exchange4media Bangalore Bureau
content@exchange4media.com
@exchange4media Bangalore Bureau
Authors
Two couples and a baby: Punjab drug addiction tragedy has new victims
Parents accused of selling a three-month-old arrested, along with the couple who say they “adopted” him. The HC has asked what happens to the child
editor@exchange4media.com & exchange4media Bangalore Bureau & exchange4media Kolkata Bureau & exchange4media Mumbai Bureau Nov 20, 2025 1:01 PM
MIB seeks AI agency for multilingual translation and localisation
Govt is inviting bids for a contract to develop an AI-powered platform for translation, transcription, and localisation of government content
Namma Bengaluru Awards enters 10th edition
NBA is one of a kind non-partisan awards function that seeks to recognise Bengaluru's unsung heroes
We are a country in the midst of retail revolution: Ananth Narayanan
Ananth Narayanan delivered the 38th year Ayaz Peerbhoy Memorial Lecture. He spoke on 'Building disruptive digital brands’
Day 2 of SA vs India test match sees highest viewership of the series
The test match got 2.3 million impressions and topped the list of top five programmes in sports.
Colors Super to air Bigg Boss Kannada season 5
The channel has designed a robust 360-degree integrated marketing campaign to promote the show
Vishwanath Iyer joins Big FM as Cluster Head for Karnataka & Kerala
Reliance Broadcasting Network Ltd (RBNL) has appointed Vishwanath Iyer as Cluster Head for Big FM, Karnataka and Kerala. He will be reporting to Jayant Bhokare, Regional Head, Big Connect (South).
ThoughtBox bags media duties of Royal Meenakshi Mall
Royal Meenakshi Mall, a leisure destination located in Bannerghatta Road in Bangalore, has assigned its media duties to ThoughtBox, a full service agency.
Lenovo appoints Shailendra Katyal as Marketing Head for India
Shailendra Katyal has been roped in as Marketing Head at Lenovo India. He will be responsible for handling the Lenovo master-brand.
Saffron Brand CEO India Avik Chattopadhyay quits
It is learnt that Avik Chattopadhyay, stint as CEO India for Saffron Brand Consultants would end March 31, 2011.
HDFC Credila ropes in Xebec for its creative duties
Xebec has bagged the creative duties of HDFC Credila. There was no formal pitch for the business and Xebec bagged it on the basis of its credentials.
RainMan ropes in analytic veteran CS Krishnakumar
Bangalore-headquartered marketing analytics company RainMan has appointed analytic veteran CS Krishnakumar (KK) as its Director and Chief Analytics Officer.
Percept Bangalore gets a new address
Percept companies in Bangalore have got a new address, thus allowing various divisions of the agency to function under one roof.
Lintas Media Group bags media duties of Citizen Watches
Lintas Media Group (LMG) Bangalore has been assigned the media mandate for Citizen Watches. The win comes on the back of a multi-agency pitch that also saw the participation of incumbent agency Allied Media and Dentsu.
American Express Publishing sees more content from India
The American Express Publishing Survey of Affluence & Wealth in America shows India as a top destination for wealthy consumers in America.
RK Arora joins BAG Network as CEO
RK Arora has joined BAG Network as Chief Executive Officer of broadcasting initiatives.
Happy adds three new businesses to its kitty
Happy Creative Services has bagged the creative duties of Papa John’s Pizza, Flipkart.com and Myntra.com.
MediaVest Worldwide bags media mandate of Wiwo Mobiles
MediaVest Worldwide, part of the Starcom MediaVest Group, has been appointed as media partner by Wiwo Mobiles. MediaVest Bangalore will drive the business. The size of the business is estimated to be around Rs 20 crore.
Percept Out of Home executes branding activity for Man Force Trucks
Man Force Trucks appointed Percept Out of Home their creative mandates to execute the Retail project related to dealer visibility and branding.
Akshar Peerbhoy is now Director - Operations of MAA Communications
Akshar Peerbhoy, former Vice President of MAA Communications, is now Director - Operations. He has been the driving force behind the agency.
Ignite Mudra rebrands Vinsura Wines
Ahmedabad-based Ignite Mudra has rebranded Vinsura Wines to give it a distinct identity. The new logo is that of a grape leaf with ‘Vinsura Vineyards’ mentioned under the logo. The branding exercise is an attempt to showcase the company’s maturity and attention to detail.
Nissan plans multi-media campaign for launch of diesel variant of Micra
Nissan Motors India Pvt Ltd is readying to launch the diesel variant of its ‘made-in-India’ hatchback, Nissan Micra. The diesel variant will be available in India from December 10, 2010. The company has planned a multi-media campaign to support the launch.
Maruti Suzuki becomes the first advertiser in India to win the global MMA Award
Maruti Suzuki India Limited has won the prestigious MMA Asia Pacific and the Global awards for its digital campaign –‘Sports Sponsorship goes mobile.’ The Awards are given to companies for the best use of mobile media for branding purposes, both in the Asia Pacific region and globally. The award ceremony was held at Los Angeles, USA, last week. This is the first time that any Indian company has been chosen for these prestigious awards at a global level.
ESPN Software India appoints Aloke Malik as MD for South Asia
ESPN-STAR Sports (ESS) has appointed Aloke Malik as Managing Director of its India operations for ESPN Software India (ESI). Malik will head the management of ESI, which oversees the distribution, sales and marketing of its multi-media brands. He joins ESI from Idea Cellular.
ESPN Software India appoints Aloke Malik as Managing Director for South Asia
ESPN STAR Sports (ESS) has appointed Aloke Malik as the Managing Director of its India operations, ESPN Software India (ESI). He joins ESI from Idea Cellular where he was the Chief Operating Officer of the company’s East Operations. Having worked with leading local and multi-national companies such as ITC Limited, Pepsi, Reliance Retail, Madura Garments and Idea Cellular across India, Aloke brings over 23 years of rich industry experience in general management, marketing, sales and distribution across a wide range of industries and consumer groups and has worked in diverse international markets such as Russia and Bangladesh.
brand-comm to begin the third edition of brandware from Nov 26
Integrated brand-comm, a communications consultancy firm, will start Brandware III Edition, a comprehensive eight-weekend brand management course, from November 26, 2010. R Sridhar, CEO, brand-comm, has specially designed this edition for practicing managers.
