Toyota Kirloskar Motor Registers a 14% Growth in Domestic Sales in December 2020

*Clocks over 6% growth in wholesales in the last quarter of 2020, as customer orders and retail sales surge in the midst of new launches from Toyota

Toyota Kirloskar Motor today announced that the company sold a total of 7487 units in the month of December 2020, thereby clocking a growth of 14% when compared to its wholesales in the month of December 2019. TKM also registered a 6% growth in wholesales in the last quarter of 2020 when compared to the wholesales clocked in the corresponding period last year. For reference, TKM had sold a total of 6544 units in the domestic market in December 2019.

Wholesales December 2020 2019 Month on month Growth

Domestic 7487 6544 14%  

Commenting on the sales performance, Mr. Naveen Soni, Sr. Vice President TKM said, “As we wrap up the year, we are happy to have registered a 14% growth in wholesales in December 2020, when compared to sales in the same period in 2019. We have also managed to retain more than 6% growth in wholesales in the last quarter of calendar year 2020, when compared to the last quarter of 2019. This has been possible due to our customers’ faith in the brand, as customer orders have been rising significantly and retail sales (Dealer’s sale to customers) have also been very encouraging which gives us the confidence to embark upon a new target as we welcome 2021.

December witnessed a few adjustments in terms of production, due to new model launches as well as year model changes. This also included our efforts to exhaust the existing stock of the current generation Fortuner so that we can begin production of the new Fortuner at our plant in Bidadi and is slated to be launched in India next week. The new Innova Crysta has also received a very good response from the market and we are looking forward to delighting our anticipating customers with the new generation of the Toyota Fortuner

The year 2020 has been one with several challenges as well as significant learnings and the entire sector has emerged stronger with greater focus on localization and digitalization. Such learnings have not only taught us to adapt to the challenging & dynamic situations surrounding us but to evolve as well. At TKM, we strongly believe that the current economic revival is likely to help sustain the sales momentum in 2021 and we are hopeful that 2021 will see a V shaped recovery of the economy thereby helping the industry to bounce back. To cater to this demand, we plan to expand our product line-up in a sustainable and phased manner to meet customer expectations”, Mr. Soni concluded.

Garmin Unveils Vivoactive 3 Element to Dazzle this New Year's Eve

Ensuring the festive season feels more unique and delightful, Garmin India, a unit of Garmin Ltd. (NASDAQ: GRMN) launched Garmin Vivoactive 3 Element with more than 15 preloaded sports apps and various other features to become the best workout companion on your wrist. 

Garmin Vivoactive 3 Element will support its users with diverse features like monitoring fitness level with VO2 max, keeping an eye on stress levels, heart rate monitoring, GPS Navigation and much more. The smartwatch will be available for sale on Amazon.in, Tata CLiQ & Thegarminstore.in at a special price of Rs. 15,990.

Talking about the smartwatch launch, Mr. Ali Rizvi, Director, Garmin India said, “The festive season is here and it’s that time of the year when people exchange gifts with family and friends. Keeping a note of the festive cheer we are very happy to launch Garmin Vivoactive 3 Element which can definitely be a healthier festive purchase for the customers. The feature loaded smartwatch will definitely help users stay healthy and keep a track of the basic vitals and health information about their bodies.”

Bringing more convenience to the users, the Garmin Vivoactive 3 Element supports battery life of up to 7 days in smartwatch mode, and up to 11 hours in GPS mode.

For Purchase: visit Amazon.in, Tata CLiQ & The garminstone.in (Limited time offer)

About Garmin: Garmin International Inc. is a subsidiary of Garmin Ltd. (Nasdaq: GRMN). Garmin Ltd. is incorporated in Switzerland, and its principal subsidiaries are located in the United States, Taiwan and the United Kingdom. Garmin, Instinct and Trackback are registered trademarks, and Garmin Connect, Garmin Explore, and UltraTrac is a trademark of Garmin Ltd. or its subsidiaries. Wi-Fi is a registered trademark of the Wi-Fi Alliance. For more information, visit garmin.co.in.

