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Tag: Ajay Gahlaut

  • Joy Mohanty joins Dentsu Creative India as chief creative officer

    Joy Mohanty joins Dentsu Creative India as chief creative officer

    Mumbai: Dentsu Creative India has announced the appointment of Joy Mohanty as its chief creative officer. He will report to the company’s group chief creative officer, Ajay Gahlaut.

    Joy will be instrumental in accelerating Dentsu Creative India’s growth trajectory in the North region. He will align with the agency’s ambition and work closely with the creative teams to build solutions that have the power to transform brands and businesses through the lens of modern creativity.

    In a career spanning over three decades, Joy’s professional journey has been deeply rooted in Indian culture. He has worked on a host of brands such as Maruti Suzuki, Google, Nestle, Absolut, Thums Up, Makemytrip.com, Housing.com, HP, to name a few. In his previous roles, he held creative leadership positions in agencies like Publicis Capital and Lowe Lintas. Prior to joining Dentsu, he led Goldilocks, an agency from the Usha International Group.

    Some of the notable campaigns Joy has worked on include: Maruti Suzuki’s “Kitna Deti Hai,” Absolut’s “Colourless,” Google Search & Google Maps’s “Paanch Minute ko Paanch Minute Banate Hain,” Google Maps 2-wheeler’s “Paaon Zameen Se Door Rahenge,” Housing.com’s “Yahan Search Khatam Karo” and Google Railwire’s “#StoriesFromTheStation.” He was also a part of the “Money Made Simple” campaign for Google Pay and Google Assistant’s India launch.

    Commenting on Joy’s appointment, Ajay Gahlaut said, “Dentsu Creative is transforming into a powerhouse of creativity. We are rapidly building capabilities to stay ahead of the curve in a dynamically evolving industry. However, the tallest structures are built on strong foundations. Joy’s appointment is, thus, vital to our plan for the times ahead. He is a veteran who has worked on some of the most groundbreaking campaigns. I am certain that his experience will bring solidity and wisdom to the fresh, bubbling cauldron of creativity at Dentsu.”

    Joy Mohanty added, “I am excited to join forces with Ajay and Amit and be part of the superb talent hub they have turned Dentsu Creative into. An enviable list of clients makes this a big opportunity. I look forward to adding to the energy and doing some great work.”

    It may be recalled that Dentsu Creative India was declared the ‘Agency of The Year’ at the Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity 2022—a first-ever for India. It was a historic hat-trick, with the agency also lifting a Titanium for its “Unfiltered History Tour (UHT)” campaign, in addition to bagging three Grand Prix—another first, two Gold Lions and three Silver Lions—making UHT the most awarded work not only from India but globally.

  • dentsu intl consolidates creative business under Dentsu Creative; names Ajay Gahlaut group CCO

    dentsu intl consolidates creative business under Dentsu Creative; names Ajay Gahlaut group CCO

    Mumbai: dentsu international global CEO Wendy Clark and global CCO Fred Levron have announced the launch of global creative network Dentsu Creative at Cannes Lions. Ajay Gahlaut has been named group chief creative officer and will be in charge of media and CXM besides Dentsu Creative in India.

    Dentsu Creative will serve as the sole creative network for dentsu international working with clients around the globe. It will bring together the best of creative, media and CXM. dentsu international has united its creative agencies including DentsuMB, 360i and Isobar, and expanded its entertainment, earned attention and experience capabilities.

    “The launch is part of a broader strategy aimed at simplifying client engagement and injecting creativity in everything dentsu international does, all backed by a depth and breadth of creative capabilities that are unparalleled in the market,” said the statement.

    Led by Fred Levron, who joined dentsu international as chief creative officer in November 2021 and has demonstrated the transformative power of creativity throughout his acclaimed career; Dentsu Creative will be comprised of 9,000 creative experts in 46 markets connected to 37,000 media and CXM experts across dentsu international and collaborate closely with dentsu’s creative team in Japan. In the near future, further leadership announcements will be made as Dentsu Creative brings in the next generation of strategic, production, business and creative leaders.

    “If you had the chance to build a brand new global creative network designed for the modern world, what would it look like? That is what we are answering with the launch of Dentsu Creative,” said dentsu international chief creative officer Fred Levron. “Clients, talent and the industry at large are craving for a change: in the way we build brands, in the way we collaborate and, in the role, we give to creativity. If the current players have set the rules of the previous century, we have the ambition to set the rules for the decades to come.”

