MAM
Love Runs Deep: Instagram’s new campaign aimed at marketers
KOLKATA: Instagram on Thursday launched a new campaign called Love Runs Deep which will provide a unique marketing platform to businesses, with a little help from its throng of influencers.
The Facebook-owned platform has been at the core of influencer marketing as new age creators have found a home for their creativity on the platform. Jumping on the bandwagon, brands are also heavily investing in influencers to boost their digital reach. Love Runs Deep seeks to redefine the way brands can authentically tell their stories while engaging with influencers.
A diverse set of creators and influencers – Masaba and Neena Gupta, chef Ranveer Brar, vlogger Kusha Kapila, cricketer Harmanpreet Kaur, Savi and Vid from Bruised Passports and Sakshi Sindwani from @stylemeupwithsakshi are involved in this project.
In a statement, Instagram said this is the social media platform’s first campaign in India which is aimed solely at marketers and advertisers.
As part of the campaign, brands are invited to submit their briefs in the ‘Love Runs Deep challenge’, and five of them will be chosen to have exclusive access to 25 creators to work with them free of cost. In addition, they will be eligible for $25,000 worth of ad credits to run their campaigns. The brands can be from all over India and can be big or small businesses.
The campaign began on 8 November and entries close on 13 November. Brands can submit their briefs on the campaign website. The campaign will continue for a duration of four months and will be promoted through print and digital media, as well as on the Facebook family of apps. The jury making the selection will include experts not only from Facebook but from big brands and top agencies.
Facebook India global marketing solutions director and head Sandeep Bhushan, said that through Instagram, they want to spur the interaction between creators and brands in a way that redefines the ecosystem, and allows stories to be told with greater business impact.
Speaking about Love Runs Deep, fashion designer Masaba Gupta said Instagram allowed her to build a community and she now considered it her second home. “I am because they are. And so I’ve partnered with Instagram to show that love really does run deep, far and wide.”
The campaign is set against the backdrop of the BCG-Facebook Turn The Tide report, which stated that digital influence has increased significantly in urban consumers: up to 70 per cent for mobiles, 55-60 per cent for apparel, and up to 20-25 per cent for the non-food CPG categories.
As the economy unlocks and brands look to capitalize on the resurgence in consumer demand, the timing of the campaign was opportune, said GroupM South Asia CEO Prasanth Kumar, who is also a member of the selection jury. “We believe that influencer marketing will play a vital role in telling brand stories in an effective way, something we need more of this year. Together with Instagram, we want to create effective methods for Indian brands to reach various audiences,” he added.
Brands
33 per cent of women believe the salary scale is rigged: Naukri report
Voices @ Work study finds rising calls for equal pay audits and lingering bias
MUMBAI: Progress may be visible in India’s workplaces, but many women still feel the need to tread carefully. A new report by Naukri reveals that one in two women hesitate to disclose marriage or maternity plans during job interviews, worried that such information could influence hiring decisions.
The findings come from the second edition of Naukri’s annual Voices @ Work International Women’s Day report, titled “What Women Professionals Want.” Drawing insights from more than 50,000 women across over 50 industries, the survey sheds light on evolving workplace aspirations alongside the biases that continue to hold women back.
One of the report’s most striking insights is the growing demand for equal pay audits. The share of women calling for regular pay parity checks has climbed to 27 per cent this year, up from 19 per cent a year ago. The demand now stands alongside menstrual leave as the most sought after workplace policy.
Interestingly, the call for pay transparency grows louder higher up the income ladder. Nearly half of women earning between Rs 50 lakh and Rs 1 crore annually say equal pay audits are a priority, suggesting that pay gaps become more visible as women move up the career ladder.
At the same time, confidence and ambition appear to be rising. About 83 per cent of women say they feel encouraged to pursue leadership roles, a significant jump from 66 per cent last year. Cities in southern India appear particularly supportive, with Hyderabad leading the way as 86 per cent of respondents there reported encouragement to step into leadership positions. The education sector recorded the highest sense of encouragement at 87 per cent.
Yet the report also highlights a growing trust deficit around pay equity. Nearly one in three women, or 33 per cent, say they do not believe men and women are paid equally at their workplace. That figure has risen from 25 per cent last year, pointing to widening perceptions of disparity as careers progress.
Bias in hiring and promotions continues to be the biggest hurdle. About 42 per cent of respondents say workplace bias is the main challenge for women from diverse backgrounds. The concern is consistent across major metros, with Chennai and Delhi NCR reporting similar levels.
Reluctance to discuss personal milestones during hiring processes is also widespread. While 34 per cent overall said they hesitate to share marriage or maternity plans in interviews, the anxiety increases with experience. Among professionals with 10 to 15 years of work experience, the figure rises to 40 per cent.
Info Edge group CMO Sumeet Singh, said the data reflects both progress and unfinished work. “Behind every data point in this report is a woman who is ambitious. The fact that 83 per cent feel encouraged to lead is something to celebrate. However, the fact that one in two still hide their marriage or maternity plans in interviews tells us the work is far from done. As India’s leading career platform, it felt not just important but necessary for us to shine a light on these gaps through the second edition of our report,” he said.
The report suggests that while ambition among women professionals is growing, structural changes around pay transparency, fair hiring and supportive policies will be key if workplaces hope to keep pace.