A Single Guest Stayed 128 Times at an OYO in 2020, While Delhi Emerged as Most Booked City: OYO’s Annual Travelopedia

 The world’s leading hospitality chain, OYO Hotels  & Homes released its third annual year-end travel index - OYO Travelopedia 2020 today. According to the index, while 2020 started on a happy note, with January 2020 (pre-covid) being the most travelled month, April 2020 witnessed most cancellations across the country owing to the government’s precautionary lockdown. Hospitality was one of the worst affected industries worldwide, however, with cities unlocking and global restrictions easing gradually, India topped the charts for OYO as the most booked country while Delhi clocked in the most bookings across the world in 2020. With the unlocking of cities, December 2020 emerged as the month that’s witnessing the most demand around the holiday season.

A single user stayed at OYO hotels 128 times in 2020, showcasing complete trust in the brand to provide safe and hygienic accommodations by following all the necessary precautions. Another OYO customer spent approx 50,000 seconds (13.88 hours) on the app throughout the year showcasing the desire to finally step out and travel. Interestingly, an OYO Hotel in Shahjahanpur and another in Chennai witnessed an average occupancy of 100% since lockdown.

Detailed findings from OYOs Travelopedia 2020:

● Five reasons why people loved OYO during the pandemic:

* Approximately 73,000 repatriated Indians completed their institutional quarantine at OYOs across India. Amongst these, most bookings were made by guests travelling from the Middle East, primarily UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait and Qatar

* OYO Care tied up with 24+ state ministries and 50+ government and private hospitals

* The hotel chain housed 250,000+ hospital staff and asymptomatic patients since April 2020

* 200+ sailors were safely quarantined at OYOs across India

* OYO served 2500 pincodes in 2020

● India’s favorite holiday: Around India, the gradual unlocks led to a rise in consumer confidence to travel again safely. With majority bookings - the 02nd October or Gandhi Jayanthi long weekend and Christmas weekend were India’s favorite holidays to travel in 2020

● Lost & Found at OYO: Around 2112 people forgot their belongings at OYOs across India

● Travel on my mind all the time: In 2020, 10:00 - 11:00 AM, 4:00 - 5:00 PM and 7:00 - 8:00 PM were the most popular hours for Indians to book their stays

● What’s new: Over 8.5 million new user bookings were made on the OYO app and website in 2020

● India turns to spirituality: Puri emerged as India’s top pilgrimage destination, followed by Vrindavan, Tirupati, Shirdi, and Varanasi

● Chal Beach Chalein? Across India, without any surprise, the tourist hotspot of Goa emerged as the most booked beach destination, followed by Kochi, Vizag and Pondicherry

● Incredible India: Since India began unlocking, the northern cities of Jaipur, Udaipur and Agra are the most loved heritage cities for Indians

●  A December to Remember: In December 2020, over 17 lakh people checked-in over the weekends. December 12, 2020 saw the most number of bookings (so far). The next estimated date is December 31, 2020 (bookings still coming in)

●  Welcome 2021: At present, guests are opting to bring in the New Year across Goa and Himachal Pradesh, with the highest demand for 30th December 2020 and 01st January 2021

● Social Media trivia

* Total reach: Across all OYO Social Media platforms was 204.8M

* Most liked post: Inspired from the Netflix series with a cheeky caption ‘Peaky Climbers’ was OYOs most liked social media post with 1 lac+ likes on Instagram

* Most engaged post: Namaste Video on Facebook and Instagram with 3.14lac+ engagement

Rohit Kapoor, CEO, OYO Hotels & Homes, India & South Asia said, “We’ve all heard the saying ‘Safe Travels’ hundreds of times, but today, we understand the true value of those two words, with the entire whole world putting the age-old saying to practice. The findings of OYO’s Travelopedia is a testament that India is ready to travel again and we at OYO are here along with our partners ready to welcome them again. One of the most humbling things we found out that has stayed with me is that a guest has stayed with us 128 times this year, something that tells us that we are on the right path and that our customers have immense faith in us even in tough times. Things like these fuel our passion and I can confidently say that OYO is emerging stronger out of this crisis compared to when we entered it. 