    “At dentsu, we’re building a modern agency network fuelled by horizontal creativity – a creativity designed to unify our people, their capabilities and our delivery for clients,” said dentsu international global CEO Wendy Clark. “We’re fortunate to draw from our Japanese heritage steeped in a relentless focus on craft, innovation and creativity. This legacy inspired our vision for modern creativity that was born in Japan and raised in a connected world. Dentsu Creative offers a simplified, modern creative proposition that answers clients’ needs for us to break down agency silos and inefficiencies and seamlessly connect our talent around the right client opportunities at the right time.”

    “Dentsu has over the years, time and again demonstrated innovation through creativity. With Dentsu Creative, we will unite our creative talent under one brand; this will further simplify client engagements and strengthen our creative prowess,” said Dentsu Creative CEO India Amit Wadhwa. “Moving with times is important and now is the time to transform brands and businesses through the lens of Modern Creativity. Dentsu Creative ensures the best output for our clients and the best opportunities for our people, which is the most exciting part for me.”

    “With Dentsu Creative, we will transform the creative face of dentsu as a network. As we add modern creativity to all the disciplines within the network and combine them, we will create a new-age powerhouse,” said Ajay Gahlaut. “Our aim is to bring profit and purpose together for our clients and our people. This is what the industry has been waiting for, and we are the forerunners of this breakthrough. Exciting times ahead!”

     

  • Aalap Desai elevated to lead Taproot dentsu & isobar India as CCO

    Aalap Desai elevated to lead Taproot dentsu & isobar India as CCO

    Mumbai: dentsu India has appointed Aalap Desai to the role of chief creative officer (CCO), Taproot dentsu, a dentsuMB Company. The erstwhile isobar India national creative director (NCD), Desai has also been promoted to the role of CCO for the agency. In both roles, he will report to dentsu Creative India group chief creative officer (GCCO) Ajay Gahlaut, announced the agency on Tuesday.

    “In addition to leading isobar India’s creative team, Desai will now also be responsible for Taproot dentsu’s transformation into becoming a nex-gen, digital-first agency,” said the statement.

    Meanwhile, Titus Upputuru, earlier creative head, has now been elevated to the role of Taproot dentsu NCD, Gurgaon. He will lead the agency’s Gurgaon creative team and will report to Aalap Desai. Upputuru has also been entrusted with the additional charge of leading integrated solutions for dentsu Creative India. In this role, he will report to Ajay Gahlaut.

     “The decision is vital to the growth of dentsu Creative in India and aligned with the network’s global ambitions. Talents such as Aalap and Titus come with unmatched expertise & experience, and their contributions are bound to outweigh the expectations of our clients and the industry,” commented dentsuMB Group CEO Sidharth Rao. “Over the years, they have been groomed with the proficiency to build brands from scratch and are excellent at measuring & matching the market pulse with client needs. With this move, I look forward to dentsu Creative India reinforcing creative solutions in newer and undefined ways.”

    “It is fascinating to work with some of the country’s best creative brains. Aalap and Titus are creative geniuses who have delivered some fantastic campaigns over the years,” said Ajay Gahlaut. “Their brand-building approaches are contemporary and fresh. I feel that’s the need of the hour. All the conversations around us are evolving and it is inevitable for brands to evolve their conversations too. They are perfect for that task. Their expertise in brand thinking and storytelling will create robust digital-led creative solutions for clients. I am looking forward to working with both.”

    While working at India’s best mainline and digital agencies, Desai has developed a profile that is truly integrated. He has won over 150 International & National awards that include Cannes Lions, D&AD, Spikes and One Show. Previously, Desai was with dentsuMB India where he held the position of NCD.

    In addition to this, he also co-headed the creative team at dentsu Webchutney, Mumbai and was behind some of the most notable works like Code Name: Uri, The 8-bit Journo for Vice and The World’s Most Reported trailer for “Thappad.” Apart from this, Desai was also a part of the creative teams at Disney+ Hotstar, Leo Burnett, JWT, DDB Mudra, Ogilvy, and Publicis Ambience. He has helped build brands like McDonald’s, Complan, Huggies, Nerolac, Videocon d2h, and some youth-centric ones like Early Salary and MTV India.

    Speaking on his new role, Desai commented, “With the integrated approach we have now, I am excited to be a bigger part of that journey with my new role at isobar and Taproot dentsu. isobar has taught me the power of limitless possibilities, the power of future-gazing and thinking of things that don’t even exist. It is a scary privilege to not just be in step with the world but to create steps that the world will use to climb to the future.”

