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Around the world: From Disney, Microsoft entering pact to Amazon launching new service

This is to create, produce and distribute content via the Microsoft Azure cloud platform.




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In The News: Havas Group acquires digital agency Langoor

Langoor was founded in 2010 and is now present across India, the Middle East and Australia. This is Havas Group’s second digital agency acquisition in India in the year, the first being Think Design.




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How retailers from East Asia are appealing to Indian tastes

Realising that sourcing within India helps cut costs, Uniqlo established an office in Bengaluru in 2016 to identify and work with partner factories in India. The company currently procures cotton fibre from India, as a result.




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Know who is the inspiration of Viacom18 Studios’ Ajit Andhare

Elon Musk for his sheer audacity of dreaming unabashedly and then making those impossible dreams come true, says Ajit Andhare, COO, Viacom18 Studios.




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Music streaming is a potent tool to engage with millennials

The most interesting part of this disruptive market is that as consumers’ media consumption habits are evolving, brands are seeking better technology to target them with relevant content and occasions.




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Jabong has equity; we want to keep it alive: Myntra Jabong’s Amar Nagaram

The Myntra Extended Network Through Store Activation (MENSA), a kirana model, allows local business owners to earn by assisting in deliveries.




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Amazon and Flipkart are taking fashion beyond metros

Ujjwal Chaudhry, director, RedSeer Consulting, says, “Metro consumers buy more branded products, but the same value proposition would not be as attractive to a tier II consumer.”




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In The News: Google’s Nitin Bawankule joins Star India

In her 20-year-long stint with the organisation, she headed Sony Max, and played a pivotal role in Sony Entertainment Television’s content revamp.




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Selling sentiments: Does nostalgia help relaunch brands?

Mahindra Group brought back its Jawa motorcycles last year; Campa Cola is keen on making a return; and HUL’s Liril has attempted many relaunches




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Around the world: From forever 21 files for bankruptcy to Ikea’s sale surge online

The chain will be shutting 300-350 stores as part of its global business overhaul.




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Know who is the inspiration of The Glitch co-founder Rohit Raj

The Messy Middle. The book talks about the middle stages of every start-up, the troubles it goes through, and how crossing that hurdle is important yet tricky




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How marketers can make the most of mobile medium

Video is the new, sexy means of storytelling. It allows marketers to showcase their properties and experiences through digital video ads.




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Indian marketers slower in employing brand safety: John Montgomery, EVP-Global Brand Safety, GroupM

GroupM’s John Montgomery tells Sonam Saini that while marketers are more cognizant of ad frauds, much more needs to be done to ensure brand safety.




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Why are homegrown tea companies foraying into quick-service restaurants?

Indian tea brands want a piece of this steaming hot business.




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In the news: Taboola and Outgrain announce merger

Digital advertising platforms Taboola and Outbrain have entered into an agreement to merge, in order to provide enhanced advertising efficacy and reach marketers worldwide.




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Netflix, Eros Now, other OTT platforms tie up with airlines to tap large user base

OTT platforms are partnering with travel agencies, airlines and cruises to tap on-the-go audiences




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Explained: Why it’s tough to create impact in consumers’ media-filled universe

Advertising when the customer needs your product the most is an age-old tactic for effective marketing.




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Our industry is very dynamic: Monte Carlo’s Rishabh Oswal

Certain practices in the apparel market continue to loom like dark clouds, says Rishabh Oswal, Executive Director, Monte Carlo.




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With auto sector in slump and economy in slowdown, is it all gloom this festive season?

Consumers are looking at spending cautiously, but they have not stopped their purchases.




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Social media: Why brands are telling ‘Stories’

Short-lived content is the new go-to strategy for brands to engage with consumers and turn them into content creators




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How retailers use tech to make a better sale pitch

Some retailers are using technology to resolve customer queries, and offer customers a better shopping experience




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Don’t want to put all content behind a paywall: Aditi Shrivastava, Co-founder, Pocket Aces | Interview

Our mission is to solve boredom. There are now 500 million Indians who have an internet connection, and are spending nearly five hours a day on social media and entertainment.




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Pharma companies must leverage the digital medium better

To effectively reach and engage with this new class of consumers who spend most of their time online, the medical community must explore digital marketing and make strategic patient-centric decisions.




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After hours: Naveen Anand, Senior Director, Marketing, Oriflame South Asia

I am very organised; my entire day is well planned. After a quick short walk in the morning, I reach office by 8.30 am. I like to review what I wish to accomplish at the beginning of my day and schedule all the meetings beforehand.




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Del Monte taking its offerings to small towns, but is the market ready for gourmet Italian food products?

Industry reports suggest that Italian cuisine is the second most popular international cuisine in India, after Chinese, due to the presence of several QSR chains. It isn’t, therefore, a surprise that companies like Del Monte want to ride this wave.




