Metro Mart Daily

Del Monte, a leading brand known for its premium and high quality food products, is launching a new communication campaign focused on its range of gourmet Italian offerings – Olive oil, Dried Pasta & Pasta Sauces, Table Olives - with the tagline ‘Can’t Get More Italian’.

In a category where authenticity and provenance matters, the campaign seeks to clearly establish that one can’t get more real and authentic than Del Monte as it sources its products from heritage, family run producers in Italy and is the only player that offers an extensive range that enables consumers to enjoy great Italian at home.

It strives to do so through a main thematic TVC that showcases the hard work and care put into preparing its Italian range. The spot shows a happy-go-lucky montage of Italians fetching fresh ingredients and creating products with the delicious and original taste of Italy for consumers in India.

“We aim to showcase the unique flavours of our wide range of authentic Italian products with this campaign. We, as a brand, intend to start a conversation with our consumers about our products through this campaign,” says Yogesh Bellani, Chief Executive Officer, Del Monte.

The ‘Can’t Get More Italian’ campaign will be further amplified across digital platforms and out-of-home (OOH) activations, successfully establishing that Del Monte as the “Go-to partner for authentic Italian cuisine at home”.

“Del Monte’s Italian range has a strong authentic product story that made creating the marketing communication a delight. We’ve seen the source story before but the challenge was to give that a fresh spin. The tonality held the key. We kept it fun and quirky, in line with the tastes of the young families the brand was talking to. At a time when young Indians are constantly experimenting with food, I’m sure this authentic option is something they’ll love.” Nikhil George, Creative Director, Orchard India

Del Monte stands tall as the category leader in the imported pasta and table olives category and amongst the best in the olive oil section. Del Monte is the only brand that offers Indians such a wide range of Italian products.

Feel the Italian vibe and relish its taste by giving this campaign an eye and indulging in the Del Monte Italian range, right after.

The Indian Machine Tool Manufacturers’ Association (IMTMA) held its 73rd Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the Bangalore International Exhibition Centre (BIEC).  Mr. Indradev Babu, Managing Director, UCAM Private Limited was elected as the new President of IMTMA.

Mr. Indradev Babu will succeed Mr. P. Ramadas, Managing Director, Ace Manufacturing Systems Limited as IMTMA’s President. Mr. Ravi Raghavan, Managing Director, Bharat Fritz Werner Limited was elected as the new Vice President of IMTMA.

The new Executive Committee of IMTMA for the year 2019-2020 was also formed.

Earlier, in a special session at the AGM, Mr. Kamal Bali, President and Managing Director, Volvo Group India Private Limited, spoke about the current economic downturn as well as the opportunities in store for the auto sector. He said that the slowdown that we see in the auto sector is cyclical and the industry should continue its efforts digitalization, innovation and providing solutions that are economically and environmentally viable.

Elaborating further he said that industry should move from the earlier definition of VUCA (Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity) towards a new definition of VUCA, i.e.  (Vision, Understanding, Clarity, and Agility).

The Indian Machine Tool Manufacturers’ Association (IMTMA) held its 73rd Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the Bangalore International Exhibition Centre (BIEC).  Mr. Indradev Babu, Managing Director, UCAM Private Limited was elected as the new President of IMTMA.

Mr. Indradev Babu will succeed Mr. P. Ramadas, Managing Director, Ace Manufacturing Systems Limited as IMTMA’s President. Mr. Ravi Raghavan, Managing Director, Bharat Fritz Werner Limited was elected as the new Vice President of IMTMA.

The new Executive Committee of IMTMA for the year 2019-2020 was also formed.

Earlier, in a special session at the AGM, Mr. Kamal Bali, President and Managing Director, Volvo Group India Private Limited, spoke about the current economic downturn as well as the opportunities in store for the auto sector. He said that the slowdown that we see in the auto sector is cyclical and the industry should continue its efforts digitalization, innovation and providing solutions that are economically and environmentally viable.

Elaborating further he said that industry should move from the earlier definition of VUCA (Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity) towards a new definition of VUCA, i.e.  (Vision, Understanding, Clarity, and Agility).

