MAM
Major rise in spending of consumer durables category: CAM report
MUMBAI: Integrated entertainment and retail marketing company Interactive Television, in collaboration with IPSOS-MEDIA CT, released its CAM report for December 2014. The detailed trends and tracker are for the movie PK.
The highlights are as follows:
With 415, there were a high number of brands active on cinema in the last 17 rounds of CAM. This is also the first time that CAM has observed a high number of national brands being present on cinema. A total of 106 new brands tested cinema as an advertising medium for the first time with the movie PK during the month of December 2014. There has been a 54 per cent increase in number of brands active on cinema with the movie PK in December as compared to the CAM round held in November. There has been a major increase in spending of consumer durables category from 32 per cent in November to 85 per cent in December.
A maximum number of 7402 spots played with PK which was Bollywood’s highest grossing film of all time. In the automobile category it increased from18 per cent in November to 71 per cent in December 2014. Finally for the travel accessories category, spending increased from 4 per cent in November to 68 per cent in December 2014.
Choc On has been number one brand on cinema for the last one year. Manyavar garments increased its spending and surpassed Choc on to become number one brand during the December CAM Round. Interestingly the second spot among the top brands is equally distributed among four brands namely; Chocon, High Sierra, Kotak Mahindra Bank and Syska LED Lights at par with 59 per cent.
Olx has a 19 per cent higher brand recall than Choc on with 13 per cent in spite of screen presence of Choc On with 118 screens being more than Olx, which had 86 screens. It was also noticed that the majority of top spenders play 30 seconds ad on cinema. Food and beverage continues to be the top category on cinema in the last one year and has emerged as a biggest spender on this medium.
Brands
Maharashtra panel orders Lodha to refund Rs 5 crore to homebuyers
Consumer court flags unfair practices in long-running property dispute case
MUMBAI: In a sharp rebuke to one of India’s biggest real estate players, the Maharashtra State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission has directed Macrotech Developers to refund nearly Rs 5 crore to a senior citizen couple, Uttam and Anindita Chatterjee. The ruling, delivered on March 13, 2026, calls out the developer for “deficiency in service” and “unfair trade practices”, bringing closure to a dispute that has stretched over a decade.
The case traces back to 2015, when the couple booked a 3-BHK flat at World Towers in Lower Parel for Rs 12.22 crore, with possession promised within a year. What followed was a series of changes that complicated matters. After deciding to exit the project, they were persuaded to shift to a 4-BHK in another development priced at Rs 8 crore, with delivery scheduled for 2018. However, within months, the price was allegedly increased to Rs 10 crore. After demonetisation reshaped the market, similar flats were reportedly being offered at lower prices, but the couple were not given the benefit.
Despite paying over Rs 2.83 crore, the couple neither received possession nor clarity. Instead, in 2018, the developer unilaterally cancelled the booking, retained part of the amount as earnest money, and argued that the buyers were investors rather than consumers. The commission rejected this claim, observing that casual references to “investment” do not take away consumer rights when the purchase intent is residential.
The bench also held that the developer could not penalise buyers for payment delays while failing to meet its own delivery commitments. It noted the lack of formal documentation for revised terms and termed the prolonged retention of funds without delivering a home as exploitative.
As part of its order, the commission directed the developer to refund Rs 2.83 crore paid by the couple, along with interest at 10 per cent per annum, amounting to around Rs 2.12 crore. In addition, Rs 1 lakh has been awarded for mental agony and Rs 50,000 towards litigation costs, taking the total payout to over Rs 5 crore. The developer has been asked to comply within two months.
For now, the ruling serves as a reminder that in real estate, shifting terms and delayed promises can carry a significant cost.
