Author: Rabindra

FILA’s latest campaign marks the 50th anniversary of the brand’s debut in the world of sports

~Under the title ‘Numbers are Just Numbers without Love’, the campaign aims to highlight FILA’s sports heritage while communicating the passion that has driven the brand over the past half-century~

4th July 2023: Leading sportswear brand FILA is all set to commemorate the 50th anniversary of its remarkable journey in the world of sports by launching a new digital campaign featuring real voices and experiences of its ambassadors.

FILA unveiled its iconic F-Box logo in 1973, marking the brand’s debut in the world of sports. Over the last half-century, FILA has been worn by extraordinary athletes at the most iconic moments in sport. Highlighting the brand’s rich history, its impact on sports culture and its commitment to excellence and innovation, the campaign features a powerful line-up of FILA ambassadors both past and present including such as iconic Björn Borg, Suzanne Schulting, Grant Hill, Reinhold Messner, Alessandra Chillemi and Reilly Opelka.

Significantly titled, “Numbers are just Numbers without Love”; FILA not only aims to convey the profound passion that has fueled the brand throughout its 50-year journey in the sporting world, but also how each of its champions have always proved that there are more things at play than just the records they set.

The film starts with a poignant line- “What is being number one without following your own beat”? which sets the tone for an inspirational narrative that goes beyond winning for the sake of victory alone and doing more of what we love.

The digital film recounts a series of such stories to bring the endearing campaign message to life. Like the historic event when Soldini selflessly abandoned his solo round-the-world race to rescue Isabelle Autisser who was shipwrecked in the vastness of the Pacific Ocean, an act of compassion that exemplified how FILA’s champions embody values such as courage, empathy, and solidarity. Or when FILA recognized and highlighted the environmental efforts associated with Reinhold Messner’s mountain ascents – an authentic demonstration towards sustainability and conscious practices. By using their voices, the campaign instills a bold message and closes on a thought-provoking note- “And what are 50 years of performance without love?” alluding to the brand’s journey in the world of sports.

Deepika Deepti, Senior Vice President Marketing, Metro Brands Limited said, “FILA is proud to celebrate the heritage of the brand over the past half century through its digital campaign. The brand is committed to instill the same passion that has fueled its journey while inspiring us to do more of what we love, to go beyond just our achievements, and let our passions move us.”

Apart from this video manifesto, the larger social media campaign composed of meaningful insights from several sporting icons will roll out over the coming months and accompany the brand’s communication throughout its anniversary year.

Posh Nosh Bar & Kitchen Unveils Exciting New Menu to Delight Food Enthusiasts

Hyderabad: June 30th, 2023: Posh Nosh, a lively bar and kitchen the renowned culinary destination known for its exquisite dining experience, is thrilled to announce the launch of its New Menu. This culinary wonderland promises a fascinating voyage for your taste buds with an enhanced menu featuring tantalising cuisines across India (Telangana, AP, TN, Kerala, and Karnataka), Asia, Italy, and Continental Europe. This will enable you to have a distinctive native eating experience and raise the dining experience.

With a focus on culinary innovation, exceptional flavors, and the use of premium ingredients, the revamped menu is set to tantalize the taste buds of food enthusiasts and elevate the dining experience to new heights.

Try the new menu to give your taste buds the finest experience, which includes ‘Soups & Salads’ covering all the taste buds such as, Mushroom & Broccoli Soup, Tom yam Shrimp, Gosht ka marag, ( Salads) Crapes, Black Rice Salad,

The starters include foods like (Veg) kung pao broccoli, Tandoori flowreds cheese cotted nuts, Chilli corn pokoda (Non –Veg) Double cooked crispy Korean chicken, , Charcoal roasted prawns, Pulled Chicken tikka, Nellore Chapala fry, Gongura chicken ghee roast, Trio toast, Pesto fish, to name a few.

