WIZCRAFT PLACES INDIA ON THE GLOBAL MAP WITH WORLD-CLASS EVENTS CELEBRATING ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE NATION

                                       

Mumbai, 30^th August 2016: India’s leading media and Entertainment Company, Wizcraft has successfully delivered some of the most spectacular events the country has seen this year. From conceptualizing the very first town hall under MyGov, to celebrating the inspiring life of Baba Banda Singh Bahadur, they have proved their mettle by bringing to life the most unique and path breaking ideas and progressively contributed towards nation-building.

This year, the biggest highlight has been Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi’s dream of being one with the people of our nation and this dream was realized by Wizcraft at the successful completion of 2 years of MyGov’s participative governance, in August. For the first-time ever, citizens from across the country came together on one platform to raise their concerns before the Prime Minister, who addressed the same and also presented before the world the achievements and highlights of our government and the idea of technology-assisted Jan Bhagidari in all spheres of governance. 

Since this year also marked the 300^th Shaheedi Samagam of Baba Banda Singh Bahadur,Wizcraft brought to life the story of the great warrior on a larger-than-life canvas by video-mapping Asia’s tallest War Memorial Minar in Chappar Chiri, Chandigarh and a 6 minute firework synchronized with a laser story board show and laser beam show, for the very first time in history. This event witnessed by over 6000 attendees, acknowledged the achievements and heroism of the great disciple of Guru Gobind Singh and was followed by the main event in Delhi on 3^rd July, where for the very first time in India, a Live AR was shot with an actual character, who resembled Baba Banda Singh Bahadur, walked into the audience on his horse and made circles around the guests and delivered his message to the youth. With the Prime Minister of India present, along with the Chief Ministers of Punjab and Haryana and the cabinet ministers, this event was a huge success and left a powerful impact on the younger generation of Punjab and across the nation, and was appreciated for the grandeur of the celebrations.

Wizcraft also successfully ideated and executed the ‘India Skills Week 2016’, which began with a Walkathon on 15^th July at India Gate lawns followed by the opening ceremony at Vigyan Bhawan, where the Hon’ble President of India, Dr. Pranab Mukherjee inaugurated the launch of India Skill Center, PMKVY2.0, LMIS, the Skill India online portal and the India Skill 2016 Competition in the presence of Shree. Rajiv Pratap Rudy, Dr. Jitendra Singh, Mr. Prakash Javedekar, Smt. Smriti Irani and Mr. Venkaiah Naidu. This 3-day event, which included an exhibition at Pragati Madan that saw a footfall of 50,000 visitors, communicated the initiatives and achievements of Skill Development Ministry seamlessly. The participants showcased their talent and skills in the form of a skit, dance or a fashion show, in the presence of Mr. Rajiv Pratap Rudy, Mr. Suket Dhir and Mr. Krishnamachari Srikkanth, and the finalists of India Skill 2016 will get an opportunity to participate at the World Skills International Competition in Abu Dhabi next year. 

Bringing together The President, the Vice President and The Prime Minister of India on one stage, Wizcraft proudly organized and executed the inauguration of Rashtrapati Bhavan Museum, which exhibits all the antiques received by the President and the key memorabilia at the museum as an appreciation of our country’s rich heritage. A specially created structure with unusual sizes was set up to ensure maximum visibility for the museum and the clock tower and was beautifully lit with intelligent lights and floral décor. The event saw the launch of a Hop-On Hop-Off bus, along with 5 books and a microsite. The inauguration event was attended by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, the Chiefs of the Armed Forces, 36 Governors of 29 states and 7 Union Territories, Leaders of Opposition in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, Speaker of Lok Sabha, top 16 Cabinet Ministers, along with the leaders of political parties in the country, Chairmen of Parliamentary Standing Committees, Members of Cabinet Committee on Security, Cabinet Committee on Home Affairs and Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs, among others.

Commenting on achieving this incredible feat, Mr. Andre Timmins, Director, Wizcraft International Entertainment said, “By delivering experiences that have been challenging yet hugely rewarding, we at Wizcraft are proud to be considered the preferred agency of various government ministries and bringing to life their vision. Our in-depth knowledge about the government initiatives gives us an edge while conceptualizing these different events and delivering outstanding results. We make events extraordinary by breathing magnanimity into it with our undeterred passion and our aim is to continue creating wonders!”

This September, Add Some Drama To Your Weekends With Star World!

~ Catch up on your weekly dose of music, mystery and family drama with Emmy Nominated Shows on Star World Weekend Binge ~

Mumbai, 30^th August, 2016: India’s premiere entertainment channels Star World and Star World HD, are set to add some much needed drama and more to your weekends come September! Home to some of the best English entertainment in India, ‘Star World Weekend Binge’ will showcase three Emmy-nominated shows all through September. These include Season 2 of the musical drama, Empire; Season 2 of the legal drama, How To Get Away With Murder; and Season 2 of the family drama, Black-ish.

