior leadership team

Leo Burnett Mumbai, part of the Publicis Groupe India, has announced new appointments to its senior leadership team. The agency is poised to leverage its momentum and success, and the new leadership team will power the leap forward to the next phase of growth. The new leadership structure is designed for a culture of empowerment, agility in decision-making, and the capability to drive more solutions for clients. The Leo Burnett Mumbai senior leadership team now comprises Abhimanyu Khedkar elevated as Managing Partner, Neetika Aggarwal appointed as Managing Partner, and Saurabh Dahiya as Head of Strategy. Abhimanyu Khedkar (Abhi) started his journey with Leo Burnett 8.5 years ago and has now been promoted to Managing Partner. Khedkar has worked on some of the biggest brands in the Burnett portfolio and his work has been recognised at many international and national platforms. His accomplishments over the years have been instrumental to Leo Burnetts success and he continues to be an important force in driving the future of the agency. As Managing Partner, Neetika Aggarwal joins the agency's Mumbai team to bolster its partnerships, expertise, and capabilities. In a career spanning over two decades, Aggarwal has accrued enviable experience working with Indian and global brands including Nestle for its confectionary portfolio, PepsiCo foods, Airtel, TOI, Microsoft, Nokia, LG, IndusInd Bank. She also led digital interventions for Facebook including the Facebook Thumbstopper and Instagram Love Runs Deep properties. Her last stint before joining Leo Burnett was with VMLY&R. Before that she spent a few years with WPP@CP where she was the business and integration lead for Colgate Palmolive, bringing in expertise across eCommerce, CRM and FPD. Saurabh Dahiya joined us a few months ago as Executive Director & Head of Strategy. In just a short period he has been indispensable to the agency in sharpening its strategic creativity capability to drive growth and transformation for clients. Dahiya brings over 18 years of experience, with a career spanning the Middle East, South East Asia & India in brand, digital and customer experience strategy. Saurabhs knack for harnessing truth and talent to help brands matter in culture, changing contexts and commercial landscapes will add depth and perspective for Leo Burnetts client partners. Together Khedkar andAggarwal will lead Leo Burnett Mumbai on the business front while Saurabh Dahiya will lead and drive the strategic function. Commenting on the leadership changes, Amitesh Rao , CEO of Leo Burnett, South Asia shares, Leo Burnett Mumbai is one of the top creative agencies in the country today, having seen an incredible run of success in paving the way for new age solutions for its clients. It is also an agency with insatiable ambition and hunger, and the enhanced leadership team is at the vanguard of our future growth and glory. I am delighted to have Abhimanyu, Neetika and Saurabh with their diverse strategic, corporate and client backgrounds - bring brilliant new perspectives to our journey going forward.

Savvytree unveils its growth plans for expansion within India

Savvytree, a full-service digital marketing agency, has shared its aspirational goals for growth in India. Savvytree has made an impact by working with clients all over India and now planning to expand its physical presence in Kolkata. The agency's entry into Kolkata is aimed at national reach and consistently improving its client service. Through the establishment of offices in key locations throughout the nation, the agency hopes to foster stronger partnerships with regional companies and offer customised solutions to satisfy their changing requirements. Savvytree's founder, Bharat Khatter , expressed his excitement about the intentions for growth and expansion, adding, In addition to forging a solid foundation, our objective is to broaden our market penetration into other significant areas like Kolkata. We think that by being more visible, we can better assist our clients and add to India's thriving business environment.

Aprilia India onboards John Abraham as its brand ambassador

Aprilia , the manufacturer of high-performance motorcycles, has launched its extensive superbike portfolio in the Indian market. Along with the launch of its new superbikes, Aprilia has announced the appointment of John Abraham , as its brand ambassador . Abraham 's passion for high-performance motorcycles perfectly aligns with Aprilia 's racing heritage and legacy. He resonates with India's thriving community of performance biking enthusiasts. John Abraham , while unveiling Aprilia 's performance portfolio, stated, I am thrilled to be associated with Aprilia as their brand ambassador . I connect with the Aprilia brand , which embodies passion, performance, and style. I am honoured to be part of a brand with such a celebrated legacy. I look forward to being a part of Aprilia 's journey as it continues to stand for high-performance bikes that exude the spirit of sport, racing, and adventure. Mr. Diego Graffi , Chairman and MD, of Piaggio Vehicles Pvt. Ltd., commented, We are incredibly excited to welcome John Abraham to the Aprilia family. John 's passion for performance, adventure, and excellence perfectly embodies the Aprilia spirit. This partnership will undoubtedly strengthen our brand 's vision and resonate with every rider who craves a motorcycle that is as thrilling as it is stylish. He further added, Aprilia has always been at the forefront of delivering extraordinary riding experiences. The introduction of these superbikes, along with the RS 457, is a significant milestone in our journey in India. We believe these bikes will not only fulfil the dreams of Indian riders but will also redefine the superbike segment. India is a key market for us, and we are committed to bringing the best of Aprilia to Indian riders. Mr. Apoorva Saigal , Head of Corporate Communication and Marketing commented The addition of John Abraham as Aprilia 's brand ambassador marks a significant chapter in our brand journey. John s genuine passion for motorcycling resonates deeply with our discerning customers and John 's influence will be instrumental in amplifying Aprilia 's reach and connecting with a wider audience of passionate riders. Together, we look forward to crafting campaigns that celebrate the thrill of riding an Aprilia motorcycle.

Whats all the fuss about unhinged marketing?

