#PowerfulBacking With American Express...

A recent global study commissioned by American Express showed that more than half of people today are living Hybrid Lives, with personal and work life deeply intertwined. The study, conducted in eight markets including India, others being Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Japan, Mexico, the United Kingdom, and the United States also revealed that two in three people feel they can achieve more because of this work-life integration.

The way people work and live has transformed - there is greater interconnectedness in both personal and work life, as well as real and virtual interactions. This blended, hybrid lifestyle is the new norm across the world, and India is no exception.

'Hybrid Life' as identified in American Express’ 'Live Life' survey is characterized by increasing interconnectedness between work and personal life, as well as real and virtual interactions. It results in deeper work-life integration enabled by technology, described by AmEx as #AmExLife.

American Express, backed by the insights of the study, has thus launched its new 360° brand marketing campaign in India, aptly called “Powerful Backing of American Express: Don’t Live Life / Don’t Do Business Without It” - to reflect new-age highly-integrated lifestyles and the fact that American Express supports its customers, enabling them to thrive in life and in business.

Speaking about the launch, Manoj Adlakha, CEO – American Express Banking Corp., India, said,

“This is the first time we’re introducing a campaign that speaks to all of the customer segments we serve, with a single, overarching message: American Express has your back, in life and in work. Relationships are core to who we are. Since our inception, we’ve put our customers at the center of everything we do. The campaign reinforces the enduring relationships we have with our customers and how we support them in ways big and small.”

Elaborating on the insights that powered the global brand strategy, Manoj added, “The new brand platform is a response to the fact that our customers are living diverse and layered lives. Our new campaign focuses on the powerful backing that we provide our customers and partners, enabling them to navigate this blended lifestyle.”

I recently had a chance to attend an event where AmEx's new brand campaign was presented. showcasing the dual passion-points of Indian millennials - technology and travel - that power the prominently emerging hybrid lifestyle in the 'Live Life' study.



There was an 'AR-VR' setup (or demo zone) featuring innovative use of virtual-augmented reality to present a  real-life simulation of diverse experiences such as an adrenaline-charged roller-coaster ride, the thrill of sky-diving, watching the Northern Lights and seeing penguins in the glaciers of Antarctica to emphasize on the thrill of #VirtualMeetsReal.

Such brand activations have been set up by AmEx for an experience by the masses in DLF Mall of India, Noida and Cyber Hub, Gurgaon.

Advertising is featured on a cross-section of platforms with a focus on communications channels that are at the intersection of life and work. These include print, mobile and outdoor platforms, as well as digital and social media.

Namaste. We are celebrating our new brand launch in India. Our special guest @yamigautam is the first one to try our #VirtualMeetsReal experiences. Don’t live life without it! #AmexLife

A post shared by American Express (@americanexpress) on Jul 25, 2018 at 3:24am PDT

The advertising and marketing elements include a heavy focus on digital content, online video, high-impact out-of-home advertising and social influencer engagement. The campaign is designed to meet people in the places where life and business intersect, both online and offline. Whether traveling, going to work, heading out to have fun, engaging with digital content or connecting on social media, Indians will be continuously reminded - American Express has got their back.

With the new brand platform, American Express is drawing on its heritage of service, security and trust and modernizing many elements of its brand iconography, including a modern articulation of a famous tagline, refreshing its Blue Box logo and visual identity and introducing a hand-drawn version of its famous card design that features its customers at the center.

The work was created by mcgarrybowen, Pentagram, Ogilvy, Mindshare and Digitas. The advertising was directed by renowned director Lance Accord, and the photography was shot by award-winning photographer Matthieu Young.

Sharing details on how the global campaign was adapted for Indian audiences, Manoj added,

“Our local agency partners at Ogilvy and Mindshare have been instrumental in trans-creating the global campaign to make it relevant for the Indian market. They have successfully integrated nuances that our customers and prospects can relate to. We are confident that this approach will resonate with our audience.”

Ruchi Mathur, Sr. Vice President, North & East India at Mindshare said,

“For today’s audiences with hybrid lives and complex paths to purchase, we leveraged relevant media & data intelligence to decode the mindset, media consumption behaviors, and connected journeys to deliver the communication to each audience segment, in the right context through the right medium. Basis these findings, we developed an integrated brand and demand focused media strategy that will keep the audiences engaged throughout the brand funnel, finally leading them towards becoming American Express members.”

