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Tag: Bobby Pawar

  • CCOs are shepherds, not showmen, say ad veterans in spirited Goafest debate

    CCOs are shepherds, not showmen, say ad veterans in spirited Goafest debate

    MUMBAI: At Goafest 2025’s high-energy panel “WTF is Creative Leadership Now?”—powered by Sun NEO and Amar Ujala—the crowd wasn’t just fed insight, it was served a full-course debate. The motion on the table: “The chief creative officer (CCO) is no longer the heart of the creative agency”. What followed was part philosophy, part punchlines, and all-out passion.

    Moderated by Ohriginal founder Rohit Ohri, the session featured industry legends and present-day captains: Bobby Pawar, Sonal Dabral, Senthil Kumar (VML India), and Lulu Raghavan (Landor APAC). The format was unconventional—a structured debate—and emotions ran high as both sides made their case.

    Pawar, speaking for the motion, fired the opening salvo: “The CCO has become a generalist, not a specialist”. He lamented the erosion of focus, saying creatives today juggle too many hats—part spreadsheet warrior, part HR liaison, part plumber of broken processes. “The CCO is supposed to make people better, not just the work”.

    Dabral echoed the sentiment. “The role’s been marginalised”, he said. “Once upon a time, creative work brought in the revenue. Now, we’ve surrendered that ground to consultants and growth officers”.

    On the other side, Raghavan mounted a spirited defence. “The CCO is the custodian of the brand’s unified creative vision”, she said. “They’re culture magnets and client counsellors. Yes, the role has evolved, but that doesn’t mean it has weakened—it has amplified”.

    Kumar brought the flair, calling today’s CCO a “playing captain”, not a bench-bound boss. “They’re curators of talent and makers of movement. They must know when to step up and when to step back.”

    The debate heated up as rebuttals flew. Pawar quipped, “If the client only wants to speak to one person, why do they need the rest of us?” Raghavan countered, “Then make that person the one who inspires, not just manages”.

    What united both camps, despite the sparring, was a shared reverence for creativity’s core purpose. All agreed that CCOs must move beyond ego, protect originality, and build cultures that nurture bold thinking. In Ohri’s closing words, “It’s not about idea ownership anymore—it’s about creating open spaces where ideas can roam freely and return home safe”.

    The rapid-fire round that followed was peak Goafest theatre. The panelists defined today’s CCO in their own punchy terms: “instigator”, “playing captain”, “creative curator”, “versatile”. When asked to choose between a Cannes Lion or a lifetime client, most cheekily opted for both.

    As the session wrapped, the takeaway was clear: the CCO isn’t dead. They’re just shape-shifting—and perhaps learning to lead not from the podium, but from the pasture.

  • Bobby Pawar joins Network18 to lead creative initiatives in branded content

    Bobby Pawar joins Network18 to lead creative initiatives in branded content

    Mumbai: News18 Studio, the branded content arm of Network18, has announced the appointment of renowned adman and former chairman & chief creative officer of Havas Group, Bobby Pawar as a creative consultant. In this role, Bobby will work closely with the network’s branded content team to lead creative initiatives and infuse innovative solutions into brand strategies.

    With over 30 years in advertising, Bobby Pawar is a legendary figure known for his exceptionally effective work for numerous brands. He has received over 400 awards throughout his illustrious career, cementing his status as a leading creative force in the field.

    Prior to joining News18 Studio, Bobby was chairman & chief creative officer at Havas Group. With successful stints as a CCO in Publicis and JWT India, he is credited with turning around the creative reputations and fortunes of these agencies. His advertising work, created for agencies in India and USA, has won more than 400 Indian and international awards.

    Commenting on his new role, Bobby Pawar said, “It’s an exciting step for me to help create powerful brand stories through engaging content after having done my bit in conventional advertising. I am thrilled to join the talented team at Network 18 and use my experience to push creative boundaries for effective solutions. I look forward to helping create compelling content that not only entertains but also inspires and engages audiences, and equally creates impact for brands.”

