Mumbai: FCB Kinnect has appointed Yogesh Mani Pradhan as group executive creative director (west) to lead creative work at its Mumbai office. With over two decades of experience at Ogilvy, Yogesh has worked with brands including Castrol, Mondelez, Bajaj Chetak, Adidas, Amazon, ITC Vivel, and Mumbai Indians. His notable campaigns include ‘Truckasana’ for Castrol, ‘Sit Together’ for Cadbury Dairy Milk, ‘Boys Don’t Cry’ for Vogue, and ‘I Will Wear Out Plastic’ for UNEP.
Speaking about the appointment, FCB Kinnect & FCB/SIX India CEO Rohan Mehta said, “I am thrilled to welcome Yogi to the Kinnect family. His extensive experience in advertising and creative work with a wide range of brands will undoubtedly elevate our creative capabilities. Fondly known as the work-dad, he is exactly what our talent needs – someone to mentor them and build them through the rigour of advertising. Together, Yogi and Neville form a dynamic duo – their complementary partnership promises to deliver exceptional work for our clients.”
FCB Kinnect & FCB/SIX India CCO Neville Shah added, “Yogesh brings with him great ideas, invaluable experience, and sage-like calm. Here to uplift the quality and the craft of the Mumbai office, I am super excited to be reunited and working with him.”
FCB Kinnect group executive creative director Yogesh Pradhan said, “I look forward to working with the Mumbai team to cultivate a vibrant creative culture and camaraderie. I’m thrilled to be part of the FCB Kinnect family as it gathers momentum towards becoming a powerhouse integrated creative agency.”
Mumbai: The One Club for Creativity concluded the third edition of Portfolio Night 2024 in Mumbai and has become one of the most important networking events for the creative industry. The event took place on 10 October (virtual) and 11 October (Mumbai) 2024. Fostering connections between emerging talent and established creatives; Portfolio Night is an ecosystem of creative development, the launchpad of careers, and a major force in shaping the future of creativity.
The event was held at the Ecole Intuit Lab in Mumbai and was co-hosted by agencies under Omnicom Advertising Group – BBDO India, DDB Mudra Group, and TBWAIndia. It brought together 110 emerging creatives with diverse academic backgrounds in design, planning, direction, content writing and so on.
BBDO India chairman & CEO Josy Paul, kicked off the event with an inspiring speech. This was followed by an energetic, fast -paced evening of one-to-one portfolio reviews by the jury panel of 30 jurors over the two days.
“Portfolio night is really about a portfolio of creative values: Originality, freedom, fearlessness, love, passion and belief. That’s what I was looking for. It is as much about the people as it is about the work. And I got all of it. For that’s what I saw, felt and experienced at this electric night. Thank you for the collision of emerging talent and established creatives. It was alchemy. The future of creativity is shining bright” said, Josy.
Speaking about this year’s juror experience, DDB Mudra Group CCO Rahul Mathew said, “While the Portfolio Night may come across as a night of evaluation by the creative heads, it’s also an introduction. We’re introduced to where the talent is headed and what the future has in store for our industry. And once again we leave reassured and confident that the future of creativity is bright.”
TBWA India chief creative experience officer Russell Barrett commented, “As always it was an amazing experience to interact with the energy and the openness of the future of our industry. This year I saw a number of portfolios that were not from the traditional areas of creativity – animators, cinematographers, UX, UI designers. While a good number of the other portfolios had experiential and innovation ideas too. It’s great that the portfolios at portfolio night are keeping pace with the rapid changes we’re seeing all around us.”
Sukanya Aggarwal emerged as the winner at the Portfolio Night Mumbai while Udo Döhler Neto won the virtual pan-India Portfolio Night. They’ve both earned the chance to participate in the prestigious global Portfolio Night All-Stars program. This program brings together creatives with winning portfolios from all host cities. These lucky All-Stars will work in global teams on a brief from a major brand and attend seminars and recruiting sessions. At the end of the week, each team presents their pitch, with the winning Portfolio Night All-Stars flown to New York by The One Club for Creative Week 2025.
