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<ul><li>Nearly 15 million girls enter the menarche cycle every year in India, yet more than 71% of them have no knowledge of <keyword id="555572" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Menstruation">menstruation</keyword> before their periods. </li><li>Stayfree is encouraging men and women, both, to start talking about menstruation.</li></ul>Stayfree has launched a campaign to lead the efforts towards normalizing the period conversation and motivates parents to mark the day with a positive and progressive approach towards menstruation. The multiple initiatives that encourage parents to drive a healthy conversation about menstruation include a film, #ItsJustAPeriod that urges families to support daughters who go through their first periods by keeping her informed and reassuring her that its normal and she needn’t be scared. <div type="Youtube" id="lWhaFjfZu4I" title="It's Just A Period" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/lWhaFjfZu4I/mqdefault.jpg"></div> Nearly 15 million girls enter the menarche cycle every year in India, yet more than 71% of them have no knowledge of menstruation before their periods. A girl’s first period can be difficult and confusing for her. Without proper information and guidance, they end up dreading periods for life. To address this, Stayfree has tied up with <keyword id="1698420" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Menstrupedia">Menstrupedia</keyword> to provide a free virtual session for parents to help them have a conversation about periods with their daughter. The session will ensure that families are able to overcome their inhibitions to have an open and healthy discussion. Stayfree has also associated with key influencers ranging from different walks of life, on social media to spread this message to a larger audience. “National Daughter’s Day celebrates the gift of daughters and signifies the importance and joy daughters brings to our lives. This Daughter’s Day, we urge parents to take the first step to make their daughter’s life easier by normalizing period conversation in their homes. All it takes is one conversation to help a girl understand more about menstruation, bust some myths, and make the journey of her menstruation normal. We at Stayfree are committed towards helping young girls and their families and will continue to support and encourage them.”

Stayfree urges parents to normalise talking about periods in its latest ad

<ul><li>We have grown up whispering every time we had to buy sanitary napkins that would then be covered in black polythene and handed over. </li><li>Years of social conditioning have built a culture of silence around menstruation. </li><li>To address the challenges of maintaining <keyword id="584178" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="menstrual-hygiene">menstrual hygiene</keyword> amid a pandemic-induced lockdown and break the taboos around it, feminine care brands have launched awareness campaigns on <keyword id="4584427" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="world-menstrual-hygiene-day">World Menstrual Hygiene Day</keyword>. </li></ul>Every year, on May 28, sanitary napkin brands come forward to raise awareness around menstrual hygiene, which is still a taboo in India. And periods don’t stop for pandemics. In fact, lockdowns intensify the impact of household level taboos and stigmas on women -- making it more difficult to manage menstruation without shame and discomfort in confined spaces. According to UNICEF, 70% of healthcare workers are women, and shortages of essential menstrual hygiene products like sanitary pads or tampons are already affecting certain populations. Therefore, to break the persisting stigma around menstruation, help women accept their bodies a little more and to make sure they follow safe menstrual hygiene, brands like Whisper, Stayfree, Pee Safe, Rio and UNICEF have launched powerful campaigns this year marking Menstrual Hygiene Day. Whisper’s #KeepGirlsInSchool Moving forward with their #KeepGirlsInSchool movement, Whisper India launched ‘Mobileshaala’ today, an initiative to provide free education while schools across the country remain closed. School closures due to the ongoing pandemic could lead to increased drop-out rates, disproportionately affecting adolescent girls. While closing down schools temporarily might help contain the virus, it could have a permanent effect on the future of many - especially marginalized girls, who are now even more vulnerable to dropping out of school in the absence of structured education. Uninterrupted learning is of utmost importance for these girls. With ‘Mobileshaala’, Whisper aims to #KeepGirlsInSchool. It is a phone-based learning system that gives free access to curriculum-based education modules on key subjects like English, Science and menstrual hygiene education. <div type="Youtube" id="aNBb-mvU4c4" title="Whisper MobileShaala" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/aNBb-mvU4c4/mqdefault.jpg"></div> UNICEF The UNICEF has launched a week-long campaign called #RedDotChallenge to ensure all girls manage their periods safely and with dignity. Organisation’s National Youth Ambassador Hima Das and celebrities like Sejal Kumar, Meghna Kaur, Aashna Shroff, Manushi Chillar and Dia Mirza, Aditi Rao Hydari, Diana Penty, Neeru Bajwa came forward to support the movement. <div type="javascript" title="Instagram" contenttype="Image"><cdata><![CDATA[ ]]></cdata></div> Pee Safe’s #BleedYourWay Pee Safe has launched #bleedyourway, an integrated campaign, marking Menstrual Hygiene Day with known faces including Kirti Kulhari and Sayani Gupta, among others. Pee Safe aims to break the taboo around menstruation and encourage women to #bleedyourway. Pee Safe’s campaign addresses some prominent themes including sex during periods, vaginal health, use of sustainable period care products, PMS, among others. The brand will also be distributing menstrual cups to underprivileged girls through an NGO. <div type="Youtube" id="vqYO_QyrTdU" title="जिस सोच ने आज बर्बाद किया, उस सोच को आज बदलते हैं | Pallavi Mahajan | STAGE" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/vqYO_QyrTdU/mqdefault.jpg"></div> RIO In our society, women have normalized the extremeness of their period due to lack of awareness about heavy flow and therefore do not realize that their condition might require them to use different products than the norm. This often results in leakage, staining, the napkin overflowing, a higher rate of infections because of leaving on a full pad for longer than it should in addition to rashes and discomfort because of having to compensate by using multiple pads at once. All of these are signs of poor menstrual hygiene practices. This year on Menstrual Hygiene Day, the brand addressed this issue through a campaign with a series of analogies to showcase how women feel when they use a regular napkin during heavy flow and calls out the oxymoronic habit that we have become accustomed with. This is questioned through instances that elaborate on the need for the usage of the right product that can handle heavy flow, which is essential for good menstrual hygiene. <div type="javascript" title="Instagram" contenttype="Image"><cdata><![CDATA[ ]]></cdata></div>

