Brands
DDB Mudra Group creates a new rally cry for team KKR
MUMBAI: The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) is a franchise cricket team representing the city of Kolkata (West Bengal) in the Indian Premier League (IPL). The team, defined by its ‘Korbo, lorbo, jeetbo’ (Play, Fight, Win) spirit has won the championship trophy twice. At the IPL 2018, the team has already drawn first blood in its match against Royal Challenger Bangalore (RCB) and then against Delhi Daredevils (DD).
Created by the DDB Mudra Group, KKR’s latest anthem #KKRHaiTaiyaar (KKR is ready) shows the city and its die-hard fans gearing up for the 2018 IPL season. Featuring Bollywood celebrity and team owner Shahrukh Khan, the anthem has been crafted to give KKR and its fan-base a distinct, symbolic action in the form of a fist pump, which has the potential to become a ritual during every KKR match. The lyrics give the team’s decade-long war cry – ‘Karbo, lorbo, jeetbo’ a new spin, resulting in an anthem that fans – both old and new, can connect with.
Kolkata Knight Riders MD and CEO Venky Mysore says, “Every year our marketing embarks on a research and insight-backed exercise that aims to find the pulse of our fans to arrive at a tagline that rings most true to KKR. This year, along with the creative team at the DDB Mudra Group, the team has come up with #KKRHaiTaiyaar; which truly signifies the mood at our camp.”
The anthem boldly challenges KKR’s opponents to watch out as the team sets out to destroy every challenge in its path to becoming champions again. The visual representation and the music composition of the anthem captures the pride and passion that drives everyone associated with KKR – right from the players, to the coaching staff, the groundskeeper, the bat-maker , etc., along with the millions of supporters that live and breathe for the team.
DDB Mudra Group national creative director Rahul Mathew adds, “KKR has always prided itself on being more than just a team. KKR is an attitude. And you see this attitude in every aspect of their game; be it the auction, the training, the selection, the strategy, the execution of it, their victories and even their losses. Which is why, the KKR fan base spills far and wide outside of Kolkata. Because while Kolkata maybe in the name, the spirit of the Knight Riders is something everyone relates to. It’s this very spirit and attitude that we’ve captured in the work and in our call to arms #KKRHaiTaiyaar.”
Backed by a strong media strategy, the campaign is being showcased across television channels, radio, digital and print. In the print campaign, the players are shown coming out of moulds, to emphasise their readiness. On the digital medium, the anthem has more than 1.9 million views and 21K shares on the brand’s Facebook page alone, since its launch on 6 April 2018.
Brands
Rohini Laya Venkateswaran named executive director at Gillette India
P&G veteran with two decades of experience steps into leadership role
NEW DELHI: Rohini Laya Venkateswaran has been appointed executive director at Gillette India Pvt. Ltd., bringing with her more than two decades of experience across sales, strategy and brand leadership within the consumer goods sector. In her new role, she will help steer the company’s strategic direction and growth while strengthening its footprint in the grooming and personal care category.
Venkateswaran joins the board after a long career at Procter & Gamble, where she spent nearly 21 years shaping sales strategy, building brands and driving market expansion across India and international markets.
Most recently, she served as chief sales officer for India at P&G. Prior to that, she was vice president and country manager for east gulf markets, overseeing operations in Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain and Qatar while also guiding sales strategy across the Gulf region, including the UAE.
Earlier in her career, she led sales strategy and planning for India while serving as marketing leader for brands such as Olay and Old Spice. During this stint, she focused on reshaping go-to-market channels and building awareness through digital, social and influencer-led campaigns to drive growth.
Her journey at P&G also included roles such as director sales strategy and planning leader India, associate director modern retail and ecommerce, regional manager for Delhi and Rajasthan, and several key account and trade marketing roles across the country. She also spent time in the United States working on the P&G Walmart international team, collaborating on global retail initiatives.
Venkateswaran holds an MBA in marketing from SP Jain Institute of Management and Research and a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from RV College of Engineering.
With her mix of sales acumen, brand-building experience and global exposure, Venkateswaran’s appointment signals a sharpened focus on growth and market leadership for Gillette India.
