The Event and Entertainment Management Association (EEMA) recently conducted a boot camp for EMDI post graduates on campus. With the objective of getting the generation next ready for the event and entertainments industry, the boot camp saw industry experts Sabbas Joseph, Brian Tellis, and Sameer Tabaccowala addressing the participants through sessions on diversified issues within the industry. Speaking about the camp, Sushma Gaikwad, Director Ice Global, and Vice President west, EEMA, who is also a coach and a behavioral therapist conducted an two hour experiential and behavioral workshop on the Secret ingredients to success. Speaking about her experience she said, “The EEMA boot camp was organized for the graduating class of EMDI. The objective was to provide valuable insight on the industry as well as get the student’s future ready through experiential and behavioral workshops.” Brian Tellis, Chairman, Fountainhead Entertainment Pvt Ltd, who interacted with students on the topic “Events – Your Creative Expressions”, had the following to say, “The Experiential Marketing industry is growing at a very healthy rate. To nurture and sustain this growth, it is imperative to attract and train talent. EMDI are working in this direction and the recent Boot camp was a good case in point. It was a pleasure meeting and sharing my experiences with the current batches of students. They hold promise and could be an integral part of this growth story.” The sessions with the students were followed by an extensive question and answer round that allowed the participating to get an insight about the functioning of the events fraternity. Sameer Tabaccowala, CEO, Shobiz, who addressed the students on the topic, “Expectations from Gen Next” shared his experience at the camp and said, “It was great talking to the graduating class at EMDI. Always good to talk to the Next Gen. It reminded me of my beginning in the event industry 25 years back (this week actually). They had very good questions to ask & it shows that they are ready for the Event World. Getting them to understand on what is expected of them in the coming years was a nice topic for me to talk on & hope that they all work hard & contribute to & learn from the companies that they join.” Speaking about the future of initiatives like these from EEMA, Sabbas Joseph Director, Wizcraft International and President, EEMA said “EEMA is committed to educating and nurturing future talent of the industry. We look forward to providing many more opportunities for EMDI students to learn from our collective experience”.
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In a significant development, Integrated Marketing Solutions powerhouse Cheil India has appointed one of the most talented planners from the Asia Pacific region as Chief Strategy Officer. Cheilrecently announced that SonalNarain will be based in the firm’s Gurgaon office, the regional headquarters for South-West Asia. Sonal, who currently serves as Head of Planning at Ogilvy Singapore and is also Head of Ogilvy Change (the firm’s Behavioural Sciences practice) is someone who is by her own admission, ‘obsessed by effectiveness in communication’. At Ogilvy, she has been driving an organisation-wide agenda for effectiveness that has resulted in over 20 wins at all major awards at local, regional and international shows. She was also awarded Planner of the Year 2014 in Singapore. She has worked on brands such as The Economist, Milo, Kimberly Clarke, SoyJoy, Kotex, Huggies, Economic Development Board of Singapore, and the Singapore Sports Council. Remarking on the appointment, Shiv Sethuraman, Group President of Cheil South-West Asia said: “Sonal understands the intersection between media, technology and popular culture and has done impressive work in areas far beyond the limits of conventional advertising. That is what makes her the perfect choice to lead Cheil India’s Planning and Strategy function. We’re aiming to transition into an agency that is ahead of the curve and Sonal will be a big part of that. She understands technology but at the core, it’s her understanding of human behaviour and her focus on effectiveness that set her apart.”
