Author: Rabindra

Reasons Why You Should Have a Customer Loyalty Program for Your Retail Store

The saying “customer is king” holds a deep truth in the world of business, emphasizing the essential role customers play in achieving business goals and ensuring long-term profitability. Given the diversity among customers, businesses must recognize and reward their most loyal and dependable patrons. Studies show that even a modest 5% increase in customer retention can lead to a significant boost in profitability—up to 50%. This underscores the importance of customer loyalty programs in retail.

Here are six compelling reasons, highlighted by QueueBuster POS, why every retail store should embrace a customer loyalty program:

1. Enhanced Customer Engagement
A well-designed loyalty program, supported by CRM software, allows businesses to offer loyalty memberships and personalized discounts. This not only enhances customer engagement but also strengthens brand presence. Loyal customers are particularly valuable; apart from giving repeat sales, they are also more likely to engage with your brand on social media and actively promote your products. Investing in customer loyalty therefore yields significant dividends.

2. Improved Customer Segmentation
Loyalty programs provide valuable insights into customer buying behavior. By leveraging advanced tools like a Customer Reward Management System, businesses can effectively segment their customer base according to various criteria. This refined segmentation enables more targeted marketing efforts, allowing you to cater to the specific needs and preferences of different customer groups.

3. Positive Revenue Growth
Implementing a robust loyalty program can significantly enhance your profits. When loyal customers see the benefits of their loyalty, they are more likely to make repeat purchases and follow product recommendations. Offering incentives further encourages them to return, ensuring a steady and reliable stream of revenue for your business.

4. Increased Customer Retention
Customer retention is critical to maintaining a successful business. By utilizing tools like coupon management software, businesses can offer personalized coupons that encourage repeat purchases. Building long-term relationships with customers not only ensures their return but also allows you to develop new products and offers that align with their preferences, keeping your business thriving.

5. Organic Brand Ambassadors and Influencers
Satisfied customers, nurtured through loyalty programs, naturally become advocates for your brand. Their positive experiences become the foundation of word-of-mouth marketing, contributing to organic and authentic brand promotion. In today’s influencer-driven market, loyalty management software can help identify and leverage the right brand ambassadors, further enhancing your brand’s visibility and reputation.

6. Strengthened Brand Trust
Loyalty programs are instrumental in building and maintaining brand trust. When customers feel emotionally connected to a brand, they are more likely to recommend it to others, leave positive reviews, and even create user-generated content. With the support of customer rewards management software, establishing and nurturing this trust becomes effortless, leading to long-lasting relationships with your customers.

7. Reduced Marketing Costs
Last but not least, customer management programs help in reducing marketing costs. With more and more repeat customers, you save on customer acquisition costs (CAC). A loyalty program helps you maximize the value of your current customer base.

Samsung Semiconductor India Honors Young Innovators with Hackathon in ‘Samsung Innovation Campus’ Programme

India, August 29, 2024: Samsung Semiconductor India Research (SSIR) conducted a hackathon followed by an award ceremony for the students graduating under Samsung Innovation Campus, the flagship CSR programme of the brand. Conducted in Bengaluru, the initiative empowered over 1100 undergraduate engineering students with theoretical and project training in cutting-edge technologies like AI and IOT. Certifications in these courses will make them job-ready, and also provide a platform that enables them to showcase their capabilities and present their innovative ideas as entrepreneurs.

Samsung Innovation Campus (SIC), the flagship CSR programme, empowered students from over 30 Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU) affiliated colleges in future-tech domains. This initiative strengthens Samsung’s commitment towards the Government’s Skill India initiative as part of the company’s vision of #PoweringDigitalIndia.

“Samsung has been committed to creating a generation of young innovators through exchange of knowledge, and collaboration under the guidance of its leaders as mentors. We are excited to handhold these young minds through a platform of skill-based learning as they prepare to shape the future of our country with their passion and potential”, said Balajee Sowrirajan, Corporate Executive Vice President & Managing Director at Samsung Semiconductor India Research.