World Menstrual Hygiene Day: Brands come forward to raise awareness

A new <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412024004355#b0205">study</a> published in Environment International found that 14 of the 30 tampon brands tested contained measurable quantities of 16 metals, including <keyword id="21287030" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="heavy-metals" source="keywords">heavy metals</keyword> like lead and arsenic. Unlike other areas of skin, the <keyword id="22359234" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="vaginal-tissue" source="keywords">vaginal tissue</keyword> readily absorbs substances, potentially leading to "systemic exposure" to these metals, warn scientists. The study acknowledges several possible sources for the metals in <keyword id="21056381" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="tampons" source="keywords">tampons</keyword>. They could be present in the cotton itself due to environmental factors or contamination. Alternatively, the metals might be added during manufacturing for purposes like pigmentation, whitening, or anti-bacterial properties. But how “safe” are they? We know what you're thinking: a relatively tiny chunk of Indians use tampons. But while this study claims to be the first of its kind for tampons, this is hardly the first time questionable materials have been found in a <keyword id="22359233" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sanitary-product" source="keywords">sanitary product</keyword> created for women. Other heavy metals, potentially harmful <keyword id="20406621" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="chemicals" source="keywords">chemicals</keyword> and even carcinogens have previously been detected in sanitary napkins as well. And last we checked, over 40% of Indian women used <keyword id="584042" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sanitary-pads" source="Orion">sanitary pads</keyword> while menstruating. <h2>Link between sanitary pads and <keyword id="22359235" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="reproductive-diseases" source="keywords">reproductive diseases</keyword></h2>A 2022 <a href="https://toxicslink.org/publications/reports/wrapped-in-secrecy-toxic-chemicals-in-menstrual-products">report</a> focused on two main culprits: phthalates and volatile organic compounds that are added for elasticity and absorbency in pads. These chemicals were detected in all ten tested brands, including both inorganic and organic varieties. Popular names like <keyword id="20280828" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="whisper" source="keywords">Whisper</keyword>, Stayfree, Sofy, PeeSafe, Nua, and Plush were included in the analysis. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="111624399" title="How did over 800 students test HIV positive in Tripura?" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>Experts have repeatedly warned of the potential <keyword id="19977451" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="health-risks" source="keywords">health risks</keyword> associated with these chemicals, going as far as to suggest that these chemicals could disrupt hormonal functions, potentially leading to PCOS, endometriosis, and hypothyroidism. Long-term exposure may even increase cancer risk. The concern is heightened by the vagina's high absorbency, allowing these chemicals to enter the body at a faster rate. A lot of this is conjecture based on what doctors and experts suspect, primarily because not nearly enough research has been conducted on the potential impacts of sanitary products on women’s bodies. Naturally, there’s a lack of regulation from governments on period products. <h2>The glaring lack of proper labelling of sanitary products</h2>Sanitary product manufacturers love to wrap their stuff in flowery and “girly” packages, with the size of a pad’s wings and how it will last you all day long advertised in bold letters. But they don’t think it’s necessary to test their products for their content and perhaps even share that little tidbit with their customers. Companies making pads and tampons are usually exempt from listing ingredients as these are categorised as "medical products." However, many argue this label is misleading as pads cannot be considered medical intervention, they’re just for absorption. The absence of research on quality standards raises red flags. Individuals and NGOs have voiced concerns about potentially harmful chemicals in some pads but to no avail. Even existing regulations offer no solace. The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) did implement higher quality standards for reusable sanitary pads, sanitary napkins and period panties. However, Without ingredient lists, it's impossible for consumers to make informed choices about their health. <h2>A call for change</h2>This lack of transparency and outdated regulations create a situation where millions of women are unknowingly exposed to potential health risks. Sanitary pad companies should be required to list all ingredients on the packaging, empowering consumers with knowledge. The BIS needs to update its guidelines to include thorough testing for harmful chemicals, ensuring safety. Most of all, further research is crucial to assess the quality and safety of sanitary pads available in the Indian market. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="111578389" title="Talc, found in baby powder and cosmetics, is “probably” cancer-causing, says WHO agency" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>While the ongoing research sheds light on a previously unknown potential health risk associated with sanitary products, we acknowledge that using a pad is a lot more hygienic and safe than using a cloth rag. But clear labelling and stricter regulations are essential to ensure the safety of individuals who rely on these products.

