Herbalife India has announced partnership with Disney+ Hotstar as a digital streaming associate sponsor for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023.
The ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 commences on the 5th of October, with the final to be played in Ahmedabad on the 19th of November, with all 48 matches being available for streaming on the Disney+ Hotstar platform.

Ajay Khanna, Senior Vice President and Managing Director at Herbalife India, said, “We are thrilled to be associated with the streaming of the biggest sporting events worldwide. Herbalife is known for its association with hundreds of world-class athletes and sporting events. It is a matter of pride for us to add the streaming of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 to that list. It is an exciting time for cricket, and this collaboration truly reflects our passion for this incredible sport. This also reinforces Herbalife’s mission for better nutrition, empowering people to achieve their full potential through healthier choices for health and wellness.”

Herbalife takes pride in its sponsorship of over 150 athletes, teams and leagues across the globe, all of whom embody the company's dedication to promoting a healthy and active lifestyle through adequate nutrition. In India, Herbalife continues to support athletes like Virat Kohli, Smriti Mandhana, Lakshya Sen, Manika Batra, Mary Kom, and para-badminton player Palak Kohli, amongst others, and major sporting events like IPL, Special Olympics World Summer Games, Ironman Goa, and many others.

Wrangler® today announced the launch of its new brand campaign titled “What Shapes You, Makes You”. The campaign features Smriti Mandhana, the vice-captain of Indian women’s cricket team and one of its most prolific batters. 

Wrangler® is investing heavily during the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 to build greater awareness and consideration among consumers in India. The campaign highlights the enduring relationship between Smriti and her Wrangler® denim emphasizing that investing in Wrangler® is essentially investing in a part of oneself. Smriti is an adventurous person and is always ready to take risks, make moves and embraces courage which is what Wrangler® stands for. The iconic denim brand’s campaign is built around the insight that searching through our old wardrobe makes us feel nostalgic. Occasionally, we find a piece of clothing that immediately reminds us of how far we have come in life. While we may have forgotten it at the back of our wardrobe, we haven’t forgotten how it makes us feel – it's a conduit that keeps us grounded and in touch with our passions. It’s what shapes us, makes us. 

The brand campaign film will run on Disney+Hotstar and digital platforms such as YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram during the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023. Here’s the link to the video film for a special preview

Disney Star has announced its 26 sponsors for the ICC World Cup 2023 – PhonePe, Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd, Dream11, Hindustan Unilever, Coca-Cola, Havells, IndusInd Bank, Pernod India, Booking.com, Peter England, Kingfisher Packaged Drinking Water, Mondelez, Emirates, Diageo, Jindal Panther, MRF Tyres, LendingKart, BPCL, Herbalife, Haier Appliances, AMFI, Google Pay, Polycab, Amul, VIDA by Hero Motorcorp and Amazon.

Ajit Varghese, Head of Network - Ad Sales at Disney Star, said, “The ICC World Cup 2023 promises to be an unparalleled cricketing spectacle from a viewers' interest and advertisers' participation. We are delighted to have these esteemed brands using this opportunity to get maximum impact and drive growth for their brands or businesses. Disney Star is all set to provide an unmatched cricketing extravaganza with its programming and create a viewing experience for audiences across television and digital platforms, promising unforgettable moments for everyone.”

The ICC World Cup 2023 will be played at 10 venues across India. The matches will be telecast exclusively on the Star Sports network and will also be available for streaming free of charge to mobile users on Disney+ Hotstar. The tournament kicks off on October 5th with a match-up between England and New Zealand in Ahmedabad.

Livpure has unveiled a new television commercial featuring the brand ambassador, Sachin Tendulkar launching its innovative Platino Copper Water Purifier. 

The TVC underscores Livpure's dedication to delivering clean and pure drinking water. It also shines a spotlight on the significant environmental benefits of its advanced RO technology featured in the Platino Copper Water Purifier, capable of conserving up to 20,000 liters of water annually. 

Livpure has strategically chosen to broadcast the TVC across various platforms to reach a broad audience. Viewers can catch the TVC on Hindi News, Hindi Movies, English News, and regional channels in Maharashtra, West Bengal, Orissa, and Andhra Pradesh/Telangana. The television commercial will also be available for streaming on popular OTT platforms like Sony Liv, Jio Cinema, and MX Player. 

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With the festive season just around the corner, Livpure anticipates an enthusiastic response from viewers and a significant increase in sales. 

Rakesh Kaul, Managing Director of Livpure, shared his thoughts on the launch, saying, “At Livpure, we firmly believe that access to clean and safe drinking water is not just a convenience but a fundamental right for every individual. Our mission has always been twofold: to provide cutting-edge water purification technology that ensures the highest water quality and safety standards and to champion water conservation as a crucial part of our environmental responsibility." 