The SIC Hackathon journey began with a rigorous ideation phase, where students submitted over 500 capstone projects. A competitive selection process led to 50 teams participating in a mentorship program under the guidance of experts from SSIR, and training partners, CoCreate and Skyrim Innovation. The grand finale showcased the qualifying teams’ ground-breaking solutions to a distinguished panel of judges comprising SSIR leadership, VTU dignitaries, and industry experts. The event was a culmination of months of hard work, dedication, exceptional talent, and ingenuity of the participating students. Notably, standout ideas with potential for deep tech products were awarded, highlighting the initiative’s role in fostering entrepreneurship among tomorrow’s innovators.

“The partnership with Samsung Semiconductor India Research has been instrumental in unlocking the full potential of our students. The SIC Hackathon is a shining example of the innovation and ingenuity that thrives within our campus. We are excited and optimistic that the program will enable the nation’s youth for future-tech domains,” said Dr. S Vidyashankar, Vice Chancellor, Visvesvaraya Technological University.

Winners of the SIC Hackathon 2024 from VTU:

1. First Prize (INR 3 Lakh scholarship): Arihant Patil and Aenessa Vaz from KLS Gogte Institute of Technology, Belagavi for their innovative solution- Electro Relief from Primary Dysmenorrhea
2. Second Prize (INR 2 Lakh scholarship): Kshiti Gaddigoudar, Omkar Pote, Pratham Jadhav, Chandan Parasharam Kangralkar and Narayan Sabale from Jain College of Engineering, Belagavi, for their innovative solution- Design and Development of Soft Robotics Glove for Patients with Multiple Sclerosis
3. Third Prize (INR 1 Lakh scholarship): Vishal M Koti, Siddhartha Mahesha Pundit and Srivathsa Nadig from Jyothy Institute of Technology, Bengaluru for their innovative solution- Bark up the Right Tree: Treatment of Used Books to remove ink
4. Appreciation Award 1 (INR 50,000 scholarship): Prarthana Nandi and Ankush Shreeshailappa Nagathan from Dayananda Sagar College of Engineering, Bengaluru, for their commendable efforts- Workflow Augmentation and Virtual Assistance
5. Appreciation Award 2 (INR 50,000 scholarship): Kiran Bastwad, Suchit Malalikar, Sushant Kadam and Ajinkya Jadhav from Jain College of Engineering, Belagavi, for their commendable efforts- Wireless Multi-Functional Data Transfer and Charging Dock

All qualifying teams were recognised with certificates acknowledging their efforts in the SIC program. The SIC Hackathon has not only provided students with valuable technical skills but has also fostered an entrepreneurial mind-set, encouraging them to turn their innovative ideas into viable start-ups.

Akamai Named a Microsegmentation Leader

Bangalore, India | August 29, 2024 – Akamai Technologies, Inc., the cloud company that powers and protects life online, today announced it was named a Leader in The Forrester Wave™: Microsegmentation Solutions, Q3 2024 report. Forrester evaluated 11 total vendors in the microsegmentation space based on 23 criteria grouped by current offering, strategy, and market presence. Akamai received the highest scores possible in flow and asset discovery, policy management, ZTNA integration, incident response, pricing flexibility and transparency, supporting services and offerings, revenue, and number of customers criteria.

The report notes, “Today’s solutions can quickly tighten your security posture by blocking risky ports and applying other broad horizontal security policies.”

Forrester writes that “Akamai Guardicore shows off true innovation with ZTNA integration and multifactor.” The report goes on to state that “Akamai Guardicore was a Leader in the previous Forrester Wave on microsegmentation as well. Since then, the vendor has released a steady stream of microsegmentation-related innovations like multifactor segmentation, as well as integrations with the parent company’s ZTNA solution, DNS firewall, and threat intelligence (Akamai Hunt).”

The Akamai Guardicore Platform simply and efficiently enables Zero Trust through a single agent that fully integrates microsegmentation, ZTNA, multi-factor authentication, DNS firewall, and threat hunting. Furthermore, Akamai updated the microsegmentation component with a host of improvements designed to streamline workflows and enhance security postures, including new AI-powered features designed to simplify the user experience. These include multi-factor segmentation that recognizes authentication checks as part of microsegmentation rules, essential policy that enables quick implementation of researched and best practice–based policies, and integration of worksites to allow scoped delegation.

