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EE News Desk
The UEFA Euro 2016 has got off to a rocketing start. With the on-field action grabbing the headlines, the Indian market has moved swiftly to capture the biggest football flavor of this season. Mobile handset maker GioneeMobiles has come on board as the title on-air sponsor after their successful rebranding stint with the Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League. Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN), hold the rights for Euro's broadcast in India and are beaming it across their channels and online onsonyliv.com. Last heard before the beginning of the tournament, they had sold almost 80 % of the advertising inventory. Highly placed sources close to these deals reveal that brands have allocated tentatively Rs 8-10 crore towards sponsorship. According to a report in the Business Standard, SPN is continuing with an activity it had started dabbling with in 2014 where it had multi-lingual feeds for the FIFA World Cup with a Bengali feed on Sony Aath, the Bangla entertainment channel under the network. Euro 2016 will be available in six languages, English, Hindi, Bengali, Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam. Sony SIX will telecast the English language feed while Sony ESPN will give viewers the other options. Prasana Krishnan, executive vice-president and business head of Sports Cluster, SPN, says, "When we experimented with the Bengali feed, we realised that there is an appetite for the sport in the regional markets. With Euro 2016, we intend to test out more markets and so we have added three more languages. It is perhaps the first time in India that a non-cricket tournament of this scale will be available in so many languages." According to the ESP Properties - SportzPower India Sports Sponsorship Report 2016, on the back of Hero Indian Super League (ISL), ground sponsorship for Football shot up from Rs 59.5 crore in 2014 to Rs 114 crore in 2015, a jump of 91.6% . Hitesh Gossain, CEO of Onspon.com, gives us a lowdown on the brands that have moved on-board for the European football fiesta, "According to market sources and SPN estimates, the brands that have agreed to be a part of the Euro bandwagon are Honda Cars India, Idea, Carlsberg, Hero Cycles, Crompton Greaves, Micromax, YES Bank and Renault. E-commerce players such as Amazon, OLX and Paytm were also said to be keenly interested in taking up slots. As the games are shown on Sony SIX and Sony ESPN channels at the primetime slots of 6:30 pm and 9:30 pm, and 12:30 am. SPN's sales team has quoted a rate of Rs 2.25-2.5 lakh for ad-spots and most brands have accepted this.
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Renaissance Convention Centre hosted their fifth edition ‘Global Day of Discovery Fair 2016’ on 16th June 2016 from 4pm-10pm at the A Bar Lounge in the property. This year, The Global Day of Discovery Fair hosted interesting elements of a flea market. The hotel hosted innovative stalls, unique handicrafts and interesting showcases by various local brands and artistes. At the fair, one could choose from a plethora of activities and each activity was designed to help one discover something exciting and new. The A bar hosted a cluster of brands offering products ranging from apparel, handicrafts, accessories, home décor to wellness. From options of organic luxury candles, authentic Kashmiri Handicrafts and interesting handmade apparel and yarns a variety of unique shopping options were made available. Guests also discovered some innovative cocktails such as Kokum Chai and Kalakhatta Margarita along with finger food. In the evening, guests also got to witness a performance of percussion and fusion music by DJ Woody and local Maharashtrian percussionists. Commenting about the Global Day of Discovery Concept 2016, Rex A.G. Nijhof - General Manager, Renaissance Mumbai Convention Centre Hotel & Lakeside Chalet- Marriott Executive Apartments said, “We are very excited to bring in the fifth edition of Global Day of Discovery in such style and vigor! This year, we had created the concept of a flea market for consumers to appreciate the little joys in life while trying to discover something new. With a wide variety of activities, display and entertainment, it really is amazing to see all our guests having such a joyful time with us.”
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Coinciding with the recent launch of OnePlus 3 the smartphone company partnered with Uber, the multinational online transportation network company, to make it more convenient for fans to get their hands on the Loop VR Headset. This on-demand Loop VR Headset delivery service was being brought to 9 major Indian cities namely, New Delhi, Bangalore, Mumbai, Guwahati, Bhubaneshwar, Pune, Kolkata, Chennai and Chandigarh by two of the coolest and the fastest growing global technology startups. On the partnership with Uber, Vikas Agarwal, General Manager, India at OnePlus said, “OnePlus’ fan community is very important to us and we are thankful to them for their continued love and support. We are delighted to partner with Uber to give our fans a last minute opportunity to get their hands on OnePlus Loop VR Headsets to experience the OnePlus 3 launch in VR.” "Uber is all about the experience, and partnering with OnePlus for this on-demand we're happy to give our riders the opportunity to experience the Loop VR headset.” Said Bhavik Rathod, General Manager, Uber West & South. Fans could order their Loop VR Headsets from June 14, 12 pm onwards by logging into the Uber app. The doors to the Loop, OnePlus’ new office in space, opened at 10 PM IST on June 14 and the public sales for the OnePlus 3 began soon after on Amazon India at 12:30 AM IST.