T-Series ropes in Everest Brand Solutions for its mobile handsets launch
Everest Brand Solutions has bagged the creative duties of the new mobile handset brand from the house of music industry giant T-Series. With this, T-Series plans to be a significant player in the mobile handsets market.
Radio Indigo adds excitement to the festive season
Radio Indigo, Bangalore’s international music destination added to the festive buzz in the city by choosing a young Bangalorean to go and attend the Indian Music Conference in Goa from the 17th to the 20st November 2010.
Vinod Nathan to head Sales at Suvarna TV
Vinod J Nathan has joined the core team of Suvarna TV as National Sales Head. In this role he will be responsible for the entire gamut of sales activities across locations for Suvarna TV and Regional Heads will in turn report to him. He will be based out of Bangalore reporting to Anup Chandrashekharan, Business Head, Suvarna.
Maxus places Tanishq 'stars' in Star Plus' Saath Nibhaana Saathiya
In keeping with the festive spirit of Diwali, Maxus has partnered with Saath Nibhaana Saathiya on Star Plus to promote its client Tanishq. The integration in the programme features the lead protagonists walking into a Tanishq Store to purchase jewellery and the sales person showcasing the wide range of jewellery available at Tanishq.
Prateek Srivastava of Ogilvy is the President of Ad Club Bangalore
The Advertising Club Bangalore has elected Prateek Srivastava, Group President – South, Ogilvy&Mather as its President. The AGM also elected a new team for the Ad Club.
Agri Gold appoints Vertebrand as their strategic brand partner
Agri Gold Food and Farm Products Ltd. (Agri Gold), a subsidiary of Agri Gold Group of companies, has appointed Vertebrand as their strategic brand partner and advisors. As brand advisors, Vertebrand assessed the market, identified the gap and created a scientific and holistic business and brand strategy for Agri Gold.
Bengaluru International Airport seeks some bright ideas for Terminal 1
Bengaluru International Airport Ltd (BIAL) has embarked on a campaign, called ‘Smile Bengaluru’, that encourages citizens, passengers, employees and the larger travel community to give ideas on what they would like to see at the expanded terminal. “Your airport is expanding. Tell us how you’d like it to be” is the line of the campaign.
Ogilvy Mumbai ranks 7th in YoungGuns Top 10 agencies
YoungGuns has come out with its list of Top 10 rankings of the most awarded agencies of the past decade. The list recognises the best agencies in the world for emerging and young creatives. Ogilvy Mumbai is the only agency from India to make it to this list and is ranked seventh.
Nettur Technical Training Foundation appoints Vertebrand as brand partner
Nettur Technical Training Foundation (NTTF), a chain of technical training and educational centres with over 10,000 students, has appointed Vertebrand as its strategic advisor and brand partner.
Paul Writer launches India’s first community for B2B marketers
Paul Writer has launched India’s first community dedicated to B2B marketers at www.paulwriter.com, envisioned as a place that provides the B2B marketing community access to high-quality content, discussion, and research in a single location.
Elephant Strategy + Design adds new biz; S Asia expansion on the anvil
Elephant Strategy + Design, an independent strategic design outfit, has been on an account winning spree. The agency has added around 10 new clients in recent times, and plans are afoot a presence in South Asia for better alignment with the agency’s client base there.
Wynncom Mobiles unveils online campaign; pegs social networking
To create brand awareness amongst the B class cities and rural market through the online medium, Wynncom Mobiles has launched an online communication campaign ‘Ab Style se karo Social Networking’.
Percept revamps entertainment biz; creates more synergy between service offerings
Percept has restructured its entertainment business in order to bring greater focus, synergy and service offerings. In the revised structure, Percept Entertainment will segregate the Services, Assets and Content businesses to create three distinct verticals.
Bangalore’s iCube goes for Happy
iCube, a Bangalore-based mobile handset brand, has appointed Happy Creative Services to handle its advertising duties. The win comes on the back of a multi-agency pitch. The size of the business is estimated in the vicinity of Rs 6-7 crore.
Adfactors bags PR mandate for Coal India IPO
The Government has appointed Adfactors PR as the communications consultant for Coal India Ltd’s Rs 12,000-crore Initial Public Offer (IPO), which is expected to hit the market in October.
Radio Indigo launches ‘Free Lunch Fridays’ in Bangalore
Radio Indigo has unveiled a unique concept in the Bangalore market, wherein corporates can win free lunch on Fridays, every week. Corporates and offices stand a unique chance to win a free lunch, which includes Biryani, soft drinks, and desserts, courtesy Ammis Biryani.
TELiBrahma expands its footprint; opens offices in Mumbai and Delhi
Mobile solutions company TELiBrahma has expanded its operations in India by opening new offices in Mumbai and Delhi. This expansion will support TELiBrahma’s ability to offer local sales and support services to its fast growing base of customers and prospects in the region.
Brand-comm readies itself for second edition of ‘brandware’
Bangalore-based Brand-comm is gearing up to start the second edition of ‘brandware’, a comprehensive brand management course that will be led by Ramanujam Sridhar. Sridhar has specially designed the second edition to help practicing managers learn newer aspects of branding and also simplify branding for professionals.
Bubble Motion launches NextGen voice-blogging platform, Bubbly 1.5
Mobile audio social networking pioneer Bubble Motion has launched the next generation of its popular voice-blogging platform, Bubbly 1.5. The new version integrates social and interactive features, further enhancing the largest and fastest growing voice-blogging service connecting mobile communities through voice.
