The airline returns to Roland-Garros 2023 for the 11th consecutive year as the Official Airline and Premium Partner of the iconic Paris tournament.

Emirates is back in action as the Official Airline and Premium Partner of Roland-Garros 2023 for the eleventh consecutive year.  A long-standing partner of Roland-Garros since 2013, the airline recently renewed its commitment as Premium Partner of the Grand Slam until 2027. The premier clay court event is set to take place from 28 May until 11 June 2023 at Stade Roland-Garros. 

Boutros Boutros, Divisional Senior Vice President, Corporate Communications, Marketing and Brand at Emirates, said: "We are delighted to be back on the clay courts for our eleventh consecutive year. Roland-Garros is one of the most prestigious tournaments in the world of tennis and Emirates is very proud of our long-standing association with the event, with the sport, and with France. As a global airline, we are committed to supporting world-class events that bring people together and showcase excellence, and Roland-Garros does just that. We look forward to another exciting year on the courts and to bringing fans from all corners of the world closer to the action."

Connecting with tennis fans worldwide  

Emirates will connect with tennis fans this year through a series of exciting "fly better" initiatives, including: an interactive game within the Roland-Garros app, offering fans a chance to win Roland-Garros tickets and La Griffe Roland-Garros gifts; and world-class hospitality.

Partners with Roland-Garros since 2013

Emirates’ longstanding partnership with Roland-Garros started in 2013. The airline became a Premium Partner of the Grand Slam in 2018 and the airline enjoys significant presence throughout the tournament, including branding on the Philippe-Chatrier centre court, Suzanne-Lenglen court and Simonne-Mathieu court.

Emirates is also the presenting partner of the Trophée des Légendes, which takes place from 6 June   to 11 June 2023.  The airline has partnered with a local organisation to offer children with mobility challenges a chance to meet world renowned tennis legends, watch the matches, and an exclusive behind the scenes tour of the stadium.

Emirates is the Official Airline and Premier Partner of the ATP World Tour. The airline’s tennis portfolio includes some of the highest profile events in the world, including three of the four Grand Slams, and 60 other tournaments across the year.

The airline’s extensive sponsorship portfolio also includes other top global sports such as tennis, golf, horse racing and sailing. 

Serving France with 35 weekly flights

Emirates has been serving France for more than 30 years. The airline currently serves the country with 21 weekly flights to Paris, 7 weekly flights to Lyon, and 7 weekly flights to Nice, with the iconic A380 returning to the city on 1 June 2023.   The airline’s extensive network of 140 destinations offers French customers access to an array of onward connections to Asia, the Indian Ocean, the Middle East, Africa and Australasia.

Emirates is also the Official Main Sponsor of Olympic Lyonnaise (OL); Worldwide Partner of Rugby World Cup 2023 in France (taking place in September this year); and a proud sponsor of UAE Team Emirates, supporting some of the biggest cycling tours such as Tour De France.

Unmatched travel experiences

Emirates is renowned for its exceptional services and luxurious amenities. The airline operates the world’s largest fleet of wide-body Boeing 777 and Airbus A380 aircraft, offering spacious cabins and iconic inflight features such as its A380 Shower Spa and Onboard Lounge, and its ice inflight entertainment system available in all seats across its fleet, which has topped "best in sky" awards for 17 consecutive years.

The captivating mythological series that chronicles the evergreen tales of the adolescent Kanha will air from May 28th, daily at 10.30 AM on Sonic and Colors Rishtey

In the realm of local IPs, category leader and pioneer in kids’ entertainment, Nickelodeon continues to solidify its leadership by consistently fostering innovation at its core. From iconic friendship of Motu Patlu, magical adventures of Rudra, relatable sibling banter of Chikoo and Bunty to the first homegrown sci-fi kids’ comedy series with Abhimanyu Ki Alien Family and much more, the kids’ franchise has identified whitespaces and addressed the consistent demand for engaging and immersive storytelling. Further staying true to its promise of propelling indigenous stories, Nickelodeon is all set to bring its recently announced 13th homegrown IP – ‘Kanha – Morpankh Samraat’ on Sonic, starting May 28th, every day at 10.30 AM.

