MAM
IAMAI talks digital
MUMBAI: It’s time to take conversations on digital to the next level believes CMOs. At the 10th marketing conclave hosted by Internet & Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) the point of discussions revolved around how brands are and should revise digital business and promotional strategies.
While it is understood that for brands today ‘digital’ is a must have platform in its media mix; marketers are willing to go beyond the traditional line of communication. It is interesting to note how CMOs are thinking digital to push business as not just another medium of promotion, but are now ready to revise digital strategies too.
Today, traditional advertisements are created thinking whether or not it would be shared online. Word-of-mouth now happens more on digital platforms like social and mobile.
According to Taj Group’s director internet marketing Namrita Sehgal, the change will begin when marketers start thinking digital. “Humanising communication and offering personalised experiences is what brands need to start doing on digital. Consumers should be spoilt for choices because today there are multiple windows to cater to.”
There will always be price parity and someone will always give you that extra per cent off believes Pinstrom founder Mahesh Murthy.
Different brand categories have different needs to take care of on digital but the bottom line of every move needs to revolve around the engagement factor. Vodafone Group head- marketing Vodafone Solutions- Emerging Markets advices, “Brands shouldn’t shy away from the changing dynamics of communication.”
MoneyControl.com chief operating officer Rubeena Singh thinks this challenge comes from the ever changing consumer need. Brands need to start looking at integration with more seriousness; if the plan is to make a mark. Valuefirst chief executive officer, Vishwadeep Bajaj is of the opinion that the need of the hour is to make content contextual. On the other hand, Puma India’s head-marketing Isaac John, thinks that brands should focus on putting across content to the point and not bombard them. “The art of storytelling needs to be crafted well if brands want to make a mark on digital too,” added John.
For Sehgal, spotting loyal consumers and building communities on digital media is on his to-do list for the days to come. Singh too believes that content marketing is the way to go. Marketers have started looking at roping in the right talent to enhance digital business and communication. It can also be observed that SMEs are getting it right on digital. For these scale of businesses digital has been like a game changer. Mass brands are impressed by the way these small businesses are hitting the right cord on digital.
To create digital first strategies, brands over time have also transformed themselves to suit the current screen to screen era. McDonalds director marketing & PR Rameet Arora emphasises on the point that today a customer wants everything with just one click of a mouse. “For instance, if a person wants to know how many calories does a type of burger has, we at McDonalds have to give him that. Brands have to make sure that all the criteria’s of a customer’s needs are fulfilled.”
The CMOs feel that the digital model has helped smaller brands to compete and grow as well. Marketing Unplugged CEO Suman Srivastava pointed out the Zomato model.
MTV India digital head Ekalavya Bhattacharya went on say that the need today is not only to get a viewer on board but to also know his/her preference and work according to that so he/she comes to the medium again and again. “If a person listens to a particular kind of a song say on the website or on our app then we should be equipped enough to know that he/she needs to be contacted when say a musician of his/her choice plays in the city.”
An idealist thought indeed.
It is impressive to see how serious marketers are towards digital. For marketers the road ahead on digital looks easy to discover because the communication has definitely gone to the next level. The only thing that might come as a hurdle is the challenge to decode big data smartly and get focused.
Brands
Big Bowl appoints Lyxel & Flamingo as social and media partner
QSR brand eyes next growth phase after crossing Rs 100 crore ARR milestone
MUMBAI: Big Bowl, one of India’s largest bowl-format quick service restaurant brands from Lenexis Foodworks, has appointed Lyxel & Flamingo (L&F) as its social and media partner as it prepares for its next phase of growth.
The partnership comes after the brand crossed the Rs 100 crore annual recurring revenue milestone in 2025 and aims to help accelerate its journey towards Rs 150 crore ARR in its fifth year since launch.
Big Bowl currently operates more than 250 kitchens across 50 cities and has emerged as a major player in India’s organised bowl-format food segment. Built around hearty portions and delivery-first convenience, the brand offers a wide mix of Indian, Chinese and fusion bowls designed for quick, affordable and portable consumption.
As urban consumers increasingly gravitate towards easy-to-carry and value-driven meal formats, the company sees the bowl category as a scalable format aligned with modern eating habits.
With the appointment of Lyxel & Flamingo, Big Bowl plans to consolidate its social media and digital media operations under a single partner. The move is intended to sharpen its digital reach, strengthen youth-focused storytelling and improve performance marketing outcomes.
Lyxel & Flamingo, one of India’s largest independent digital-first agencies, manages more than 350 brands and oversees advertising spends exceeding $100 million across its network.
Under the mandate, the agency will handle Big Bowl’s social media strategy, content development, digital performance marketing, media planning and buying, as well as campaign amplification across platforms.
Commenting on the partnership, Lenexis Foodworks founder and director Aayush Madhusudan Agrawal said, “Big Bowl has scaled rapidly to cross Rs 100 crore ARR and established itself as one of the largest bowl-format brands in the country. As a delivery-first, digitally native brand, our next phase of growth will be driven by sharper performance systems and stronger brand storytelling. Consolidating social and media with Lyxel & Flamingo allows us to integrate data, creativity and media precision as we scale towards our next revenue milestone.”
Lenexis Foodworks marketing head Vikas Iyer, added that the delivery-led category requires content, media and performance marketing to work closely together.
“With Lyxel & Flamingo, we aim to build a sharper social voice, stronger acquisition systems and measurable impact, ensuring the brand scales not just in presence but also in precision,” he said.
Lyxel & Flamingo chief executive officer Dev Batra, said the agency will combine data-driven marketing with creative storytelling to support Big Bowl’s growth. “Big Bowl brings the flavour, and L&F brings the fire. Our strategy combines data-led performance with engaging storytelling to help build a strong digital brand presence while delivering measurable business results,” he said.
With this partnership, Big Bowl is looking to strengthen its position as a digitally driven QSR brand, blending brand-building with performance marketing as it scales within India’s rapidly growing organised food delivery market.