2010 One Show Awards announced; Rediffusion Y&R Mumbai bags 2 Silvers
The One Club announced the Gold, Silver and Bronze Pencil winners at the 35th Annual One Show. The awards honored the year’s finest achievements in print, television, radio, outdoor, innovative marketing, integrated branding and branded content – and also took a historic look back at 35 years of the finest in advertising. From India, Rediffusion Y&R Mumbai bagged two Silvers for its work for SeventyMM in the Collateral: Posters, P.O.P and In-store- Single category.
2010 One Show Awards announced; Rediffusion Y&R Mumbai bags two Silvers
The One Club announced the Gold, Silver and Bronze Pencil winners at the 35th Annual One Show. The awards honored the year’s finest achievements in print, television, radio, outdoor, innovative marketing, integrated branding and branded content – and also took a historic look back at 35 years of the finest in advertising. From India, Rediffusion Y&R Mumbai bagged two Silver for its work for SeventyMM in the Collateral: Posters, P.O.P and In-store- Single category.
Worldwide Media launches Home Trends magazine
Worldwide Media Pvt Ltd, the Times Group and BBC Worldwide JV, has launched Home Trends, one of the most widely read architecture and design magazines in the world. Currently in 10 countries, India will be the 11th edition of this magazine. Launching in India as the Home Trends series, the magazine is well poised to meet the demand for a world-class source of reference on Architecture and Design.
Vizeum India bags Credila Financial Services, an HDFC Limited Venture
Vizeum, belonging to Aegis Media Group, has bagged Credila Financial Services, an HDFC Limited Venture. Credila is a leader in the education loan segment and exclusively focused on this area. The company has aggressive growth plans and intends to spend over Rs 10 crore in advertising and brand building.
Tom Gleeson gets a wider portfolio at ESPN Digital Media
The responsibilities of Tom Gleeson, Vice President, Digital Media, ESPN International, who currently oversees the company’s growing digital businesses in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA), have been expanded to include oversight of all ESPN digital media efforts outside of the US.
Vizeum India bags Credila Financial Services, an HDFC Limited Venture
Vizeum, belonging to Aegis Media Group, has bagged Credila Financial Services, an HDFC Limited Venture. Credila is a leader in the education loan segment and exclusively focused on this area. The company has aggressive growth plans and intends to spend over Rs.10 cr in advertising and brand building.
Actor Sudeep to anchor ‘Pyate Hudgeer, Halli Lifu’ on Suvarna
Suvarna TV is coming up with a new reality show that would be hosted by actor Sudeep. Reality shows are usually associated with elaborate sets and palatial bungalows. Suvarna’s new reality show, titled ‘Pyate Hudigeer, Halli Lifu’, is set in the natural and scenic surroundings of a village.
Institute of Advertising Singapore and Ad Club Bombay launch APPIES 2010
The Institute of Advertising Singapore, in association with The Advertising Club Bombay, will launch APPIES 2010, the leading edge marketing and advertising Congress in Asia Pacific for marketers, advertisers, decision makers, practitioners and business owners. The APPIES 2010 will welcome 1,000 delegates from the Asia Pacific to Singapore on June 3-4, 2010.
Ad Club Bombay and Times Group bring Cannes Young Lion Marketers Scholarship
The Advertising Club Bombay, in association with The Times Group, the official representative of Cannes Festival in India, has undertaken a new initiative of sending a young team of two marketers below the age of 30 years to the Cannes Festival starting from June 20-26, 2010.
National Geographic Channel now in Kannada on Suvarna
National Geographic Channel (NGC) will partner with Star Jupiter, part of Star bouquet of channels. This association will provide a dedicated NGC band on two of Star Jupiter regional general entertainment channels – Suvarna and Sitara – thus, catering to Nat Geo’s viewers in both Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, respectively.
Ajit Menon elevated to Executive Director at Mudra Group
Ajit Menon, former President - Organisational Development, Mudra Group, has been elevated to Executive Director - Organisational Development. In his new role, Menon will be in-charge of LLC (Leadership, Learning and Change), Facilities Management, Compensation and Benefits, and IT. A member of the Executive Board, Menon works closely with Madhukar Kamath, MD & CEO, Mudra Group.
Rajeev Bakshi to join Metro Cash & Carry India
Rajeev Bakshi is joining Metro Cash & Carry India as Vice-President and Managing Director-Designate effective June 1, 2010. Bakshi will officially take over as Managing Director from Sylweriusz Faruga on December 1, 2010 after an intensive induction program with Metro Group’s international operations.
Wynn Telecom ropes in Saif Ali Khan as brand ambassador
Wynn Telecom Ltd, the company that had recently forayed into the mobile handset market through brand ‘Wynncom’, has signed on actor Saif Ali Khan as its brand ambassador.
Joseph Eapen is new CEO of MRUC
Joseph Eapen has been appointed as CEO of Media Research Users Council (MRUC). The development was announced by Andrey Purushottam, Chairman of the Council on behalf of the MRUC Board. Eapen will join by the end of this month. His last assignment was as CEO of aMap.
AdFest to be now held on May 27-29, 2010
The AdFest Working Committee has announced that the Festival would now take place on May 27-29 May, 2010 at the Pattaya Exhibition and Conference Hall in Thailand. AdFest 2010 was originally scheduled to take place on March 18-20, but was postponed due to uncertain political circumstances in Thailand.
Jupiter and Express Publications announce strategic partnership alliance
Jupiter Media and Entertainment Ventures (Jupiter) and Express Publications (Madurai) Ltd (EPML) have announced a strategic alliance that will jointly pursue media opportunities in various languages. Initially, this partnership will cover Jupiter taking equity investments in Kannada Prabha, a leading Kannada daily newspaper, subsequently exploring potential opportunities in other languages.
Jupiter and Express Publications announce strategic partnership alliance
Jupiter Media and Entertainment Ventures (Jupiter) and Express Publications (Madurai) Limited (EPML) have announced a strategic alliance that will jointly pursue media opportunities in various languages. Initially, this partnership will cover Jupiter taking equity investments in Kannada Prabha, a leading Kannada daily newspaper, subsequently exploring potential opportunities in other languages.
