Brands
Brands share excitement behind partnership with season 6 of ‘Game of Thrones’
MUMBAI: Game of Thrones season 6 has managed to lure viewers and attract advertisers alike with a roster of big brands associating with it. Star World Premiere HD has roped in e-commerce giant Amazon as presenting sponsors, Maruti Suzuki Baleno is a driven by sponsor and London Dairy and Ola Micro are powered by sponsors. Additionally other brands that have come on board are Housing.com, Matrix and Motorola as partners and Essilor, Yamaha, Himalaya and Sunny Lite as associate sponsors. Expedia, Skore and P&G OralCare are some other sponsors that the channel has roped in.
It is safe to say that the demographic tuning into the on-screen adaptation of George R.R. Martin’s spectacular creation may just be close to the total population on the planet! Inspiring new hordes of fans of the fantasy genre each year, Game of Thrones is now a household name right across the globe, attracting critics, literary geniuses, lovers of edge-of-the seat thrills and just like that the commoner who enjoys a truly well-made and well-narrated show.
Here is what brands have to say:
London Dairy head of marketing Shweta Shrivastava said, “Season 6 has been filled with potpourri of emotions and the series stays true to its intriguing twists and turns. Of course, Jon Snow was not going to wake up in the first episode as the teasers indicated, but the short sequence on Sansa, Theon and Brienne brought some sense of relief to a series where audience heartbreak has been the only constant. However, the true form of Melis and retrumped all else in terms of shock value. A character that shows absolutely no self-doubt throughout the series is finally showing fine cracks. What I await to see is what Bran brings to this convoluted series of events. We are proud to partner with Star World Premiere HD in helping get this much awaited series to India and look forward to unravel the series even as our consumers unravel the sheer indulgence of London Dairy ice creams this summer.”
Expedia marketing head Manmeet Ahluwalia voiced, “Once in a while a show comes along that transports you to another world and makes you believe in the magic of television again. Game of Thrones is one such show. It strikes the perfect balance between brooding medieval angst and wonderful fantasy story telling. It sticks loyal to the books and doesn’t “dumb things down” for a wider audience. My favorite character across all seasons is Arya Stark, Tyrion Lannister and Daenerys Targaryen because of their strong personality. I loved the first season; it brilliantly established the universe of George R.R. Martin’s source material. The most memorable scene for me is when Jon Snow gifts Arya ‘Needle’- the sword with a teaching- ‘Stick them with a pointy end.’ I am eagerly waiting to see if Jon snow will be joining Daenerys Targaryen. Though, it’s quite predictable that Jon Snow will join the Khaleesi and prove the prophecy right.”
Skore Condoms marketing head Vishal Vyas added, “My favourite season on the show so far is Season 1 because the introduction of the all main characters was very interestingly done. Moreover, Ned Stark’s beheading was extremely unexpected and that invited a very different twist on the show. I am hooked to Season 6 since the story seems to now start unraveling and I would love to see Tyrion Lannister rule the seven kingdoms. He is also my favorite character on the show because he is funny and probably the smartest guy in the series.”
Procter & Gamble Oral Care assistant brand manager Abhijit Aswath shared, “I am an ardent Game of Thrones fan. I feel every season is packed with qualities that define great story telling – building some key characters, shifting the balance of power and rise and fall of power houses. Season 4 is probably my favorite season of the series since it is extremely action packed with 3 key characters – Jon Snow, Daenerys, Tyrion all pushed to the Wall; literally for Jon Snow and figuratively for Khaleesi & the little man, and how each of them use their best wits, skills and political acumen to come out strong. After Mahabharata, Game of Thrones probably is one such story which has all the complexity and drama you need in a grand tale -tussle of the truth/what’s right/wrong, magic and politics. After Season 5, the stage was set for the story to go to the next level and Season 6 lives up to this expectation so far. My fan theory is that next, Daenerys and the dragons will discover a land of wealth, wit and great science capable of defeating the Dead Men by giving them Moksha – a land called Industeros.”
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.