“For us, being recognized as a Leader in the Forrester Wave is a testament to our commitment to our customers and validates the hard work and dedication of our team,” said Pavel Gurvich, Senior Vice President, General Manager, Enterprise Security at Akamai. “We are honored to be acknowledged as a leader in this evaluation and remain committed to keep pushing the boundaries to help our customers achieve their goals.”

The Future of Talent Management in Consulting Firms: Building the X-Factor

[Mumbai, 29th August, 2024] — IndusGuru, a leading online curated business network, has conducted and released its latest findings from the Consulting Talent Management Research Survey 2024, revealing crucial insights into talent management in the consulting sector. The survey was conducted among 14 prominent consulting firms and gathered responses from over 75 participants, including 20 senior partners. It highlighted the industry’s urgent need for reflection and reinvention amid turbulent times characterized by digital disruption, climate change, geopolitical shifts, and evolving career expectations.

As the consulting sector faces a wave of recent layoffs, the survey identifies significant trends and insights across three key areas:

● Talent Acquisition Practices
● Alternate Talent Engagement Models
● Diversity, Inclusion, and Flexibility

Talent Acquisition Practices

The survey discloses a notable shift in talent acquisition strategies among consulting firms. Historically reliant on top MBA graduates, firms are now recognizing the importance of a diverse skill set that includes expertise in digital technologies, industry-specific knowledge, and functional expertise. Only 47% of respondents indicated that they predominantly hire from MBA schools, while 85% reported hiring from engineering colleges and 50% from design and humanities schools.

Moreover, the traditional model of grooming talent from entry-level to partner positions is evolving. With growing talent gaps, firms are increasingly engaging in lateral hiring from the industry, including recruiting partners, to address these challenges. The survey found that only 58% of respondents aspire to grow within their firms to achieve partner status, prompting firms to explore alternative career paths for non-partners.

Diversity, Inclusion, and Flexibility

In the post-COVID era, flexible working arrangements have become essential for retaining talent and enhancing employee satisfaction. New practices previously unthinkable in blue-chip consulting firms are now being implemented, including three days of in-office work, part-time contracts, and relaxed dress codes for non-client days.

Despite advancements, diversity remains a critical challenge within the industry, particularly at the partner level, where gender diversity lags behind other sectors. The survey indicates that gender diversity at partner levels stands at 10%-15% and 20%-30% for middle management. To address this, firms are adopting structural measures such as achieving 50:50 hiring at analyst levels, utilizing alumni networks, integrating returning mothers, and improving diversity within succession pipelines.

Alternate Talent Engagement Models

The survey highlights the growing trend of alternate talent engagement models, with 80% of respondents indicating their use to some extent. These models include freelance contracts, expert consultations, and fixed-term engagements, allowing firms to quickly build teams and access specialized skills.

Commenting on this trend, Deepak Malkani, Co-Founder of IndusGuru, stated, “Organizations are warming up to gig-hiring of experienced professionals—driven by three factors: access to specialized talent, speed and agility to respond to business needs, and the ability to ‘variabilize’ fixed costs.”

Partners across firms confirmed an anticipated increase in the use of flexi-model talent engagement, with 10-20% of project teams expected to include talent from alternate sources.

Vishwarang 2024 in Mauritius: A Historic Celebration Uniting Cultures Across 50 Nations

India, 29th August 2024: Vishwarang, renowned as India’s largest festival dedicated to language, literature, art, and culture, celebrated its Sixth edition this year with a grand event in Mauritius. The festival brought together more than 300 creators and artists from 50 countries around the world, facilitating an exchange of ideas and cultural dialogues, with a special focus on the Hindi language and traditions. Jointly organized by Rabindranath Tagore University, Bhopal, and the World Hindi Secretariat, Mauritius, the festival received widespread acclaim on a global scale and was witnessed by more than 1 crore people.

During the festival, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi lauded the event in his message, stating, “The annual celebration of language, literature, art, and culture through Vishwarang is commendable.” Mauritian Prime Minister, the Honorable Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, emphasized the significance of Vishwarang in strengthening cultural and educational ties between India and Mauritius. He remarked, “This event has elevated the cultural and educational dialogue between the two nations to new heights.”

