Gaffe or alright??

Is it a gaffe or is it right.. EBIDTA coming after Net Profit After Tax?? Whatever less knowledge i have about financial statements, EBIDTA comes before PAT?? Please enlighten me.

Source: Hindustan Times- April 24, 2011. Mumbai edition.

Cheap publicity

Haven't seen an ad with more sexual overtones.. rather a more explicit copy!!! Would have understood it had the ad been for a condom, undergarment or pregnancy protection.. but a hair removal cream.. strange...!!! Anything to grab eyeballs...

Source: Bombay Times, Times of India, Mumbai edition, April 19, 2011

J Hampstead ad in Mumbai but J Hampstead clothes not in store!!!

You all may remember J Hampstead for a very unique way of communication when they signed Priyanka Chopra to endorse what was clearly a men's brand. The name J Hampstead, brought with it a foreign name which Indians love to 'love'. J Hampstead is from the house of Siyaram's, an attempt by Siyaram's to enter the premium segment since Siyaram's is essentially a lower middle class brand. It does not have much of a market share in the Urban areas but has quite a big penetration in the northern hinterland taking on Raymond's, and other brands which are in the stitching-segment.

It had many brand ambassadors such as India's leading Tennis due Lee-Hesh, German legend Boris Becker, England cricket legend Geoffrey Boycott to give it an international flavour. Unfortunately they havn't had much success.

Recently they have signed on the Bollywood heartthrob Hrithik Roshan. An attempt to get more eyeballs due to Hrithik being a much bigger celebrity than any of their earlier brand ambassdors and target the young and middle age alike. However, would it not have been good to sign on some one who has not endorsed a clothing brand earlier? Hrithik has endorsed John Players earlier as well as Provogue.

A couple of ads featuring the new face of the brand have been launched in some leading dailies with the above ad seen in Bombay Times. A nice way to increase awareness for a premium positioned product. However looking carefully, you would see an oddity. The ad is in a Mumbai daily with no shop in Mumbai selling the J Hampstead brand. Isn't it said in marketing that communication should not be done when the place where the product/ service isn't ready for sale? All the shops listed in the ad are in the interiors of Maharashtra with only one shop in a distant Mumbai suburb. Clearly, the media agency handling the account would have got space at a very discounted price and hence the display.

They ad creative isn't too great, nothing to write about. One of the many clothing ads we see day in and day out.

'Raymond- Made-to-Measure'- bold initiative

Raymond's print ad in one of the leading newspapers in India for the launch and awareness of their Exclusive stores of Made-to-Measure. The campaign was done in a teaser sort of way where just the topmost creative was shown with the headline. No brand name, no mention of the product or what is it all about. As the pages were turned, the new creative was present with all the requisite details necessary for the launch of the store. A very bold attempt by Raymond to be in the stitched-segment which is fast waning in favour of the ready-to-wear (off the shelf type apparels). Considering that Raymond is the leader in its category and a distribution that is unparalleled in India for a textile brand, they are the ones who should be taking the lead and experimenting. Thumbs up to them. The creative shows the art form made famous by Michalengelo. Only the educated who read about history and art forms would have heard about him. The target audience seem to be the affluent and educated class who want proper fitting rather than style which the young prefer. Probably the 35-50 and above age group segment would be the buyers.

However, a word for the creative depiction. Very good. But i hope it hasn't been inspired by the below shown ad created by a German ad agency Scholz & Friends, Humburg for the German Olympic Federation .