While 2021 will be a new learning in itself, we’re hopeful that the changes we have brought in 2020 will set new precedents in the travel and hospitality sector and we are completely motivated to work towards providing safe stays to all our customers.”

Additionally, the data revealed that Delhi NCR, Karnataka, Telangana led the pack as the most welcoming states in the post-lockdown world. Also, Delhi, Bangalore and Hyderabad ranked as the most popular cities among business travellers while Jaipur, Goa, Kochi were travellers’ favorite domestic leisure hotspots.

About OYO Hotels & Homes:

Opening its doors in 2013, OYO Hotels & Homes, a young hotel startup, is today the world’s leading chain of hotels and homes. OYO operates in over 800 cities in 80 countries, including the U.S., Europe, U.K., India, Middle East, Southeast Asia, and Japan.

Nickelodeon Celebrates the New Normal With Kids’ Choice Awards 2020 - Virtual Edition

* KCA is back in a new format, new style and with new nomination categories~

* As a category-first, Nickelodeon to partner with Teach for India to bridge the digital education divide caused by the new normal~

It is time to forget about the challenges we have faced and rejoice the ultimate celebratory festive time. The one-of-a-kind award show that is for the kids and by the kids -Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards 2020 is back! While this year has been unprecedented, Nickelodeon follows through on its promise to entertain and empower kids. This year with Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards the promise is to present the show in a whole new format, focused on taking it virtual and getting kids to not only vote but also get closer to their stars in a never seen before avatar. That’s not all, KCA 2020 will witness 6 new and relevant categories for kids to vote for their favorite entertainers during the lockdown and decide who takes home the coveted Nickelodeon Blimp.

Over the years, Kids’ Choice Awards have featured a glittering host of celebrities gracing the orange carpet and with our iconic Nicktoons. With mind-blowing performances by renowned celebrities like Sara Ali Khan, Varun Dhawan, Alia Bhatt, Ranveer Singh and more, as well as raking in more than 5 lakh votes, kids had a gala time at the legendary award show. This year’s edition will witness nominees that have come through a special online research to determine who entertained children the most during the lockdown. Always turning lemons into lemonade, kids will get a chance to vote for a whole lot of nominees across several new categories such as favourite online learning apps, youtubers, Instagram personalities, sportspersons, food enjoyed during the lockdown amongst others. The voting starts on January 4, 2021 exclusively on www.voot.com and the Voot App.

Nina Elavia Jaipuria – Hindi Mass Entertainment & Kids TV Network at Viacom18, said, “In these challenging times our commitment is to ensure that our young viewers remain entertained and positive. Keeping this in mind we at Nickelodeon are going to celebrate all that is new with Kids’ Choice Awards 2020. In the virtual format, with the introduction of new categories, we aim to encourage and empower kids to cast their vote and choose their favourites who kept them going through the lockdown. Nickelodeon will also support Teach for India to help provide smart devices to children to enable online education.”

The uniquely curated awards will support a cause that has emerged during the pandemic while emphasizing the need to celebrate the new normal. Due to the ongoing social distancing, the shift to e-learning, India’s education system is going through a reform. The prolonged closure of schools to maintain social distancing has caused an educational inequality, especially due to limited access to internet and technology. To bridge the digital education divide and enable a smooth transition for all stratas of society, Nickelodeon has partnered with Teach for India, for the latter’s existing program “Sponsor A Device”. The partnership will kickstart during the voting process of the Kids Choice Awards 2020 where Nickelodeon will donate Rupee 1 for every vote garnered. Teach for India is a non-profit organization that works towards educational equity at all levels of the education system. Under the existing program, the community aims to enable the new form of learning by raising funds for putting a gadget in the hands of every student who needs one.

