Author: Yukta Raj

Mars Wrigley ups media spends in digital and q-comm, says CMO Nikhil Rao

According to Rao, Mars’ chocolate revenue is 90% concentrated in metro and Tier 1 cities, reflecting its premium positioning. However, Boomer gum, a mass-market Rs 1 product, is available even in the smallest villages.

Rao pointed out that Mars Wrigley invests around 30% of its turnover into sales and marketing. The company has gradually moved towards a balanced media strategy, with spend now split 50:50 between TV and digital platforms.

Namita Thapar condemns Ramdev’s ‘Sharbat Jihad’ remark; praises Rooh Afza’s message of unity

Emcure Pharmaceuticals Executive Director and Shark Tank India judge Namita Thapar has publicly denounced what she called “hate marketing,” calling for a more inclusive and respectful India for future generations. (Image sourced from Moneycontrol)

Thapar responded by sharing a post on social media platform X, posting a news clip of Ramdev’s comments with a Rooh Afza ad promoting communal harmony. She captioned it, “Hate marketing vs a class act. What is the India we want to create for our kids?”

Over 70% demand one-handed usability and in-hand comfort in smartphones, reveals Counterpoint Research

The premium segment contributed over 70% of GenAI-capable smartphone sales in Q1 2024. Samsung captured the top three spots and contributed 58% to the segment.

One-handed usability is considered a very important factor by respondents, with ease of holding and one-handed use (55%) being the main reasons for their preference for compact smartphones over larger ones.

Flipkart to shift base from Singapore to India ahead of IPO

While a clear timeline for the upcoming IPO is yet to be shared, the announcement puts Flipkart in IPO-ready mode.

Walmart owns 85% of Flipkart, following a $3.5 billion investment earlier this year. The remaining 15% is held by global giants including Tiger Global, Google, DST Global, GIC and Qatar Investment Authority.

Bharat Puri appointed as Senior Advisor and Director at Pidilite

Prior to Pidilite, Puri held global leadership roles at Mondelēz International, where he served as President – Global Chocolate, Gum, and Candy, and earlier, as SVP – Global Chocolate, based in Zurich. (Image: Pidilite)

Puri’s appointment comes after a 10-year tenure as Managing Director at Pidilite, during which he was instrumental in steering the company’s evolution with a focus on innovation, global expansion and people-centric work culture.

Electronics manufacturing surges 5X to Rs 11 lakh crore; exports cross Rs 3.25 lakh crore mark: Ashwini Vaishnaw

The minister highlighted that VVDN’s new facility is designed for high-volume, complex product assembly, including AI servers, networking gear and large-scale PCBs, the SMT Line boasts a remarkable throughput of 250,000 components per hour.

Exports have also multiplied 6 times, breaching the Rs 3.25 lakh crore mark. This growth, driven by progressive policies and a push for indigenous capability under ‘Make in India’ and ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’.

GCC boom positions India at core of global ad ops | MIB to accelerate AVGC-XR sector growth | Gig workers struggle under arbitrary review systems

Global Capability Centres is an opportunity for Indian talent to work on global mandates, expand skillsets, and elevate the perception of Indian advertising as globally competent, (Representative image by George Kedenburg III via Unsplash)

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Short-form video is no longer a trend; it’s the norm, says Tata Motor’s CMO Shubhranshu Singh

“Thanks to influencer collaborations and short-form videos, we can communicate quickly, repeatedly, and effectively with our audience,” Singh said.

“The world of short-form videos is the mainstream. It is not a subsidiary stream. A pragmatic marketer must deal with the world as it exists, and even more so as it will shape up to be,” Singh said.