ITV

Category: Media and Advertising

  • Actimedia’s Trupti Vasudev joins Travel Lifestyle Network board in global first

    Actimedia’s Trupti Vasudev joins Travel Lifestyle Network board in global first

    MUMBAI: Actimedia PR & Digital’s chief executive, Trupti Vasudev, has been appointed to the global board of the Travel Lifestyle Network (TLN), making her the first-ever representative from India to hold the role. She will represent the Asia-Pacific region, spanning India, Singapore, Hong Kong, South Korea, Australia, GCC, Indonesia and Japan.

    The appointment comes as TLN – a coalition of 25 top-tier independent communications agencies – celebrates its 20th anniversary with an expanded mandate and a more globally integrated structure. Known for steering campaigns across luxury travel, hospitality, airlines, wellness and lifestyle, TLN is sharpening its focus on consumer storytelling and cross-border collaboration.

    “The Travel Lifestyle Network is a prime example of the power of collaboration – both for the participating agencies and clients who choose to work with a TLN agency. Specialist agencies are offering agility and deeply localised solutions for lifestyle brands and travel tourism brands with the professionalism of a global network, and as such are offering up a stiff competition to international conglomerates. The APAC region represents one of the world’s most dynamic consumer markets and offers unparalleled opportunities across lifestyle, travel, and luxury segments. I’m excited to leverage the network to create greater opportunities for each of the members and also to expand TLN further into other Asia Pacific markets” said Vasudev.

    Also joining the new-look board is David Zapata, founder of US-based Zapwater Communications, who steps in as executive chair. He’s joined by Marilyne Levesque of Marelle Communications representing the Americas, and Virginie Le Norgant of GroupExpression for Europe. TLN founder Hanna Kleber continues as honorary chair.

    “Our agencies represent a remarkable group of entrepreneurial and innovative leaders deeply embedded in their local markets. Moving forward, we will place greater emphasis on new offerings, services and industries – all while maintaining the high standards of excellence that have defined TLN for two decades,” said Zapata.  

    For Vasudev and Actimedia – TLN’s exclusive Indian agency partner – the move marks a bigger role in shaping global strategy in one of the most competitive segments of PR: lifestyle, hospitality and tourism.

    TLN’s message is clear: 20 years in, the network isn’t slowing down – it’s going global with more force than ever.

  • Fenesta’s new #ShutTheShor campaign turns down the volume on mental noise

    Fenesta’s new #ShutTheShor campaign turns down the volume on mental noise

    MUMBAI: In a world fuelled by pings, pressure and perpetual pace, Fenesta is asking India to do the radical: pause. The country’s leading windows and doors brand has launched the latest edition of its thought-provoking campaign, #ShutTheShor, reframing noise as more than just a decibel problem—it’s emotional clutter.

    The film, conceptualised by TwoHmp and produced by eipi media, dials into the silent stressors of modern life—burnout, digital fatigue, and that ever-buzzing inner monologue. With a meditative pace and no heavy voiceover, the short film tugs gently at a shared cultural nerve: the craving for stillness in a noisy world.

    By releasing the campaign on International Yoga Day, Fenesta aligns itself with mindfulness and balance. Just as yoga centres the body and mind, the brand suggests its well-insulated windows and doors can help centre your home—and your head.

    Speaking of the campaign, Fenesta head of marketing, Sumita Nag said, “At Fenesta, we’ve always stood for comfort, clarity, and creating spaces that offer a sense of calm. With #ShutTheShor, we aim to shift the spotlight to the constant noise that surrounds us. In the clutter of digital chatter, mental overload, and the pressure to stay always connected, this campaign captures how the spaces we design can offer quiet relief, helping people pause, reset, and feel grounded. It’s a natural extension of what we stand for as a brand, thoughtfully built environments that provide complete insulation, support balance and well-being in everyday life.”

    Live across YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn, the campaign champions a quieter, more thoughtful way of living. And it doesn’t shout about it either. It simply whispers: sometimes, the most powerful thing you can do is shut the shor.

  • The Script Room appoints K. Ramakrishnan as an independent director

    The Script Room appoints K. Ramakrishnan as an independent director

    MUMBAI: The Script Room, an independently owned, bespoke creative agency, founded by Ayyappan Raj & Rajesh Ramaswamy (Ramsam), onboards K. Ramakrishnan (Ramki), managing director – South Asia at Kantar Worldpanel, as an independent director on its board. With over three decades of experience in marketing, branding, and business strategy, he has held leadership roles at companies like Lenovo, Café Coffee Day and TVS Motor Company. In his new role, Ramakrishnan will participate in the strategic business decisions of The Script Room bringing his deep market knowledge, experience and thought leadership to the table.

