Ratan Tata, one of India’s top business leaders and investor has invested in Kyazoonga - a ticketing company that is making impressive strides. Kyazoonga owns its own IP and ticketing technology and platform. In addition to creating and growing the ticketing market in India, Kyazoonga has ticketed international events including the ICC Cricket World Cup in three countries, the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers, SAFF Cup, bilateral international cricket matches and domestic tournaments such as the Indian Premier League and the Pro Kabaddi League, Nehru Cup and others. Most recently it was adjudged a close runner up in the ticketing bid for the Rio 2016 Olympics beating global ticketing majors to reach that position. Kyazoonga now has ticketing operations around the world – in the UAE, U.S., and the Caribbean. It tickets tournaments such as the Caribbean Premier League and the Pakistan Super League. Speaking about the investment, Neetu Bhatia, CEO and co-founder of Kyazoonga said, “We are delighted to have Mr. Tata on board. As we scale Kyazoonga into a global enterprise, glad to know he shares in the excitement of our mission of ‘Tickets made simple for everyone, everywhere’. We continue to focus our efforts on the large potential for paid access that India represents and pushing the envelope on significant global opportunities. Personally, as a lifelong fan of his work that has included building several Tata companies into global majors, and as someone whose early world view of business was shaped by interactions with the Tata Group and Bombay House and his office, it is an honor and a privilege to get his validation for our team, product and market.” For Neetu Bhatia, the investment from Mr. Tata has come full circle – as a young engineering student at the College of Engineering, Pune, Neetu had interned at Tata Motors. When she was accepted as a graduate student into MIT and as a research student at the world-renowned International Motor Vehicle Program at MIT, Mr. Tata had written her a personal note encouraging her to come back to India and change the world. Neetu is also a Tata scholar.
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Euro16 is here- so what should brands expect from it? Onspon.com dissects a few research reports published and learnings to bring across some facts that can make their brands' engagement effective. A study conducted by RadiumOne has derived key findings in a sample group of 1,000 people interested in the tournament. Their findings show that TV rules the roost, but it also suggests there are opportunities for brands to branch out in how they connect with fans watching football. While 82% will watch games live on TV, 58% will talk about the Euros with friends or family face-to-face, 56% will follow news about the tournament and 50% will follow a team. In addition, 22% will listen on the radio, 21% will consume content on social media, 20% will share UEFA Euro ‘16-related content with friends or family using email, text or instant messaging and 19% will share content via social channels. Team from Onspon.com further analysed the research details. The research also shows that engagement with the Euros is high, as 45% of those surveyed would describe themselves as fanatics, 36% as enthusiasts and 19% as followers. Fanatics are mostly male – 59% versus 41% of females – while the split for enthusiasts swings the other way, with 45% of men classing themselves as such, versus 55% of women. There are also more female followers (67%) compared to men (33%), but while men are perhaps more obsessive in their love of football, there are a significant number of very interested women that brands should be looking to engage. What does it mean ? So what about the gender divide ? Almost three in five fans suggest that they will watch the Euros at home on their own, more prevalent in male fans (71%) than female fans (45%) who want to devote their time to the game. Female fans are significantly more likely to plan a party or barbecue (21% compared to 11% of men) or watch the games at a family member’s house (43% of women versus 27% of men). Further detailing on the mode of viewing ; the data clearly indicated that most fans will watch matches live on TV, talk about games with friends or family, and watch highlight shows on TV. Fanatics are significantly more likely to participate in any UEFA-related activity, while female fans are more inclined towards supporting a team in the Euros. Hitesh Gossain, CEO of Onspon.com derives an interesting conclusion, “While those described as followers will be more likely to focus on the game, fanatics and enthusiasts will be multi-tasking and actively engaging with the match by reading, chatting and sharing content. Reading online comments or chatting via instant messaging are the top two activities done while watching the game, illustrating that brands should consider different tactics to reach their target audience.” The above study also unveils that about 87% of the people will be sharing content in ‘dark social’ mode which indicates to online chats and emails and not social platforms. This means that their content will be bypassing the analytics programs for web measurement. Among the type of shared content, scores turned out to be the favorite with 53%, and goals being the next in line with 47%. News and pictures take up 42% each, followed by controversial decisions by referees, which stand at 41%. Team news sharing will be done by 35% of the respondents. In terms of devices used for sharing, smartphones lead the way with 38%. This will be followed by 24% using laptops and 18% using tablets. Hitesh sums up by saying - 'The above stats clearly point out that the Euro 2016 is all set to be a second-screen experience providing Indian brands with a series of sustainable opportunities regarding ‘moment marketing,’ if they are able to establish a connection of the usage of second-screen with the key moments.' The key moments can also be synchronized to ads that can be directed to a number of connected devices holding a profile similar to that of TV audience. The focus of advertisers will be on making the use of technology to take up a key moment from TV, and use that to expand the reach of their audience base for relevant real-time ad in order to gather better ROI and higher engagement. Hitesh Gossain, CEO Onspon.com says 'Its a perfect opportunity to communicate with a highly engaged gender agnostic IP where a brand can be creative and drive massive engagement across all platforms.'