Mumbai: Performics India, an end-to-end digital marketing agency under Publicis Groupe India, has been recognised as the Digital Agency of the Year at the recently held Smarties India 2024 awards. This recognition underscores the agency’s steadfast commitment to innovation and excellence, driving full-funnel marketing strategies that deliver measurable business results.
At the 13th edition of Smarties India, Performics India distinguished itself as a leader in innovative marketing by excelling in data-driven strategies across e-commerce, D2C websites, and mobile app performance. The agency’s mastery of integrated approaches led to accolades in four key campaign categories, ultimately earning it the prestigious title of Digital Agency of the Year.
Performics India’s work on ITC MasterChef won in the Instant Impact/Promotion category, meanwhile, its data-driven campaigns for Aashirvaad were honoured in both the Customer Journey Marketing – Lead Generation/CRM and Data Insights/Contextual Marketing categories. Additionally, Performics India’s innovative ‘Truly Open’ campaign for Axis Bank bagged the award in the Cross Digital Media Marketing category.
As Performics India continues to innovate and adapt itself as the pre-eminent, full-stack digital marketing agency for brands, this award reinforces its position as a leader in the marketing industry.
Performics India CEO Lalatendu Das said, “We are honoured to receive the Digital Agency of the Year award at Smarties 2024. At Performics India, we believe in redefining performance by seamlessly connecting marketing investments to consumer intent through innovative data usage, technology, media, and content. This recognition is a testament to our team’s commitment to delivering impactful marketing solutions that drive real results for our clients.”
Mumbai: Axis Bank, one of the largest private sector banks in India has unveiled its festive campaign ‘Dil Se Open Celebrations’, aiming to capture the true spirit of Indian festivals. Conceptualized by Lowe Lintas, the campaign highlights the importance of doing good deeds, not just during festivals but every day, because “achhai kabhi rukni nahi chahiye.”
The campaign is rolled out in two phases. In phase one, Axis Bank celebrated the vibrant traditions of Ganesh Utsav and Onam, bringing alive the warmth and joy associated with these festivals. Beyond the festive celebrations, the films emphasized the importance of making small, thoughtful gestures every day and celebrating the people around them in meaningful ways throughout the year.
Phase two builds on this festive spirit with the ongoing celebration of Navratri and the upcoming Diwali. While the culture and traditions showcased in every film are distinct from each other, the campaign acts as a reminder to the audience that the spirit of compassion, togetherness, and self-care that we imbibe during festivals is the true representation of being Dil Se Open. should carry on into our everyday lives.
Axis Bank chief marketing officer Anoop Manohar said, “Festivals inspire goodness in many forms- reunions with family, reviving the spirit of community, going the extra mile for our loved ones and much more. Our campaigns urge people to embrace the essence of these traditions throughout the year and not be limited to the festive alone. India is a land of many festivals, and we have used regional nuances of these festivals in a series of heartwarming films to bring this narrative to life. The plethora of offers available on credit cards and other banking products are an apt enabler for keeping these traditions alive during and after the festival”.
Lowe Lintas president Kapil Batra said, “This campaign builds on Axis Bank’s ‘Dil Se Open’ philosophy, encouraging people to embrace kindness throughout the year. Kudos to the team for bringing this idea alive by capturing very relatable and unique moments that make each festival truly special.”
Lowe Lintas executive director Prathamesh Gharat said “With ‘Dil Se Open Celebrations,’ our goal was to celebrate not only the festivals but the emotions and values that come with them. Indian festivals beautifully highlight the bonds we share, but it’s the everyday moments of kindness and compassion that truly make life special. Through this campaign, we want to encourage people to continue carrying that spirit forward, to show that being ‘Dil Se Open’ is a way of life, not just during festive times, but all year round.”
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Mumbai: With heartfelt condolences, India bids farewell to Ratan Tata, a visionary leader who dedicated his life to building an organisation that has contributed nearly $103 billion to society. His passing marks the end of an era, but his legacy of service and philanthropy lives on. In the wake of this monumental loss, Noel Tata has been appointed chairman of Tata Trusts, one of the country’s largest philanthropic entities, signalling a significant leadership shift during this poignant time. Succeeding the iconic Ratan Tata, Noel will now steer the Trusts’ charitable and social welfare activities, continuing the Tata legacy of corporate philanthropy. This appointment places Noel at the helm of a $165 billion group that plays a significant role in Tata Sons and its subsidiaries.