"Our Platino Copper Water Purifier embodies this commitment through its innovative technology. It's not just a product; it's a symbol of our dedication to safeguarding the planet's most precious resource- water. Our new TV commercial reflects Livpure's ethos of innovation and sustainability. It's a visual representation of our pledge to create products that improve lives and minimize our environmental footprint. We hope our message resonates with consumers, especially during this festive season, inspiring them to join us in this important mission. Together, we can make a positive change for our planet, ensuring that clean and safe drinking water remains accessible for generations to come.", he added. 

Taj Mahal Tea has announced a Guinness World Record certification for its latest outdoor campaign, set in the heart of Vijayawada. Located opposite the Vijayawada junction railway station, the billboard is a first-of-its-kind innovation, that uses rain to play the notes on the Santoor to create the symphony of Raag Megh Malhar, the Raaga of the Rains. It offers locals and passersby an unprecedented experience that seamlessly blends technology, nature, and the soulful tunes of Hindustani classical music. Named ‘Megh Santoor’, the out-of-home installation measures a total surface area of 2250 square feet. The Guinness World Record certification was awarded to Taj Mahal Tea by Swapnil Dangarikar, Official Adjudicator, Guinness World Records, India and APAC.

Commenting on the unveiling of the billboard & the certification, Shiva Krishnamurthy – Beverages and Foods Head, Hindustan Unilever said, “We are thrilled to have 'Megh Santoor' recognized as the world's largest environmentally interactive billboard by The Guinness Book of World Records. Vijayawada is one of the biggest citadels for Taj Mahal Tea, and creating this extraordinary experience is our way of extending heartfelt gratitude to the city in a way that fits us best, with Hindustani classical music! This achievement reflects our unwavering commitment to Hindustani classical music, the beautiful people of Vijayawada and to sheer tea enjoyment in the rains. We have created history, and we invite everyone to experience this extraordinary blend of art and technology."

The Experience: The heart of "Megh Santoor" lies in its 31 strings and handles, meticulously arranged to produce the enchanting strains of the ancient rain Raga, "Megh Malhar." Renowned Indian classical musician, percussionist, and composer,  Taufiq Qureshi, has lent his expertise to ensure that the raaga resonates with the true spirit of the Indian monsoon.

The Making: This one-of-a-kind billboard that produces music took 6 months of conceptualization with a team of over 50 professionals who have come together to render the never done before musical rendition interacting with rains.

Booking.com on Tuesday launched its marketing campaign “Howzat for Your Perfect Stay” in Mumbai ahead of the much-awaited Cricket World Cup which is being hosted in India from October 5. The digital travel brand is a global sponsor of ICC events. The campaign features Indian team captain Rohit Sharma along with international cricketers Jos Buttler, captain of England team and Australian cricketer Glenn Maxwell. 

“We will rope in influencers as well to make our World Cup campaign more interesting,” says Santosh Kumar, Booking.com’s Country Head - Indian subcontinent & Indonesia, in an exclusive interaction with exchange4media. Kumar was in Mumbai for the campaign launch. 

Kumar also explains why brand marketing is crucial for Booking.com to expand its footprint in tier 2 and tier 3 cities:  

Excerpts: 

What are your marketing plans for this World Cup season? 

Traditionally, we have invested pretty heavily on the digital marketing side since we started off as an online brand. But in the last few years, we've been investing quite heavily on the brand marketing side also. So, sports tourism is our main focus area because large events, whether it is sports or any other large events for that matter, tends to attract large audiences who travel from within and outside the country to these destinations.

Sports is one area in which we have decided to double down on. In the US, we have done Super Bowl ads. We sponsored Major League Baseball in Europe. We're doing the US UEFA Soccer League. Recently this year, we also sponsored the FIFA Women's World Cup, which happened in Australia. 

And of course, cricket. Cricket goes hand-in-hand with India to a large extent. Over 90% of the fans globally are located in India. Therefore, India is a priority market for us and it makes a lot of sense for us to invest in this partnership with ICC. I think sports is a stimulant for the economy in general because destinations are benefiting from it.

The local host city benefits because there's an influx of fans traveling from across the country. But also inbound, we are seeing a lot of traffic, which is coming into India from other countries. So it's all around. It's good news for the economy, for the destination, for local providers, whether they're providing hotels or blending alternate accommodation. Local entrepreneurs are also benefiting. 

In an earlier interaction with e4m, you had called your ICC partnership a “marriage between sports and travel”. How successful has your partnership with ICC been in terms of Return of Investment? 