Commenting on the initiative, the Director of Communications and Marketing of Teach For India said, “We are delighted to partner with Nickelodeon for their most prestigious awards show. Their support to our #DontStopLearning campaign is important and we are deeply grateful to their commitment to sponsor a device to ensure our students continue learning. We are confident that this partnership will play a significant role in bridging the digital divide."

Pivoting the media mix to the new normal, the marketing campaign is being promoted through a robust digital and social media plan, interesting on-line interactivity, support across the Nickelodeon franchise and social media challenges along with a push from the entire network. There are various innovations lined up on the digital front, including tons of quirky communication on YouTube. There will be a #KCAsquad with influencers giving the audiences all the latest updates on #KCAIndia2020.Further adding to the slime-tastic experience will be slime inspired digital games, contests, AR filters, virtual face offs and series of engaging and interesting on-line interactivity that will create fun experiences for kids.

While box office collections and critic reviews foretell how successful a film or performer is, it is time to find out which of them would make it to the hearts of the young ones. Get your kids ready to cast their vote and decide who takes home the Nickelodeon blimp!

Krazybee Services Pvt Ltd Appoints G Gopalakrishna as an Independent Director

Krazybee Services Private Limited, a Systemically Important Non-Deposit taking Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC-ND-SI), has appointed Mr. G Gopalakrishna, former Executive Director (ED) of Reserve Bank of India (RBI) as an Independent Director on its Board. 

Mr. Gopalakrishna has been a career Central Banker with RBI for over 33 years in various capacities and retired as Executive Director (ED) in 2014. During his stint as ED RBI, he was overseeing the Department of Banking Supervision, Dept. of Non-Banking Supervision and Foreign Exchange Department, among others. He was later appointed as Director, Centre for Advanced Financial Research and Learning (CAFRAL) promoted by RBI (2014-17). Presently, he is also on boards of a few other financial institutions and companies.

Talking about the development, incumbent NBFC Director Vivek Veda said, “We are delighted to have Mr. G Gopalakrishna on our Board. His strong supervisory and regulatory background and significant experience in the finance industry will help the company achieve its ambition of becoming a trusted and performance-oriented consumer lending NBFC for all associated stakeholders.”

On the appointment, Mr. G Gopalakrishna said, "Financial inclusion in a diverse demographic in India is the need of the hour. What impresses me about Krazybee Services Private Limited is not just the social sensitivity they have showcased by extending the credit line to consumers which are underserved largely by banking institutions & traditional NBFCs, but also the austerity with which they have managed their business and operations.”

The other members on NBFC Board include Mr. Adesh Kumar Gupta (Non-executive), Mr. Abhishek Singhvi (Non-executive), and Mr. Madhusudan E (Executive).

About Krazybee:

Krazybee Services Private Limited is a Systemically Important Non-Deposit taking Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC-ND-SI) registered with the RBI in May 2017, and currently lends on its partner platform KreditBee. The loan products primarily include personal loans with the tenure ranging between 2 and 15 months, with ticket size going up to Rs. 2,00,000.

Emirates Unveils Airbus A380 Premium Economy, Enhancements Across all Cabins

Emirates is taking its signature Airbus A380 experience to the next level with the unveiling of a brand new Premium Economy cabin product, together with enhancements and a refreshed look across all cabins onboard its newest A380 aircraft.

Sir Tim Clark, President Emirates Airline said: “The Emirates A380 is already one of the most sought-after travel experiences in the skies, and now we’ve made it even better. While others cut back, Emirates is working hard to restore the products and services that we’ve had to suspend or adjust due to pandemic precautions, and introduce new offerings and enhancements. True to our fly better promise, Emirates continues to invest to offer our customers the best possible experience.”

The airline received its newest A380 aircraft from Airbus’ Hamburg facility last week, and its remaining order of 5 A380s will also be delivered with premium economy cabins over 2021 and 2022. Emirates’ premium economy seats will also be installed on some of its Boeing 777X aircraft which are only due to join the fleet in 2023. Emirates is considering plans to retrofit its existing A380 fleet.