Mauritian President, His Excellency Prithvirajsing Roopun, described Vishwarang 2024 as a historic cultural milestone for Mauritius, stating, “This festival has set a new benchmark in the cultural landscape of Mauritius.”

In the closing session, Mr. Santosh Choubey, Director at Vishwarang and Chancellor of Rabindranath Tagore University, made three significant announcements:

The announcement of the Afro-Asia International Vishwarang Award

On this occasion, Vishwarang Director Santosh Choubey announced that starting from Vishwarang 2025, a distinguished individual making global contributions in the fields of education, literature, art, and culture will be honored with the “Afro-Asia International Vishwarang Award.”

A Grand Global Event: ‘Hindi Olympiad’ will be Organized

Under the Vishwarang initiative, the ‘Hindi Olympiad’ will be organized in more than 50 countries. Competitions will be held at various levels on topics such as storytelling, poetry, songs, non-fiction prose, environment, climate change, new farming techniques, scientific writing, technical education, skill development, and artificial intelligence. The event will involve participation from one million students and contestants.

Translation Work to be Promoted at a Global Level

Along with the Tagore International Hindi Center, a ‘Multilingual Translation Center’ has also been established at Rabindranath Tagore University, Bhopal. The primary objective of this center is to promote translation work on a global scale.

On this occasion, Mr. Santosh Choubey also presented the Rabindranath Tagore Institute in Mauritius with a life-size statue of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore, which was unveiled by His Excellency, President Prithvirajsing Roopun.

Fellow dignitaries who attended the event includes H.E. Smt. Nandini K. Singla, High Commissioner of India (Mauritius), Hon. Leela Devi DookunLuchoomun, GCSK Vice-Prime Minister, Minister of Education, Tertiary Education, Science and Technology (Mauritius), Dr. Madhouree Ramdharee, Secretary General, World Hindi Secretariat (Mauritius), Shri Rajcoomar Rampertab, GCSK Director General, MGI/RTI (Mauritius) Shri Indradut Ram, Chairman, MGI & RTI Council (Mauritius) and Mr. Karamlall Mantadin (Mauritius).

During Vishwarang 2024, distinguished personalities from India and abroad were honored for their contributions to Hindi and literature. The Vishwarang bhasha Samman 2024 were presented by Mauritian Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jugnauth and Mr. Santosh Choubey. The esteemed awardees included Dr. Laldeo Ancharaz (Mauritius), Dr. Hemraj Sundar (Mauritius), renowned folk singer Dr. Malini Awasthi (India), acclaimed Bengali singer Ms. Jayati Chakraborty (India), Dr. Padmesh Gupta (UK), noted storyteller Dr. Divya Mathur (UK), and eminent tech expert Dr. Balendu Dadheech (India).

In the lead-up to the festival, various events such as painting, dance, and poetry recitation were organized in 50 schools and institutions across Mauritius, with participating students receiving certificates of appreciation. The cultural programs featured performances by artists from both India and Mauritius. Highlights included a dance presentation based on Braj’s Holi by Kathak dancer Kshama Malviya and her troupe from Bhopal, performances by artists from the Indira Gandhi Centre for Indian Culture, and folk music renditions by artists from the Mahatma Gandhi Institute.

India’s acclaimed folk singer, Padma Shri Malini Awasthi, captivated the audience with her powerful folk songs, while Kolkata-based Bengali singer Jayati Chakraborty mesmerized the crowd with her renditions of Rabindra Sangeet, making the evening in Mauritius truly magical. Vishwarang 2024 successfully provided a global platform for dialogue in the fields of language, literature, art, and culture. This event, held in Mauritius, has significantly enhanced the cultural and educational relations between the two nations.

IIT Roorkee and Jaro Education Partner to Offer a Cutting-Edge Programme in Data Science and AI

Roorkee, August 29, 2024: IIT Roorkee, in collaboration with Jaro Education, a pioneering institution in upskilling and a leader in the online higher education space, is delighted to announce the launch of the Post Graduate Certificate Programme in Applied Data Science & AI. This executive programme, offered by the Continuing Education Centre at IIT Roorkee, aims to equip professionals with the essential skills and knowledge required to excel in the fields of data science and artificial intelligence.

