ITV

Category: Media and Advertising

  • Airtel goes big on blocking fraud with OOH blitz

    Airtel goes big on blocking fraud with OOH blitz

    MUMBAI: Airtel is taking its scam-stopping game to the streets — quite literally. Partnering with dentsu India’s out-of-home (OOH) specialist Posterscope, the telecom giant has rolled out a clever and quick-fire OOH campaign to promote ‘SPAM 2.0’, the next phase in its Safe Network proposition, featuring real-time detection and blocking of fraudulent links.

    The campaign’s hero message is ‘Blocking fraud links’. And that promise popped up across everything from metro stations to mall façades, transit hubs, bus shelters and even parking barricades — with witty, hyperlocal lines in regional languages that caught eyes and sparked smiles. Think: ‘Ye gate to khulega, par Airtel pe fraud link nahi khulega.’

    Spread across top metro cities and key markets, the campaign cleverly hit high-traffic zones where users are most vulnerable to distraction — while reinforcing Airtel’s positioning as the nation’s digital watchdog.

    Posterscope’s turnaround was just as slick, the nationwide campaign was planned, produced and executed in under four days. The strategic mix of formats and real-time contextual placements ensured that Airtel’s safety-first message landed when and where it mattered most.

    Posterscope India CEO Imtiyaz Vilatra said, “This campaign perfectly balances innovation with purpose. We translated Airtel’s powerful tech solution into a creative narrative that felt personal and timely. Through hyperlocal execution and speed, we were able to capture attention and build trust, a testament to how OOH can truly drive social impact when done right.”

    SPAM 2.0 isn’t just another tech update — it’s a public service with punchlines, and proof that when safety goes OOH, trust comes home.

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  • UGRO Capital doubles down on MSME pride with a bold new pledge: #BharosaMSMEpar

    UGRO Capital doubles down on MSME pride with a bold new pledge: #BharosaMSMEpar

    MUMBAI: Ugro Capital, the DataTech NBFC with MSMEs in its DNA, has launched a rallying cry for India’s small business backbone — and it’s asking the entire country to stand up and be counted. With #BharosaMSMEpar, Ugro is transforming last year’s popular ‘MSME Accha Hai!’ sentiment into a full-blown national movement.

    At the heart of the campaign is a stirring AI-generated manifesto film that opens with: ‘Har gali, har sheher mein… ek sapna pal raha hai.’ This isn’t just a campaign — it’s a pledge of confidence, a digital pat on the back for India’s 6.3 crore micro, small, and medium enterprises.

    In true Ugro style, the entire campaign — from the poetic script to its immersive soundscape — is crafted using generative AI. Viewers are invited to a slick microsite to sign a pledge, download a personalised e-certificate, and post it proudly across LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook. Meanwhile, a companion series of ‘Main MSME Hoon’ films gives voice to factories, kirana stores and workshops, highlighting their grit and drive.

    The movement was unveiled on ‘The Simple Hai Show’ by Ugro Capital’s founder and managing director, Shachindra Nath, alongside Vivek Law, financial literacy evangelist and editor-in-chief at Simple Hai!, who also lent his voice to the AI-powered film.

    To push the message into every mohalla and mandi, branded booths and screenings are travelling across India. On MSME Day, over 1,000 chartered accountants at the ICAI Varanasi MSME Mahotsav will add their names to the growing pledge list — part of UGRO’s plan to reach over a million Indians this month.

    UGRO Capital head – marketing & corporate communications, Ankit Chothani said, “With #BharosaMSMEpar, we are turning belief into behaviour. ‘MSME Accha Hai’ gave India the emotion, today we invite every citizen to act on it. When you pledge, you stand with your neighbourhood shopkeeper, your local manufacturer, your community’s dreamer. You are not just clicking a button; you are supporting the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat.”

    With MSME Day as its launchpad and year-long activations planned, this campaign is more than just a moment. It’s a movement.

     

     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

    A post shared by UGRO Capital (@ugrocapital)

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  • Cheil X ropes in Ankit Singh as national strategy chief to sharpen its creative edge

    Cheil X ropes in Ankit Singh as national strategy chief to sharpen its creative edge

    MUMBAI: In a calculated move to tighten its grip on the brand strategy reins, Cheil X has appointed Ankit Singh as its national strategy director. This appointment is the latest in a series of leadership upgrades as the agency revs up its transformation into a full-funnel powerhouse.