Your go-to sanitary product likely has harmful heavy metals in it, even if the label doesn’t say so!

<ul><li>India has clinched eight metals on Day 2.</li><li>Cannes Lions declared the results for Creative Data, Creative Strategy, Direct, Media, PR and Social &amp; Influencer categories today.</li></ul>It is only day two of Cannes Lions 2021 and India is already shining bright in Gold. Today, DDB Mudra Group’s ‘Project Free Period’ campaign for Stayfree has bagged India’s second Gold Lion at this year’s fest. The campaign won the metal in Creative Strategy category under the audience insight sub-category. DDB Mudra Group’s campaign showcases that women in the sex trade cherish periods as a time off work, which is contrary to the dismay women usually express towards periods. On bagging the Gold, Rahul Mathew, Chief Creative Officer, DDB Mudra Group said, “Winning a gold at Cannes is always an incredible feeling. And the fact that we managed to win at Cannes 3 years in a row also makes us feel more confident of the direction in which we’re headed.” <div type="Youtube" id="yVjY-doL9n0" title="Stayfree India | Project Free Period- 2" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/yVjY-doL9n0/mqdefault.jpg"></div> On the other hand, Dentsu Webchutney’s The 8-bit journo for Vice Media bagged two Silver Lions and one Bronze Lion in Direct Lions, Creative Strategy Lions and Direct Lions, respectively. This unique campaign is a testament to the dictum ‘necessity is the mother of invention.’ It combined technology from the 60s and the 90s and launched the world’s first teletext news portal: The 8-Bit Journo. Relevant news stories that Kashmiris had missed out during the internet shut down last year, were converted into teletext and dispatched to lakhs of Kashmiris through SMS. Rejoiced with the spree of metals coming in their way, Gautam Reghunath, CEO, Dentsu Webchutney said, “It’s been one of those weeks where we’ve all felt so proud and grateful for the creative culture we’ve been building together at Webchutney. I remember talking to A&amp;M Insider a year and something ago on how we’re hoping to keep the momentum that Webchutney seemed to have found for ourselves going. Well, we’re certainly thrilled with our consistency these last few years. Sure, every Cannes Lion we win is recognition for all the quality work that’s already gone in. But more importantly, it is a glittering reminder on our shelves to be better every year.” <div type="Youtube" id="g1jQXgfaLXE" title="8-Bit Journo" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/g1jQXgfaLXE/mqdefault.jpg"></div> Continuing its win on day two, FCB India has made India proud yet again by bringing back a Silver Lion for Mumbai Police’s Punishing Signal in the PR category and Not-for-profit / Charity / Government subcategory. With the latest win, the agency is leading in India with six metals. Speaking on the win, Rohit Ohri, Chairman &amp; CEO, FCB Group India, said, “The Punishing Signal is poised to be India's most awarded campaign at Cannes Lions 2021. Really proud of the team at FCB Interface and thankful to the Mumbai Police for putting their faith in this idea.” Adding Robby Mathew, Vice Chairman &amp; CCO, FCB Interface, said, “Looks like the Punishing Signal is turning into a Rewarding Signal for FCB Interface!” <div type="Youtube" id="KIgKvUPXeq4" title="The Punishing Signal in collaboration with Mumbai Police - #HonkResponsibly" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/KIgKvUPXeq4/mqdefault.jpg"></div> Ogilvy Mumbai bagged a Silver Lion for Dove #StopTheBeautyTest campaign in the Creative Strategy category under FMCG. <div type="Youtube" id="jEpTa2cMl_I" title="Dove | #StopTheBeautyTest (with English subtitles)" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/jEpTa2cMl_I/mqdefault.jpg"></div> Ogilvy Mumbai’s another most-talked-about #NotJustACadburyAd campaign for Mondelez also won a Bronze Lion in Creative Data under Data-Driven targeting category. The 3 CCOs of Ogilvy India, Sukesh Nayak, Harshad Rajadhyaksha and Kainaz Karmakar shared their thoughts on their wins: “Winning Cannes Lions always feels terrific and these pieces are very close to our hearts. Both Mondelez and Unilever are clients who take great pride in meaningful work. They walk the journey with us from inception to execution. It took months to craft 'Not just a Cadbury Ad' and Dove #stopthebeautytest Tonight the teams deserve to put their feet up and celebrate.” <div type="Youtube" id="gBWLm6Sx1WI" title="Not Just A Cadbury Ad Campaign Video" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/gBWLm6Sx1WI/mqdefault.jpg"></div> Lowe Lintas’ ‘H for Handwashing’ for HUL’s Lifebuoy also picked another Bronze Lion on Day 2 in Media, under Excellence in Media Execution sub-category. <div type="Youtube" id="fpuAC9VIRyc" title="#HforHandwashing" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/fpuAC9VIRyc/mqdefault.jpg"></div> The Indian contingent has overall clinched eight metals in Creative Data, Creative Strategy, Direct, Media and PR categories on day two, bringing the country's total tally to 15. India didn’t get a metal in Social &amp; Influencer category. Here are a few other campaigns that were shortlisted in the Creative Data, Creative Strategy, Direct, Media, PR and Social &amp; Influencer categories: <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="83715133" title="Cannes Lions 2021: India secures 26 shortlists in Direct, PR, Social &amp; Influencer, Creative Data and Creative Strategy Lions" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>

