Kumbh waterproof sarees: With HUL we can go national as a brand, says Sukesh Nayak, Ogilvy

The idea behind #GoSafeOutside campaign was to innovate while bringing about a change, explains Nayak, CCO, Ogilvy Mumbai

e4m by Noel Dsouza
Published: Feb 19, 2019 8:29 AM  | 5 min read
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The Kumbh Mela is a congregation of over 100 million people and this means brands have a good opportunity to attract a large number of consumers. This Kumbh, creative agency Ogilvy along with their client HUL launched a new campaign #GoSafeOutside. They have come up with waterproof sarees for women devotees to take a dip at the Holy Sangam without having to worry about prying eyes and camera flashes.

Exchange4media caught up with Sukesh Nayak, CCO, Ogilvy Mumbai, the brain behind the campaign on how the product was brought to the market. 

The Brief 

On the idea behind the waterproof sarees, Nayak said: “For Kumbh, we decided to partner with the government authorities to do something meaningful. Initially, we asked the government which areas they would need help in. We gave them a brief of the brands we associate with and what we could do. I worked with my marketing team and honestly, the partnership with HUL was the best fit because we were going national as a brand. Harman Dhillon from Unilever, our client, felt that we need to also create a product that is breathable and protects the consumer's skin. We started off by getting basic help, we wanted to innovate and bring about a change. Women bathe in their sarees and we wanted to make it comfortable for them.”  

The Insight 

The idea was to keep the focus of the product on women, Nayak said. “We started by providing private changing rooms for women at the festival and noticed that they bathe in their sarees. As per a High Court order, no pictures can be taken of women at the river. However, today with the easy access to smartphones, anyone can capture a picture. This is a huge problem. We wanted to invent something that would help women at Kumbh and we worked with a lot of textile designers. Finally, we found a way out. We tried to make sarees that were beautiful to wear and also waterproof. Plus, it doesn't stick to your body.” 

The technology 

Speaking about the process of creating the product, Nayak said: “Sarees are usually made of thin material and not thick like a raincoat. A saree manufacturer from Surat was as excited about the idea just like the client and the agency. He tried a couple of ideas and ran a couple of samplings. Finally, we realised that there is a way of coating a saree. So, if the coating is right, it serves the purpose of being waterproof without having the thickness of a raincoat.  The printing of the sarees was a tedious process. We had to get the patchwork ordered. The prints of the sarees were done twice, on the back and on the front. The saree cloth has been manufactured using a polyester weave. Although it took almost two months, it was a beautiful journey nonetheless.” 

The Challenge

From getting the right partner to the right supplier, the challenges were galore, Nayak said. “Challenges are multiple when you are trying to create something new. You need to find the right partner who believes in the idea and the right supplier who will see this through. Then finding the mechanism to do it the right way. We partnered with the locals and met like-minded people along the journey. It has been a great learning experience for all of us. The journey has been really enriching and rewarding for all of us who worked on it and it is also because of the number and the kind of people we met. Our team found solutions to all the challenges themselves.”

How to make the brand stand out at Kumbh

On the strategy to make the brand work at Kumbh, Nayak says: “I have three ways to look at it—firstly, you must be true to the festival, then you must do something meaningful and finally your brand should fit into the space of what you are trying to do. That's how your brand will sustain at the festival. You can’t have a brand that does not match the tone of the festival.”

Brand recall

Nayak spoke about connecting with the people at the ground level and the difference it brought to the journey. “The world will see what we could do with the first set of people. If it really works, then we can find investments and do it again on a larger scale. Akhara, a local group at Kumbh, is actually talking about the campaign being a fundamentally strong move. Our product provides women with a shield of security. I have tried to connect with them with my brand promise in a different level altogether.”  

Response so far

“Videos about how women feel about the product have been doing the rounds. Somebody who has been stared at all their lives while having a bath in a sari will connect with us and appreciate this initiative,” Nayak signed off.

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E4M Our strategy is to target younger audiences through Sports: Rajiv Dubey, Dabur

The Head of Media at Dabur India spoke exclusively to exchange4media on the World Cup, associating with Indian Idol, the company’s digital spending and much more

e4m by e4m Staff
Published: Oct 27, 2023 6:15 PM  | 1 min read
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With quirky campaigns, memes and moment marketing, timed with the ongoing World Cup and particularly the India-Pakistan matches, Dabur India has got considerable consumer attention for its popular brands – Red Paste, Cool King Hair Oil, Chyawanprash, Dabur Vita and the recently launched Bae Fresh Gel toothpaste.

The 140-year-old company is going big on key sporting events, World Television Premiere (WTP) movies and reality shows. It is now gearing up to become the title sponsor of popular talent show ‘Indian Idol’ on Sony TV for the first time, shared Rajiv Dubey, who leads the media strategy at Dabur.

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Swapan Seth's new book 'COOL' is out

The book is a reflection of the author's 'eclectic taste across categories'

e4m by e4m Staff
Published: Oct 27, 2023 6:07 PM  | 1 min read
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Advertising professional and art collector Swapan Seth has announced the launch of his new book COOL. The book is described as "a ready reckoner to the hip and the happening, of the known and the very unknown."