    Speaking on the new appointment, News18 Studio president S Shivakumar said, “At News18 Studios, we integrate newsworthy content with a story-first approach to drive conversations and achieve brand objectives. Having someone of Bobby’s stature with us will energise our creative endeavours and also inspire our young team. We look forward to Bobby helping us deliver more impactful solutions that resonate with our brand partners.”

    As Network18’s branded content division, News18 Studio partners with purpose-driven brands to lead powerful conversations that contribute to nation-building. Brand partnerships play a key role in driving brand narratives, fostering a sense of community, and aligning with cultural movements, all while engaging stakeholders who shape the future. Through engaging storytelling, brands can communicate their vision, spark innovation, drive positive conversations, and make products and services more accessible and relatable to consumers.

    News18 Studio’s recent high-impact initiatives include ‘Mission Swachhta aur Paani’ with Harpic, ‘Sanjeevani – United Against Cancer’ with Federal Bank Hormis Memorial Foundation and Tata Trusts, ‘Period or Pride’ with Whisper and ‘Sustainable is Attainable’ with Tata Power, among various others.

  • Havas Life Sorento elevates Sachin Talwalkar to chief creative officer

    Havas Life Sorento elevates Sachin Talwalkar to chief creative officer

    Mumbai: Havas Group India’s health, wellness, marcom and digital agency Havas Life Sorento on Friday elevated its executive creative director, Sachin Talwalkar, to chief creative officer.

    As a part of his new role, Sachin will be responsible for further bolstering the agency’s creative and communications excellence through Havas Life Sorento’s offering in healthcomm. He will also be responsible for expanding the agency’s scope through digital health, health CX, and consumer health within India, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East, effectively making India the hub of excellence for Havas Health & You. The aim is to become the ‘go-to’ and cutting-edge healthcomm agency in the region.

    Speaking about the elevation, Havas Group India chairman & CCO Bobby Pawar said, “Sachin’s elevation is in recognition of the role he’s played in transforming Havas Life Sorento over the last few years. He has brought in better talent and has fostered a climate where they can do their best work while having fun in the process. He has evolved the creative department based on my belief that creatives with traditional and digital skills must work together so that they infect each other and, in the process, become more rounded creatives. Lastly, he’s been a great partner to me, always ready to help out with anything.”

    Havas Life Sorento managing director Sangeeta Barde added, “I am confident that with this elevation, Sachin will continue to make a difference to health and wellness communications and will create a team of passionate people under him who will set the creative benchmark within the industry and the region.”

    Talwalkar commented, “The new role is testament to Havas Life Sorento’s journey in the last years. We have not only expanded in size and stature but also challenged ourselves to explore new avenues, which has set the course for us to grow and become “the partner agency” in the healthcomm space in the coming years. I am excited about my new role and what’s to come.”

    Since joining Havas Life Sorento in 2020, Sachin has been responsible for driving the agency’s creative vision and strategy through industry-recognised work for clients including Viatris, Dr Reddy’s Laboratories, Zydus Healthcare, Abbott, Bayer, Glenmark, and many more.

    His creative endeavours have aided the agency in strengthening client relationships, organic business opportunities, and attracting bright young talent, paving the way for it to become the region’s leading health-communications agency and a valued partner within the global Havas Health & You (HH&Y) network.

    Sachin believes in creating brand narratives that are culturally relevant and inspired by real-life human insights. In his 20 plus years of industry experience, Sachin has worked across geographies in Europe, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and Asia Pacific with network agencies. His work has been recognised by major awards, including Spikes Asia, Ad Club Germany, Mobius, Eurobest, Epica, Cresta, NY Festival, Clio, Montreux Ad Festival, Ad Club Austria, Econ Awards, FAB Awards, and LIAA.

  • #ForgetCondoms as Durex launches India’s thinnest condoms ‘Invisible’

    #ForgetCondoms as Durex launches India’s thinnest condoms ‘Invisible’

    NEW DELHI: Durex has launched India’s thinnest condom ‘Invisible’. Through this product, Durex aims to encourage usage of condoms by addressing the number one reason people avoid putting them on: that it hinders intimacy between the couples.