The Indian Machine Tool Manufacturers’ Association (IMTMA) held its 73rd Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the Bangalore International Exhibition Centre (BIEC).  Mr. Indradev Babu, Managing Director, UCAM Private Limited was elected as the new President of IMTMA.

Mr. Indradev Babu will succeed Mr. P. Ramadas, Managing Director, Ace Manufacturing Systems Limited as IMTMA’s President. Mr. Ravi Raghavan, Managing Director, Bharat Fritz Werner Limited was elected as the new Vice President of IMTMA.

The new Executive Committee of IMTMA for the year 2019-2020 was also formed.

Earlier, in a special session at the AGM, Mr. Kamal Bali, President and Managing Director, Volvo Group India Private Limited, spoke about the current economic downturn as well as the opportunities in store for the auto sector. He said that the slowdown that we see in the auto sector is cyclical and the industry should continue its efforts digitalization, innovation and providing solutions that are economically and environmentally viable.

Elaborating further he said that industry should move from the earlier definition of VUCA (Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity) towards a new definition of VUCA, i.e.  (Vision, Understanding, Clarity, and Agility).

South India Hotels and Restaurants Association (SIHRA) has made their contribution to the Kerala Chief Minister’s Distress Relief Fund in the wake of the devastating floods that affected Kerala earlier in July-August, 2019. The cheque for CMDRF was handed over to the Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan by a delegation consisting of Jose Pradeep (Executive Member-SIHRA), Suresh M Pillai (Vice President-SKHF) and Manoj Babu (Secretary-SKHF).

Kerala Chief Minister Shri Pinarayi Vijayan today made a strong pitch for reduction in GST rates on hotel rooms, elimination of disparity in inter-state taxes on tourism vehicles and introduction of affordable airfares to expedite growth of tourism in the country.

Inaugurating stateTourism Ministers’ Conclave 2019 in the presence of Union Minister of State (I/C) for Tourism and Culture Shri Prahlad Singh Patel at Kovalam beach resort, Shri Vijayan said though tourism in the country has high growth potential, removal of impediments like high tax rates is essential to consolidate India’s position as a prime global destination.

“Tourism industry is faced with some serious challenges. These include high tax rates, lack of sufficient air connectivity and disparity in inter-state taxes. There is also an urgent need to rationalize taxes across all states and establish a mechanism to address the frequent hike in airfares,” he added.

There is an imperative need to reduce 28 per cent and 18 per cent taxes on hotels levying rent of Rs 7,500 and above, and Rs 2,500 and above, respectively, the Chief Minister said.

Shri Vijayan also emphasized the need to introduce affordable airfares to cushion stiff international competition and standardization of service parameters to ensure high quality of services in the hospitality sector.

Noting that India with its immense diversity has tremendous tourism potential, he said it is important to have periodic exchange of ideas and interactions among states to address challenges impeding the growth of tourism in the country.

“Development of tourism in any part of the country helps the entire country. Therefore, we need to work together. We need to improve best practices,” the Chief Minister added.

In his address as the Chief Guest, Shri Patel, however, said while the Centre would extend its support to development of tourism in all states, it is necessary to think about ‘one nation one tax’ regime.

“We should revisit our perception about GST. Tourists come not only to stay in hotels. We have to also think about one nation one tax. There is also the issue of transport tax. All states should evolve a consensus to streamline it,” he observed.

Patting Kerala for taking an initiative like this, Shri Patel said such a conclave would help in learning and understanding from one another’s experiences. “The state is known for its beauty and also for its famed hospitality. We need to learn it from Kerala. I don’t envision Centre and states as separate entities. Also, all the stakeholders should sit collectively to establish communication, be it a tour operator or a hotel owner or a driver,” he said.

“We must think that we are not in competition with each other; our competition is outside. If we sit together frequently, we will able to learn from each other as tourism is a catalyst for all industries. The need to change our perception is greater than money,” he added.

Shri Patel said that during a recent meeting of Tourism Ministers in New Delhi, he had suggested that such a conclave should be held in Jammu and Kashmir within six months to deliberate on that state’s tourism scenario.

Stressing upon the uniqueness of each state, he said the Centre’s approach is that tourism should develop in all parts of the country whether it’s Ladakh, Goa, Kerala or North-East. “I want to emphasise that one particular paradigm can’t be applicable for all the states. The uniqueness of each and every state has to be leveraged to promote tourism,” he added.

