www.monsterindia.com is clearly emerging as the leader in the online career space, providing a quality experience to both employers and jobseekers. In a significant development, following a pitch of sorts, MPG has bagged the estimated Rs 15-crore media business of the website.
Hindustan Times is actively planning to enter the radio space. It is reliably learnt that HT Media Limited has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Virgin Radio Asia, owned by Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Group, last week.
Big sugar companies find branding bitter. Bajaj Hindustan Ltd, the country's leading producer, believes that a strong future in sugar is linked to efficient commodity play. Not branded sugar sales. It is logic, quite against conventional business trends that advise commodity players to break free of commodity cycles through value addition and branding.
Indian Pen industry is worth Rs 16-17 billion and is growing at a compounded rate of over 13-14 per cent for the last six years. Leading India-based pen maker Today’s Writing Products has firmed up plans to set up an Export Oriented Unit with a capacity of 400 million gel pens per annum. The group is planning to enter the $ 10-billion global writing instrument market in a big way.
Pedalling the bicycle market on fast lane can be a tough proposition, and TI Cycles is working hard to make cycles a part of the pop culture. One of its initiatives includes riding the brand into the silver screen.
Pugmarks is one of the first Net-based ventures in India to provide interactivity to media houses. Today, with interactivity becoming multi-dimensional with SMS, GPRS, WAP, CDMA and interactive voice, Pugmarks is planning to become a provider of total solutions to move up the value chain, says CEO Dilip Venkatraman.
On the back of higher sales of its direct cool refrigerators range, LG Electronics India claims to have sold upwards of one million refrigerators this calendar year. According to Mr Anil Arora, Head (Refrigerators), LG Electronics India, sales of LG's direct cool refrigerators have grown by 65 per cent during 2004.
Bollywood actress Bhumika Chawla has been signed up as the face of Nutrela Healthy Cooking Oil. Chawla will endorse the brand through print and television advertising created by O&M. Nutrela Healthy Cooking Oils is India’s first vitamin enriched oils with Vitamins A, D and E.
Overseas release of films, along with that in Indian theatres, is likely to emerge as a norm next year. While making this projection, head of media and entertainment practice at Ernst & Young Farokh Balsara said that “more and more producers are going to go for it during 2005”.
The revenues of All India Radio (AIR) have increased in 2003-04. AIR earned a revenue of Rs 117 crore, as compared to Rs 102 crore in the previous year, while DD’s revenues fell to Rs 530 crore from Rs 553 crore the year before.
Amit Garg, Business Manager, Nokia, is joining Hindustan Times as Associate Vice-president, Marketing, from January 3, 2005. He will be reporting to Anand Bhardwaj, Vice-president, Marketing, HT Media Limited.
In an effort to popularise Indian fashion with viewers, Trendz, the 24-hour fashion and style channel from Zee Telefilms, has planned special programming for the New Year. The channel will showcase Style India 2K5, a one-hour special, giving viewers a look into the world of fashion for the whole of next year.
Grey Worldwide has confirmed that it has recently bagged four accounts, three of which have come following multi-agency pitches. The four wins include Parle Agro, pegged at Rs 25 crore, Plast India at Rs 3 crore, Rs 2-crore Nexpress Solution and Laser Blade at Rs 3 crore – all put together, the agency has added Rs 33 crore to its business.
How different is online copy from the copy that’s floated in dailies and magazines? How far words retain their significance in online content vis-à-vis the print? Surveys have established that most web users look at a web page for only three to 15 seconds before deciding whether to stay or move on. The fact that they look at the copy first has major implications for any brand.
“‘Kul’ is one of my biggest shows. I am working very hard on it to be one of the best I have ever made,” said Ekta Kapoor in an interview with exchange4media while speaking about her forthcoming releases. The show in question has been given a new name now – ‘Kavyanjali’ and STAR Plus is all set to air it towards the end of January 2005.
<p align=justify>“I think the world has woken up to the fact that India is a big market. We have seen every possible global brand available in India. With respect to the advertising industry, it is maximising this new opportunity. And an opportunity to work on global brands is helping the local talents think and stay ahead with the rest of the world."
“The Hindi word for Indianness is Hindutva and we stand for it and will always write for it. We are against parties who appease the voters in terms of religion and divide society based on caste and creed. In Jagran, we are very clear that we would not write in support of these things. Unlike a lot of other dailies, we believe in being objective and stand for Indianness. There is nothing wrong with Hindutva. Media is often seen criticising it without understanding the true sense of Hindutva. A lot of society’s emotions are attached to this sentiment. We respect that sentiment. That is the selling point and will continue to be our selling point.”