    With the launch of the Durex Invisible condoms, a new TVC also went live that showcases and highlights that nothing comes between ‘you and unforgettable sex.’ Towards the end, it closes with the message that all obstacles to great and pleasurable sex would be removed with this new line of condoms – it’s so thin, it’s like it’s not even there. On the social media front, the brand started promotions with #ForgetCondoms, and the hashtag quickly went viral.

    Read more news on Durex

    According to Durex’s Global Sex Survey conducted in 2017, only 6.3 per cent people use condoms in India. In spite of having high awareness, some people choose not to use condoms because they inhibit pleasure during sex. 

    RB South Asia Health CMO Pankaj Duhan said: “We truly believe that this condom will transform the market by addressing the biggest barrier to condom use – reduced pleasure with the partner.  Through this campaign, we aim to encourage more and more people to feel pleasurable sex with Durex Invisible while we continue to deliver on the high-quality standards that Durex is known for with no compromises on reliability.”  

    Unprotected sex is full of risks: partners who do not use condoms leave themselves vulnerable to sexually transmitted diseases and unplanned pregnancies. With this caution in mind, Havas Group India chairman and CCO Bobby Pawar said: “Having unprotected sex has been one of the major concerns in Indian society, to come with a TVC which addresses the issue was not easy. We have conceptualised the TVC keeping in mind the consumers' need and preference, by using indirect metaphor showing one can get maximum sexual pleasure, with Durex Invisible because it's so thin that it's almost invisible.”

    Durex Invisible condoms will be available in packs of 3s and 10s. Additionally, these will also be available on all major e-commerce platforms across India, both traditional and modern trade pharmacies and in top convenience stores in major metropolitan cities.

  • Havas Group India appoints Ravinder Siwach as national creative director for Havas Creative

    Havas Group India appoints Ravinder Siwach as national creative director for Havas Creative

    MUMBAI:  Havas Group India has strengthened its leadership in India with the appointment of Ravinder Siwach as national creative director for Havas Creative, effective immediately.

    In his new role, Siwach will lead the creative team and drive the next phase of growth for multiple brands under Havas Creative with a focus on further cementing the creative value proposition across all Havas Group India disciplines – creative, media, health, digital, and design. He will report to Havas Group India chairman and chief creative officer Bobby Pawar.

    Siwach joins Havas Group India from McCann Delhi, where he was the executive creative director. He has over two decades of experience across agencies such as McCann, DDB Mudra, Contract and brands like Coke, Nestle, Nokia, Reebok to name just a few. Siwach is credited with several award-winning campaigns across national and international awards shows like Cannes, One Show, WARC, Adfest, Spikes Asia, Effies, Abbys  and IAA Olive Crown. He has also served as a juror at Adfest and Goafest and is a guest lecturer at various management institutes.

    Commenting on the appointment, Havas Group India chairman and chief creative officer Bobby Pawar said “Ravinder has been in this industry for almost two decades and he comes with a rich creative background and experience working on a cross-section of brands and categories. I had the opportunity to work with him in the past and I am confident that his strategic thinking and understanding of the evolving media landscape will take our creative capabilities and output to the next level.”

    “I have always admired Bobby as a creative leader and as a human being and excited at the opportunity of working with him at Havas Group India. Havas Group is headed exactly in the direction the future of communication lies. Vivendi companies like Gameloft and Universal Music add depth to the Havas offering and vice-versa which is a huge differentiator in the industry. We have a vision in place at Havas and we are just going to go after it, ‘no holds barred,” added Siwach.

  • Durex unveils #ComeTogether campaign to create awareness about orgasm inequality

    Durex unveils #ComeTogether campaign to create awareness about orgasm inequality

    MUMBAI: Research reveals that men get aroused quickly while women tend to take time. Durex India has launched a new brand campaign which aims to create awareness about orgasm inequality, the film highlights the fact that sex is great when you #ComeTogether. The campaign has been conceptualised and executed by Havas Creative.

    As per the Global Sex Survey conducted by Durex in 2017, nearly 70 per cent of women in India don’t orgasm every time they have sex. The campaign takes on the issue of orgasm inequality by normalising conservations and providing product solution for both men and women so that they #ComeTogether, thereby helping reduce the orgasm gap.