The Post Graduate Certificate Programme in Applied Data Science & AI at IIT Roorkee is meticulously designed to provide a comprehensive learning experience, encompassing both theoretical foundations and practical applications in these two programmes. The curriculum is continuously updated to include recent industry developments, such as Generative AI, ensuring participants are well-versed with the latest advancements.

The programme covers fundamental concepts, techniques, and real-world applications of data science and AI. Participants will gain hands-on experience with essential software tools and technologies, including Python, R, SQL, NoSQL, and cloud analytics.

Live interactive sessions are conducted online by esteemed IIT Roorkee faculty. The programme also includes two optional campus immersions, providing participants with an engaging and immersive learning experience.

The curriculum addresses the needs of various industries, including technology, healthcare, finance, retail, manufacturing, and telecommunications. Participants will learn to apply data science and AI in real-world business contexts, enhancing their ability to make data-driven decisions.

Through this comprehensive programme, participants will gain clarity and hands-on experience in data science and AI concepts, master the analytics workflow, including data management, model building, and result reporting, handle and process big data efficiently, understand the applications of data science and AI in various real-world contexts, develop proficiency in in-demand software technologies and tools.

The programme is designed for managers looking to integrate data science and AI into their business strategies and professionals aiming to enhance their career prospects in the rapidly growing fields of data science and AI.

The integration of data science and AI has opened numerous career opportunities across various industries. Professionals can pursue roles such as Data Analyst, Data Scientist, Machine Learning Engineer, AI Specialist, Data Engineer, Business Intelligence Analyst, and AI Research Scientist. The programme prepares participants to excel in these roles and contribute to the technological advancements in their respective fields.

The curriculum is divided into several modules, each focusing on different aspects of data science and AI including Conceptual and Technical Foundations, Data Mining and Machine Learning, Analytics using NLP, Time Series, and Networks, Data-Driven Web Products and Data-Driven Business Decisions.

The programme emphasizes hands-on learning, with participants engaging in real-world applications through datasets, software tools, and case studies. A capstone project allows participants to apply their knowledge to a comprehensive data science project, enhancing their practical skills and problem-solving abilities.

Participants have the opportunity to attend two optional campus immersions at IIT Roorkee. These immersions provide in-depth learning experiences, including interactive sessions, case studies, hackathons, and networking opportunities with faculty and peers.

Applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree with a minimum of 50% aggregate marks and preferably have one year of work experience. The selection process involves submission of personal details, educational qualifications, a resume, and a statement of purpose. The program duration is of 6-8 months.

Public Private Partnerships: A Blueprint for Sustainable Healthcare System in India

Healthcare accessibility and affordability are major concerns in India. To address these issues, the Central and State Governments have implemented various insurance schemes, including the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana, which provides free healthcare access to economically vulnerable Indians. Digitization efforts have also enhanced healthcare delivery and efficiency, with an 85% increase in teleconsultations and increased accessibility through digital platforms supported by the National Digital Health mission. Despite these commendable efforts, more needs to be done, given India’s massive population.

Accessibility is another major issue, with urban residents having access to 66% of hospital beds though they account for only 28% of the population, while the remaining 72% of rural residents have access to just one-third of the beds. Additionally, 67% of doctors practice in urban areas.

To achieve long-term and impactful change, the government and private sector must work together. Public-private partnerships have been successful in other sectors such as tourism, education, infrastructure energy etc. By leveraging the advantages of both sectors and forming a strategic partnership, the urban-rural healthcare divide can be bridged.

Public Private Partnerships have the Potential to Transform Healthcare in India

Over the past decade, the public-private partnership (PPP) model has been successful in India, thanks to various policy initiatives. The establishment of a public-private partnership appraisal committee has simplified the appraisal and approval of projects, enhanced transparency, and introduced competitive bidding processes.

In 2021, India received a committed investment of US$7.7 billion across 25 projects, the highest in the South Asia region. While most countries in the region experienced a sharp decline in private investment, India witnessed a 49% increase in private investment commitments.