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AccorHotels and Cyberabad Convention Centre Private Limited (a Joint Venture between Telangana State Industrial Infrastructure Corporation Ltd – TSIIC Ltd and Emaar Properties PJSC, Dubai), today announced the renewal of their agreement for the management of the Novotel Hyderabad Convention Centre and the Hyderabad International Convention Centre. This follows the successful completion of a ten-year commitment to manage and operate the 287-room hotel and the 15-acre state-of-the-art convention facility in Hyderabad. Both facilities operate in a complementary yet distinctive manner. Cyberabad Convention Centre and AccorHotels also announced a refurbishment programme for the hotel and the convention centre. Located in Hyderabad’s IT and Business district, Novotel Hyderabad Convention Centre is a 45 minutes drive from the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport. The hotel is connected to the purpose-built venue renowned for its world class convention facilities, the Hyderabad International Convention Centre. The Novotel Hyderabad Convention Centre is spread over 15 acres with 287 rooms to offer a resort-like ambience with an outdoor pool, lawns and rejuvenation facilities. This announcement comes on the heels of the tenth anniversary of Novotel in India. Novotel today enjoys a strong presence with 13 hotels located in key cities across the country. Based on AccorHotels’ current expansion plans, the brand is poised for significant growth over the next few years and is at the cornerstone of AccorHotels’ India development pipeline with another 14 new Novotel expected to open over the next few years. AccorHotels is the leader in operating convention centres and meeting spaces in India with over 500,000 square-feet of convention space under management. Alongside the Hyderabad International Convention Centre, AccorHotels also manages the Lavasa International Convention Centre, and later this year, will also start operations of the Jaipur Exhibition & Convention Centre (JECC). Adding to its MICE portfolio is the Pullman and Novotel New Delhi Aerocity with 40,000 square meeting of conventions space and the Novotel Kolkata Hotel & Residences with another 30,000 square feet. Amit Jain, Director, Cyberabad Convention Centre said, “Hyderabad is characterised by state-of-the-art infrastructure growth, increased business activity led by strong IT/ITES presence and emerging sector such as education and pharmaceuticals. We take pride in being a part of this growth and in giving the city a world-class convention facility with the Novotel Hyderabad Convention Centre. We see great value in our association with AccorHotels and look forward to continued growth particularly in the MICE area.” “Together with the Government of Telangana, and Emaar Properties PJSC, we have strategic and committed partners. With the Novotel Hyderabad Convention Centre and Hyderabad International Convention Centre, we have established a world-class joint facility in Hyderabad and one that arguably, is South Asia’s finest,” said Jean- Michel Casse, Senior Vice President, Operations, AccorHotels India. Neil Paterson, General Manager, Novotel Hyderabad Convention Centre and Hyderabad International Convention Centre, said, “Our focus on structured and seamless event execution replete with meticulous planning has allowed us to successfully position HICC as a premium convention and meetings destination. Featuring world class infrastructure and conferencing facilities, combined with the warmth and personalization of our staff, HICC is undoubtedly a best-in-class MICE location and a clearly differentiated proposition from other dual hotel and convention developments.”
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Nutrela has launched a campaign spread across 6 weeks with a TV campaign across Hindi GEC, Regional GEC, Movies and Food channels delivering at least 1000 GRP’s so as to break through clutter. The campaign will also be supported with print and ground activation coupled with massive visibility drive in trade. With regard to experiential marketing, the brand has launched an educative campaign “Video on Wheels.” The on-ground campaign will run for a period of six weeks parallely during which Nutrela will attempt to educate the masses on the ill effects of consuming loose soya. Through this initiative, Nutrela Mobile Vans will visit major markets in an attempt to educate the consumers about the benefits of branded Nutrela Soya and tell them why it is better than loose soya. The brand has also created a three minute short film that will be played in the mobile vans. The film highlights the benefits of eating Nutrela Soya in an interesting way. The campaign aims to build awareness amongst consumers, which is the only long term sustainable strategy to combat adulteration in the country. The video will urge consumers, especially those who use loose soya to review their consumption patterns. Loose Soya often has risk of contamination by insects / rodents which destroys the nutrients in the foods and causes various illness / diseases.