Imagine a character with traits of Charles Boyle, Gina Linetti, and Jake Peralta in one a deathly combo indeed. While this character is yet to grace the earth, a version of it can be seen in unhinged marketing. Just like an unhinged person, unhinged marketing is when brands embrace bold and unconventional content to grab attention. It's usually self-obsessed and seemingly breaks the fourth wall by engaging with the audience directly. The language appears more human-like and stands out for its crazy personality in a group of normies. One of the early examples of unhinged marketing is when Wendy's told one of its followers to find new friends when they mentioned its competitor. Find new friends. Wendys (@Wendys) January 3, 2017 Kind of crazy, isnt it? If you think this is extreme, wait till you see what the internets popular Owl, Duo of Duolingo does on social media. It goes to extreme lengths for its loyal customers, giving casual threats. These sly, sarcastic, and uncanny comments that the mascot engages in seem to drive more engagement for the brand. In the span of a year, the apps social media presence in India has soared to 140K from 10K. Similarly, Liquid Death boasts a following of over 3 million. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Duolingo India (@duolingo_india) This psychotic owl and other brands that have explored unhinged content have seen consumers responding well to it. Not only is it visible in their engagement numbers but they have also developed a loyal fan base on social media, thanks to this possessive behaviour. Sometimes it just doesnt make sense. Like this video by Scrub Daddy that looks like it was edited on a microwave or simply this bizarre video by Duo. And yet it does. Look at the comments. You would find many comments just simping over the brands mascot like, I love u duo. We rest our case. No wonder more brands are taking this edgy path or are at least intrigued by it. But whats all the fuss about? Saksham Jadon , CEO and Founder of Youngun shared a few psychological reasons why this content format works for consumers. Humans are naturally drawn to contrast. For instance, if someone we've known for a long time suddenly acts out of character, even for a brief moment, it sticks in our minds. Similarly, the 'unhinged marketing' strategy provides a stark contrast in the brand world, changing peoples perception of the brand, said Jadon. Take Google Indias content for instance. In the thousands of informative posts, you will occasionally find some contrasting posts like the one below on spending chwenchy rupees. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Google India (@googleindia) Sharing another reason why it works, Viren Sean Noronha , Co-founder, The New Thing said that unhinged marketing is a direct route to high engagement. He added, In an era where results seem to be the general goal, its a no-brainer that its gained the popularity it has. He further said that unhinged marketing is closest to the kind of content the internet enjoys, loves and, most importantly, shares. Heres an example of a brand that went unhinged, embracing its coquette core and saw high engagement by generating 200K+ likes and 900+ comments. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Swiggy (@swiggyindia) All in all, embracing unconventionality on the internet is helping brands stand out from the crowd, drawing in more audiences and fostering deeper engagement achieving the ultimate goal in the race. Its Gen Z approved View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ryanair_European_Airline (@ryanair) It could be hard to believe that this is a post made by an airline company but it is. If you laugh at Ryanairs post, congratulations, you can officially be called Gen Z now. Experts believe that this generation loves unhinged content because it's a direct reflection of their personality. Describing Gen Zs traits and similarities between unhinged content, Noronha said, Its an homage of Gen Zs collective persona - radical, edgy, deliberately random and playfully unpredictable. According to a recent report , a third of Gen Z respondents in India said bad taste in memes was their top turn-off. And by its nature, unhinged marketing is quirky and often out of place, which is especially appealing to Gen Z. Srishti Modi Founder - Lesssgo said, Gen Z appreciate the shitposting, the anomalies, the irregularities and are more keen on discussing that on social. Gen Z is also able to see through the bullshit, so it naturally feels more authentic when a brand is not being too correct on social. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ryanair_European_Airline (@ryanair) While Gen Z is mostly the target audience for unhinged content, Saksham Jadon believes it could work for anyone. He said, This marketing strategy is designed to appeal to a broad range of consumers. It doesn't have a specific target audience; it simply works on the fundamentals of grabbing the attention of any user. Where is it working? If the (majority) of the TG is Gen Z, a brand will certainly go where they spend the most time. A report by Morning Consult states that 35% of Gen Zers spend over four hours a day on social media. This is where brands are unleashing their true unhinged selves. Srishti Modi said, With socials pace of content creation and evolution and the sheer decentralisation of content, a lot of brands are now choosing to go unhinged to keep the attention on their side. Platforms like Instagram, X (Twitter) and others help in community building and unhinged content is all about gaining consumer loyalty. Rohan Mukherjee , Co-Founder, byooooob said, Platforms like Instagram & TikTok reward the engagement this quirky content sparks, building brand communities through shared laughter and a sense of being in on the joke together. Even LinkedIn, which was always called a sacred place for business talks, has changed. Brands are experimenting with new formats here, too. HubSpot, an American marketing solutions provider, recently decided to change its tonality on the platform. It went all Gen Z with its witty one-liners and funny content. While social media is a natural fit, experts see it expanding to other platforms as well. Saksham Jadon said, Unconventional marketing tactics can be highly effective outside of just social media platforms. Creds ad featuring former cricketer Rahul Dravid went viral for being unconventional in 2021. In the ad, the usually calm and poised cricketer was seen losing his cool over traffic. The caption for the ad read, Hi, this is Rahul Dravid writing the description for this video. Sorry, I lost my temper there. I am meditating these days. Well, I am just writing this to let you know that CRED truly rewards you every time you pay your credit card bills on time. They are good people. This ad wasn't limited to just social media and can be included in the unhinged bucket of content. Speaking about unhinged contents relevance across mediums, Viren Sean Noronha said, Look around you. We live in unhinged times. I absolutely agree that going unhinged on-ground, on television can work wonders. We live in a world of predictability, especially in marketing. Last year, Ajio collaborated with Khali and delivered a giant box using a crane. The brand travelled with the large box on the road, sparking curiosity and generating buzz among onlookers. View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Great Khali (@thegreatkhali) Okay, should all brands go unhinged? While experts believe that not all brands will hop on the trend, they also think that these brands are missing out on a niche audience. Srishti Modi said, Not all brands can even choose to go unhinged. Luxury brands or those built on aesthetics and design might not entirely benefit from this approach. Brands built on trust and seriousness might feel that unhinged is not for them but I believe they are truly missing out on surprising people and really standing out. Imagine HDFC bank making a ganji chudail video. Global brands like Dollar Shave Club and Scrub Daddy have tried being unhinged, too. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Dollar Shave Club (@dollarshaveclub) View this post on Instagram A post shared by Scrub Daddy, Inc. (@scrubdaddy) As more global brands are accepting this trend, experts believe Indian brands can follow suit. Viren Sean Noronha thinks that more brands should try their hands at this technique. He said, Its not a question of try, its a question of do brands have the stamina to see it through. Any change in strategy is noticed by the audience and reflects in the numbers. If you have the stamina to see it through and find your version of unhinged content. Power to you. You now know something your competitors dont. Follow this to become truly unhinged To really stand out, brands need to cultivate a bold and unconventional persona that catches their audience's eye. However, diving into the world of 'unhinged' marketing should be done with some careful consideration. Here are some tips that experts suggest brands should follow to develop an unhinged marketing plan: Let the creative juices flow Social media can be a challenging game to play when it comes to marketing. And having a brand or manager who stifles the expression of creative thoughts can be exhausting. Experts suggest that brands should empower their creative team to unleash their creativity. Social media is a compounding game, and success often comes with time. One way to do this is to hire the correct person who understands your brand and the consumers wants. Rohan Mukherjee recommends hiring younger individuals who have a sense of humour and silliness, as well as strategists or creative directors who know how to strike the right chords and avoid crossing boundaries. Abandon competitiveness Last year as a New Years collab, Blinkit and its parent company Zomato took to the billboards and used an iconic Bollywood dialogue to connect with the audience. Soon this quirky Zomato Blinkit post caught the internets attention and it turned into a topical post. Many other brands followed suit with their twists. Although these posts shared a similar vibe, they all received good engagement on the internet. Despite these trends seeing success, experts say that often brands abandon the idea of following a certain trend just because their competitors have already done it. Saksham Jadon suggests that brands should let go of the competitive mindset that restrains them from exploring new ideas. He said, This attitude stifles creativity and limits potential engagement. Instead, brands should focus on one main criterion: whether their audience would appreciate and engage with the idea. Drop the rules One would expect a police force's social media presence to mirror the seriousness of their job, right? But a quick look at the Mumbai Polices social media would change that thought. Their social media is famously known for having a casual tone when engaging with the audience. Their posts range from witty lock-up threats to humorous ways of cautioning the public about unlawful behaviour. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Mumbai Police (@mumbaipolice) Saksham Jadon said that to truly embrace an unhinged brand strategy, companies should be willing to step outside the boundaries they've set for themselves, as long as it resonates with their audience and drives engagement. Viren Noronha suggests that other serious brands should also drop hubris around premium looking visuals and nicely designed posts because social media doesnt care. Laughter sells, and it sells well. So you like it or not, unhinged content is here to stay. It's on your daily social media scroll and sometimes plastered on the side of a bus. Whether you embrace the trend or decide to give it a pass, depends on your brand ethos. But like Rohan Mukherjee said, Once you have that system in place, please please just have fun.

D'Dcor ropes in Ranveer Singh as the ambassador for its brand Sansaar

DDcor has signed Ranveer Singh to bring the new brand Sansaar to the forefront. The new brand is touted to change home dcor marking a step towards conscious living, minimalism, and sustainability. Sanjana Arora , Business Head of Sansaar by DDcor, highlighted the brand's approach, saying, We are honoured to embark on this journey of Sansaar with superstar Ranveer Singh joining the DDecor family. DDcor has been a category leader and continues to dress beautiful homes across the world. Fabrics under Sansaar have been meticulously curated to embody the perfect balance of premium quality, minimalist design, and craftsmanship. Through Sansaar and our association with Ranveer Singh, we are presenting a lifestyle choice to the modern consumer; one chosen to express care, consideration, and connection. Elaborating on this association, Ranveer Singh said, I'm thrilled to be part of the DDcor family. Sansaar offers an exquisite collection, providing top-quality home furnishings that truly elevate any space. DDcor continues to raise the bar and I look forward to our journey together! Launching Sansaar fills us with immense pride as we introduce a brand that not only epitomize elegance and creativity but also marks a strategic move in our business trajectory. Having Ranveer Singh as our brand ambassador further solidifies our communication on simple yet elegant living. We aim to cater to the evolving needs of consumers while reinforcing our commitment to innovation and conscious living. This launch not only expands our product portfolio but also strengthens our position in the home dcor industry, setting new standards for excellence and mindful consumption., said Sanjay Arora , Managing Director at DDcor. With Superstar Ranveer Singh as the face of Sansaar, we aim to create spaces that inspire, uplift, and reflect the essence of elegant living. Together with our esteemed team and an individual like him on-board, we are committed to shaping a future where every fabric tells a story of craftsmanship, mindful living and timeless beauty, commented Sarah Arora , Creative Director of Sansaar .

Elon Musk plans to charge a fee from new users to combat bot onslaught on X

Elon Musk is planning to charge new X users a small fee in order to address the proliferation of automated accounts, commonly known as bots. Responding to a user's query about changes on the platform, Musk emphasised that charging a small fee upon registration is the most effective strategy to counteract the influx of bots, which are currently adept at circumventing verification measures like CAPTCHA. Musk later clarified in a separate response that new accounts will gain posting privileges after a three-month grace period, exempt from the initial fee requirement. That is way harder than paying a tiny fee. This is only for new users. They will be able to do write actions for free after 3 months. Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 15, 2024 Details regarding the implementation timeline and the specific fees for new users remain undisclosed, a common trend with announcements concerning the social network. Last October, X initiated a payment system in New Zealand and the Philippines, charging unverified users an annual fee of USD 1. These users were restricted to passive engagement, such as reading posts, until payment was made to access interactive features like posting, liking, and commenting. Musk may extend a similar fee structure to other regions. Recently, X announced a concerted effort to purge spam accounts, forewarning users of potential impacts on their follower counts. However, by introducing fees for new users, the platform appears to be targeting the bot issue with more precision. Although Musk has vocalized concerns about combatting AI bots, X updated its policy last year to permit the use of public posts for training machine learning and AI models. Additionally, Musk's AI company xAI announced plans in July 2023 to utilise public posts for model training purposes.

Ogilvys Talha B Mohsin moves on

Ogilvy executive director Talha B Mohsin has bid farewell to advertising after more than twenty years of working in the industry. Moshin shared the news in a LinkedIn post , writing, Im quitting advertising after 22 grueling but fully worth-it years. And my stints at Leo Burnett, DDB Mudra, McCann, Contract, and Ogilvy have resulted in a few memorable campaigns Ill always hold dear. And many more not-so-memorable ones (those are stories for another day). All those 'lovely' briefings, last-minute brainstorming sessions, those life-changing ideas Id kill for, fight-the-traffic-to-reach-on-time client presentations, those zippy pre-ppms, followed by the never-ending ppms Oh how Ill miss it all. His departure is driven by a desire to immerse himself in directorship. Throughout his extensive career, Mohsin has served in various capacities at agencies such as Contract, DDB, McCann Worldgroup, Leo Burnett, and Digitas. Notably, his tenure at Ogilvy was just shy of a decade.

Savsol Lubricants onboards Sidharth Malhotra as its brand ambassador

Savsol Lubricants, the flagship brand of Savita Oil Technologies, has announced a strategic partnership with actor Sidharth Malhotra, who will be associated with the company as its brand ambassador to establish the new brand identity. The collaboration with Sidharth also marks a significant milestone in Savsols journey, as it unveils its Ester Fluid technology under the name of Savsol Ester 5. Sidharth represents Savsols commitment to enhancing the driving experience with his passion for automobiles further strengthening the synergy with Savsol. Under this alliance, Sidharth will be prominently featured in digital, print and TV campaigns for Savsol, highlighting its diverse product range. Vishal Sood , President Lubes, Savsol Lubricants, said, At Savsol, we constantly strive for continuous improvement and excellence in the automotive industry. This partnership with a Bollywood star of Sidharth Malhotras calibre reflects our intent to provide exceptional lubricant technology products to customers, and drive forward a new era of innovation and distinction in the automotive space. On his appointment as Brand Ambassador, actor Sidharth Malhotra remarked, I am delighted to partner with Savsol Lubricants and further its commitment to offering consumers a distinctive automotive driving experience. The collaboration with an innovative brand such as Savsol aligns with my pursuit of excellence, and I look forward to embarking on this journey together. We are thrilled to collaborate with Sidharth Malhotra at a time when we are launching an innovative range of Ester-formulated products called Savsol Ester5. His unmatched charm and dedication to excellence mirror Savsols commitment to delivering world-class lubricants that enhance vehicle performance. We look forward to this collaboration which has great synergies said Kamran Siddiqui , Vice President Marketing, Savsol Lubricants.