    The brand has launched a revolutionary product called – Durex Mutual Climax Condoms which speeds her up and slows him down so that they both peak together.

    Using statistical and cultural truths, the campaign intends to rally public opinion towards having a healthy, positive and important conversation about the awareness, culture and science around the issue of orgasm equality.

    RB South Asia Health chief marketing officer Pankaj Duhan said, “We are very excited about launching our latest innovation Mutual Climax condoms. Our ongoing campaign #ComeTogether along with this new solution aims to create awareness on the issue of orgasm inequality, thereby encouraging couples to have a discussion on the issue. With Mutual Climax, we want to empower couples and make equal pleasure and sexual equality a reality in India.”

    The film uses subtle metaphor to show the stages that men and women go through during the act of sex and how often the end can be a bit anticlimactic and then breaking the metaphor to show how powerfully pleasurable it can be when you #ComeTogether. The film highlights that the only way to reach at the level of mutual pleasure is to get there together.

    Commenting on the creative strategy, Havas Group chairman and chief creative officer Bobby Pawar said, “Orgasm is still considered as a tabooed topic in Indian society, to come up with a film talking contextually and visually of orgasms was no easy task and needed to walk a fine line. We have conceptualised the film keeping in mind the sensitivity around the topic, by creating a film in a fun and engaging style by using indirect metaphor. The idea behind the film was to create awareness and to build conversation around the topic. The driving force behind the campaign is the philosophy that sex & pleasure are great when equal, fair & mutual.”

  • Mayur Hola to lead a refreshed proposition for Havas Creative as new NCD

    Mayur Hola to lead a refreshed proposition for Havas Creative as new NCD

    Mumbai:  Havas Group India has announced the appointment of Mayur Hola as national creative director for Havas Creative, effective immediately. Hola replaces Nima Namchu, who moved on from the agency in November last year.

    Based out of Gurgaon office, he will be closely working with Havas Group India chairman and chief creative officer Bobby Pawar to lead a refreshed creative proposition by leveraging the group’s integrated capabilities.

    Having worked across agencies like Mc cann, TBWA, and Grey, Hola’s last stint was with Contract Advertising as ECD and EVP. Leveraging expertise and experience on a variety of brands across sectors which include, Nescafe, Pan Vilas, Tata Docomo, National Geographic, Truecaller, KFC, Dominos, Droom, and Truly Madly, Hola is credited with numerous award-winning campaigns, across industry forums like Effies and Abbys.

    Commenting on the appointment Havas Group India chairman and chief creative officer Bobby Pawar said “Mayur has got a great body of work.  He is a really good creative director, people and clients want to work with him. But that is not why I picked him to be National Creative Director, for Havas, I chose to work with him because he is not afraid of venturing into the unknown, trying new things or new ways to do traditional stuff.”

    Mayur Hola added, “It takes a village to raise a brand and the Havas village is physically and philosophically integrated to help brands produce tech enabled, measurable work. In addition to that, having access to the Vivendi Group Companies, (UM, Dailymotion Gameloft) is super exciting. Now to make sure that the creative product looks and works as well as the promise is on paper. I look forward to going back to the future, with Bobby and Rana who are so full of verve and bring with them such a positive whirlwind of change.”

  • Havas Group India appoints Priyanka Mehra as director marketing and communications

    Havas Group India appoints Priyanka Mehra as director marketing and communications

    MUMBAI:  Havas Group India has appointed Priyanka Mehra as director marketing and communications. The appointment is in line with unifying communications across all disciplines under the Havas Group umbrella. Her remit includes working with the senior leadership in India and the regional communications team to elevate brand reputation and awareness along with managing key strategic tie-ups in line with the Group’s “Together” strategy.

    A media professional who leverages over 14 years of experience in the media and marketing arena, Mehra’s last stint was  at Creativeland Asia as editor-in-chief – content marketing. Mehra also has varied experience across brand verticals including luxury and ecommerce in content consulting, marketing, and brand management.

    Havas Group India chairman and chief creative officer Bobby Pawar said, “The sheer length and breadth of communications at Havas collaborating with Vivendi entertainment and content platforms provide us with great marketing ammunition and Priyanka’s appointment is a step forward in showcasing our strength as a Group in the Indian market.”