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OnePlus, the global technology start-up, is launching its third flagship smartphone –in virtual space. Behind this creative and break-through use of virtual reality technology is the combined efforts of creative and technology professionals from DigitasLBi. “The Loop” is the name of the VR experience that creates a mélange of animations in a virtual space station high above the Earth’s surface. While inside The Loop, users can explore many of the key features of the new OnePlus 3, and even order the smartphone in the virtual world – and then have it delivered to the real one. “To create the most realistic and immersive experience possible, we’ve employed a number of innovative, never-before-seen, usages of CGI and 4D technologies, as well as 360° films,” explains Rasmus Frandsen, Creative Director at DigitasLBi Nordics. “Together, these create an experience designed to excite the global community of OnePlus fans, as well as tech enthusiasts.” “Last year OnePlus held the first-ever product launch in VR. This time with The Loop, we’re taking things a step forward by pushing accessible VR technology to its outer limits,” said Carl Pei, Co-founder and Head of Global at OnePlus. “It’s going to go down in history as the first global shopping experience in VR!” The OnePlus 3 launched on June 14, 2016, and The Loop can be downloaded from Google Play and the App Store. For the first 2.5 hours OnePlus 3 could only be ordered from inside The Loop. About the campaign: The campaign delivers the world’s first VR looping animation. Using a VR headset, potential customers are welcomed on board the OnePlus office of the future – a spacecraft called The Loop. While on board, visitors receive a tour of the spacecraft and an introduction to the OnePlus 3, as well as the opportunity to purchase the OnePlus 3 directly in the VR experience. The solution sets a new standard for VR experiences on smartphones. The campaign creates an interactive and engaging experience through ingenious use of seamlessly looped Hollywood quality CGI 3D stereoscopic visuals. The custom VR playback engine is optimized for low latency, high resolution, high frame-rate mobile VR immersion, making it possible for viewers to enjoy a rich VR experience on a normal smartphone. The campaign will run in the US, Europe, India and China.
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Macau has a unique historical and archaeological Macanese culture that exists in harmony with the youthful and diversified experiences the destination has to offer. To present the multiple and stylish facets of Macau to the Indian audience, Macau Government Tourism Office has collaborated with Jean-Claude Biguine Salon and Spa to attract new and aspiring patrons. The French luxe salon will be promoting Macau as the ideal holiday destination through souvenirs and props placed in select outlets. Also, all esteemed customers who avail services over Rs. 15000 will be gifted special Macao souvenirs that perfectly complement the beautiful marvels of Macau. Simultaneously, a 4-week contest has been activated on Facebook for the residents of Mumbai to win Jean Claude Biguine Salon voucher worth Rs. 2500 every week by choosing the ‘Most Beautiful Selfie Spot’ in Macao. Patrons can log on and fill-up the form to be among the few lucky winners. Speaking about this association, Mr. Arzan Khambtta, Head, India Representative Office, Macau Government Tourism Office said, “We are very pleased to be associated with one of the best brands in the salon industry- Jean Claude Biguine. Like Macau, Jean-Claude Biguine Salon & Spa redefines indulgence so we are looking forward to present Macau to the Indian audience in an all new style. We also have an exciting contest running on the social media handles of Macao Tourism where all Mumbaikars can sign-in and pick their favorite from the wide-array of stunning destinations in Macau that is perfect to be titled as the ‘Most Beautiful Selfie Spot’ and win a special prize.” Macau has an affluent history reflecting the best of Portuguese as well as Chinese influence. The city has lively streets, vibrant gardens and picturesque hilly landscapes with several temples, churches, fortresses and colonial buildings. Some of the famous attractions in Macau include The Ruins of St. Paul's, The Guia Fortress, Senado Square, Macau Tower, The Science Center, The Giant Panda Pavilion along with the 15th century A-Ma Temple. Beyond the history lies an ostentatious spectacle of sky scrapping buildings with glitzy exterior and charming enclave. Apart from the glitterati, the Macau Tower offers the perfect chance for an adrenaline boost with its adventure sports, like bungee jumping and sky walking. Macao also houses some of the world’s most splendid museums like the Wine and Grand Prix Museum, the Art and Exhibition Museum of Macao and the world’s first 3D Museum with 4D paintings at Pier 16. The city also witnesses the highest number of tourist footfalls during the festive seasons, especially the Chinese New Year and Feast of the God Toutei.