The first three weekends of the month will be the perfect time to catch up on all that one may have missed in the previous seasons of  Empire and How to Get Away with Murder, especially with new seasons of both shows being just around the corner on Star World and Star World HD. How to Get Away With Murder will air on 3^rd, 4^th and 10^th September and Empire will air on 11^th, 17^thand 18^th September on both the channels. This is the perfect opportunity for viewers to recap the happenings with the Lyon family in Empire and the Keating 5 in How to Get Away With Murder. 

An American musical drama centered around a mix of hip hop and soul music, Empire highlights the many complications and goings-on in the glamorous yet dark underbelly of the entertainment industry as the Lyon family fights to reign control over their company. With numerous popular stars such as Ludacris, Kelly Rowland, Chris Rock and Alicia Keys, to name a few, making their appearance in Season 2, this is definitely one of those shows one cannot miss this September.

How To Get Away With Murder follows the journey of Annalise Keating as she not only guides her clique of students in the art of legal proceedings but also grapples with dark secrets of her own and her students. Season 2 of the show starts by focusing on the death of Rebecca and the adoptive parents of the Hapstall twins. With a whole lot of mystery coupled with an award worthy performance by Viola Davis, this show should be on everyone’s watch list.

Ending September on a comic front, fans will get a watch the antics of the Johnson family led by patriarch Andre, ‘Dre’ Johnson, as he maneuvers his and his family’s life to match that of the society. ‘Black – ish’ will air on the channels over the weekend of 24^th and 25^th September.

So mark your calendars this September and get ready to binge on some of the biggest shows the year has to offer!

Star World Weekend Binge airs 12pm onwards every Saturday and Sunday
only on Star World and Star World HD.

विश्वास चित्रपटाचे गीतध्वनीमुद्रण

सद्गुरू प्रॅाडक्शन या चित्रपटनिर्मिती संस्थेद्वारे तयार होणाऱ्या विश्वास या मराठी सिनेमातील चार गीतांचे गीतध्वनीमुद्रण नुकतंच करण्यात आलं. कैलास उंडे पाटील निर्मित या चित्रपटाचे दिग्दर्शन नागेश दरक करणार आहेत. रविंद्र साठे, वैशाली सामंत, स्वप्नील बांदोडकर, जान्हवी प्रभू अरोरा, वैशाली माडे, रोहित राउत या दिग्गजांच्या आवाजातील गाणी व नंदू होनप याचं संगीत हेविश्वास चित्रपटाचे एक वैशिष्ट्य ठरावे. या चित्रपटाच्या सर्व गीतरचना रूपा कुलकर्णी यांच्या आहेत.

रविंद्र साठे यांनी या चित्रपटातील ‘नशीबाची थट्टा झाली, डाव संपला’ हे विरह गीत गायलं आहे. तर ‘माथ्यावरचे  कुंकु तू जपशील का’? हे  दुसरं गीत वैशाली माडे यांनी रोहित राऊत यांच्या साथीने स्वरबद्ध केलं आहे. आपल्या मधाळ आवाजाने अनेक हिट गाणी देणाऱ्या वैशाली सामंत यांनी यातील ‘पोपट पिसाटला’ हे आयटम सॉंग  गायलं आहे. ‘तुझ्या माझ्या प्रीतीच झेपावलं पाखरू’ हे प्रेमगीत जान्हवी प्रभू अरोरा व स्वप्नील बांदोडकर यांच्या आवाजात ध्वनीमुद्रित करण्यात आलं आहे.

विश्वास चित्रपटातील गीते रसिकांना नक्कीच भावतील असा विश्वास निर्माते कैलास उंडे पाटील व दिग्दर्शक नागेश दरक यांनी व्यक्त केला आहे. रमेश भाटकर, विनय येडेकर, मधु कांबीकर, गिरीजा प्रभू, सागर पडोले, प्रगती नाईक, हर्षदा गुप्ते या कलाकारांच्या विश्वास चित्रपटात भूमिका आहेत. छायाचित्रण सुधाकर रेड्डी यांचं आहे. या चित्रपटाचे सहनिर्माते सागर पडोले व अजित सहानी आहेत.

ICICI Bank launches ‘Unified Payments Interface’ (UPI) for its mobile banking applications

                                                                                                                                             

·      Offers UPI in ‘Pockets’ for use by anyone including non-ICICI Bank customers

·      Also available on ‘iMobile’ for its mobile banking customers

·      One can instantly transfer funds to anyone round-the-clock on all days

Mumbai: ICICI Bank, India’s largest private sector bank, today announced the launch of ‘Unified Payments Interface’ (UPI) on two of its customer facing mobile banking applications – ‘Pockets’ and ‘iMobile’. UPI enables bank account holders (of banks participating in UPI) to send and receive money using a Virtual Payment Address (VPA) without entering additional bank account details. UPI is available on ‘iMobile’, the bank’s mobile banking application for its customers and on ‘Pockets’, its digital bank for peer-to-peer and e-commerce payments by users including non-ICICI Bank customers. It is the simplest mode of making payments that aims to provide users with the convenience of completing transactions in lesser steps than earlier, thereby reducing the transaction time.Anyone, including non-ICICI Bank customers can access UPI by creating their VPA on ‘Pockets’.  