Describing e-Visa as a revolutionary step, he said the Centre has taken some steps to streamline it and make it more tourist-friendly.

Noting that this is for the first time a conference like this is organized by a state government, Kerala Tourism Minister Shri Kadakampally Surendran said collective efforts are required to overcome challenges impeding the growth of revenue- and job-generating tourism sector.

“Apart from reducing taxes, improving air connectivity and introducing competitive airfares, creating extensive connective between two-tier and three-tier cities should be seriously taken up,” he added.

The deliberations at the meet focused on three major topics: ‘Best practices in Sustainable Tourism’; ‘Challenges faced by Tourism Industry’; and ‘Branding and Promotion of State Tourism Boards’. 

Bihar Tourism Minister Shri Krishnakumar Rishi; Karnataka Tourism Minister Shri C.T. Ravi; Shri H. Khehovi Yeputhomi, Advisor in Charge of Department of Tourism, Art and Culture, Nagaland; and Shri Jyoti Prakash Panigrahi, Odisha Tourism Minister, were present in the conclave.

Shri P. Sreeramakrishnan, Speaker, Kerala Assembly; Shri. M. Vijaya Kumar, Chairman, Kerala Tourism Development Corporation; Smt Rani George IAS, Secretary Tourism and Culture; and Shri P Bala Kiran IAS, Director, Tourism, attended the event, which also saw the presence of office bearers of various industry organisations

Bosch Power Tools India, a front runner in the power tools market segment that caters to construction, woodworking and metalworking industry, is set to amplify its consumer experience by enabling users to get hands on experience of the cordless range through mobile van demonstration vehicles. An extension of the recently launched user campaign, ‚Cordless Matlab Bosch. Bosch power tools will campaign across multi-cities starting 9th of September across for six months.

Adding to the 40 cities covered by the previous 'Cordless Matlab Bosch' demo zones through channel partner outlets, Bosch power tools plan to expand its outreach to 50 more cities in India by the end of the month with the product experiential mobile vans campaign. The mobile campaign will kick-start this September in locations, Kolkata, Delhi, Cochin, Ahmedabad, Pune, Hyderabad, Chennai, Bangalore, Ludhiana and Lucknow. These experiential mobile vans will not only engage and educate consumers on the availability and benefits of quality cordless power tools in the market but also improve accessibility and availability of the range by reaching across cities through the experiential vehicles.

A stormer in the industry, the cordless range of power tools enable tradesmen and blue-collar workers to work flexibly without the constraints of wires or cables while maintaining the efficiency, power, safety and unrivaled ergonomics Bosch Power Tools India is synonymous with. Part of the mobile van experiential, customers can avail a hands-on demonstration of Bosch Power Tool's lithium-ion battery-powered screwdriver, the Bosch Go, with push and go functionality is 4x more convenient than its competitors available in the market. The cordless range on showcase will also include power drill drivers, high power impact wrenches, robust hammer drills, high-speed impact drills, ABR enabled impact drivers, flexible drill drivers and the GSR 120-LI, a 12V cordless drill driver, re-introduced with an exclusive jacket packaging designed for India. Equipped with Robust Housing, Electronic Cell Protection (ECP) and +20% soft torque improvements, the GSR 120-LI enables its users with more power than its predecessors. These tools are designed to be compact yet similar to the shape and size of a manual design assisting users to effortlessly switch from corded to cordless power tools.

Commenting on the launch of the mobile van campaign, Panish PK, Regional Business Director - India and SAARC – Bosch Power Tools said, “Here, at Bosch Power Tools, our vision is to drive technical development in the industry for Indian consumers. From having the smallest and most powerful batteries on the market to introducing cordless tools to replace their corded predecessors, Bosch aims to advance into a new dimension of performance and excellence.”

