MAM

Made for each other

Published

12 years ago

February 13, 2014

MUMBAI: Times have changed considerably, couples no longer share the same equation they once did. In this age and time when independence is craved for by both men and women, couples who work together open new vistas for them. Not only does working together keep them connected through out the day but also streghtens the understanding of each other as individuals.

On this Valentine Day, let’s have a look at the copuples who celebrate their lives togehter; professionally and persoanlly.

Discovering love at work

He was her boss and she was just starting her career, and now after 15 years, they are a couple to reckon with. One is a proud owner of an independent advertising agency while the other with over three decades of experience is an industry veteran.

Priti Nair and KS Chakravarthy aka Chax recently celebrated their fifteenth wedding anniversary. They’ve been around for decades now and what started as a fan’s devotion for her idol turned way serious as time progressed.

“What I am today in my profession is all thanks to Chax. He taught me everything about advertising,” says Priti, who feels that if a couple are in the same industry, it becomes easier to understand each other.

Priti Nair and KS Chakravarthy, advertising professionals

“Our industry is very demanding and schedules can go haywire anytime so if the other person doesn’t understand that, it can cause issues. A couple needs to understand and respect what each person does, no matter in which field because unless there is respect for each other, a relationship will never work,” she says.

Like any other couple, Priti and Chax too went through their share of ups and downs. The seven-year itch hit them hard and they both decided to live separately to sort out issues rather than complicate things further. However, after seven years of separation, they got back together last year. Ask if there are any special plans for V-Day and Priti laughs it off saying she’s been celebrating V-Day for the last seven years with her family and so the two of them will spend it with family this year as well…

The two make it a point to spend some time with family and watch a movie or a series together every week to keep work out of the equation.

Keeping monotony out for a life-long affair

He’s Bengali and she’s Maharashatrian but Maximum City seems to have diminished the regional divide.

Pranali and Soumya Sarkar met 10 years back while working in the same media agency. They were part of the same team but their clients were different. But it didn’t matter as they dated each other for a year before tying the knot.

Working the same hours with the same set of colleagues can be a boon for many but Soumya feels it is the understanding between the couple which helps strengthen a relationship. Working in the same industry can have its pros and cons, especially when the industry is a demanding one. “One cannot ignore personal life as one can interconnect their personal and professional lives as they work in the same space,” he says, stressing one can’t take the other for granted, thinking he/she will ‘understand’.

Pranali and Soumya Sarkar, media planners

The media planners will celebrate their ninth wedding anniversary in March with a vacation abroad. A vacation every year and an outing every month is a norm for this couple which feels the busy work-home schedule leaves one with little or no time for weekly recreation. They have a daughter and firmly believe spending time outside of work is a must for every couple else life will become monotonous.

Living dreams together

21 years of teasing, fighting, mood swings, grudges… but they’re still together. We’re talking about Sumeet and Shashi Mittal, founders of Shashi Sumeet Productions aka Two’s Company.

It was love at first sight for Shashi who was but 15 years of age and in class Xth. The duo studied in the same school in Ahmedabad. Shashi proposed Sumeet and they got hitched in 1991.

Sumeet Mittal and Shashi Mittal

In 1998, they shifted base to Mumbai to foray into the entertainment industry. Sumeet, who had always wanted to become an actor, went on to launch his own production house. For Sumeet, Shashi has been his biggest support.

With V-Day almost upon us, we asked them how they find time for each other while working in this industry.

“Nowadays when you are working together for more than 18 hours a day, we don’t get quality time to spend with each other. You become more kind of co-workers rather than a couple. We have always kept our professional lives higher than our personal lives. There are differences at times,” says Sumeet. How do they keep a work-life balance? “At work, you should be a good acquaintance and at home, a good husband-wife. We have struggled to maintain that for ages,” says Sumeet. “She has been a great support throughout. She has stood by me always. I am happy and lucky to have her in my life.”

