February 26, 2007

Biz Quizzard 153

Presenting the current affairs quiz for the week February 19-24. Hope you enjoy it.

1. Which celebrity has been roped in by Tata Sky for its new marketing campaign for the World Cup?

2. Which MNC last week launched Minute Maid Pulpy Orange in Hyderabad?

3. Which Chennai-based company last week acquired a majority stake in eSys Technologies, the Singapore-based distributor of hard drives and PC manufacturer for $105 million?

4. The board of Hindustan Lever (HLL) last week proposed a name change for the company. What will the company be now called?

5. Which business group, according to a report last week, has signed an agreement with the Prakash Padukone Badminton Academy in Bangalore to be its main sponsor?

6. Which MNC has picked up a 51% stake for $5 million in FrameFlow, a three-year-old animation and visual effects company with production operations based in Chennai?

7. The Economic Times last week launched its first vernacular edition. In which language was the edition launched?

8. UTV Motion Pictures has roped in which MNC as a sponsor for its movie Hattrick, based on cricket and slated for release on March 9?

9. American giant Morgan Stanley last week ended its decade old partnership with which company to strike out on its own in the rapidly growing Indian financial services industry?

10. Which beverage brand last week launched a premium variant sub-branded Sorbet?

11. The IPO for Page Industries Ltd opened last week. The company is the exclusive Indian licensee for which international clothing brand?

12. Actress Preity Zinta will be the face for which deodorant brand?

13. Which consumer durable MNC recently launched its fully loaded semi-automatic washing machine 'Sparkle' in India?

14. I am sure all of you have seen the promos of Reema Kagti's directorial debut Honeymoon Travels Pvt. Ltd. The movie is about 6 couples on a honeymoon trip in a pink bus. Name the brand of the bus?



15. Which company is the title sponsor for the Brand Equity Quiz 2007?


Please mail your answers to rajeevkondapalli@gmail.com with Biz quizzard 153 as the subject.


Happy Learning!

Rajeev Kondapalli

February 19, 2007

Biz Quizzard 152

Presenting the current affairs quiz for the week February 12-17. Hope you enjoy it.

1. After weeks of speculation, which MNC last week emerged the victor in the bidding for 67% stake of India's fourth largest telecom company Hutch-Essar?

2. Which Indian company last week acquired Atlanta-based Novelis, a world-class technology company and supplier of key products such as aluminum sheets for Jaguar and beverage cans for Coke?

3. Another acquisition. Norwegian food company Orkla is, according to a report last week, acquiring which Indian company for Rs 450 crore (around $100 million)?

4. Which German MNC, according to a report last week, is set to buy British package holiday rival MyTravel, creating a travel company worth about 2.8 billion pounds ($5.5 billion)?

5. Maharashtra Governor Mr SM Krishna last week released the biography - One Day At A Time. It is the based on the lives of the grandparents of which famous business personality?

6. Research in Motion (RIM), according to a report last week, is set to unveil the all-new Blackberry. What was it dubbed during its development? (Hint: an Indian automobile brand)

7. Which MNC has acquired a controlling stake in Bangalore-based Paprikaas Animation Studios?

8. Which celebrity has been roped in as the new brand ambassador for Mayur Suitings, the suitings brand from LNJ Bhilwara Group?

9. Which company last week rolled out a national training initiative, branded 'Pathshala', for its employees?

10. Deutsche Boerse, Europe's top stock exchange last week bought 5% equity in which Indian financial entity?

11. Which company has recently launched its four collections of shirts, branded under Men At Work, Brass Tacks, Business Casuals and Dynasty?

12. Which Indian business personality was last week appointed a director on the board of US-based Alcoa, the world's largest aluminum producer?

Please mail your answers to rajeevkondapalli@gmail.com with Biz Quizzard 152 as the subject.

Happy learning!
Rajeev Kondapalli

Biz Quizzard 151

Presenting the current affairs quiz for the week February 05-10. Hope you enjoy it.

1. Which celebrity last week entered into a joint venture with Future Group and Manipal Health Services?

2. Staying on with Future Group and brand ambassadors. Which celebrity was recently signed on with her kitchen accessories and home furnishings line for Pantaloon called Dreamline?

3. According to a report last week, Verizon, the $88-bn US telecom giant, has tied up with Leo Communications to offer international long distance (ILD) services in India. Leo Communications is part of which Indian group?

4. Which company last week announced the launch of a new men's wear apparel brand Notting Hill?

5. Which company has won the 'Arch of Europe' award of innovation and technology in the airline category, making it the only second Indian company to be recognized with this award?

6. Which Indian company last week acquired 81% stake in the optical R&D arm of Dutch electronics major Philips for an undisclosed sum?

7. Which MNC last week announced its decision to acquire Mumbai-based i2i Enterprise Ltd, a company specializing in internet protocol services?

8. What has emerged as the first hand-made toy from Andhra Pradesh to be graded a GI (Geographical Indication)?

9. Which Indian company last week acquired Gene Medix Plc, a UK-based biotechnology company with London and Singapore stock exchange listings for a total of $35 million?