  • Industry veteran Ajay Gahlaut joins dentsu Creative as group CCO

    Industry veteran Ajay Gahlaut joins dentsu Creative as group CCO

    Mumbai: Dentsu India has announced the appointment of creative veteran Ajay Gahlaut as group chief creative officer (GCCO), spearheading creative excellence across dentsu India’s award-winning creative agencies.

    Gahlaut will report to dentsu Creative India, chief executive officer, Amit Wadhwa and will be responsible for accelerating dentsu India’s creative businesses under one optimised service line, said the agency in a statement.

    Dentsu India initiated the formation of a new structure for its creative service line in June this year. The redesign – part of the network’s global plan to transform into the most integrated group in the world by 2024, brings together some of India’s best agencies under one umbrella and catapults Dentsu India into its fresh journey to 2.0. The agency brands that come together under this new creative design are Dentsu Webchutney, Taproot Dentsu, WATConsult, Perfect Relations, Isobar, Dentsu One, Dentsu India, and Dentsu Impact, said the statement.

    A creative genius with over 27 years of experience in advertising, Gahlaut wrote the line ‘Do Boond Zindagi Ki’ that anchored the famous Pulse Polio Immunisation campaign with the superstar Amitabh Bachchan. He also created more than a dozen commercials for the campaign and played a significant part in eradicating polio from India. He was also behind the line ‘Make It Large’ for the whiskey brand Royal Stag that transformed its fortunes and made it the highest-selling whiskey in its price range. He created the character ‘Mr Murthy’ for Voltas air conditioners and catapulted Voltas to the number one position in the category.

    Gahlaut has also created work for the whiskey brand Imperial Blue with the famous ‘men will be men’ sign off. He has won multiple Cannes Lions, One Show and D&AD awards in his more than a quarter-century journey in this business. He also led Ogilvy Delhi to win eight Lions at Cannes in 2013. Some of the most significant brands that Gahlaut has worked on are Pernod Ricard, BMW, HT Mint and KFC at some of the world’s best-known creative shops.

    “Dentsu India is in the midst of an exciting transformation journey towards dentsu India 2.0 and Ajay’s joining is a critical part of the plan,” said Amit Wadhwa. “Ajay is a well-respected creative leader with years of experience across categories and the right mindset that matches with dentsu India 2.0. With the brilliant creative minds in our business, we will be a force to be reckoned with, delivering growth for our clients while continuing our creative evolution at pace and scale.”

    “Dentsu’s creativity defines generations. When the opportunity came to join Amit and his team, I could not refuse. Creativity is in the spotlight, with brands looking to differentiate themselves in a disrupted marketplace – it has never been a more exciting time to work in this field rich with opportunity. I am excited to join dentsu, Amit and the creative teams, delighting clients and creating era-defining work together,” said Gahlaut.

  • Ajay Gahlaut moves on from Publicis Worldwide

    Ajay Gahlaut moves on from Publicis Worldwide

    NEW DELHIL Ajay Gahlaut, CCO and MD of Publicis Worldwide, India (PWW) has decided to move on from the agency and pursue his passion on a personal front. He will be with the agency until mid-August and will ensure a steady handover to all concerned teams and clients.

    The agency has also announced the elevation of Vikash Chemjong and Basabjit ‘Tito’ Mazumdar to the role of Joint NCDs. The duo would take on the role of managing the creative mandate for all brands under PWW including Publicis Capital, Publicis Ambience, Publicis Beehive, Publicis Health, Publicis Emil and Publicis Business and will report to Publicis Worldwide MD Srija Chatterjee, India.

    Publicis Groupe South Asia CEO Anupriya Acharya says, “Working with Ajay has been a great experience even though our overlap has been only six months! He has built a great team here and we thank him for all his contributions. Am sure he will be successful in whatever he chooses to do next and our best wishes are with him.”

    Vikash and Tito had joined Publicis Capital over a year ago as National Creative Directors. Over the past one year, they have been instrumental in shaping the creative universe of some key brands under Publicis Capital including Beam Suntory, GUS, GPI, Nestle, Goodricke, Emami to name a few. Prior to joining Publicis, they both were Group Creative Directors at Ogilvy India and have over four decades of creative experience between them.

    Srija Chatterjee said, “Ajay has been a great friend and a fantastic creative leader to have around. Over his 18-month long stint, he has helped build and nurture the creative process and output for a number of brands at the agency. I wish him a great ride in his future endeavours.”

