Alliance bags Apella Watches, Flex Industries

Delhi-based media buying and planning agency, Alliance Advertising has bagged two media businesses - Apella Watches and Flex Industries. It is estimated that both the business are worth a couple of crores. The development has been confirmed by Arshad Nizam, business head, Alliance Advertising.

Apella Watches are manufactured by Geneva-based company, Montres Appella Sarl. The brand will be launched in India in December 2004. Apella Watches will be a premium brand and its price range will start from Rs 75,000. In fact, Alliance Advertising will handle the media duties in Pakistan, Iran and Singapore as well.

Nizam says, "As Apella Watches is a lifestyle product, print will certainly be an integral part of the media plan. However, in the initial phase, television will also be extensively used as part of the advertising plan - consuming 50 per cent of the total media spends. Apart from this, below-the-line activities will also be a significant part of the media plan." The total media spend in India will be around Rs 5 crore.

Flex Industries, on the other hand, was won in a multi-agency pitch. Flex Industries is launching a new product in the market - zip lock pouches, which is currently being sampled in A and B-class towns.

Kuldip Verma, deputy general manager, international division, Flex Industries, declined to disclose which were the other agencies in the fray. He confirmed that the company has a total media budget of approximately Rs 4 crore. The creative duties has been awarded to Redifussion.

Zip lock pouches are essentially food storage bags with a slider lock zipper system used for storing vegetables, foods etc. Although the bags are generally not reusable, but keeping the Indian market in mind, the product has been designed as such that it can be reused.

Verma says, "As the concept is new in India, we will be extensively advertising on television."

Flex industries, which is one of the largest packaging companies in India, has been a player in the B2B sector. This is the first time when the company has launched a product which caters to the end consumers.

Alliance handles the media buying and planning duties of Rajnigandha, Pass Pass, Catch Spices, Jagatjit Industries, Stic Pens, Fena Detergent Powder and Luminous among others.

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