Kalyan Jewellers has announced the appointment of Rashmika Mandanna as its brand ambassador for the South, representing Kalyan’s lifestyle segment.

Mandanna is a popular actor in South India and has made her mark in the Hindi film industry with her recent releases. With this appointment, she joins the likes of Amitabh Bachchan (Global Ambassador), Katrina Kaif (National Ambassador), Nagarjuna (Andhra & Telengana), Prabhu (Tamil Nadu), Shivaraj Kumar (Karnataka) and Kalyani Priyadarshan (Kerala) and other renowned celebrities who have been associated with Kalyan Jewellers, the company said.

Commenting on the appointment, Ramesh Kalyanaraman, Executive Director of Kalyan Jewellers, said, “We are thrilled to have Rashmika Mandanna as our brand ambassador for the Telugu, Kannada and Tamil Nadu markets. Together will Kalyani Priyadarshan, she will be the face of our lifestyle jewellery line up, and we are confident that her popularity and appeal will help us connect with a wider audience and strengthen our brand further.”

Rashmika Mandanna expressed her excitement about the association and said, “I am thrilled to be part of Kalyan Jewellers, one of India’s most trusted and leading jewellery brands, and to join the ranks of other esteemed brand ambassadors such as Amitabh Bachchan, Prabhu Ganesan, Nagarjuna and more. It is an honour to represent a brand that has established itself as a hallmark of trust and transparency. I have always been fascinated by the exquisite designs and craftsmanship of Kalyan Jewellers and I look forward to being a part of Kalyan Jewellers’ journey towards excellence.”

Usha International has announced it will continue it official partnership with five-time-champions, Mumbai Indians men’s cricket team, for the 10th consecutive year. The much-awaited cricket tournament gets underway on March 31, 2023, with the Mumbai Indians playing their first game on April 2, 2023.

Aligning perfectly with Usha’s ‘Play’ ethos, the partnership bears testimony to Usha’s commitment to support and promote a culture of sports and athletics, as well as an active and healthy lifestyle, the company said.

This season will have 70 league games and 4 playoff games, played across 12 venues over the course of 52 days. As part of the association, the ‘USHA’ logo will be prominently visible on the caps and helmets of all Mumbai Indians players. The ‘Usha Play’ branding will be visible on perimeter boards and screens during the match.

Speaking on the partnership, Komal Mehra, Head – Sports Initiatives and Associations, Usha International said, “To reach a decade-long association with Mumbai Indians is a milestone that echoes the mutual respect and alignment of both brands. It further reiterates our dedication to nurturing sports and developing a sporting ecosystem via strategic partnerships. The Mumbai Indians franchisee displays the true spirit of sportsmanship, and its players are role models for the youth, inspiring them to lead active and healthy lives. We wish the players the best of luck and look forward to witnessing some high adrenalin games this season!”

The Mumbai Indians Spokesperson said, “We are pleased to continue our long-standing partnership with Usha International. This is a strong and valuable relationship has made them such an integral partner in our journey. Mumbai Indians are glad to be a platform that helps partners leverage and maximise the plethora of opportunities available, helping them reach a wide demographic of fans.”

Led by Rohit Sharma, who is captaining Mumbai Indians for the 10th season, the team continues to have a strong mix of experienced as well as exciting young talent, donning the iconic blue and gold including Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan, Tilak Varma, Jasprit Bumrah, Cameroon Green, and Jofra Archer, amongst others.

Apis India, one of the leading FMCG brands in India, is launching a campaign during the holy month of Ramadan. The campaign, titled “Ibaadat Ke Iss Mahine Rakhein Sehat Ka Saath”, aims to promote individual well-being by blending the spiritual and personal aspects of Ramadan through Apis India's range of dates clubbed with other relevant products consumed in the month of Ramadan. Beyond just health, the campaign also celebrates the community bond that Ramadan brings together.

The strategy of the campaign will follow two routes, utilising both traditional media and online marketing. The campaign will commence on March 23, the first day of Ramadan, and continue until the celebration of Eid al-Fitr. In addition to leveraging traditional media, Apis India will also utilise social media platforms as an extension to the campaign, along with influencer marketing and targeted ads to reach a broader audience. Through this campaign, Apis India aims to make a lasting impact on individuals and communities across the country, promoting overall well-being during the holy month of Ramadan.