Piyush Pandey, K V Sridhar, Elsie Nanji, Bobby Pawar, Josy Paul & Agnello Dias are Creative Abby Jury Chairs at GoaFest 2010
GoaFest 2010 is all set for the Creative Abby Awards, and has recently made a slew of appointments of the Jury Chairperson for the various awards categories. Piyush Pandey is Jury Chairman – Integrated. K V Sridhar, also known as Pops, will Chair the Print category. Elsie Nanji is Chairperson for Design. Bobby Pawar will Chair Out-of-Home and Ambient Media. Josy Paul is Jury Chairperson for Radio & Agnello Dias, also known as Aggie, will Chair the Film Jury.
ESPNcricinfo revisits the greatest moments in world cricket through ‘Legends of Cricket’
ESPNcricinfo, in association with General Motors India, has launched ‘Legends of Cricket’, a series of videos portraying 25 of the greatest-ever cricketers to have played the game. Starting March 15, ESPNcricinfo will upload one video every alternate week for the next 50 weeks on www.cricinfo.com.
Hewlett-Packard India appoints Rajiv Srivastava as COO
Hewlett-Packard (HP) India has appointed Rajiv Srivastava as its Chief Operating Officer. An industry veteran with 24 years of experience, Srivastava has had an illustrious career spanning varied industries.
Team Sun & TCS win the Bangalore round of ‘DQ, Will you Click’ 2010
After conducting the first ever ‘DQ, Will you Click’ quiz in Mumbai on March 11, the exchange4media Group conducted the second round in Bangalore on March 12. The Bangalore round was won by the Sun & TCS team. Winners of the Mumbai and Bangalore rounds will now compete against each other in the finals, which will be held in Delhi on March 19, 2010.
AdFest 2010 postponed; to be rescheduled to May 2010
AdFest 2010, which was scheduled to take place in Thailand from March 18-20, 2010, has been postponed. The AdFest Working Committee is currently assessing alternative dates for the advertising event, which is likely to be rescheduled to take place in May 2010. The postponement follows news of a planned political rally in Thailand on March 14, which is expected to attract up to one million people to Bangkok.
Digital is not a medium, but a phenomenon, say experts
The 9th Digital Roundtable, conducted by eBay, in association with IAMAI, in Bangalore, saw a stimulating conversation on ‘Harnessing the power of the web: Building brand and digital sales’. The panelists stressed that digital brought value to consumers and was about the complete brand experience.
Metro Cash & Carry moves beyond transactions to building relationships
Metro Cash & Carry India, the international B2B company focusing on wholesale, is moving beyond transactions to building relationships with its customers. Keeping this as its goal, it has launched Metro Bandhan, an exclusive loyalty programme. The programme is positioned at reiterating and strengthening Metro’s partnership with its customers by offering a range of privileges and value added services to the Metro Bandhan members.
Bharti Airtel announces senior management changes
Bharti Airtel has announced that Sanjay Kapoor, who has been elevated to CEO (India and South Asia), has taken charge of his new role from March 1, 2010. He was earlier supposed to take charge from April 1. The telecom major has also announced other senior level management elevations effective April 1.
Big Bang Awards: Dentsu is Agency of the Year; Titan Industries is Client of the Year and Maxus Media Agency of the Year
Dentsu Communications has bagged the ‘Agency of the Year’ Award, while Titan Industries walked away with the ‘Client of the Year’ Award and Maxus pocketed the ‘Best Media Agency of the Year’ Award at Ad Club Bangalore’s Big Bang Awards 2010, held in Bangalore on February 26, 2010.
The Ad Club Bangalore concludes judging for the Big Bang 2010
The Advertising Club, Bangalore has concluded the judging process for the Big Bang 2010, the Awards for creative excellence in advertising and media. A panel of 15 judges judged the entries from over 37 organisations, which are participating in Big Bang 2010 across nine groups and 51 categories.
CII Brand Summit 2010 starts off today; Adi Godrej to deliver keynote address
The two-day Brand Summit 2010 of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) gets underway in Bangalore on February 19, 2010. The Summit this year focuses on the topic ‘Marketing Disruption: How will Brands woo Consumers in the Age of Discontinuity?’ The keynote address will be delivered by Adi Godrej, Chairman, Godrej Group.
141Sercon wins BTL mandate for the 8th Chennai Marathon
141Sercon, the below-the-line marketing agency, has won the mandate to organise the eighth edition of the Chennai Marathon. The event will be held on February 21, 2010. The marketing spends for the event are estimated at around Rs 3 crore.
O&M Bangalore comes out with ad campaign for Sikkim Manipal University
Sikkim Manipal University Directorate of Distance Education SMU DDE, the public private initiative of Manipal Education, has launched a massive ad campaign to promote distance education. The ad has been created, conceptualised and executed by O&M, Bangalore.
CII Brand Summit 2010 to focus on challenges for industry to connect with customers
CII is organising Brand Summit 2010, a two-day international conference on brand building, with the theme of ‘Marketing disruption: How will brands woo consumers in the age of discontinuity?’ at Bangalore on February19-20 to discuss the challenges faced by the industry in connecting with the customers.
Ad Club Bangalore calls for entries for Big Bang Awards
The Advertising Club, Bangalore has called for entries for its annual Big Bang Awards, for the creative and media work done by agencies between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2009. The awards are being sponsored by The Times of India Group for the third consecutive year.
IDG launches its flagship brand, ‘Computerworld’, in India
International Data Group (IDG) has launched its largest and most popular brand, ‘Computerworld’, in India. Present in over 60 countries, ‘Computerworld’ dates back to 1967. In India, the brand will serve the IT community through a dedicated website, www.computerworld.in that will report on critical updates from across the world of IT and host a range of comprehensive IT resources for its audience.