Almonds Ai expands to Dubai; opens new office

Almonds Ai announced its expansion in the MENA region with a new office in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. This strategic move will further strengthen the company's position as a provider of transformative B2B loyalty and channel engagement solutions, empowering enterprises worldwide to drive sustainable growth and success. The new Dubai office will allow the company to collaborate more closely with regional clients, providing localized expertise and seamless support to elevate their channel sales and marketing initiatives. The opening of the Dubai office underscores Almonds Ai's commitment to global expansion and its ability to attract top-tier industry partners. The expansion to Dubai aligns perfectly with Almonds Ai's vision to cater to the evolving needs of businesses across diverse sectors. By leveraging the opportunities presented in the Dubai market, Almonds Ai aims to foster stronger relationships with existing clients while forging new partnerships to drive mutual growth and success. At Almonds Ai, we are tirelessly innovating to cater to our client's evolving needs and to deliver on our brand promise of 'Happier Channel Partners, Healthier Bottom Line. Our new Dubai office will enable us to better serve the unique needs of enterprises in this dynamic region, delivering transformative AI-powered loyalty and channel engagement solutions to help them thrive in an increasingly competitive landscape. Abhinav Jain & Apurv Modi , Co-Founders of Almonds Ai jointly said.

Entertainment biggest motivation for watching IPL: Ipsos survey

With the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 off to a flying start, an Ipsos IndiaBus pan India IPL Survey shows at least one in two urban Indians polled (53%) claim to be following the sporting event. The mens T-20 annual sporting event in its 17th year, has a run of about 60 days, making it a highly engaging event for cricket lovers. Interestingly, more males (67%) claimed to be following the event vis--vis females (38%). Though there was not much difference seen across age bands and their interest in the game 18-30 years (56%), 31-45 years (56%) and 45+ (45%) claimed to be following the IPL. Excitement with IPL The IPL has struck a chord with the cricket enthusiasts with 88% of those polled (and following the IPL) claiming to be excited about the annual sporting event. The excitement was palpable across demographics to the same extent, though among a few cohorts it was a lot higher, particularly the south zone (96%), north zone (93%), metros (91%), tier 2 (92%), tier 3 (95%), high education (92%), self-employed (95%) and 45+ age group (92%). Commenting on the findings of the Ipsos IndiaBus IPL Survey, Parijat Chakraborty , Group Service Line Leader Public Affairs, Corporate Reputation, CSR and ESG, Ipsos India said, Tata IPL 2024 is this big, 60 day annual big treat for cricket enthusiasts, which has a heady mix of great batting and bowling order also captured under orange and purple caps best of cricket, world class players unleashing their prowess under pressure and the short format of cricket, creating a high level of engagement and excitement around this annual fiesta. The stakes are high, and this is one recession proof brand. As the event picks up, those following the game are likely to increase. Where is the IPL being watched? Urban Indians who are extremely kicked about the sporting event claimed to be watching the IPL 2024 across different mediums of access - Television (75%), online/ mobile (49%), OTT platforms (20%) and radio (4%) . 33%). And if we explore deeper, while TV is the most popular medium for watching the game, more number of respondents from north zone (83%), full time parents and homemakers (84%), SEC B (80%), SEC A (78%), 45+ age group (86%), metros (79%), tier1 cities (79%) said they are watching the game on TV. Further, those watching the game on their mobile devices , were largely the self-employed (68%), employed part time or full time (56%), males (57%), 31-45 years (54%), 1830-year-olds (51%), high education (58%), living in the metros (56%), from south zone (56%) and west zone (55%). The game was being watched on OTT more by those belonging to SEC A (44%), metros (34%), high education (32%) and self-employed (33%). And those catching the game on the radio were largely the self-employed (9%), from tier 1 (9%), west zone (8%), SEC A (7%) and women (7%). Males were a miniscule 2%. The survey also explored the psyche of the IPL enthusiasts, to understand from them the motivations for liking the IPL so much. There is so much noise and chatter around this annual spectacle, which also packs in the best of breed and play in Cricket. Why is the IPL liked? Urban Indians claimed to be liking the IPL for a plethora of reasons entertainment (64%), T-20 format (47%) and the team format - of world class players (37%). Audiences most kicked about the entertainment aspect were the self employed (76%), from east zone (74%), south zone (72%), SEC A (71%), SEC B (64%), men (64%), women (62%), aged 45+ (67%), 18-30 years (64%), 31-45 years (62%) etc. T-20 format was most liked by respondents from SEC A (65%), metros (75%), high education (58%), tier1 (52%), tier2 (50%), west zone (53%) and north zone (50%). And those most enthused about the T20 team format were, SEC A (54%), employed (47%), men (40%), high education (45%), tier 1 (52%), metros (42%), tier 2 (41%), east zone (53%) and west zone (45%). When the IPL made its debut 17 years ago, conceived by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), it was a big draw and it continues to be one of the most anticipated annual sporting events. This year there are 10 teams and 74 matches. Also the matches are aired from evening to night, over 3 hours, making it conducive for cricket enthusiasts to watch the game without disruption. With great cricket, cricket legends, Bollywood, music, cheerleaders and toots, the whole experience is now being called Cricketainment. And the BCCI has set up 50 fan parks in different cities of India, to enhance the whole experience for audiences, bringing the game closer to the fans. Fan parks during the weekends have giant size screens, music, subsidized food for cricket fans to enjoy the IPL at another level, added Chakraborty. The 10 teams of Delhi Capitals, Kolkata knight Riders, Lucknow Super Giants, Mumbai Indians, Rajasthan Royals, Chennai Super Kings, Gujarat Titans, Punjab Kings, Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Sunrise Hyderabad are playing 74 matches in 13 cities from March 22nd to May 26th, 2024, making it a visual treat for cricket crazy country like India. With defending champions Chennai Super Kings hosting the opening and closing ceremony, there is a keen interest among south zone fans for the game and across cities and cohorts. With free live streaming of the IPL on Star Sports (TV) and Jio Cinema (internet) it will be about excitement, entertainment and eyeballs, as the IPL keeps getting bigger, stated Chakraborty. How is the IPL most watched? Urban Indians said they mostly watch the game with family (49%), friends (22%), alone (18%) or with colleagues (9%). The survey even drilled it down to the cohorts on how they were watching the IPL those watching with family were largely full-time parents/ homemakers (75%), women (73%), 45+ age group (62%), SEC A (55%), SEC B (54%), north zone (58%), east zone (55%), tier 1 (55%) and metros (51%). Those watching with friends were particularly males (29%), SEC C (32%), south zone (41%), east zone (31%), tier 3 (33%), self-employed (32%) etc. Those watching alone were males (23%), aged 45+ (23%), employed (24%), tier 2 (26%), north (21%), south (20%) etc. Those watching with colleagues, aged 18-30 years (13%), students (14%), tier 1 (17%), west zone (15%), north zone (12%), et al.

OML Entertainment appoints Kreeti Gogia as Head of Content

OML or Only Much Louder Entertainment , a full-service media and entertainment organization has announced the appointment of Kreeti Gogia as Head of Content signaling a strategic leap forward in shaping the future of digital entertainment . With close to 15 years of experience in media, Gogia has made a mark for herself as a creative producer and director, crafting compelling content across formats. She has worked on fiction, non-fiction and scripted reality storytelling while nurturing and collaborating with several artists, guiding their transition from YouTube to OTT and even television. Gogia has been associated with OML since 2015, first as a freelance executive producer before coming on board full-time and rising up to become Content Head in 2019. During this time, she worked extensively on projects like Comedy Hunt on YouTube, Pushpavalli, Shaitan Haveli, Laakhon Mein Ek and all seasons of Comicstaan. With a portfolio of over 25 stand-up specials, including Comedians of the World for Netflix in India, and several fiction shows, Gogia 's diverse expertise has been instrumental in OML 's success. She has previously worked at UTV Productions, Endemol Shine India, Wakao and Colosceum Media creating content for Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, UTV Bindass, Channel [V], MTV, YouTube, Jio Cinema and more. Most recently, she also helped set up 1947 Productions, where they created content for Zee5, MX Player and Epic On. Gogia brings a wealth of experience and expertise to her new role at OML Entertainment , where she will helm the entire content division while overseeing all business and operations for it. Speaking of her appointment, Gunjan Arya , CEO of OML Entertainment said, As Kreeti takes on her new role at OML Entertainment , her deep understanding of television production and track record of success highlights her readiness to lead our long-form original content division into a new era of excellence. Kreeti 's appointment signifies more than just a leadership change it symbolizes OML Entertainment 's dedication to delivering immersive content tailored for the digital age. As audiences increasingly turn to OTT platforms for their entertainment needs, OML Entertainment is primed to meet this demand head-on under Kreeti 's visionary guidance. Speaking of her new role, Kreeti Gogia , OML , was quoted as saying, OML holds immense significance in my career journey; it's where I've grown both personally and professionally. I couldn't be happier stepping into a role that allows me to not only shape the content we create but also influence how we produce and develop it. In today's saturated content landscape, standing out can be a real challenge. However, I'm genuinely confident in the quality of the content we're set to produce thanks to the exceptional team and external talent we have on board. As we forge ahead, I'm eager to venture into uncharted territories, carrying forward OML 's legacy of being at the forefront of innovation.