As part of its digital campaign for Ramadan, Apis is implementing a multifaceted strategy that includes a variety of initiatives. In addition to the ongoing social media campaign, the brand has planned a Pan-India contest and an influencer campaign on social media. These efforts are designed to engage with a wide audience and promote the brand's message of overall well-being during the holy month.

The contest invites participants to create unique recipes using Apis dates and other products for sehri and iftar promoting the diverse delicacies of the season through the brand.

As part of Apis India's “Ibaadat Ke Iss Mahine Rakhein Sehat Ka Saath" campaign, the brand's social media strategy includes an online contest that leverages the overarching narrative. The contest aims to bring the community together in an engaging activity to not only celebrate Ramadan, but also as a means to make the brand an active part of it. Through the contest, Apis India wants consumers to come along and share some of their unique recipes that make their Ramadan celebrations their own. During iftar a variety of delicious foods are prepared. Leveraging this aspect, Apis stands at the centre of this contest, with its Dates, Honey, vermicelli and kesar being made to be the building blocks of these unique recipes. 

Being a social media contest that engages the community, Apis India is also relying on other factors to reach out to a broader community. Through influencers from the Muslim community, the brand aims to spread awareness, while maximising the influencers by using them as a catalyst to boost the activity. The brand is also focusing on targeted ads during this holy month to amplify its online campaign.

To expand its reach beyond the digital sphere, the brand also includes hoardings, billboards, and banners to complement the social media campaign. In addition, the brand will organise an on-ground activity inspired by its video advertisement which conveyed the message of togetherness across religious lines and promoted the brand as an icon bringing people together.

The on-ground activity will see Apis visiting areas in the national capital with a significant Muslim population and distributing hampers containing Apis Dates and other products to the underprivileged during iftar. Through this initiative, Apis aims to increase consumer awareness about the significance of physical well-being during Ramadan and create a deeper bond within the community. By leveraging its campaign, Apis hopes to make a lasting impact on individuals and communities across the country.

The exchange4media Group is back with the on-ground Mumbai edition of its flagship property - Pitch CMO Summit after three years. The upcoming edition of the conference will be held tomorrow, 24th of March, 2023 from 10 am. Fancode WebEngage and ABP News are the Co-Powered by Partners for the summit while the Co-Gold Partners are DoubleVerify, Pepper Content & Torc ai. 

Pitch CMO Summit Mumbai 2023 brings India's most reputed brands and top management to interact and share insights on their game-changing success stories under one roof.

The theme of this edition of the conference is ‘The Agile Marketer’.

Many esteemed speakers will be a part of the conference tomorrow at the Pitch CMO Summit Mumbai edition 2023. The keynote address at the conference will be delivered by a spokesperson representing a brand with the iconic tagline - The Complete Man. Representing the lifestyle division of the group - Sunil Kataria, CEO - Lifestyle Division, Raymond Group will speak at the conference on The Story of ‘The Complete Man’.

Another key speaker at the conference will represent a brand that disrupted the way how India buys and rents furniture. As their website says “Life can be a ‘bed of roses’ (if the bed is from Pepperfry)”, echoing the brand values Ambareesh Murty, Co-founder and CEO, Pepperfry will share insights in a fireside chat with Dr Annurag Batra, Chairman & Editor-in-Chief, BW Businessworld & exchange4media.

We live in an instant era - from our messages to our deliveries - we need everything to be faster than 5G. Why should our grocery delivery be slow? Our next speaker is the co-founder of an e-commerce brand that has disrupted the way India buys groceries.  Sharing with us this story of market disruption will be Aadit Palicha, Co-Founder & CEO, Zepto who will talk about Zepto: Revolutionizing The Way India Shops Groceries Online.

When our next Co-founding speaker was told that “Millet snacks can be healthy AND tasty? Impossible!”, she replied with “Challenge accepted.” and turned the love for Millets into a mission. Born out of the dream to reinvent millets, the brand today is a part of the Tata brands roster. Sharing more brands insights on the brand story at the summit will be Rasika Prashant, Co-founder & CMO, Tata Soulfull and speak on Tata Soulfull: Reviving Goodness With Taste, Health & Agility.

