MAM
Ad creatives react to Star Plus’ 3D innovation
MUMBAI: Star India is coming up with its one of the most expensive show – Mahabharat – and it is surely spending a lot of moolah in promoting it.
When you have a mega property, you probably have to think mega-plus while trying to communicate its scale to your consumer. That‘s something many a company follows. And that‘s the tack even Star India took today to announce the launch of its epic Mahabharat which is slated to air on its Hindi GEC Star Plus from tonight.
A four page false cover ad adorned today’s Bombay Times (an advertorial, entertainment, promotional supplement of The Times of India). It featured the epic show‘s characters (Arjun, Draupadi and Duryodhan) of Mahabharat. And to top it all, it was all in 3D! Yes, you read it right.
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KV Sridhar and Viral Pandya feel that the 3D effect was unnecessary
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In fact, the network is leaving no stone unturned to create enough and more buzz related to it. From 3D innovations on OOH platforms across cities to promos on 25 other channels apart from the Star network, the channel wants to make sure that people don’t miss out on its blockbuster epic.
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The show is estimated to have a budget of Rs 100 crore and out of this, 20 per cent has been allotted to marketing.
The innovations which have been conceptualised by Contract Advertising, however seem to have failed to dazzle other creative heads. Leo Burnett NCD KV Sridhar feels that there is nothing new in the so-called innovation. “It’s an old concept and will only attract small children’s attention especially today when 3D is a common phenomenon,” he says while emphasising on the fact that innovations today have moved up a notch with augmented reality.
He’s not alone. Even Out of the Box CCO Viral Pandya feels that there was no need for a 3D effect when the message would have been effective enough in 2D which Star did with the Mumbai morninger Mid-Day and The Hindustan Times Café did. “If one looks at the Volkswagen Talking newspaper (again TOI and The Hindu) innovation which appeared three years back, this is just plain blah! There is no idea in it expect for showing that one has enough money to spend.”
The two innovations most can’t get over are the ones created for the German automaker (Volkswagen) which got everyone talking. As per reports, the Das Auto company spent close to Rs 6 crore on that exercise. The other one (2011) was the integrated 3D campaign for Audi A8 L.
However, there are a few who feel that the innovation did encourage them to pick up and try on the 3D glasses. “It did manage to create a little bit of noise,” says Lowe Lintas & Partners NCD Arun Iyer who adds, “It surely would have cost them a bomb!”
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Whereas Arun Iyer and KS Chakravarthy say that it did manage to create a little bit of noise
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Draftfcb Ulka NCD K S Chakravarthy (Chax) too believes that Star‘s innovation – something which no other channel has attempted before – is bound to have had an impact. “It‘s not as if 3D hasn’t been done before but the scale at which at which it has been done by Star could have worked in getting it noticed,” he says.
One just hopes that for Star‘s (it has been pushing the pedal on marketing and has been showing chutzpah just like Levers or P&G or Coke ) sake that 3D translates into TVT.
MAM
Ogilvy appoints Carol Reed as Global Chief Innovation Officer
Advertising veteran joins to drive human-first innovation in an AI-powered world.
MUMBAI: Carol Reed has found a new creative canvas and this time, she’s bringing her innovation brush to one of advertising’s most iconic names. Ogilvy Group has appointed Carol Reed as its new global chief innovation officer. Reed, who previously served as Chief Innovation Officer at WPP Open X, brings deep expertise at the intersection of creativity, technology, media, and commerce.
In a note announcing her move, Reed said she was drawn to Ogilvy because of its unmatched legacy. “The most powerful thing AI can do is make human creativity more extraordinary not replace it,” she stated. “This is an agency with something no algorithm can replicate, a 78-year legacy of ideas that change culture and drive real business results.”
Reed will focus on building new products, platforms, and partnerships to amplify Ogilvy’s creative heritage for clients and its global talent network. She will work closely with Global CEO Laurent Ezekiel and global chief creative officer Liz Taylor.
Her career began at Publicis Groupe’s Digitas as an associate media planner. She later moved to Omnicom Media Group and rose to senior vice president and programmatic lead at Digitas, where she built an in-house programmatic team of over 40 members. Most recently, at WPP, she served as executive vice president for data and product marketing.
With her appointment, Ogilvy strengthens its innovation leadership as the industry navigates rapid advancements in AI and technology.
From building programmatic teams to championing human creativity in an AI era, Carol Reed has consistently stayed ahead of the curve. Her arrival at Ogilvy signals a fresh push to blend cutting-edge innovation with the agency’s legendary creative spirit.
