Madison
Madison PR on an account winning spree
MUMBAI: Madison Public Relations has been on an account winning spree in the last few weeks. At least five new brands have been added to the agency’s clientele list.
The new wins include – Perfetti Van Melle India Pvt. Ltd, Standard Chartered Bank’s Manhattan Credit Card, Bombay Management Association (the apex body of professional managerial activities in Mumbai), Internet and Online Association and Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX), which is a ‘new order’ nationwide, online multi-commodity exchange.
Commenting on the new acquisitions, Madison Public Relations CEO Veena Gidwani said, “We are really happy to have the opportunity to work with these clients. All of them have selected Madison PR in multi-agency pitches. I think that our strong focus on creativity and delivery were the factors that helped us get these businesses.”
Madison Public Relations, a part of Madison Communications, has maintained a sharp growth over the past three years and currently works with blue chip companies like P&G, Sify, Café Coffee Day among many others from the FMCG, IT, pharma, health care, food, jewelery and lifestyle, fashion, engineering and financial services industries.
MUMBAI: Sam Balsara’s Madison Communications has announced its entry into the field of in-film advertising and marketing of films and music.
For the same, Madison has acquired a new firm operating called TeamWorks fp&e. The new company with an authorised share capital of Rs 10 million will operate under the name of Madison Teamworks FP&e (MATES).
TeamWorks FP&e, which was the brainchild of Darshana Goradia (ex-Sony TV) and Sooraj Bhalla (executive producer of the film Sharaarat), already has business in hand of over Rs 30 million and has 14 clients like LML, Frito Lays, Reebok, Castrol, etc.
TeamWorks FP&e is currently working on several films including AB Corp’s Virudh, Creative Eye’s Aabra-ka-Daabra, Entertainment One’s Waqt and various films from Ram Gopal Varma’s – The Factory.
Says Balsara, “We and our clients are constantly looking for new ways to reach the consumer in an impact full manner and with least cost. The high cost of conventional media accompanied by the growing clutter has made in-film advertising an exciting and viable opportunity. On the other hand producers who are also constantly under pressure of making more lavish productions and then finding ways and means of meeting such expenditure are now more open to commercial exploitation of their properties. In keeping with the Madison philosophy, we will offer a highly specialised expert service in this area in a completely transparent manner, which should be welcome by both clients and film producers.”
He further added, “Between Madison, Darshana and Sooraj, I believe we have what it takes to make a successful foray in this area: An understanding of brands and their requirements, client trust and confidence, creative abilities to weave brand stories into film plots, an understanding of producers’ concerns and beliefs, a knowledge of what is happening in the film market and finally selling skills. Over the last few months we have had several discussions with Darshana and Sooraj and I was extremely impressed with their entrepreneurial spirit and with what they had achieved in a short time with very little resources.”
TeamWorks FP&e has successfully managed to get Shahrukh Khan to wear Levis jeans with Reebok shoes and have a cup of coffee at Café Coffee Day or bite a pizza at Pizza Hut. All this happened in the film Main Hoon Naa, where the mentioned advertisers experienced the medium called cinema through the relevant in-film advertising.
Consider another example of their work, in a film called Kyun Ho Gaya Naa, where Vivek Oberoi is shown as a rally enthusiast and hence his introduction in the film is wearing an Overall with Lancer, Castrol, Ceat and Cafe Coffee Day logos. The extensive rally sequence saw Oberoi zooming ahead in an interestingly designed Mitsubishi Lancer Car, with a pit-stop where the Ceat Radials were changed and Castrol GTX Magnatec was poured into the winners car with close shots of the product pack and the logos.
MATES is planning on rendering its services in the area of film promotions and marketing as well. Says Goradia, who will head MATES as CEO, “I am sure that advertiser spends in this area are going to grow by leaps and bounds in the near future and our joint venture with Madison enables us to operate on a wider canvas and with adequate resources to get a good share of this market. Madison is like a dream come true, not only because of its enormous size and reputation but also because of its liberated entrepreneurial ideology. I have dealt with Madison Media when I was with Sony and know the organisation and have got to respect it for its objective and professional outlook with a focus on deliveries.”
Bhalla, who will be director – content, says, “I believe the new venture will turn under-utilised resources of content into profit for a large number of producers and they should welcome our move. Also, we will be now in capacity to inculcate a corporate and professional culture in the fraternity, which is much needed. On the whole, the marriage with Madison will facilitate entry into untapped areas and markets, quicker and at less cost.”
MATES will be the seventh specialised unit of Madison; other units being Creative, Media, Outdoor, Rural, PR and Retail.