However, it is crucial that PPP projects are tailored to the ground situation and aim for practical outcomes as resources are being pledged for such initiatives. Here are the ways PPP projects can help address healthcare accessibility and affordability in India:

Monetary Assistance

One of the ways PPP projects can address healthcare accessibility and affordability in India is by providing financial assistance. Many private sector companies have a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) budget, which can be effectively utilized to create an investment engine that can aid in the acquisition of new equipment and the refurbishment of existing infrastructure.

It is crucial to view CSR as an opportunity to build sustainable initiatives through long-term strategic planning and impact-driven goals, instead of focusing on short-term solutions. By utilizing CSR budgets effectively, private sector companies can contribute to the improvement of healthcare accessibility and affordability in India.

Utilizing Autonomous Domain Expertise

Companies and private sector organizations, such as those in the healthcare industry, now have greater access to in-house and independent domain experts with a track record of successfully building and operating organizations. These experts can effectively leverage their skills, technology, and insights to aid in the rehabilitation of healthcare infrastructure, which is crucial in improving access and affordability. Businesses with international experience can bring their knowledge to emerging economies like India to assist in the construction and expansion of existing infrastructure.

Technological Accessibility

Due to the competitive nature of the business ecosystem, private sector players have had to rapidly adopt digital and technological advancements across operational domains, giving them an advantage over public sector enterprises that continue to operate with traditional methods. A public-private partnership (PPP) can assist in disseminating these advancements to the wider public at an affordable rate, which can enhance the efficiency of the healthcare system. One example of this is the increased use of telemedicine.

Enhancing Affordability

If managed efficiently, PPPs can operate on the high-volume, low-margin models, optimizing efforts to create higher impact. In other words, public-private partnerships that work on a mass scale can help make services affordable while maintaining quality standards. This would offer quality healthcare at a lower cost, improving access to a wider range of the population.

Expandability

While private entities offer valuable resources and expertise, they may struggle with scaling reform projects at the national level. Public-private partnerships can help to overcome this limitation by providing the necessary support to expand programs and ensure their benefits are accessible across different regions.

Final Say

India’s digital interventions have put it on the path towards universal health coverage, but there is still room for improvement in extending healthcare services to all citizens. Innovative public-private partnerships can bridge the gap for underserved communities and improve the overall healthcare system in India. The government’s ability to provide scale and subsidies, combined with the private sector’s funding and expertise, can ensure the successful implementation of healthcare initiatives on a large scale and in a timely manner. Therefore, well-planned PPPs are the way forward to address current and future health challenges in India.

F5 Collaborates with Intel to Simplify the Security and Delivery of AI Services

INDIA, AUGUST 29, 2024 – F5 today announced it is bringing robust application security and delivery capabilities to AI deployments powered by Intel. This new joint solution combines industry-leading security and traffic management from F5’s NGINX Plus offering with the cutting-edge optimization and performance of the Intel Distribution of OpenVINO toolkit and Infrastructure Processing Units (IPUs) to deliver superior protection, scalability, and performance for advanced AI inference.

As organizations increasingly adopt AI to power intelligent applications and workflows, efficient and secure AI inference becomes critical. This need is addressed by combining the OpenVINO toolkit—which optimizes and accelerates AI model inference—with F5 NGINX Plus, providing robust traffic management and security.

The OpenVINO toolkit simplifies the optimization of models from almost any framework to enable a write-once, deploy-anywhere approach. This toolkit is essential for developers aiming to create scalable and efficient AI solutions with minimal code changes.

F5 NGINX Plus enhances the security and reliability of these AI models. Acting as a reverse proxy, NGINX Plus manages traffic, ensures high availability, and provides active health checks. It also facilitates SSL termination and mTLS encryption, safeguarding communications between applications and AI models without compromising performance.

To further boost performance, Intel IPUs offload infrastructure services from the host CPU, freeing up resources for AI model servers. The IPUs efficiently manage infrastructure tasks, opening up resources to enhance the scalability and performance of both NGINX Plus and OpenVINO ™ Model Servers (OVMS).

This integrated solution is particularly beneficial for edge applications, such as video analytics and IoT, where low latency and high performance are crucial. By running NGINX Plus on the Intel IPU, the solution helps ensure rapid and reliable responses, making it ideal for content delivery networks and distributed microservices deployments.