    Known for its commitment to enjoyable scripts across formats, The Script Room has always championed storytelling that connects. With Ramki’s mentoring, the company takes a significant step forward in its journey of shaping their business with both soul and structure.

    Reflecting on the decision, The Script Room co-founder Ayyappan Raj shared, “Two years ago, when I first conceived the idea of establishing a Board of Directors and shared it with Ramsam, Ramki was the very first name on the list. I had the privilege of meeting Ramki in 2005 when he was a client at TVS Motor Company, and since then, he has played a significant role in both my professional and personal journey. It is with great pleasure that we announce his appointment as an Independent Director on our Board. Ramki is widely regarded as a trusted advisor and mentor – his innate capacity for leadership and guidance, coupled with his expanding sphere of influence, make him a valuable addition to our governance and strategic thinking.”

    K. Ramakrishnan shared, “It is a pleasure and honour to be able to serve as an independent director on the board of The Script Room. I am happy to work with bright and creative professionals such as Ramsam, Ayyappan and the others. I hope to provide professional counsel and promote a lot of dialectic thinking as The Script Room continues to scale up in its Creative Business journey”.

    Now in its sixth year of operations, The Script Room is excited about the future with Ramki joining as an Independent Director and will soon announce its full board of directors. With this guidance, the company is poised to continue delivering outstanding stories across all formats while building a cheerful and inspiring environment for its team and partners alike.

  • DreamSetGo hits the right note with ‘Sound of Sports’ for World Music Day

    DreamSetGo hits the right note with ‘Sound of Sports’ for World Music Day

    MUMBAI : DreamSetGo has dropped a rousing new digital campaign for World Music Day 2025 titled “Sound of Sports Experiences”. The 80-second music video turns the adrenaline of elite sporting moments into a rhythmic celebration — quite literally.

    Built entirely from the sounds of sport — think leather meeting willow, tennis grunts, the shriek of Formula 1 tyres, and crowd roars — the campaign blends sonic artistry with slick visuals to spotlight the emotion behind DreamSetGo’s luxury offerings across cricket, motorsport, tennis and football.

    “As someone deeply passionate about both music and sport, I’ve always found both to be that one uniting factor, the things that bring us together and make us emote together. With ‘Sound of Sports Experiences’, we’ve brought that emotion to life—an anthem for sports fans and music lovers alike. I’m thrilled with the creative output of the music video. It’s a beautiful celebration of music and a grand homage to sport,” said DreamSetG co- founder & CEO, Monish Shah

    The film, now live across the brand’s social platforms, is a sensory pitch for how sports, like music, speaks straight to the soul. With “Sound of Sports”, DreamSetGo hits a high note in storytelling that’s as immersive as its on-ground experiences.

    dreamsetgo.sports

    DreamSetGo

    DreamSetGo

  • Saumya Agarwal is appointed as vice president – Madison Media Plus

    Saumya Agarwal is appointed as vice president – Madison Media Plus

    MUMBAI: Madison Media Plus, a unit of Madison World, is delighted to announce the appointment of Saumya Agarwal as vice president. He will report to Madison Media Plus COO Mimi Deb.

    Saumya brings over 18 years of diverse experience in Integrated Marketing Communications. He has previously held leadership roles across GroupM, Dentsu and Publicis Groupe, and has worked with marquee brands such as Nykaa, HUL, Jaguar Land Rover, ICICI Group, HDFC Bank, Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy, Allied Blenders and Spotify. Prior to joining Madison Media, he served as AVP at Starcom. Along with his deep brand-building expertise, Saumya brings a strong passion for new business initiatives, nurturing talent and crafting purpose-driven narratives.

    “As our client portfolio continues to expand and brand needs evolve, we are realigning our team structure to stay agile, strategic, and future-ready. Saumya’s addition to the leadership team marks a significant step in this direction, strengthening our capabilities to deliver impactful solutions and drive sustained business growth,” said Deb.

    Sharing his excitement, Agarwal said, “I’m excited to join Madison Media Plus at such a dynamic time of growth and transformation. The energy of the team is truly inspiring. I look forward to contributing meaningfully to our clients.”

  • Dentsu reveals it tipped off CCI in ad cartel investigation

    Dentsu reveals it tipped off CCI in ad cartel investigation

    MUMBAI: Who blew the whistle on Indian advertising’s best-kept secret? Turns out, it was the house of Dentsu. Three months after the Competition Commission of India (CCI) swooped down on the country’s top ad agencies over alleged rate-fixing, Japanese media conglomerate Dentsu has confirmed it was the one to pull the plug—filing a suo motu disclosure under CCI’s leniency framework in February 2024. The move, Dentsu claims, wasn’t about crisis control, but about triggering “reform from within.”