Cannes Lions 2021: India brings home a Gold, four Silver Lions and three Bronze Lions on Day 2

Cannes Lions 2021: India crosses 2019’s tally by winning 1 metal on Day 5, bringing our total tally to 22

<ul><li>Ari Weiss, Chief Creative Officer, <keyword id="819172" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="80" keywordseo="DDB-Worldwide">DDB Worldwide</keyword> and Rahul Mathew, National Creative Director, <keyword id="910338" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="DDB-Mudra-Group">DDB Mudra Group</keyword> spoke to us recently about the changing face of advertising.</li><li>Weiss and Mathew told us what it takes to create an impact in an ever-changing ecosystem.</li><li>Weiss also tells us about his enthusiasm about the Indian market, which he believes will soon be counted among the top markets for the agency.</li></ul>
 <div type="Video" msid="73433112" hostid="261" title="Ari Weiss, Chief Creative Officer, DDB Worldwide walks us through his idea of the evolution of creativity" thumbUrl="https://denmark.timesinternet.in/cmslite/api/app/images.jpg?msid=73433112"></div>



 The world of advertising is right now in a phase of disruption. Technology is changing how things work. Data is making it possible for advertisers to target consumers directly, and more effectively. The rise of digital, while making it easier to reach out to consumers, is also making it difficult for advertisers to break the clutter. In such a scenario, what are the essentials that a new-age advertiser needs to take care of, to make sure they not only solve their client’s problems, but that they are also able to make a difference to the lives of consumers too? How does a creative break the clutter in a world that has suddenly become so much noisier than it was a decade ago? What elevates a good idea and takes it to the next level, making it a brilliant idea? And how are agencies coping with the ever-evolving world of advertising? These are a few, among the many questions I threw at Ari Weiss, Chief Creative Officer, DDB Worldwide and Rahul Mathew, National Creative Director, DDB Mudra Group. Weiss was in India as a part of DDB’s first global creative council meet held in Mumbai last month. Weiss, who was elevated to the role in July last year, and the trip to India, and other markets the agency is present in, was aimed at helping him deep-dive into these markets. That he considers India to be a critical market is clear from Weiss’ palpable enthusiasm about the work coming out of the country. He is also confident that India will soon figure among the top markets for the network. Looking back at the last decade The last decade saw the advertising industry go through massive disruption. With the growth of internet, and the increasing use of data in tech in determining consumer behavior and working around that to deliver creatives, the way the ad world works, saw a huge change. Speaking about some of the biggest changes he witnessed, that has brought us where we are today, Weiss said, “We've seen the media landscape shift quite a bit in the last decade. The digital transformation which was already underway at the start of the decade, matured as a market and made it clear that it was here to stay. We saw a lot of experimentation in the early days. We have seen an evolution where from the earlier gimmicks of the platform experimentation, we have now come to longer, effective storytelling and brand building across these platforms. Today we’re seeing more of sustainable brand-building. It's an interesting time for both the creative industry and brands because you have to find simple and striking human truths that can live anywhere and can be built into one big story.” When the entire ecosystem is changing, it’s obvious that the way brands tell their stories will also change. Pointing towards one interesting change, Mathew said, “There is definitely a trend towards brands becoming more conscientious, and that's going to go into the next decade. Brands are now seeing themselves as citizens who live in the environment that everyone else is a part of, and they have to play their role as conscientious citizens of the world that we live and operate in, instead of simply having a capitalistic approach.” The evolution of creativity In today’s world, the way you tell a story is very different from what it was even till a decade back. So from a creative’s lens, how different are things today? What does one need to do to be a good story-teller, while being relevant? “The beauty of creativity is that ultimately it never changes from the fundamental perspective. We have to come up with really interesting ways of telling stories,” explained Weiss. “How we tell the stories, however, has obviously changed. In this fragmented landscape where narratives can take place over hundreds of different platforms, it forces us to come up with a creative idea that is incredibly simple, and has to be incredibly intoxicating at first glance. We talk about the simplicity of a great creative idea. Before, when ideas were living on fewer platforms, you could have some complexity to the idea because it did not have to travel so fluidly. That was a great moment in time as well. But this evolution is a new place to play and these huge ideas living across something of a 3D landscape than a linear landscape, is a wonderful place for creativity and story-telling,” he added. Weiss has also been very vocal about his thoughts on data and technology coming into play in the industry. He has always believed that the data handing creatives with human insights is only as good as the person interpreting it. “I think a mistake we often make is that we let data lead us. But today, there can be so many different ways of interpreting data. Ours is an incredibly human business. And as much technology as we get, it will still need to be processed by incredibly intelligent humans because that's how you pivot between the data and a great insight, and a great creative articulation of that insight,” he explained. And how do you turn an average or a great idea into a brilliant idea? “From day one, we're taught that we're uninvited guests in this world and it requires a lot of creativity to turn that uninvited guest into an invited one. A great idea surprises you, it can be where it lives, what it says and how it can be brought to life.” Pointing to the fact that clients play an equally important role in immortalizing a piece of creative work, Mathew says, “What makes an idea great also depends on the number of people believing in that idea, and the clients rallying behind you. I don’t think we have come up with a great work where our client wasn’t equally great. It’s not tough to come up with a great idea but it’s really tough to protect it which is where great clients come in.” Looking at India’s growth story Despite the overall industry slowdown, DDB Mudra had a good year. With a slew of new clients coming on board, 2019 also became the most-awarded year for the agency as the agency put up a good show at global as well as domestic award shows. The <a href="https://youtu.be/yVjY-doL9n0" data-type="tilCustomLink">Stayfree Project Free Period</a> and ‘Hastagsdontheal’ for Khalsa Aid won the agency a lot of accolades. Moreover, it launched the first ever NBA game in India through the campaign #<a href="https://youtu.be/edMrK7vdqEg" data-type="tilCustomLink">NBAInMyBackyard </a>which focused on the social currency of the game in India and created a sporting spectacle while building a community and coding in culture. Weiss said that the Stayfree campaign particularly impressed him because of it ticked all the right boxes. It was an idea that could be relevant anywhere. “It wasn’t social purpose for social purpose’s sake. It was an incredibly well-told story that landed a brand truth in a very emotional and impactful way,” he said about what he thought worked in the campaign’s favor. Speaking about the energy that the young team in India brings to the table, he added, “When I first met Aditya and Rahul, I felt this youthful, disruptive energy in this team. When you look at the clients who are being attracted to them at the moment, and you look at this disruptor energy from a very young, ambitious and talented team, you just get very excited. You pair the culture, the market and the talent sitting behind it and think that you have to embrace and support it however you can because there's so much potential here.” Sharing his enthusiasm about India as a market, Weiss also said that the sheer size of the market presents a huge opportunity. “This is a market of immense creativity and it's absolutely not lost on me that this is a region of immense growth,” he said. On being asked when he thinks India can be counted among the top markets for the agency globally, he added with a smile, “Today! India is a culture rich in art and you realize that from the moment you land in the country. There are other markets that have the growth potential but not the creative culture that is true to the core DNA of this market. To find that combination of the DNA and the growth, I think India is already there today. We simply have to feed it.”