Arindam Sarkar joins BBDO India as VP, Strategic Planning; Sangeet Pillai moves back to BBDO New York
Arindam Sarkar, formerly Senior Planning Director at Ogilvy Delhi, has joined BBDO India as Vice President, Strategic Planning. Ajai Jhala, CEO, BBDO India, has confirmed this development. In a parallel development, Sangeet Pillai, Director - Strategy Planning at BBDO India, is moving back to the US after completing a successful two-year stint with Omnicom’s youngest agency.
Bangalore-based Happy assigned creative mandate for Diesel in India
Bangalore-based agency Happy has been entrusted with creative duties for Diesel in India. The globally renowned fashion label, celebrated for its outstanding and unconventional work, is entering the Indian market through a joint venture with Reliance Brands Ltd and will be known as Diesel Fashion India Reliance Pvt Ltd.
exchange4media Indian Media Agency Report: Mindshare tops planning agency list; Madison Media, Maxus, LMG follow
Aimed at giving better insight into media services brands in India, the exchange4media Group has released the first edition of ‘exchange4media Indian Media Agency Report’. The report ranks agencies and advertisers according to their annual billings of the calendar year 2008-09 and spends looking at specific sectors.
Radio Indigo appoints Carl Avari as Vice President - Operations
Radio Indigo has appointed a new team of executives in Bangalore. Carl Avari has been appointed as Vice-President - Operations of Radio Indigo. Avari will oversee operations in Bangalore as well as Goa. Also among the newly appointed is Stanley Simon, who would undertake all marketing activities in the station.
Sri Sankara TV inks MOU with MQ Networks for all India corporate sales
Aditi Technologies appoints Hanmer MS&L to handle its PR mandate
Following a multi-agency pitch, Aditi Technologies has assigned its PR mandate to Hanmer MS&L Communications Pvt Ltd. The pitch had involved seven agencies and three rounds of selection.
Magna Global Advertising Forecast Report 2009-10 predicts growth story for India
The Indian print industry, deemed as the second largest in the world, is expected to grow by an average of 14 per cent by 2015. The future will clearly belong to newer mediums like radio, outdoor and the Internet. Pegged as the medium of the future, online revenues alone are expected to touch Rs 18 billion by 2015. Radio is expected to account for 5 per cent of advertising all over India, whereas outdoor advertising, too, is expected to grow up to 17 per cent by 2015.
RK Swamy Media Group comes out with its Media Market Guide
The Media Market Guide India 2009 by the RK Swamy Media Group, the comprehensive pocket handbook, has now entered its twelfth successful year. Compiled by the Media Direction arm of RK Swamy BBDO, the Guide continues to be a valuable and handy reference book for media and advertising professionals.
Ravi Deshpande named Jury President for Direct Lotus at AdFest 2010
Ravi Deshpande, Chairman and Chief Creative Officer, Contract India, will be the Jury President for Direct Lotus at AdFest 2010. AdFest has also announced Sheung Yan Lo as Jury President for Outdoor. Washington Olivetto, President and Creative Director of Brazilian agency W/, has been selected as Grand Jury President at AdFest 2010.
Forbes India unveils India’s richest; combined net worth at $276 billion
Forbes India recently unveiled its India Rich List in Bangalore with a panel discussion on the topic ‘Purpose of Wealth’. The Forbes India Rich list reveals that despite the sluggish economy last year, the combined net worth of India’s 100 richest people stood at $276 billion, which is almost a quarter of the country’s GDP.
Carazoo.com launches Turkey’s first new car portal
Carazoo.com has launched Turkey’s first new car portal with interactive animations. (www.arababul.com). The portal, launched on behalf of a client in Turkey, is currently in the beta stage. Carazoo received the mandate to design and develop the portal five months back. Carazoo also has the mandate to host and maintain the portal besides its regular updation.
IndiaMART.com joins hand with NDTV to launch SME portal
IndiaMART.com, an online B2B marketplace, has entered into a partnership with NDTV to launch an SME portal – www.NDTVSME.com. Powered by IndiaMART.com, this new portal will address the need for a destination portal providing information, transaction and services to the large SME segment.
Ozone Media creates a women-centric online ad channel ‘Eva’
Ozone Media Solutions Pvt. Ltd, an ad network, has launched Eva, an ad channel to reach out to Indian women online. The Eva Channel has also forged a strategic alliance with About.com for exclusive inventory on its web site for India.
Sriram Sharma joins Starcom Worldwide, to head its Bangalore operations
Starcom Worldwide has roped in Sriram Sharma as General Manager to head its Bangalore operations. Sharma takes over from Ashwini Kamat, who moves on from the organisation after spending over eight years. Sharma’s last stint was with OnMobile Global, a VAS company in the mobile space.
ApnaCircle-Viadeo acquires social networking company Unyk
The recently merged combined entity, ApnaCircle-Viadeo, has announced the acquisition of Unyk, a Canadian social networking site. This acquisition includes Unyk’s membership of 16 million users, which is growing at a rate of 600,000 new members each month. Unyk members will now become ApnaCircle-Viadeo members, bringing the global network to over 25 million users and increasing the growth rate of over one million users per month.
Hansa Research wins IRS contract till 2012
Continuing its long-standing relationship with MRUC (Media Research Users Council), Hansa Research won the Indian Readership Survey (IRS) contract for the third time in a row for the period 2010-12. Hansa Research has been conducting the IRS on behalf of MRUC since 2003, thus becoming the longest serving agency on IRS.
Altius Consulting conducts workshop on Marketing 101
Altius Consulting has conceptualised a workshop called Marketing 101 meant for entrepreneurs by entrepreneurs. Each of the speakers at the event was specialist in their own fields and has the in-depth experience and runs a start-up. The day-long workshop aimed to move business forward in a confident and financially rewarding way. Whether one is just starting out or has been working as a professional for a while, this workshop teaches one what one needs to know about creating a successful and profitable business as a creative professional.
InMobi Survey reveals high mobile ad engagement among youth in India
Mobile advertising network InMobi has released a survey revealing nuances of mobile Internet usage patterns in India. According to the survey, college-aged consumers are interested in almost all genres of mobile advertising, as long as the advertisements have something significant to offer and do not interfere with the mobile browsing experience.
