MAM
Euro RSCG bags creative duties for Globus
MUMBAI: After inviting nine agencies for a creative pitch, retail major Globus has decided to shake hands with Euro RSCG. Company executives estimate the approximate ad spend of Globus would be between Rs 100 – Rs. 120 million.
Rediffusion, Contract, Enterprise Nexus, O&M, Ambiance were some of the agencies in the fray.
The move to have a full fledged creative partner comes after the retail major decided to go in for an image change to become a fashion label from just being a retail destination or a store. The plan ahead is to up the number of outlets to 50 from the current five over the next three years.
Speaking to Indiantelevision.com, Euro RSCG associate vice-president Vikas Kumar says, ” The whole idea is to change the image of Globus from a shoppers’ stop to a fashion label. The primary message being connecting with the youth where the target audeince is between 18 – 24 years of age.”
Kumar added that the company is looking at people who want to be in the fashion arena, but cannot afford designer labels. Hence, the concept of providing affordable fashion.
Since music is known to connect to various age groups, Globus would be looking at using music as a strong “binding factor.” The underlying theme: confident styling.
Commenting on the whole positioning initiaive, Globus GM, brand development, Surajit Mitra points out, ” Euro RSCG seemed to be the best fit as its creative inputs were in line with our future brand building initiatives.”
Pointing out that Euro’s experience in building brands has been successful in the past, Mitra adds, “ We are a youth brand, which is into fashion apparels, and have been trying to build the brand through both below the line and above the line activities.”
Euro RSCG has successfully handled some brand building accounts like that of Sony channel.
Globus’ media plan this year will primarily focus on print and outdoor and also invest more on radio, Internet and non-traditional media.
Interestingly, till three years ago, Globus depneded on an outside agency for creative work, which was O&M. Then handled the creative work in-house in the interim, before deciding early this year to seek outside help again.
Euro RSCG will be partnering with Globus and coordinate with the store’s in house creative team. Mitra added that the media business of Globus might be awarded to Euro RSCG’s media wing, MPG.
MAM
Microdrama Specialist COL Group International Builds Out With Narativ, Rock Networks & BlingWood Deals
MUMBAI: Microdrama powerhouse COL Group International is building out its distribution network, with its CEO saying vertical video is about to enter its “next competitive chapter.”
The microdrama arm of publicly-listed Chinese company COL Group appointed Narativ Media as its official distributor in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) and CIS regions and Africa, and a struck new content deal with a new Dubai-based microdrama platform.
The deals were unveiled this morning at MIP London, and also included Rock Networks as its exclusive Southeast Asia telco distribution partner for its app, FlareFlow. MIP London is now into its second day at the Savoy Hotel and adjoining IET London complex.
The deals come soon after COL appointed Harbour Rights to represent its titles in Europe and Latin America, as we reported yesterday in our extended feature on microdrama distribution.
COL’s Singapore-based microdrama unit says its “coordinated global distribution architecture and significantly expanded international content slate” would help to scale its catalogue to more than 1,700 microdrama titles worldwide. These hail from South Korea, Japan, Africa, the Middle East, Southeast Asia and the UK and roll out across Sereal+, FlareFlow and 17K.
A deal with Dubai-based BlingWood, which recently launched as an OTT platform, will expand COL’s access to Middle Eastern and Indian microdramas, and includes a broader pipeline of Indian series from storytelling platform Pratilipi, Korean titles from BeLive Studios and British reality-led formats from Tattle TV — the UK’s first dedicated microdrama app, including titles such as Dog Dates.
“Microdrama is entering its next competitive chapter, where quality, retention and monetization standards are increasingly shaped by data and operational discipline,” said Timothy Oh, General Manager of COL Group International.
“As pioneers in both China and the U.S., scaling some of the world’s leading platforms in this space, we understand what it truly takes to win sustainably. Our role is not simply to offer catalogue volume, but to help partners select, position and scale the right content for their platform and audience. By bringing together a broad, constantly refreshed slate from across regions, we enable smarter curation, clearer differentiation and long-term growth for serious industry players.”
Narativ deal
COL and UAE-based Narativ described their deal as a “strategic expansion of premium vertical content distribution across high-growth emerging markets,” and comes as the microdrama continues to boom financially. The growth of the medium will be among the key topics of conversation today at MIP London, where COL chief Oh will be speaking.
The pact extends beyond content representation and is being billed as part of a more “structured micro-drama distribution infrastructure.”
Narativ will spearhead market development, platform alliances, broadcaster relationships and digital monetization frameworks across the MENA and CIS regions and Africa, where they have identified “rapid mobile-first consumption growth and strong demand for short-form, high-engagement storytelling formats.”
“Micro-dramas are reshaping global viewing habits, particularly across mobile-first markets like MENA, Africa and CIS,” said Manjyot Sandhu, CEO and co-founder of Narativ. “Our appointment as official distributor for COL Group in these territories reflects Narativ’s strategy to build sustainable distribution architecture.
“A key pillar of the collaboration includes integration with FlareFlow, enabling strategic telco partnerships, bundled carrier offerings, and alternative monetization pathways designed to accelerate scale across mobile ecosystems and OTT platforms.”
Oh added: “We are building more than a content slate – we are building the global infrastructure for microdrama. With hundreds of new titles launching every quarter, scale and regional strength are critical. Narativ with its deep foothold in MENA, Africa CIS and other key markets makes them a natural strategic partner as we expand FlareFlow and bring microdrama to new platforms, telcos and audiences.
Narativ, which is joint venture Sandhu operates with Copyright Capital, manages around 7,000 hours of content and has a digital network spanning 150 million subscribers across 21 language.
COL Group has emerged as one of the biggest microdrama platforms, running platforms such as FlareFow. It is also a part-owner of ReelShort.