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Experiential marketing agency, Vibgyor Brand Services, specializing in brand activations, events and consumer outreach programs with its corporate headquarters in Delhi, has created a specific division for Exhibitions by the name of Vibgyor Exhibits. As the company is focusing its strategy on continuous growth and expansion, its new division Vibgyor Exhibits will offer clients a bouquet of exhibition services both in the domestic as well as and international space. Vibgyor has roped in RK Yambungchou as the Business Head of Vibgyor Exhibits. He has more than 20 years of experience in the field of exhibition management & consultancy that encompasses sales, corporate communications, client relationship & team management. Prior to joining Vibgyor, he has held responsible roles in well-known Exhibition firms like Pico International Exhibitions India & Milton Exhibits India, both multi-nationals pioneering in the field of International Events & Exhibitions, as Operations & Business Development Head & Director Business Development Head respectively. He has rendered exhibition services to most of the prominent trade bodies, private agencies & councils and associations like ITPO, EEPC, AEPC, APEDA, Thailand Embassy, JETRO, GJEPC, Dentsu, Honda, etc. to name a few. Speaking about joining Vibgyor RK mentioned – ‘Vibgyor is best known for managing the large scale activations & events in the industry and works with some of the best brands. My focus would be to leverage the goodwill that the company has created over the last 14 years and establish it as a leading name in the domestic as well as international exhibitions industry. The new exhibition division starts with an independent head count of over 10 people and would be supported by the existing creative and operations verticals of Vibgyor. There are plans to begin a separate production facility to cater to Vibgyor Exhibits specifically in the near future. Speaking about the announcement of Vibgyor Exhibits - Ankur Kalra, Managing Director, Vibgyor Brand Services: While Vibgyor has been doing several exhibition projects for its clients over the past few years, our core focus area has always been activation & events. With the launch of Vibgyor Exhibits as a separate SBU under the able guidance of RK I am confident that this will be a growth driver in the years to come. We have made considerable investments in people, resources and facilities and with a specialised division hope to make a name in this market as well. RK is a seasoned professional with more than 20 years rich experience in the exhibition industry – I look forward to him greatly contributing to the teams capability to deliver in this space.
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Madison Outdoor’s unit, Platinum Outdoor, continuing its association with Tiago, the new hatchback from Tata Motors, has created an experiential outdoor innovation in Mumbai. After its successful launch in OOH a few months ago, the agency put up an actual real size 3D model of the car on a hoarding in prime location in Mumbai. The agency also used sky-tracker high intensity lights to build curiosity from a distance and give the hoarding an iconic feel. The hoarding was on a heavy traffic route of Western Express Highway in Bandra. Executing the innovation was a real challenge, it took about 50 days to fabricate a 20 foot 3D model of the car, put it up on the hoarding and getting regulatory approvals. This is the first time something of this scale has been put up on a hoarding. In the past, some brands have put up shells of their cars, but nothing to this scale. Says Dipankar Sanyal, CEO, Platinum Outdoor, “We are really excited with this new innovation done for Tiago on the back of a very successful launch”.
