Below The Line
Whirlpool announces BTL – corporate Master Chef ‘Kitchen Wars’
BENGALURU: Starting tomorrow, 32 teams comprising six members each from 29 different large corporates in Bengaluru will vie for a trip to Bangkok. The ‘Whirlpool Kitchen Wars’ contest is a culinary one, with Chef Jolly of the Master Chef Junior fame as one of the judges. Presented by Whirlpool of India, the idea has been conceived by Something’s Cooking Culinary Arts (SCCAPL). Jolly employer, JW Marriot Bangalore is also one of the sponsors of the event.
Whirlpool of India vice president- corporate affairs & strategy, Asia South Shantanu Das Gupta says, “We are extremely thrilled to present the first season of ‘Kitchen Wars’ where participating teams will bring out their best culinary skills using our new range of Built-In appliances. We are happy with the overwhelming responses for the event; several leading corporate houses have come forward to be a part of the inaugural edition of Kitchen Wars. Whirlpool of India wishes all of them good luck.”
Company sources informed www.indiantelevision.com that this sub-Rs 50 lakh BTL event would gain Whirlpool of India a good amount of exposure to its target audience, who would be using Whirlpool home appliances during the contest.
‘Kitchen Wars’ will happen over three weekends in July starting 12 July. The winner of the contest will get an all-expense paid trip of three nights and four days to Bangkok which will include a workshop / demo on French cuisine or pastry/ Thai cuisine/ food and wine pairing. The first and the second runner-up will win Kitchen Aid appliances, co-sponsor of the event, worth Rs 50,000 and Rs 30,000 respectively. Participants from companies like Infosys, Dell, SAP, Sabre, Citrix, Adobe, Mindtree, L&T Finance, Motorola Mobility, SanDisk, Deutsche Bank, Puma, Deloitte, Adobe, Cafe Coffee Day and others are participating in this culinary battle.
Says SCCAPL founder and head of the table Satish Venkatachaliah, “It is an exciting concept getting the corporates to incorporate every possible management concept in the kitchen. Not only do they have to work together as a team, but have to compete with the rest of the teams as well in a scenario highly reflective of the real corporate world. Food and kitchen have always played a significant role in our lives, and the teams will learn a lot while having fun. It will be great to see the teams replicating their board room strategies while competing for the winning title.”
MUMBAI: Jayaram Nair, a seasoned brand activation guru, has launched Intensity, a joint venture with Tribes Communication, and is relocating to Bengaluru to spearhead the new venture. Nair, who boasts 26 years of experience in the cut-throat world of BTL media, is promising to deliver “high impact solutions” across India’s sprawling marketing landscape.
“I’m excited to announce my new gig,” Nair declared on LinkedIn, “Intensity is a fresh venture, a JV with the award-winning Tribes Communication. We’re talking integrated brand building, folks, and we’re ready to get going.
Nair’s resume reads like a who’s who of Indian advertising, with stints at Cheil India, Percept Ltd, and Publicis Groupe. He’s a self-proclaimed “growth specialist,” “motivator,” and “change leader,” with a knack for P&L management and a “practical approach” to problem-solving.
“I’ve been around the block,” Nair quipped, “From Mumbai to Gurgaon, I’ve seen it all. Now, I’m bringing that experience to Bangalore, but let’s be honest, the whole world’s my playground.”
Intensity, backed by Tribes’ extensive network across 14 cities, is set to offer a full suite of brand building services, from live events and retail branding to loyalty programs and gaming events. Nair’s experience in “dark marketing” (read: cigarette promotions) suggests he’s not afraid to tackle tricky briefs.
“With a handpicked team and a pool of top-notch partners, we’re ready to fuel growth,” Nair asserted. “We’re not just building brands; we’re building empires.”
He will be operating from Bengaluru, but it is clear his ambition is to take on the whole of the Indian market.
This move marks a bold step for both Nair and Tribes, as the duo aims to carve out a significant slice of India’s burgeoning marketing pie. With Nair’s experience and Tribes’ reach, they are setting their sights high.