    Singh, a marketing veteran with over a decade of brand-building know-how, will report to Cheil X CEO Jitender Dabas. He takes on the ambitious task of steering strategic operations across all Cheil X companies in India, bringing with him a reputation for scaling businesses and unlocking creative muscle at past stints with Leo Burnett, BBH Delhi, and most recently, Hilton south Asia.

    At Hilton, Singh served as director – brand marketing for south Asia, where he played a pivotal role in firming up its brand presence across the region. Prior to that, he helped drive Leo Burnett Delhi into a strategy-led creative force, and oversaw the BBH Delhi expansion with cultural fluency and sharp insight. His strategic fingerprints can be found on campaigns for Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Reckitt, Uber, Tinder, Apple, Niva Bupa, and Unilever, among others.

    Cheil X’s latest talent coup is part of a broader vision to evolve from a traditional ad agency into a future-ready, connected experience firm. With an integrated model that straddles content, commerce, and brand experience, the agency is banking on Singh’s cultural intelligence and digital-first approach to fuel its next phase.

    “I’ve always believed that a strong strategic core doesn’t just solve business problems for brands — it shapes the agency’s ability to stay ahead of change. Ankit brings his expertise of partnering with big global and Indian brands and an astute understanding of what marketing and brands need today. We are building a winning team — and Ankit will be a key player in that formation”, said Dabas.

    A recognised industry thinker, Singh has been featured in WARC, CNBC, and Afaqs, and decorated with honours including the Effies, Cannes Lions, the Warc Prize for Asian Strategy, and Impact’s 30 Under 30.

    Speaking on his new role, Singh said, “Data and technology are reshaping how brands connect with people, and Cheil has long been at the forefront of this shift — creating connected experiences across the consumer journey. I’ve always been drawn to building new things, so when Jeetu shared his bold vision for Cheil X, it felt like the perfect moment and the right place to build a future‑ready agency that delivers impact at scale”.

    The appointment aligns with Cheil X’s broader mission of assembling a modern team of strategists, technologists, creatives, and experience designers to reimagine brand-building in an increasingly connected world. 

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  • Wall Street on track as AI bull takes Mumbai local in bold fintech ad

    Wall Street on track as AI bull takes Mumbai local in bold fintech ad

    MUMBAI: What happens when Wall Street meets a Mumbai local? You get a bullish ride straight into the heart of India’s investing aspirations powered entirely by artificial intelligence. Appreciate, India’s digital-first platform for investing in US-listed stocks and ETFs, has launched “Wall Street Express,” a first-of-its-kind GenAI campaign that reimagines fintech storytelling with cinematic flair and cultural familiarity.

    At the centre of this visually striking 50-second film is a bespectacled stock market bull, yes, a literal one who boards a packed Mumbai local, navigating the everyday hustle of Indian investors before stepping off onto Wall Street, smartphone in hoof, ready to trade via the Appreciate app. The campaign cleverly symbolises the psychological journey from doubt to confidence, from gully to global, turning the mundane commute into a metaphor for financial empowerment.

    “We realised the biggest barrier to global investing for Indians isn’t access, it’s mindset,” said Appreciate VP marketing, Ayush Kumar. “Our platform lets people invest with as little as Rs 1 and the lowest brokerage. But it’s about belonging. ‘Wall Street Express’ says your pincode shouldn’t limit your portfolio.”

    Rather than peddling features, Appreciate focuses on feeling. Set against the backdrop of India’s most iconic train system, the campaign taps into the cultural memory of millions while nudging them toward international investing not with jargon, but with aspiration.

    “This AI-generated bull is our everyday hero,” added Netflix head of content Anand Nair. “He dreams, he reads the paper, and he invests. GenAI helped us sidestep uncanny visuals and deliver Pixar-level relatability, minus the fluff.”

    The campaign marks a watershed in fintech advertising replacing pitch decks with poetic metaphors, dashboards with destination boards. It’s not just about making Wall Street accessible, it’s about making it feel native.