    On the new roles for Vikash and Tito, Srija added, “We are fortunate to be running on a Groupe philosophy that thrives on the model of collaboration and ensure that we breed and train talent of great calibre. To that end, both Vikash and Tito come with over 40+ years of combined work experience and have been successfully leading the Publicis Capital business for the last one year, partnering some of our clients in delivering some great work. I look forward to them playing a key role in raising the creative bar.”

    Ajay Gahlaut said, “For me it has been a wonderful year and a half at Publicis. I have made many friends, built a powerhouse creative team and done some nice work. The only reason for moving on is a desire to try new things. This is an extremely exciting time for all kinds of creative content in the country. I have a couple of interesting options I can explore. And while I will never say never to advertising, I thought it was a good time to attempt some things I hadn’t tried before.”

    Gahlaut remarked that it was extremely satisfying to see Vikash and Tito elevated as creative heads. “I have always believed in promoting from within and I’m sure that the duo will rise to the occasion. Ranadeep Dasgupta, meanwhile, will look after the New Delhi office and I’m certain that he too will shine in his new role.”

    Vikash and Tito affirmed, “It’s a great honour for the both of us. This is a new role but we will deal with it in much the same way as we have dealt with all our briefs. Just roll up our sleeves, order some excellent food and keep at it until we are satisfied. Both with the food and with the ideas! Because we have realised over the years, that if we are happy and convinced about our ideas, more often than not, so are our clients!”

    Gahlaut has been a part of noteworthy campaigns such as Emami Navratna – ‘Raahat Raja featuring Salman Khan’, HDFC MF – ‘Baat Bane Kishton Mein’ and Skoda Auto – ‘Peace of Mind’ among others.

  • Publicis India strengthens creative leadership team in New Delhi

    Publicis India strengthens creative leadership team in New Delhi

    MUMBAI: In a major boost to the creative function in New Delhi, Publicis India has announced the appointment of two seasoned creatives to drive the mandate for the Northern region. Joining the enthusiastic fold in New Delhi are Vikash Chemjong and Basabjit ‘Tito’ Majumdar, who have been appointed National Creative Directors respectively. The duo would be assisting the team in driving creative transformation and growth for a host of brands including Nestlé India, FunFoods by Dr. Oetker, Monte Carlo, Nescafe Sunrise, Jindal Stainless Steel, Ebro Foods, Goodricke Group among others. 

    The duo would be reporting to Ajay Gahlaut, CCO & MD of Publicis India.

    Between them, Vikash and Basabjit are armed with over three decades of creative experience having proved their mettle across multiple advertising agencies. Their combined creative ideation and work execution has enabled numerous brands gain amazing strides across various categories. Not to forget the numerous award accolades that have come their way over the course of their professional advertising stint.

    Commenting on their joining, Ajay Gahlautsaid: “It is with great pleasure and excitement that I welcome Vikash Chemjong and Basabjit ‘Tito’ Majumdaras NCDs and creative heads of the Delhi office. I am sure their joining will give us a new energy and help in transforming our creative product. I have been fortunate enough to have worked with them for more than a decade and I can vouch for their talent, passion and commitment to the highest creative standards.” 

    Sharing her views, Srija Chatterjee, MD, Publicis India added: “Our creative offering in New Delhi now receives a huge boost with the coming in of Vikash and Tito. Based on the work they’ve put out in the past, I’m confident that the teams will gain from their immense eye for newness and put out inspiring and transformational work in the marketplace. And doing this while keeping the Power of One philosophy at the heart of every brief that they crack.” 

    Both Vikash and Basabjit – aka Tito by his peers and colleagues, have been jointly charming several clients with their brand of work. Prior to joining Publicis India, Basabjit and Vikash were both Group Creative Directors at Ogilvy India managing work for a host of clients including Mother Dairy, MaxLife Insurance, Motorola, Campus, Philips, Eicher, Wills Life Style, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut among others. Together, they have garnered multiple accolades across several advertising festivals including Cannes Lions, Effies, One Show, D&AD among others.

    Sharing his reasons for joining Publicis India, Basabjit said: “I guess, sometimes too much of a good thing is bad. So after all the work we did and the awards we won, we were getting a little too comfortable in Ogilvy! So with this opportunity, I felt it was the perfect way to shake that lethargy and get down to do what we do best – start cracking some sizzling ideas…!”

    Adding his views, Vikashsaid: “After 12 fabulous years, nobody thought I would ever leave Ogilvy, including me! But thenPublicis happened. It was too good an opportunity to let go – in terms of our growth, the people we were getting to work with andalso the vision for the type of advertising that was exciting. Well, here’s to another 12 fabulous years here!!”