The book is a reflection of the author's "eclectic taste across categories: from boltholes to exotic hideaways."

COOL has been published by Simon & Schuster India and is available on Amazon.

Seth is an ad veteran with a long and illustrious career in the industry. He became the youngest-ever Creative Director at Clarion at age 24. He was VP at 26 at Trikaya Grey. Two years later, he started his agency Equus.

He writes for publications such as The Economic Times, Hindustan Times and India Today. This is his second book and he has previously published THIS IS ALL I HAVE TO SAY.

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Disney Star signs 9 sponsors for Asia Cup PAK

Charged by Thums Up, Nerolac Paint+, Amazon Pay, Jindal Panther, My11Circle, MRF, Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5, Wild Stone and Thums Up come on board

e4m by exchange4media Staff
Published: Aug 26, 2023 11:48 AM  | 1 min read
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e4m Staff Disney Star has signed nine broadcast and digital streaming sponsors for the upcoming Asia Cup.

Charged by Thums Up, Nerolac Paint+, Amazon Pay, Jindal Panther, My11Circle, MRF, Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5, Wild Stone and Thums Up have come on board for the upcoming tournament.
As reported earlier by exchange4media, Disney Star has sought Rs 26 crore for the co-presenting sponsorship on TV and Rs 30 crore for Disney+ Hotstar.

According to industry sources, the associate sponsorship on Star Sports has been priced at Rs 19.66 crore, whereas for the ‘powered by’ sponsorship on Disney+ Hotstar, the broadcaster is seeking Rs 18 crore.

As per the information available with exchange4media, Disney+ Hotstar has three sponsorship tiers-- co-presenting (Rs 30 crore), powered by (Rs 18 crore) and associate sponsorship (Rs 12 crore). The broadcaster is offering an estimated reach of 120-140 million for co-presenting sponsors, 90-100 million for powered by and 60-70 million for associate sponsorship.

A spot buy for 10 seconds has been priced at Rs 25 lakh for the India vs Pakistan matches, while for the non-India matches, the ad rate for 10 second is Rs 2.3 lakh. The India matches plus the final for ODIs has been priced at Rs 17 lakh per 10 seconds.

Asia Cup is scheduled to be held from 30 August, 2023, to September 17, 2023.

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Sorted 360 wins creative & social media mandate of Reliance Mall

The agency will manage offline and online campaigns for Reliance Mall

e4m by exchange4media Staff
Published: Aug 26, 2023 10:54 AM  | 1 min read
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Sorted 360, an integrated creative and social media agency, has won the mandate to providing brand solutions for Reliance Malls across India.

“Sorted 360 is set to enhance Reliance Malls' market presence with their unparalleled creative prowess and strategic thinking,” read a press release.

“Sorted 360's commitment to pushing the boundaries of creative communication aligns perfectly with Reliance Malls' ethos. With a pan-India presence spanning across 19 cities and growing, Reliance Malls has consistently captivated customers by offering an array of Reliance brands and third-party fashion & lifestyle brands. The mall has established an unparalleled connection with its patrons through superior quality, a remarkable value proposition, and an unmatched shopping experience,” it read further.

"We are thrilled to welcome Sorted 360 as our trusted partner in advancing our brand presence across the nation," said the Head of Marketing at Relaice Malls. "Their proven expertise in retail, shopping center management, and innovative creative strategies make them the perfect fit for our vision."

"Partnering with Reliance Malls is a testament to our commitment to shaping extraordinary brand experiences," remarked Prerana Anatharam, Co-founder of Sorted 360. "We are excited to leverage our strategic and creative acumen to further elevate Reliance Malls as the epitome of convenience, choice, and excellence."

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e4m by exchange4media Staff
Published: Aug 25, 2023 4:39 PM  | 1 min read

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e4m by exchange4media Staff
Published: Aug 25, 2023 4:38 PM  | 1 min read

KlugKlug onboards Hemang Mehta as Country Manager for Indias

Mehta was most recently Head of Agency Relationships at Network 18 Media & Investments

e4m by exchange4media Staff
Published: Aug 24, 2023 3:35 PM  | 1 min read
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KlugKlug has appointed Hemang Mehta as its Country Manager for India.

Mehta will play a pivotal role in driving KlugKlug's growth and expansion within the Indian market and be responsible for Sales & GTM Strategy

Prior to that, he has also represented organisations like Exponential (now VDX.tv), India Today Digital and Rediff.com. His expertise spans various domains including digital media sales, mobile marketing, media planning, and buying, social media marketing, and more.

Hemang Mehta expressed his enthusiasm about joining KlugKlug, saying, "I am thrilled to be a part of KlugKlug, a forward-thinking platform that is reshaping the influencer marketing landscape. As much as I look forward to collaborating with the exuberant team at KlugKlug, I am super excited to interact with the brands to deliver powerful data-backed Influencer solutions that will guarantee business outcomes."

Commenting on the appointment, Kalyan Kumar, Co-Founder and CEO of KlugKlug, stated, "We are excited to welcome Hemang Mehta to our team as the Country Manager for India. His extensive experience in digital media sales and marketing will be instrumental in driving our efforts to provide influencer marketing solutions to our clients. We believe Hemang's leadership will be key in scaling our operations and expanding our reach within the Indian market."

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