The decision to appoint Noel as chairman came after much speculation following Ratan Tata’s long-anticipated departure from the role. Ratan Tata, the revered former chairman of Tata Sons, remains a pivotal figure in the group’s history. Noel’s promotion underscores the Trusts’ commitment to continuity while paving the way for a new chapter.
Noel Tata, a name that resonates within the Tata family, has steadily climbed the corporate ranks. Known for his expertise in retail and international business, he successfully transformed Trent Ltd., Tata Group’s retail arm, into a Rs 1000 crore company. His vision and leadership have been instrumental in expanding Trent’s operations across India. He is also married to Aloo Mistry, the daughter of Pallonji Mistry, making him a key figure linking the Tata and Mistry families.
Under his leadership, Tata Trusts is expected to continue its robust philanthropic efforts, which include contributions to education, healthcare, and rural development. Given his business acumen and family ties, Noel Tata’s appointment is seen as a strategic move to further the Trusts’ growth while safeguarding its values.
Speaking about his appointment, Noel said, “I am honoured to take on this role and contribute to the legacy of the Tata family in fostering social change and corporate responsibility.”
This shift comes at a time when Tata Trusts plays an even larger role in the corporate governance of Tata Sons, holding a significant shareholding. As chairman, Noel is expected to work closely with the board of Tata Sons, ensuring alignment between the Trusts’ objectives and the group’s corporate goals.
The larger implications of Noel’s leadership will likely ripple across the Tata Group’s various businesses, from Tata Steel to Tata Consultancy Services (TCS). Industry experts are optimistic about the fresh yet familiar approach he will bring, given his deep-rooted understanding of the group’s dynamics and the legacy of philanthropic excellence embedded in Tata Trusts.
With this transition, Tata Trusts has signalled its intention to balance tradition with modernity, ensuring the group’s ethical framework remains strong while adapting to the evolving needs of Indian society.
Mumbai: Surya Roshni, a prominent name in the lighting and consumer durables sector, unveils an enticing video campaign showcasing its vibrant festive product range, featuring the Surya Jagmag festive string lights. This campaign centres around a young couple discussing their roles in preparing for the festival, highlighting the importance of Surya’s new Jagmag lights. As they decorate their home, the lights illuminate their space, creating a warm and joyful atmosphere for their celebrations.
Surya Roshni Ltd, CEO of lighting and consumer durables, Jitendra Agrawal emphasises the product’s impact:”Our new decorative lighting range epitomises elegance, convenience, and energy efficiency. We wish to offer products that meet the modern-day needs of our consumers, be it for festive décor or everyday lighting solutions. With this range, we plan to make festivals even more special and make our products provide long-term value to homes across India.”
The Surya Jagmag festive string lights are designed to infuse vibrancy and warmth into every corner of your home, making them the ideal addition to any celebration. Whether for a family gathering or enhancing the cosy ambiance of your living space, Surya’s lighting solutions elevate the festive spirit.
In addition to the decorative lights, Surya introduces campaigns for its innovative home appliances. The electric water heater campaign showcases the Qube+ Water Heater and runs from September to November 2024. Alongside this, Surya presents the Infra-Red & Induction-PRI campaign, also from September to November 2024, aimed at simplifying cooking and boosting kitchen efficiency.
Mumbai: Lowe Lintas, an advertising agency announced the appointment of Kapil Batra as president at its Mumbai office, effective immediately.
Kapil’s hire completes the creative leadership team at Lowe Lintas Mumbai. The aim is to take the Mumbai office to new creative heights and continue Lowe Lintas’ legacy of delivering impactful and culturally relevant work. He will report to Prateek Bhardwaj, chief creative officer (CCO), to further strengthen the agency’s creative and strategic vision.
Kapil Batra brings with him over two decades of experience in the advertising industry, with a track record of creating iconic campaigns. His prior experience includes leadership positions at Wieden + Kennedy India and McCann Erickson.