Ms. Chanda Kochhar, MD & CEO, ICICI Bank said, “UPI is a path-breaking concept which will enable convenient person-to-person and merchant payments using mobile phones. I believe that it will revolutionise the landscape of electronic payments in India and go a long way in reducing the usage of cash in the economy. It is the first time in the world that a project of such a scale is being introduced to customers. ICICI Bank is delighted to have partnered with NPCI to introduce UPI. We are the largest player on the IMPS and NUUP platforms and have also played a key role in conceptualising this new initiative along with NPCI. We have already received encouraging responses from users including non-ICICI Bank customers on creating their VPA using ‘Pockets’.

For using UPI, both ‘Pockets’ and ‘iMobile’ users need to create their own Virtual Payment Address (VPA; ‘xyz@pockets’ & ‘xyz@icici’ respectively ) on one of ICICI Bank’s mobile application. This will link the VPA to the customer’s bank account. The VPA acts as their financial address without having to reveal the 16 digit bank account number and the 11 digit IFSC code. Once registered for VPA, users can send & receive payments instantly from any bank account using their mobile phone instantly in a safe and secure way. They will also be able to make payments to merchants from their mobile phones where UPI is accepted as a payment mode. Users can make payments using UPI 24x7 on all days including bank holidays upto a maximum of Rs 1 lakh. Users on ‘Pockets’ can link their bank accounts with other banks (who are also on UPI) and make payments from that account as well using their VPA on ‘Pockets’.

The upgraded ‘Pockets’ & ‘iMobile’ application comprising the UPI system is available on the Google Play Store for smartphones with Android operating systems. It will soon be available on the iOS operating system as well. To know more on UPI enabled payments visit http://www.icicibank.com/upi

    

ICICI Bank is the most comprehensive player in the Indian mobile banking industry. It is the numero uno bank in FY’16 with close to Rs one trillion worth of transactions in mobile banking. It was the first bank to launch a mobile banking application in India, iMobile in 2008. The application today offers over 165 services, the most in the Indian mobile banking industry. It includes an array of industry first features including the recently launched ‘iMobile SmartKeys’ – Asia’s first payment service using a smartphone keyboard, advance tax for individuals, Positive Pay for cheque protection, rail-ticket booking from within the app on IRCTC as well purchase of mutual funds, travel & motor insurance

ICICI Bank’s mobile banking foray extends to ‘Pockets’, India's first digital bank on mobile. This comprehensive application allows anyone, even those who are not customers of ICICI Bank to instantly download, fund the wallet from any bank account and use it. 'In a short span of time, 'Pockets' has over four million downloads; over 75% of these users are new to the Bank. ICICI Bank recently unveiled ‘Touch & Pay’ on ‘Pockets’, the country’s first contactless mobile payment solution. It leverages the Host Card Emulation (HCE) technology to create ‘virtual’ cards for ‘physical’ credit or debit cards of the Bank, thus enabling customers to make electronic payments in-stores from NFC enabled smartphones by just waving his/her phone near a contactless merchant terminal.

ICICI Bank services its large customer base through a multi-channel delivery network of 4,451 branches, 14,073 ATMs, call center, internet banking (www.icicibank.com), mobile banking, banking on Facebook & Twitter and ‘Pockets by ICICIBank’ the country’s first digital wallet. (Figures as on June 30, 2016)

For latest information on the Bank, visit www.icicibank.com and follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/ICICIBank

About ICICI Bank Ltd: ICICI Bank Ltd (NYSE:IBN) is India’s largest private sector bank with consolidated total assets of US $ 138.67 billion at March 31, 2016. ICICI Bank's subsidiaries include India's leading private sector insurance companies, securities brokerage firms, mutual funds and private equity firms. Its presence currently spans 17 countries, including India.

New a/c rules to hit FMCG firms' revenues

   Ind-AS, the new accounting standards that came into effect from April 1, might squeeze the revenues of fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) companies by up to eight per cent in 2016-17. The key cause is deduction of sales promotion expenditure from the revenue figure, hitherto part of the profit & loss (P&L) statement under the earlier IGAAP accounting norms. In the just-concluded June quarter, for instance, Hindustan Unilever (HUL), was affected by 2.6 per cent or Rs 214 crore under Ind-AS. Godrej Consumer Products’ revenue was squeezed 10.4 per cent.

·       Impact on Dabur: Sunil Duggal, chief executive, Dabur India, said six to seven per cent of its FY17  revenue would be hit. “Some part of promotional expenditure, mainly below-line expenses, will be deducted from revenue,  expected to be around Rs 600 crore,” he said.

·       Impact on Marico: Vivek Karve, chief financial officer, Marico, said: “On an annualised basis, sales will get restated downwards by approximately Rs 100 crore under Ind-AS. But, as the previous year's numbers are also restated, there is hardly any impact on year-on-year growth.”