Showcasing his playful and mischievous antics, ‘Kanha – Morpankh Samraat’ is a captivating mythological series that chronicles the evergreen tales of the adolescent Kanha, and traces his journey as a son, warrior, hero, and friend. Each episode showcases a legendary tale from Kanha’s life, featuring his courageous acts and his lessons on love and kindness. Recognizing the potential for broader appeal, Nickelodeon will extend the show beyond its channel, and make way to the Viacom18’s Hindi general entertainment channel Colors Rishtey, thereby strengthening the kids’ franchise’s presence across different age groups and widening its impact.

Speaking on the latest addition to its homegrown IP lineup, Nina Elavia Jaipuria, Head, Hindi Mass Entertainment and Kids TV Network, Viacom18, said, “At Nickelodeon, we have consistently set category benchmarks, revolutionizing entertainment for young audiences. We believe that introducing a show like Kanha – Morpankh Samraat will help kids connect to their roots through inspiring tales from our rich cultural heritage. As we embark on this remarkable journey, we remain dedicated to strengthening our franchise while simultaneously extending our content beyond our kids’ network on Colors Rishtey, thus reaching new heights and connecting with the minds of kids and families alike."

Anu Sikka, Head – Creative, Content, and Research, Kids TV Network, Viacom18 further added, “At Nickelodeon, we prioritize our young audience and strive to provide them with content that they truly enjoy. We have always broken the mould by bringing unique stories and endearing characters. While Kanha is an evergreen character, it’s time to bring back his tales in a new avatar that appeals to a wider audience. Our partnership with Cosmos-Maya further amplifies our commitment to creating groundbreaking content that sparks imagination and ignites young minds.”

Megha Tata, Chief Executive Officer, Cosmos Maya said, "As Nickelodeon embarks on the journey to create a new world with their latest IP 'Kanha - Morpankh Samraat', we are thrilled to partner with them once again. This association strengthens our bond and reflects our commitment to delivering engaging and captivating content to young viewers. Together with Nickelodeon, we are excited to bring to life the adventures of Lord Kanha in an adolescent avatar.”

Pulling out all the stops, 'Kanha – Morpankh Samraat' will be brought to life through a robust marketing mix, encompassing partnerships, immersive experiences, besides a host of social media, digital and on-ground initiatives. The show will further engage children's imaginations through a range of unique and creative promos across a variety of platforms, including GECs, and music and movie channels across and beyond its network strength. From in-cinema advertising to rolling out ads on connected TV platforms, the kids’ franchise aims to deepen engagement and create show awareness reach amongst young viewers.

Leading the local IP content game through creative storytelling and great animation, the launch of ‘Kanha – Morpankh Samraat’ is yet another addition to Nickelodeon’s robust content slate and is sure to capture the hearts and minds of kids and families alike.

Immerse in the captivating world of young Kanha with ‘Kanha – Morpankh Samraat’ starting from 28th May 2023 daily at 10.30 AM on Sonic and Colors Rishtey!

Inspiration, Perspectives, and Action from a Day of Dynamic Dialogues

Leo Burnett India wins Grand Prix for ‘Airtel 175 Replayed’ campaign

Following an exhilarating Day 1 of Goafest 2023, Day 2 kicked off with a line-up of insightful, informative and inspiring speakers and sessions. Each discussion offered insightful and unexplored information, from knowledge seminars to presentations, and as the day unfolded, learnings, experiences, creativity, and innovation culminated into the essence of this day!

The first session of Day 2 was presented by India Today, discussing the Future of Connected Devices and Cross Channel Measurement with Moderator, Rajdeep Sardesai - Consulting Editor - of India Today Television with Panellists Geet Lulla - VP of Sales & Head Asia Pacific - Comscore, Pankaj Krishna - Founder and CEO - Chrome DM, and Salil Kumar - CEO - ITGD. The session focused on the future of connected devices, highlighting seamless integration, effortless communication, and sophisticated cross-channel measurement for effective strategies.

Thereafter, Disney Star presented a Knowledge Seminar, titled The Evolving Economy And The Future Of Startups with Anuradha SenGupta, Independent Journalist leading the conversation with Rajan Anandan, Managing Director - Sequoia Capital & Surge. The dialogue highlighted the evolving economy that has become a conducive environment for startups and Rajan’s belief in the profitability of growth-stage companies in the near future.