141Sercon makes two senior level appointments
Continuing with its quest to bring the finest talent onboard, integrated marketing services company 141Sercon has made two senior level appointments in its Mumbai office. Nidhi Sharma joins as Assistant Vice President, Business Development, while Arpana Nair joins as Regional Director, Operations.
RK Swamy BBDO bags Olam International biz; enters African markets
RK Swamy BBDO has bagged the creative mandate for Olam International that involves the communication campaign for Nigeria, Ghana and Cote D'Ivore for their packaged foods business comprising tomato paste and spreads. The win marks the foray of RK Swamy in yet another international market, this time in the African continent.
Yuvi, Veeru, Suresh Raina & Rohit Sharma to bat for Birla Sun Life Insurance
Birla Sun Life Insurance (BSLI), a part of the Aditya Birla Financial Services Group, has announced its association with ace cricketers Yuvraj Singh, Virender Sehwag, Suresh Raina and Rohit Sharma as brand ambassadors.. The partnership begins with the launch of BSLI’s first campaign for its ‘Wealth with Protection Solutions’ category.
Sun TV Network appoints Sanjay Reddy as Head of Andhra Pradesh Television biz
Sun TV Network Ltd has appointed Sanjay Reddy as Senior Vice President. He will be heading the Network’s Andhra Pradesh Television business comprising Gemini TV, Gemini Music, Gemini News, Teja TV, Navvulu TV and Kushi TV. Reddy moves from Zee Network, where he was COO in-charge of Zee’s South Indian business. He will be reporting to Ajay Vidyasagar, COO, Sun TV Network.
Sun TV Network appoints Sanjay Reddy as its Head of Andhra Pradesh Television Business
Sun TV Network Limited has appointed Sanjay Reddy as Senior Vice President to head the Network’s Andhra Pradesh Television Business comprising Gemini TV, Gemini Music, Gemini News, Teja TV, Navvulu TV & Kushi TV with effect from August 24, 2009. Reddy has recently quit as the Chief Operating Officer of Zee Network and was in charge of Zee’s South Indian Business. He will report to Ajay Vidyasagar, the COO of Sun TV Network.
Venkat Mallik appointed President of RAPP; to oversee India operations
RAPP India, a strategic business unit of Mudra, has appointed Venkat Mallik as President of its India operations. Mallik has joined RAPP India from PRS-Permacel, an erstwhile Johnson & Johnson company, where he was Business Head for the Brand Risk Management business.
Cartoon Network partners with Art Television in Sri Lanka
Expanding its footprint in South Asia, Turner International has launched a dedicated one-hour programming block of its leading kids’ channel, Cartoon Network, on Art Television, Sri Lanka’s leading terrestrial English channel. Starting August 16 from 4:30 pm to 5:30 pm everyday, kids in Sri Lanka can now enjoy the opportunity to experience Cartoon Network’s popular cartoons, which include ‘Dexter’s Laboratory’, ‘Powerpuff Girls’, ‘Samurai Jack’, ‘Johnny Bravo’, ‘Ed, Ed N Eddy’, ‘Courage the Cowardly Dog’, and many more.
RK Swamy BBDO appoints Ambareesh Chakraborty as Principal Consultant
R K Swamy BBDO has appointed Ambareesh Chakraborty as Principal Consultant. He moves from TBWA\India, where he was Senior Creative Director & Creative Head – West.
mKhoj rebrands as InMobi; to launch in Europe
mKhoj, a global mobile advertising network, is re-branding itself as InMobi and launching its services in Europe. After its successful start in the UK last quarter, InMobi is now live in France, Italy, Germany and Spain as well, making InMobi available in over 23 countries across Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and now Europe.
Yakult signs on Kajol Devgan as brand ambassador
Global probiotic leader, Yakult Danone India (P) Ltd, has roped in actor Kajol Devgan as its brand ambassador for promoting its probiotic health drink, Yakult, in the Indian market.
Mutual PR wins PR mandate for Tesco HSC
Mutual PR Bangalore has won the PR mandate for Tesco HSC. The win follows a multi-agency pitch, which saw several leading players participate.
141Sercon to impart lessons in non-traditional marketing at FMS Delhi
Continuing with the practice of contributing to the non-traditional marketing industry, 141Sercon, an integrated marketing services company, has taken a step towards preparing marketing experts of tomorrow. 141Sercon has agreed to conduct a Certificate Course in Non-Traditional Marketing for the students of Faculty of Management Studies, Delhi University, at their campus this August. The initiative has been taken in collaboration with MarkSoc, the Marketing Society of FMS.
RK Swamy BBDO appoints Sanjay Dev Jena as Senior Partner
RK Swamy BBDO has appointed Sanjay Dev Jena as Senior Partner to look after international business development efforts of the RK Swamy Hansa Group in the US and Europe. Jena has joined the group from BBDO, Berlin, where he was International Account Director looking after global business of Allianz Group in more than 40 countries.
POGO launches its 10th original production – ‘FAQ’
POGO has been moving away from airing a lot of fiction towards providing a mixed bag with its POGO Original Productions, talent awards, games, movies, format shows and animation. In keeping with its strategy, the channel has launched ‘FAQ’ (Frequently Asked Questions), which is the 10th POGO Original Productions.
Maruti Suzuki launches Mr WizeR as WagonR mascot
Maruti Suzuki’s WagonR, dubbed as the ‘Smart Car’, now has a mascot – Mr WizeR. The name is derived from brand ‘WagonR’ and some of the inherent attributes of the WagonR owner – wise, smart and witty.
Rediffusion Y&R elevates Minakshi Achan to Chief Creative Officer
Minakshi Achan will co-chair the Chief Creative Officer position at Rediffusion Y&R. Achan, who is currently responsible for the creative as well as business output for Rediffusion Y&R’s South offices, will now take on a national role and partner Sagar Mahabaleshwarkar as Chief Creative Officer.