About keeping the romance alive after all these years, he says: “Now we argue also smilingly. We have learnt to deal with things now. This is our new funda to keep ourselves charged up during work,” he laughs.

This V-Day is very special for them. “We have our home in Mumbai, so this year on V-Day, it is our new home’s first anniversary. We are very excited about it. In a way we are renewing our relationship. In a way celebrating our first anniversary,” he signs off.

Mutual respect makes it easier

She is one of the few women behind a successful news channel and a TV production house while her husband is into journalism, TV production and the political scene. BAG MD and chairperson Anurradha Prasad still manages to balance her personal and professional life with hubby Rajeev Shukla. Dismissing V-Day as a marketing gimmick, Prasad says that with such a busy schedule, the quality rather than quantity of time matters. Having been in the same field, both of them understand the busy nature of their lives and refrain from cribbing about it. “It was difficult to explain to my family as to why I had odd work hours but Rajeev understood it. It’s necessary to respect each other as well as your professions,” says Prasad.

Anurradha Prasad and Rajeev Shukla, media professionals

Earlier, going out on ‘dates’ was common but now, quality time is all about spending time at home with daughter Vaanya. “We dedicate an hour or two every morning, before we leave for work, to talking about home and office affairs because once you leave home, you never know what time you will be back,” she says, adding that V-Day shouldn’t be restricted only to couples. She signs off advising those in love to keep the respect in the relationship intact and always be happy…

Love at first sight became a life-long affair

She had returned from London and got herself enrolled in Miranda House, Delhi University, where she got actively involved in theatre. He, on the other hand, was completing his Master’s at St. Stephen’s College, DU. He, who was popular for his good looks besides his wittiness, was the star of the theatre circuit organising auditions for The Serpent – a biblical play. She was driven by her close friend Mira Nair for the auditions, who thought the guy was worthy of checking out. He was already in love with her before she could check him out.

Siddhartha and Anita Kaul Basu, TV personalities

It was love at first sight for Siddhartha Basu and his wife Anita Kaul Basu. The couple, who got married in 1983 after eight years of courtship, is still as much in love as they were when they started their relationship. “The little things of life haven’t shaken the bond that we share,” says Anita while talking about her relationship with her husband, with whom she spends almost her entire day at the Big Synergy Media office.

It’s been more than 25 years that the production house was started and the couple still manages to churn out amazing stuff. While Siddhartha made a mark in the TV industry as a quiz master in the early eighties, Anita made a name in journalism. It was their diverse knowledge that became the back-bone of the production house where Siddhartha works as the Chairman and Managing Director and Anita is the Director.

The good work from Big Synergy has all been because of the understanding that the couple shares, believes Anita. “What has kept us strong is that for both of us, money, power, popularity, etc. comes much later. Our understanding is of the utmost importance and that helps us in our work also,” she says.

They both go to office together and come back together. Except a few outstation trips that keep them apart for a little while, the Basus are always together. “While I use my organizational skills, Sid uses his managerial skills to keep the company going ahead,” she says.

Sky is the limit with love around

They are almost the rulers of the television world with credit to some of the most popular and interesting drama series on the tube. Their stories touch the emotional chords of the masses.

We are talking about the owners of DJ’s Creative Unit – Tony and Deeya Singh, who set out to live their dreams together. It was the summer of 91 when the two started working together, which also started a new chapter of in their lives. The cupid struck them while they were busy meeting the work deadlines. Nobody could guess the romance that was brewing but the feeling was so strong that they got engaged within six months and married by December 91. In 1993, the couple launched their own production house and delivered hit shows like Jassi Jaissi Koi Nahin, Banegi Apni Baat, Just Mohabbat, Left Right Left among many others.

Tony and Deeya Singh

As love is in the air, we asked them about their way to celebrate love amid work and the pressure to meet deadlines and if working in the same industry is a boon? “We celebrate Valentine’s Day on our shows. It keeps us bonded,” says Deeya.