Commenting on Emirates’ premium economy cabins, Sir Tim said: “Our Premium Economy product was carefully developed in keeping with Emirates’ brand positioning as a full-service airline of the highest quality. Our First, Business and Economy experiences reset industry standards when they were introduced, and we are confident that our Premium Economy will also make its mark as a distinct premium offering. Until we have a viable number of seats in our inventory to bring to market, we plan to offer the Emirates Premium Economy experience as a complimentary upgrade to valued customers. We’ll also deploy our newest A380 aircraft on various routes so that our customers can experience our latest offering in all classes.”

Emirates will announce details of where its A380 aircraft with Premium Economy will be deployed in the coming weeks.

Premium Economy: comfort and space

Emirates today unveiled details of its highly-anticipated premium economy cabin, which offers 56 seats in a 2-4-2 cabin layout.

With a generous pitch of up to 40-inches, Emirates’ premium economy seat is 19.5 inches wide, and reclines 8 inches into a comfortable cradle position with ample room to stretch out. Covered in cream-coloured anti-stain leather with stitching details and a wood panel finishing similar to Business Class, each seat is designed to provide optimal comfort and support with 6-way adjustable headrests, calf rests and footrests.

Each seat has a 13.3” screen, one of the largest in its class, to enjoy the unmatched array of music, movies, TV, news and other content on Emirates’ award-winning ice.

Customers will also find thoughtful touches including easily accessible in-seat charging points, a wide dining table and side cocktail table.

Emirates Premium Economy is located at the front of the main deck, with 2 lavatories dedicated to customers.

First Class: even more privacy and luxury

On this latest Emirates A380, the airline’s 14 First Class private suites have been enhanced from the original suites, being slightly wider with taller doors, for even more privacy and comfort.

Cabin detail and finishes have also been refreshed with new motifs and colours, from the sweeping stairs that lead from the main deck to the upper deck, to refreshed design trims and modern fittings in the Shower Spa.

Business Class: new luxury finishes

Emirates has retained its popular A380 Business Class seats which offer direct aisle access for every passenger, reclines to a fully-flat position, and offers personal mini bars, ample personal storage and a high degree of privacy.

All 76 seats have been refreshed to feature champagne-coloured leather covers and wood finishing, inspired by executive jets, similar to the Business Class on Emirates’ Boeing 777 Gamechanger aircraft.

The same classic colour scheme has also been applied to the Onboard Lounge at the back of the upper deck, for the exclusive use of First and Business Class passengers.

Economy: gamechanger seats

Emirates has replaced all 338 Economy seats onboard its newest A380 with ergonomically designed seats that come with full leather headrests and flexible side panels which can be adjusted vertically for optimum support.

This latest seat model is a step up from the version currently installed on Emirates’ Boeing 777 Gamechanger aircraft. It is lighter, without compromising on comfort or function. Each seat features a classy wood grain finish on tray tables, as well as a 13.3” personal screen to enjoy Emirates’ award-winning ice.

Refreshed cabin interiors

Throughout the Emirates A380 interior, customers will see new finishes and design touches featuring the Ghaf (prosopis cineraria) tree motif, as well as the clean and airy champagne colour scheme with wood panelling and bronze accents from Emirates’ latest Boeing 777 Gamechanger interiors.

An indigenous evergreen plant, the Ghaf is a considered the national tree of the United Arab Emirates, and has deep cultural and ecological significance.

All cabin classes are equipped with the latest generation of Emirates’ award-winning ice inflight entertainment system offering improved and superior image quality. Each in-seat screen will feature ultra-wide viewing angles, a capacitive touch screen, LED backlight and full HD display.