    In March, CCI teams raided nearly 10 locations, targeting big-league players including GroupM, Publicis, Havas, IPG, and Madison, along with industry associations like AAAI, ISA, and IBDF. The focus? Alleged cartelisation through fixing ad rates, discounts, and possibly stifling competition, an apparent violation of Section 3(3) of the Competition Act, 2002.

    While the industry speculated, Dentsu in a statement to Storyboard18 said, “We had a choice to remain passive or drive change… This was a decision to support reform from within.”

    Dentsu also claimed to have already implemented stricter audits, tighter controls, and sharper governance. “Change can’t be effected by walking away,” it added, calling this a turning point for the entire sector.

    CCI’s leniency programme, a powerful tool in its arsenal, incentivises cartel members to come forward in exchange for reduced penalties. Think immunity for honesty, if you snitch first. This has been critical in cracking covert coordination, especially in complex industries like media buying where cartels may not leave an obvious paper trail.

    Legal experts say proving cartelisation under Section 3(3) isn’t just about similar pricing, it requires evidence of intent. That can come from emails, meeting notes, or even circumstantial cues like identical bid patterns or synchronised rate shifts via industry associations.

    What’s next? If the CCI finds strong evidence, the repercussions could be seismic: hefty penalties, shattered reputations, and a fundamental reordering of media-buying norms. Already, industry stakeholders are watching this case as a litmus test for regulatory muscle in India’s high-stakes ad market.

    As one industry veteran put it off the record: “This isn’t just an investigation, it’s a wake-up call.”

    In an industry where everyone knows everyone, Dentsu’s move may have ruptured long-standing silences. Whether it ends in punishment or reform, one thing is certain: Indian advertising’s old ways just met a very public reckoning.

     

  • Triooh launches to bring data-driven change in OOH advertising

    Triooh launches to bring data-driven change in OOH advertising

    MUMBAI: If billboards could think, they’d probably call Triooh for a brand makeover. Launching with a bang, Triooh is the newest kid on the block aiming to shake up the Out-of-Home (OOH) advertising space not with size, but with smarts. Founded by industry veteran Anuj Bhandari, Triooh is blending creative flair with data intelligence to take media planning from guesswork to precision science.

    While traditional OOH often leaned on legacy placements and gut feel, Triooh flips the script by putting data at the heart of its planning process right from the start. “The industry was never short on creativity, but it needed smarter tools,” said Bhandari. “We’re here to make every ad placement not just visible, but valuable.”

    With services spanning media planning, buying, execution and experiential marketing, Triooh is built for modern brands seeking accountability, sharper targeting, and real-time audience insights. Whether it’s a roadside hoarding or a branded experience, the agency wants every campaign to deliver measurable impact on minds and metrics alike.

    The team is as hybrid as their approach: seasoned industry pros meet agile new talent, all working to power up performance in a rapidly evolving medium. “OOH is no longer just about billboards. It’s a data-driven ecosystem,” Bhandari said.

    Triooh is currently self-funded, but already in talks with major agency networks to raise strategic investment as it accelerates its vision. With advertisers demanding more accountability and smarter ROI from OOH formats, Triooh is positioning itself as the medium’s modern-day makeover artist where bold ideas meet bold data.

    For the OOH world, it looks like the writing’s on the wall. And this time, it’s backed by analytics.

  • Cushman taps retail ace Sona Aggarwal to lead APAC’s shopfront strategy

    Cushman taps retail ace Sona Aggarwal to lead APAC’s shopfront strategy

    MUMBAI: She’s opened stores, managed cross-border teams, and built brands now she’s opening new doors for Cushman & Wakefield. Cushman & Wakefield has appointed retail veteran Sona Aggarwal as managing director, head of retail sales and strategy, Asia Pacific, in a move that signals the real estate giant’s intensified focus on the region’s fast-evolving consumer landscape. Based in Singapore, Sona steps into a newly created role aimed at boosting retail growth across markets and connecting global clients with on-ground insights and solutions.

    Sona brings over 25 years of experience in brand management and retail operations, having launched and scaled 200 plus stores across APAC and led cross-functional teams of 1,300 plus people. Her portfolio spans everything from beauty and apparel to healthcare, home furnishings, and watches, with deep expertise in tailoring go-to-market strategies for diverse local markets.

    “This is a significant appointment for our retail business in Asia Pacific,” said Tenant Representation chief executive for India and SEA & APAC Anshul Jain. “Sona brings a client-side view sharpened by years at iconic global retail brands giving us the edge we need to evolve with the times.”

    In her new role, Sona will spearhead Cushman & Wakefield’s APAC retail strategy, working closely with local teams to expand client partnerships and integrate the firm’s global retail insights with local execution. The focus: to unlock growth in both mature and emerging markets, and build a sustainable, future-ready retail platform.