Their kids also play a major role in keeping the love and affection intact. Spending quality time with kids is of more importance to the couple now. “My kids do a lot for us on this day. It’s more about family love now,” she laughs.

Her best moments are when in the middle of work, they take out time for each other. “Sometimes, eating at the road side is more fun than at the five star hotels. A quite candle light dinner on the terrace with the entire family also becomes a great moment,” she remembers.

There are quite a few pros of working in the same industry, believes Deeya as she thinks there’s always someone to back you. “There are more pros to it because in an industry like this you need a very strong support system. The vision and goals are the same. However, it’s not fun to think similar. It’s good to be a little contrary and think differently,” she concludes.

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MAM

Why the Best Campaigns Today Start With Insights, Not Ideas

Published

24 hours ago

February 7, 2026

indiantelevision.com Team

MUMBAI: For decades, creative storytelling has been the cornerstone of brand communication. The “big idea” amplified through catchy jingles, striking visuals, and memorable hooks was once the gold standard for relevance and recall. Creativity defined presence, and the loudest, boldest campaigns often won attention.

But the marketing landscape today looks very different.

Audiences are more exposed, more discerning, and far less patient. They are inundated with messages across platforms, formats, and creators, often encountering hundreds of brand touchpoints in a single day. In this environment, creativity alone especially when untethered from real consumer truths is no longer enough to move behaviour. Great ideas are abundant. Meaningful impact is not.

This is where insights matter.

The difference may seem subtle, but it is fundamental. An idea represents what a brand wants to say. An insight reflects what the audience is already thinking, feeling, or experiencing. The most effective campaigns emerge not from cleverness alone, but from the intersection of these two forces.

From creativity to relevance

As the marketing ecosystem becomes increasingly saturated, consumers are growing immune to inflated claims and surface-level storytelling. Even beautifully crafted campaigns can fail if they are disconnected from lived realities. The gap between a brand’s internal enthusiasm and the audience’s actual sentiment can be the difference between attention and indifference.

Insights help bridge this gap. They force brands to pause, listen, and observe to understand emotions, behaviours, cultural contexts, and contradictions. Instead of trying to be remembered through louder branding, insight-led campaigns allow audiences to see their own experiences reflected back at them. When a campaign articulates a problem that feels personal, relevance is created. Trust follows.

Insight is interpretation, not information

It’s important to distinguish between data and insight. Data tells us what is happening. Insight explains why it is happening. While data is measurable and structured, insights are interpretive and dynamic, shaped by real-time sentiment and human behaviour.

Modern consumers are full of contradictions. They demand authenticity while remaining deeply aspirational. They want brands to take a stand but expect nuance, not instruction. They seek transparency, yet are drawn to curated narratives. These tensions are not obstacles, they are opportunities. When understood correctly, they can shape communication that feels timely, credible, and human.

Some of the most effective campaigns today are born not in isolated brainstorm rooms, but through listening to audiences, creators, editors, online communities, and cultural signals. Insights often exist in blurred patterns, but once identified, they can redefine how a brand connects.

A recent campaign we executed for Domino’s illustrates this shift clearly. The brief wasn’t to make a pizza look bigger or louder. Instead, it was rooted in a simple behavioural truth: in Tier 2 and Tier 3 markets, sharing food is an emotional act tied to family, celebration, and value perception. The “Big Big 6-in-1 Pizza” became a canvas for this insight. The campaign leaned into regional voices and real sharing moments, allowing people to show how they experienced the product rather than being told why they should buy it. Influencers and celebrities amplified genuine usage, not scripted endorsements. The impact from engagement to footfall to sales came not from a clever idea, but from understanding how people relate to food in their everyday lives.

Shifting the starting point

Today’s consumer landscape demands a shift in perspective from “What should the brand say?” to “What does the audience need to hear right now?” This marks a move away from inward-led marketing toward communication shaped by behaviour, emotion, and cultural relevance.