10. Which company last week said that it would set "one of the world's biggest" bus and coach building facilities in India in a joint venture with Brazil's Marco Polo?

11. Which MNC last week unveiled its newest brand ambassadors - three of the best known, most widely respected and successful athletes competing today: Tiger Woods, Roger Federer and Thierry Henry?

12. Which Indian business personality was last week appointed to the board of Anglo-Dutch consumer products giant Unilever?

13. Which company last week launched its indigenous slim cigarette brand, Stellar?

14. Which well-known business personality last week broke the sound barrier while flying a F-
16 fighter aircraft at the Aero India show in Bangalore?

15. Which international business group last week announced it had agreed to acquire 100% of CBHC Inc, which trades as Commonwealth Brands, from Houchen Industries Inc for total cash consideration of $1.9 billion?

16. Film star Mammooty last week unveiled the new corporate logo of which bank?

17. Which automobile company/group in India, according to a report last week, is planning to sell fruit and vegetables under its brand name?

18. The Rajeev Chandrasekhar-promoted aviation services firm, Jupiter Aviation, is launching a fractional jet airline. What has it been branded as?

19. Which life insurance brand is being advertised on television (currently on air) with the baseline 'Mera farz'?

20. Which brand is being positioned (TVC currently on air) as 'Har Program Ka Main Food'?

Happy learning.
Rajeev Kondapalli

February 5, 2007

Biz Quizzard 150

Another happy milestone for Biz Quizzard as it completes 150 weeks. Presenting the current affairs quiz for the week January 29 - February 03. Hope you enjoy it.

1. In what is being billed as the world's costliest ad, which MNC is set to seal off the city of London on February 17 and turn it into a mini Grand Prix-style racing circuit, as part of the filming of the ad highlighting its partnership with the Ferrari Formula One team?

2. Which company/brand last week announced a tie-up with Mumbai dabbawallahs to sell its products?

3. Actress Rani Mukherjee would be using which luxury mobile handset, as an in-film endorsement, in her upcoming big banner production Chudiyan, a Pradeep Sarkar-directed movie?

4. In the single-largest investment in the Indian print media, global private equity investor Blackstone Group last week announced an investment of $275 million (approximately Rs 1,238 crore) in which media group?

5. Which international business personality was recently awarded/conferred the Padma Bhushan by the Government of India?

6. Which company last week acquired a stake in Cosmo Aviation Training School, a company that promotes Flying Cats?

7. Which country last week claimed to have launched the world's first fourth-generation (4G) mobile communication system?

8. Which MNC bank has agreed to buy British insurer Prudential's loss making internet bank Egg for 575 million pounds ($1.13 billion) in cash?

9. Which consulting MNC last week announced its plans to increase its staff in India to 35,000 by August, adding 8,000 new jobs, overtaking the US as its largest employment hub so far?

10. Which leading gold jewellery retail chain major, according to a report last week, is establishing the world's largest gold & diamond jewellery store in Chennai?

11. Which product/brand was last week internationally launched from Times Square in New York with the tagline "The Wow Starts Now"?

12. Which MNC last week said that billionaire investor Carl Icahn would seek a seat on the board as he disclosed a 1.4% stake in the company?

13. Which company last week launched its truck and bus radial tyres under the brand name 'Regal'?

14. Sam Balsara, chairman and managing director, Madison Communications, last week launched an independent outdoor agency. What has it been branded as?

15. Hindustan Times (HT Media) last week finally unveiled its English business daily. What has it been branded as?

16. According to a report last week, which airline is all set to become the world's first to introduce mobile telephony on board?

17. Metropolitan Media, a 50:50 joint venture between HT Media and The Times of India Group, will launch Delhi's first morning tabloid on February 5. What has it been branded as?

18. According to a new survey released by Brand Finance, the independent brand consultancy, which are the world's three most valuable brands?

19. Which company has been awarded the Dale Carnegie Global Leadership Award for 2007, becoming the first Indian organization that has won this award?

20. Which company last week became the largest private company by sales in India?

21. Which well-known business personality last week took the reins as chief executive officer again ousting his handpicked successor, Kevin Rollins, after less than three years?

22. According to a report last week, which well known British entrepreneur is setting up a non-profit blood bank to allow parents to store stem cells from their children's umbilical cords?

23. Which business personality was last week awarded with Order of the Star of Romania?

24. To ensure that consumer upgrades to higher end durables at a faster pace, LG Electronics will announce a buyback offer of existing durables products from households. What has the initiative been branded as?

25. Which famous brand has adopted "More Happy" as the new slogan, unveiled in an advertising campaign last week in the lead up to this year's Super Bowl XLI, the National Football League championship game?

Please mail your answers to rajeevkondapalli@gmail.com with Biz Quizzard 150 as subject. The answers will be posted soon.

Happy learning
Rajeev Kondapalli