Here's what celebrity ambassador Yami Gautam had to say about #PowerfulBacking...

The new brand platform aims to go from belonging i.e. 'the benefit of being part of an exclusive club' to backing i.e. 'the benefit of being part of a reciprocal relationship', with the cultural insight being the following.

I am sure that American Express' brand philosophy will surely make #PowerfulBacking popular among the masses. 

#SachinAtSmaaash To Amp The Ambience...

SMAAASH is an active entertainment space and a one-stop shop for patrons to play, party and celebrate. With a wide repertoire of games spanning Arcade, Virtual Reality, and Simulation genres to name a few, the brand journey has seen a steady growth to becoming one of the most loved entertainment destinations for many around the country and overseas.

My most recent visit to SMAAASH came about as a consequence of the unveiling of their newest outlets at the Ambience Malls in the city, namely at Vasant Kunj and Gurugram. The fun-and-food centers have sprung up in place of the quite popular bluO lounges in both malls.

The icing on the cake turned out to be the presence of Master Blaster and SMAAASH's Brand Ambassador Sachin Tendulkar who had a brief media interaction while unveiling the newest catchphrase and logo of SMAAASH that proclaimed 'Can't Stop Playing' - and rightly so! :)

Also present at the launch was Mr.  Shripal Morakhia, Chief Imagination Officer, SMAAASH Entertainment Pvt. Ltd., who was of such opinion with regard to the expansion

"All the games here are like the three A’s of SMAAASH – Amazing, Aspirational and Awesome. We are the best place for celebrations, as one can eat, play and party, all under one roof. Also, considering the changing tastes of the consumers, we will be regularly introducing new gaming concepts. With our presence across twenty-six centers in thirteen cities and growing, SMAAASH aims to change the way our country celebrates each day."

Commenting on the concept of SMAAASH that has visibly gained popularity among families and youth alike, Sachin regarded SMAAASH as a great platform for people to de-stress and enjoy with friends and family. He was of the opinion that SMAAASH has redefined the concept of sports entertainment in the country while providing wholesome entertainment for sports lovers and thrill-seekers.

The newly revived 50,000 sq. ft. centers are the next links in the chain of the country’s premier urban sports parks. SMAAASH, Ambience Gurugram has two exciting new Golf-based games - Golf Showdown and Mini Jungle Golf and SMAAASH, Ambience Vasant Kunj has LaserBlast - a trippy Laser Tag arena for group games.

SMAAASH Cricket - the 360^o cricket simulator is the only one where one can experience first-hand the exhilaration of facing cricket legends like Anil Kumble, Shane Warne, Wasim Akram and of course, Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar.

The newly-designed spaces maintain a vibrant balance between energizing and yet a chilled out ambiance, where one can hang with friends and family.

Meanwhile, the in-house café and bar at SMAAASH will ensure that one enjoys hearty meals and heady drinks during the fun gaming sessions with the gang.

In addition to their brand expansion over the Indian subcontinent, SMAAASH has also targeted the USA with the Mall of America while expansion in Saudi Arabia and Dubai is in the pipeline.

Smashing Food At Smaaash!

Earlier last month, while on a shopping spree at Mall of India, Noida, I discovered this gem of a place that is Smaaash. It is a gamer's paradise that also incorporates a food space by the name of Mighty Small into itself, which is based on a vibrant carnival theme.

The games at Smaaash are categorised into Arcade, Virtual Reality, and games that require physical participation. From Cricket to Bowling to Walk The Plank to Roller Coaster Rides to Motor Racing to Football, there's something or the other at Smaaash that would appeal to gaming enthusiasts.

The Mighty Small Cafe area has been separated from the gaming area by the means of a ramp inside the premises. That way, it also acts as a private area for parties and gatherings. Being a family place, Smaaash acts like the perfect day-long picnic, for it has been optimised to cater to fun, play, and food. We were here during the day and also witnessed a kid's birthday bash being catered to, quite efficiently. Our meal, was also, needless to say, an amalgamation of excellently presented dishes and an attempt at most of the games hosted at Smaaash.

Here's the low-down on the food we tried. 

Soups: 

Roasted Tomato and Basil, served with garlic croutons.

