Brands
MTV India to aid Airbnb break away from commoditised travel, says exec Bajaj
MUMBAI: Airbnb, a community-driven hospitality company, announced the launch of its #LiveThere online contest, which appeals to spirited travelers who seek unique travel experiences whether it’s via music, adventure, culture or fashion.
Airbnb has partnered with Viacom 18’s entertainment channel MTV India to host the online #LiveThere contest, which is part of Airbnb’s Live There campaign, designed to encourage people to change the way they experience the world around them. Live There gives aspiring travelers the chance to experience popular destinations through the Airbnb lens, with a refreshing perspective of popular destination through curated experiences which break away from standard itineraries.
Contest winners will have the chance to head to their favorite destination accompanied by popular celebrities – DJ Nikhil Chinapa in Thailand; fashion icon VJ Anusha Dandekar in Milan; and Bollywood actress Radhika Apte in London. These celebrities will share insights corresponding to their respective areas of interest in order to curate unique experiences for winners in any of these cities.
The #LiveThere contest requires participants to log onto their Instagram or Twitter and submit image/video entries which best capture their ‘Live There’ moments. Along with this, participants will need to use a creative caption along with their choice of destination in the following format – #InThailand, #InMilan or #InLondon.
Throughout the contest, there will be a daily selection of the Best Entry of the Day. Each winning entry stands the chance to receive Airbnb vouchers worth up to US$ 200 in the form of a prize. Finally, the top creative entries per destination will be declared Grand Winners and they will have the chance to visit their chosen destination with the corresponding celebrity.
Airbnb India country manager Amanpreet Bajaj said, “Milan, Bangkok and London are a few of the most famous travel destinations in the world with stock lists of to-do’s available for reference. However, urban youth today, want to break away from commoditised travel, and discover a place on their own terms. With Airbnb’s #LiveThere experience, we want travelers who are seeking a new approach to travel, to discover these places through a local’s eyes/ perspective. Collaborating with popular icons like Nikhil Chinappa, Anusha Dandekar and Radhika Apte, is our way of establishing greater relevance with the young Indian traveler, based on their unique passion points. We want travelers to feel like they can belong anywhere in the world, even if it is just for a night.”
While trained Scuba instructor Nikhil Chinappa shares insights on how to best experience music and adventure in Thailand, Anusha Dandekar will offer an insider’s view into the hidden fashion hubs in Milan, while Radhika Apte suggests the best way to experience art and theatre in London.
One winner each for Bangkok, Milan, and London will receive a three nights / four days-stay for the winner and one friend along with arrangements for unique, local experiences so they can truly live there.
Brands
Faber-Castell India appoints Sunaina Haldar as director – marketing
With stints at Tata, SleepyCat and ADF Foods under her belt, Haldar is primed to redraw Faber-Castell’s brand story
MUMBAI: Faber-Castell India has poached Sunaina Haldar from ADF Foods, appointing her director – marketing as the German stationery brand looks to muscle up in a category that is rapidly reinventing itself around creativity and self-expression.
Haldar hit the ground running. “My first couple of weeks have been incredibly energising, understanding consumers, visiting markets, engaging with retailers and immersing myself into the world of Faber-Castell Group,” she said.
She arrives with considerable firepower. At ADF Foods, Haldar ran marketing across India and international markets for a portfolio spanning Ashoka, Aeroplane, Camel and ADF Soul. Before that, she was vice-president – marketing at direct-to-consumer mattress brand SleepyCat, where she helmed brand, content and performance marketing. Her résumé also includes a stint leading marketing, new product development and CRM for Tata SmartFoodz at Tata Consumer Products, no small proving ground.
Between corporate roles, Haldar also operated as a fractional CMO for early-stage startups, building marketing strategy and operational structures from scratch, a signal that she knows how to move fast with limited resources.
With 18 years straddling FMCG, D2C and the startup world, Haldar now takes the reins at a brand that has long owned the classroom but is clearly hungry for the living room. In a stationery market where the pencil has become a lifestyle statement, Faber-Castell has picked someone who knows exactly how to sell that story.