    Basabjit has dedicated over 19 years to advertising having worked most of his life at Ogilvy India and previously at Leo Burnett. Vikash has over two decades experience in advertising having started his career at Bates in 1999. He has also worked across Capital Advertising, Saatchi & Saatchi, Rediffusion DY&R & Ogilvy & Mather over his illustrious career. 

  • Ajay Gahlaut joins Publicis Worldwide India as chief creative officer and managing director

    Ajay Gahlaut joins Publicis Worldwide India as chief creative officer and managing director

    MUMBAI: Ajay Gahlaut, who had recently stepped down from the position of chief creative officer of Ogilvy North and deputy chief creative officer of Ogilvy India, has joined Publicis Worldwide India as chief creative officer and managing director. Publicis confirmed the appointment in a press statement and shared that Ajay will be based out of agency’s Mumbai office.

    He will begin his stint at Publicis on 4 February 2019.

    On joining Publicis Worldwide India, Ajay said, “I’m looking forward to my journey with Publicis. The new age thinking here excites me. It’s a nimble set up based on the principles of collaboration and integration to deliver the ‘Power of One’. The quality of work is already solid and I look forward to working with the teams to raise the creative bar both in terms of variety and quality of work.”

    Prior to Ogilvy, Ajay has had stints with McCann, Saatchi & Saatchi, among others. With over 25 years of experience, he has worked on world-renowned brands such as Pernod Ricard, BMW, KFC, Taco Bell, Dabur, Perfetti Van Melle, Mother Dairy, Pizza Hut, Sprite, Best Foods, HT Mint, Philips, among others.

    On Ajay’s appointment, Publicis Communications, South Asia CEO Saurabh Verma said, “Anyone who knows Ajay or even follows him on Twitter, will know that he’s one of the finest storytellers in the country. His ability, experience, and talent in transforming brands by creating stellar communication across formats or platforms, is truly remarkable. With, Srija, Neeraj, and Ajay at the helm, Publicis Worldwide India is going to be a force to reckon with. I welcome Ajay to the Publicis Groupe, and wish him the best of luck.”

    Publicis Worldwide India managing director Srija Chatterjee said, “We’re in this phase of transformation at Publicis Worldwide India. Today, the industry is all about constantly listening to clients and anticipating their needs. It’s about delivering the best-in-class creative idea and doing it over and over again for each of your brands. Ajay is one of those creative mavericks who has been able to do that, consistently for over a long period of time. I’m truly excited to work with Ajay and I look forward to a great partnership.”

    Publicis Worldwide India CSO and managing partner Neeraj Bassi stated, “I am most delighted to welcome Ajay on board at Publicis. He has been a friend and guide to me since 2011. Together we delivered some stellar work on marquee brands and have won several well-fought pitches. Ajay’s ability to simplify problems is legendary and his dogged persistence to ‘crack’ the real problem that will lead to a tangible impact on business is a big asset for any brand. I look forward to partnering him again and working on ideas that become part of life.”

  • Ajay Gahlaut resigns from Ogilvy India

    Ajay Gahlaut resigns from Ogilvy India

    MUMBAI: Ajay Gahlaut, the deputy CCO of Ogilvy India and CCO of Ogilvy North has resigned from the company. 

    Gahlaut leaves Ogilvy to pursue his own interests.

    He first joined Ogilvy in 2001 and was with Ogilvy until 2005.  He then rejoined Ogilvy in November 2007 and between his first term and the second, he has spent a good part of his career with Ogilvy.  In the last ten years, Gahlaut has worked to help build brands such as Pernod Ricard, BMW, KFC, Taco Bell, Dabur, Perfetti Van Melle, Mother Dairy, Pizza Hut,  Sprite, Best Foods, HT Mint, Philips, to name a few.

    Ogilvy India group CCO and vice chairman Sonal Dabral says, “Ajay did some excellent work in his decade long innings in Ogilvy Delhi. I'd like to thank him for building a great team and wish him all the best for all his future endeavours.”

    Ogilvy south Asia executive chairman and chief creative officer Piyush Pandey adds, “Ajay is looking for life beyond advertising and for that reason, I cannot stop him just like I couldn’t stop Abhijit. If Abhijit was going to another agency, I wouldn’t have let him go. Everyone has a dream and unfortunately, I can’t fulfil that dream. He has done a stellar job and I am very proud of him.  He worked very closely with me and I will miss him. He is a very dear friend.”