Sweet Corn Chicken was an extravaganza of corn and chicken, flavorful on the palate.

Appetizers:

Smaaash Nachos are a signature dish, as is evident from the nomenclature. These were loaded with melted cheese, salsa, and olives.

Basil Stir Fry Fish had a characteristic smoked flavour to it, thanks to the way it was prepared.

Dahi Ke Kebab, a classic that has to be done right, without fail. This one was tangy and melt-in-mouth.

Veggie Lover Pizza was a pleasant combination of corn, mushroom, and bell pepper.

Veg Platter & Non-Veg Platter both consisted of Chef Kartikey's choicest preparations and the presentation was a visual treat.

Mocktails/Shakes:

Lemon and Mint Iced Tea, Passion Fruit Iced Tea, and Pomegranate and Peach Iced Tea each had their characteristic flavours owing to respective ingredients.

Baby Split Shake & Throw In Smoothie packed a punch with banana, strawberry, and chocolate chips.

Main Course:

Fried Rice was classically prepared and humbly presented.

Chicken Tikka Masala was an authentic Indian gravy with boneless chicken chunks.

Grilled Fish was a stand-out preparation for which Chef Kartikey himself explained the methodology of smoking it in butter.

Dessert:

Ice-Cream Soda Float

Smaaash Noida, in a nutshell, is a one-stop-eatery for a day out with family or friends as the case may be as it is a place that would appeal to everyone, age-no-bar, thanks to its fool-proof combination of fun and food, wherein both the aspects are flawlessly catered to. :)

Bid Adieu To Travel Woes With YuMiGo!

The first round of YuMiGo’s funding closure goes along with the launch of new age travel website. October marks an auspicious festive season in India. And the same rings true for all Indians residing abroad. YuMiGo announced raising $300,000 in its first round of funding on 15 October. The launch of its innovative travel website aims to pacify the pain points of international travelers. Whether you are travelling for the first time or are a frequent traveler, YuMiGo is your best companion to tackle all travel related issues.

The best thing is that it helps you not only while planning but also during the trip. Though there are plenty of websites pitching hotels, flights etc., but those are limited just to providing info on these. No other website takes care of everything before and after, which is still unstructured and unorganized.

Rishabh Sood, co-founder, YuMiGo, says,“I realized how frustrating it gets to plan a trip abroad because a traveler has to engage with multiple service providers for getting a visa done, buying foreign currency or a calling card and figuring out the right travel insurance. We came up with the idea of not just helping out a traveler, but also creating a systematic honest search that will not leave a traveler swindled.”

“While selling flights or hotels, nobody is thinking about the traveler”, adds Pratyush Kukreja, who teams up with Rishabh as co-founder for their second startup together. ”If a business solves more than one pain point for a traveller, it can engage at a deeper level - which translates into increased loyalty, a larger share of traveller’s wallet, higher LTV and lower CAC.” The duo’s sole purpose of launching the company is to fill the wide gap in the online industry. The purpose also embarks making a difference in the travel industry. It is, in fact, about revamping the travel and forex markets. This will probably create a new benchmark in Indian travel industry services.

As a matter of fact the credit of organizing the funding goes to Pooja Bansal, Pratyush’s spouse. She had put them in touch with Hemant Sahni, who is running many businesses and gradually decided to invest an amount of $300,000 in YuMiGo. The overall concept, plans and YuMiGo’s unique positioning was so impressive to make it happen so easily. He finds a tremendous scope in this business. The launch was at Rrala’s Habibi at the MGF Metropolitan Mall. A couple of presentations by the founders were crisply able to ensure highlighting the crux of the matter.

A Demo of Virtual Reality - Try Before You Fly

YuMiGo is fully operational. It offers currency for more than 100 countries all over the world. There are more than 50 voice plus data bundles. These plans are highly flexible to suit every traveler's unique demand. The company also offers travel insurance plans from multiple service providers. In addition, there is a dedicated visa service for all major countries. YuMiGo also plans to launch services related to travel and destination so as to engage traveler offering them an end-to-end solution. There are a number of announcements in the pipeline.

Finally, the team adds, “15th October marks a day of immense historic significance; 8 decades ago on this day, JRD Tata flew India’s first commercial flight. From that one aircraft, it grew to what we know as Air India today. We want to achieve a similar impact on the India’s travel landscape through YuMiGo”.