Date-wise News

Vipul Bondal has joined Comma Consulting’s Mumbai office as Group Client Services Director. His last assignment was with Roche Diagnostics. He is a communications professional with over 12 years of experience in companies such as Siemens and ABN, and PR consulting firms such as IPAN, Genesis PR and Shandwick. He covered a wide range of communications activities including media relations, financial/investor communications, advertising, employee communication, event management and corporate social responsibility. Bondal is passionate about the role and impact of various forms of communication on creating and managing perceptions about issues and brands.

e4m Desk Dec 11, 2006 12:46 PM

Anjali Abhyankar, Deputy Editor of Elle, has moved to the newly-launched magazine ‘Ideal Home & Garden’.

e4m Desk Dec 11, 2006 12:44 PM

Abhijit Mitra, Senior Editor, Businessworld, has resigned. He has joined Outlook Money in Delhi.

e4m Desk Dec 11, 2006 12:43 PM

HT Media's proposed business daily has led to more editorial movements in Delhi. Utpal Bhaskar of Business Standard has joined HT’s business daily team. He is expected to pursue his beats of power, cement and energy sectors. Bhuma Shrivastava has quit Business Standard to join the HT business daily team. Bhuma covers the pharma & media beats. Sangeeta Singh, Special Correspondent with Outlook Business, has also joined HT’s business daily. Puliyenthuruthel Josey, Senior Editor with The Financial Express, Delhi, has put in his papers, and is expected to join HT’s business paper.

e4m Desk Dec 11, 2006 12:41 PM

Kingshuk Mukherji, formerly Resident Editor of The Times of India, Kolkata, has recently joined Today, the afernoon tabloid from the India Today Group. Sourish Bhattacharya, former editor of HT City, has also joined Today as Executive Editor. The market buzz is that they will together constitute the top team of India Today Group’s proposed morninger. However, the India Today management is still tightlipped about their morninger plans.

e4m Desk Dec 11, 2006 12:38 PM

Orient Tiles has awarded its branding and communication portfolio to Grey Worldwide. Grey would be handling the creative and strategy for the company’s corporate branding as well as its creative for Orient Tiles brands. Public relations activity for Orient Tiles would be handled by GCI, the PR division of Grey.

exchange4media Mumbai Bureau Dec 11, 2006 8:58 AM

Want one forecast rather than five forecasts? Media spending next year will be depressingly flat. If you don't like that Ad Age conclusion -- which is based on a thorough analysis of the history of media spending and our read on the many factors affecting media right now -- you can go with one of the many marginally more optimistic forecasts proferred last week.

e4m Desk Dec 11, 2006 8:56 AM

DTH player DishTV and Kingfisher Airlines have come together to bring live TV entertainment for the first time in the Indian skies. This association signifies the commitment to enhance in-flight entertainment and marks the launch of live TV, 35,000 feet in the sky.

e4m Desk Dec 11, 2006 8:55 AM

Bangalore-based OOH agency Media Mindscapes has been roped in to service the OOH duties of new low calorie chocolate brand from Nestle, Kit Kat Lite. The size of the business has been pegged at Rs 35 lakh. The outdoor duties for Nestle Kit Kat Lite are part of the media account, which is being handled by Zenith Optimedia.

e4m Desk Dec 11, 2006 8:54 AM

P9 Integrated, an integrated marketing communications agency which provides solutions to motion pictures, entertainment products and television content, is setting up two new verticals – Content Syndication and Overseas. The agency has roped in Saregama’s Pooja Kashyap as General Manager to head these verticals and other future initiatives.

Noor Fathima Warsia Dec 11, 2006 8:54 AM

In a bid to differentiate itself from its print avatar, Times Matri has rebranded its matrimonial website and renamed it SimplyMarry.com. The website has undergone a makeover and has been made more interactive, with a better search function.

e4m Desk Dec 11, 2006 8:53 AM

Rajasthan Patrika has added yet another product to its fold. The group recently launched its new paper, Daily News, in Jaipur. Curiously adopting an English name, the Hindi daily is priced at Rs 1.25 and has been designed keeping the middle class and youth in mind.

e4m Desk Dec 11, 2006 8:52 AM

Tribal DDB India, a player in the new media category, is all set to create a bigger impact in the industry the next year. Leroy Alvares, Country Head, Tribal DDB India speaks exclusively to exchange4media on the various initiatives from the agency and its forthcoming plans.

e4m Desk Dec 11, 2006 8:51 AM

Ishan Raina, formerly of Euro RSCG, has teamed up with Shanghai-based OOH agency Focus Media to foray into the out-of-home business. The new venture, which is funded by private equity player 3i, is set to roll out by January 2007.

e4m Desk Dec 11, 2006 8:50 AM

Indian (formerly Indian Airlines) is learnt to have made a shortlist of agencies vying for the prestigious account. The pitch process for the Rs 15 crore account that began in September this year, has now reached the penultimate stage.

e4m Desk Dec 11, 2006 8:49 AM

The first fallout of the Percept-Carat break-up has already come to fore. Future Group, formerly known as Pantaloon Retail, has appointed Starcom as its media AoR. The media spends of the business, which is pegged at Rs 40 crore at present, is slated to increase in 2006-07.

Noor Fathima Warsia Dec 11, 2006 8:48 AM

Life is moving fast for KBC – the show that has been an unbeatable brand for television in India. With Shah Rukh Khan on board, the show has raised quite a few expectations in the market and with its asking price of Rs 13 crore per sponsor for 52 episodes, KBC is arguably the most expensive property on television at present. The media upfront is just a week down, but STAR has three advertisers already – AirTel, UTI Mutual Funds and Hyundai.

Noor Fathima Warsia Dec 11, 2006 8:46 AM

The Personal Healthcare sector witnessed a 24 per cent growth in ad volumes during Jan-Oct ’06 over Jan-Oct ’05. OTC products had a high 29 per cent share in the sector’s advertising. Shree Baidyanath Ayur Bhawan topped advertising in newspapers while magazines saw maximum advertising by Hamdard. Emami had the maximum number of innovative ads.

e4m Desk Dec 11, 2006 8:46 AM

ESPN-STAR Sports has bagged the broadcast rights for all ICC events for an eight-year period starting from 2007 to 2015. A statement issued by the ICC announcing the winner said, "The decision was a unanimous one, taken by the ICC Board in Dubai on Saturday, and the ICC will now seek to reach final agreement with ESPN-STAR Sports."

e4m Desk Dec 11, 2006 8:44 AM