This discussion was followed by yet another Knowledge Seminar powered by The Hindu Group, Supercharging Creative Effectiveness: Unleash The Potential Of Your Campaigns led by Ed Pank, Managing Director - WARC APAC. He presented several thoughts and insights on the need for original creativity. Ed spoke about and presented several instances where parameters like inclusive marketing, sound mnemonic, and authentically participating cultures and subcultures play a consequential role in a creative impact.

The second half of the day began with Digital Creator & Stand-up Comic, Aiyoo Shraddha, filling the room with uncontrollable frolic and laughter.

Following this comical session, a Knowledge Seminar titled ‘Data-Driven Marketing - Are We Walking The Talk?’ powered by InMobi in association With Dainik Jagran showcased Moderator, Vikram Sakhuja, Group CEO Madison Media & OOH with Panellists Chandan Mukherji, Director & Executive VP - Nestle India, Priyanka Gill, Group Co-Founder, Good Glamm Group & CEO, Good Media Co, Ravi Santanam. CMO - HDFC, and Vipul Prakash, COO, MakeMyTrip. This session discussed in-depth numerous elements that need to be factored into the workings of the world of data-driven marketing, to which, Chandan aptly added, “Data is helping brands make real-time marketing decisions.”

The session also, through the panel discussion, assessed the utilisation of the relevant data, aggregated, and personalised as well as the shift from traditional approaches because of available data and its analysis. Priyanka rightly added, “Data today is a blunt instrument, but with time and teams learning to use data sufficiently, it could become a sharper tool.”

Similarly, this interaction also underlined the importance of enriching data collection on parameters that are relevant to a brand. In this case, informed hypotheses will help brands with growth in conversion rate because consumer behaviour patterns are being learnt and evaluated like never before.

Later, OMS Digital, a part of the Times Group presented the ASCI Creators Session, titled Creator Calling Creator a session curated by the Advertising Standards Council of India moderated by Subhash Kamath - Former CEO, BBH & Publicis Worldwide, India | Former Chairman - ASCI. The panellists included Rajdeepak Das - Chief Creative Officer and CEO, Leo Burnett, SouthAsia, India & Chairman, Creative Council, Publicis Groupe - South Asia, Shreya Agarwal - Head of FilterCopy, Pocket Aces, Smruthi Rajagopalan - AGM Maybelline, L’Oreal and Prableen Kaur Bhomrah, Beauty, Fashion, Body Positive & Lifestyle Influencer. This session narrowed down the connection between content creators, collaborators, inspiration, and the need to foster a thriving creative community.

The questions posed also garnered answers and information that tallied the sentiment of brand-agency relationships today and their applicability during campaigns. The collaborators, whether digital or mainline, all partner, bringing their expertise to the table along with recommendations for other platforms as well. Rajdeepak rightly added, “Ideas can come from anywhere, the only thing that matters is how we make it big. For that to happen, all the collaborators need to have one goal - to make the idea big.”

In summary, the conversation underlined the power of creators coming together to exchange ideas, share knowledge, and elevate their craft, collectively.

These sessions, for Day 2 at Goafest, concluded with a Knowledge Seminar by Disney Star, titled Unearthing Future Talent: The Rise of Indian Cricketers from the Grassroots. The crowd could not keep calm when Harbhajan Singh, Indian Cricket Legend & Member of Parliament, took to the stage. It was unbelievably surreal and enthralling, all at once. In conversation with Manish Batavia, Sports Presenter & Commentator, he revealed so many components that make a cricketer, starting with self-belief, his experiences on-field and off-field, moving on to his journey beyond cricket, and then finally his upcoming book.

The discussion highlighted the immense talent pool in the country and the effectiveness of nurturing young players at the grassroots level. Harbhajan fondly remembers, “I tried my hands at Judo and Badminton, but Cricket was very close to my heart; I wanted to be like Kapil Dev!”

Harbhajan, in answer to Manish’s question about coaching, said, “Coaching is one thing, honest management of talent is what is required today.” He believes that through dedicated coaching programs, infrastructure development, and a passion for the sport, India’s young cricketers will make their mark on the international stage, paving the way for a promising future in cricket. This interview with Harbhajan showcased the potential for India to consistently produce skilled and competitive players who can contribute to the success of India.