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Experiential marketing agency, Fountainhead MKTG, has been conferred with the ‘Outstanding Agency of the Year’ award at the 6th edition of PALM Sound and Light Awards 2016, recently held in Mumbai. PALM Sound & Light Awards, as part of the PALM Expo 2016, recognizes and honors outstanding service in the field of stage, sound and light. With over 22 technical categories manifested this year, the awards ceremony honored individuals and organizations for their contribution to the industry by rendering remarkable services in the live events arena in the Indian market. Fountainhead MKTG, a 21-year old experiential marketing agency which is now a part of Dentsu Aegis Network, has over 250 employees with the offices in Mumbai, Delhi and Bengaluru. The agency has witnessed a rapid growth driven by strong financial performance. The agency recently conceptualized and managed some of the prestigious events such as Royal visit to India of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, the global programme ‘Shakespeare Lives’ featuring Sir Ian Mckellen’s Masterclass with Aamir Khan, Mint Luxury Conference, Hello Hall of Fame Awards and many others. In addition to the Agency of the Year award, the agency has also bagged 4 Golds at the Indian Brand Convention's BAM awards for the projects - Mahindra Imperio campaign, Piku and Kayam Churan association, Microsoft Knockout Café and Philips - Lakme Fashion Week. Commenting on the achievement, Neale Murray, Co-Founder & Group COO of Fountainhead MKTG, said, “It’s been a dream run for us this year with a stream of accolades that recognize our effectiveness in experiential marketing. This award reaffirms our philosophy of building brands by creating memorable experiences using state of the art technology and out of the box creative inputs. I thank the PALM officials for the trust they showed in our work and also our clients who’ve partnered us in making this achievement possible.” Brian Tellis, Co-Founder and Group CEO of Fountainhead MKTG, said, “Being a creatively-driven agency, we always believe in building brands through cutting-edge experiences and setting benchmarks in delivery. This achievement is indeed a testament to our strengths in producing innovative experiences at the events. I congratulate each and every member of the team for all their hard work and commitment.”
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The first session of AIM or Artist Industry Meet-up is kicking off on 2nd June at Bandstand, Aurobindo Market in New Delhi, and is stirring up quite some excitement. Seeded by ArtistFAQs and propelled by Everything Experiential and BW APPLAUSE the event has a lot on offer to the community of live entertainment- from insightful discussions, to unique talents, to a distinguished audience and a fabulous after-party; but here is our cut of the ‘top 4 reasons’ why you wouldn’t want to miss this! #1 AIM is an insightful networking opportunity and event for entertainment programmers and live entertainers at large. #2 AIM generates direct B2B business opportunities for artists and entertainers across genres of live entertainment. #3 AIM showcases the talent of promising independent artists from across categories. #4 AIM engages focused communities of event organisers, wedding planners, talent agencies, multimedia production studios, M.I.C.E. agencies and live venues.
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Brazil is on the receiving end of its worst recession in several decades. The Organizing committees for the 2016 summer Olympics have taken on a novel approach and are concentrating on barter deals for prospective sponsors and reaping better results. Following the precedent set in the previous Olympics -- when London, carried out similar activities when it was suffering from the 2008 financial crisis, Rio is encouraging “value-in-kind” agreements. Rio had planned a 50-50 split, but organizers now are relying on a record of more than 60 percent barter for the 3 billion real in local sponsorship revenue needed to support the Games according to a Bloomberg report. Hitesh Gossain, CEO of Onspon.com thinks it is the perfect way to go about garnering support for the event, “It is a valid way of functioning. With the economy struggling, not only are companies unfavorable towards cash sponsorships for the right to co-brand with the 2016 Olympics, they possess surplus capacity Olympic organizers can use effectively.” “For me to go to a company now and say, ‘Hey get money out of your bank account and give it to me’ -- it’s a very tough discussion,” said Rio 2016’s Chief Commercial Officer Renato Ciuchini. “We started seeing VIK as a much easier discussion." Not stocked with money, organizers will be looking for more deals like the one they recently entered into with Aliansce Shopping Centers. The 2016 Olympics will take several hundreds of car parking spaces close to the games in return for allowing stores to be branded in Olympic signages. On same lines, Brazilian rental-car company Localiza has signed on as a sponsor. They will be supplying approximately 150 Nissan cars adapted for the 95-day cross-country torch relay and in turn use its Olympics tie-in to attract foreign tourists for rentals, said Herbert Viana, head of marketing. The 2016 Olympics logo will hang from car-rental counters, and a print and digital media Olympic campaign is in the works. Not all sponsorships can be paid for in-kind. Some 90,000 Olympics workers, including 5,000 staffers within the organizing committee itself, have to be paid in cash, and that cash has to come from somewhere. As many as 10 new partners still might be signed before the games begin, though organizers aren’t expecting too lure another top tier partner like Nissan. However Hitesh predicts a positive spin for those brands that are now looking to power the upcoming Olympics, “Brazil’s currency has dropped by 43 percent in the last year and a half. The value of Rio sponsorships was approximately $1 billion in December. That is just $740 million today. With the deals all paid in real, foreign partners maybe getting more for their money, because the value of goods has increased in local terms.”