Adobe Premiere Pro set to launch GenAI video tools

Adobe has announced the launch of new generative AI innovations within its Adobe Premiere Pro. The new generative tools coming to Premiere Pro this year enable users to streamline video editing, including adding or removing objects in a scene or extending an existing clip. These new editing workflows will be powered by a new video model that will join the family of Firefly models including Image, Vector, Design, and Text Effects. Adobe is continuing to develop Firefly AI models in the categories where it has deep domain expertise, such as imaging, video, audio, and 3D and will deeply integrate these models across Creative Cloud and Adobe Express. Italso previewed its vision for bringing third-party generative AI models directly into Adobe applications like Premiere Pro. Early explorations of the upcoming tool show how professional video editors could, in the future, leverage video generation models from OpenAI and Runway, integrated into Premiere Pro, to generate a B-roll to edit into their project. By delivering new generative AI capabilities powered by Adobe Firefly and a variety of third-party models, Adobe is giving customers access to a range of new capabilities without having to leave the workflows they use every day in Premiere Pro. Adobe is reimagining every step of video creation and production workflow to give creators new power and flexibility to realize their vision, said Ashley Still , Senior V ice P resident, Creative Product Group at Adobe. By bringing generative AI innovations deep into core Premiere Pro workflows, we are solving real pain points that video editors experience every day while giving them more space to focus on their craft. Adobe has also announced the upcoming availability of AI-powered audio workflows in Premiere Pro, including new fade handles, clip badges, dynamic waveforms, AI-based category tagging and more. The Future of Generative AI in Premiere Pro As mentioned above, Adobe showcased a technology preview of generative AI workflows coming to Premiere Pro later this year, powered by a new video model for Firefly. The preview showcased the following features: Extend Videos: Users can add frames to make clips longer, so itseasier to perfectly time edits and add smooth transitions. Object Addition & Removal: Users can simply select and track objects, and then replace them. They can also remove unwanted items, change an actors wardrobe or quickly add set dressings such as a painting or photorealistic flowers on a desk. Text to Video: Users can generate entirely new footage directly within Premiere Pro by simply typing text into a prompt or uploading reference images. AI-Powered Audio Workflows in Premiere Pro: In addition to this, new audio workflows in Premiere Pro will be generally available to customers in May, giving editors everything they need to precisely control and improve the quality of their sound. A few features of the same i nclude: Interactive fade handles: Editors can create custom audio transitions faster than ever by simply dragging clip handles to create audio fades. New Essential Sound badge with audio category tagging: AI automatically tags audio clips as dialogue, music, sound effects or ambience, and adds a new icon so editors get one-click, instant access to the right controls for the job. Effect badges: New visual indicators make it easy to see which clips have effects, quickly add new ones, and automatically open effect parameters right from the sequence. Redesigned waveforms in the timeline: Waveforms intelligently resize as the track height changes on clips, while gorgeous new colours make sequences easier to read.

YouTube cracks down on third-party ad blockers for mobile viewers

YouTube is intensifying its efforts to combat ad blockers on mobile devices, unveiling new measures aimed at thwarting the use of ad-blocking software on smartphones and tablets. In a recent community update , the platform announced a crackdown on third-party apps that infringe upon YouTube's terms of service, particularly those designed for ad blocking. Users employing such third-party apps may encounter buffering issues or receive error messages like The following content is not available on this app when attempting to stream videos. Emphasizing the importance of ads in supporting creators and enabling widespread access to its service, YouTube reiterated its stance against third-party apps disabling ads. It highlighted the detrimental impact on creators' compensation and the user experience. Acknowledging the demand for ad-free viewing, YouTube pointed to its Premium subscription as an alternative. The platform underscored its policy allowing third-party apps to utilize its API only when adhering to specified terms of service. Any violations are swiftly addressed to safeguard the platform, its creators, and viewers alike.

NIC Ice Cream appoints Madison Media Ultra as its Media AOR

Pune-based home-grown brand NIC Ice Cream, has announced the appointment of Madison Media Ultra, a unit of Madison World, as their official Media Agency on Record. The account will be handled by the Agency from their Mumbai office and will manage all media aspects for the brand, which includes traditional, digital and outdoor. Commenting on this new association with Madison, Jeetendra Bhandari , Founder, NIC Ice Creams , said, Our partnership with Madison Media Ultra will help us to further grow our media and business footprint as we embark on our growth journey. This is extremely exciting news and we are looking forward to a collaborative process with the Madison team to create 'cool' and impactful pieces of work. As proud partners, we are pleased to be able to participate in the exciting growth journey of NIC Ice Cream. Together with them, me and my team are eagerly looking forward to creating honestly crafted work , says Jolene Fernandes Solanki , Chief Operating Officer of Madison Media Ultra . Madison Media Ultra, a part of Madison World, established in 1988, handles media planning and buying for clients like Godrej, Marico, Asian Paints, Titan, Blue Star, TVS, Raymond, CEAT, Pidilite, Bajaj Electricals, Jyothy Labs, McDonalds, Lodha, Shaadi.com and many others. Madison World through its 11 Units served last year, as many as 500 Advertisers.

BigBrandTheory bags the integrated creative mandate for Prime Group

BigBrandTheory (BBT) has won the integrated creative mandate for Prime Group, a real estate brand in Sri Lanka. The account was won following a multi-agency pitch and will be serviced from the agencys Mumbai office. As per the mandate, the agency will be responsible for brand strategy, positioning, Project naming and identity, and creative campaigns for omnichannel mediums. Speaking about the agencys appointment, Sandamini Perera , Co-Founder and Co-Chair , Prime Group, said, As Sri Lanka's real estate market continues to expand, Prime Group recognizes the need to differentiate itself and establish a strong brand that resonates with both local and international audiences. BBT was the clear choice for us owing to their unparalleled expertise in consumer understanding, strategic approach, and creative thinking coupled with unmatched tenacity. We are committed to enhancing our brand presence and driving growth in the competitive real estate sector. With BBT on board, we are confident in crafting impactful brand strategies and identities that will not only attract potential investors and buyers but also contribute to the growth of the overall real estate industry in Sri Lanka. Pravin Shah , Founder, BigBrandTheory commented, We are honoured to have been chosen as Prime Groups creative branding partner. This win is significant for us as it marks our foray into the Sri Lankan market and is a testament to our commitment to delivering exceptional branding solutions to clients globally. Sri Lanka's real estate market presents a unique set of opportunities and challenges. Through our collaboration, we aim to create a compelling brand narrative that effectively communicates Prime Groups value proposition that resonates with its target audience and elevates its market positioning.

70% of our budget will be dedicated towards brand-building initiatives: Pratik Mazumder of Club Mahindra