·       Accounting of Contract Manufacturing: Companies are also studying the possibility of contract manufacturing being considered as a finance lease, as opposed to an operating expenditure, under Ind-AS. This is key since most FMCG firms have opted to have an asset-light strategy, choosing to outsource manufacturing to third-party entities. Experts say there might have to be a re-look at strategy. Rajiv Shah, director, S R Batliboi & Co, an accounting company, says: “As a finance lease, companies will be expected to record the assets of the contract manufacturer as their own in their books of account. They will not be comfortable doing so. Under Ind-AS, the assumption is if the contract manufacturer is working exclusively for the company, with dedicated facilities and volume commitments, then it should be considered a lease and accounted for appropriately.”

·       Accounting of ESOPs: Ind-AS will also impact employee stock option plans. These will now have to be  recorded on a fair-value basis, resulting in compensation coming as a part of employee cost in the P&L statement. “This will result in additional notional charge to P&L impacting profits. This might, therefore, not be an incentive for companies and they are likely to look at alternative forms of rewarding employees,” said Shah.

गर्भ चित्रपटाचा गीत ध्वनीमुद्रणाने मुहूर्त

अलीकडच्या काळात मराठी सिनेमा अधिकाधिक आशयघन होताना दिसतोय. समाजातील अनेक गोष्टीचं प्रतिबिंब आपल्याला सध्याच्या मराठी चित्रपटात पहायला मिळातायेत. मराठी प्रेक्षकांच्या याच पसंतीचा विचार करीत मनोरंजनासोबत सामाजिक संदेश देण्याच्या उदेश्याने ‘श्री स्वामी वक्रतुंड फिल्मस्’ ही निर्मिती संस्था व राजेंद्र आटोळे यांनी ‘गर्भ’ या मराठी कौटुंबिक चित्रपटाची निर्मिती केली आहे. तर सहनिर्मिती शंकर शेट्टी (कोट्टारी) व राजू कोटारी अजरी यांनी केली आहे. सुभाष घोरपडे दिग्दर्शित या सिनेमाचा मुहूर्त नुकताच गीतध्वनीमुद्रणाने करण्यात आला. याप्रसंगी चित्रपटातील कलाकार, तंत्रज्ञ उपस्थित होते.

सिया पाटील, किशोरी शहाणे, अनंत जोग, यतीन कार्येकर हे कलाकार ‘गर्भ’ चित्रपटात काम करीत असून आरजे दिलीप या सिनेमातून सिनेसृष्टीत पदार्पण करताहेत. चित्रपटाची वेगळ्या धाटणीची कथा रमेश तिवारी यांनी लिहिली असून पटकथा धीरज डोकानिया, रमेश तिवारी यांनी लिहिली आहे.अरुण कुलकर्णी लिखित यातील गीतांना अशोक वायंगणकर यांनी संगीत दिलंय. वैशाली सामंत सोबत सिनेमातील इतर गीतांसाठी स्वप्नील बांदोडकर, वैशाली माडे, नेहा राजपाल यांचा स्वरसाज लाभणार आहे.

‘गर्भ’ च्या चित्रीकरणास लवकरच सुरुवात करण्यात येईल.

Mumbai surgeon from Apollo Spectra Hospitals, Chembur successfully conducts Bariatric Surgery using Google Glass

Mumbai, 26th August 2016: In a first-of-its-kind Bariatric Surgery in Mumbai, on an international patient, Dr Sanjay Borude, Consultant, Bariatric Surgery, Apollo Spectra Hospitals, Chembur conducted a surgery today equipped with wearable technology for healthcare. Dr. Borude took up this surgery wearing a revolutionary Google Glass that enables to secure real-time streaming of any event viewed on one’s smart glasses to different users and devices such as desktops, tablets or smart phones using Augmented Reality (AR).

Dr. Sanjay Borude and his team performed a Sleeve Gastrectomy and the surgery was streamed live across the world with the help of Google Glass, which allowed the doctor to capture the surgery, without the hassle of wires and cameras and mikes restricting their movements. This enabled a seamless surgery that could be seen, unrestricted, live by other doctors, students and academicians.

Sleeve Gastrectomy is a procedure where approximately 75-80 percent of the stomach is removed and is intended for the severe and complex obese population. This is meant for patients for whom prevention is a little late, and the only hope of regaining health and quality of life is undergoing a bariatric surgery.

Before the surgery, in the last few years, the patient had been hospitalized number of times due to various problems she was facing like hypertension, back ache and knee pain. Over time, her consultations and dosages increased and other measure were ineffective due to which she decided to undergo a surgery.