Godrej Consumer Products Launches ProClean, Forays into Home Cleaning Products Category

Godrej Consumer Products Limited (GCPL), a leading emerging markets company, forayed into the home cleaning products segment by launching Godrej ProClean, a brand that provides surface cleaning and disinfecting solutions. The brand offers three products including ProClean Toilet Cleaner, ProClean Bathroom Cleaner and ProClean Floor Cleaner. ProClean aims to cater to the rising demand for home hygiene products especially in the current context where there is emphasis on products that offer protection against germs. The brand’s USP is its ‘best quality at best price’ offering.

The market size of home cleaning products (branded floor, toilet and bathroom cleaners segment) is pegged at INR 2600 crore, as per AC Nielsen. Due to increased awareness about cleanliness and hygiene, consumers are opting for products that will enable them to keep their homes clean and germ-free. This is likely to fuel further growth of home cleaning products category in the coming days. Consumer preferences have also shaped the demand for durable, new-age products as against the traditionally used cleaners like phenyl.

Commenting on GCPL’s foray into home cleaning products category with Godrej ProClean, Sunil Kataria, Chief Executive Officer - India & SAARC, Godrej Consumer Products Limited (GCPL), said, “Indian consumers are becoming more hygiene conscious. Demand for cleaning products continues to grow due to consumer alertness concerning the importance of hygiene and the spread of infectious diseases. Our main objective to launch Godrej ProClean, is to create a home cleaning brand that evokes trust, ensuring best quality at the best price.”

He further added, “ProClean is a one-stop home cleaning, hygienic solution for everyday use. It offers 99.99% germ kill while ensuring value for money pricing in branded segments through its consumer offers. At GCPL, we are committed to creating delight for our consumers by prioritizing hygiene, safety and germ protection, and our new launch is another step towards reinforcing this commitment.”

Godrej ProClean provides consumers with one-stop home cleaning, hygienic solutions for everyday use. The three ProClean products come with the proposition to kill 99.99% germs. The toilet and bathroom cleaner come with the proposition of removal of toughest stains and floor cleaner comes with the promise of long lasting fragrance (available in 2 variants).

Godrej ProClean Floor Cleaner is available in two fragrance options of lavender and citrus. Godrej ProClean Toilet cleaner is available at INR 86/- for 500 ml and INR 168 for 1 ltr. Godrej ProClean Bathroom cleaner is available for INR 91 for 500 ml and INR 172/- for 1 ltr and Godrej Proclean Floor cleaner is priced at INR 93 for 500 ml and INR 179/- per litre.

However, the entire range is available to consumers at aggressive consumer offers of Buy 2 Get 1 free on all 500 ml packs and 500 ml free with all 1 ltr packs. Godrej ProClean is available across general and modern trade along with e-commerce platforms.

About Godrej Consumer Products Ltd:

Godrej Consumer Products is a leading emerging markets company. As part of the 123-year young Godrej Group, we are fortunate to have a proud legacy built on the strong values of trust, integrity and respect for others. At the same time, we are growing fast and have exciting, ambitious aspirations.

Today, our Group enjoys the patronage of 1.15 billion consumers globally, across different businesses. In line with our 3 by 3 approach to international expansion at Godrej Consumer Products, we are building a presence in 3 emerging markets (Asia, Africa, Latin America) across 3 categories (home care, personal wash, hair care). We rank among the largest household insecticide and hair care players in emerging markets. In household insecticides, we are the leader in India, the second largest player in Indonesia and are expanding our footprint in Africa. We are the leader in serving the hair care needs of women of African descent, the number one player in hair colour in India and Sub-Saharan Africa, and among the leading players in Latin America. We rank number two in soaps in India and are the number one player in air fresheners and wet tissues in Indonesia.

But for us, it is very important that besides our strong financial performance and innovative, much-loved products, we remain a good company. Approximately 23 per cent of the promoter holding in our Group is held in trusts that invest in the environment, health and education. We are also bringing together our passion and purpose to make a difference through our 'Good & Green' approach to create a more inclusive and greener India.

At the heart of all of this, is our talented team. We take much pride in fostering an inspiring workplace, with an agile and high performance culture. We are also deeply committed to recognising and valuing diversity across our teams.