One of world’s leading, most iconic brands-Puma has decided to partner with the DDB Mudra Group for the brand’s creative mandate in India. Under this partnership, the agency will be responsible for the creative strategy and execution for Puma’s marketing communication in India.

Puma has been designing, developing, selling and marketing footwear, apparel and accessories, for over 65 years. Following a long term mission of becoming the most desirable Sport Lifestyle Company, Puma distributes its products in more than 120 countries including India, where it’s the fastest growing sports lifestyle brand. It has also brought on board, India’s best known sports personality, Virat Kohli as a brand ambassador.

, “We firmly believed in new age media and have constantly strived to create our own differentiated patterns and modules; to engage with our consumers. I am confident that our partnership with DDB will help us create more resonance with our customers and bring forward the true spirit of our brand.”

The business will be led by Ranji Cherian, President and Managing Partner, DDB Mudra South and Vishnu Srivatsav, Creative Head, DDB Mudra South.

Quoting on the win, Ranji Cherian, President and Managing Partner, DDB Mudra South said “We intend to bring Puma’s unique voice to life in the sports and lifestyle category. It’s a prestigious account win for us, and a great canvas for our own capabilities and creativity. We’re relishing the challenge and the opportunity to be Puma’s partner in embedding itself in India’s consideration and culture.”

Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited celebrates the nonconformist in you!

Launches &Privé HD for viewers who Feel The Other Side of Cinema

Channel to go live on September 24 with the premiere of the Oscar winning film ‘Moonlight’ at 1 pm 

Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited (ZEEL) is all set to strengthen its position in the English cinema cluster with the launch of its premium HD offering - &Privé HD. The channel will go LIVE across HD DTH platforms on September 24th at 1 pm and will air some of the most awaited movie titles as part of its line-up. &Privé HD will launch with the proposition of ‘Feel the Other Side’ - aiming to present high end cinema lovers movies that boast of strong storylines as well as stellar performances. With this unique concept, the channel will satiate the appetite of Indian viewers for the non-mainstream English cinema who feel the soul of the movies.

Derived from the French word Privé which means a personal or private place, the channel promises to become your personal favorite destination for good cinema. Keeping in mind the audience who crave for the alternate, &Privé HD has curated a library of niche and/or premium movie titles that have won prestigious awards all over the world. The channel will launch with the Academy Award winning movie Moonlight and will also premiere 40 critically acclaimed movies along with over 350 other celebrated titles.

Speaking about the launch, Punit Misra, CEO, ZEEL said, "We are proud to present &Privé HD to our viewers who feel the other side of cinema; audiences who have a mind of their own, who chart their own path and take the road untaken. Like the name suggests, through &Privé we wish to become your personal space for quality cinema. In the last two years, there has been a remarkable growth in the viewership of premium English movies on the HD platform. With the launch of &Privé, we wish to further accelerate this and delight our consumers. The & brand talks to the contemporary Indian who has a progressive outlook and is experimental with his/her choices. We are confident that the &Privé brand extension, with its brilliantly curated content, will find a place in the hearts of the non-conformist, discerning viewer.”

Aparna Bhosle, Business Cluster Head – Premium and FTA GEC Channels, ZEEL said, “&Privé HD with its fantastic line-up of movies will appeal to audiences that have a global mindset and a penchant for premium experiences. The curated list of movies that will be aired on the channel have multiple layers and a certain depth – something that we have realized appeals to a section of non-conformist cinema enthusiasts in India. &Privé HD will boast of a line-up of movies that will cut across genres and will hopefully remain etched in the minds of our consumers, making them truly experience ‘The Other Side’ of cinema.”

Speaking on the marketing strategy, Prathyusha Agarwal, CMO, ZEEL stated, “For our free-thinking audience who have a fierce aversion to follow, &Privé HD will fuel the drive to think and feel different. Keeping in line with their evolved design sensibilities, the Brand & Broadcast Design delivers a signature luxury visual experience that is inspired by international magazine style and semiotics. Our communication campaign is an ode to our TG who venture beyond the obvious, celebrating those who feel the other side.”

Tune into &Privé HD to feel the other side of cinema starting from September 24, 2017 at 1 pm

Team to handle key digital marketing efforts and is hiring for new positions

Sprint joins a growing list of brands like StubHub, Unilever and Netflix among others, who have all taken some digital ad buying in-house in recent years.

Sprint is continuing its push into digital as part of the company’s turnaround, today announced its first in-house digital marketing agency to better serve its marketing needs.

Following initiatives to enhance its digital offerings and user experience, Sprint is making significant progress on utilizing digital platforms to drive and convert more customers online and at retail. In fact, postpaid phone gross additions in the digital channel doubled year-over-year and postpaid upgrades nearly tripled year-over-year in the first quarter of fiscal year 2017.

Creating an in-house digital marketing group will allow for streamlined internal communications, increased speed to market, annual cost savings and the ability to take a more data-driven marketing approach.

“As we continue to transform Sprint, we’re doing things differently and taking bold steps to drive better results and efficiencies, including greatly expanding our digital capabilities,” said Rob Roy, Chief Digital Officer at Sprint. “This emphasis on digital, now with new Sprint-based digital marketing talent, allows us to stay on the cutting edge as we work to better attract and serve our customers.”

Sprint plans to hire approximately 100 digital positions in the remainder of 2017 and more in 2018 to support this digital and digital marketing focus. Positions available now and in the coming weeks include experts in creative development for display, programmatic digital media, paid search, media buying and analytics, as well as other digital areas such as care, web development and operations.

The jobs are primarily based in Reston, Virginia, taking advantage of the growing talent pool in Virginia, Washington, D.C. and Maryland, and at Sprint’s Overland Park, Kansas headquarters. Those interested can apply online on the Sprint Careers Digital site. New openings are expected to be posted regularly to manage the company’s growing digital needs.