    Already generating online buzz, the film reflects a broader shift in how fintech brands are connecting with India’s digital-native, urban millennials blending emotion with innovation, and relatability with disruption.

    Because sometimes, the most powerful financial journeys begin not with a leap of faith, but a train ride from Churchgate to the charging bull.

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  • Epack Group names Narayan Lodha as executive director and group CFO to sharpen financial play

    Epack Group names Narayan Lodha as executive director and group CFO to sharpen financial play

    MUMBAI: When a conglomerate with IPOs on the radar and diversified ambitions across durables, prefab, and packaging needs a steady hand on the financial tiller, it turns to a pro. Epack Group has done just that by appointing Narayan Lodha as its executive director & group chief financial officer, effective immediately.

    The move signals Epack’s intent to bolster its financial firepower as it deepens its presence across consumer durables, prefabricated construction, EPS-based packaging, and petrochemicals. Lodha, a CA & company secretary, brings over 25 years of experience in corporate finance, capital markets, and strategic planning.

    He steps into the role with an extensive resume: Lodha previously held senior posts at Vikram Solar, Inox Wind, Ravindra Energy, and Indian Energy Exchange. His track record includes leading IPOs, private equity placements, and debt raises. He also played critical roles in turnaround strategies and capital optimisation in India’s manufacturing and renewables sectors.

    “We are delighted to welcome Narayan to the Epack family. His depth of experience in financial strategy and capital markets will be invaluable as we embark on our next phase of accelerated growth. His leadership will help us stay agile, resilient, and aligned with our long-term vision”, said Epack Group group chairman & whole-time director Bajrang Bothra.

    Lodha’s appointment comes on the heels of robust year-on-year growth for Epack Group. Epack Durable is already listed, and Epack Prefab Technologies has filed its Draft Red Herring Prospectus (DRHP) in preparation for a planned IPO. In this context, Lodha’s mandate is clear: reinforce governance, optimise capital deployment, and steer financial strategy to power Epack’s ascent.

    “I am excited to join Epack Group at such a dynamic time in its journey. The Group has built a solid reputation for innovation, agility, and operational excellence. I look forward to working closely with the leadership team to strengthen our financial systems, support strategic growth, and create long-term value for all stakeholders”, said Lodha.

    His leadership is expected to support a sweeping transformation, as Epack Group scales its ambitions with a sharper focus on fiscal discipline and stakeholder trust.

  • InMobi names Kunal Nagpal as chief business officer to spearhead ad empire makeover

    InMobi names Kunal Nagpal as chief business officer to spearhead ad empire makeover

    MUMBAI: Mobile advertising heavyweight InMobi has tapped Kunal Nagpal as its new chief business officer for advertising, tasking him with orchestrating a bold unification of its ad platforms—including the newly launched Glance AI, InMobi DSP, and the InMobi Exchange.

    The newly minted role is a key move in InMobi’s ongoing push to centralise its global go-to-market (GTM) strategy and tighten its grip on the evolving world of programmatic, AI-led, and first-party advertising.

    “We are on a transformative journey to build a stronger, more unified team and the ability to better adapt to market needs,” says InMobi Advertising CEO & co-founder Abhay Singhal. “Centralizing our advertising GTM across all product lines is essential for maintaining our growth momentum, and Kunal’s proven expertise with the company across InMobi Exchange positions him as the perfect leader for this initiative.”

    Over the past five years, Nagpal has helped scale InMobi Exchange into the second-largest full-funnel mobile SSP, expanding well beyond just mobile and in-app. In his new role, he’s now charged with monetising Glance AI—a generative AI commerce engine launched last month-while also aligning InMobi’s suite of ad products under one powerful umbrella.

    “The drive to redefine advertising through innovation requires strong leadership and bold strategies,” says Nagpal. “I am eager to embrace this challenge and collaborate with our incredible teams to generate even more value for our partners and customers.”

    Glance AI, InMobi’s latest innovation, lets users generate hyper-realistic fashion looks from a selfie using Google’s Gemini and Imagen models—creating one-tap shopping across 400+ brands. With Nagpal now at the helm, the platform is expected to play a larger role in InMobi’s monetisation machine.