The hospitality industry in India has a market size estimated at USD 247.31 billion in 2024, and is expected to reach USD 475.37 billion by 2029, growing at a CAGR of 13.96% during the forecast period (2024-2029). According to the 'Vision 2047: Indian Hotel Industry' report released by the Hotel Association of India (HAI), the hotel industry directly contributed USD 40 billion to the GDP in 2022. Projections indicate that this figure is anticipated to ascend to USD 68 billion by 2027. Furthermore, it suggests that by the year 2047, the industry's contribution to Indias GDP is anticipated to soar to approximately USD 1 trillion. The rise in disposable income among people living in the upper-tier cities has led to increased spending on leisure and travel. To capitalise on this growing market, hospitality brands have started putting in more resources into marketing and advertising. And with a plethora of consumers migrating to digital, social media has become an integral part of the marketing mix of brands. Pratik Mazumder, Chief Marketing Officer of Mahindra Holidays & Resorts India Limited (MHRIL), shares insights into Club Mahindra's marketing strategies and objectives in an interview with Social Samosa. He highlights key campaigns such as #HappyHolidaysHappyFamilies and #FamilyKiSuperWoman, emphasising their role in establishing Club Mahindra as a leader in family vacations. Mazumder discusses the brand's larger marketing objectives, target audience segmentation, and personalized marketing efforts driven by data analysis. He also sheds light on the media plan, allocation of marketing budgets, and expected trends in the travel industry for 2024. Moreover, Mazumder outlines essential skills for CMOs in the evolving marketing landscape and the brand's strategies for leveraging social media, emerging technologies, and key events like IPL. Edited Excerpts: Can you walk us through a few marketing highlights that Club Mahindra has seen in India? A few key campaigns that have helped Club Mahindra establish itself as a key player. Over the years, Club Mahindra has executed several marketing campaigns that strongly resonated with our audience. To highlight a few: the #HappyHolidaysHappyFamilies campaign, launched during the Asia Cup, aimed to emphasize the joy and togetherness experienced by families and children during their holidays with Club Mahindra. Another successful campaign was #FamilyKiSuperWoman, featuring Raveena Tandon. Siddharth Malhotra stars in the Club Mahindra campaign Jaana Kahaan Hai, encouraging people to travel and explore Club Mahindra properties while celebrating the multitasking abilities of mothers and their key role in family vacations. These campaigns have played a pivotal role in cementing Club Mahindra's position as an enabler of family vacations. What is your larger marketing objective now that you have established your presence on various channels? Our brand purpose, centered on creating wonderful holiday experiences, serves as our larger marketing goal. To connect with the right audiencefamilies inclined towards purchasing a Club Mahindra membershipwe remain steadfast in enhancing the holiday experience for our customers. Our commitment extends to inspiring them to construct magical moments with their loved ones. With over 100 resorts offering 2000+ unique experiences, we provide unparalleled holiday adventures to our esteemed member base. Our focus is on captivating members with the diverse wonders of India. Who is your target audience? Are there niche markets you are focusing on in 2024? We've segmented our target audience into distinct categories to better tailor our offerings. These include Value Seekers: individuals seeking breaks from routine; Affluent Convenience Seekers: who desire hassle-free holidays and top-notch experiences; and Experience Seekers: adventurous souls in search of new destinations and experiences. Accordingly, our products like CMH 25/15/10 year membership, Bliss (10-year membership for 50+ year olds) and Go Zest (3 year membership) are perfectly aligned to meet the needs of these categories. Our primary focus remains on the top 20 markets, encompassing both tier 1 and tier 2 cities. How are you leveraging data and personalization to tailor marketing messages and offers to individual members' needs and preferences? Data has benefited brands immensely. With personalized data available at the fingertips, brands are harnessing the potential with the right inputs to curate customized messaging. At Club Mahindra, data forms a crucial part of our marketing strategy. Our deep analysis of our members' holidaying behaviour, purchase patterns, offer preferences as well as referral sharing has allowed us to create highly personalized targeting. This helps us share the right offers at the optimum time and helps increase uptake. Can you tell us a bit about your media plan and the reason behind your selection of mediums? We are focusing on both traditional above the line (ATL) and digital marketing strategies with leading platforms to develop intellectual properties that drive brand awareness and salience. Our strategy also involves the creation of compelling content that highlights the experiences provided by MHRIL for our members. Where and how do you think the marketing industry will spend its marketing budget in 2024? In 2024, we will plan our budgets strategically. A substantial portion, around 70% will be dedicated towards brand-building initiatives, fostering long-term brand equity and loyalty. This allocation will encompass various leading channels & properties, also social media, websites, Brand Ips & events, to create a strong brand identity and resonance with our audience. The remaining 30% of the budget will be allocated to core digital efforts to enhance the top of the funnel and improving overall Consumer experience, ensuring a balanced approach to driving immediate results while nurturing brand strength for sustained success. Brand building is integral to shaping how our company is perceived and connects with consumers, making it a crucial component of our marketing strategy for the future. How is the travel industry expected to perform in 2024? Based on that, how do you think the industry will contribute to Ad Ex this year? The tourism and hospitality sector has witnessed diverse trends such as the rise of staycations, leisurely exploration, environmentally conscious journeys, weekend getaways, and a heightened focus on sustainability, all expected to drive substantial growth in 2024. Additionally, Timeshare has gained momentum as an emerging travel trend, offering travellers a home-like environment, cost-effectiveness, and flexibility in exploring various destinations. Furthermore, the government's effort in promoting tourism in India will bolster the domestic travel trend, contributing significantly to the sectors overall growth and development. With this, the skills expected from a CMO are also changing. What are some must-have skills for CMOs in 2024? In a fast-paced evolving marketing scenario, CMOs must possess to lead diverse marketing teams, adept communication proficiency for effectively articulating strategies, mastery of storytelling to construct compelling brand narratives, a robust emphasis on customer-centric approaches to elevate user experiences, and proficiency in big data analysis to drive informed decision-making. IPL is a money-spinner property. Is your brand planning to spend on it? Any other key events (sports, elections or otherwise) that will get your brand's attention this year? As these events drive reach and viewership, we are open to exploring these opportunities. Are there specific technologies or trends (e.g., AI, AR, and VR) that you believe will significantly affect your marketing strategy & budgets this year? We are always keen to integrate new technologies in our marketing strategies. For instance, last year our #MeetTheRealSanta campaign leveraged AI to send personalized messages from Santa Claus to children and their families, enhancing engagement and brand connection. Additionally, our limited-edition NFT series, inspired by AI-generated digital artworks, displayed our innovative approach to leveraging technology in marketing. These initiatives reflect our commitment to staying at the forefront of technological trends to enhance customer experiences and drive brand growth. What key marketing tips do you have for navigating the challenges and opportunities in 2024 in terms of planning the marketing spends? In navigating the marketing landscape of 2024, brands must prioritize digital transformation by allocating significant budgets to digital channels like social media and SEO. Leveraging data-driven insights will be crucial for optimizing campaigns and understanding consumer behaviour. Personalized marketing initiatives should be emphasized to enhance engagement and conversion rates. Additionally, focusing on delivering exceptional customer experiences will help in breaking the clutter in a competitive market. Remaining agile and adaptive throughout the year will be essential for responding effectively to unforeseen challenges and opportunities. A lot of brands focus extensively on social media leveraging different ways such as reels, influencer collabs, etc. to target a younger demographic. What things have you planned to amplify your social media presence in this year? To boost our social media presence and engage with our target audience effectively, especially to attract new members, we are implementing various strategies. This includes leveraging emerging formats like reels, stories, and interactive posts for engaging content. We are also collaborating with influencers and content creators organically and through partnerships to expand our reach and credibility. Additionally, we are investing in social media advertising to amplify our brand messaging and drive targeted traffic. Fostering meaningful interactions with followers and encouraging user-generated content are also key focuses to building a loyal and engaged online community for our brand.

Case Study: How Britannia's UGC campaign made 90K contestants pronounce 'croissant' correctly

To promote its product 'Britannia Treat Croissant', the brand partnered with the creative agency Youngun and launched an internship opportunity titled 'Croissant Pronunciation Expert,' offering a stipend of Rs 3 Lakh for a single day. Through a social media campaign, the brand reached over 10 million users. Here's a detailed case study outlining their strategy and execution. Category Introduction People have always been confused about the pronunciation of Croissant and at the same time thought of it as an expensive food item which can only be bought in bakeries. But Youngun in collaboration with Britannia wanted to change the narrative completely. To promote Britannias food product Britannia Treat Croissant, they created an Internship opportunity where only one intern would be selected to end the discussion once and for all on how to pronounce the word Croissant. The Internship contest as well as the concluding winner video would garner awareness about Britannias product and promote it among its consumers. Brand Introduction Youngun is a creative agency that specialises in meme marketing. By adopting a strategy that aligns with internet culture, Youngun seeks to make advertising more relatable and enjoyable for the target audience, effectively breaking away from traditional ad formats. Youngun's marketing objective from social media is to revolutionize the advertising industry by prioritizing the user experience, employing humour and relatability, and crafting campaigns that resonate with the dynamic landscape of internet culture. Through their unique approach of 'make memes, not ads,' Youngun aims to make advertising not only tolerable but genuinely enjoyable for the audience, resulting in increased engagement and brand awareness. Summary To promote Britannias product Britannia Treat Croissant, they approached Youngun to creatively promote their product while generating awareness about their product and also starting a conversation on social media channels surrounding Croissant, ultimately linking their product to the popular food item. As part of the campaign, the agency created an Internship Opportunity, namely, Crossiant Pronunciation Expert, for one lucky intern who would get the chance to visit Britannias office and correct everyone who pronounces Croissant wrongly Objective Whenever people would hear about croissants they would always think of it as an expensive food item which was only sold in bakeries. They did not think of croissants as a product which they could easily buy from any store. Although Britannia launched Britannia Treat Croissant, most of the consumers were unaware of the product. The primary objective of the agency was to create awareness about this product among consumers. Brief Britannias brief to Youngun was to create awareness about their product, Britannia Treat Croissant among the consumers and build a buzz surrounding it. Creative Idea The creative idea behind Britannias Croissant Pronunciation Expert' Internship was to create awareness about Britannias product Britannia Treat Croissant and to promote it in a way that creates an engagement between the consumer and the brand. The main idea was to start a conversation surrounding the topic of croissants and to link Britannias name with it. So that when the consumer thinks of croissants, they don't think of it as an expensive food item but rather something affordable for an average person. Challenges Youngun's creative team navigated the challenges of real-time decision-making and negotiations to ideate the campaign. Execution The execution of the campaign was done by the agency in such a way that it started a conversation regarding Croissant on social media platforms. They aimed to create awareness about Britannias product Britannia Treat Croissant. While figuring out how to approach their aim, they found out that the pronunciation of croissants posed a challenge for many people. They wanted that one person who actually knows how to exactly pronounce it. So they leveraged that thought and came up with the idea of creating an internship opportunity for Britannia named Croissant Pronunciation Expert. The selected intern would go to Britannia's office and correct everyone who pronounces it in the wrong way. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Britannia Croissant (@britannia.croissant) While deciding on the stipend for the internship, they decided to reverse the sentiment that interns are always underpaid and fixed the stipend at Rs 3 Lakh for one day. To also make the whole thing seem more funny and relatable to the audience, the skill requirements of the intern which were given as a requirement for the internship were to subtly mock those people who always keep on correcting peoples grammar. The skill requirements were, Gets excited when people use theyre, there, and their correctly, Gets super angry when people typ lyk dis and lastly, Can comfortably watch English shows without subtitles. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Britannia Croissant (@britannia.croissant) Youngun also collaborated with Internshala for a banner ad to reach the maximum number of interested applicants as Internshala is a popular platform which provides internship and job opportunities. They also shared a post through Britannias social media account to let people know about the opportunity View this post on Instagram A post shared by Internshala (@internshala) To accept applicants, a WhatsApp bot was created which would interact with the applicants and they would be required to answer certain questions and based on their answers, their application request would be accepted. This was the first step of the campaign. For the second step, which would ultimately decide who gets the internship, the participants who would be selected in the first round would be tasked to post a reel/post on Instagram on Why they deserve the internship? with the hashtag #BritanniaTreatCroissantInternship. The post which would gain the most likes and comments would be announced as the winner. This step would be the final step which would create more buzz around the internship and increase awareness about the product and the winner would get the internship opportunity. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ronica Bajaj | Learn French (@allaboutfrenchwithron) View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ronica Bajaj | Learn French (@allaboutfrenchwithron) The brand also collaborated with content creators to further spread the word about the internship. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Dharna Durga (@dharnaaaaa) Results The campaign generated a significant increase in brand engagement metrics, including a 90K contest participation over WhatsApp. 1 Crore worth of Earned Media and Organic PR Coverage 10 Million+ reach on social media 25K increase in followers Close to 50K Instagram comments Aman Hussain , Creative Head at Youngun said, In India, the perception of croissants tends to be as a luxurious snack, and with this campaign, we wanted to shift the conversation around the snack to be more inclusive and consumed by the general audience, not just the elite class.