“Teaming up with Intel empowers us to push the boundaries of AI deployment. This collaboration highlights our commitment to driving innovation and delivers a secure, reliable, and scalable AI inference solution that will enable enterprises to securely deliver AI services at speed. Our combined solution ensures that organizations can harness the power of AI with superior performance and security,” said Kunal Anand, Chief Technology Officer at F5.

“Leveraging the cutting-edge infrastructure acceleration of Intel IPUs and the OpenVINO toolkit alongside F5 NGINX Plus can help enable enterprises to realize innovative AI inference solutions with improved simplicity, security, and performance at scale for multiple vertical markets and workloads,” said Pere Monclus, Chief Technology Officer, Network and Edge Group of Intel.

“When it comes to AI, we are witnessing an exciting time in India, as more and more businesses are adopting AI to automate their processes, gain faster insights, enhance product development, and achieve competitive advantage,” said Pratik Shah, Managing Director for India & SAARC, F5. “This partnership underscores our dedication to providing enterprises with advanced solutions that not only enhance performance, but also ensures robust security. By integrating Intel’s toolkit and processing units with F5’s NGINX Plus, we are offering a comprehensive, scalable, and secure AI inference solution.”

Parle G’s releases its latest campaign to celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi

Mumbai, 29th August, 2024: There are some things that we take for granted just because that is how it always is. Tradition carries on. Sometimes, the younger generation thinks twice about an accepted norm and infuses that tradition with a perspective that did not exist before. Parle-G’s Ganesh Chaturthi film is a celebration of the mood and joie de vivre that Lord Ganesha brings to every home on the eve of the festival.

The film is created as a timeless discourse about tradition and gender. It refrains from preaching or instructing the audience. Instead, the audience is drawn in as part of the story. Parle-G’s brand becomes part of the storyline, with a nod to the broader message.

The long-format film conceptualized and created by Thought Blurb Communications captures the mood and spirit of the festival. The film has been conceptualized in Marathi, since the festival holds more relevance in the Maharashtrian community and to reach a wider audience, it has been released in 4 more languages, as Ganeshotsav is now a pan-Indian festival.

Released in a total of 5 regional languages, Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Telugu and Gujarati the film aims to connect with the HSM market and build a stronger connection and recall value.

The story revolves around the protagonist who is charmed by the hubbub of activity in the house in the days preceding the coming home of Lord Ganesha. While the rest of the household is caught up in the buoyant mood of bringing Ganpati home, we see a little girl ask an innocent question. She is not quite satisfied with the response. This is noticed by our protagonist. In the course of the film, the question is resolutely answered, and the family, including the young girl, walks away happy.

The theme is explained succinctly by Mayank Shah, Vice President at Parle Products: “Parle-G is usually a participant in every festival and celebration in virtually every household in the country. The idea is powerful enough to merit its own expression. The storyline steers it to the brand’s purpose and delivers its message. The underlying Brand message “Genius is the one, who believes that in the Joy of Others lies our own” is delivered beautifully with emotions that leave most viewers moist eyed.”

Vinod Kunj, Chief Creative Officer at Thought Blurb Communications adds, “This is the third in a series of long format films we have created for Parle-G that touch upon cultural and social occasions that bring us together. The brief for the strategy and creative team was to shine the light upon an aspect of the event that hasn’t been dwelt on before and deliver the ‘genius’ thinking that is the soul of the brand’s communication.”

Renu Somani, National Creative Director of the agency says, “While every nuance of Ganesh Chaturthi has been covered extensively across every aspect of the communication spectrum, there are some facets that are still not explored. Traditions have always existed, and we all follow them to tell our stories. The way the story unfolds, it carries the brand message of true genius being about using one’s imagination to bring happiness to others.”

The tagline, ‘Genius wohi, jo auron ke khushi mein paye apni khushi’, completes the brand’s message and rounds up the communication. Quite importantly, without expressing any social or moral overtones.

Parle-G’s Ganesh Chaturthi film can be watched across social media and Video distribution platforms like YouTube. This sums up yet another facet of this timeless brand, Parle-G. An entity in the firmament of every community, and connected to the past and the present. But perhaps most importantly, with an eye to the future.