The India Today Group and Axel Springer have come together under a joint venture, ITAS Media Pvt Ltd, to launch automobile magazine ‘Auto Bild’ in India. The magazine will be hitting Delhi newsstands on June 27. The India Today Group will have 51 per cent stake in the JV, while Axel Springer will hold the remaining 49 per cent stake.
After the BCCI, print and television, it is now the turn of FM stations to felicitate the 1983 cricket World Cup champions. Radio One, Radio Mango, My FM and Big FM have come up with various on-air activities aligned to commemorate the Indian cricket team that brought home the World Cup in 1983.
Hybrid cars, CNG variants, and now, India’s first electric car. With rising fuel prices and concerns about the environment, car manufacturers are taking recourse to technology to provide green options for urban transport. Reva Electric Car Company on Wednesday launched its two-seater electric hatchback REVAi in the National Capital.
Obsolescence is inevitable. According to writer and advertising professional Anand Kurian, there is real obsolescence and then there is artificial obsolescence. For marketers, creating artificial obsolescence becomes an effective persuasive marketing tool that can help create repeat buyers.
The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) has released its report for the period January-March, 2008 on ads that were either modified or withdrawn. The report states that a total of 35 ads were brought under the scanner, out of which eight have been withdrawn and seven were modified.
Future Brands was set up as a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Future Group, the promoter of retail formats Big Bazaar and Pantaloons. Santosh Desai talks to Suvi Dogra about his vision for the company:
Titan Industries, one of India's leading retailers of watches and jewellery, is planning to launch 40 colourful watches under a completely new brand for kids this financial year.
Sulekha.com has recently launched a ‘Premium jobs’ section for which they have entered into a partnership with CareerBuilderIndia.com to power its content. CareerBuilderIndia will be recognised as an exclusive provider of online job and resume posting and job search services for all premium job prospects on Sulekha.com.
These are tough times for car manufacturers. Rising fuel prices and interest rates are slowing down car sales. In a bid to push sales car manufacturers are coming up with various innovations. Hyundai Motor India is one such company. It is offering a free fuel voucher worth Rs 2,700 with every Santro and i10 bought between June 20 and 30, 2008.
D Charles has put in his papers at Hello FM as Head of Marketing. He is joining Akshya Homes, one of the leading builders in Chennai, as Deputy General Manager, Marketing. Charles, who is currently serving his notice period at Hello FM, will take up his new assignment from July 2.
Mankind Pharma has appointed Prachar Advertising to handle its media duties. The decision follows a multi-agency pitch. The account size is estimated to be in the region of Rs 40-45 crore.
Citing a "very public transformation" in which it and the health-care industry is "looking to adapt the way we do our business," pharmaceutical giant Pfizer, which spent some $1.2 billion in marketing last year, is undertaking a major agency review that will encompass creative, PR, digital and possibly even more disciplines.
Lintas Media Group has bagged the mandate for media buying and implementation duties of Jyothy Laboratories Ltd, marketers of brands like Ujala, Maxo, Exo and Jeeva, following a multi-agency pitch. Industry sources peg the business in the vicinity of Rs 45 crore.
Media Direction, the specialist media wing of RK Swamy Media Group, has bagged the Amrutanjan business, estimated at Rs 10 crore. This is the eighteenth win for Media Direction since its relaunch last year. OMS was the incumbent agency.
Major print players are closely watching the developments following the launch of Amar Ujala’s Lucknow edition on June 24. The paper claims to have a confirmed subscription of 210,000. exchange4media talks to some of the key Hindi dailies present in the Hindi heartland to know how much of a change Amar Ujala’s latest edition would bring in the market.