India is a market of fascinating creativity and an immense growth potential: Ari Weiss, Chief Creative Officer, DDB Worldwide

<ul><li>With one Gold, two silver and four bronze, India recorded its best-ever medal haul at the Tokyo Olympics this year, which ended on Sunday.</li><li>As the Tokyo Olympics came to an end, we talk to experts to find out who will land the most <keyword id="6359405" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="brand">brand</keyword> endorsement deals, and whether the new players will become as attractive to brands as someone like <keyword id="501707" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="PV-Sindhu">PV Sindhu</keyword>.</li></ul>This year at the Tokyo Olympics, Mirabai Chanu, Neeraj Chopra, Ravi Kumar Dahiya, PV Sindhu, Lovlina Borgohain, Bajrang Punia brought joy to a billion hearts by bringing home one gold, two silver and three bronze medals. India’s hockey team also clinched a bronze after 41 years. This was the first time that India has managed to secure seven medals across varied sporting events. India also had the largest contingent ever of 127 athletes travelling to Tokyo who participated in 69 cumulative events across, the highest ever for the country. With this historic win, underrepresented athletes and sports are back in the limelight in the endorsement world. Indian brands also made sure that they leave no stone unturned in celebrating our athletes and their glorious win. The first athlete to bring back a medal for India this year was 26-year-old weightlifter, Mirabai Chanu. Shortly after her win, she was also offered free pizza for life by <a href="https://twitter.com/dominos_india/status/1418934590950027269">Domino's </a>and the brand garnered a lot of attention from the press and the internet for this gesture. Hospitality brand <a href="https://twitter.com/rohitisb/status/1424620158929162243">OYO </a>also offered women’s hockey team a chance to stay at any of their hotels in India. Apart from that, small start-ups to masters like Amul, brands made the most of our gold-winning moment at the global stage to congratulate Neeraj Chopra, who became independent India’s first Olympian to win a medal in athletics/track and field. According to Facebook, Neeraj Chopra was the second most mentioned athlete on its platform across the globe, whereas on Instagram, he was the most mentioned athlete globally. Over the years, we have seen brands spend the most on players from popular sports like cricket. While athletes get some screentime in ads closer to tournaments like Olympics, very few brands have long-term deals with most of these athletes, unless it is someone like a PV Sindhu, who has been around for a while now and has won many accolades and tournaments for the country. So with the curtains falling on Tokyo Olympics and the next Olympics games still being three years away, will brands bring the newer winners or even players who came really close to bringing medals home? This year, however, many of the athletes have received a lot of attention from brands. It was not just Sindhu or Neeraj Chopra, who aren’t new to the endorsement world; other new medalists Mirabai Chanu, Ravi Kumar Dahiya, Lovlina Borgohain and Bajrang Punia have also received an overwhelming response. Slowly and steadily, brands in India are branching out from cricket and looking to associate with budding sports stars to connect with the youth. We spoke to experts to find out who will land the most brand endorsement deals among the six medalists and hockey team. Aviral Jain- Managing Director, Duff &amp; Phelps - A Kroll Business said, “We think it will be a combination of both, though PV Sindhu now carries the tag of “She did it again,” which is unique and privileged. Other non-cricketing sports celebrities such as Hima Das, T. Gopi, Manika Batra, and Deepika Kumari have recently done well in terms of brand endorsements, driven by their splendid individual achievements on the field. Major brands like PepsiCo (PV Sindhu, Neeraj Chopra and Hima Das), Tanishq (Manika Batra and Deepika Kumari), and ASICS (Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik, etc.) have successfully associated with various non-cricketing celebrities, and with these non-cricketing wins at the Tokyo Olympics, we can surely expect a greater share of athletes in the advertisement campaigns going ahead.” Anjan Ghosh - Executive Vice President- Hansa Research also echoes these views. He said, “In all probability, more brands will sign up PV Sindhu; her brand standing has gone up substantially, having won medals in multiple Olympics. Brands that want to stand for consistency, fidelity, and grit will find Sindhu a compelling endorser. Also, those who wish to appeal to the young, aspiring women eager to achieve will try to harness Sindhu’s determination and intent and infuse these into their brand personality. The best part is that her success is not a flash in the pan; longevity is something that many brands aspire.” Sahil Chopra, Founder &amp; CEO- iCubesWire said that apart from Sindhu, India’s national sport might also gain more attention this year. “I guess it will be a mix of both known faces and new faces, but yes, the likes of PV Sindhu who have refreshed the memories, will have an edge over the new ones. Only exception to this could be hockey, being the national sport and the way it has captured people’s hearts in the past.” According to media reports, Sindhu currently has 10 deals with Bank of Baroda, Bridgestone