In the Mains (Veg) Thai Red curry with Jasmin rice, Vegetable Pulao, Veg Biryani, Panne Pomodoro, Herb Oil, Parmesan crisp (Non-Veg) Butter Chicken Masala , Laccha parata, Kodi Pulao, Murgh dum Biryani, Spaghetti Bolognese, mascarpone cheese. Leaving on a sweet note with classic Gulab Jamun, Rava Laddu, Double ka meetha, Chocolate brownie with ice cream.

Inspired by Regional culinary trends and the changing seasons, the new menu at Posh Nosh Bar & Kitchen boasts a tantalizing array of dishes meticulously crafted by our team of talented chefs. Each dish showcases the finest ingredients sourced from local farmers and trusted suppliers, ensuring an unrivaled freshness and quality.

Speaking on this Mr. Sai Mohan Nallam, Managing Partner, Posh Nosh said, “We are delighted to introduce our new menu, which reflects our commitment to culinary excellence and creating memorable dining experiences for our esteemed guests. Inspired by Regional culinary trends and the changing seasons, the new menu at Posh Nosh Bar & Kitchen boasts a tantalizing array of dishes meticulously crafted by our team of talented chefs. Each dish showcases the finest ingredients sourced from local farmers and trusted suppliers, ensuring an unrivaled freshness and quality. We have taken great care in curating a selection of dishes that blend innovative flavors, unique techniques, and artful presentation to cater to the diverse palates of our patrons.”

Adding more to it Chef Srinath, Executive Chef Posh Nosh, known for the global Cuisine, said, “I am overjoyed to unveil Posh Nosh Bar & Kitchen’s new menu. Each meal has been carefully prepared to highlight the best ingredients and flavours as the pinnacle of my passion for culinary creativity. I welcome our visitors to embark on a culinary adventure and experience the harmonic fusion of creativity, skill, and flavour that is in store for them. Be prepared to be delighted and inspired.

Social Beat’s Digital Leadership Summit 2023 examines Growth Through Innovation

Social Beat held a ‘Growth through Innovation’ digital leadership summit in Chennai attended by more than 100 high-level marketers spread across industries from the city and elsewhere. The Key Note address of the summit was by Mr CK Ranganathan, the founder, CM&MD of CavinKare, while marketing heads of Google, Snap Chat, TVS Eurogrip and Sundaram Finance among others shared insights on their growth story with innovative strategies in expanding their customer base.

Mr. C K Ranganathan, Managing Director, CavinKare said, “Growth through innovation has be a structured process driven throughout the organization by company heads. Leaders have to be proactive, agile and develop strategic plans based on their market intelligence and trends. I think there are 5 key elements in ensuring the success of any organization and that is Strategy, Structure, People, Process and Technology. If a company understands these 5 steps and takes action in implementing them, then they are on the right track.”

Mr. Ajit Narasimhan, Chief Marketing Officer, Sundaram Mutual Fund said, “A lot has changed from around 2010 to where we are today. And I think there are three important changes with respect to the BFSI industry. One, technology. Two, Building presence. And when you build your presence, the audience wants to consume it so you need to start making investments in technology and thus the third, Adopting and embracing various digital platforms with content to reach out to our audience. Digital marketing and new technology is no more a cost centre, but an investment and revenue generator.”

Mr. Arjun Bhatia, Chief Marketing Officer and SVP, Matrimony.com, said, “The match making business has been in the online space for about 20 years now. But since there has been a traditional history to it we had to innovate to get people to accept our offering. Early on discovery was happening online and consumption was offline but now both the discovery and the consumption has moved online. Given the complexity of catering to the need of different groups with different beliefs, innovation via digital has helped us manage this transition and make match-making an easier process for the customer. Innovation at various levels have helped us get here.”