Speaking about the path breaking technology, Dr. Sanjay Borude, Consultant, Bariatric Surgery, Apollo Spectra Hospitals, Chembur said, “A bariatric surgery is a life-saving intervention as it helps morbidly obese patients battling medical conditions that were either caused by, or related to, obesity. “The use of WATCH (Wearable Technology in Healthcare) is going to be a game-changer in medicine and I'm proud to be the first bariatric surgeon in Mumbai to use this technology. Medical College students around the world can watch and learn from landmark surgeries with no disturbance to the procedure. Expert surgeons from any part of the world can guide surgeons during difficult surgeries,"

About Apollo Spectra Hospitals:

Apollo Spectra Hospitals is multi-specialty, fully-equipped surgical facility which has world class treatment facilities, internationally acclaimed doctors, state-of-the-art technology and comprehensive treatment & care. Apollo Spectra Hospitals strives hard to establish centers of excellence in Orthopaedics, Obesity, Urology, MIS and ENT. It also offers specialized and comprehensive treatment for Gynaecology, Vascular Surgery,

Paediatric Surgery, Gastroenterology (Surgical and Medical), Endocrinology, Plastic & Cosmetic Surgery, Cardiology, Dermatology, Dental, Ophthalmology, Maxillofacial Surgery and Emergency.

Apollo Spectra Hospitals provides quality healthcare for patients from all over the world including the USA, Europe, Africa, the Middle East and South East Asia. This boutique hospital goes an extra mile by taking care of patient’s medical, personal and logistical needs – right from greeting them at the airport and handling registrations up until their discharge. Clinical excellence being Apollo Spectra’s founding value,

the centre provides leading doctors, superior technology, highest standards of safety protocols and minimally invasive procedures which help its patients recover faster.

FAIC EXHIBITION AND CONVENTION 2016 HELD IN MUMBAI

Federation of All India Caterers (FAIC) held its second Convention and Exhibition at Bombay Exhibition Centre, Mumbai. The event witnessed a poignant start with grand inauguration by Shri Subash Desai, Honorable Minister for Industries (Maharashtra State), legendary Actor Jackie Shroff, Celebrity Chef Sanjeev Kapoor and Dr. Harshdeep Kamble, Commissioner of Food and Drugs Administration, Maharashtra. The three days event will see attendance from over 20,000 visitors comprising of Caterers, Banquet Owners, Hoteliers, F & B Professionals and Fast Food Vendors. Over 5000 caterers are likely to participate in the event that would see top of the line exhibitors showcasing the latest trends, innovative products, décor, upgraded equipment and advanced technology.

“After the grand success of FAIC’s first convention in Ahmedabad we are now pleased to unveil the second edition of Exhibition & Convention in Mumbai. FAIC Exhibition & Convention 2016 held this year with enhanced grandeur and provides a perfect platform for manufacturers & traders from across the country to converge under one roof. This is the only event for the Caterers & by the Caterers that would present them great opportunity to connect to top national & international exhibitors. The convention will support meaningful discussion between caterers & chefs, help connect with experts from the industry, discuss government policies, educate members on various guidelines.” says Narendra Somani, President, Federation of All India Caterers.

For the first time a panel discussion was held between caterers and chefs on the theme ‘Future Trends in Catering’. It was presided by some of the industry’s top veterans - Celebrity Chef, Ajay Chopra, Chef Dhaval Ajmera (ITC Hotels), Celebrity Amrita Raichand, Harish Shah (Popular Caterers, Mumbai), Paresh Desai (Flavours, Ahmedabad), Sameer Lakhani (Lakhani Hospitality, Mumbai) and Nikhil Tipnis (Nikhil Catering, Mumbai). To offer more insights on the sector particularly for the younger generation we will be holding seminars on latest trends, advance technologies, International Hospitality Standards, advanced HR and training skills besides having a detailed discussion on the Food Safety Act.

“Catering in India has now become integral part for the success of various events and social occasions. It is one of the fastest growing sectors that has seen surge in demand across the country. The sector though largely unorganized is estimated to be dominated by over two-million caterers primarily in metros, tier 1 and tier 2 cities. Caterers have adapted innovative flair while doing it on grand scale from weddings, social gatherings, formal events, conferences and parties” says Yogesh Chandarana, Vice President, Federation of All India Caterers.

The sector has witnessed paradigm shift over the years with state- of- the- art technological offerings, innovative concepts, growth in Indian regional food, multi cuisine cross region specialties and global cuisine trends being decisive factors. With thriving growth in industries and IT/ ITES sector, corporate catering with classic courses of delectable menu is gaining lots of popularity. As per recent report there has been significant increase in online search for catering services that is emerging as an important local service category.

Indians have always had intrinsic fervor for good food. Today with more Indians traveling than ever before they have access to the best global dishes. Hence their expectations from catering services have also risen. To meet the ever-increasing demand for new cuisines the caterers adapt to changing trends by preparing wide range of culinary delights and presenting it with panache. Hence catering sector in India has never been as prominent as it has become today.

Bank of Maharashtra launches MahaUPI in association with NPCI

On the launch of the MahaUPI Mr. Nerender Kabra, General Manager, Information Technology, Bank of Maharashtra

At Bank of Maharashtra, we constantly strive to provide superior services to our customers. Keeping pace with the technological innovations,   Bank   is proud to announce the launch of ‘MahaUPI application’ in association with NPCI (National Payments Corporation of India).  Bank has successfully completed all the mandatory requirements in the test phase and the application is available on Android platforms for download and use by general public.  The Maha Bank mobile app is well established amongst its customers. The launch of MahaUPI shall enable our customers and customers of other banks to have a hassle free banking experience. 

