Event Agencies

BBDO Asia and BBDO India host exclusive event in India

Published

2 years ago

September 27, 2023

Mumbai BBDO, the global marketing and communications agency synonymous for its work on many of the world’s most famous brands hosted an exclusive client event in India this week.

The event marked the unveiling of key insights from the latest study on brand purpose in Asia, which was carried out under the agency’s BBDO Voices insights program by BBDO Asia. The study explores the relevance and impact of using brand purpose as an approach to brand positioning and uncovers important by-country nuances that marketers in the region need to navigate to build their brands successfully across markets in the region.

BBDO Voices, now celebrating its 13th year, has provided valuable insights and thought leadership to brand marketers, planners, and creatives in China. This latest study marks the expansion of the program’s coverage to also include other key Asian markets such as South Korea, Japan, Thailand, the Philippines, and India.

BBDO Asia CEO TzeKiat Tan highlights the pivotal role of India in the Asian brand landscape, owing to its rapid population growth and dynamic market. She stated, “India holds great significance for us, and in a market as dynamic as this, it’s essential for brands to embrace diverse cultures and consumer perspectives for success. The insights from this study provide us with valuable knowledge to building a strong brand presence in markets like India.”

BBDO India CEO Suraja Kishore added, “The report is revealing in the fact that unlike in developed nations, in developing countries like India people expect brands to go beyond selling. Indian consumers want brands and companies to do their best for the ecosystem they deal in, e.g. if you are an automobile brand then consumers expect you to also look at how can you improve the quality of roads, or how can you enhance safety on the roads or clean toilets on the highway. We believe that brands can have a meaningful impact on society and culture. BBDO Voices will further help marketers, brands and companies build effective purpose-driven brand narratives beyond their own gain when wanting to connect with consumers in India.”

Speaking about BBDO Voices, BBDO India chairman and chief creative officer Josy Paul said “People are looking for meaning not brands. By combining the quantitative data and intelligence of BBDO Voices with the emotional data and deep listening understanding of BBDO India, we can deliver greater connection, conversation and conversion for brands.”

According to BBDO Asia’s latest report, Asian consumers actively seek brands that align with their values and address critical societal topics, such as environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I), and women empowerment.

Among the four major trends identified to watch are:

1. Climate change to likely speed up the importance of brand purpose. Environment and sustainability issues are the leading social topic Asian consumers want brands to champion the most today. As the effects of global warming intensifies, more consumers will look to brands to embrace a sense of urgency and be part of the solution rather than the problem. When this happens, brand purpose will significantly impact brand and customer relations much more than now.

2. Brand purpose will become De Riguer for marketers as Gen Z Asian consumers come of age and take over society. While traditional mindsets and narratives still persist in the region, those under 25 demonstrate progressive voices on issues like LGBT+ acceptance and advocacy. They will expect brands to be their voice, and brands that do not stand for a social purpose will lose social currency.

3. Brands will increasingly have the same accountability as quasi-government bodies. This is especially true in the developing regions of Asia where consumers are 20 per cent to 40 per cent more likely to have sought out brands due to its perceived impact on society. Here, citizens expect brands to step up and fill gaps which public governance systems often cannot. In this sense, consumers in developing parts of Asia will continue to expect brands to embrace the same agenda as governments.

4. Brand purpose is Asia will have Asian characters. Brand purpose in Asia can never exist in a vacuum. Among those who bought a purpose brand within the three months prior to the survey, 6 out of 10 also bought it for its functional characteristics. To be relevant to the region’s consumers, a brand purpose narrative will always need to be rooted in what the product or service is supposed to functionally deliver. It also needs to be supplemented by rational/functional content along the customer journey.

With its latest study, BBDO Asia hopes to help marketers, brands and companies build effective purpose-driven brand narratives beyond their own gain when wanting to connect with consumers in this region.

To access the full report and gain valuable consumer insights from each country examined, please click here.

https://bbdo.com/thinking/63e28a3df1e61d2f74e27945

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

Published

8 months ago

June 23, 2025

indiantelevision.com Team

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.

Event Agencies

Elephants on parade: Kyoorius Creative Awards 2025 honour 166 Blue, 514 Baby, three Purple winners

Published

9 months ago

May 26, 2025

indiantelevision.com Team

MUMBAI: The only thing louder than the applause was the creativity. The 2025 Kyoorius Creative Awards, presented by Zee, lit up the Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai with an evening that celebrated the sheer power of ideas. Over 1,500 professionals from India’s marketing and communications industry witnessed a no-politics, all-passion showcase of creative firepower.

While the elusive Black Elephant remained just that—elusive—seven campaigns earned the revered Baby Black Elephant. The shortlist, dubbed the ‘Black Elephant Nominees’, featured standout work from Grey Bangladesh, DDB Mudra Group, Mccann Worldgroup, Studio Eeksaurus, Talented, Famous Innovations and Loudmouth Film.

The top individual honour of the night went to none other than Piyush Pandey, who received the Master of Creativity award. The legendary adman was recognised for reshaping India’s advertising ethos with his distinct ability to blend culture, humour, and simplicity.

