CenturyLaminates collaborates with Manish Malhotra to bring fashion to furniture

CenturyLaminates' new campaign has a series of ad films that have been conceptualized by Wunderman Thompson India.

CenturyLaminates tied up with Indian fashion designer Manish Malhotra, to launch a range of laminates described as Fashion for your Furniture. 

The range incorporates the double M monogram into the modern Insignia range, stamping it with his style. Through this partnership, CenturyLaminates talks about colours, designs, textures, and finishes. 

In order to bring alive the style quotient of these laminates, CenturyLaminates has created a couple of films, in association with its partner Wunderman Thompson. The films showcase Manish and his creations while attempting to stoke the aspirations of upwardly mobile, brand-conscious individuals. They address the overarching consumer need - “My home needs to create a buzz in my social set”. Manish Malhotra has created the collection and is also endorsing it in the films. First off the block is the film titled 'The Video Call.'

Also Read: MyMuse co-founders on addressing sexual taboos through conversations

Manish Malhotra is known for the clothes he designs. Over the years, he has associated himself with related categories like cosmetics and jewellery. But till now, he had never designed for a completely unrelated category. When you hear the name, you think of fashion and not laminates. 

Both films play on this fact to add an element of surprise. Viewers are led to believe they will soon get to see the latest costumes designed by Manish before the big reveal which provides the twist. They realize that Manish has designed the wardrobe yet again, in a manner of speaking, but the outside, not the inside.  

A 360-degree integrated marketing campaign has been planned to create excitement around the launch of the collection. TV will be the lead medium, supported by cinema,  print, POS and digital.  

Commenting on the partnership, Keshav Bhajanka, Executive Director, Century  Plyboards (India) Ltd., said, “I am so proud and delighted that CenturyLaminates has tied up with Mr Manish Malhotra, a designer par excellence, to bring this range of laminates to our customers. Over the last few years, we have been witnessing a sea change in customer behaviour & lifestyle. They are looking at brands to amplify their style quotient and enhance their personality. They are aligned with global trends and exposed to international styling. In order to cater to such consumers, we wanted to innovate and change the way laminates have looked for ages. Instead of making incremental changes, we chose to unveil designs that will radically redefine the decorative space. We thought of  ‘revolution’ not ‘evolution’ and who better than Mr Manish Malhotra to turn the  ‘revolution’ we had envisioned into reality. He has effortlessly extended his expertise and his customer insight - from dresses to brand labels to accessories to, eventually, furniture.  When it comes to designing what goes inside the wardrobe, Mr Manish Malhotra is the undisputed master. We put up a new challenge for him by asking him to design what goes outside a wardrobe as opposed to what he is globally known for - dresses - which go inside the wardrobe. Not only did he graciously accept the challenge but also reinvented himself to come up with designs that are completely out of this world.  CenturyLaminates by Manish Malhotra introduces a designer of this stature into the laminates category for the very first time. This trend-beating genre of designer laminates - uber cool, super classy and a pride to own - is aptly described as Fashion for your Furniture. Discerning customers, interior designers and architects will now be  like painters & sculptors - mixing & matching these laminates, making their  imagination run wild as they create their own masterpieces.” 

Commenting on the film, Arjun Mukherjee, VP & Senior ECD, Wunderman Thompson, Kolkata, said, “Manish Malhotra is synonymous with films and fashion. The films play up this association in the minds of people, making them expect to see the new couture collection. The penny drop moment happens when you realize that for the first time  ever MM has created Fashion for your Furniture.” 

Commenting on the film, Vijay Jacob Parakkal, Managing Partner, East and South, Wunderman Thompson India, said, “The selection of laminates is predominantly guided by the aspects of design and colour, with brand playing a comparatively lesser role. We are positive that this campaign, including the very captivating films,  showcasing the remarkable range of CenturyLaminates by Manish Malhotra will bring about a paradigm shift in the laminate purchasing process. By doing so,  CenturyLaminates will be firmly established as the foremost choice in consumers'  minds, solidifying its leadership position in the industry”.