Brands leading today are keen observers. They notice when perfection stops resonating. They sense when luxury shifts from aspiration to excess. They recognise when influencer content begins to feel repetitive and trust erodes.

Virality, too, is often misunderstood. It is not a strategy to chase, but an outcome. Campaigns rooted in insight do not aim to go viral; they aim to resonate. When content reflects something familiar, a shared truth, emotion, or tension, it travels organically because people see themselves in it.

Ideas attract attention. Insights build connection.

The evolving role of PR

For PR professionals, this shift has redefined success. Coverage volume alone no longer tells the full story. The more meaningful questions today are: Did the communication influence behaviour? Did it align with cultural conversations? Did it address a real consumer pain point?

Insight-first thinking allows these questions to be answered at the planning stage, rather than corrected midway through execution.

In a world where formats and platforms will continue to evolve, what remains constant is the power of authentic communication. The strongest campaigns today do not begin with a brainstorm, but with observation, interpretation, and empathy. That is not just better marketing, it is more responsible, resilient, and meaningful brand-building.

Brands

Ahmad Muneeb elevated to VP – HR centre of excellence at Zepto

Published

24 hours ago

February 7, 2026

indiantelevision.com Team

MUMBAI: Zepto has elevated Ahmad Muneeb to vice president – HR centre of excellence, placing him at the helm of the company’s total rewards, executive compensation and organisational effectiveness as the quick-commerce firm powers through a high-growth phase.

The move follows his stint as senior director of the HR COE, where he played a central role in preparing the company for IPO readiness while scaling its people analytics capabilities. During this period, Muneeb helped align complex performance management structures with more streamlined and scalable employee experience frameworks.

In his new role, he will steer the design of total rewards strategies, executive compensation planning and organisational design, while also overseeing performance management, employee experience initiatives and people analytics programmes.

Before joining Zepto, Muneeb spent nearly three years at Meesho, where he held multiple rewards and HR business partner roles. Earlier in his career, he worked as a senior rewards consultant at Mercer, advising high-tech clients on compensation benchmarking, pay structures and talent-focused reward frameworks.

He began his hr journey at Cognizant, where he supported compensation programmes for nearly two lakh employees across India and worked on m&a compensation alignment and skill-based pay initiatives. Prior to moving into HR, Muneeb started his career as a software engineer at Netcracker, bringing a technical grounding to his people strategy work.

With a mix of consulting rigour, start-up agility and enterprise-scale experience, Muneeb’s elevation signals Zepto’s continued focus on building robust people systems as it races towards its next phase of growth.

Brands

Dell names Aishwarya Sudhakar director of marketing intelligence

Published

1 day ago

February 7, 2026

indiantelevision.com Team

INDIA: Dell Technologies is doubling down on artificial intelligence in marketing. The company has elevated Aishwarya Sudhakar to director of marketing measures and intelligence engineering, tasking her with building an enterprise-wide framework for AI-led measurement and customer intelligence.

In the role, Sudhakar will oversee unified data strategy, advanced modelling and context engineering: areas increasingly central to how large technology firms link marketing performance to business outcomes. Her remit includes shaping scalable systems that support Dell’s next phase of AI deployment across marketing functions.

Sudhakar steps into the position after holding a series of senior roles at Dell, including AI lead for marketing orchestration, senior manager, and senior data scientist in customer insights. Across these roles, she led global teams working on large-scale machine learning models, data pipelines and customer analytics.

Before joining Dell, she began her career at Tata Consultancy Services as a systems engineer and later founded Oclor, a shopping discovery start-up, where she built end-to-end technology platforms. The combination of enterprise-scale data work and entrepreneurial experience has shaped her focus on product-led, engineering-first innovation.

As technology companies seek sharper attribution and intelligence in an AI-saturated market, Dell’s move underscores the growing importance of marketing measurement as an engineering discipline rather than a reporting function.