His body of work includes the much-celebrated “PayTM Karo” campaign, the endearing “Share a Coke” series, the evergreen “Mirchi Sunne Wale Always Khush (Rudaali)”, Yatra.com’s “Ehsaan mat lo, discount lo”, Happydent’s “Dikha Bateesi kar baat achhi si” campaign and the widely acclaimed “Dettol Soap Bubbles” activation. Kapil’s creative genius has been recognized at prestigious platforms including Cannes, D&AD, Clio, One Show, Spikes Asia, and Effies, among others.
Lowe Lintas chief creative officer Prateek Bhardwaj commented, “To me, Kapil embodies what Lowe Lintas has stood for over the decades – total commitment to creative excellence and a collaborative, team-first approach. His work on PayTM, Perfetti and Coca-Cola is legendary and I have no doubt that his creativity will propel and inspire the team to new creative heights. Along with Sarvesh Raikar and Madhu Noorani in Mumbai, Vasudha Misra in Delhi, and Arpan Bhattacharyya and Litna Das in Bangalore, our senior creative leadership team is complete and ready for the future.”
Kapil’s appointment comes at a time when Lowe Lintas is focused on further strengthening its creative offerings and expanding its footprint in the Indian advertising landscape. The agency is focused on crafting brands of the future, with profound ideas on every single culture, stories that will change the way brands can connect, the way they can lead, and the impact they can have on the world.
Kapil Batra, on his new role as president of Lowe Lintas, stated, “Joining Lowe Lintas as President of the Mumbai office is an incredible opportunity to be part of an agency that consistently pushes the boundaries of creativity. Lowe Lintas has a rich legacy of creating work that is not just memorable but also meaningful. I am excited to contribute to this legacy and work alongside Prateek Bhardwaj and the immensely talented team here to create campaigns that resonate with audiences and make a real difference for our clients.”
Mumbai: After foraying into the decorative paints sector earlier in the year, Birla Opus Paints housed under Aditya Birla Group’s Grasim Industries, has now launched its latest campaign – ‘Naye Zamane ka Naya Paint’ i.e. ‘New Paint for the New era’. Conceptualised by Leo Burnett India, the film features two of India’s most loved actors – Vicky Kaushal and Rashmika Mandanna, as brand ambassadors talking about its unique and distinctive features and quality, along with veteran and versatile actors like Neena Gupta and Saurabh Shukla. The unique idea, stellar cast and strong conceptualisation is aimed towards making Birla Opus Paints “new” and “desirable”.
The campaign will be amplified in Hindi and all major regional languages and backed by a 360-degree activation across TV, Digital, OOH, Print, and Radio to drive awareness and induce trials.
Commenting on the campaign, Birla Opus Paints CEO Rakshit Hargave said – “With our new campaign, ‘Naye Zamane ka Naya Paint,’ which is getting launched this festive season, we highlight our product’s performance through a dynamic cast, blending the fresh energy of Vicky Kaushal and Rashmika Mandanna along with the timeless charm of Saurabh Shukla and Neena Gupta. We’re confident this campaign will deeply resonate with our consumers, showcasing our innovative and inspiring approach!”
Indian actor Vicky Kaushal mentioned – “I’m thrilled to be a part of the Birla Opus Paints family and looking forward to spreading vibrancy and colours in the lives of consumers. The campaign is creatively brought to life through these films in a really differentiated manner. I had a lot of fun shooting the ad with veteran actor Saurabh Shukla whose improvisation during the shoot was a treat to watch.”
Indian actress Rashmika Mandanna mentioned – “I believe one should evolve with changing times. The latest campaign by Birla Opus Paints is a reflection of my belief to make choices backed by facts and not following the general practice. I am happy to partner with Birla Opus as their ambassador and shooting the ad with Neena Ji was a great experience. I look forward to a great association with Birla Opus Paints.”
Speaking about the campaign Leo Burnett – South Asia chairman Rajdeepak Das said “We live in a world that’s constantly transforming, reshaping our homes, needs and perspectives. Our film featuring an ensemble cast brings an entertaining perspective of how while old school paints worked in the past, it’s time to embrace the next generation of paints which are meticulously designed to meet new India’s ever-changing needs.”