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Historically, rewards and recognition programs go a long way in encouraging employees achieve business goals and objectives. While small organizations prefer to award their clients with monetary incentives larger corporate houses are promoting the culture of organizing incentive travel events to provide their employees an often much needed relief, a casual environment and to better communicate as a team. Here are 6 interesting tips to nail your next incentive travel event- 1- Determine Objectives In Advance Every incentive travel event has an objective behind it, establishing these goals and objectives before the incentive campaign begins goes a long way in better managing such events. “Is it 10 percent growth over last year? Is it launching a new product? Or is it a team building trip?” These questions need to be dealt with and interesting concepts of engaging activities can then be designed to cater to the demands of the employees. 2- Decide on a budget How much is the organization willing to spend on the incentive program. In addition to the award trip or event itself, the budget also needs to cover the communication, and engagement strategies leading up to it. Organizers need to have teasers and keep unveiling information at regular intervals to keep people excited. Also, determining the budget in advance can help you book a destination of travel much ahead when can lead to huge savings on advance bookings. Not only budget clarity helps you in better organizing the event but it also helps in efficiently curbing the expenses to make the employer happy as well. 3- Have a Theme Themed incentive travels generate more anxiousness in employees than a regular get away. Interesting themes like king and queens, royalty of Jaipur and Beach Bonaza are the most trending options recently. Also the theme of incentive travel can be decided through an option of voting though the employees themselves. This opportunity will make the employees decide on how they want to be treated at the event and also help in generating more curiosity about it. 4- Focus on the Target Group Select the target group for the program. This could be management, employees, salespeople, or anyone else. Discover what the target’s values, interests and preferences through paper surveys or interviews. Then browse our corporate incentives guide to match up preferences with available packages in your budget range. Once you have the target group in mind, careful fabrication on team building games, relaxation techniques and networking opportunities need to be done to help resolve the issues in the team, if any and help others realize the contribution of every member in the organization 5- Entertain and Not Strain Most agencies in an attempt to outdo their competition and expectations by employers organize some out of the box activities to engage the employees on incentive travel events. These activities range from incredibly difficult obstacle courses to competitive games and adventure sports. In most cases as a result of these activities are injured and strained employees who instead of going happily to their workplace land up in the nearest hospital instead. The motive of incentive travel is to entertain the participants through mutual discussions and activities that build them up as a team and hence the activities at such events need to be light on mood yet enjoyable from every perspective. 6- Evaluation The end of an incentive travel should always measure the success of the program based on the original goals and objectives. At this stage financial and behavioral metrics both need to be considered. Surveying employees can help an agency realize you what was the most memorable part of the event? Did it was motivate them? The evaluation is a great tool for an agency to learn better from their current endeavor and help them to better manage upcoming events like these.
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BMW Group India recently launched the new BMW 6 Series Gran Coupé at the curtain-raiser of the BMW India Bridal Fashion Week 2015 – India’s most-awaited ‘Bridal Couture’ showcase. The new BMW 6 Series Gran Coupé arrived in style at an exclusive fashion show, where the country’s notable fashion designers presented the ‘Preview’ of their couture collection and upcoming trends for BMW India Bridal Fashion Week 2015. BMW takes India Bridal Fashion Week national for the first time, showcasing breathtaking bridal couture across seven cities. The new BMW 6 Series Gran Coupé is now available at all BMW dealerships across India as a CBU (Completely Built-Up) unit from today onwards. Mr. Philipp von Sahr, President, BMW Group India said, “At the heart of BMW is not only brilliant automotive engineering but also the desire to evoke emotions and spread JOY. Our automobiles are not just the end of a creative process but a beginning. Likewise, an Indian wedding is a celebration of emotions, aesthetics, craftsmanship and opulence. BMW also celebrates these values that are cherished by our esteemed clientele. BMW India Bridal Fashion Week has established itself as a unique avenue where the best of Indian fashion designers open doors to the latest trends in ‘Bridal Couture’. It is the perfect platform for the launch of the new BMW 6 Series Gran Coupé which combines absolute luxury and immaculate design with adrenalin rushing performance.” The all India ex-showroom prices of the new BMW 6 Series Gran Coupé are as follows – BMW 640d Eminence : INR 1,14,90,000 BMW 640d Design Pure Experience : INR 1,21,90,000 Price prevailing at the time of delivery will be applicable. Delivery will be made ‘ex-showroom’. Ex-showroom price excludes Road tax, RTO statutory taxes / fees, insurance and Octroi (if applicable). Prices / options are subject to change without prior notice. The new BMW 6 Series Gran Coupé is available in Alpine White as non-metallic paintwork and in the following nine metallic paintworks: Black Sapphire, Cashmere Silver, Glacier Silver, Space Grey, Jatoba, Melbourne