Finally, he shared his insights on consistent practice and focus on a single goal. He also spoke about his learnings from failures and how he used them to do better at his game. He exited with the same gusto as his entry!

Parallelly, in the latter half of the day, the lineup of masterclasses began with Convosight, ‘Unleashing the Voice of Your Customers: Building Brand Advocacy in Communities’ by Tamanna Dhamija, Rajan Anandan & Shuvadip Banerjee. The speakers emphasised how brands and consumers can co-exist and create opportunities for each other whilst stressing the power of online communities. This was followed by the ‘Maximizing Your Advertising Potential on Flipkart’ masterclass, where Vaibhav Kapur, Senior Director of Flipkart Ads shared his experience and knowledge on how brands can weave effective digital ads from a company’s marketing and advertising perspective. Last, in line, the India Today Group: The Lallantop Adda masterclass primarily focused on the future of video content. Saurabh Dwivedi used references from film to deliver an entertaining masterclass about what successful video content will look like, going forward.

Well, that brought us to the end of yet another eventful day at Goafest 2023 coupled with a gala dinner and after-hours party with DJ Savio Joseph Mendez powered by MASTIII in association with Absolut Glassware.

ABBY Awards Highlights:

COG Culture was awarded as the Design Specialist Agency of The Year, with a total of 16 metals. The category saw a total of 3 Gold, 13 Silver and 16 Bronze Metals along with 17 Merits.

Leo Burnett India was recognised as the Digital Specialist Agency of The Year with a total of 15 Metals. The category saw a total of 6 Gold, 15 Silver, and 37 Bronze Metals. There were 6 Merits in the category. Leo Burnett India was awarded a Grand Prix for Airtel’s ‘Airtel 175 Replayed’ campaign.

With a total of 3 Metals, Mindshare was recognised as the Mobile Specialist Agency of The Year. The category witnessed a total of 15 Metals with 2 Gold, 5 Silver, 4 Bronze and 4 Merits.

Mindshare was also recognised as the Technology Specialist Agency of The Year with 4 Metals. The category had 3 Gold, 6 Silver, 7 Bronze and 4 Merits being awarded.

FCB Group India was recognised as the Direct Specialist Agency of The Year with 10 Metals in total. The category saw a total of 3 Gold, 12 Silver, 13 Bronze and 10 Merits being awarded.

FCB Group India was recognised as the Public Relations Specialist Agency of The Year with 8 Metals. The category had 6 Gold, 9 Silver, 7 Bronze, and 4 Merits in total.

With a total of 9 Metals, Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited was awarded as the Broadcaster of The Year Award. The category witnessed a total of 6 Gold, 8 Silver, 4 Bronze and 1 Merit.

Stay tuned for Day 3!

To know the agenda for Day 3, please click HERE

The Times of India, the country's largest English newspaper, today launched the "Saving Our Stripes" campaign to raise awareness about the importance of tiger conservation.

The campaign commemorates the 50th anniversary of Project Tiger, a centrally-sponsored scheme that started in 1973 and aims to ensure the survival and maintenance of the tiger population in specially constituted tiger reserves throughout India.

“This year marks the completion of 50 years of Project Tiger, a world famous conservation model and success story,” said Kaustuv Chatterjee, Director, TOI. “Times of India is giving the nation a popular film(s) and song on the occasion to drive home the importance of the project for future generations as well. Through this initiative, we are taking the message of conservation to the masses, signifying that tigers and forests are a national treasure and an inheritance for our children.”

The “Saving Our Stripes” campaign has featured a variety of content across TOI’s print and digital platforms, including quirky contests, thought-provoking editorials, and a special Tiger Anthem curated by celebrated artists including Nalla Muthu (a national award-winning wildlife cinematographer) and Shantanu Moitra (composer and musician for Bollywood films like 3 Idiots and Parineeta).

The Tiger Anthem showcases heartwarming images of pure love between a mother tiger and her cub, giving viewers a glimpse into their habits and the world they inhabit. The film traces their path to the serene tunes of Moitra, surreal lyrics by Tanveer Ghazi, and beautiful visuals capturing the power of emotion by Nalla.

“The hearts of the toughest human beings will melt on seeing a tiger cub caressing its mother’s face,” said Moitra. “It will work because the song and visuals are from a cub’s perspective. I am hoping children will pick it up like the ‘lakdi ki kathi, kathi pe ghoda’ song of the 80s.”