Criteo’s Performance Marketing Solution Drives Increase in Domestic Flight Bookings for Yatra, Helps Local Online Travel Agent Reinforce Leadership Position in India

·         Yatra partners with Criteo to convert web and mobile web traffic into actual sales

·         Partnership increases average order value (AOV) by 34 percent and domestic flight bookings by 62 percent, while decreasing cost per acquisition by 54 percent

New Delhi, 24 August 2016 – Criteo (NASDAQ: CRTO), the performance marketing technologycompany, today announced that its proprietary technology has helped Yatra, the Online Travel Agency (OTA) and consolidator of travel products, maintain its local market leadership position. Yatra has been working with Criteo since the second half of 2015 and their ongoing collaboration has resulted in a 34 percent increase in average order value (AOV) and a 62 percent increase in domestic flight bookings,while decreasing cost per acquisition by 54 percent from August 2015 to March 2016.

With consumers typically browsing and comparing similar offerings across various online travel sites before making a purchase, Yatra observed that a higher volume of online traffic would not necessarily translate to increased conversions. Yatra thus turned to Criteo’s unified performance marketing platform, which combines the ad inventories from Google, Yahoo! and Facebook, as well as other publishers. Criteo’s advanced solution could also compute an individual’s readiness to purchase by assessing factors such as online navigation patterns, geographic locations and seasonality, before delivering the optimal number of relevant and personalised ads to encourage each consumer to return to Yatra and complete a transaction.

Commenting on the occasion, Ajeet Kandachar, Managing Director, Criteo India said, “Driven by the Indian government’s visa reforms, investments coming into domestic airline sector, improved rail connectivity and evolving internet infrastructure, digital travel sales in India generated business in excess of US$12 billion in 2015, which is a 48 percent increase from 2014. With India being the world’s fastest-growing online travel market and experiencing a growing bourgeoisie, it continues to be a top favourite for increase in internal competition and entrance of more international players. Today, travellers expect to receive information and offers customized to their individual preferences and communicated or delivered in a timely manner on their device of choice and convenience.”

“To drive increased sales, seamless user experience across platforms and higher adoption, online travel providers must find a way to ascertain an individual’s readiness to purchase and effectively engage the consumer when he or she is ready to take action. Criteo’s proprietary technology has achieved significant and measurable results for Yatra within a relatively short space of time, by precisely doing so. We look forward to continuing to go places with online travel businesses in India, by helping advertisers drive meaningful consumer engagement on a 1:1 basis, thereby boosting sales and user experience,” Kandachar added.

Yatra was launched in August 2006 and by 2015, the company had become India’s leading OTA, with eight million monthly visitors on desktop and four million monthly visitors on mobile, and accounting for more than 30 percent of all local online travel transactions. Yatra adopted retargeting solutions from three vendors, which resulted in an initial increase in online sales. However, given that these vendors operated separately and their display ads designs were not visually optimised to appeal to each individual, consumers would end up being served an excessive number of generic ads. This meant that Yatra could not effectively engage potential travellers and was paying for more ads than necessary to secure each successful transaction. Retargeting had become counterproductive, causing user fatigue, discouraging conversions and incurring higher costs.

Sharing his thoughts, Saurabh Gupta, Online Marketing Manager, Yatra expressed, “Criteo is one of our best partners and has been efficiently delivering business growth. We had already established retargeting as a key channel for us to acquire new users and drive higher conversion rates. However, our key struggles were finding a way to ‘scale up’ retargeting and optimising our cost-per-booking. The strength of the Criteo Engine, along with the company’s extensive publisher relationships and ability to integrate ad inventories from Google, Yahoo! and Facebook, allowed us to engage users more effectively – by treating multiple sites as though they were ‘one’ site.”

“Criteo was also able to integrate all the product information we had and then automatically deliver the most suitable ad format and design. This meant that our ads would not just be personalised to users, but also personalised for each ‘micro-moment.’ We now only use Criteo and we don’t foresee any need to switch,” added Gupta.

Hyundai Launches Global Sedan ‘All New Elantra’

- Over 11.5 Million Happy Customers Worldwide

-  High on Safety with 53% Advanced High Strength Steel (AHSS)

- ‘Dynamic Precision’ - the new Fluidic 2.0 design language

Mumbai, August 24, 2016: Hyundai Motor India Ltd, the country’s leading premium car manufacturer and the largest passenger car exporter, today launched the All New 6^th Generation Elantra, which redefines prestige in its class.

 All Round Excellence and Great Experience are some of the Expressions that are associated with the All New Elantra, which has establishes it as the most popular model globally. The development team associated with the creation of the All New Elantra has conquered the tough challenge of creating a model which could live-up to this reputation and deliver unmatched value. For this, after taking feedback from numerous customers globally, A Completely New Vehicle Platform was created with Safety & Performance as highest priority.