Rediffusion Y&R elevates Minakshi Achan to Chief Creative Officer
Minakshi Achan will co-chair the Chief Creative Officer position at Rediffusion Y&R. Achan
TAG Media in strategic marketing pact with Future TV
TAG Media Network, the specialist in-store television network, has entered into a strategic marketing tie-up with Future TV to form a dominant pan-India in-store television presence. The two networks, which will continue to be separately owned, will be at over 556 stores.
Niraj Dadoo appointed COO and CFO at TBWA\ India Group
TBWA\India Group has appointed Niraj Dadoo as its Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer. Dadoo replaces N Krishnan, the outgoing COO and CFO. He will be reporting to Shiv Sethuraman, CEO, TBWA\India Group and to Darren Jackson, CFO, TBWA\Asia Pacific.
Indians more concerned about threats to their personal security than economy: JWT’s Anxiety Index
Though the recession has dominated the press over the past year, it is not the primary cause of stress for Asian consumers, especially in the two largest countries – China and India, according to JWT’s Anxiety Index. JWT’s Anxiety Index is intended to help brands navigate consumer anxiety.
Zee South channels undergo managerial revamp; Sanjay Reddy made COO, Zee South
Zee South channels have effected some managerial restructuring. In order to bring greater focus and growth in the South channels, Sanjay Reddy has been elevated as Chief Operation Officer for the Zee South channels – Zee Telugu, Zee Tamil, Zee Kannada and Zee 24 Gantalu. Prior to this elevation, Reddy has been CEO, Zee Telugu.
Discovery Travel & Living styles up food programming with celebrated chefs
This summer, Discovery Travel & Living will explore the finer nuances of culinary skills by introducing three enticing food series presented by celebrated chefs Kylie Kwong, Nigella Lawson and her new baking expert Rachel Allen.
Over 60 pc students feel recession is being unnecessarily hyped: brand-comm study
Bangalore students feel insulated from recession, but have become conscious of their future job opportunities, finds out brand-comm’s ‘Recession Reactions Study 2009’.
Yahoo! Buzz launched in India
Yahoo! India has launched Yahoo! Buzz in India (buzz.yahoo.in). Yahoo! Buzz enables people to vote (by “buzzing up”) and comment on the stories they find most remarkable in order to help shape the headlines on Yahoo!’s homepage and beyond. With Yahoo! Buzz, people can discover and share the most interesting content (images, videos and articles) from across the Web.
Spice appoints Madison Media Group as its AOR; account size Rs 25-30 cr
Spice Group has appointed Madison Media Group as its media AOR. The AOR will be handled through its unit, Platinum Media, headed by Basabdatta Chowdhury. No pitch call preceded the win. Size of the business is in the region of Rs 25-30 crore. Platinum Media will replace Mudra Max as the Group’s media agency, while the creative duties continue to be handled by Contract Advertising.
IAA assists with €70 mn Romanian Tourism Ministry pitch
The Romanian Chapter of The International Advertising Association (IAA) is assisting the Ministry of Tourism with their new account review. The process for pitching for the new account estimated to be worth €70 million is in two parts: registration of intention to tender, a review and pitch process after the summer.
Telugu news channel Zee 24 Gantalu to be launched on March 27
After much speculation, 24-hour Telugu news channel Zee 24 Gantalu is set to launch on March 27, 2009. The launch coincides with the festival of Ugadi, which happens to be the Telugu New Year day. Zee 24 Gantalu is the 34th channel in Zee’s bouquet and the second channel for Telugu audience from Zee News Ltd, the first being Zee Telugu.
Telugu news channel Zee 24 Gantalu to launch on March 27
After much speculation, 24-hour Telugu news channel Zee 24 Gantalu is set to launch on March 27, 2009. The launch coincides with the festival of Ugadi, which happens to be the Telugu New Year day. Zee 24 Gantalu is the 34th channel in Zee’s bouquet and the second channel for Telugu audience from Zee News Ltd, the first being Zee Telugu.
Levi Strauss Signature bets on Shahid Kapoor to reach the youth
Levi Strauss Signature has signed actor Shahid Kapoor as its brand ambassador. Kapoor, a youth icon, is seen as an aspirational figure and the company is placing its bet exactly on that.
Career Launcher unveils new brand identity; plans integrated communication
Education service provider Career Launcher has embraced a new brand identity. Strong and vibrant, the new identity is indicative of Career Launcher’s stepping into its 13th
Yahoo! India makes an ‘Uncannies’ launch for advertising folks
Yahoo! India has taken an initiative to bring creative minds of the advertising industry together and share their best works. Uncannies, as the initiative is called, is open to creative agencies and individuals from print, television, radio, outdoor and the online medium.
Big FM Bangalore out to ease the recession bite
With rising prices and job insecurity and financial instability triggered by the economic slowdown, people have started curtailing their expenses to the bare essentials. Big FM Bangalore has embarked on an initiative to ease this financial burden through a contest christened ‘Bitti Harusha Idi Varusha’.
REBI launches comprehensive property magazine ‘Property Guru’
Real Estate Bank India (REBI), a network of property outlets with a global as well as pan-India presence, has launched a comprehensive property magazine titled ‘Property Guru’. The monthly magazine, priced at Rs 60, will offer a comprehensive approach to residential and commercial property and real estate in India.
It’s time now to tap local search; Yahoo! makes strategic investment in Call Ezee
Close on the heels of Google advertising is local SMS search in Bangalore, Yahoo! has made a strategic investment in Call Ezee, which facilitates voice-based local search. Yahoo! has acquired 30 per cent stake in Chennai-based Info Network Management Company, which owns the brand Call Ezee.
Radio One, CommuteEasy partner to promote car pooling in Bangalore
With a view to finding a solution to the bad traffic situation in Bangalore, Radio One and CommuteEasy in partnership with Bangalore Traffic Police have launched a public service initiative called ‘Lets Pool In’. This car pooling initiative aims to help Bangaloreans commute safe and fast.