The summit will witness a mix of impactful stories of new-age brands and also the giants in their respective categories. Our next speaker will be representing an FMCG giant - Britannia Industries- which is one of India's leading food companies with a 100-year legacy and annual revenues in excess of Rs. 9000 Cr. Amit Doshi, CMO, Britannia Industries will be sharing cognizance on ‘Insightful Storytelling With Agile Marketing’.

Our next speaker comes from a brand that claims of leading the future of snacking with iconic global and local brands. Being a brand that most Indians remember and cherish, and one that has delivered iconic brand communication for its sub-brands over time, Mondelez empowers people to snack right in over 150 countries around the world. At the summit, Nitin Saini, VP - Marketing, Mondelez India will be speaking about ‘How Mondelez India Marries Ideas & Technology For Brand Building?’

The next brand making its presence felt at the summit is another FMCG biggie. Loreal, for more than 110 years, has devoted energy and competencies solely to one business: beauty. Their mission has been to offer all women and men on the planet the best of beauty in terms of quality, efficacy, safety and responsibility. Gaurav Anand, Chief Digital & Marketing Officer, L’Oréal India will speak about ‘The Future of Marketing with Consumer Data.’

In today’s world led by the likes of ChatGPT and Google Bard, brands that are shying away from using AI for advertising are at a continuous competitive disadvantage. To take us through the enormous opportunities that can emerge by marrying Human creativity and AI, Pawan Rochwani, Head of Brand & Partnerships, Pepper Content will speak about ‘Content ROI With & Beyond Generative AI’.

AI has revolutionized the advertising industry by enabling marketers to deliver personalized, targeted, and relevant ads to consumers. AI-powered advertising solutions use machine learning algorithms to analyze vast amounts of data on consumer behaviour, preferences, and demographics to predict and target ads to the right audience at the right time and place. To share some case studies of ‘Many Industry Firsts With VI Ads’, Rohit Verma, Chief Executive Officer, TorcAI will speak at the summit.

Conversational commerce is transforming the way consumers interact with businesses, allowing them to shop, order, and pay for products and services through messaging and chatbot technologies. No more clunky websites, no more frustrating phone calls - just natural language conversations with brands they love. Sharing more on ‘End of Broadcasting, Beginning of Conversations’ will be Tamanna Dhamija, Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Convosight.

Gone are the days of Mad Men-style marketing, where creative ideas were enough to win over customers. Today, marketing is as much about technology as it is about creativity. The rise of MarTech (Marketing Technology) has given birth to a new generation of marketers who are just as comfortable with code as they are with the copy.  To share more insights on ‘Rise of the MarTech EXPLORERS & Insights From the State of MarTech In India’ joining the summit will be Mihir Karkare, EVP, Mirum India.

In today's highly competitive business world, understanding your customers has never been more critical. In fact, the success of your business largely depends on your ability to decode profitable customers and meet their needs effectively. This is where consumer intelligence comes into play. Let us welcome on stage Mr Vivek Bhargava, Co-Founder, Profitwheel to share more details on ‘Decoding Your Profitable Customers With Consumer Intelligence’

Another fireside chat will witness Deepak Saluja, Head of Marketing, ICICI Securities in conversation with Keyur Dhami, VP - Consumer Success, WebEngage to discuss How Futuristic CMOs are Building the Right Martech Stack and how the handshake between technology and marketing for legacy businesses has been getting stronger with Marketing Leaders becoming more and more tech-savvy.

The conference will be followed by the award felicitation ceremony of The Pitch Best CMO Awards 2023.

For more details, please check out the microsite:

https://e4mevents.com/pitch-cmo-summit-2023/

To attend the summit and awards, get in touch with

Chandrakant@exchange4media.com or kapil.ramudamu@exchange4media.com

An FMCG veteran Anjana Ghosh surprised India Inc last October when she quit Bisleri after serving a fairly long stint and joined Xotic Frujus, a Mumbai-based beverage maker. 

After all, Xotic was a much smaller company compared to Bisleri, almost a tenth of its size in terms of revenue. It was also a family-run business where the founder Rajeev Sehgal and his three children have been at the helm.  