Elaborating on how music and films are the best mediums for communicating a message to people, Nalla said, “The minute you talk about tigers and poems, people remember William Blake’s ‘Tyger, tyger burning bright’ first. Using music or a narrative-driven medium like a feature film to convey a message can have a profound impact on an audience. Emotionally engaging content often resonates with people on a deeper level, making it more likely that they'll remember the message and potentially act on it.”

When launched, Project Tiger covered nine reserves across 18,278 sq. km. Currently, there are 53 tiger reserves spanning 75,000 sq. km. Today, with 3,167 tigers, 75 percent of the global wild tiger population is in India.

“The ‘Saving Our Stripes’ campaign is a call to action for all of us to do our part to protect these majestic creatures,” said Chatterjee. “By raising awareness about the importance of tiger conservation, we can help ensure that these magnificent animals continue to thrive for generations to come.”

To learn more about the “Saving Our Stripes” campaign, visit www.savingourstripes.com

Eleven leaders from across WPP have been recognised in the 2023 Empower Role Model Lists, designed to celebrate leaders who are championing inclusion for people of colour within global businesses.

The lists, compiled by INvolve and supported by YouTube, celebrate 100 Ethnic Minority Executives, 100 Ethnic Minority Future Leaders and 50 Advocate Role Models from across all industries for their commitment to DE&I in the workplace and to driving strategic change within their organisations.

Empower Top 100 Ethnic Minority Executive Role Models:

Dionne Aiken, CMO, Profiles Division, Kantar

Dorothy Burwell, Partner, FGS Global

Debbie Ellison, Global Chief Digital Officer, VMLY&R Commerce

Shelina Janmohamed, VP of Islamic Marketing, Ogilvy

Kirk McDonald, North America CEO, GroupM

Niken Wresniwiro, SVP Global Communications, WPP

Empower Top 100 Ethnic Minority Future Leaders:

Narmda Bhudia, Global Credit Risk Manager, GroupM

Andre Charles-Foster, Global Product Manager, GroupM Nexus

Amber Tomlinson, Product Director, GroupM

Empower Top 50 Advocate Executive Role Models:

Mark Read, CEO, WPP

Jennifer Remling, Chief People Officer, WPP

Mark Read, CEO of WPP, said: "Our priority at WPP is to continue to foster a culture where everyone feels valued, supported and inspired to create world-leading work for our clients. We believe that diversity and inclusivity are not only moral imperatives but also powerful business opportunities. I’m delighted that WPP leaders have once again been recognised in the Empower Role Model lists, highlighting their contributions to breaking down barriers for people of colour in our industry."

The recognition of role models comes against a backdrop of ongoing strategic work by WPP to address racial injustice both within the company and across the industry. In 2020, WPP made a series of commitments aimed at combatting racial injustice and supporting Black and minority ethnic talent. As part of these commitments, WPP pledged to invest $30m over three years to support anti-racism charities and inclusion programmes around the world.

This includes WPP’s Racial Equity Programme which funds projects that help bring about change, and WPP’s Elevate, a United States sponsorship programme designed to support Black women in their career growth. Elevate has since been rolled out to 25 high-potential Black women in the UK and will be piloted in its evolved format, SUMMIT, a year-long sponsorship programme for people of colour in Brazil and South Africa this year.

WPP has also introduced diverse candidate slate policies in the UK, US and APAC, has roles specifically marketed and accessible to candidates from under-represented groups, and is nurturing early talent to build a diverse pipeline. In 2022, we appointed a new Global Chief Talent and Inclusion Officer, highlighting our commitment to sustained momentum.

Following the success of the United States pilot, WPP partnered with The One Club for Creativity to launch ONE School UK in 2022, a free 16-week online portfolio programme designed to open doors to a career in advertising for talented UK-based Black creatives.

To ensure progress is driven by accountability, WPP established a global Inclusion Council in 2020 which gives a voice to under-represented groups and advises on goals, identifies barriers and recommends new systems and, in 2021, introduced DE&I metrics linked to leaders’ compensation and quarterly reviews. For the third consecutive year, we have published our workforce diversity data for the US and UK in our Sustainability Report.