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Vh1 All Stars is a strategic program for the benefit of advertisers and brands across the country. It aims to provide customized solutions to clients and brand campaigns taking their message to the relevant TG across on-ground outlets spanning 60 cities. Speaking more about this initiative, Sabrina D’Souza, Head Marketing, English Entertainment Cluster, Viacom18 said, “Vh1 has been a consistent frontrunner in providing innovative solutions to clients and now we are taking things forward with Vh1 All Stars. Vh1 All Stars is a unique strategic program designed to help brands reach out to their audience in an effective and impactful manner. With a program reach of over 3 million people each week via our unique set of more than 870 on ground partners, we are certain that advertisers will find merit in this pioneering initiative providing added width & depth to their marketing efforts” Through Vh1 All Stars, the channels have established associations with 878 on-ground partners in 60 cities across India. Besides partnerships in tier I cities and metros the program has a 191 partner outlets in Mumbai and 118 in Delhi NCR alone. The program also reaches out to smaller cities such as Pune, Chennai, Hyderabad, Agra, Indore, Surat etc., thereby engaging with the relevant TG’s Pan India. Vh1 All Stars has established partnerships with brands such as Costa Coffee, Ginger Hotels, Truefitt & Hill, Haagen Dazs, Gold’s Gym, Jean-Claude Biguine and Hoppipola, as well as associations with locally admired venues such as The Humming Tree, Bootlegger, High Spirits, Johnny Rockets, Thalassa, Summer House, to name a few. The on-ground partnership stretches out through diverse categories such as adventure surf schools, sports hubs, book clubs, tattoo parlours, robotics, dance studios, language clubs, gyms, spas, salons, restaurants, pubs, bars, dessert chains as well as hotels. With multiple brands on board, Vh1 All Stars aims at providing brand solutions to advertisers through an all-encompassing approach.
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The Akshaya Patra Foundation has embarked on a pilot project ‘Giving Every Dream a Chance’ in the year 2015-2016. Akshaya Patra believes that every child has a dream and each dream is valid and hence intends to provide the right path to the child. The project aims to initiate a sponsorship programme to ensure continued support to 100 children, conduct mentorship programmes to nurture talents and to identify more children with unique dreams across the country. This unique programme was launched on June 11, 2016 at the Vivanta by Taj by Chief Guest, Mrs. Sudha Murty, Chairperson, Infosys Foundation, a benevolent supporter of Akshaya Patra. The event was presided by Shri Madhu Pandit Dasa, Chairman of The Akshaya Patra Foundation, in the presence of Mohandas Pai who also serves as an independent trustee of the foundation. Sushruthi Krishna, Femina Miss India Supranational 2016, graced the event in support of the initiative. Celebrated Bollywood musician duo of Sona Mohapatra and Ram Sampath presented the theme song which was exclusively composed for the initiative. Akshaya Patra launched the dreams of its three mid-day meal beneficiaries: Manjula, the debuting actress; Shivu, an aspiring astronomer and Shekar, a chef in the making. Akshaya Patra facilitated them with a two month mentorship programme wherein the children were tutored, groomed and guided by the experts in their respective fields. Manjula was mentored by Dr. Zulfia Shaikh, Founder-Director of Bangalore School of Speech & Drama. Shivu was tutored by Mrs. Preethi Krishnamurthy, a senior research fellow in astrophysics. Shekar’s passion for cooking was nurtured by renowned celebrity Chef Ramasamy Selvaraju, Executive Chef at the Vivanta by Taj. Shri Madhu Pandit Dasa said, “This initiative is to highlight the link between food and education. Once we provide the nutrition requisite for a child to grow healthy and smart― the vast universe of dreams, ignited by education, opens up new avenues for the child to explore; and nothing becomes out of reach for a well-nourished child. Let’s end classroom hunger- meal by meal and give every dream a chance - child by child.” Vivanta by Taj, MG Road, supported the initiative as hospitality partner while pledging to continue supporting Shekar till he achieves his dream. The all new Akshaya Patra App was also launched at the event. Big FM 92.7 joined hands with Akshaya Patra as official radio partner and Bfirst.com participated as online partner. The event was organised by Eventsource and was also supported by webcast partner, 24 Frames Digital.