Mumbai: True Elements, a subsidiary of Marico Ltd, has launched a fresh and engaging campaign with Indian cricket captain Rohit Sharma to launch his own brand of healthy breakfast and snacks – RS by True Elements. In an exciting and unprecedented collaboration, Indian cricket captain Rohit Sharma has joined forces with True Elements, to introduce a new sub-brand, RS by True Elements. This marks Rohit’s entry into the healthy breakfast and snack market, where he not only endorses but also co-creates a product line that bears his name and face on the packaging—a powerful symbol of trust and commitment.
The campaign centers around Rohit Sharma, known as “The Hitman,” delivering an authentic, humorous, and viral-worthy message about True Elements’ commitment to healthy, 100% natural ingredients. By combining Rohit’s signature cool charisma with a viral “mic drop” moment, the film positions RS by True Elements as a brand with a serious focus on wholesome, real ingredients, backed by a superstar’s personal stamp of approval. This campaign comes right after the viral ‘Black Pack Chuno’ by True Elements launched in September.
Rohit’s punchline reinforces that his face is on the pack because he truly believes in the product. His casual delivery of, “Back of pack maine pad liya…taaki aapko padna na pade” and the tagline “True Elements – Food with Hitman’s Guarantee” adds a layer of trust and credibility for consumers, reinforcing that the brand delivers on its promise of healthy, honest ingredients.
True Elements co-founder & CEO Puru Gupta said “This collaboration comes at a time when the conversation around ingredient transparency and exaggerated marketing claims are heating up in India. True Elements has consistently led the way with honest ingredient declarations and no misleading claims. While an endorsement by Captain Rohit Sharma is a great validation, we have gone one step forward with this partnership, with Rohit launching his own line with us. It is probably the first time any food brand has attempted to license in a co-branded manner in India. So, while we sort out the back of pack for Rohit, he sorts out the front of pack for us! “
The campaign aims to address the challenges associated with packaged health foods by demystifying them and promoting healthier eating habits among youth. It is set to roll out across digital platforms and social media, leveraging the viral appeal of the mic drop moment to drive widespread engagement.
Fanboy Pictures founder & director Subodh Menon said, “When the True Elements team approached us for an end-to-end solution for a social-first campaign, we thought why not use it to our advantage and call out what all campaigns want to do – Go Viral! So, we thought of a series of films where Rohit goes to great lengths to make sure that our messages take off and goes viral. To add authenticity, we also cast Puru as the tough founder who has sky-high expectations for Rohit. Overall, it turned out to be a super fun project”
Mumbai: The Baker’s Dozen (TBD), an artisan bakery brand in India, has launched a new consumer awareness campaign called ‘The Truth We Knead’ in partnership with actress Soha Ali Khan. The campaign promotes transparency and quality in bakery products, emphasising the importance of using real ingredients without harmful additives.
This collaboration marks TBD’s first celebrity partnership and aims to inspire consumers to make informed choices regarding bakery items. The campaign highlights the rising significance of bakery products in Indian households, particularly in tier one and tier two cities.
As the festive season approaches, TBD expects a two to three times boost in sales for cakes and cookies, targeting ₹30-40 crore in sales during the October-December quarter.
TBD co-founder & head chef Aditi Handa expressed excitement about the partnership, “We are incredibly excited to partner with Soha Ali Khan for ‘The Truth We Knead,’ marking a new chapter for our brand. This campaign reflects our dedication to always making products with real ingredients and using no nasties – values that are at the heart of everything we do. We’ve always admired Soha for her commitment to quality and authenticity, which perfectly aligned with what we wanted to communicate to our customers. Soha’s partnership amplifies our message and helps us reach more people who value authenticity and excellence in their food.”
Talking about the association, Soha Ali Khan expressed, “I’m excited to join The Baker’s Dozen for their ‘The Truth We Knead’ campaign. As a consumer, I believe transparency and quality are essential in the products we choose. Partnering with an authentic brand like TBD perfectly aligns with my values and ideals. This campaign is a great initiative to educate people about the importance of knowing what’s in their food. I’m proud to be part of a movement that promotes honest and delicious bakery products.”
The campaign includes a series of videos and content showcasing TBD’s commitment to ‘no nasties’ and quality products made with care.