PROHED secures the digital marketing mandate for A Box of Stories

PROHED has been awarded the digital marketing mandate for Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Performance Marketing for A Box of Stories, revolutionizing book subscription services in the UK and the US. PROHED will work closely with A Box of Stories to enhance its online visibility and drive targeted traffic to its website. This collaboration aims to further establish and showcase A Box of Stories as a prominent and leading player in the book subscription industry. The agencys strategies and digital marketing expertise will help the brand connect with a wider audience and boost their customer base. By utilizing insights and technology, the agency will ensure that A Box of Stories stays ahead of the competition and continues to grow in the digital market space. Through targeted social media campaigns and SEO tactics, it will help the brand connect with audiences and boost their brand recognition. Pulkit Dubey , Co-Founder of PROHED , said, Collaborating with A Box of Stories has been an enriching experience for us, and we are committed to helping them achieve their goals of expanding their reach and boosting their online visibility. We are excited to see the positive impact of our strategies on their business and aim to revolutionize the way book subscription services are marketed and consumed in the digital realm, setting up new industry standards. With our efforts throughout the partnership, we are confident that A Box of Stories will continue to grow and influence the ever-evolving digital landscape. Aasha Chauhan , Founder, of A Box of Stories said, We are delighted to have PROHED as our digital marketing partner. Their expertise has already yielded impressive results for us, and we look forward to seeing even more growth in the future. With PROHEDs support, we believe that we can easily connect with a wide range of audiences and establish ourselves as a leader in the book subscription industry. Our collaboration will bring innovative and fresh ideas to enhance the brands presence in the digital landscape.

AI is missing in IPL ads and theres a reason why; ad agencies tell

Artificial intelligence (AI) was the biggest disruptor of 2023. It dominated each prominent industry, and advertising wasnt too far behind. After its emergence, from copywriters to CxOs, AI became a key part of day-to-day tasks, and brands soon started using it for all big occasions. From Tata Tea Premium launching its Lohri campaign that allowed users to get their personalised version of tapas to Not a Cadbury Ad seeing an AI touch for small business entrepreneurs, AI integrated itself into the A&M industry on a more granular level in 2023. AI was simply everywhere in 2023! However, there seems to be a snag in its trajectory. While AI is still prominent on an operational level in A&M, 2024 has barely seen any large-scale AI campaigns as last year, at least on the consumer front. The advertising industry is currently in its busiest season. After all, it is during the season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) that advertisers open their pursestrings and unleash a wave of creativity. So far, it is the only food delivery platform Zomato that has dabbled its feet in AI during the biggest advertising carnival. It has launched a series of AI-generated advertisements featuring its ambassador Ranveer Singh. Is there a reason behind this rather long pause on AI campaigns, especially during IPL? The cost factor and regulatory concerns Sharing one of the reasons why, Geetanjali Bhattacharji , CEO of Glassbox Ventures cited the price factor. We saw advertisers pay a huge premium over previous years with pricing at 15 lakh to 20 lakh/10 sec on Television to 5-6 lakh/10 sec on CTV. Given that AI is an additional spend beyond the traditional creative production and media commissions, most marketers preferred to play safe, said Bhattacharji. Beyond the direct costs, regulatory concerns are also shaping advertising strategies. Bhattacharji highlighted that during the virtual G20 summit on November 22, PM Modi spoke about the emergence of deepfakes on social media, calling for global regulations for AI. She added, This has probably kept the risk-averse brands out of the game; which basically covers all the large advertisers on IPL. The soaring expenses of IPL ad slots, coupled with the extra investment required for AI integration, and the threat of AI regulations, have prompted advertisers to stay away from AI in the time being, making it rather a risky investment, especially during IPL season. Sticking to the comfort zone Since the very inception of IPL, stars have been at the centre of storytelling, often talking about friendly rivalry. According to the media reports, IPL ads have a bigger dose of celebrities, with more than 60% of the ads being celeb-led. So far in IPL 2024, celebrities seem to be a popular choice yet again. Abhimanyu Balasubramanyam , Creative Director - Schbang believes the approach to using celebrities in advertising, especially in high-profile events like IPL, is not just about avoiding risks but rather about creating impact and visibility. He said, Agencies and clients alike have key performance indicators (KPIs) to meet, and they are constantly looking for impactful campaigns that resonate with audiences. While celebrities do tend to have a significant influence on Indian audiences, it's not just about their presence; it's about how they are integrated into the campaign's narrative. He also highlighted that the use of AI in advertising has not diminished due to the use of celebrities. Sharing an example of Vishal Dadlani's Cricket World Cup song campaign, Balasubramanyam said that AI can enhance the visual elements of a campaign while still leveraging the appeal of a celebrity. Furthermore, Aarushi Periwal , Creative at Talented said that AI can't be treated as the next celebrity in ad campaigns and it should serve a purpose, not a check box. She pointed out that there is stellar work coming out of IPL without AI being the crutch. She shared a list of campaigns featuring celebrities where they were not used for their face value like Dream11s series of hilarious ads, or using Leander for CRED, and Talenteds Make My Trip campaign. These are all creative, risky, great ideas. Out of comfort zones. With or without AI, Periwal added. IPLs unpredictability a tough ballgame for AI The most fundamental method of communicating with fans during IPL season is through memes and moment marketing. Brands try to become a part of the cricket fan culture and it is all about finding the right emotion to connect with them. Abhik Santara , Director & CEO, ^ a t o m said that IPL is about the fans and the energy, and that raw human connection is tough for AI to fully replicate. He believes that AI has its quirks when it comes to IPL advertising. IPL is all about raw energy, the roar of the crowd, those last-minute nail-biters. It's tough for AI to fully replicate that emotional punch. Sure, it can make an ad look cool, but can it capture the heart-racing excitement of a Super Over? - Abhik Santara He said that AI is great at patterns and refining what's already there, but capturing that anything can happen spirit is a whole different ball game. Also, a lot of the best IPL ads play on the fans, the memes, the shared cultural moments. He believes that AI hasn't yet mastered that level of real-time cultural awareness and responsiveness. It can churn out visuals, but can it quickly craft a viral ad riding on a hilarious catchphrase from last night's game? Now that's a challenge! Santara added. Rose-tinted glasses come off After experimenting with personalisation and deep fake in 2023, the advertising industry is currently working on finding the next big idea. Balasubramanyam believes that simply integrating AI into a campaign is no longer enough and the focus is shifting. He said, The focus now is on finding ideas that resonate with audiences on a human level while leveraging technology to enhance the storytelling. This approach ensures that campaigns not only stand out but also connect with people in a meaningful way. AI is becoming a companion for agencies that helps in smoothening the process. However, the end result, the big proverbial golden trophy, creativity still brings that home. Periwal said, AI in 2023 was dictatorial. A must-have in all campaigns. In 2024, AI is democratic. Its not an imposition, its an option. Which means the rose-tinted glasses are off and we also see the limitations of it. More creatives and brands are seeing AI as part of the process, not output. Thats the key difference. Were using AI for what it has to offer to us right now. Its a great tool to automate processes, it cant automate creativity. Stating how human touch is a differentiator during IPL, she added, Now that the mediocre is over; actual craft, experience, and conviction becomes the differentiator. Which happens to be human for now. The novelty is wearing off. AI is part of ideation, and it should be, but its not the idea itself. If not in the end output, where is AI used now? Suneil Chawla , Co-founder, Social Beat, said, Teams are using it to create and test more copies, creative options and we are just at the start of the impact AI will have on marketing Beyond the initial creative experiments using AI, today the main use case brands have asked us for is to drive more quality content at scale and do it up to 10X more efficiently and faster. Even though AI has been missing from campaigns in 2024, this year has been about involving this technology in the process of creation and scratching beyond the surface. While there are many reasons why AI seems to be on a pause on the creative front, creativity is not missing from IPL ads. And the 17th season of the advertising carnival is still underway and more brands might follow Zomatos lead in adapting AI.

Forbes International accused of placing ads on dubious subdomain

A recent report from Adalytics , an ad quality company, claims that Forbes misled advertisers by suggesting they were purchasing media on Forbes.com when, in reality, they were buying media on a hidden, low-quality 'made for advertising' (MFA) subdomain, www3.forbes.com. Forbes ceased operations of the website altogether after receiving inquiries for the same. According to Adalytics, the dubious website has been displaying advertisements since at least May 2017. It repurposed Forbes articles into longer formats, such as listicles and slideshows, and exposed readers to an unusually high number of advertisements. While Forbes's main website typically features 3 to 10 advertisements per article, users of www3.forbes.com may encounter over 200 advertisements per page view. Unlike Forbes's flagship site, the www3 subdomain did not include subscription paywalls and did not permit search engine crawlers to index its articles, rendering them inaccessible through organic search. Users who attempted to access the www3 subdomain directly were automatically redirected to the main Forbes website. Approximately 70% of readers primarily accessed the site through display advertisements from other websites, many of which were clickbait advertisements from content recommendation services such as Outbrain and Taboola. Numerous brands purchased advertising space on www3.forbes.com, likely assuming it was legitimate ad space on forbes.com. These include Microsoft, Disney, JPMorgan Chase, Johnson & Johnson, Mercedes Benz, Oracle, Fidelity, Marriott, Ford, United Airlines, and others, as per the report. Additionally, Adalytics noticed several advertising agencies conducting transactions on the www3 subdomain, such as Omnicom Media Group, Publicis' Starcom, Havas, IPG's Kinesso, Dentsu's Accordant, GroupM's Mindshare, Horizon Media, Stagwell's Gale, and more. Many advertisers not only paid for what they thought was premium ad space on Forbes's main site, but their ads, which were displayed on the www3 subdomain, were unlikely to reach their intended target audiences. Visitors to the www3 subdomain tended to be older compared to the main Forbes domain, making them less desirable audiences for many brands. Despite some media buyers explicitly blocking the subdomain, their ads were still shown on the site. According to the Adalytics report, 'No Trustworthy Accountability Group-certified or Media Rating Council-accredited ad verification vendors appear to have detected Forbess practice of misdirection or alerted media buyers to the misrepresented subdomain inventory.'

