News Broadcasting
Leo Burnett pledges itself to brand belief
Global recession and changing brand management techniques have contributed to the setting up of a Brand Belief System by Leo Burnett India. The new concept is intended to get more consumers by converting them into brand loyalists by winning their belief in the product.
The agency is investing Rs 20 million over the next six months to implement the system in the country, says MD Arvind Sharma. In addition to training and sensitising of the agency staff to the new system, the investment will cover a minority strategic stake in a new consumer research agency. The agency – Monitoring & Research Systems (MaRS) has been promoted by Raghu Roy, former president of ORG-Marg.
While the concept of Brand Belief has been developed by Leo Burnett over the last three and a half years, MaRS has been working with the Burnett Chicago team to validate their new research tool, Brand Stock, for the Indian market. According to Roy, Brand Stock measures a completely new set of parameters, so far in the domain of ‘soft-issues’ and could revolutionise the way clients and agencies manage brands. MaRS, says Roy, will be different from traditional consumer research agencies in that it will keep up with changing research requirements of clients and will have a large number of monitoring systems built into it as well.
The Brand Belief System envisages putting the consumer at the center of a campaign, rather than treating him as the end target of an ad, says Sharma. “The only way brands can get consumers to stay tuned in to brands’ commercial messages is by making a believer out of them”, says national director, brand planning, Rajeev Sharma. Quoting global studies, Asia Pacific Regional Planning director John Woodward says a five per cent increase in consumer retention can result in a 25 per cent increase in profits and often even a 100 per cent growth rate.
News Broadcasting
CNN-News18 to host Fury in the Gulf conclave on West Asia crisis
Three-hour summit to unpack geopolitical fallout and impact on India
MUMBAI: CNN-News18 is set to host a special three-hour broadcast, Fury in the Gulf – War Conclave, on April 7, aiming to decode the escalating West Asia crisis and its far-reaching implications for India.
Scheduled from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM, the conclave comes at a time when tensions between Iran and the United States are reshaping global geopolitics and triggering economic uncertainty. With India’s deep energy ties, trade links and large diaspora in the Gulf, the developments carry significant domestic relevance.
Built around the theme ‘Conflict, Consequences, and The Future,’ the programme will feature six curated sessions combining one-on-one interviews and panel discussions. The focus is to cut through the clutter and offer viewers a clearer understanding of the fast-evolving situation.
Key sessions include ‘Diplomacy in Times of War’ featuring Shashi Tharoor, and ‘World After the Iran Conflict’ with voices such as Ram Madhav, Reuven Azar, representatives from the European Union and the Iranian Deputy Envoy. Another session titled ‘Another Dunkirk?’ will bring together K. J. S. Dhillon and Jitin Prasada among others.
CNN-News18 editorial affairs director Rahul Shivshankar said, “In times of war, clarity becomes the most powerful tool. Fury in the Gulf – War Conclave brings together credible voices to address the questions and confusion that arise amid an overwhelming influx of information.”
He added that the initiative is aimed at delivering “facts, perspective, and insight” at a time when misinformation can easily cloud public understanding.
Echoing the sentiment, CNN-News18 CEO– English and business news Smriti Mehra said the conflict marks a defining global moment, with consequences that extend well beyond the region. She noted that the conclave seeks to present the crisis with “depth, nuance and responsibility” so audiences can better grasp its real-world impact.
As geopolitical tensions continue to dominate headlines, the conclave positions itself as an attempt to bring order to the noise, offering viewers a structured, insight-led look at a complex and rapidly shifting global situation.