This marriage has been fairly successful because sports and travel go really well together. We continue announcing a new partnership in a new sport year by year. 

Our partnership with ICC is now five years old. It has benefited us in many ways, not restricted only to India. We are a global company and when we position our business, it's from three perspectives-inbound (into the country), domestic (within the country), and it's outbound as well. So inbound, we are seeing an increase in flight searches. UK, Australia, Netherlands and Sri Lanka are some of the top countries from where we saw significantly more flight bookings in October and November compared to last year. 

Our integrated marketing campaign will appear wherever the ICC broadcast is happening. We will get eyeballs, wherever our campaign appears all across the world. It surely benefits us. All cricket playing nations are our focus with our world cup campaign this year. 

Cricket generates most of the eyeballs and revenue in India. It has been 12 years since the last World Cup happened in India. So, there's a lot of excitement that's built up for it. Probably after the IPL, this is the second biggest event that has happened this year in India apart from the G20.

From a consumer perspective, we are expecting a lot of brand awareness to build up with this campaign in India for us today. And we also expect this to drive incremental demand for all our partners, whether it's flights, cars, attractions or hotels. We have always traditionally been strong in accommodations, but now we are also focusing on all the other segments. So we are hoping that our campaign drives increased awareness of the products we have and the platforms we have.

How much growth are you expecting through the World Cup?

I can't share an exact number with you. Organically, we are growing in double digits. So, I would be very very disappointed if we did not grow significantly following the world cup. I can’t share India-specific figures, but I can tell you that our Asia business was up 40% for the second quarter (April-June) year-on-year. 

What were the major factors behind such phenomenal growth in Q2? 

Last year, all destinations were still not open. China opened toward the end of the year. But all the other countries were open in this Q2. Besides, travellers' confidence is also very high as safety concerns have gone away. Indians are really raring to go out into the world.

We continue to see strong demand and strong growth in the Indian market. The overall travel market in India has bounced back over 2019 levels. I would expect that trend to kind of continue in the next few years.

What is your marketing spends for India and what is the media mix?

We can’t share country-specific data, but last year, for the full year, we spent somewhere around $6 billion globally on marketing. Majority of it was digital advertising because that's where traditionally we are the strongest. Digital is the channel where we receive a lot of our direct business from. 

The brand marketing makes sense in countries or areas where we see it as a priority, where we need to make our brand better known and better exemplified. From an Indian perspective, we are fairly well known in the big cities but when it comes to tier 2 and tier 3 cities, we still have work to do to make our brand well-known.

While we are very relevant to our partners all across the country, we also want to be relevant to consumers. Therefore, we are also investing a lot on social media. 

We introduced our Instagram handle for India a few months ago. We collaborated with several influencers on the occasion. Some of those influencers will be roped in for our World Cup campaign as well. 

How do you plan to expand further in India?

We are trying to introduce new languages on the platform. We introduced Hindi early this year for our consumers and partners to book with us. After that, we are witnessing a lot of traffic from Tier 2 and Tier 3 of the cities in India and also from the US. There are a lot of Indians, especially the Gujarat community, which owns a lot of motels and hotels in the US. They started using our platform in Hindi. 

Hence, we are investing more and more in India. This ICC marketing investment is basically helping us to increase our focus on the Indian market.

August saw the debut of the music festival Lollapalooza in India. The event was also a brand association extravaganza, paving the way for many integration opportunities. Apparel brand Levi Strauss & Co was one such brand that leveraged the opportunity to create an experience centre for customers at the music fest.

Commenting on the association, Amisha Jain, SVP & Managing Director - South Asia, Middle East & Africa · Levi Strauss & Co. said, “Our partnership with on-ground events is another step towards connecting with a new generation of Levi’s®.”

This year, the company marks 170 years in existence while celebrating 150 years of the iconic Levi’s 501 jeans.

In a chat with e4m, Jain lets us in on her thoughts about India as a market, innovating marketing strategies, association with on-ground events, Deepika Padukone and more.

Here is an edited excerpt from the conversation -

How is India as a market evolving with time and technology that is coming in?

India is a key market for Levi Strauss & Co. and considering the country’s large population, there is significant untapped market potential. Today’s consumer is evolving and is willing to try out new things and spend on brands with which they have a real connection.

Their mindset is now changing and they want to invest in products that are not only fashionable, but also functional, enduring, and innovative. In the past few years, the Indian consumer has embraced technology and has eventually become mindful of the choices they are making by showing an inclination towards sustainable fashion.

We have used waterless technology, cottonised hemp, and wood pulp in the form of Tencel, and the products have been well received by our consumers.  