Speaking at the launch of The All New Elantra, Mr. Y K Koo, MD and CEO, Hyundai Motor India Limited said, “The All New Elantra is the Global Bestseller and has set forth new standards in its every generation. In the pursuit to achieve world’s best technology, the All New Elantra is the culmination of 26 years of continuous and dedicated research by Hyundai Motor. Currently in its 6^th Generation, the All New Elantra builds upon the momentum and success of its award-winning history with strong value proposition. The advanced safety, bold aerodynamic design and class above features make it a complete driving experience Redefining The Prestige in its class.”

Dynamic Design

‘Dynamic Precision’ is the new Fluidic 2.0 design language of the 6^th Generation Elantra. The exterior projects Bold, Stylish and Dynamic expression while the interiors echo generous flair of Comfort and Luxury making it the Best Elantra Ever Made.

The exterior styling of All New Elantra is Bold, Modern and Futuristic. The design evolution encourages dynamic expression and projects sportiness with sense of stability. The front is defined by Hyundai’s signature chrome hexagonal grille that projects bold and distinctive character. While the sleek HID headlamps together with LED light guides gives a sharp and futuristic look. The side profile is designed with a sence of sporty & coupe like silhouette while the rear is extremely impactful with eye catching split type LED Tail lamps. Aerodynamic profile of the car along with innovative wheel air curtain and other advance design package technologies have resulted in Best-in-Class drag coefficient of 0.29.

The All New Elantra’s sculpted body forms are complimented smoothly by contoured lines that reveal the underlying inspiration of Hyundai’ designers. The wide & horizontal front is in harmony with slim headlamps, 3D hexagonal grille creating futuristic, elegant appearance with the split type LED tail lamps further adding to the Styling and Premiumness of All New Elantra.

Key Exterior Features:

·         High Intensity Discharge (HID) headLamps (New)

·         LED Daytime Running light with Positioning lamps (New)

·         Projector Fog lamps (New)

·         Split type LED Tail Lamp (New)

·         Shark Fin Antenna (New)

·         Welcome Function with Door Pocket Light (First-in-Segment)

·         Gunmetal Finish 16” Alloy Wheel & Silica Tyres

·         Chrome Belt Line

·         Glass Antenna

·         Chrome Outside Door Handles

The Simple, Modern and Driver oriented interior with premium silver detailing creates a perfect blend of luxury and convenience. The all new layout with attention to detail makes the interior feel more comfortable and spacious.  All New Elantra offers driver centric cockpit design with ergonomically placed controls for Multimedia and Parking Convenience. The Intelligent design offers good balance of interior space along with 458 liters of Boot space for long weekend trips. 

·         The Driver-centric Horizontal crash pad layout with T shaped center fascia and a subtle tilt towards driver's seat ensures minimal driver movement for comfortable and safe driving.

·         Supervision Cluster integrating  3.5˝ Mono TFT-LCD offers all the useful information with outstanding visibility (New)

·         Auto Cruise Control

·         Voice recognition (New)

·         Tilt and Telescopic adjustable Steering Wheel

·          Ergonomically designed steering wheel controls for Audio, Cruise and Voice control provides enhanced comfort during long drives.

Driving Performance

Built on a new platform with 53% Advanced High Strength Steel  (AHSS) structure, Elantra offers a whole new level of ride comfort with smooth & precise handling, improved interior quietness and enhanced safety.

Superior Ride and Handling characteristics of platform are complemented by MacPherson Strut Suspension in front and Coupled Torsion Beam Axle (CTBA) in the rear along with Hydraulic Rebound Stopper (HRS) in rear shock absorber for improved damping, ensuring a comfortable ride and stabilized driving.

Exterior Dimensions

Length x Width x Height	4,570 x 1,800 x 1,465 mm
Wheelbase	2,700 mm
Max Tyre	205/ 60 R16 Alloy Wheels
Ground clearance	165 mm

The trustworthy driving performance and stability make Elantra a driver's car by innovating on the fundamentals. The All New Elantra gives Choice of Efficient and Advanced Powertrains. The driver can feel the power of technology with option of two performance packed engines of All New Elantra:

The newest member of Hyundai gasoline family, powerful Nu 2.0L petrol engine is the biggest petrol engine in its class. It’s Lightweight All Aluminum Block & Plastic Intake Manifold aid in high fuel economy and superior performance.

Hyundai's renowned and proven 1.6L U2 Common Rail Technology diesel engine offers powerful performance with low NVH, high fuel efficiency and durability. Driving pleasure within the city and highway is ensured by the variable geometry turbocharger for low and high end torque.

Engine Specifications

Engine	Capacity (cc)	Maximum Power (ps/rpm)	Maximum Torque (kgm/rpm)
Petrol Nu 2.0 MPi	1,999	152ps@6200	19.6@4,000
Diesel 1.6 VGT CRDi	1,582	128ps@4,000	26.5@1,900~2,750

The chassis structure is developed to give stability and actual mileage improvement during high-speed driving. In-house developed 6-Speed Manual and 6-Speed Automatic Transmission offer superb smoothness and better fuel efficiency. The 2nd Generation 6- Speed Petrol AT is more refined with reduced frictional losses. The First-in-Segment 'DRIVE MODE select’ feature gives an option to the driver to choose between 'ECO Mode'-for higher fuel efficiency or 'SPORT Mode' for enthralling performance at the press of a button.