Tyres, Visa India, Google, real estate firm Pooja Developers, Chinese sports brand Li Ning, Stayfree, PNB Metlife, Sharechat and Vizag Steel. Experts said that her brand value is likely to double after her incredible performance. But Sindhu is just getting started. The 26-year-old shuttler still has a long career ahead of her, and we expect to witness more iconic wins from her. TRA Research’s CEO, N. Chandramouli said, “PV Sindhu’s winning medals twice in succession is a phenomenal performance at the Olympics. Her value seems to have gone along with her second-time win, and would nearly double. She is young yet, and still has at least one more Olympic Games to look forward to, and so more years of sporting success ahead of her.” On whether Sindhu and Chopra will attract the most brand roles or will newer medalists also get a chance, he added, “All Olympic medal winners from India will gain, some a little more than others. The newer medalists are just starting off, so it's only natural that they will have to prove themselves consistently to see their brand value increase.” Jain also said that Sindhu’s fees and her popularity is likely to double. “Today, she is the undisputed queen of the Indian brand endorsement market (women sportspersons) with more than 10 endorsements and more than 7 million followers on social media. And we expect both the number of brand endorsements and the endorsement fee to increase significantly post her phenomenal success at the Tokyo Olympics, resulting in a significant increase in her brand value.” New-age brands are more likely to onboard the new medalists as their fees is substantially lesser than a seasoned athlete. Mirabai Chanu and Lovlina Borgohain, who recently won Silver and Bronze medals, respectively, in the Tokyo Olympics seem to have caught the attention of many brands. While Mirabai Chanu is currently associated with brands like Adidas and Mobil, her endorsement portfolio is expected to rise post her success at the Olympics. “Not all brands will look for Lovlina and Mirabai given the lesser fan-following for these sports (as compared to say badminton or hockey) – however, those brands that want to epitomize empowerment for women, a burning desire to break into the mainstream from the fringes, or stand up against many adversities may try to build a narrative around personalities like Lovelina / Mirabai. Categories that are looking for evolution through innovation / competing against the conventional might want to weave a story around such personalities – say, solar panels, unconventional energy, electric bikes etc,” said Ghosh. Is the sports ecosystem really changing? With cricket matches being limited this year, brands are banking on Olympic stars to gain consumer attention and stay relevant. However, cricket still gets the bigger piece of the pie. Sahil Chopra is eager to see a sporting ecosystem where all sports get their due, equal recognition. He said, “I would personally love to see the change and this will be good for the ecosystem as well as the audience. The current ecosystem is so cricket-centric at times it isn’t good for the brand recall when you end up seeing the same faces all the time.” Ghosh said that while there is certainly going to be a change in the fortunes of other Indian athletes/sports stars, especially with the surge in enthusiasm over sports other than cricket, and many will see better brand endorsement contracts coming their way – however, a significant difference might take more time. He said, “Not sure whether the sports marketing ecosystem has changed in a radical way – the support / patronage is still lukewarm; the efforts are still guarded. Other sports stars are enjoying higher popularity and getting better visibility but the gap with cricket is still painfully wide.” Jain told us how a marketer evaluates new endorsement opportunities looking at the extent of media coverage given to the sport, the tournament’s share in the national media broadcast, and finally, the degree of relevance a player has for the audience. So, it is important for new medalists to stay in the news. He said, “While the Indian arena has a wide range of sports being followed by the masses, cricket continues to dominate and maintain a strong hold on the endorsement front. Lately, with the advent of professional leagues (on the lines of the IPL) for other sports like kabaddi, football, badminton, etc., brands and advertisers are favorably looking at these non-cricketing opportunities. However, brand endorsements by non-cricketing sporting stars in India are largely driven by individual visibility; this is in comparison to endorsements for cricketing stars that could be “across the board.” Brands typically feature athletes for their grit, patience and determination, and this helps in targeting millennials and Gen Z who are seeking new aspirational figures. With multiple Olympic achievements this year across non-cricketing sports (badminton, hockey, boxing, wrestling and weightlifting), these sports stars will definitely get more attention going ahead.” After a historic performance at the Olympics this year, experts are hopeful that non-cricketing sports stars will also bag more brand deals. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="85102342" title="As PV Sindhu takes 20 brands to court for using her name and image without permission, here's how agencies and brands can be careful with moment-marketing in the future" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>