    “Retail has never been more dynamic,” Sona said. “Demographically and psychographically, the APAC region is undergoing a seismic shift. With a rising middle class, young digital natives, and a booming appetite for global and homegrown brands, this market is ripe with opportunity.”

    She also pointed to outbound momentum: “The Western world is discovering Asia in new ways whether it’s in health and beauty, wellness, hospitality or F&B. At the same time, we’re seeing a tech-driven surge in categories like Auto and EV, and a growing need for differentiated luxury and financial experiences to match the rise of high-net-worth consumers.”

    Sona’s mission? To stitch together Cushman & Wakefield’s operational scale, talent and data insights with local understanding to deliver retail strategies that are not just globally informed but culturally attuned.

    As the lines between physical and digital retail blur, and consumption patterns evolve at warp speed, Cushman & Wakefield is betting on leaders who understand both the shop floor and the boardroom. And in Sona Aggarwal, they’ve found someone who’s fluent in both.

  • Symphonies Life ditches plain sleep pitch, rebrands bedtime as a lifestyle with Volume

    Symphonies Life ditches plain sleep pitch, rebrands bedtime as a lifestyle with Volume

    MUMBAI: Sleep is no longer just something you fall into. It’s now something you buy into. Symphonies Life has unveiled a fresh brand identity that signals a shift from product to philosophy—from mattress to mindful ritual. And leading the rebranding charge is creative agency Volume.

    Announced on 23 June 2025, the overhaul is built on the narrative of ‘engineering better sleep for a more conscious lifestyle’. From wave-like visual metaphors to motion-inspired branding that breathes rhythm and calm, the identity leans into the science and soul of sleep.

    Volume created a modern, minimalistic visual language that reflects stillness and serenity, anchoring the brand in experiences rather than just specifications. Across POS displays, social content, packaging, influencer kits, and experience zones, Symphonies Life now speaks in a consistent tone of calm.

    “We wanted to go beyond just being another mattress in the market. With Volume, we were able to build a brand that speaks to a more conscious, wellness-focused consumer”, said Symphonies Life CEO Shivans Agarwaal. “Sleep is personal, emotional, and essential, and our new identity finally does justice to that philosophy”.

    “Symphonies Life is no longer just a product you buy, it’s a ritual you invest in. Our role was to balance commercial intent with emotional resonance. Every element, from brand voice to visual rhythm, was crafted to elevate sleep into the lifestyle space”, added Volume brand director Rishabh Srivastava.

    The D2C strategy ties together intuitive packaging with immersive storytelling, reinforcing the brand’s push to carve out space in the wellness economy. With a design-led, emotionally charged refresh, Symphonies Life is positioning itself as a serious player in the premium sleep market.

  • Animeta helps Bassi scrub up a Bronze Lion for Garnier with viral facewash showdown

    Animeta helps Bassi scrub up a Bronze Lion for Garnier with viral facewash showdown

    MUMBAI: A facewash, a punchline, and 400 million views later, influencer marketing got its Cannes moment. Animeta Brandstar, the influencer engine behind some of India’s most viral campaigns, struck gold—or rather, Bronze—with its collaboration on the ‘Bassi vs Garnier Men Facewash’ campaign. The effort earned a Bronze Lion at the 2025 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity.

    The spark? Comedian Anubhav Singh Bassi casually dropped a satirical clip online poking fun at men’s skincare. What followed was a masterclass in agile brand storytelling. Garnier, alongside its agency Publicis Groupe, saw an opening and ran with it. Animeta swooped in to power the influencer machine—fast.

    Animeta’s key move was getting Bassi on board with remarkable speed to ride the viral wave. The campaign went further when fellow comedian and Bassi’s close friend Harsh Gujral entered the frame, adding layers of relatability and momentum.

    The campaign crescendoed with Bassi trying a men’s facewash on camera for the first time—a moment of comic catharsis for his fans. Animeta handled the nuts and bolts: from coordinating the DVC shoot and syncing influencer content, to managing creator interactions with Garnier brand ambassador John Abraham.

    The result? More than 400 million views tracked across Bassi’s Instagram and Youtube channels, all measured via Animeta Brandstar’s analytics platform. It was moment marketing done right—spontaneous, sharp, and scalable.

    “We are incredibly proud to have been a part of this groundbreaking campaign that resonated so deeply with audiences and garnered international recognition at Cannes”, said Branded Content and Creator Strategy SVP Vishu Ray. “This win underscores the power of authentic influencer collaboration and agile moment marketing in creating truly memorable and effective advertising”.

    For Animeta, the campaign wasn’t just a win for Garnier—it cemented the company’s place in the global conversation on what modern advertising should look like: quick on the uptake, creator-led, and built for scroll-stopping impact.