Red, Mediterranean Blue and Mineral White. The standard Dakota and exclusive Nappa leather upholstery is available in Black and Ivory White colour combinations. Interior trims offered are Fineline Brown and Fine-wood trim Poplar Grain Grey. BMW Design Pure Experience package comes with extended bicolourNappa leather upholstery in Cognac/Black which underlines the sportiness of the new BMW 6 Series Gran Coupé. Other features in the interior include ambient lighting and a sports leather steering wheel. Exclusive 19-inch light alloy wheels, LED fog lights, Shadow Line and dark chrome exhaust pipes round off the exterior appearance. The radiator grille slats, air inlet surrounds and decorative trim on the rear apron are also in dark chrome. BMW has enjoyed a long-standing history of collaborations with artists and designers the world over. BMW is the official partner of India Bridal Fashion Weekfor the second consecutive year. For 2015, Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla, AshimaLeena, Falguni Shane Peacock, GauriNainika, JJ Valaya, Jyotsna Tiwari, Shantanu Nikhil, SuneetVarma and TarunTahiliani will showcase their most opulent and premier collections in Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad and Chandigarh. “Driving a BMW is, in itself, a mark of character. And, BMW Individual is the most exclusive way to drive a BMW. The collection presented by renowned designers at the BMW India Bridal Fashion Week 2015 matches the philosophy of BMW Individual – a perfect blend of inspiration and creative freedom to design an expression of your individual character. The BMW Individual Collection offers a wide range of high-quality options for discerning customers. The finest leathers, exceptionally sophisticated interior trims and brilliant paint finishes can be chosen to further personalise your BMW 6 Series Gran Coupé,” said Mr. Philipp von Sahr, President, BMW Group India. The BMW India Bridal Fashion Week is instrumental in connecting India’s leading fashion designers with brands for unique opportunities such as creative collaborations, endorsements, appearances and consumer connects. It also promotes trade and connects designers with fashion consumers and buyers through Bridal Luxury Couture Exposition – a trade exposition to discover and shop from established and emerging designer labels and lifestyle brands featuring women’s wear, men’s wear, jewellery and accessories.
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An important aspect of an event planners job is make sure that the attendees of his/her event are thoroughly engaged with the proceedings of event and interact with the experience being presented. Hence finding unique and interactive ways to make the attendees interact at your event is a must. An increased level of attendee interaction not only adds life to the overall ambience of the event but at the same makes the job of an event planner a lot easier. This time at EE we list down 5 cool ways to increase attendee interaction at events. 1-Create Anxiety Creating anxiety among your attendees is a first step towards attendee engagement and interaction. Keeping your guests anxious about things to come sustains the interest of the attendees and leaves them wanting a little more of the event. To create anxiety and sustain it throughout the event it is very important to not give away the entire run-through of event to your attendees. Always have surprising elements to your events and design new elements of the basis of the audience demand at the event itself. Also designing networking activities and fun games at smaller events always works wonder at events. When you take the audience by surprise it gives them a moment worth cherishing for. 2-Integrate Social Media Social media is indispensable during events today. Organizers can use hashtags, handles, and even event specific apps to build an online community around your event. This also provides a chance to participate from anywhere in the world, which is particularly nice for guests who can’t physically attend. During your event you can provide your events Twitter handles, create event specific hashtags, and promote the sponsors, vendors or charities through social media. Another important highlight of integrating social media is that it helps you generate the required buzz about the event even before it has started. 3-Build Networking Groups No event can ever be successful if the attendees do not connect and network with each other. While most people hesitate to participate in large groups at events a smart event organizer can take way the hesitation by creating small or medium size networking groups and allow the attendees to proceed with the interaction. Through group based and team building activities at such events not does the awkwardness among unfamiliar guests wears off but also it provides them with a reason to happy about the event. 4-Host a Happy Hour Happy Hour does not necessarily mean to have free drinks at the alcohol section of your event but to give the audiences an hour from the total event run time wherein they can reduce the formality and celebrate the fun of being at a vivacious event. Happy Hour can always include fun filled activities such a very simple photo booth with props, or a doodle making competition or an integrated element of technology. Through Happy Hours the audience gets the much needed opportunity to unwind itself and network better in the absence of a formal environment. 5-Desiging Networking Friendly Ambience It is often seen at events that the entire venue has a monotonous seating arrangement with the same décor everywhere. Changing this routine element can be a goldmine for event organizers. Having contrasting elements at the events decoration and most importantly having a designated seating space for only networking activities can truly lead to establishment of life long relations from an event. Other ways of creating networking friendly ambience are a no photography zone, separate coffee booth seating, a corporate work station and others.
