Remembering V Ramani: Umesh Shrikhande
Ramani ensured that we looked at media planning with respect & the right perspective and not a necessary numerical evil, recounts Umesh Shrikhande, CEO, Contract India

It’s not easy to accept someone’s passing away, when you’ve known him for more than two decades. More so when that person happens to be your ex-colleague and dear friend.
Around 1988 is when I first got acquainted with V Ramani. He was then the Head of Media Planning on the Hindustan Lever business at Lintas. A driven and energetic tiger is how I saw him then. Much later, post 2000, I got to interact with him more frequently when he was a part of team Euro RSCG and MPG. Although very well-settled and comfortable in the job, he chose to be among the first few courageous souls that began the exploration and growth of digital media via the not-easy-at-all start-up route, taking head-on the twin challenges of evangelism and business building. As a founder member of Mediaturf and also – if I am not mistaken – of the IAMAI (Internet and Mobile Association of India), I saw him yet again as a driven and tireless man, who was quite clearly on a mission to change the media (read digital) landscape.
To be successful and to be able to fire on all cylinders requires many things to fall in place. Broadly the mid-nineties (the years that Ramani spent at Contract and when we got to work with him closely) was that time when I believe he was at his peak in more ways than one. Let me recount and remember his sterling professional qualities and prowess so that it inspires those who read this piece today and also for the benefit of those who didn’t necessarily get to work with him or see him in his best years.
It was a glorious time when account management, creative and media worked together and did ‘integrated’ work without making an issue of it. And Ramani made a big difference to this mix. Clearly a media leader. Deeply knowledgeable about the space. Respected by industry colleagues, media organisation heads and, of course, clients. Intensely focussed and result-oriented. Wanting to make a difference very badly all the time. Highly involved with and respectful of the creative process. A hugely value-adding team player. Energising co-worker. A solid faculty member at the Contract-Windows training programme. Captain (and self-appointed coach) of our cricket team. Sensitive to people working with him. Non-political. Given to intense disagreements and short-tempered interactions, but always for pure professional reasons and never with any hidden agenda. Openly and visibly appreciative of good work, no matter who got the credit for it. And despite all these strengths, very child-like in his enthusiasm for good new ideas.
Thanks to these big strengths of his, Ramani ensured that we looked at media planning with respect and with the right perspective. Not a necessary numerical evil to be grappled with, but rather a live dynamo replete with possibilities. In many ways, a reflection of the way he was!
Ramani, we will miss you sorely my friend. Be well, wherever you are and take care.
The author is Chief Executive Officer, Contract India.
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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
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'
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 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
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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KlugKlug onboards Hemang Mehta as Country Manager for Indias
Mehta was most recently Head of Agency Relationships at Network 18 Media & Investments
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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