Mileage

Engine	ARAI (Certified figures) (6 Speed MT)	ARAI (Certified figures) (6 Speed AT)
Petrol Nu 2.0 MPi	14.59 Kmpl	14.62 Kmpl
Diesel 1.6 VGT CRDi	22.54 Kmpl (Best -in-Segment)	18.23 Kmpl

Smart Comfort

Interior of Elantra continues to depict a modern driver oriented design that is optimized for intuitive control, improved interior roominess, high quality material and latest technology features. The contemporary interior design integrates premium soft touch material. The wide design of instrument panel offers a feeling of spaciousness.

The All New Elantra offers a host of premium and Segment Unique Comfort Features such as the Smart trunk (First-in-Segment) that automatically unlocks and pops-out when the owner stands with-in 3 feet behind the vehicle with smart key for more than 3 seconds. The front seat frames are light weight and with high-tensile strength for improved performance against collisions. Moreover, the multi-firmness seat pad helps reduce driver fatigue over long distance.

The All New Elantra features advanced infotainment system with 8.0 High Definition capacitive touch screen- Audio Video Navigation System (AVN) with rear view camera is for improved driver visibility and functionality.  Multimedia system is equipped withApple Carplay and Android Auto for seamless integration of app based navigation, streaming audio, voice controlled search capabilities and smartphone applications. For the first time, All New Elantra comes with 6 speakers along with SMART SURROUND SYSTEM by 'Arkamys’ delivering a music experience much closer to the artists original intent.

Some Key Interior features include

·         Electric Sunroof (New)

·         Dual Zone FATC with Cluster Ionizer

·         Front Ventilated Seat

·         Engine Start/Stop Button

·         Available in Premium Leatherite Upholstery

·         Rear AC Vents

·         Electro Chromic Mirror

·         Premium Door Scuff Plates

·         Aluminium Pedals

Advanced Safety

All Hyundai cars are developed, tested and built-in keeping with the Hyundai ‘Safe-Drive Philosophy’. Beyond active safety technologies, All New Elantra is built to comply with Hyundai’s strict safety standards, helping it to meet the safety requirements.

The All-new Elantra is developed with 53% of Advanced High Strength Steel (AHSS), an additional 32% increase over the previous generation model. AHSS components are used to increase stiffness of chassis and protect passengers effectively in case of collision.

Key Safety Features:

·         6 Airbags

·         Dual Airbags and Anti-lock brake system (ABS) with EBD as Standard

·         Reverse parking camera with steering adaptive guidelines & Reverse Parking Sensors

·         Electronic Stability control (ESC)

·         Vehicle Stability Management (VSM) – Best-in- Class

·         Hill Start Assist Control (HAC)

·         Front Projection Fog Lamps (New)

·         High Intensity Discharge (HID) Head Lamps (New)

·         Height Adjustable Front Seat Belts

·         Impact Sensing Door Unlock/Speed Sensing Lock

Hyundai Premium Assurance Program (HPAP) and Special Loyalty Program

Hyundai vision is to be the Life time partner of its customers. We are always around and near to our customers. As a unique customer Assurance initiate, Hyundai has introduced Hyundai Premium Assurance Program (HPAP)  offering Best-in-Class warranty with 3 Years Unlimited Kilometers for all the customers of All New Elantra. The program also offers Free Maintenance for 3 Years/30,000 kilometres, 3 years Roadside Assistance, 3 times update on ‘Map Care’ and 3 times Customer 'Home Visit'.

As a goodwill gesture to Hyundai Loyal Customers additional 4^th Year Extended Warranty will be offered.

Variants and Colour

The All New Elantra will be available in 9 variants with 5 exterior colour options.

Globally Awarded Elantra

The Elantra was first introduced more than 26 years ago and has sold more than 11.5 million units till date. It has won numerous awards and accolades including ‘2012 North American Car of the Year’, ‘2012 South African Car of the Year’ and ‘Highest ranked in compact car segment for initial quality’ in 2014 by J.D. Power and Associates. The 6^th Generation All New Elantra has won prestigious awards globally including Top Safety Pick+ Rating from Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) in July 2016, 2016International Design Excellence (IDEA®) Bronze, iF Design (Germany), Biggest Bang for the Buck, Vincentric Cost of Ownership Award (US), Autobest in Europe, and was named as National Car of the year in South Africa and Canada. Each of the previous five generations of the car have contributed to its rising popularity and today it remains one of Hyundai Motor’s best-selling models.

The All New ELANTRA Introductory (Ex-Showroom Mumbai prices Rs.):

Petrol	MT	AT
S	13,61,000	-
SX	15,50,000	16,65,000
SX(O)	17,38,000	18,85,000

Diesel	MT	AT
S	15,50,000	-
SX	17,18,000	-
SX(O)	18,54,000	20,11,000