He further adds, “Some of these cordless tools for professionals are optimized with ProCore18V batteries for maximum performance and efficiency, making cordless tools better than corded tools for the first time in the history of machine and toolmaking. Design and quality being key, the cordless range will offer all the conveniences of going cordless without added bulkiness or weight, encouraging every workman in the country to go cordless, thereby spearheading the vision of our campaign – ‘Cordless matlab Bosch’."
Beginning its operations in 1993, founded on the principle of “Workshop for Precision Mechanics and Electrical Engineering”, the company has always provided its users with affordable solutions for a better life.” Completing 25 years of operations in India, Bosch Power Tools has achieved multiple milestones in the industry introducing innovations and best in class products and will continue on this journey of invention and development. As the customer base grows, Bosch Power Tools works with their people and partners to create new opportunities and technology, invented for life with innovation and precision mechanics

Tourism Ministers and top officials of various states will congregate at the famed Kovalam beach resort here on September 16 to deliberate on key issues and challenges confronting travel and hospitality sector and hammer out strategies to firm up India’s position as a prime global destination of immense diversity.

Union Minister of State for Tourism and Culture Shri Prahlad Singh Patel will be the chief guest at the conclave, to be inaugurated by Kerala Chief Minister Shri Pinarayi Vijayan at Leela Raviz, Kovalam. Hon’ble Minister for Tourism, Cooperation and Devaswom, Shri Kadakampally Surendran will preside over the function.

Major topics on the agenda of the meet include ‘Best practices in sustainable tourism’, ‘Challenges faced by tourism industry’ and ‘Branding and promotion of state tourism boards’. As the event coincides with festival season in Kerala, the participants at the conclave will be treated to a colourful cultural pageantry, depicting God’s Own Country’s history, heritage and journey through ages, organized in the city in the evening by State Tourism Department to mark the finale of the week-long Onam celebrations.

“This is a significant convergence that will come out with mutually-beneficial suggestions for further growth of tourism in the country. It can also become a permanent forum for holding periodic sessions in the future to address emerging issues in tourism sector collectively,” said Kerala Tourism Minister Shri Kadakampally Surendran.

“There are issues that need to be addressed jointly by the states such as elimination of disparities in tax rates, rationalization of GST tariffs relating to the hospitality industry, affordable air fares to beat global competition, improving road and rail connectivity and standardization of service parameters. Some of these issues are to be taken up with the Centre,” the minister added.

The brainstorming meet would also offer an opportunity for Kerala to present before the entire nation how quickly it had bounced back from last year’s devastating floods, he said. Evolving common strategies by identifying areas of co-operation among states in conserving ecology and protecting and preserving tangible and intangible heritage is a prime topic to be discussed at the conclave.

An entire session of the conclave has been marked to deliberate on issues concerning travel and hospitality industry as a major revenue-generating activity, especially in times when the economy is confronted with headwinds.

Putting a robust system in place to ensure world-class quality of services by evolving standardization and accreditation protocols acceptable to all will be part of the industry-related discussions.

The meet will also debate on the initiatives needed to support branding and marketing efforts of State Tourism Boards. The emphasis will be on identifying target markets, drawing up marketing plans, organising festivals and cultural events, stepping up digital marketing and leveraging of social media and strengthening public-private partnership.

“Tourism is an activity that blurs boundaries. All the states would benefit from deliberations and interactions at the conclave by sharing experiences and cementing co-operation,” Shri Surendran said.
 

Tropical Titans repeated their stellar performance and won the second leg of the pioneering Champions Boat League (CBL) here today, ahead of Mighty Oars and Pride Chasers who emerged second and third in a photo finish.

Tropical Titans timed 3:23:86 in the final, while Mighty Oars finished at 3:25.49 and Pride Chasers at 3:25.85 at the end of the second round of the CBL modelled on IPL cricket. The three-month CBL is being organised by Kerala Tourism. Pride Chasers, who clocked the best timing of 3:21.52 of the day, were declared ‘Nerolac Excel Fastest Team of the Day” and earned five extra points.

Finishing fourth at the Meenachil River races at Thazhathangadi was Raging Rowers (Police Boat Club), clocking 3:25.97after topping the second losers’ final. Coast Dominators (3:28.78) finished fifth and Thunder Oars (3:30.17) sixth, respectively.

In the losers’ final, Backwater Warriors (3:37.13) finished first, thus making it to the seventh position. Backwater Ninjas (3:40.67) finished eighth and Backwater Knights (3:42.31) ninth.