  • ONO appoints Anurag Sinha as CBO to lead its next agri-charge across India’s mandi networks

    ONO appoints Anurag Sinha as CBO to lead its next agri-charge across India’s mandi networks

    MUMBAI: The mandi may be a centuries-old system, but ONO is betting on a modern formula: data, tech and now, a seasoned operator with two decades in the trenches. On June 24, 2025, Bengaluru-based agri-tech startup ONO appointed Anurag Sinha as its chief business officer (CBO) to lead its expansion across India’s vast and varied mandi ecosystem.

    Sinha, whose career spans leadership roles in firms like ITC and BigHaat, brings hands-on experience in agri-finance, tech and supply chains. From early-stage ventures to scale-stage challenges, he has consistently shaped agri-businesses into impact-led enterprises—a skill ONO is counting on as it doubles down on market linkages, credit access and logistics for India’s smallholders and agri-entrepreneurs.

    “Agriculture continues to be one of the most crucial yet underserved sectors when it comes to tech-enabled efficiency and data-driven decision making. I am excited to join ONO’s mission to reimagine agricultural supply chains through data, innovation, and ecosystem collaboration. I look forward to working with this dynamic team and driving meaningful change in the agriculture landscape”, Sinha said.

    As CBO, he will anchor ONO’s go-to-market operations, grow partnerships, and build new channels to enhance the platform’s core offering: mandi digitisation. ONO currently provides services such as formal credit access, price intelligence, logistics, and market linkages, backed by investor Aeravti Ventures.

    “Anurag’s proven experience in business building and execution will accelerate our vision and help us bring more stakeholders into the fold. We are happy to have him on board”, said ONO founder & CEO Rama Rao Kancharapu.

    Founded to modernise the traditional mandi model with data and transparency, ONO is emerging as a crucial enabler in India’s agri-value chain—bridging age-old practices with next-gen technology. Sinha’s entry signals a sharper focus on execution, market depth and ecosystem-building as ONO eyes national scale.

    If India’s farm-to-market puzzle needs solving, ONO seems ready with the algorithm—and Anurag Sinha may just be the codebreaker.

  • Ugro Capital appoints Anuj Pandey as CEO to steer its MSME engine into the next growth orbit

    Ugro Capital appoints Anuj Pandey as CEO to steer its MSME engine into the next growth orbit

    MUMBAI: In India’s rapidly evolving fintech theatre, few stages are as critical-and crowded-as MSME lending. Now, Ugro Capital, the Datatech-driven non-banking finance company, has shuffled the deck and handed the reins to a man who helped script its earliest chapters. On 24 June 2025, Ugro announced the elevation of Anuj Pandey—its founding team member and chief risk officer—as its new chief executive officer (CEO).

    Pandey steps into the top role at a pivotal moment. The company recently crossed Rs 12,000 crore in assets under management, announced the strategic acquisition of Profectus Capital, and completed a large capital raise. With over 300 branches now in play, Ugro is transitioning from growth mode to scale mode—and Pandey has been handed the wheel to steer that transition.

    As CEO, he will lead Ugro’s national MSME operations, digital lending platforms, and partner ecosystem. He will report to Shachindra Nath, founder, VC, & managing director, who continues to helm the company’s strategic direction, governance and investor relations.

    “Anuj’s elevation as CEO is a natural progression in Ugro’s evolution as an institution. As a founding member and chief risk officer, his deep understanding of MSME lending, risk, and technology-driven operations makes him ideally suited to lead execution. I will remain fully accountable for Ugro’s strategic and governance matters, while Anuj takes full charge of the business. With recently concluded acquisition of Profectus and a large capital raise, I along with my Board felt that Ugro should be steered under one strong hand who exclusively focuses on the operating performance while I continue to focus on the strategic agenda of making Ugro as India’s largest financial institution for MSME financing”, said Nath.

    Pandey, an alumnus of IIM Lucknow with a B.Tech in Mechanical Engineering, brings over 25 years of experience from GSK Consumer, ABN AMRO, Barclays and Religare. At Ugro, he has built its credit and risk architecture from the ground up, helping shape the company’s data-first approach to MSME financing.

    “I have been working with Shachindra for last seven years even prior to our formation. Being part of Ugro’s founding journey has been a privilege. I look forward to leading the next phase of growth — expanding our MSME reach, scaling embedded finance, and continuing our mission of ‘solving the unsolved’ credit gap with discipline and innovation”, Pandey said.