Ms. Kavitha Ganesan, Head-Brand Marketing, TVS Eurogrip said, “It is a challenge for an offline brand to get success via Integrated Marketing and that too for a low involvement category. A further challenge was how to move from brand communication to brand experience. At TVS Eurogrip we managed this via an innovative campaign that involved digital, traditional and innovation all focused towards making the brand speak and touch our prospects at various points. So the Integration with the Chennai Super Kings brand had to be supplemented with a well thought out innovative campaign that didn’t stop at TV Advertisements. We integrated the campaign though various touch points both in the digital and physical worlds. The end result was immensely satisfying and paid us rich dividends.”

Ms. Ruchita Taneja Aggarwal, Director, Google said, “India is going through rapid digitisation. Affordability of data has levelled the field and online content is consumed by everyone. Today, an individual has multiple devices. Therefore, its relevant for a brand to be present across various devices and various mediums. You Tube shorts that was first launched in India sees more than 6 million users and businesses need to create formats of communication workable in many verticals. At Google we see consumers coming to one platform to consume content of all kinds. So clearly YouTube is now a single stop destination that an organization cannot ignore.”

Mr. Gaurav Jain, Head of Emerging Business, Share Chat, said, “Growth today is coming equally from the urban and rural areas. We at Share Chat help companies to realize that significant improvement can be attained by generating content and promotions in regional languages. Today, Share Chat has a user base of more than 325 million. More than 30 crore people come to our platform on a monthly basis to get entertained, express themselves by posting videos which is why we are confident of guiding clients to help with messaging in the right context to generate maximum hits.”

Suneil Chawla, Co-founder, Social Beat, said, “Social Beat is committed to innovation in the digital world to help our Clients excel in their domain. We offer solutions and practices to help customers break through bottlenecks in their transformation journey. Social Beat seeks to constantly innovate and offer products that will enable customers to make significant strides in their business digitally.”

 

Homebuyer’s Remorse – Causes and How to Avoid It

by Akash Pharande, Managing Director – Pharande Spaces

Buying a home is one of the most significant financial decisions you will ever make. Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for some homebuyers to experience doubt and regret after the purchase. This is known as buyer’s remorse and can apply to any purchase, but buying a home is not the same as buying a mobile phone or air conditioner, for various obvious reasons.

The stress that comes from buying the ‘wrong’ home is considerable, with far-reaching financial implications, and it is very difficult to reverse. Obviously, the best strategy is not damage control but avoiding a regrettable home purchase altogether. Ultimately, the journey of homeownership is supposed to be joyous, fulfilling, and enriching. It is unthinkable to have to factor in and prepare for possible disappointment.

In short, buyer’s remorse, as it applies to a home purchase, must be avoided at all costs because the cost of not avoiding it is massive. Let’s delve into its causes and discuss some mitigating strategies you can use. To understand it, let’s look at the most common causes of homebuyers’ remorse.

The ‘Real’ Cost of a Cheap Home

The initial euphoria of having sealed a ‘steal’ deal on a home tends to dissipate quickly. Cheap homes are inexpensive for good reasons. To deliver that attractively low price tag, the developer has cut corners and ‘optimized’ costs. These cost-cutting measures will invariably reflect in location, specifications, project amenities and facilities, overall security, ‘smart’ features, and construction quality.

Location: The real drawbacks of a wrong location come to light only gradually, long after the sales deed has been signed, and irrevocable financial commitments have been made. In marketing material, the tag ’emerging location’ (usually coupled with qualifiers like ‘promising’ and ‘exciting’) certainly indicates that prices here will be lower than in ‘established’ areas.

But it can also mean that the area lacks the kind of social and civic infrastructure that makes life comfortable and convenient. If you’re interested in a project in an ’emerging’ area, ask others who live there whether they feel that it is developing quickly, slowly, or at all, and how easy or hard it is to live there.

Is there adequate water supply, or does the area rely on an endless parade of water tankers? Is the electric supply reliable or given to frequent outages? How close is the project to a major road that creates a lot of traffic noise and air pollution? Are you happy with the view from the apartment’s windows and balcony?

