MAM
Indians make presence felt on Cannes Lions 2012 jury
MUMBAI: At least two creative brains from the Indian advertising fraternity will be seen on the jury at Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity 2012. While DDB Mudra Group COO Pratap Bose will be representing India on the Promo & Activation Lions category, Scarecrow Communications founder director Manish Bhatt will be on the jury for the Direct Category.
Apart from his position as the COO of DDB Mudra Group, Pratap Bose is also a member of the company‘s operating board. He drives the vision and growth strategy for the Group comprising DDB Mudra, DDB MudraMax and Mudra. He joined DDB Mudra Group from Ogilvy & Mather India where he had worked for 17 years in various capacities and went on to becoming its CEO in 2006.
Meanwhile, In a career spanning 15 years, Bhatt has worked with agencies like Ogilvy & Mather, McCann Erickson, Ambience Publicis and handled brands like Tata Indicom, Aegon Religare, Cadbury, Asian Paints, HSBC, Hanes, Wonderbra, Vaseline, Johnson & Johnson, L‘Oreal, Nestle, Eristoff (Bacardi), Barclays, Anchor Panasonic, Viacom 18 and many more.
His work has been recognised by award bodies like Cannes Lions, D&AD, One Show, Clio, Communication Arts, Asia Pacific Awards and many more.
Colenso BBDO New Zealand creative chairman Nick Worthington is the Promo and Activation Lions Jury President this year. While, Shalmor Avnon Amichay / Y&R Interactive Tel Aviv former chief creative officer and joint managing partner Gideon Amichay will chair the Direct Lions Jury.
Brands
Raj Cooling Systems launches Agreyas appliances brand
Emraan Hashmi named brand ambassador for consumer appliance push.
MUMBAI: A company known for cooling solutions is now heating up its ambitions in the home appliances market. Raj Cooling Systems Pvt. Ltd. has launched a new consumer appliances brand, Agreyas, marking its entry into India’s rapidly expanding home appliances sector valued at more than Rs 1.5 lakh crore. The move represents a strategic diversification for the company, which has traditionally focused on cooling solutions for residential, commercial and industrial applications. Through Agreyas, the firm plans to tap into growing consumer demand for energy efficient and technology driven household appliances.
To build brand visibility, Agreyas has appointed Emraan Hashmi as its brand ambassador. The campaign has been developed under the banner of Zoommantra Productions, with actor and filmmaker Rohit Roy contributing to the creative direction.
The brand’s initial portfolio will include mid premium air conditioners, washing machines, geysers and other white goods designed to cater to modern Indian households seeking efficient and reliable appliances.
Raj Cooling Systems, founder and chairman Kalpesh Ramoliya said the launch aligns with the company’s broader expansion plans.
“The launch of Agreyas is in line with our vision to build a strong presence in India’s consumer electronics and home appliances market. The brand has been developed as a standalone identity to meet the evolving needs of Indian consumers,” he said.
Hashmi said the collaboration comes at a time when Indian buyers are increasingly looking for innovative and functional home solutions.
“I’m looking forward to working with Agreyas at a time when consumers are seeking more innovative and efficient home products. The brand reflects changing consumer behaviour around functionality, innovation and ease of use,” he said.
Raj Cooling Systems plans to invest around 10 million dollars in developing the brand, with an additional 5 million dollars earmarked over the next three to five years for product development and distribution expansion.
Agreyas will follow a multi channel distribution approach, selling through online platforms, retail outlets and dealer networks aimed at both urban and semi urban markets across India.
With the launch, the company is positioning Agreyas as a standalone consumer facing brand while continuing to leverage its existing manufacturing, engineering and research capabilities built through its core cooling solutions business.
