Brands
Gift of the jab: Wow! Momo to get employees vaccinated on 1 May
MUMBAI: In the wake of the second wave of the Covid2019 pandemic, Wow! Momo has offered free vaccination for its 2,500+ employees. As the country looks forward to starting its 18+ vaccination drive from 1 May 2021 onwards, the Indian fast-food chain made this announcement keeping in mind its employee’s safety and welfare.
Incidentally, Wow! Momo’s staff vaccination drive coincides with International Workers’ Day or Labour Day, observed all over the world on 1 May.
CEO Sagar Daryani said, “Vaccination begins at home; it’s our attempt to give our Wow! employees a completely safe working condition and a reassurance that we will stick with them come what may. This is also a reward for their resilience and passion; they have been with us through thick and thin last year and this is the least we would want to do”.
With this initiative, the company is trying to ensure the safety of both employees and customers, noted Wow! Momo national head Niloy Chakraborty.
“For us our employees are our first consumers – and this initiative is a testimony of our people first mentality. Amidst the crisis of the second wave of the virus where India is fighting the battle together every single day, employees have been standing by the company in their support and are of the utmost importance. The company has quoted ‘Woh Safe toh Guest Safe. Guest Safe to Country Safe’,” Chakraborty elaborated.
Wow! Momo & Wow! China has more than 350 outlets pan-India. The initiative also pledges the brand’s commitment towards safety, health and hygiene of its consumers. Be it delivery or take away; brand is ensuring all hygiene and safety standards.
“This is an initiative that is close to our heart; it marries our core values of people first and customer centricity to the need of the hour,” added Daryani.
Brands
Malaika Arora launches accessories brand Maejoy
The Bollywood star’s lifestyle brand, built with Myntra and Exceed Entertainment, promises aspirational fashion without the high price tag
MUMBAI: Malaika Arora is not the first Bollywood star to put her name on a brand, and she will not be the last. But Maejoy, the accessories label she has launched in partnership with Myntra Jabong India Private Limited (MJIPL) and talent outfit Exceed Entertainment, at least has a sharper pitch than most. The brand drops with 250-plus styles spanning handbags and lab-grown diamond jewellery, two categories that sit squarely in the sweet spot between aspiration and affordability, and lands on Myntra’s platform from day one, putting it in front of millions of shoppers without breaking a sweat.
The handbag range covers the full gamut: crossbody bags, structured shoulder bags, bucket bags, totes, workwear classics, backpacks and clutches, rendered in synthetic leather, raffia, braids, satin, rhinestone and metallic finishes. The jewellery line runs to rings, earrings, pendants, bracelets and tennis bracelets in silver, gold and rose-gold tones, set in 925 sterling silver with IGI and GCI certified lab-grown diamonds. The brand’s guiding philosophy, “The Joy of Being Me,” stakes its claim on individuality and self-expression; its three brand pillars, Authentic, Empowering, Accessible, are the usual suspects, though the lab-grown diamond bet is savvier than it sounds. Lab-grown stones now sell at a fraction of the price of mined ones, and the category is growing fast in India as younger buyers wise up to the arbitrage.
“Maejoy is a labour of love. Throughout my career, whether on screen, in business, or through my personal style, I’ve championed the idea that fashion should be empowering yet effortless. The brand aims to democratise global fashion trends while offering women something that extends the feeling of luxury every day, be it a lab-grown diamond or a perfectly crafted handbag,” said Malaika Arora, founder of Maejoy
MJIPL, the B2B wholesale arm of Myntra, is putting its design and brand-building muscle behind the venture. Suman Saha, chief experience officer and head of house of brands at MJIPL, was bullish on the tie-up.
“Maejoy brings together Malaika Arora’s distinctive style perspective with a strong proposition in the accessible yet elevated accessories space. We believe the brand’s fashion-forward designs and thoughtful positioning will connect strongly with discerning consumers.”
Suman Saha, chief experience officer, head of house of brands, MJIPL
Afsar Zaidi, chief executive of Exceed Entertainment, the talent management firm that helped broker the deal, has worked with MJIPL before and was characteristically direct about what makes Arora an unusually bankable partner.
“Building celebrity-led brands requires a delicate balance of authenticity and market viability. Malaika is a rare talent who commands equal respect as a fashion icon and a savvy businesswoman. We are proud to facilitate this partnership that brings together her creative clout and Myntra’s brand-building excellence,” said Zaidi
Celebrity fashion brands live or die on one question: does the star actually wear it, or is the cheque the only thing they signed? Arora, who has spent three decades as one of Bollywood’s most-watched style references, has at least built a plausible case. Maejoy is live now on www.myntra.com and the Myntra app. The real test, whether shoppers buy the handbag or just the hype, starts today.