Meta debuts its AI chatbot across WhatsApp, Instagram, and Messenger in India & Africa

Meta has confirmed its ongoing testing of Meta AI, a chatbot powered by a large language model, with users of WhatsApp, Instagram, and Messenger in India and parts of Africa, as reported by TechCrunch. This move reflects Meta's strategy to leverage the extensive user bases across its various apps to expand its AI offerings. The social media giant has been working diligently to introduce more AI services following significant AI advancements by other major tech players like OpenAI. The recent appearance of the Meta AI chatbot in India, where users have taken note, underscores the country's significance as a market for the company. With over 500 million Facebook and WhatsApp users, India stands as Meta's largest single market. In September 2023, Meta introduced Meta AI , a chatbot that can answer questions directly in chats and create lifelike images from text descriptions. It seems to also help with searches on Instagram. Instagram and WhatsApp, with their global user base boasting billions of monthly active users, offer Meta an opportunity to expand its AI offerings. By incorporating Meta AI into WhatsApp and Instagram, the parent company Facebook can introduce its advanced language model and image generation capabilities to a vast audience, potentially surpassing the reach of its competitors. Earlier this week, the company confirmed plans to launch Llama 3, the upcoming iteration of its open-source large language model, within the coming month.

Dream11, Tata Group & Jio top performers at IPL 2024: Report

A Day-after recall survey being conducted jointly by Kadence International and Crisp Insights shows that amidst the multitude of brands vying for attention during an IPL game, an individual viewer recalls only 3-5 brands, underscoring the battle for attention brands face in the IPL. Viewer engagement positively correlates with brand recall, with more engaged viewers more likely to remember brands. Surprisingly, mobile screen viewers exhibit better brand recall compared to those watching on larger screens, indicating evolving media consumption habits of the involved viewers of the IPL. The survey covers key cities in the catchments of the 10 IPL teams, with male and female respondents aged 15-65. Assessing day-after recall via telephonic interviews, the survey measures the impact seeing a brand as part of the IPL viewing experience has on the audience. K Highlights 23% of people are tuning into IPL games within the past 24 hours, reaffirming the IPL's enduring popularity. While IPL is far more popular with men, with as high as 30% of them tuning in to the games, 12% of women are tuning in, too, with as many as 30% actively following the progress of the IPL. The IPL enjoys widespread popularity across age groups, with young adults and seniors equally likely to join and actively follow the tournament. The survey identifies the IPL Superfans as devoted enthusiasts who exhibit exceptional dedication to the tournament and have a propensity to watch every game. One in five of the respondents surveyed demonstrated the characteristics of a Superfan. They are twice as likely to have watched a game within the past 24 hours compared to other viewers and express strong emotional attachment to the IPL. Superfans constitute the core target for brands interested in the IPL. They make up a fifth of the audience but because they try and follow every game, they make of 44% of the viewers of an individual IPL game. They are more likely to notice brands and more likely to reward brands for sharing their passion with 74% responding positively to at least one brands communication. Almost half of IPL viewers do not have a favourite team; of the rest, 86% are CSK, RCB, KKR, or MI fans. While CSK has the largest fan base, with, for instance, more fans among Delhiites than Delhi Capitals, RCB has the strongest in-catchment following, with 84% of the fans in Bangalore naming it as their favourite team. The report assesses the visibility and performance of brands present as tournament or team sponsors and advertisers during IPL matches; highlighting brands recalled by viewers. To date, Dream11, Tata Group, Jio, My11 Circle, RuPay and CEAT are the most recalled brands. Commenting on the report, Ritesh Ghosal, Crisp Insights, said that with over 175 brands getting associated with the teams, the broadcast, or the event, getting noticed is a growing challenge for brands. Further, with each mode of association coming at a very different price, assessing return-on-investment for the brand of these modes of association becomes a key input to decision-making. Our survey provides actionable insights to navigate the competitive landscape and capture audience attention effectively and efficiently. Commenting on the report, Aman Makkar, Kadence International, said that IPL is not just the biggest sporting event but the most critical window in the marketing calendar for the year. Marketers either buy into the IPL or wonder how to compete for attention while staying out. E-DART IPL24 aims to provide useful data on how audiences interact with the IPL for all marketers.

Shweta Jain to move on from Diageo India

Shweta Jain recently concluded her role as the Chief Business Development Officer, Luxury, Reserve and Craft for India and South Asia at Diageo India. Jain joined the company as Vice President in 2018 and was promoted to CBO in September 2021. Reflecting on her time at Diageo India, Jain shared her thoughts in a LinkedIn post and said, DIAGEO India gave a broad canvas and I had the privilege of setting an audacious vision of shaping the culture of socialisation while breaking new grounds of growth by premiumisation. Marked my last days this week and spent them well with people who fuel it all. You have all left me with huge gratitude for your partnership in every dimension possible. She went on to share the announcement of her departure stating that she marked her last days at Diageo this week and spent them well with people who fuel it all, expressing gratitude for their partnership. Talking about the next phase in her career, she added, What is next? A new chapter you say I say its time for a new book! Very excited for the leap on the horizon... but for now, its all about a wee savour the pause! Before this, Jain held various roles at Ogilvy, McCann Worldgroup, Gillette India, and William Grant & Sons, showcasing her expertise in marketing and brand strategy development. She currently serves as a member of the Nao Spirits & Beverages, Board of Directors.

Beyond cliches and stereotypes: Brands that have got their women representation right

An industry where the portrayal of women often leans heavily on outdated stereotypes, it boxes them into cliched roles that are either overly sentimental or superficial. Whether it's the tearful mom, or the daughter-in-law juggling everything with a smile, the cliches are not just tired but alienating. Whats more, is the fact that the same product is marketed differently to both men and women. For instance, sports and fitness gear advertisements targeting men often scream competition, strength, and performance enhancement, portraying athleticism as a domain of masculine achievement. Conversely, fitness products marketed to women tend to focus on aesthetics or weight loss, implying that women's primary fitness goal is to conform to conventional standards of beauty rather than achieve athletic prowess. This pattern extends into the financial sector, where advertising traditionally depicts men as the primary decision-makers. Men are shown making investment choices and engaging in high-stakes financial planning, while women if they appear at all, are shown managing savings or handling day-to-day budgeting. Similarly, in tech and gadget marketing, there's a clear gender divide. Men are often shown engaging deeply with technology, fascinated by specifications and innovations. In stark contrast, advertisements aimed at women tend to simplify the technology or focus on its design and how it fits into their lifestyle, subtly undermining women's interest in or understanding tech functionalities. This sentiment is also backed by data from the Gender in Advertising 2023 report , which shows that in 2022, men were cast in professional roles 73% more often than women, and 30% more often in leadership roles. Meanwhile, women were 46% more likely to be seen in domestic roles and slightly more in family settings than in the previous year. And women are clearly not resonating with these ads as according to a media report , 91% of women said advertisers dont understand them. Its high time that marketers embrace a more nuanced, realistic representation of women, tapping into their actual interests and roles as the disconnect between these portrayals and the real aspirations and capabilities of women is striking. Aside from the fact that women control over $31.8 trillion in worldwide spending, brands need to ensure ads speak to women. According to an Ipsos report, representing females in a more positive way in ads achieves a higher long-term and short-term impact for brands. Maybe this is another reason that brands and agencies have been working towards positive rather accurate representation of women. When it came to accurate representation of women in advertisements, only a handful of examples came to mind. That's why we decided to turn to the experts women who have carved a name for themselves with their hard work and determination in the advertising and marketing industry and also are Social Samosa's Superwomen 2024 Jury. Here are the campaigns that they find accurately represent women: Aditi Shrivastava , Co-founder, MD & CEO, Pocket Aces I think lately, one campaign that left an impression on me for its accurate representation of women is Mankind Pharma's pregnancy kit campaign for Prega News . It depicted a teacher who is about to go on maternity leave when three or four of her students fail in class. She has to then decide whether she wants to give them remedial classes right before their board exams. While other teachers express concerns about her managing this alongside her impending childbirth, she responds with determination, saying, Yeh dono mere bache hain. I believe the campaign effectively highlights women's dedication to delivering results, often going above and beyond, regardless of the situation. It emphasises women's excellent work ethic and their caring nature, showcasing their willingness to prioritise others over themselves to achieve success. Anupama Ramaswamy , Chief Creative Officer, Havas Worldwide India The recent Urban Company campaign is such an apt representation of women in India. And it ends with a beautiful line - Auratein jitni aage badhti hain, logon ki soch utni hi choti hoti jaati hai. Binaifer Dulani , Founding Member & Creative, Talented Google Searchs Manjha under the the Search for Change banner - represented the lived realities of women, and showed the trope of strong, supported women. Too often, our expectation is for women to be superwomen and change their destiny by themselves. Instead, we need to see strong women - who are supported by allies and technology. Chaaya Baradhwaaj , Founder & MD, BCWebwise A recent ad created for Santoor where the female Pilot is back after a long break, the child is a toddler. This represented that she was away playing her role as mother for 3-4 years at least. This is an accurate representation of women in India, who do their best to do justice to whatever role they play. Deepika Warrier , Head of Marketing, Bajaj Auto No piece of advertising work comes readily to life, but love the work of content producers like Zoya Akhtar, Meghna Gulzar, and Avinash Arun who make authentic sensitive stories with real, vulnerable characters -both men and women. Geet Nazir , Managing Partner, Conran Design Group Mumbai For me, Havas Middle Easts I Am Possible campaign for Adidas is a fantastic representation of women overcoming micro challenges to win the big picture. Pankhuri Harikrishnan , Founder & Director, Fetch! The Dove Campaign for Real Beauty stands out as a compelling and impactful initiative that left a lasting impression on me for its accurate representation of women. What made this campaign particularly powerful was its global reach, featuring women from different corners of the world, with diverse backgrounds and unique appearances. The emphasis on showcasing beauty in all its forms, regardless of ethnicity, age, or body shape, contributed to a more accurate and inclusive portrayal of women.By bringing together women, the Dove campaign challenged societal beauty norms and fostered a sense of unity among women. Vanaja Pillai , President, 22feet Tribal Worldwide, Head DEI, DDB Mudra Group I still reference and admire the Like a Girl campaign, by Always. It accurately presented what we tend to do with our young men and women, and truly inspired us to rethink our foundational beliefs around what it means to be a girl. Villoo Daji , SVP - Group Marketing, Baccarose I would say, it has to be the Parcos Women's Day 2022 campaign - #ImEnough, focusing on gender equality as a necessary foundation for a peaceful and sustainable world. To end all forms of discrimination against all women, celebrating women's achievements, while calling out inequality, is a crucial step towards achieving equality, which is a fundamental right. Throughout history, women have always been asked to function according to other peoples expectations, agendas, and standards whether it is men or even other women, their parents, families, friends and of course, society at large. Theyre constantly told how they should look, speak, behave, and essentially carry themselves in this world, which creates unnecessary self-doubt, fear, and a lack of confidence. Parcos I M Enough Campaign aimed to encourage all women to push against and break this systemic, deeply problematic, and archaic reality and narrative, showcasing how a woman is a culture maker, a change maker, leader, and an icon. She can exist exactly how she wants. She is her own person. And that is enough.