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Why text messaging is yet to be used inventively in India

Cost of one SMS is around 12 paise, whereas a promotional e-mail could cost 2-4 paise. A retail brand organising a high intensity campaign for its seasonal sale could end up spending Rs 15-20 lakh to reach its consumers.




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In the news: Leo Burnett wins Tinder account to new executive director at Mad Over Donuts

Harman Kardon International, an audio company that operates JBL in India, has awarded the integrated communication mandate to Havas Creative India for its recently launched brand Infinity. The agency’s Delhi office will handle creative strategy and execution for the brand.




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BBlunt is different because we understand Indian hair: Anirban Banerjee, Head, global innovation

We will look at geographical expansion for our salons; but for products, we aim to expand within India at the moment.




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Review corner: Five Diwali ads that hit the right note

A couple out shopping, decides to buy a mixer grinder when faced with the ‘tough’ task of choosing between two kurtas for the husband. Preposterous can be funny, but this one just falls flat.




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Akshay Bector of Cremica Food on how he unwinds in weekends

I usually have six to seven meetings in a day — with the sales and marketing teams on current campaigns and updates on products in the pipeline or meeting various stakeholders.




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Why new-age publishers are partnering with affiliate platforms

Online publishers often lack the knowledge and familiarity to leverage online tools to monetise content




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Mobile handsets: Nokia’s smartphone troubles

While Nokia phones are sold on both Amazon and Flipkart, the company stays out of flash sales — a strategy that has become a staple for brands like Xiaomi and OnePlus




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Employees as brand advocates is an untapped marketing tool

A new phrase in marketing which started in the US a few years back is now catching on in India as well.




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Agency versus consultantcy is the wrong focus: Nikki Mendonca, Global President, Accenture Interactive Operations | Interview

Success in today’s digital-first world depends on a marketing organisation’s ability to create and activate hyper-relevant, data-driven and omnichannel customer experiences, says Nikki Mendonca.




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BIG FM CEO Abraham Thomas shares his wanderlust, life’s inspiration and favourite movie

The Godfather, of course. It is a cult classic. Another movie that I would like to watch again is Andhadhun for its unpredictable storyline and performances.




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Ogilvy-Vivo spat puts the spotlight back on plagiarism in advertising

The real challenge with regulations is that of implementation and compliance.




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Milking the opportunity: E-grocery players getting into the daily essentials delivery business

The biggies have built dark stores, warehousing, last-mile deliveries and launched private labels, but still struggle with low margins.




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Commerce in conversation: Untapped potential in voice skill technology

Conversational commerce, as it is more popularly known, is any form of online communication that takes place during an e-commerce purchase.




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Selfie age driving consumption in small towns, says V-Mart Retail CMD

Lalit Agarwal talks to Devika Singh about the infrastructural hurdles in tier III towns and beyond, the competition from marketplaces, and more.




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Skechers South Asia CEO Rahul Vira shares about his job, fascination for toy cars

"I find my job very exciting; every day is new, as we are creating a brand in the Indian market which is a challenge in itself," says Rahul Vira, CEO, Skechers, South Asia.




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Speaking local: Brands tapping regional influencers for higher engagement

Brands are tapping regional influencers for higher engagement.




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Brands say ‘no’ to plastic, amble towards sustainable packaging and products

A look at how some companies in India are ambling towards sustainable packaging and products.




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Content has become central to a brand’s marketing activities

Any brand, in order to become stronger, has to constantly connect with its consumers. The entire theory of stimulus-response works on the principle of brands sending a stimulus for consumers to respond.




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Hard for brands to stay ahead of the consumer: Diana Cawley, CEO- APAC, Geometry Global | Interview

Geometry Global, WPP group’s shopper marketing and brand activation agency, is working towards devising communication that fits the non-linear, omnichannel shopping behaviour of consumers.




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Raymond bets big on small towns

By 2022, the company hopes to have 2,000 operational stores. Interestingly, two thirds of these will be located in the tier III, IV, V and VI towns, in the smaller retail format — The Mini Raymond Shop.




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With HBO Max, Apple TV+ and Disney+, will the OTT landscape really change much?

In India, however, this is not likely to be a separate offering — Disney titles are being made available on the homegrown Hotstar, with no change in subscription plans, as of now.




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How with no plans to advertise BLADE is positioning itself as a premium air-taxi

Blade Urban Air Mobility Program in India: The air-taxi has begun operations in Mumbai, Pune, and Shirdi, today




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V-Mart’s Samir Misra on life beyond work

From Apple to Lululemon and UNTUCKit are some of his favourite brands




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How brands are riding the influencers wave

According to a study by Broadcast Audience Research Council India and Nielsen India, there has been a 44% increase in time spent on social media in the week of March 28 - April 3 over a sample pre-covid period in January and February.




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How online games are gaining eyeballs

According to a report by InMobi, usage of mobile gaming apps has grown by 110% since then