Will the brandverse give equal attention to all medalists of Tokyo Olympics or will PV Sindhu be the biggest gainer?

<ul><li>Sonu Sood recently received UNDP’s Special Humanitarian Action Award.</li><li>He has emerged as a knight in shining armour and been applauded for his humanitarian work to send thousands of stranded migrants back home during the lockdown. </li><li>His rising affinity on social media has also helped him get popular in the brandverse. </li><li>We speak to experts to find out if the recognition from UNDP will finally help get Sonu Sood longer brand deals and bigger brands now. </li></ul>Sonu Sood, who plays an antagonist in most of his movies, is becoming India’s hero in real life. On September 30, he was honoured with the Special Humanitarian Action Award by the United Nations Development Programme for his selfless efforts to help people in challenging times. In the beginning of the lockdown, Sood and his team launched an initiative called #GharBhejoAbhiyaan that helped thousands of migrants who were longing to come back home. He later launched #<a href="https://twitter.com/PravasiRojgar?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1286322666580742144%7Ctwgr%5Eshare_3&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.socialsamosa.com%2F2020%2F08%2Fsonu-sood-campaigns-endorsements-through-the-lockdown%2F">PravasiRojgar</a> to help jobless migrants find a job and restore their livelihoods. He sent a few smartphones to students in Haryana who couldn’t afford online classes and helped students stranded across the globe return to the country safely. Soon, newspapers made special cartoons on him to celebrate the knight in shining armour and #Isupporttheherosonusood started trending on Twitter. It is for his philanthropic work that Sood is becoming popular even in the brandverse. Indian brands like Pepsi, Lay’s, Tata Tea Premium, Stayfree India, Edelweiss Tokio Life, Godrej Interio, WhiteHat Jr, ZEE5, to name a few, have approached him to help spread awareness on different social causes. Even in his brand work, Sood has spoken about the importance of wearing a mask, recognising everyday warriors around us, supporting local craftsmen, etc. Since he acted like a ‘Vighnaharta’ during the lockdown, Mangaldeep Agarbatti also approached him during the festival of Ganesh Chaturthi. Sonu Sood’s relief efforts for the migrants during the COVID-19 lockdown earned him praise from all quarters. He emerged a hero for his selfless, kind-hearted efforts for the community. It was due to his selfless image and uniqueness that brands started capitalizing on his growing popularity. Ergo, his brand value is also increasing subsequently. According to media reports, Sood is worth $17 million. However, it was only in early September that Acer signed a long-term deal with him. Sharing why the brand decided to on-board Sood, Sooraj Balakrishnan, Head-Marketing, Acer India said, “Apart from his exemplary work in cinemas where he is a well-renowned actor cutting across India, Sonu Sood has stood out in 2020 as an example of selfless service and humanitarian work that positively impacted and benefited thousands, if not lakhs of people in need during the pandemic. His contribution to empowering people echoes with Acer India’s brand mantra of empowering people through technology.” Balakrishnan agreed that Sood’s rising popularity is an indication that the consumers are looking for honest and real work now. He said, “People are looking for brands and public figures who have a purpose to make positive changes with honest and real work. Glamour alone will not sell and people like Sonu have really used his position for the good of people. I can vouch for his humbleness, genuine passion to help, and dedication to the cause during my interactions with him. Acer is proud to have him as our brand ambassador and we wish him more recognition for his work.” Apart from trust, caring, empathetic, relatability, and style, Kalyan Ram Challapalli, Chief Strategist and Founder, WolfzHowl Strategic Instigations, said one should also note his Bollywood-led personality attributes to evaluate him as a brand endorser. he is known for a good body (with muscles etc;), a sense of style (fashion) etc Challapalli said, “Brand Sonu Sood can also include attributes of health, fitness, style and fashion. In addition to this whether it is his “Arundhati” (Telugu – Tollywood Blockbuster) villain portrayal or other such south movies, he also has some traction in South Indian Movies and hence South of India as well (usually not a easy feat for a character artiste to achieve). Hence, Sonu Sood as brand ambassador represents trust, empathy, style, fitness and a pan-national appeal. But with the masses. Hence categories he can be used as a brand ambassador for are possibly: Agri-Fintech, Micro-Finance, Health Foods, Sports and Fitness Categories, Fashion category etc; But at a mass and masstige segments level.” Keeping these attributes in mind, Challapalli said that he can endorse brands in mass and masstige categories. “He can also represent “return to roots” desi culture brands across consumer segments. As a brand ambassador he can take “Ayurvedic or Indian natural products based health - Immunity” to