    His elevation signals Ugro’s ambition to pair entrepreneurial vision with institutional rigour. As it scales new lending frontiers, the company appears intent on anchoring growth with continuity—and trusting those who helped build the ship to now captain it.

  • Nasher Miles rolls out Pride campaign with Myntra and Lauren Robinson in full colour

    Nasher Miles rolls out Pride campaign with Myntra and Lauren Robinson in full colour

    MUMBAI: Airports often mark endings and beginnings, but this June, Goa Airport saw something more—a bold, unmissable celebration of Pride rolling down its baggage belt. Indian travel brand Nasher Miles and fashion giant Myntra joined forces to launch a flamboyant campaign titled ‘Show Your Colour With Pride’, aimed at making space for authenticity, individuality, and queer self-expression.

    The campaign goes far beyond rainbow-washing. Instead of putting on a colourful front, it hands over the mic—quite literally—to Lauren Robinson, an actor, voice artist, drag performer and proud LGBTQIA+ creator. Robinson’s presence at the centre of the campaign is a deliberate and powerful choice, offering representation not just through aesthetics but through storytelling.

    “Colour has always been more than a vibe. It’s been my resistance. My expression. My truth”, they shared, embodying the spirit behind the collaboration. With their bold styling set against Nasher Miles’ Zanzibar collection, the visuals balance vibrant expression with purpose.

    The Zanzibar range, known for its vivid colours and matte finishes, becomes a metaphor here—not just luggage, but luggage with a voice. And that voice says things like: “Labels belong on luggage, not people”. The campaign’s visuals feature stark white backdrops that let colour—and identity—do all the talking.

    To amplify the message beyond screens, the brand turned Goa Airport’s baggage claim into a vibrant Pride-themed carousel, complete with rainbow stripes. The spectacle, captured on travellers’ phones and shared organically across Instagram and influencer pages, brought the campaign out of the ad studio and into everyday life.

    This was not a one-and-done stunt. The campaign unfolded across digital creatives, influencer-led videos, and vox pops designed to ignite candid conversations around queerness, confidence, and colour. The carousel activation made the message unmistakably clear—this wasn’t about products; this was about presence.

    “Nasher Miles stands for colour. The alignment with the Pride community to celebrate their colours felt like a natural extension. And having Myntra as a partner helped us make it larger than life with the airport activation”, said co-founder & head of marketing Shruti Kedia Daga.

    The campaign now lives across Nasher Miles’ digital platforms, Myntra’s homepage, and in hundreds of reels and posts under the hashtag #SHOWYOURCOLOURWITHPRIDE. If you happened to pass through Goa Airport recently, you might’ve found more than just your suitcase—you may have found a little pride in motion.

  • Vijay Chauhan to become general manager of adidas India

    Vijay Chauhan to become general manager of adidas India

    MUMBAI: adidas has appointed Vijay Chauhan as general manager of adidas India, effective 1 August 2025. Vijay will oversee operations in India and be based in the Gurugram office.

    Vijay succeeds Neelendra Singh, who will be stepping down after more than two decades with the adidas brand. Under Neelendra’s leadership, adidas India made remarkable progress, notably establishing cricket as a high-impact category for the brand. Neelendra played a pivotal role in transforming the cricket jersey culture in India, driving brand affinity and commercial success.

    Vijay Chauhan rejoins adidas from his most recent role as SVP International at American Eagle Outfitters in New York and brings over 25 years of industry experience across the sporting goods and fashion lifestyle. Vijay first joined adidas in 1999 and during his tenure he served in leadership roles including VP of Retail/Franchise for SEAPAC and general manager of Thailand.

    Emerging Markets managing director, Dave Thomas said, “We’re grateful to Neel for his strong leadership of the India business over the past six years, during which he significantly strengthened adidas’ brand presence, accelerated business growth, and deepened our connection with consumers across India. We also look forward to welcoming Vijay back to the three stripes. With his strong commercial acumen and growth mindset, I’m confident he will continue to drive the adidas brand and business forward in India.”

    Neelendra will remain in his role until August 2025 to ensure a seamless transition.