Ghosh says she decided to leave her comfort zone and took up Xotic’s job offer as a challenge. In less than six months, she has chalked out the shortcomings that have hampered the beverage company's growth and started addressing them aggressively. Her blueprint to accelerate the company’s strategic and operational growth is already under execution. 

In this interaction with e4m, Ghosh discusses how consumer preferences have evolved over the years, why the firm is rebranding its most popular brand Jeeru to J, how they are scaling up their production and distribution network first before kicking off an extensive marketing strategy. 

Multi-gaming platform A23 (Head Digital Works), launched a fresh cluster of brand films under its ‘Chalo Saath Khelein’ campaign featuring Rakul Preet Singh. With the initial leg of these ad films, the brand highlights a variety of online rummy formats available on the A23 Rummy application on which users can play online together with friends and family.

The new ad film shows Rakul Preet Singh and other players enjoying a game of darts, each with their own unique style of play. She goes on to talk about how players can choose from a variety of rummy formats on the A23 Rummy app, best suited to their skill set. A23 has also ramped up their enduring ‘Responsible Gaming’ campaign, endorsing the need for players to game within reasonable limits. Rakul Preet Singh, who is seen running on a treadmill, draws a parallel between exercising and online gaming and the need to take breaks between both.

The brand film coincides with the ongoing cricket season and the upcoming IPL, which always draws attention. Both the ad films are live across all major social and digital platforms.  

The ads were released on OLVs & OTTs alongside traditional mediums on live cricket. A23 is set to release more such films in the coming two weeks showcasing its portfolio- A23 Rummy, A23 Fantasy and Cricket.com. Apart from Rakul Preet Singh, these films will also feature popular digital creator, Niharika Naga Malneedi.  The message of ‘Chalo Saath Khelein’ will be telecasted across multiple regional languages including Hindi, Bengali, Marathi, Kannada, Malayalam and Gujarati.

Speaking about the campaign, Gunnidhi Singh Sareen, VP- Marketing, Head Digital Works said, “At A23, we are committed to providing our players with a responsible gaming experience, and our new ad films ahead of the IPL season reflect that. We believe in offering customized game play options to all our players, ensuring that they can enjoy our offerings in a safe and responsible manner. As we launch our latest campaign, we are proud to say that our responsible gaming narrative remains at the heart of our business. We are also excited to highlight our fantasy gaming experiences and offerings this season in the second leg of the campaign. The IPL season presents an excellent opportunity for us to reach the right audience, and we are excited to showcase our offerings on TV to millions of viewers."

 These new brand ads aim to leverage the various personalized in-game features to encourage users to enjoy an unparalleled gaming experience by playing together with their friends and family. A23 continues to drive its messaging of ‘Chalo Saath Khelein’ and ‘Responsible Gaming’ and believes that online gaming is one of the most engaging means of entertainment.

Shyam Steel has announced its association with IPL franchise Lucknow Super Giants as the principal sponsor of the franchise. The association will help Shyam Steel to enhance its brand and business presence across the HSM markets and nationally.

Aligned to the association, the players and official members of Lucknow Super Giants team will be sporting the Shyam Steel logo on the back of the official match day jersey. The logo will also be prominently visible during the on-ground matches of the franchise. The brand will have the right to use player images and team logo for internal use and promotional purposes. The association will also be amplified across, print, outdoor, television, digital and social media platforms which will run through entire duration of the tournament. The duration of the association is three years.

Commenting on the association, Lalit Beriwala, Director, Shyam Steel Industries Ltd said, “We are very proud to associate ourselves with one of the most popular franchise, Lucknow Super Giants. The team is the perfect amalgamation of talent, experience and enthusiasm. India is a cricket frenzy nation, and this partnership will help us to build a high brand recall amongst our target audience nationally. Uttar Pradesh is a key market for us as it serves as our gateway to the North Indian markets, and we hope this association creates a positive impact in the region. We look forward to a very successful season for both the brands.”

Colonel Vinod Bisht, CEO RPSG Sports said: “We are absolutely delighted to be entering into a long-term partnership with an esteemed brand like Shyam Steel. There is a lot of positive synergy between the brand and the franchise, and we look forward to working with them in this prestigious tournament.”