Check whether you can easily buy your daily necessities nearby, how close the children’s school is, and how easily and quickly you can commute to work and back. Evaluate the neighborhood: Is it safe, or do you see a lot of ‘informal’ housing like hutments and chawls, which could indicate a higher crime rate?

Project amenities and facilities: The lower the price tag, the fewer of these will be available. Compared to a bigger project by a well-known developer in the same area, the cheaper project you’re considering will fall short on the lifestyle quotient. The developer would have sacrificed space, effort, and expense in favor of churning out more flats.

While you may be able to live without a swimming pool, the absence of a clubhouse, jogging track, children’s playground, and well-maintained green open spaces will eventually impact the quality of your family’s life.

Smart features: A home without technology to make living there more enjoyable cannot stand the test of time. Smart features such as electronic surveillance, electronic kitchen hobs, and adequate Internet availability are absolutely essential nowadays.

Our kids are growing up with technology in their DNA. Education is increasingly Internet-based, and you yourself may have the opportunity to work from home or in hybrid mode. Modern electronic security systems make life safer. If you’ve bought a home that does not support the growing tech revolution, you will regret it sooner rather than later.

Green open spaces: If all you see around you is concrete or construction rubble, you will grow tired of the new home pretty quickly. The human senses long for the sights and sounds of nature, and adequate greenery also fulfills vital physiological needs. Do not be swept away by the cheap price if it means that your children will grow up without the sounds of birds chirping and tree leaves rustling in the breeze, and you cannot sit under a tree when you feel like it.

Construction quality: Most homebuyers, especially those buying their first homes, lack the knowledge to judge between good and substandard construction quality and the materials used. Here again, flaws will show up only after the sale is done.

Construction quality means many things, including the quality of cement and the ratio of sand mixed into it, the grade of internal steel rods used, the overall engineering and architectural design, the quality of fixtures and fittings, and many other aspects.

An inexperienced buyer cannot evaluate most of these. However, there are some rudimentary tell-tale signs to look out for:

a) Exterior structural flaws that have been patched may indicate a weak foundation for the project.
b) Small cracks in a flat’s walls, squeaking or sticking doors and windows, water leakage patches, and incorrectly positioned or uneven floors and bathroom and kitchen tiles.
c) Non-branded taps and electrical fittings and cheap paint on the walls.
d) Lifts manufactured by obscure local players whose names you have not heard before.
e) Walls and ceilings thin enough to hear the neighbor’s TV blaring or footsteps upstairs.

Any indication of obscure or unfamiliar brands is a warning sign. Such properties will deteriorate quickly, require frequent, costly repairs by the homeowners, and result in a significantly lower resale value. Buying a home in a cheaply constructed and badly designed project will lead to buyer’s remorse as surely as night follows day.

The only way to avoid this trap is to go for a property in a well-established, reputed developer with a strong brand and a reputation to uphold. Branded builders use high-quality construction materials and architectural designs, hire only reliable contractors, and guarantee thorough quality control throughout the construction process.

Major Remorse Factor – Downsizing Your Future

It is crucial to thoroughly assess your family’s current and future needs before buying a home to ensure it provides adequate space and functionality to support your lifestyle. While a smaller home will doubtlessly be cheaper, limited living space makes it difficult for family members to have their own personal areas or find privacy.

Cramped living environments lead to eventual conflicts among family members, make it challenging to store belongings, and limit the activities you can comfortably engage in. If your family expands or your needs change, a small home may quickly become inadequate.

You would eventually find it necessary to sell it and move to a larger property sooner than you expected. At that stage, you will find that smaller homes are harder to sell than bigger ones. The limited size will deter potential buyers, resulting in a longer time on the market and potentially affecting the home’s overall value.

There are obviously other aspects that can lead to homebuyer’s remorse, such as over-leveraged home loans, unforeseen financial setbacks such as job loss, and generally unrealistic expectations. However, those may have nothing to do with the property itself and need to be thought through no matter what kind of home you buy.