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Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts today launched the Shangri-La Events Collection and Golden Circle Event Planner Rewards, an industry-leading meeting and events loyalty programme for meeting and travel professionals. This programme will offer meeting and travel professionals and any Golden Circle member the ability to earn elite status as well as earn and redeem points for groups, meetings, conferences and events across the Shangri-La, Kerry and Hotel Jen portfolio. With nearly 100 hotels located around the world from Lhasa to London, Shangri-La offers one of the most extensive collections of inspired meeting and event venues, boasting more than 300,000 square metres of dedicated event space. The group’s hotels are known as the venues of choice for hosting heads of state, Fortune 500 companies, high-profile product launches, weddings and social events. The new meetings and events loyalty programme dovetails with Shangri-La’s “Loyalty Is” conversation and ongoing loyalty transformation, which aims to make Golden Circle one of the most attractive and meaningful hotel reward programmes. “We are connecting with and building deeper recognition for an important group of customers as well as further extending our relationship with our existing loyal Golden Circle members. Meetings and events account for over a quarter of Shangri-La’s business, and we want to reward meeting planners and event organisers for partnering with us to do what they do best,” said Wee Kee Ng, vice president of loyalty and partner marketing. Golden Circle Event Planner Rewards offers the highest level of rewards of any meetings and events loyalty programme. Planners can earn up to 40,000 Golden Circle Points on an event booking – the equivalent of 40 complimentary room nights. In addition, it is the only programme that allows members to earn double points for any subsequent meetings or events booked in the same calendar year. “With Event Planner Rewards, Golden Circle has significantly broadened the value we offer group and event planners worldwide. Event organisers can now earn Golden Circle points on all conferences, meetings and events as well as redeem points towards their future events and meetings or use them for leisure travel and unique culinary experiences.” said Shangri-La International Hotel Management Ltd. Chief Marketing Officer Steven Taylor. As part of its focus on delivering personalised experiences, Shangri-La has revamped its meetings offering with the launch of the Events Collection, which provides planners greater flexibility as well as rich personalisation and experiential options. Unique destination events, anchored in the community and curated by Shangri-La, are among the experiential elements organisers can incorporate into their meetings and events. These “Meetings with More” activities can be team building exercises or themed social activities that allow attendees to contribute to the local community as well as connect with each other. “Our philosophy is simple – we don’t just help planners to organise events, we enable them to design their own experiences with the best of Shangri-La. We take care of the smallest details and deliver beautiful and personalised events which are engaging, polished and productive,” said Taylor. One of the key pillars of the Events Collection is flexibility. To enable planners to enhance their events with added Shangri-La services – including everything from guestroom upgrades to airport transfers, coffee breaks to audio visual equipment – an automatic three per cent event credit is provided. Furthermore, up to 50,000 Golden Circle Points can be redeemed instantly against the event cost, which is unique in the industry. For information about the Shangri-La Events Collection, please visit www.shangri-la.com/EventsCollection. The site features a downloadable Events Collection brochure as well as detailed information on the programme and on unique destination events, including “Meetings with More” team building activities. To join Golden Circle, please visit www.goldencircle.shangri-La.com. Shangri-La has also launched an Events Collection video, a platform on LinkedIn and a dedicated Instagram feed to share event and meetings inspiration from around the world.
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