  • KFC gives more in less with Rs 99 burger

    KFC gives more in less with Rs 99 burger

    MUMBAI: Need a quick fix to satisfy your hunger-pangs? KFC India has recently launched the all-new Super Charger, a bigger burger priced at Rs 99. Packed with a flavourful punch, the long burger is the perfect snacking option for chicken lovers to refuel themselves. The brand is now all set to roll out its latest TVC that captures the before and after effects of the Super Charger.

    Commenting on the TV commercial KFC India CMO Lluis Ruiz Ribot says, “Following the ‘more in less’ ideology, we launched our new pocket-friendly ‘Super Charger’ to serve as a quick recharge for consumers. The light-hearted TVC brings alive the punch and flavour of the product and will resonate with our young audiences who are always on a lookout for quick recharge options.”

    Conceptualised by Ogilvy & Mather, the film opens with two girls sitting on a bench watching a cute dog playing. They are calling out to him but without any excitement or energy. The dog is also shown confused at the lack of enthusiasm in their voices. Suddenly a booming voice urges the girls to eat KFC’s Super Charger to recharge themselves. As soon as they take a bite into the crunchy chicken and delicious sauces their energy levels are charged, the next shot shows the girls excitedly playing with the dog.

    Ogilvy & Mather executive creative director Ajay Gahlaut adds, “A bigger burger at a nominal price offering from KFC was news enough. The task hence, was to find a creative way to deliver the good news and ‘Recharge at 99’ as an idea, just fit like a glove. For a refreshing change, we tapped the world of girls and their undying love and excitement for the four legged. The outcome — a relatable, cute-to-watch TVC that speaks for the product and its USP.”

  • Ogilvy’s ‘BachchaJi’ and ‘BachchanJi’ promote ‘Swachh Bharat’

    Ogilvy’s ‘BachchaJi’ and ‘BachchanJi’ promote ‘Swachh Bharat’

    MUMBAI: Ogilvy Delhi launched a campaign to curb open defecation. Under the Swachh Bharat Mission, one of the key behaviours to curb, is open defecation. The Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Government of India, wanted to develop communication that would help bring about this change.

    In India, open defecation is a well-established traditional practice deeply ingrained from early childhood. A significant gap also exists between knowledge and practice. Even when people are aware of the health risks related to poor sanitation, they continue with unhealthy practices.

    For any communication to be noticed, it needs to be relevant and tell a compelling story. Amitabh Bachchan, known to his fans as Bachchanji, has shown his commitment to the Swachh Bharat Mission and was a natural choice for a campaign on behaviour change. It was also clear that we needed to stay away from messaging and protagonists that came across as preachy. So who could partner Bachchanji in this campaign to make it memorable and interesting?

    A young boy was selected as his companion to highlight how even a child is aware of this issue and the simple solution that is available to everyone.

    Ogilvy South Asia executive chairman and creative director Piyush Pandey said, “Open Defecation is not a new or modern problem. It is so deeply entrenched that it is considered normal. To raise a doubt in people’s mind about it was a challenge in itself. The communication would have to break habits and would need to be endearing and assertive without being preachy. We have worked with Bachchan on many communication campaigns and he himself is associated with the government of India across various issues. Thus the task for us on this campaign to curb open defecation was to use our celebrity’s strengths and yet create communication that is differentiated.

    So “Bachchanji” became the influencer and “Bachchaji” the young agent of change.

    This helped disseminate information through a lively, cheeky conversation between our Celebrity and his unlikely, intelligent and quick witted companion, the little boy. In the three-part TVC campaign, we thus tackled each of the barriers – to promote the need for a toilet, usage by all and trigger behaviour change by instilling pride.

    Ogilvy Group Companies North ECD Ajay Gahlaut said, “Any campaign that is designed to change behaviour at a mass level needs to be easily understood by all sections of society. We had Bachchan for our TV ads, so that ensured that the campaign would not be missed and would appeal to everybody. The challenge was to make the campaign a little different and refreshing. Which is where the idea of ‘BachchaJi’ and ‘BachchanJi” came about. After that it was just a matter of making sure that their light -hearted banter addressed all relevant barriers

    Ogilvy, Delhi managing partner Chandana Agarwal added, “For any behaviour change campaign, information needs to be easily understood by all sections of society, further there are so many cultural barriers associated with the eradication of OD that really we were looking for a creative idea that was simple, that would connect with people across and one that would be able tackle all the barriers.”