Kyoorius received a record 4,000+ entries from over 500 organisations this year, its highest ever. From that pool, 1,124 entries made it to the First List. A total of 514 campaigns were awarded Baby Elephants, representing 60 unique agencies, 177 campaigns, and 116 brands.

Of the 514 Baby Elephants, 166 were upgraded to Blue Elephants—marking top-tier excellence. Brands like Amazon, Samsung, Britannia, Coca-Cola, Swiggy, Dream11, Zivame, Kit Kat, Mcdonald’s, and Ceat were among those honoured. Full winners list is available at kca.kyoorius.com.

Three campaigns received the Purple Elephant as part of the Zee Equality Award, acknowledging work that pushed boundaries for representation and inclusion.

“Massive congratulations to all the winners!… That’s the soul of the Elephants”, said Kyoorius founder & CEO Rajesh Kejriwal.

In trademark fashion, the awards ditched the traditional metal hierarchy—no golds, silvers, or bronzes.

Just Elephants.

Supported by Glenmorangie, The Hindu, Tribes Group, and Indian Creative Women, the night underscored that pure creativity—unranked, unfiltered—still has a stage, and a spotlight.

Event Agencies

From AI to identity: Goafest day two opens with punchy panels and purpose-driven ideas

Published

9 months ago

May 22, 2025

indiantelevision.com Team

MUMBAI: Day two of Goafest 2025 opened on a high note—literally—with Indian musician Raghav Sachar delivering a live performance titled Ignite Hungama, presented by Sharechat, Moj, and Truecaller. As the crowd swayed, the festival shifted gears into strategy mode with conversations that touched tech, gender, identity, creativity, and commerce.

The morning’s keynote panel, ‘From Code to Commerce: Growth in the AI Age’, brought together Arjun Choudhary (Swiggy), Sanket Prakash Tulangekar (MakeMyTrip), Tejas Apte (HUL), and Pragya Bijalwan (Voltas), moderated by journalist Anuradha SenGupta. Presented by Meta and Saptharushi under the Ignite Growth theme, the discussion centred on how generative AI is upending business operations, creativity and consumer journeys.

Choudhary described AI as “as fundamental as math”, citing how non-tech teams now use it for demos, dashboards and decision-making. Bijalwan called AI an enabler of “personalisation and predictive maintenance”, adding that it “humanises technology in consumer products”. Hul’s Apte showcased tools like Shikhar and internal GenAI platforms for R&D, while Tulangekar introduced Myra, Makemytrip’s AI-powered assistant built on multi-agent orchestration. Each panellist agreed: AI is a skill, not a threat—and reskilling is the need of the hour.

At the Gyaan Podium, Warc and Andersen Consulting India unveiled the Pace Principles report. Biprorshee Das and Sujeet Kulkarni called for a balanced media strategy: 50 per cent on long-term brand-building and 50 per cent on performance marketing. “It’s not ‘brand plus performance’, it’s ‘brand-time-performance’”, Kulkarni said. Das urged marketers to stop isolating equity work, calling the ‘multiply effect’ a winning integration model.

At the Makemytrip Presents AdAsia Macau Road Show, AFAA chairman Srinivasan Swamy confirmed the 39 edition of AdAsia will be held in Macau on 27 August. Swamy called for over 100 Indian delegates and assured attendees of familiar comforts: “Indian food and hospitality will be arranged”.

Back at the Knowledge Partner – ASCI panel, “Mardon Wali Baat: A Discussion on Masculinity in Advertising” brought together Karthi Marshan and Nisha Singhania, moderated by Manisha Kapoor. Singhania tore into the trope of men as ‘fixable’ through marriage. “India is changing, and so are its men”, she said. Marshan added, “Disruption grabs attention, and attention drives engagement—regardless of who you target”. The panel called for a more honest portrayal of modern masculinity.

Under the Ignite The Shift banner, the panel “Merging Boundaries: From Placement to Partnership”, powered by Hindustan Times and Amar Ujala, featured Satya Raghavan (Google), Rathi Gangappa (Starcom), Ajit Varghese (JioStar), and Shubhranshu Singh (Tata CVs). Moderator Kartik Sharma led the conversation through themes of integration, consumer insight, and operational scalability. Gangappa summed it up: “It’s no longer about placements; it’s about building cohesive narratives”.

Another panel, “Beyond Pink and Blue”, presented by IAA, featured Darshana Shah (Aditya Birla Capital), Rubeena Singh (Neil Patel Digital), and P.G. Aditiya (Talented), moderated by Megha Tata. Shah called out early-life bias and systemic exclusion. Singh championed gen z’s gender-fluid mindset and called for progressive narratives. Aditiya urged leaders to act from belief, not tokenism. “Don’t just fix the old”, he said. “Build new stories with inclusion at the core”.

Goafest also took a green turn with a tree plantation ceremony hosted in collaboration with Earthday.org. Attended by industry veterans including Sam Balsara, Anupriya Acharya and Raj Nayak, the initiative underscored a collective commitment to sustainability.

Meanwhile, at the Bioscope – Cinema Room, Ashish Khazanchi (Enormous) reminded creatives that “self-expression, not awards”, should drive campaigns. The first half of day two also featured a host of masterclasses, offering deep dives into AI, storytelling and strategic branding.

Lunch was presented by Sync Media.