Higher Standards for Authenticity Challenge Media Outlets and Brands Today to Reinvent Storytelling

Results released today from part two of Ogilvy Media Influence’s annual global survey of more than 250 reporters and producers found that the rise in reports of “fake news” has elevated trust in traditional media, contrary to prevailing sentiment that the recent deluge of misinformation has eroded trust in legacy media sources. The survey found that journalists worldwide agree that better reporting – such as comprehensive fact-checking and citing credible sources – is necessary to combat fake news. The results, which identify social media as a key catalyst of the fake news phenomenon, further illuminate the findings of the first half of the Ogilvy Media Influence survey, released in June 2017, in which Facebook had emerged as the new number one media gatekeeper.

“The fragmentation of media has dramatically multiplied how consumers get their news, posing both a challenge and an opportunity for brands to tell their stories,” said Jennifer Risi, worldwide chief communications officer at Ogilvy. “If brands want to compete in a fake-news environment, they must communicate and build trust with consumers, leveraging the trifecta of traditional, digital and social media platforms to tell their stories in a way that is authentic and true to their brand.”

Another notable result is that an overwhelming number of respondents say that the political climate has changed the way they report stories – suggesting that heightened political activities and the resulting dialogue are playing an increased role in transforming journalists’ reporting strategies.

Key Findings:

More than half of journalists worldwide (52%) find traditional media to be the most trusted news sources, followed by company websites and press releases (22%).

North America – Traditional media, 59%; company websites and press releases, 15%.

EMEA – Traditional media, 47%; company websites and press releases, 22%.

Asia Pacific – Traditional media, 50%; company websites and press releases, 29%.

The current political climate has changed the way journalists have reported stories in the last 12 months.
North America – More than half of journalists (54%) have changed their reporting methods.

EMEA – 41% of journalists have altered their reporting based on the political climate.

Asia Pacific – 34% of reporters have adjusted their practices.

Globally, journalists believe social media (25%), polarized media coverage (14%) and confirmation bias (14%]) have contributed the most to the rise of fake news. Reporters in EMEA (14%) and Asia Pacific (17%) also believe money is a contributing factor to its rise.

North America – Journalists find that social media (24%), polarized media coverage (17%) and confirmation bias (14%) have advanced the phenomenon of fake news.

EMEA – Reporters believe fake news is amplified by social media (24%), polarized media coverage [16%] and money (14%).
Asia Pacific – Reporters attribute the rise of fake news to social media (26%), confirmation bias (17%) and money (17%).

“The value of earned media cannot be overstated, as the brands we represent rely on trust and credibility in the media to tell their stories. The threat of alternative facts and fake news is real, but the survey findings are a welcome indication that earned media is resilient and remains a cornerstone in modern communications programs,” Risi added.

These survey findings reflect the second half of a two-part survey that the Ogilvy Media Influence team conducted in April 2017. Results from the first half of the survey, which explored reporting strategies in an increasingly digital world, were unveiled during the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity in June 2017. The results reflect feedback collected by the Ogilvy Media Influence team members in 22 offices across North America, EMEA and Asia Pacific.

Companies are exploring innovative ways to package food as a “mood enhancer” for the wellness era.

This August, Monarch Airlines introduced a mood-enhancing food menu to create a calmer in-flight experience for passengers. The “Mood Food” box features echinacea and liquorice ice-cream to boost immunity, green tea and lavender cakes for relaxation and herbal tea to reduce bloating. It follows Monarch’s research which found that 72% of British travellers find travelling stressful and 33% don’t start to relax until the third day of their holiday.

To create the menu, Monarch partnered with Professor Charles Spence, an experimental psychologist who previously collaborated with Heston Blumenthal at The Fat Duck, a UK-based Michelin-starred restaurant. “Travelling is a time when we’re under pressure and rushed, so eating well is often an afterthought,” says Spence. “I’ve loved working with Monarch to use food—which can be a powerful psychological and physiological tool—to create the first ever real ‘happy’ meal to get travellers in the holiday mood as quickly as possible.”

Beyond tackling the need to unwind from the stresses of work, Monarch is challenging the already stressful experience of travelling itself. According to the International Air Transport Association, the number of unruly passengers on planes increased 14% in 2015, showing a need for the airline industry to confront increasing frustration and “air rage.” Gatwick Airport explored this in 2015, where several restaurants across its North and South terminals trialled the use of mood-lifting ingredients in their food.

As explored in our Well Economy report, there is a growing acknowledgement that food has an impact on mood and wellbeing. As consumers become more invested in their own wellness, food and drink have evolved to be seen as a way to manage physical and mental health, not just to achieve a certain body type. Dr. Smood, a healthy fast-food chain, plays on this trend with anti-inflammatory foods that are 80% plant-based, with many of the products claiming to energize consumers. The company has grown from one location to five in two years and four more café openings are planned for this year. Larger restaurant franchises are also catching onto this trend. Pizza Hut launched a mood-enhancing pizza in time for Blue Monday this year. Consumers are also turning to apps to help them. Yolk! uses AI to detect sadness, anger and anxiety and suggests foods that may improve mood.

Scientific research is further supporting the notion that food and mental wellbeing are linked. A 2017 study found that an anti-inflammatory, Mediterranean-style diet high in vegetables, fish, olive oil, and nuts reduced symptoms of depression in 32% of its sample.

It is important to acknowledge the impact that food can have on health and wellness. Consumers are beginning to understand that what they eat influences how they feel. Brands should also start to take on this knowledge and apply it where possible in their customer journey.

Source:Jwt Intelligence