The next leg is on September 14 at Karuvatta in Alappuzha district.

Today’s winner,Tropical Titans, captained by Narayanan Kutty, secured Rs 5 lakh, followed by Rs 3 lakh (Mighty Oars) and Rs 1 lakh (Pride Chasers) for finishing second and third, respectively. All participating teams are entitled to Rs 4 lakh per match.

The overall winner of the championships will get Rs 25 lakh, followed by Rs 12 lakh and Rs 10 lakh for the second and third prize winners. Kerala Tourism Secretary Mrs Rani George attended the Thazhathangadi round of CBL. Also present were Kerala Tourism Director Mr. P Bala Kiran and Kottayam District Collector Mr. P K SudheerBabu. Today’s CBL races were held alongside the traditional Kottayam Thazhathangadi Boat Race that has a history dating from 1885.

Tropical Titans (traditionally Pallathuruthi Boat Club) had won the first round of the CBL on August 31, also finishing first in the 67th Nehru Trophy Boat Race held that evening at Alappuzha’s sprawling Punnamada Lake here. Finishing second in the inaugural leg was Coast Dominators (United Boat Club, Kainakary), while Raging Rowers (Police Boat Club) finished third.

The CBL was inaugurated at Alappuzha’s Punnamada Lake on August 31. Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar was the star guest at the opening event that was flagged off by Chief Minister Shri Pinarayi Vijayan. The CBL, overall, features 12 rounds of races slated across Saturdays till November 23.

The races were broadcast live, and will continue to be so during the rest of the legs. Star Sports 2, Star Sports 2 HD, Star Sports 1 Tamil, Asianet Worldwide, Asianet Plus, Hotstar, ETV Andhra Pradesh and ETV Telangana will beam the event for an hour from 4 pm.

Tickets can be booked online through ‘Book my Show’ platform, besides 20 outlets that facilitate spot purchase of tickets. The prices range from Rs 200 to Rs 2,000.

The schedule after the September 14 stage is as follows: : September 28 (Piravam, Ernakulam district), October 5 (Marine Drive, Kochi), October 12 (Kottappuram, Thrissur district), October 19 (Ponnani, Malappuram), October 26 (Kainakari, Alappuzha), November 2 (Pulinkunnu, Alappuzha district), November 9 (Kayamkulam, Alappuzha), November 16 (Kallada, Kollam district) and November 23 (Kollam, President’s Trophy Boat Race).

Tickets can be booked online through ‘Book my Show’ platform, besides outlets that facilitate spot purchase of tickets.
 

Kerala Tourism’s week-long cultural extravaganza to mark this year’s Onam celebrations will kick off on September 10, showcasing the state’s vibrant classical and folk dances, modern art and performing traditions at multiple venues in the state capital and various District Centres.

As part of the Onam celebrations, the capital city will also host the State Tourism Ministers’ Conclave, to be inaugurated by Chief Minister Shri Pinarayi Vijayan on September 16, the concluding day of the festival. Union Minister of State for Tourism and Culture Shri Prahlad Singh Patel will be the chief guest at the meet at Leela Raviz, Kovalam.

Besides deliberating on key topics like sustainable tourism, challenges faced by the industry, and branding and promotion of State Tourism Boards, the amazing story of Kerala’s post-flood resurgence will be presented before the entire country at the conclave, Tourism Minister Shri Kadakampally Surendran told a press conference here on Friday.

Last year, Onam Week Celebrations were dropped as the state was overwhelmed by the devastating floods. “No calamity is going to dampen our spirit to survive and forge ahead. This year also, there had been heavy downpours, spawning devastation and loss of lives. That was very unfortunate. But we are not going to be halted in our track. We will survive adversities and move forward. This is the message of the Onam celebrations,” the minister added.

The Chief Minister will inaugurate the celebrations at Nishagandhi Auditorium on September 10 at 6 pm. Kerala Assembly Speaker Shri P Sreeramakrishnan will give the Onam message. Leader of the Opposition Shri Ramesh Chennithala will deliver the keynote address.