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In a first of its kind innovation for shoppers, DEN Snapdeal TV-Shop has unveiled “Haseeki Deal”, Laugh while you Strike a Deal. Jeeveshu Ahluwalia, a stand-up comedian known for his wit and humour, will entertain the audience even as they look for that great bargain on DENSnapdeal TV-Shop. “The idea is to break the monotony of TV shopping with some scintillating humour in the form of one-minute entertainment breaks with Jeevesh,” said ManeeshGoel, the CEO of DENSnapdeal TV-Shop.”We are confident our audience will appreciate this innovation and will turn Haseeki Deal into a roaring success.” The entertainment breaks with Jeeveshu’s comic themes will appear through multiple time slots at prime time on the 24-hour DEN Snapdeal TV-Shop. The “Haseeki Deal” campaign has just broken. Here are the links to some of the teasers of the comic breaks which are now appearing on the channel: Promo 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KoGMawsgR6A Promo 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMzMHgb9sto
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Global Consumer Products Pvt ltd is a FMCG start up by Mr. A. Mahendran (Former MD, Godrej Consumer Products) which was Incepted in 2014, with an equity commitment of INR 3150 million (appx US$50 million) from Goldman Sachs, a leading global investment bank, and Mitsui Global Investment (MGI); the company had hired veteran FMCG professionals over the last one year to form its core management team. They have now entered the market in full force with their first brand- LuvIt , a new range of chocolates. The clutter-breaking commercial turns the conventional logic of sharing on its head. The LuvIt TVC through its tagline “If someone shares, ushaar!” captures the essence of the brand. Initially launched only for the Southern states on Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerela and Union territory Puducherry, the campaign will be for a period of 2 months and will be supported aggressively on television, out-of-home, digital, on-ground malls and hangouts, radio – in short everywhere that youth is at. As a means to add an experiential leg to its overall marketing initiatives LuvIt is planning both mall activation and digital activations to promote not only its products but brand as well. Under the digital activation, LuvIt will drive traffic to its FB page through the ushaar test. Apart from these experience driven ventures Luvit also plan to have product sampling done across 1 million people across the five states of Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Hyderabad, Telangana, Karnataka and Kochi.
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Mumbai Airport’s personalized Airport services “Pranaam” introduced by GVK CSIA at the Domestic & International terminals, received an international acclaim from the globally renowned Business Initiative Directions (BID) Group One. BID honoured Pranaam Services with the Century International Quality Era award as a recognition to the services’ combined high delivery on customer-focused parameters such as quality, leadership, technology, management, customer satisfaction, brand name and business results. The Pranaam GVK Guest Services aim to redefine the Airport Experience in India and take it on par with the global best with a bouquet of services on offer spanning Departures, Arrivals, Transition and Lounge services for both Domestic & International passengers. The services cater to individual passengers, families, assistance to corporate clients, warmth & care to families, special attention to elderly guests, personalized care for women traveling with kids and secured transit assistance. Broadly the services offered are Pranaam Platinum, Pranaam Gold, Pranaam Transit and Pranaam Lounge (at T2). The services have been aligned with essence of India’s culture depicting warmth and care. While the Domestic Service offerings at CSIA T1 facilitate dedicated assistance by Pranaam Officer, porter service for baggage assistance, assistance with airline/airport processes and lounge access. The International Service offerings from ‘Pranaam GVK Guest Services’ includes dedicated assistance by Pranaam Officer from curbside to the boarding or aerobridge gate, porter service for baggage assistance, assistance with airline / airport processes, facilitating help with Security and Immigration processes, access to Pranaam Lounge at International Departures and exclusive Buggy services. Expressing his delight at receiving the latest international accolade, Mr. Rajeev Jain, CEO, MIAL said, “The Service Excellence Award conferred by the BID Group One serves as a testimony to our belief of transforming Air Travel experience beyond the conventional passenger expectations. GVK CSIA is committed to its vision in providing highest standard of services and to ensure a unique and memorable experience to passengers at airport.” Ms. Rekha Nair, GM Airport Services, CSIA said, “We are proud to receive the service excellence award conferred by the BID Group One. The personalized first-of-its kind services offered under Pranaam promise to provide a new flavour to the Airport experience. We strongly believe that our efforts will ultimately help push further the present industry benchmarks for Airport Experience and provide passengers travelling to & from Mumbai Airport, a truly world-class experience.”