How have you managed to stay relevant with the current generation? What's your secret mantra?  

Levi’s® as a brand has always aimed to be where our fans are, that is at the centre of culture. We are connected to our consumers digitally, and as a DTC-first brand that’s committed to being everywhere our consumers love to interact and shop, we are conversing and listening to our consumers constantly. In addition to that, our collaboration game has always been strong. As an iconic brand, our partnerships have been strategically curated and aimed at capturing a new generation of fashion-forward millennials and Gen Z consumers. Some of these collaborations such as the ones with Deepika Padukone, Super Mario, Royal Enfield, and several music initiatives, have helped us remain connected to our younger consumers.  

Recently, we collaborated with the first Indian edition of the global music festival, Lollapalooza India, which saw a total of 60,000 attendees. We set up our one-of-a-kind Tailorshop with designs created by 12 artists across India, to connect with our fans in a center-of-culture moment. Festival attendees responded with energy, engagement and real love for the brand.

What is your ad spends for the Indian region? What kind of advertising works best for you?

While we will not be able to share numbers around our ad spends, we can tell you that we use our advertising and marketing efforts to delight our customers through multiple touchpoints. This year is important to us for two reasons: it marks 170 years of Levi Strauss &Co.’s operations; and 150 years of our iconic Levi’s® 501® jeans. Due to these celebrations, we may initiate some interesting collaborations and initiatives around them.

On-ground events like Lollapalooza, how do these help the brand? How does the brand leverage the same?

Our partnership with on-ground events is another step towards connecting with a new generation of Levi’s®. With such collaborations, our aim is to be present in the lives of our consumers at moments when they are their true selves, on the lookout for a community to have memorable experiences. 

You have Deepika as a brand ambassador, why is she relevant for the audience? How is it working out for you?

The key focus of our collaboration with Deepika Padukone has been to leverage her influence on fashion enthusiasts. The audience relates to her, looks up to her, and emulates her fashion statements.

The introduction of Padukone’s signature favourites into the collection, where we introduced baggier and more comfortable fits, was a way for us to explore a newer fashion consumer. The collection was thoroughly appreciated by our consumers and helped us to reach a younger, Gen Z and millennial consumer base with this association, further creating a new generation of Levi’s® fans. The association also helped us establish that Levi’s® goes beyond denim, and has helped us establish us as a true lifestyle brand with head-to-toe collections.  

To commemorate 150 years of 501®, Levi’s® has collaborated with Padukone for a campaign featuring the actor in the iconic Levi’s® 501. In India, Padukone’s inimitable style and ease adds a new chapter to the 501® story and the continuing impact on the 501® as one of the most durable, forward-thinking and stylish pair of pants ever made. 

What new innovations are you testing when it comes to the marketing part of the brand? 

As Levi’s is deeply intertwined with music, we continue to collaborate with music initiatives. Earlier this year, we unveiled the Levi’s® Music Project with artists Ritviz and Kayan, aimed at empowering rising artists. Thanks to an exciting new digital framework, the project allows young talent from around the world to connect with professional artists. This year we aim to continue to create opportunities for artists, both new and old through the spirit of innovation, making this collaboration a prime opportunity to partner up with the goal of allowing Levi’s® to provide an unprecedented amount of access to music education through content, workshops, and collaborations.  

What part of the budget goes to influencer marketing? How do you go about it? What values do they bring to the brand?  

We often collaborate with influencers who have a deep connection with our target audience, and who understand our brand ethos. As influencers have massive loyal and dedicated social media followers, their recommendations are highly regarded by their followers. With GenZ and millennials increasingly owning the social media space, influencers provide us with content that resonates with our younger audience.  

At Lollapalooza India, the brand collaborated with influencers across diverse creative fields and styled them in Levi’s®  outfits. The influencers captured key festival moments, documented their on-ground engagements with artists and their fans, and experienced live customization of products at the Levi’s® Tailorshop, showcasing every aspect on their Instagram handles.

This not only helped us to create a buzz about Levi’s® at Lollapalooza India, and our one-of-a-kind Tailorshop, but also helped us to deepen our connection with our Gen Z and millennial consumers.  

What is your future for the next few years? What are key focus areas from a marketing brand POV?  

This year is a monumental one for LS&Co. as we celebrate 170 years of the company’s operations and 150 years since we first introduced our iconic Levi’s 501 jeans. As a brand, these two milestones will remain to be our focus this year and we may initiate some interesting collaborations and initiatives around them. Lastly, in the last few years, we have also focused on conversations around women – both through product and marketing efforts. We will continue to drive these conversations even this year, considering womenswear is an important category for us as a brand.