MAM
Ace Creative Learning forays into retail education
BENGALURU: Indian integrated learning player, Ace Creative Learning (ACL) has forayed into the retail segment with its flagship product – DeekshaTAB.
With a Rs 5 crore investment into the development of the software for this product, the company is targeting revenue of Rs 15 crore with a customer reach of 5000 until the end of this fiscal. And has an ambitious of crossing revenues of Rs 100 crore over the next three years. ACL says that DeekshaTAB is a one stop shop for CET/COMED-K aspirants across the country.
The DeekshaTAB , manufactured by Lenovo weighs around 400 grams, has an 8 inch display, and will be available at a price of Rs.34,999. ACL says that the DeekshaTAB is among a series of products that it plans to line up in the coming months that will be targeted at spirants for other competitive exams such as JEE, NEET, GATE and UPSC. By 2020, ACL is looking to reach out to 50000 students that will use the DeekshaTAB and eyeing a 20 per cent stake of the education tablet business.
ACL has planned a Rs 50 lakh print and digital campaign over the next 45 days to push DeekshaTAB. At present, the ACL has planned to sell the product directly to students, but is looking at channel partners. Overall, the company expects to close this fiscal with revenue of Rs 50 crore. It marketing spends are around Rs 3.5 crore reveals ACL VP of sales and marketing Venkatesan E. ACL’s creative and media buying is generally inhouse, with a part of the media buying being looked after by Torque Communications.
ACL had introduced the integrated learning programs in colleges to combine preparation for board exam and competitive exams through the Deeksha System in 2004. In 2008, ACL had raised investments of Rs 41 crore, from Accel Partners, Catamaran and Kaizen Private Equity.
Digital
Kausik Misra joins BigTrunk Communications as senior vice president- strategy
Content veteran from Zee to steer strategy at independent agency
MUMBAI: Kausik Misra is switching from prime-time hits to brand playbooks. The former non-fiction content head at Zee Entertainment Enterprises has joined BigTrunk Communications as senior vice president–strategy, as agencies race to pair storytelling with hard business outcomes.
Announced in Mumbai, the hire adds a 15-year content and marketing hand to BigTrunk’s leadership as it courts brands seeking cultural relevance and measurable returns. Misra spent years shaping tentpole shows on Zee TV, helping build franchises such as Dance India Dance, Sa Re Ga Ma Pa, Zee Rishtey Awards and Zee Cine Awards, and pushing them across television and digital ecosystems.
At BigTrunk, he is expected to tighten strategic planning, deepen audience insight and refine narrative frameworks for clients chasing long-term brand equity. Misra pitches the move as a chance to blend consumer insight, storytelling and commercial discipline in one shop.
Founder and ceo Akhil Nair is betting on content DNA to fuel growth, arguing that brands now demand culture-literate strategy, not just media weight.
Founded in 2013, the agency operates from Delhi and Bangalore, with outposts in the United Arab Emirates and the United States. Its client roster ranges from Warner Bros. and H&R Johnson to Unibic Foods, HPCL Rajasthan Refinery Limited, ORRA Jewellery, Saraswat Bank and Discovery Kids.
As brands hunt attention in a crowded market, agencies are raiding the content world for talent. Misra’s bet is that sharp stories still sell—and that strategy, like television, is a game of hits.