    Havas Group India group CEO Rana Barua said, “Given Priyanka’s understanding of content and communications, her appointment is part of a management structure that brings together all communication disciplines – creative, media, healthcare under the Havas Village umbrella. Part of her mandate will be overall communications and going forward key strategic tie -ups and initiatives given Havas Group India’s future-forward vision”

    “What makes Havas Group India an exciting place to be is the integrated offering across media creative and healthcare. Added to this is the collaboration with Vivendi which includes Universal Music, GameLoft and Daily Motion, which in turn creates a unique narrative and a unique marketing force,” said Mehra on her new role.

  • Havas Group India appoints Bobby Pawar as chief creative officer

    Havas Group India appoints Bobby Pawar as chief creative officer

    MUMBAI: Havas Group on 26 November announced the appointment of Bobby Pawar as the chairman and chief creative officer. He is currently serving as the managing director and chief creative officer at Publicis Worldwide and will be commencing his new role from January 2019.

    Taking up the full responsibilities of integrated operations and looking after the creative propositions of the Group, Bobby Pawar will report to chairman and CEO Vishnu Mohan.

    Pawar has been in the advertising industry for more than two decades and has offered his services to agencies such as Publicis, JWT, DDB Mudra Group, BBDO Chicago, and Ogilvy New York in the past.

  • Publicis India appoints Neeraj Bassi as managing partner & chief strategy officer

    Publicis India appoints Neeraj Bassi as managing partner & chief strategy officer

    MUMBAI: Publicis India has appointed Neeraj Bassi as managing partner and chief strategy officer.

    Neeraj will be based out of the agency’s New Delhi office. Along with Srija Chatterjee and Bobby Pawar, Neeraj will help in fostering collaboration and delivering on the Power of One synergies across the Groupe.

    With over two decades of professional experience, Neeraj has worked with some of the world’s most renowned brands including Coca-Cola, Asian Paints, Cadbury, BMW, KFC, Adidas, Samsung, British Airways, WeChat, Voltas, Audi, HSBC, Max Life and Tata Singapore Airlines – Vistara among others.

    He joins Publicis after a brief stint as an independent Consultant where he provided strategic guidance and brand solutions for multiple clients across various categories. Neeraj has worked with some of the top market research networks such as TNS, IMRB and NFO and led the Strategic Planning function in advertising agencies including Cheil, Ogilvy, JWT, McCann in India and abroad. Neeraj has also won multiple awards across reputed award festivals that recognise effectiveness such as Effies (India & APAC), AMES, WARC, etc.

    Announcing the new appointment and welcoming Neeraj aboard, Publicis Communications South Asia CEO Saurabh Varma says, “In Neeraj, we found a partner with a shared vision of driving a deeper level of integration within the Groupe by leveraging the Power of One model. Neeraj’s vast experience and media neutral planning approach will help clients in building a holistic brand experience which will aim to create one-to-one consumer engagement, at scale. I look forward to working with Neeraj and wish him the best of luck.”

    Publicis Worldwide India MD Srija Chatterjee adds, “Neeraj joins at a time when the Groupe is implementing a profound transformation which puts our clients front and centre of everything that we do. His wealth of experience of working across diverse sectors and with cross-functional teams, will help build a narrative around our clients’ business and marketing transformation that connects data, content and technology in an omni-channel world. I’m excited to welcome Neeraj to the Publicis Groupe family, and we look forward to him riding the next strategic wave at the agency.”

    Commenting on his appointment, and his plans for the agency, Neeraj Bassi mentions, “I am really excited to be part of Publicis India and looking forward to partnering Bobby and Srija to create stellar work that stands out in the market. Working with clients as an independent consultant has given me an insight on the primary concerns of CXOs and how communication can help resolve them. Clients today need an omni channel approach to planning that focuses on identifying and solving their business problems holistically, rather than getting trapped in a discipline specific approach. I am fascinated by the way all Groupe companies have come together at Publicis to create Power of One, and I look forward to wielding this power to build successful campaigns for our clients.”