<p align=justify>B4U Music has improvised and donned a completely fresh and youthful look. The channels has beefed up its programme offering with new shows like ‘Bollywood Bang Bang’, ‘Sooper Hits’, ‘Orange Funk’, ‘Boom Box’, ‘Solid Hits’, and ‘Morning Masala’, in keeping with its young look. These shows have gone on air from July 16, 2010.
Making a change after five years, L’Oreal India has decided to hand over the print, television and radio mediums to Maxus. Lodestar UM would continue with digital. Neither of the agencies will handle the OOH medium for the client. The development was confirmed by Vismay Sharma, Director, Consumer Products Division, L’Oreal India Ltd. Industry sources have pegged the business in the vicinity of Rs 130-150 crore.
Dish TV India Limited has appointed R.C. Venkateish as the CEO of the company. As earlier reported by exchange4media in July, Venkateish had quit ESPN as Managing Director, India and South Asia for ESPN Star Sports and was responsible for business operations in these regions.
Govindraj Ethiraj, Editor-in–Chief, Bloomberg UTV, is set to join the Government Special Project UIDAI. Govindraj Ethiraj was one of the company’s founding members in 2006. Ethiraj has been invited by Nandan Nilekani to be a part of Government of India’s UIDAI project.
Sun18, the strategic alliance between the Sun Group and Network18, has officially commenced operations. In the recent petition filed by MSM Discovery against Viacom18, the Bombay High Court has refused to grant any order in favour of MSM Discovery and, therefore, Sun18 operations remain unaffected. The matter has been posted for hearing on August 17, 2010. Viacom18 has also initiated legal action against MSM Discovery before the TDSAT.
The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has invited bids under the ‘two-packet system’ from OOH firms, offering ad rights on nearly 607 passenger baggage trolleys at the international airport in Jaipur. The contract will be awarded for a period of three years.
Vodafone’s latest TVC introduces a new character – an animated talking parrot called Behram Anticharwala. No Zoozoos this time. How the sceptical parrot is convinced about the Rs 4 bonus card from Vodafone constitutes the gist of the TVC.
RK Swamy BBDO has been assigned the creative duties of Valvoline Engine Oils. RK Swamy BBDO competed against agencies such as Draft FCB Ulka and Capital Advertising to win this medium-sized business. The agency will be handling brands across all product categories for Valvoline and is developing an integrated campaign for the company.
Bates 141 has won the entire Monte Carlo account. The win comes on the back of a multi-agency pitch that saw the participation of nine agencies, including Law & Kenneth, Publicis, and Saatchi & Saatchi, besides Bates 141. It is learnt that JWT, the incumbent agency, did not take part in this pitch. Industry sources have pegged the account size in the region of Rs 15-20 crore.
The growth of media in India came under the scanner at the seminar titled ‘Growth of Journalism: Opportunities and Challenges’, held in Lucknow on July 19, 2010. Organised by samachar4media, the Hindi website from the exchange4media Group, the seminar discussed ways to take the Indian journalism to the world stage.
After clinching the coveted Renault India business, Law & Kenneth is gearing up to set up a full-fledged office in Chennai. According to Anil Nair, CEO and Managing Partner, Law & Kenneth, the agency had made one or two key appointments and were on the verge of making more appointments.
Close on the heels of pocketing German vodka brand Wodka Gorbatschow, Metaphor, the second agency from Triton Communications, has won another liquor brand. Allied Blenders & Distillers Pvt Ltd (ABD) has appointed Metaphor to handle the creative duties of its recently launched dark rum brand Jolly Roger in India.