Shri Surendran said an amount of Rs 6 crore has been earmarked for the conduct of the festival. Of this, Rs 4 crore would be for events in and around the state capital and Rs 2 crore for the districts.

Heralding the festivities, the Tourism Minister will unfurl the ‘Onam flag’ on September 8 at 6 pm in Kanakakunnu. Shri C K Hareendran, MLA will switch on the illuminations in the city on September 9 at 6 pm. Shri K Sabarinathan, MLA will inaugurate the food festival.

National award-winning actor Keerthy Suresh and popular star Tovino Thomas will be the Chief Guests on the inaugural evening, whose highlight will be a musical performance by singer K S Chitra and team

The festival will feature over 5,000 artists of different genres. There will be performances of dance, music, percussion ensembles, plays, yoga display, literary competitions and recitals besides staging of diverse folk, martial and contemporary arts.

The state capital will have programmes in as many as 29 venues. While Nishagandhi Auditorium and Central Stadium are the principal venues, programmes will also be staged at Vyloppilli Samskrithi Bhavan, Gandhi Park, Kanakakunnu Palace Auditorium and other cultural venues.

A long list of popular singers, including by MG Sreekumar, Karthik, Sreenivas, Madhu Balakrishnan, Unni Menon, Kavalam Sreekumar, Vidhu Prathap, Sudeep Kumar, Rimi Tomy, Jyotsna, Ramesh Narayan, KG Marcos, Jassie Gift, Manu Thampi, Mrudula Warrier and  a musical ensemble by Thaikkudam Bridge, will enthrall audiences at various venues on different days.

The Central Stadium will host mega shows by various media houses like Jaihind, ACV, Mangalam, Deshabhimani, Kerala Kaumudi and Metro Vartha. There will be stage presentations of popular TV show  D for Dance by Malayala Manorama and Johnson Night  by Mathrubhumi at Nishagandhi, where Rathrimazha, a tribute to  film director Late Lenin Rajendran will also be featured.

Kazhakoottam Greenfield stadium will host performance of danseuse and cine artist Asha Sarath and team. Musical shows will be held at Poojapura Maidan, Kanakakunnu Palace Auditorium, Sooryakanthi Stage and Public Office vicinity. Classical performing traditions will be showcased at Theerdhapaada Mandapam (Kathakali, koothu, Kudiyattom), Bharat Bhavan (Classical Dance), and Vylopalli Samskriti Bhavan (Classical Dance). Stages like Thiruvarangu and Sopanam at Kanakakunnu are dedicated for folk art performances, while Shankhumugham will host the performances of women and children.

Theerdhapaada Mandapam will also host Aksharaslokam and VJT Hall, Museum Compound and Gandhi Park will have other recitals and theatre performances. Museum Compound will stage Yoga and kalaripayattu also.

For the first time, the festival has been extended to Vellayani, on the outskirts. Other venues include Kanakakunnu Gate, Veli Tourist Village, Akkulam, Sree Chitra Thirunal Park Kottakkakam, Neyyatinkara, Kazhakootam, Attingal, Nedumangad, Sreevaraham, Peroorkada Bappuji Library and Mudavoorpara boat club yard.

Athapookkalam competitions for the public will be held at St. Joseph’s School, Palayam. The Onam Trade Fair will be inaugurated at Sooryakanthi grounds by Shri C Divakaran, MLA on September 8. The district-level Onam Week Celebrations will be organised by district administrations and District Tourism Promotion Councils in all other districts.

The festival will conclude with a colourful cultural pageantry depicting the history and culture of Kerala, to be flagged off from Keltron Junction, Vellayambalam on September 16 at 5 PM.

The minister also launched a promotional video of the ongoing Champions Boat League (CBL) at the press meet. Top-notch composer A R Rahman has done the background score for the video, made by Bharat Bala.

Shri Surendran also released the logo of Chaliyar River Paddle 2019, an expedition of 68 km along the Chaliyar river from Nilambur to Beypore, organized by Jellyfish Association with the support of Kerala Adventure Tourism Promotion Society from September 20-22.

Shri C Divakaran, MLA,  working chairman Onam celebrations committee, Tourism Director Shri P Bala Kiran IAS and KTDC MD Shri Rahul R IRS were also present at the press meet.