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Like all the other notable brand categories sports brands too have been long trying to charm their target market through diverse experiential initiatives. While some international giants are in the process of launching their own intellectual properties for a stronger connect, many others are still trying to figure out how to put the best foot forward in this segment. With that being said the sports products category in India seems mainly to be dominated by multinational brands such as Puma, Nike and Adidas. Not only are these brands trying significantly hard to capture the majority market of the India through hard sell but these are also consistently experimenting on the experiential front by launching unique and diverse concept driven experiences. Nike, Puma and Adidas have all been closely associated with sporting event at regional and national genre in the past but recently the sporting war of experiential has gotten far more interesting. In terms of brand association Nike and Adidas seems to be having an upper hand as they have a history of associating themselves with international football leagues and the infamous cricket frenzy in India. Since the two brands have been in the Indian market for a considerably longer time than Puma hence their connect and goodwill among the prospective consumers acts as a boon for them. Also among individual campaigns and initiatives Nike been the most active in organizing small and mid-level activations among malls in the urban markets of the country. Puma on the other hand has been instrumental in creating its own IP Puma Urban Stampede which is highly successful challenge that targets the corporate working environment in the country. Adidas too seems to closely following the both with a distinctive strategy at its play. With the recent launch of its new store in relation with the Sunburn festival it is clear that Adidas wants to target the urban crowd but in a different approach altogether. Also with initaitives like Squash master class with Deepika Pillai and Golf Skool initiative that aims to promote golf as a primary sport among the younger generation Adidas has clearly established itself in a segment that experientially appeals to the a separate segment with ATL consumers. Speaking of brand ambassadors it is Puma which has always tried to innovate itself and remained ahead of its rivals. With separate brand ambassadors such as Lisa Hayden and the international athlete Usain Bolt being roped in for different initiatives of the brand Puma has truly managed to build in a strong presence amongst the audience who follow national and international celebrities. Nike too had a history of signing brand ambassadors for endorsements but the use of such celebs in experiential ventures are limited in the country. Adidas too has followed suit are though they have executed some magnificent experiential campaigns outside India. They are yet to come up with something out of the box in the country. So who leads the sporting war of experiential the country currently? Well from the current view point it is Puma who seems to be racing ahead at the constant pace but with some innovative experiential campaigns executed in the past it is only for time to tell how expert and experienced brands such as Puma, Adidas and Reebok hit back with a series of diverse experiential initiatives of their own.
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DSK Motowheels, one of India’s players in the superbike industry, unveiled the range of its legendary Italian superbike brand ‘Benelli’ for the first time in North India, followed by the announcement of its first DSK Benelli showroom launch in New Delhi. The showroom is situated in one of the most buzzing and central locales of the capital, at Faiz Road, Karol Bagh, near Jhandewalan Metro, showcasing the entire range of DSK Benelli superbikes available in India under the dealership of ‘Torque Bikes’. With a view to strengthen its setup, DSK Benelli also aims at expanding its reach across Northern India, reaching out to a larger audience of superbike enthusiasts in the coming months. The bikes showcased includes the sporty-looking Tornado Naked Tre, or TNT superbikes that encompass the TNT 300 – In-line two cylinder 300cc engine, TNT 600i – In-line four cylinder 600cc engine, TNT 600 GT – In-line four cylinder 600cc engine, TNT 899 – In-line, three cylinder 898cc engine and TNT R – In-line, three cylinder 1131cc engine. Speaking on the launch, Shirish Kulkarni, Chairman, DSK Motowheels said, “Our main focus is to align DSK Benelli’s presence across all strategic locations to generate strong brand eminence. In order to enhance our presence across North India, the country’s capital ‘Delhi’ is an inevitable choice to begin with and is one of our key target markets. Our dealerships will not only act as a platform to sell motorcycles but also as a place for DSK Benelli superbike enthusiasts to interact with other bikers and share their love for the Italian superbiking experience.” Born of rich, pure lineage, DSK Benelli today boasts range of globally-respected superbikes that marry heritage, innovation, styling and technological prowess. Benelli’s distinctly stylish motorcycles are known for their Italian flamboyance and the ability to provide riders from all walks of life a pure, high-performance experience. DSK Motowheels is assembling and selling Benelli bikes across the country and supporting them with a good backup of service and spares. With its mounting sales and service network, the brand offers 24 x 7 on call breakdown service. The entire gamut of DSK Benelli superbikes, are available at the below mentioned price points: (Ex-Showroom, Delhi) TNT 302 – Rs. 2,83,000 TNT 600i – Rs. 5,15,000 TNT 600 GT – Rs. 5,62,000 TNT 899 – Rs. 9,48,000 TNT R (1130) – Rs. 11,81,000
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