both the higher economic strata consumers and the lower economic strata consumers. He can also be a good brand ambassador for democratisation of Insurance, or home loans, or even mutual funds to the masses and to ‘Bharat’,” said Challapalli. Sonu Sood’s social currency Harish Bijoor, Brand-Strategy expert and Founder, Harish Bijoor Consults Inc pointed out that the audience on social media is looking for real heroes now. Bijoor said, “Sonu Sood is the new hero. The new hero of a new generation that is driven more by social media accolades than traditional media praise. Social media seems to recognise the real star as opposed to the promoted star. This works for Sonu Sood. He and his image is pushed by an army of social media participants who chase the real as opposed to the made up.” Sood has 7.3 million followers on Instagram and 4.1 on Twitter. He became the talk of the town during the lockdown. As a result, his popularity on Google Search also peaked. The top searched topics included Sonu Sood Help, Sonu Sood Scholarship, <keyword id="10031923" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="sonu-sood-helpline">Sonu Sood Helpline</keyword>, Sonu Sood hotel juhu, <keyword id="10031921" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="sonu-sood-net-worth">Sonu Sood net worth</keyword> 2020. <div type="image" title="sonu sood google trends" msid="78414547" hostid="261"></div> During the period of January to September 2020, Sood was the most searched term in Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Uttrakhand, Telegana respectively. <div type="image" title="india-map" msid="78414550" hostid="261"></div>(Values are calculated on a scale from 0 to 100, where 100 is the location with the most popularity as a fraction of total searches in that location, a value of 50 indicates a location which is half as popular.) Sood’s impact on brand’s social image How will getting someone like Sonu Sood, who is a humanitarian influence, help how people look at a brand? Archana Jain, Founder and MD, PR Pundit, said, “The COVID-19 pandemic has had a deep impact on consumers. Consumer attitudes are changing. New socio-economic behavioural patterns are being witnessed. Global discourse centered around purpose and ethics is taking centre stage and scoring high on relevance in an increasingly values-driven world. An association with Sonu Sood therefore helps brands raise their bar on trust and dependability. Brands are able to foster a meaningful connection with the informed and empowered consumers and attach themselves to the value proposition of humaneness (demonstrated by his philanthropic work).” On how brands are looking for rays of hope in unsung heroes, Jain added, “Universally, people seek heroes in times of distress. With the heightened interest around all-things COVID-19, many brands have been shining the spotlight on heroes who have contributed selflessly for the betterment of society. Some have singled out the unsung warriors and some acknowledged personalities. Sonu Sood will always be remembered as the knight in shining armour who came to save thousands in need in their bleak times.” N Chandramouli, CEO, TRA Research said, “When someone achieves popularity by the work done, a reputation builds around the person - which is transmitted beliefs about respect. This transmitted belief spreads as more many hear about the person, also driving the person to try and achieve greater heights. Brands are self-centered in their approach, and naturally do not take Sonu Sood as an ambassador because of their philanthropic nature, but instead so that his 'goodness' rubs on them too. He has already been seen as a 'messiah', and even non-migrant travel or food based requests come to him, sometimes for books for education or to help a poor farmer's family. Since he has been open and accessible to most such requests, he has become an icon for the poor and needy. This is suff is like a movie-story, and he, the hero who is a do-gooder for society. Brands may not use him in PR too directly, primarily because it will not be appropriate to be seen directly promoting a brand by talking about it. Instead, advertising is slightly more distanced from PR, and therefore his presence as a brand's ambassador, is something that will look more appropriate. PR, as we often say, is essentially a trust building tool, and for Sonu, he has already built all the trust by demonstrating firmness of action.” Will recognition from UNDP help get Sonu Sood more brand deals now? Chandramouli said that Sonu Sood will be now known internationally, which might help him get more brand recognition. He said, “With UNDP's award he joins an exclusive group of international actors in different UN awards who have contributed to society beyond their call of duty, and his name will become more global. He will also come in the consideration sets of international brands which are looking at India as one of their key markets. Being a household name in India, brands will be able to reach their consumers through his endorsements.” Challapalli said that Sonu Sood will get more brands now. However, he is more likely to be approached by massy brands than aspirational.

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