Radio Indigo connects with the soul of Bangalore
Radio Indigo FM, touted as the only international music station in the country, has completed two years in the Bangalore market and is now actively refreshing its content. The station has lined up programmes to further reiterate its commitment to being the ‘soul of Bangalore’, which is its positioning.
SafePoint Trust UK carries forward WHO’s Safe Injection campaign in India
Guided by the World Health Organisation (WHO) on Safe Injection Policy, SafePoint Trust, a UK based charity, has launched an intensive awareness campaign in India on the dangers of using unsafe injections. The total campaign spend for the week for the launch of the awareness campaign is over €700,000 Euros and is touted as one of the biggest media spends in India for the launch week.
Wockhardt Hospitals finally opts for Grey Bangalore
Grey Bangalore has finally bagged the creative duties for Wockhardt Hospitals. The size of the business is pegged in the region of Rs 20 crore. It is learnt from sources close to the development that there was a keenly contested pitch that saw the participation of MAA Communications, Lintas, O&M and Grey.
Zee Kannada pumps in Rs 1 cr to promote new show ‘Tata Indicom Daddy No. 1’
In celebration of the special bond between father and child, Zee Kannada is launching a game show – ‘Tata Indicom Daddy No.1’, which goes on air from November 10. This is a huge property for the channel and it is leaving no stone unturned to market the property.
The Advertising Club Bangalore readies for Big Bang 2008 on November 7
The Advertising Club Bangalore is gearing for its annual awards – Big Bang 2008. The awards recognise the fraternity for excellence in advertising and media. This year, Big Bang is slated to take place on November 7. More than 31 agencies have sent entries for 33 categories, totalling nearly 500 entries this year.
Dell launches first ever brand campaign for India
Dell has come up with its first ever major campaign in the Asia-Pacific and Japan region, beginning first with India, where it has a large and rapidly growing presence. The campaign celebrates India’s spirit of entrepreneurship through a new marketing initiative.
Radio One launches new morning show ‘Detective Fataafat’
Having sleepless nights over why your partner stood you up last Saturday for his ‘all smelly and all loser’ college mates? Or about that whiff of perfume that you vaguely smelt when both of you went for that long drive? Radio One’s ‘Detective Fataafat’ will find out the truth.
Enfatico strengthens global leadership team; Harish Vasudevan made MD for Asia-Pacific
Enfatico, the Dell-focused shop being formed by WPP, has made some senior management changes to further strengthen its leadership team. Jeffrey Wilks has been promoted to Chief Operating Officer, while Harish Vasudevan has been promoted to Managing Director for Asia Pacific.
Boost unveils new brand campaign – ‘More I Play, More I Learn’
Malt-based health drink Boost has launched in its new avatar with ‘Power Energizers’. The new Boost will be supported by innovative packaging, a fresh new look and design as well as a new brand campaign – ‘More I Play, More I Learn’ – re-iterating the importance of sports in teaching valuable lessons.
Advertising Club Bangalore calls for entries for The Big Bang Awards 2008
The Advertising Club Bangalore’s annual awards night, The Big Bang Awards 2008, is scheduled to be held on November 7 November. The Ad Club has sent out mailers to agencies across India inviting entries. The last date for receiving entries is October 6.
Akamai launches community initiative to promote standards around video player development
Akamai Technologies, Inc., which is into powering rich media, dynamic transactions and enterprise applications online, has launched Openvideoplayer.com, a community site and industry initiative intended to facilitate the development and sharing of open standards and best practices for video player applications.
CNBC-TV18’s StoryRoad makes a stopover in Bangalore
In its 7th year of existence, CNBC-TV18’s ‘Storyboard’ continued its journey, engaging with India’s marketing and advertising fraternity through the StoryRoad initiative. After the success in Delhi and Mumbai, StoryRoad made a stopover in Bangalore on September 24.
Rediffusion DYR bags Jyothi Laboratories’ Maxo business; account size Rs 11 cr
Rediffusion DYR Bangalore has won the creative duties of Jyothy Laboratories’ mosquito repellent brand Maxo following a competitive pitch involving Mudra Communications, Equus Red Cell, and Situations, besides Rediffusion DYR. The size of the business is estimated to be around Rs 11 crore.
TNT embraces new strap line ‘Sure We Can’; redesigns website
TNT has launched its new global strap line ‘Sure we can’ capturing its ‘Can do’ mentality. In addition, TNT has launched its new Express and Group websites which are the first touch points that would carry the new strap line.
Yahoo! India assigns PR mandate to Mutual PR
Mutual PR has been appointed as PR agency for Yahoo! India. The agency will serve both Yahoo! India and Yahoo! India R&D.
Surf & Fish Internet Solutions appoints Percept Knorigin as its online agency
Surf & Fish Internet Solutions has appointed Percept Knorigin, a Percept Ltd company, as its online agency to promote www.nobrokerage.in. The website focuses on the real estate domain and directly connects property owners, buyers and tenants, thereby eliminating payment of brokerage.
Fever FM and Shell join hands in Bangalore to dole out free petrol
The hike in fuel rates has hit travellers hard. However, for a lucky few Bangalore FM listeners, their petrol problems would be taken care of, albeit for a limited period, thanks to an innovative marketing initiative jointly undertaken by Fever FM and Shell.
Dream big? ‘Kyon Nahi!’ says Bharti AXA Investment Managers new creative peg
With a booming economy, India has started to dream big. However, with rising aspirations, financial uncertainties, too, have become a part of life. To help the common man tide over this problem requires an understanding financial enabler. This is exactly what Bharti AXA Investment Managers is trying to portray through a new campaign, which sports the tagline: ‘Kyon Nahi!’.
Sulekha.com launches in 20 Tier II & III cities; plans to launch in another 15 cities
In a bid to expand its India footprint, Sulekha.com, the online classifieds and yellow pages portal, is foraying into 20 Tier II and III cities. With this, Sulekha.com will establish its city-specific search services in 28 cities in India. Going further, Sulekha.com plans to expand to 15 more cities in the next four months.