Avoiding homebuyer’s remorse requires thorough research and also enough insight into your own current and future needs, expectations, and potential lifestyle changes.

One of the best ways to ensure that the property stays relevant, useful, and enjoyable is to buy it in a modern integrated township. Not only do township developers include all the above-mentioned features, but they also ensure that the project runs flawlessly and sustainably.

To quote famous financial advisor Suze Orman – “Buyer’s remorse is the feeling of sadness or regret after making a purchase. The best way to avoid it is to think carefully before buying.” This may seem self-evident, but when it comes to buying a home, it is the best advice possible.

KAI Hocho Nakiri Knife Elevating Precision Cutting in Culinary Excellence

KAI India, a highly esteemed Japanese manufacturer of top-quality kitchen tools and accessories, proudly presents the Kai Hocho Nakiri Knife. This extraordinary knife is meticulously crafted to elevate precision cutting and streamline the intricate process of preparing fruits and vegetables. With its exceptional cutting capabilities, the Kai Hocho Nakiri Knife aims to revolutionize culinary craftsmanship, making it an indispensable tool in every kitchen.

The Kai Hocho Nakiri Knife showcases remarkable features that enhance its performance and functionality. Its blade, crafted with meticulous attention to detail using both traditional Japanese techniques and modern carbon steel, boasts rustproof qualities and exceptional resistance to dulling. This sharpness guarantees effortless cutting and ensures long-lasting performance.

“The Kai Hocho Nakiri knife comes equipped with an ergonomic handle made of comfortable nylon resin, offering a secure and pleasant grip that enables extended cutting sessions without discomfort or fatigue. Its versatile design effortlessly handles a wide range of vegetables and fruits, excelling in precision slicing and removing potato eyes. The razor-sharp blades preserve ingredient integrity and quality, safeguarding taste and nutrition throughout the cutting process,” says Mr. Rajesh U. Pandya, Managing Director of KAI India. This exceptional knife will elevate the culinary skills of both professional chefs and home cooks alike.

The Kai Hocho Nakiri Knife is available for purchase on their website, https://kaiindiaonline.com/, as well as all leading e-commerce platforms, priced at just INR 649/-. Experience the art of precision cutting and elevate your culinary creations with the Kai Hocho Nakiri Knife from KAI India.

UltraTech ranked No. 1 cement company for sustainability in 2023

June 23rd, 2023: UltraTech Cement Limited, India’s largest cement and ready mix concrete company, has been ranked No.1 in Sustainability in the Infrastructure and Engineering sector in Sustain Labs Paris and BW Businessworld’s India’s Most Sustainable Companies list for 2022-2023.

UltraTech has seen an improvement in its overall position in India’s Most Sustainable Companies ranking. From being ranked No. 15 in 2021-22, the Company has improved two positions to No.13 in 2022-23. This improved ranking is a recognition of the significant progress made by UltraTech in its key sustainability focus areas of decarbonisation, circular economy, energy transition, water conservation and biodiversity management, as well as its ongoing efforts towards community development.

The rankings were unveiled at an awards event held in New Delhi on 20th June 2023. The rankings are based on extensive research done by Sustain Labs Paris to assess the sustainability performance of India’s 500 largest companies by revenue for FY2023 in accordance with the SLP Sustainability Cube framework. Basis the research and deliberations of an esteemed jury, 200 companies were selected as among India’s Most Sustainable Companies for 2022-23.

Championing Climate Action

UltraTech is a signatory to the Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA) Climate Ambition 2050 and has committed to Net Zero Concrete Roadmap announced by GCCA. UltraTech has taken a holistic approach to embed sustainability across its value chain. It has integrated a low carbon strategy into its business conduct. It is scaling up investments in the development of innovative products and services, improving energy efficiency, increasing the share of renewable energy, and scaling up the use of alternative fuels and raw materials (AFR) in its manufacturing operations.