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India is the second fastest growing nation in gross numbers of outbound travelers after China. Corporate MICE buyers from the country are traveling far and wide in search of MICE friendly destinations and unique experiences. According to Bill Keffer - General Manager at JW Marriott Marquis Dubai, “India has witnessed exponential growth over the last few years and continues to be one of the top performing source markets. Our success and frequent interaction with Indian buyers has resulted in several large groups, with sizes up to 1800 delegates.” The country is witnessing a surge in outbound corporate travel as more and more corporates recognize the importance of MICE activities as a key driver to engage their internal as well as external customers. Kristian Nicholls, General Manager Bidding at Business Events Sydney indicated that over the last three years Sydney and New South Wales (NSW) have hosted 95 business events from Asia, especially recent events from India. Resonating a similar line of thought, Mary Souli Kafkios - Managing Director at Cel Tours in Greece who has had the opportunity to successfully work with some of the biggest corporate names from multiple industry verticals believes that the Indian MICE sector to Greece is on the rise. Taking advantage of the tremendous potential from this ever growing market, the MILT congress, recognized as the strongest B2B platform for MICE in India, is set to welcome over 60 Hotels, DMCs, Tourism Boards, EMCs, Convention Bureaus, Sport Tourism Partners, Team Building Agencies, Adventure Tourism Partners, Cruise Liners and other travel suppliers from across the world to meet with key decision makers from the Luxury & Corporate Travel segment as well as with premium Destination Wedding Planners and leading Film Production Houses. The biggest spenders from this outbound MICE and luxury travel segment from India will congregate at the 4th Annual MICE India & Luxury Travel Congress at the St. Regis Mumbai on July 28th & 29th, 2016. Expressing his views on the reasons for investing in the 4th MILT Congress, Mr. Francis Dharmai, Head of Tourism & Regional General Manager- GCC, Al Tayyar Travel Group said, “Participating in MILT will provide us a stepping stone to gain access to corporates, film production houses and destination wedding planners. Events like these give us an opportunity to introduce our services to one of the largest outbound travel markets.” The MILT Congress provides a platform with exclusive business opportunities for global suppliers to meet with signing authorities for corporate MICE & luxury travel during pre-scheduled one-to-one appointments. Speaking of the benefits of this format of face to face interactions, Alexandra Mallosi, Regional Sales Director at Grecotel, who has been one of the longest standing partners of the MILT Congress for two consecutive years, believes that the pre-scheduled appointments are more beneficial rather than having an open style meeting day. She added, “Taking into consideration that we are able to select who we would like to meet definitely makes it more productive.” Sheetal Munshaw- Director at Atout France maintained that a one-on-one interaction creates more opportunities for better synergies and establishing professional relationships. “One to one meetings give you time with your partner for discussions to reach meaningful conclusions rather than open style meetings that leave you with collecting business cards.” Adds Toshak Chokhani, Director – Business Development at the Abatera Group. “It is very important to understand the Indian market changing preferences and benchmark from the success stories. The need to source the right destination for the MICE activities is very prominent, it is about finding it all under one roof. This is where the MILT Congress comes in.” According to Ackash Jain, Director at QnA International, the organizers of the MILT Congress. “Our objective has always been to bring the best destinations and suppliers from all over the world to meet C-level executives from the region, who can make decisions on all aspects related to procurement in the MICE, business and luxury travel activities. We have been successful in surpassing participants’ expectations over the past three years and we are all geared up for the 4th edition with some of the biggest names in the travel and hospitality business already on board”, he further adds. Gold Partner: Switzerland Convention & Incentive Bureau Silver Partners: Grecotel Hotels and Resorts, JW Marriott Marquis Hotel Dubai, Singapore Tourism board, Sofitel Singapore Sentosa Resort & Spa, Travel Point - Tour Oman Bronze Partners: Abatera Tourism, Atout France, Atzaró, Akuqa Sun Group, Beachcomber Hotels, Business Events Sydney, Cel Tours, Dusit Thani Abu Dhabi, Dusit Thani Dubai, Tourism Fiji, Fiji Airways, Figur Tourism, Five Direction Group, Geneva Tourism & Conventions Foundation, IMT Travel Services, Israel Ministry of Tourism, Lausanne Tourisme, Istanbul Marriott Hotel Sisli, Tourism New Zealand, Nimbus Travel, RAK Tourism, Rixos Sungate, Rodos Palace Hotel, Rosewood Hotel Group, Tourism Office of Spain, Spice Hotel & Spa, Sun International, Sun Siyam Resorts, Al Tayyar Travel Group, Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces, Tourism Toronto, Zurich Tourism.
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