Skechers announces Ishan Kishan as brand ambassador

Skechers has announced the signing of cricket player Ishan Kishan as its brand ambassador for Skechers India. Ishan Kishan will also appear in marketing campaigns supporting Skechers Performance and Lifestyle footwear collections. About the partnership, Ishan Kishan said, I am excited to be a part of the Skechers family. As an athlete, footwear is critical when it comes to comfort and performance in my game. With Skechers, I have a partner which perfectly aligns with my needs. I look forward to associating with them in their commitment to creating world-class athletic footwear for everyone. Rahul Vira , CEO, of Skechers Asia Pvt. Ltd., said, The signing of Ishan Kishan is a milestone for Skechers. We see this as an opportunity to tap into India's love for cricket and are proud to have Ishan on board, wearing the first Skechers cricket boots and appearing in campaigns. More than just a partnership, adding Ishan to our team is a testament to the brand's commitment to promoting sports and active lifestyles with innovative products that deliver our signature comfort that performs. Ishan is an inspiration to youthful consumers across the country, and we believe that his energy and dynamism perfectly resonate with Skechers' sporty and stylish offerings, and Indians nationwide will champion him as the face of Skechers.

Former JWT ECDs, Priya Pardiwalla & Steve Mathias launch Steve Priya

Priya Pardiwalla and Steve Mathias, former Executive Creative Directors at Wunderman Thompson have started their own creative and content agency called Steve Priya with their first office in Mumbai. Talking about the reason behind the name of their new agency, Pardiwalla and Mathias said, While we had about 4-5 names, we shortlisted it down to 2. And in the end, we went with neither. From our own experience and after talking to many of our clients, we realized that everyone struggles with the name of the agency, especially the newer ones, but what clients do remember are the people. Its not just a brand name. Were putting our neck and reputation on the line. The agency is dedicated to fostering creativity and innovation across every level, aiming to achieve several key objectives. Firstly, it strives to craft communication that not only promotes brands but also captivates audiences, building engagement akin to the content we eagerly consume. Additionally, it endeavours to create compelling and original screenplays for both feature films and series, aiming to inspire and entertain viewers with unpredictable narratives. The agency is committed to nurturing its employees' growth, emphasizing a culture where talent flourishes unrestricted by hierarchy or seniority. It prioritizes building relationships with clients based on trust and transparency, enabling a collaborative partnership. The agencys ethos is encapsulated in the term Creative Adventures, reflecting the belief that brand-building is a dynamic journey filled with exciting possibilities and unexplored territories. Pardiwalla and Mathias continued, For us, the starting point for creating any advertising is that No one. No one is interested in watching an ad. Thats probably why people hit that skip button with a vengeance. Were looking for clients and brands who are seeking solid brand-building work through a fresh and unexpected route. Not tried, tested and retested. Theres no point in discovering a place that's already crowded. Commercials especially have become formulaic. The only guys who are benefitting from them are YouTube, Spotify and others who charge you to make it ad-free! They are one of the last few creative teams who have been partners for over 20 years. It was Josy Paul who first paired Priya and Steve together at Brand David. After spending six years building challenger brands, the duo moved to JWT which became Wunderman Thompson and is now VML. For over 16 years at JWT , the duo created award-winning, engaging, market-moving communication across categories from Automobiles to FMCG, Media, Home Dcor, Finance, Beauty and Skincare to name a few. With a showcase of over 230 commercials, Steve Priya has created memorable campaigns including the IPL ad Jumping Japang with Farah Khan, someone who never followed cricket, but choreographed steps that made the entire nation dance. They cast an old couple for Goodknight at a time when the category norm was using kids. They used Marathi Rap for their Goldilocks campaign three years before Gully Boy hit the screens. They launched the new koda philosophy in India with a woman wedding planner as the protagonist. They got two ancient warriors fighting with Lollipops instead of gadaas for Jolly Ranchers recent Two Much Lollipop and more. The duo have already signed on some accounts and will be announcing the wins shortly.

Anand Kumar appointed as President - South at Havas Media Network India

Havas Media Network India , theconglomerate of Havas India , has announced the appointment of Anand Kumar as President - South , Havas Media India to spearhead the operations in the southern markets. Kumar will be based out of Bengaluru and report to Uday Mohan, Managing Director, Havas Media India , and will work closely with the core leadership team of the agency. Kumar comes with an experience of two decades spanning diverse markets and esteemed agencies. In his most recent role, hespearheaded a media consultancy, catering specifically to Direct-to-Consumer (D2C) clients. Before this, he held a decade-old stint with GroupM in various senior roles. Armed with a wealth of experience, Kumar s experience comes from multiple categories and specialised media domains he has worked in over the years, including FMCG (Dabur, Wrigleys, Amway), Automobile (Hero MotoCorp, Suzuki, Yamaha, Hyundai), Lifestyle (Antonio Puig, Clarks, ITC Apparel, Flipkart Fashion, Myntra), Telecom & Durables (Samsung, Panasonic, Sony, MTS) D2C & Tech (Flipkart, PhonePe, Vedantu, Wakefit, Rapido). Over the past several years, Havas Media India s southern operation has garnered substantial growth, marked by client growth and retention such as Swiggy, and the acquisition of brands including PUMA, Ola, Quickr, Joyalukkas, V-Guard, among others. This expansion has established the South as a vibrant centre, solidifying Havas Media s standing as the preferred partner for emerging brands and unicorns in India . Welcoming Kumar onboard, Uday Mohan , Managing Director, Havas Media India , said, We are now poised to embark on our next phase of growth, as we stay committed to making a meaningful difference in the industry. Our robust operations in the south , offer immense potential for marketers and as we continue to grow our business, Anand s rich expertise will prove to be a huge leverage for us in the region. His addition to the team aligns perfectly with our commitment to staying at the forefront of media innovation. Talking about his new role, Anand Kumar said, It is an exciting opportunity to be a part of a resurgent Havas . The remarkable growth trajectory witnessed by Havas Media Network India in recent years is truly commendable. I am particularly impressed by the agency's refusal to get complacent. Its visionary approach towards expansion, transformation, and the distinct proposition of Meaningful Brands is truly inspiring. I eagerly anticipate collaborating with a dedicated team that has earned the trust of some of the most esteemed brands in the nation and partnering with some great marketing minds. Mohit Joshi , CEO, of Havas Media Network India , remarked on the appointment, At Havas Media Network India , our team has grown to over 1000 members, reflecting our expanding presence both in terms of capabilities, talent pool and client base nationwide. Our operations in Bengaluru serve as a hub for numerous key and successful client relationships in the region. We are deeply ingrained in the southern market, leveraging our diverse competencies via teams at PivotRoots, Havas Media India , and Centre of Excellence. As our network expands rapidly, we prioritize leaders who possess a profound understanding of the industry landscape. Anand 's appointment reflects our commitment to enhancing omnichannel planning capabilities and ensuring seamless workflows from client briefs to tangible business outcomes, particularly within the pivotal South market.

Sporta Technologies dominates advertisers list in IPL 17: TAM Report

TAM India has released its latest report on commercial advertising during IPL 2024. It details statistics from the first 23 matches of IPL 2024. According to it, during IPL 17 (2024), the count of categories and advertisers increased by 65% and 37% compared to IPL 16 (2023). The top five categories present in IPL 17 together covered 50% share of ad volumes with Ecom-Gaming leading the list. Also, throughout all the 23 matches of IPL 17, Ecom-Gaming dominated the category list. The report further states that Ecom-Gaming and Pan Masala were the common categories between IPL 17 and IPL 16. Among the top five Categories in IPL 17, two were from the Food & Beverages Sector. In Advertisers, Sporta Technologies secured first position in 16 matches and Parle Products emerged as the leading advertiser in 7 matches during IPL 17. Together, the top advertisers added a 38% share of ad volumes in IPL 17. Furthermore, Sporta Technologies, Vishnu Packaging and K P Pan Foods were the common advertisers present in top 5 advertisers between IPL 17 & IPL 16. In the 23 matches of IPL 17, there were 37 new categories and 73 new brands present compared to the same no. of matches in IPL 16. Parle Food Products and Airtel Xstream Fiber secured first and second positions among the 73 new brands present in IPL 17.