UltraTech’s key sustainability commitments include:
• Reduce Scope 1 CO2 intensity by 27% by 2032 from 2017 levels, and
• Reduce Scope 2 CO2 intensity by 69% by 2032 from 2017 levels.
• To become 5 times water positive by 2024.
• To meet 100 percent of its electricity requirement through renewables sources by 2050.

Leading GCC Sun Life Asia Services Centres repositions itself as Sun Life Global Solutions

Bengaluru, June 19, 2023: Sun Life Asia Service Centres (ASC), a microcosm of the global insurance and asset management leader Sun Life, repositions itself as Sun Life Global Solutions (SLGS). The strategic move aims to advance the organization’s value proposition and further its journey in close collaboration with Sun Life’s business groups. In line with its ambitious growth trajectory, SLGS aims to recruit 1000 approx. new talent in the next two years. This significant expansion presents a distinct opportunity for skilled workforce in India and Philippines to collaborate with Sun Life, effectively showcasing their exceptional capabilities and immense potential.

The new name Sun Life Global Solutions (SLGS) underscores its global impact delivered through developing solutions, experiences and furthering innovation. With this strategic evolution, SLGS will also reaffirm its position as a key talent hub for Technology, Operations and Client care center. In addition, it will also lay focus on its expertise in key knowledge skills like actuarial, finance services, legal services, risk and compliance monitoring.

Sun Life plays an essential role for its Clients in the areas that matter most to them, and takes great pride in helping them build brighter, optimistic futures for themselves and their families. The goal is to build deeper digital relationships and more personalized experiences so we can better anticipate and serve our Clients’ unique needs. SLGS brings deep technology and digital capabilities by attracting top talent and a constantly upskilling workforce comprised of dynamic and motivated professionals.

Expressing his views on the repositioning, Mr. Tarun Sareen, Managing Director, Sun Life Global Solutions, said, “It is truly a privilege to be the enablers driving the organisational Purpose of Sun Life in India and Philippines. The word Global reflects our outreach and the collaborative journey with Business Groups across the globe. And the word Solutions emphasizes our focus on designing and delivering solutions to our clients and advisors – be it through a digital asset, a transaction we process, a Client call we cater to or a solution. Solutions to us signify optimism and taking the forefront to solve challenges, create pathways and manifest opportunities – and keep on architecting and solving for the future. This is what makes us – Sun Life Global Solutions “

He further said, “Our culture is our superpower. SLGS takes pride in being a Great Place to Work. We are committed to nurturing a purpose led and values driven culture where we all do best work of our lives thriving in a diverse, equitable and inclusive work environment. We believe in truly empowering our teams through a caring and thriving workplace encouraging them to bring their whole and authentic selves to work. Further with a shared vision and purpose, inclusive leadership, people centric practices we are building a highly engaged workforce which imbibes a sense of belonging.”

Sun Life Global Solutions plays a key role in driving the organisation’s enterprise strategy. They provide services and solutions to all pillars – Canada, Asia, US and Asset Management and Corporate functions. Over the course of its journey, SLGS has evolved as a key capability hub, creating many assets for the organization like Client Care Centre, Operations, Technology, Financial shared services, Actuarial, Legal and HR Shared services amongst others. Sun life Global Solutions will play an even larger role in the coming years by nurturing a stronger talent pool and leading digital and transformation initiatives.

Sun Life Global Solutions is a listening, caring and vibrant organization, its consistent high engagement scores speak of this culture. SLGS has received the Great Place to Work honorifics, ranked among the “Top 100 Best Companies for Women in India”, SLGS has been featured among India’s Best Workplaces in IT & IT-BPM 2022 – Top 50 by Great Places to Work. These recognitions reflect our Culture, practices, and focus on being a purpose-led organization well-equipped to serve business priorities and deliver exceptional value for its clients.